A Fairy-Tail Marriage

“I didn’t say that. I said it will solidify the kingdom.”

“But that sounds so impersonal. My child will be more than a way to bring this kingdom together,” Althea argued.

“Our child will be both,” Braxton said. “I know you feel as if you were used when you were forced to marry me, but this has nothing to do with that.”

Althea narrowed her eyes as she sat up and looked down at him. “It has everything to do with that. We won’t treat our child like he or she is a pawn in the political game. I won’t allow it.”

Braxton also sat up. “Don’t get defensive, Althea. I agree that we shouldn’t do that. However, sometimes, as royalty, we are forced to do things we don’t want to do.”

“Such as this marriage?” she asked, hurt by his implication.

Anger leapt into his eyes. “I am well aware you didn’t want this marriage, Althea. No need to throw it in my face.” He rose and began to dress.

“You didn’t want this marriage either, so don’t pretend you were okay with it and I’m the only one who didn’t want it.” Althea watched him as he dressed. “Where are you going?”

“To sleep elsewhere.”

“What?”

He shoved his feet into his boots and rose. At the door, he said, “I honestly thought we were doing well in this marriage. I didn’t realize you harbored negativity for me still. I will leave the room and give you your space.” He jerked the door open and slammed it after him.

Althea stared at the door, shocked. A simple conversation had turned into a horrible miscommunication. She had grown happy in this marriage, and even though she wouldn’t admit it to Braxton or anyone else, she had fallen in love with him over the last few weeks.

After their first night together, the s*x had gotten better and better. As she had grown closer to him during their travels, she had enjoyed his company more and more. He was funny, intelligent, and caring. He loved his people and would do anything for them; he was a good king. He was attentive to her and her needs, always making sure she had what she needed to be comfortable. Why wouldn’t she fall in love with him?

And she was pretty sure the child they had just fought over already grew in her belly. She wasn’t sure yet; she was only a few days late, and her body hadn’t changed yet. But she felt different. In a week she would know for sure. And now this.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she laid back down and attempted to sleep. How will I tell him? And how will I keep my child from being used as I was used? Really, if she was being honest, Braxton had allowed himself to be used as well. But she wouldn’t put her child through that. Yes, her relationship with Braxton, tonight notwithstanding, was turning out to be a good thing, but that didn’t mean it would remain so.

Sighing, she closed her eyes as tears continued to escape her eyes and fall onto the pillow.

*****

As they packed the horses, Cala stepped to Blake and said, “Those two are being really strange this morning.”

“Yes, I noticed,” he mused as he watched the king and queen carefully avoiding each other, speaking only when they had to. “I wonder what happened.”

“I know one thing that’s happened.” She looked at him blandly. “They have fallen in love accidentally.”

“Do people fall in love accidentally?” Blake smirked.

“They did,” Cala said with a giggle. “I wonder if they even know it.”

Blake watched Cala as she followed their friends with her eyes. “You’re a romantic.”

She glanced at him again. “Yeah. A little.”

Braxton called out, “Let’s get moving. I want to be at the castle before dark.” His tone suggested they get on their horses immediately without any argument. He rode ahead of everyone else, his back straight. He needed time to think.

His conversation with Althea last night had taken a bad turn. He had no intention of using their child as a pawn, but Althea’s behavior had been so defensive as if she truly believed he would do that. After these few weeks, spending so much time together, he had thought she’d know him better. Apparently not.

And dammit, he’d fallen for her. When the hell had that happened? He shook his head at himself. This had to be fixed. If the two of them were going to have a happy marriage, these small bickering fights would have to cease. He was not under the false idea that married couples didn’t fight, but he felt like he and Althea were way too uncomfortable with each other. He blamed it on the fact that they hadn’t know each other before they married.

As they rode, he listened to Althea chat quietly with Blake and Cala, and his mind began to contemplate all the ways he could make her happy. He wanted her to fall for him too, so he had to do some wooing. She would be receptive, he was sure of it. He could see something in her eyes when they looked at each other. They would work together.

Braxton let his horse slow so he could join the conversation going on behind them. He wouldn’t apologize to Althea now, but he would later. “What are you giggling about back here?”

Althea looked at Braxton and smiled a small smile. “Blake was telling us a story about when the two of you were little. What a couple of troublemakers you were!”

The smile she had given him had warmed his heart. “Oh no. Which story?”

“How many are there?” Althea laughed.

“So many I couldn’t tell them all on this trip,” Blake said with a chuckle.

“Which one were you telling?” Braxton asked again, a smile on his face.

“Remember when we were teenagers and snuck out of the castle to meet those two hot chicks?” Blake asked, slapping his thigh.

“Hey, now, this is my wife!” Braxton teased. “You can’t tell her about my conquests!”

The group laughed, and Blake opened his mouth to tell the story when a werewolf burst out of the forest on their left, spooking the horses. Althea’s reared, but she held her seat. The others attempted to bolt but were controlled by their riders. Once they had their horses under control, Braxton leapt off his and approached the werewolf, now in human form.

“What the hell is wrong with you? We’re on horses!” The poor kid was terrified and cowered under Braxton’s anger. “You could have seriously injured one of us.”

“I’m s-s-so sorry, King Braxton,” the kid stammered.

“What is so important that you burst out of the bushes like that?”

“I have an urgent message for you from the castle,” the kid breathed. He handed a piece of paper to Braxton and stepped away. Braxton glared at him as he opened the message.

Blake had dismounted, encouraging the women to remain on their horses. They were only three miles from the castle and could see its turrets over the tree line. He moved to Braxton and read over his shoulder. “Son of a bitch,” he murmured angrily after reading.

Braxton dismissed the messenger with a growl and looked at Blake. “What the hell?”

“It would seem your marriage to Althea has brought your brother out of hiding,” Blake grumbled.