by Billy Wong
"I wonder how Claire will feel about that."
He smiled. "She's an understanding person. I'm sure she won't be too hard on me. By the way, why the name Isolde?"
"You don't know? My middle name's Isolde. I think I might have wanted you to figure it out, or at least suspect. But I guess I wasn't on your mind enough."
"I didn't even know that was your middle name. I'm sure you told me before, but I didn't remember." The way her features drooped made him feel guilty. "Sorry. I promise I'll treat you better from now on."
"You don't need to apologize about that. I obviously didn't do much to command your attention then. I'm just glad we'll have another chance to know each other now."
#
After helping Sophie to her room to get some rest, Theo went to Claire's. He knocked on the door and she answered it, swathed in bloody bandages. They looked rather sloppy, like she'd put them on herself. "Where's Lily?" he asked.
"I knew we'd be talking about some personal things, so I sent her out. I see you took your good time with your fiancee before coming to see me, though."
He hadn't expected the hint of jealousy he detected in her voice. "She's weaker than you."
"Is she? She seemed pretty strong when we fought."
"You still won." When she didn't smile or laugh, he added, "She's still the softer person, I think. You live to be a warrior and have so much experience traveling the world surviving all sorts of perils. She just did it on the side."
"I suppose you have a point."
"About our marriage though... I know this might seem oddly timed considering you just won... maybe we should postpone it a bit."
Claire's cheek twitched. "So after finding out you've been treating her worse than she deserved, now you feel sorry for her and reluctant to hurt her any more? Or does her secret identity increase her appeal to you?"
Theo fidgeted nervously with his fingers, not knowing how to respond. "I, well... what we learned is a lot to take in. Perhaps all three of us could use some time to think about what happens next."
"You can think. While you do, you should be aware I'm carrying your child."
His jaw dropped nearly to the floor. "What?!"
"Did you think I'd have rushed our relationship like this just because the Hierarch wanted it? I work for him, I'm not a slave."
"But you just had a huge battle with Sophie... how could you accept the challenge knowing you were pregnant, especially against such a powerful opponent? Even though it could have been worse, you got kicked hard in the stomach and fell a few times, and we don't know what damage might've been done."
She averted her gaze, as if acknowledging she might not have taken the best course. "I tried to avoid it, but she goaded me into it. I'm not far along, so I thought I could do one more thing before backing away. I expected to win more easily. I guess the First of Spears isn't that far above the best of Egrent." Theo wondered also however if worry over her child might not have hindered her from performing at her best.
Her recklessness still angered him a little, but the fact she seemed to regret it made him more inclined to forgive her. "I just hope nothing bad happens because of the fight. Wait though, didn't you say you often take lovers during your travels? I'd have thought then that you would have a way to prevent yourself from accidentally getting pregnant, maybe a medicine or something."
She smiled bashfully. "I lied about that. I don't often take on lovers. You're only the second I had from a foreign land. Lily does know a drug recipe to keep a man's seed from taking hold, but it's rarely needed so we don't keep a supply on hand. Since it was just one time, I figured the risk wouldn't be too great. I guess I was unlucky, or lucky depending how you look at it."
Hearing he was special to her made Theo feel good, though it didn't completely excuse her failure to exercise proper caution. He certainly didn't feel ready to become a father, and knew she hadn't been prepared to be a mother either. But ready or not, here they were. "You're not as always on top of things as I thought."
"I accept any blame you lay on me for my mistakes."
"Well, you are just human. It's equally my fault for not asking if you had taken precautions." He hugged her, making her gasp in surprise and a bit of pain. "Sorry, I hope I didn't disturb your wounds too much. I'll take full responsibility for what I've done."
"Do you mean..?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yes. I'll marry you."
"Are you sure? We didn't exactly get your father's approval before we were interrupted."
Picturing his mother's reaction put him on edge, but he said, "I'll do it no matter what my parents think. If you're carrying my child, it would be wrong of me to neglect the both of you."
"I appreciate that. Will it be all right with you for me to continue my work for the Hierarch after our child is born? I don't feel it's time for me to be a stay at home wife yet."
He laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if you never felt it was time. It's certainly fine. I'd never expect you to become a completely different person just because we're together. You don't plan to still go to other countries all the time, do you? I can accept you working, but a mother barely being with her child might be too much."
She looked apprehensive, which was understandable given the stress that came with such a change in one's life. "I can see what you're saying. I think I should be able to find work to do here, building relations between your country and mine maybe."
"Yeah, I guess." Being the ambassador for High Waloros seemed reasonable enough, and while it bothered Theo slightly that she referred to them as belonging to different countries, he held out hope she would come to identify more with Egrent after living there for a while.
"Should I come and speak to your parents with you?"
"It's probably better for me to talk with them alone first. My mother doesn't respond the best to mentions of you, let alone..."
"I'll have to meet her sometime if we're to be husband and wife."
He gave a slow nod. "You're right. Let's go together, then."
