| Phase 6 � I�m not. Fei isn�t.� � You won�t let anybody near you. Fei doesn�t have to.� � Bart, don�t worry about it. Nobody can make you do anything you don�t want to do.� � Yeah, but it�s expected of me.� I ruffled his hair gently. � They can�t expect you to do something you don�t want to do. Marriage is about love. If you don�t love your wife, you�ll both be miserable and that�s no way to live.� � But what if she�s a noble?� � Bart, it doesn�t matter what she is. If you don�t love her, don�t chain yourself to her. Nobody can blame you for holding out for the right one and if they try I�ll stand by you, all right?� He smiled. � Thanks.� � Don�t thank me. It�s your right to be happy. An unhappy king cannot rule correctly because he has to concentrate on his own problems. Remember, a wife should provide support and a valid counter-point if necessary. She should never cause you trouble over trivial things like the fluffiness of the pillows.� � Isn�t that kind of sexist?� � From a feminist point of view, yes. But there are certain rules that wives are supposed to follow that have been around since the beginning of Time. If she doesn�t like the pillows, she needs to go out and get new ones herself instead of harass you about it. You shouldn�t be running her life; she needs to operate on her own so you can do your duty as King.� � What about children?� � What about them?� He shrugged. � Just in general.� � Well the first thing to do is find out if she wants to have children. If she doesn�t, drop her. Unless, that is, you don�t want them either. Otherwise, if you both have a lot in common and you really do love each other, then go ahead and get married. And if it turns out that she can�t bear a child, there are plenty of other options. You could pick a successor, adopt . . . or, if you�re that cruel, ditch her and marry someone else.� He winced at the last part, then asked, � Do you want to have kids?� � . . . I�m not sure. I guess so. When I�m older and settled in somewhere maybe. Then again, if my situation stays the same or gets worse, that idea goes right out the window. If I can�t take care of myself sufficiently, I sure as hell can�t care for a child.� � If I asked,� he said seriously, � would you give me a child?� � Yes,� I answered without hesitation. � Why?� � Because you�re responsible and you wouldn�t leave me in the dust.� � You put a lot of faith in me.� � It�s well-placed,� I replied. � You haven�t let me down yet.� We sat in thoughtful silence for a few minutes. My eyes began to close of their own accord until his voice interrupted rather timidly. � Kris?� � Mm?� � How will I know when I�ve found the right girl?� I stroked his head, then pulled my hand away. � You�ll know as soon as you see her. It�ll just be one of those things that hits you right off. And don�t let an outward facade fool you. Your heart will know, if you don�t. It knows a lot about love and it�ll tell you when you�ve found the one you�re looking for.� He absorbed that. � . . . Thanks for listening, Kris.� I smiled. � You know I don�t mind. As long as it helps . . .� He looked at the ceiling and sighed in relief. � You have no idea.� I tugged gently on his bangs. � I can tell you�re tired. Come on up here.� � But Kris . . .� � Oh, come on. We did it when we were kids.� � Yeah, but that was then.� � What? You afraid I�m going to find out some secret about you?� He flushed. � No! I just . . .� � Just what?� � I don�t want to kick you.� I laughed. � I give as good as I get, you know.� � Yeah, but . . .� � But . . .?� I echoed. � Can I please just sleep on the floor?� I rolled to my stomach. � No, you�ve got my curiosity piqued now.� He groaned. � Oh no . . .� I shrugged. � Sorry.� Then I understood his problem. � Oh, Bart . . . Don�t worry about that. You know I won�t freak out.� � But it�ll bother me.� � You can�t help what you do when you sleep. Look, unless I have a nightmare, I probably won�t notice. Besides, you don�t scare me like they did. As long as we lay back-to-back your hands will behave themselves, right?� � I guess so.� � Then what are you worried about? Come on.� He climbed up onto the bed with me and laid down with his back to mine. I took my boots off and dropped them on the floor in a haphazard pile. He kicked his off and we both resettled into the sheets. I reached back for Bart�s hand and gave it a squeeze. � I won�t hate you forever. You�ve been an exception since I met you.� � You forgive me too much,� he murmured, yawning. *>*<* Upon receiving no answer, he opened the door and entered, stopping short at the serene sight before him. Bart was laying behind Kris, his arms around her waist, keeping her tightly against him. He was partially curled around her, as if to protect her, and had her head tucked under his. Kris seemed oblivious to what he was doing and slept on in peace. She did not appear concerned by the arrangement, even if she wasn�t asleep. Sigurd knelt by the bed and touched Kris� cheek. Bart�s head rose immediately and his eyes opened as he growled warningly. Then he blinked in surprise and focused. � Oh. Sorry, Sig.