Ester is Pregnant?
Ester entered the northern castle with a large smile on her face. She was excited. Excited to her core. It was far more than she had ever expected.
When she was told that much was taken from the castle she had been furious. But now that she saw what remained her fury was curbed ever so slightly.
Everything was utterly beautiful. Suddenly she knew that they would have their wedding here in this castle as soon as everything was clear and her Gabriel was free to do so.
She went through every room of the castle in only two days. She just wanted to see everything with her own eyes and to physically see things that were mentioned in the reports.
She was actually surprised that this castle was larger than both the central castle and the summer castle in the south. They would definitely use this castle more.
They were currently listening to many reports. She was ignoring it all until she heard that the king of Golden Sea did not want to do business with them.
She looked up and focused on the girl speaking.
'Wasn't this one of her family's girls?'
It seemed Gabriel had the same idea as he looked to the sisters, without a word and then back to the young lady giving the report.
Oh how he wished he had the control and intelligence of King Samuel. If he had his life would have been much different right now.
He nodded to the girl. He already knew that the sisters would handle her and this issue. So he did not address it and moved forward as if it were of no consequence.
Marigold calmly brushed Ester's hair. She stood staring blankly behind the black haired witch, as if she was not aware of anything. But she was aware of everything. So she heard Vanessa enter the room before Ester did.
She was so experienced now that she knew it was Vanessa without looking at her so she never even stirred from her stupor. She didn't even react much when Ester started. She only deftly adjusted to match her movements but it still came off as if she was in some sort of daze.
She even registered Vanessa looking at her before she began speaking to her sister.
"Mother has discussed things with the other Madams. They want you to keep it." When she said "it" she looked to Marigold again. But she was no a professional when it came to espionage and although her heart constricted and her stomach knotted she showed no outward changes.
Ester rolled her eyes and relaxed her body.
"There is no way. He already has children. I am not destroying my body for the family." She shrugged. "I know that you want to experience it so why don't you have his baby?"
"Stop pretending like you are that dense." Vanessa fell into one of the overly plush chairs tiredly and sighed dramatically.
"You already know that mine would not count. I will still be a consort. Here in Lystra that is the same as calling any of my children with Gabriel bastards."
Ester frowned.
"No one will ever call a niece nor nephew of mine bastard."
The more Marigold listened the more her heart stirred. This vile woman would kill the child of the king without a second thought? It was truly beyond her reasoning.
"Regardless it is besides the point. A child from me is not eligible to take the throne."
"You have no vision sister. We will just have Gabriel change such barbaric laws."
Ester rested her head on the soft back of her chair and continued enjoying her brushing.
There was a knock at the door and a woman entered with her head lowered.
"My ladies the King has sent for Lady Vanessa. He wants you in his chambers now My Lady."
Vanessa face palmed as her sister went through different stages of rage.
Ester stormed into Gabriel's rooms and he sighed as he rolled his eyes. Why did he do things like this to himself? Did he enjoy chaos? Vanessa calmly walked into the rooms behind her sister. She quietly sat down and waited for the outcome.
"And why is it that you call for Vanessa and not me!!!?"
"Because I no longer wish to see you. Especially not here where Grace made so many improvements without any help from the crown. He was quite proud of her and appreciative.
Of course he recognized his son's work in those stained glass windows and his mother had already allowed him to listen to the song his children recorded for her and she had given him many that they had recorded for him.
Grace had done that in spite of everything. She thought of his relationship with his children and not her personal anger. And it only went to show him ever the more that he had utterly messed things up.
"You… no longer… want to see me?"
It was as if her mind broke. What could he mean, because his words could not be correct. Did he say it wrong?
"This is somehow because of Grace! You should be upset with her. She has stolen from you and here you are upset with me. How is this possible?"
He just looked at her blankly. His anger simmering just below the surface. She had already used her pregnancy to calm his family, but he knew her. He knew her vanity and her selfishness. She would never have a baby and he had already resolved within himself that his children with Grace would be his heirs.
Wonderful, talented, beautiful heirs at that. It is what he had always wanted.
As his heart soared within him he continued to look at her blankly.
She stepped to him quickly, her rage clear on her face and in her manner. The guards shook and he raised a hand to stop them but Vanessa he did not stop. She stood between him and her sister, her rage flowing forward reaching out to Ester's.
"Out of my way sister this man dares to defy me!"
"this man is our king. If he can not defy you then who can."
Ester looked into her sister's eyes. "No one can."
As the royals disputed over their standing and roles. Marigold moved quietly down the halls. Perhaps a lesser woman would be nervous or even scared but no Marigold. It was like she as created to do this.
She reached a door and knocked softly, more of a rapping of her fingertips than a knock. She created a unique pattern only known to a strict few and then she stopped and quietly waited.
She waited so long that one would have given, and that was the point. None of Grace's people knew who they could really trust. Some loyal to her had been seduced and the used for information and killed. But before they died they gave enough information to have others within their ranks identified.
So now caution was the form of their group. No one reacted quickly or rashly. It was patience and waiting.
An older woman Marigold recognized as one of the head cooks opened the door. When she saw it was Marigold her frown fell and she relaxed. She opened the door to allow the younger woman in.
Marigold moved through the warren of passages quickly. She soon came to a large opulent room. This was the meeting hall of an ancient king of Lystra. She fully entered and the group in attendance came to attention and they all moved to a large conference table positioned to one side of the room.
Marigold explained the information she had for them and the entire space fell into a deep silence. In the end they decided to act as Queen Grace decided.
Gabriel turned from the sisters.
"And where do you think you are going! I still hav…"
Gabriel rounded on her so fast that Ester could nor properly react. His hand was around her throat and he squeezed as if he wanted her to die slowly.
Vanessa stopped herself from reacting. She was looking into his eyes and knew her sister would not die. How could she love such a man. One who could not, or would not, protect those that loved him or that he loved.
Gabriel's guard were a different story. They moved into position as if they were prepared to help their king if he needed any help against this woman.
"You will no longer speak of Grace or the children she has given me. You no longer have the right nor the privilege. You will leave them alone or I actually will snap your neck."
He let go of her and she sputtered before him he reached a hand towards Vanessa and they quietly walked into his bed chamber together.