They waited until night, when Theo figured both his parents would be in their bedroom, to visit them. Even as a prince who had seen it thousands of times, the size and richly colored linens of their massive bed remained impressive. The glare his mother fixed on Claire as she entered already unnerved him. They might have both knelt, except the royal couple already sat in the bed which seemed to swallow them up and kneeling would make communication difficult. "You've come to resume our discussion from before Sophie inserted herself, I take it?" the king asked, looking up from a book.
Before Theo could reply, the queen massaging her husband's shoulders said, "There should be no need for any further discussion on this matter. Sophie already proved her merits to be far beyond what you thought, and you still find her unworthy compared to this foreign woman?"
Well, she had lost to Claire, though that wasn't the reason he preferred to marry the latter. "I admit I thought too little of Sophie, although she did deceive me into doing so. Knowing what I do now, she is an exceptional woman. But while I hope we can improve our relationship, Claire is the one I already adore. Sophie can't just replace her now that I found out she's impressive too. Besides, there's another reason I cannot choose another at this stage."
His father gazed curiously at Claire. Maybe he had an idea. "And what might that be?"
"As of now she carries my child, whom I am obligated to care for."
Queen Talia's eyes widened. "She is with child, and yet hours ago she volunteered to fight in a brutal duel? On top of saddling you with this burden out of wedlock. How irresponsible is this Waloros whore?"
Claire bristled, and Theo held her hand in an effort to calm her. "She acknowledged she was excessively reckless, as do I. That doesn't change the fact she is to be the mother of my child, and I must protect them both."
"Protect them? Questionable as she may be as a person, who are you to protect her?"
"Er, well, she'll be more vulnerable as her pregnanc
y develops, and besides I didn't just mean physical protection. Being a young first time mother, she can no doubt use the support of the father in many forms."
"Your Majesty," Claire said, "Prince Theo is right. I may seem like an unshakable juggernaut in your eyes, and that's the image I usually try to put forth. But right now I'm treading into unknown territory, and my heart's far from steady. If you would allow your son to accompany me and lend me his strength through this frightening yet sure to be wonderful time, I would be most grateful."
"Pretty words," Talia spat, "from a pretty succubus. Yet how are we to know this was not your plan all along, to trap one of our sons in order to buy leverage for your master?"
Theo replied, "It would be difficult for her to assure becoming pregnant with my child considering we slept together only once."
"Even so, how do you know she is even really with child?" She paused. "I suppose it would be simple enough to confirm with a physician. But then, how would you know the child is really yours?"
"I believe Claire. Besides, aren't you going a bit out of your way to suspect her?"
"Assuming she tells the truth, why can you not just support her financially instead of going as far as to make her your wife? That in itself would be generous, considering many royals have bastards they do not even acknowledge."
"That isn't right, though. As for only giving her monetary support"—he hugged Claire—"why would I try to distance myself from her when I love her?"
The queen scowled. "If you insist on marrying this untrustworthy woman, you can do it without calling yourself my son."
He started. "Mother, what? You'd renounce me for following my heart?"
"The heart can take one on a foolhardy path. If a grown child of mine has not the wisdom to see it, he should not have the privilege of calling himself such."
"That's pretty self-important of you," Claire whispered, "even for a queen."
"What did you say?"
Theo stiffened, not liking where this was going.
"So you heard me," Claire said. "I said what I meant."
Talia slapped her. "How dare you talk to me this way! I could have you executed."
"For one that speaks of wisdom, I do not think you would much like the response of High Waloros should you do that."
"Come on Claire, stop," Theo pleaded. "There's no need to fight, and it'll hardly help us get my parents' blessing."
Talia aimed another slap at her. Instead of just taking on the cheek like before, she turned her head towards it and braced herself. The palm struck her directly on her upraised chin, and the older woman drew her hand back in pain having hurt herself more than her target. "I'm hardly fighting. Just making an observation."
The queen's face was livid with outrage. Theo raised his hands. "Please Mother, calm down. I know Claire isn't exactly being the most respectful, but she... well, she kind of has a point."
"You dare?!"
Theo looked down apologetically. "I don't mean to question your character. But as a grown man like you say, shouldn't I have some leeway to make my own decisions? Even if they turn out to be the wrong ones, as an adult I should be able to learn from them."
"Perhaps there's a bit of a point to that. But to gamble so with a matter as significant as your marriage?"
"She is the mother of my child and the woman I love. What could be more justified to take a risk on? Father, what about you? Do you think I should never get a say in my future?"
Darius glanced at his wife and frowned. "At some point you will certainly have to make important choices of your own, but I am not confident you are ready to do so yet."
"But Mother just said I was grown. So when will I be ready, at some arbitrary time you decide I am?"
"It is... hard to say," he replied after some hesitation. "Regardless, we cannot approve of you marrying Lady Claire at this time."
He figured his father might sympathize with him, and just be going along with his mother because he didn't want to anger her. But calling him out on it now wouldn't make things better. "We'll take our leave, then." He took Claire's hand, and together they exited the room.
"So what now?" she asked in the hall.
After a few moments he said, "We'll still get married. I doubt my parents will reject me when it comes down to it, if they find out after the fact. Damon will probably help us find someone to do it."
"Your brother approves? I wouldn't have thought so at first."
"I've talked to him a lot about you, and he's warmed up to us." He smiled. "You are pretty hard to resist."
"The way you speak of me, I'm sure. I guess I have your graceful tongue to thank."
"You're plenty appealing on your own. I didn't tell myself how great you were."
She grinned slyly. "I admit I'm well aware of my own merits. But I'm glad a man as good as you can see them too."
Though some might not have viewed it so favorably, her confidence was one of the traits he adored. "We'll have to wait for a bit while Damon sets things up. I suppose you can stay under the pretense of us ironing out the details of my monetary support."
"Your parents would probably want to keep updated on our progress with that."
"Of course. So we'll make something up while we chat and explore the town."
#
Theo's outlook for the near future wasn't all bright and sunny, as he knew he would have to disappoint Sophie after telling her he'd take things slow with Claire. He decided to visit her, and found her in bed looking pale and sickly. "How are you?" he asked, his guilt growing. He had thought to ask the easy questions first, but even they proved not so easy. "I hope your injuries aren't bothering you too much."
"They're quite bothersome, but such things happen in the life of a warrior. At least I gave my opponent back her share of hits, even if it wasn't enough."
Her unshaken attitude made her seem so strong, far from the mundane girl he'd known, even in the wake of defeat and her weakened state. "Do you plan on continuing as the king's champion now, after having your identity revealed?"
"My identity being known doesn't change much, other than the mystique being lessened. I still have the same skills. Barring my parents insisting otherwise, which likely won't happen with your father's influence, yes I'll continue."
"I'm glad to hear that. You make an excellent champion. Will you still go by Isolde? Sophie the Breaker doesn't sound as imposing."
"Isolde is my middle name, so it won't be strange to keep using it."
"Ah, that's right." The part he dreaded loomed near. "If I tell you a secret, can you promise to keep it?
"What's the secret about? Is it something on which the fate of the country might rest?"
He worried to recall the importance she attributed to ties by marriage between the royal and noble families, but replied, "It doesn't involve anything that could put the kingdom in imminent peril. It's more about us and our... personal relationships."
She furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure I like how your voice sounds. But fine, I promise I won't tell."
With her having said that, he felt he could trust her. "I won't be able to take things slow as I thought. Claire's carrying my child. So despite my parents' disapproval, we're going to get married."
"So that's why she wanted it all of a sudden." Her eyes bulged. "She fought me like that, while pregnant?"
"I was shocked too. She's early in her pregnancy, and I guess her pride wouldn't let her say no."
"She is overly proud. A woman who had the proper care for her babe wouldn't endanger it in an unnecessary battle. She could have told me, and I would've understood."
Theo acknowledged she had a point. But nobody was perfect, and this fault of Claire's was one he could forgive. It did stem from her massive self-belief, which tended to more often be a strength than a weakness. "She made the wrong choice, yes. We were fortunate enough that nothing terrible happened though, and she remains the mother of my child."
Sophie bowed her head. "It isn't wrong of you. Marryin
g her, that is. If you're a father, you should act like one."
"So you're not angry at me over it?"
"It still upsets me that you ignored our obligation to each other to bed her. But what's done is done, and you have my blessing to behave as a father should."
He took her hand. "Thank you. I know now that you're a really good and understanding woman, who I have no doubt will find an equally great man. And I hope I can still come to love you, as a friend."
"That would make me happy." She shook his hand, squeezing it hard and surprising him anew with her strength. "I accept I can't have you for my man. Gaining your respect pleases me nonetheless."
Hearing how reasonable she sounded made him feel really bad about hurting her. He even considered the possibility of marrying both her and Claire, as some ancient kings had taken multiple wives. But only briefly, for that didn't happen these days and he doubted Claire's pride would tolerate such a thing. "I truly wish you the best, and hope you have a wonderful life."
"Thanks." Her voice seemed slightly choked up, but she was great at holding her composure given that was the only crack in it. "What will you do if your parents' won't acknowledge Claire, though? Will you give up being a prince?"
"I don't know yet. We're hoping they won't press the matter when it comes down to it. But thinking about it, I'd say yes. I'll take my principles over the privileges of being royalty."
"Then I commend you for that, and will put a word in for you if needed."
He looked into her eyes. They shared a smile, and he realized no one else's endorsement would please him more.
#
A few days later while he and Claire conversed in her room, Theo suggested, "By the way, think we should have that match we've talked about for so long?"
"Now? I thought you wouldn't want to considering I'm pregnant, and have some wounds."
"It would be a light spar, of course I don't intend to hurt you or our babe. I just figured we might have another chance for a long time, so maybe we should do it soon. I know it's painful to move around with your injuries, but it seems out of character for you to let that stop you—what do you say?"