� His head returned to the pillow and he was asleep instantly. Sigurd humphed and smiled. Maison wanted Bart to marry a girl with at least a little bit of noble blood, but Sigurd knew it was too late. Bart had already chosen his future wife. Maison was going to be mad. Deciding that what he needed to tell the young prince could wait for another hour or two, Sigurd stood and quietly left the room. He went to the mess hall and to the upper level and sat in one of the chairs there. Maison poured him a cup of tea and he sipped at it thoughtfully. � You�re not going to like what I have to say.� � Oh?� � Don�t bother looking for any noble ladies that are still alive.� � Why not?� � Bartholomew already picked his wife.� � When did this happen?!� Sigurd waved his hand dismissively. � He doesn�t know he has yet.� � I see. Who is it?� � Do you really want to know?� � I�d rather.� He took another sip. � Kris.� � What?!� He nodded. � You heard me.� � Yes, but . . .� Maison sighed helplessly. � I suppose it�s all right. Krista isn�t an ignoramus . . .� � Far from it.� � She�s a very capable woman . . . But I would�ve rather seen him with a noble girl who was the child of one of the King�s court or Miss Marguerite.� � Don�t be so stiff, Maison. Kris is responsible and can be self-sufficient if need be. She�ll make a great queen. Besides, she analyzes people so well that he could use that to find possible enemies.� � True . . .� � And they know each other so well that any problems they have will be solved outside of their work. What�s more, she knows how to cool his temper, which would definitely come in handy later.� � . . . You have a convincing argument, but I worry about her sketchy history. We know nearly nothing about her childhood before we found her. What if she�s a spy from the capital?� � If she was, she never would�ve left in the first place and we�d all have been dead a long time ago.� Sigurd finished off his cup. � Is there something else you�re worried about?� There was a long hesitation. � . . . I worry about the circumstances that led up to her situation and the way we found her.� Sigurd snorted. � You�re so old-fashioned. Bartholomew doesn�t appear to care and that�s good enough for me.� � I would�ve pref---� Sigurd held up his hand. � From a certain regard, so would I, but listen to yourself for just a moment. If this is his decision, how much do you think our opinion is going to matter to him? Taking his temper and mood into account, of course.� Maison nodded. � I am thwarted by the truth.� *>*<* I woke alone and felt very briefly disoriented before recognizing the room as Bart�s. I got up and headed down to the bay to talk to Axyl for a bit. But as I moved down the walkway I couldn�t help but notice Sig, Citan, and Fei standing in a semi-circle, watching something on the bridge�s right wing. I stopped and turned to look as well, then gently touched his mind. He greeted me, so I hopped over the railing and landed on the wing. � Kris!� Sig hissed. � Don�t!� I looked up. � It�s all right. I asked.� He frowned, but let it go. I went out to the edge of the wing and stood beside him. Not looking at him or touching him--just offering support if he needed it. And as usual, he reached out and put his arm around my waist and drew me against his side. I felt him shaking ever so slightly, but didn�t speak right away. When I finally did, it was a whisper. � Are you all right?� He brushed at his eyes. � Honestly? No.� I reached up to cup his face in my hand and he broke down right there. I barely caught him before he hit the metal wing and knelt, urging his head to my shoulder and stroking his back. He cried for five minutes and both of us managed to keep his sobs to a minimum. When he was done I wiped the tear tracks away with my thumbs. � There. Don�t you feel better?� � Yeah.� He sniffled. � Did anybody see?� I glanced over at the walkway and answered truthfully, � Nobody who�ll say anything.� He nodded and got to his feet. I hugged him. � No one thinks any less of you. Everyone needs to cry every once in a while.� � I know. But it�s embarrassing sometimes.� � Would you rather have done it here or on the bridge right in front of everyone there?� � . . . You have a point.� � Of course I do.� I took his hand. � Want me to smuggle you someplace where you can wash your face?� He chuckled. � No, thanks. I�ll be okay in a minute or two.� He began to stare into space again, as he�d been doing when I found him. I stood with him as always and remained a silent companion. The quiet went on for several minutes and I was just beginning to wonder if I should leave him alone now when he asked softly, � Kris?� � Yes?� � I want to stay here a while longer . . .� He was so polite. Didn�t want to sound like he was chasing me off. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and nodded understandingly. � Okay. I won�t be far if you need me.� � Thank you.� � It�s nothing.� � It is something, Kris. Don�t shake it off like I�m saying that to make you feel better. You really are helping me.� I smiled at him. � I�m glad.� I let go and placed my hand on his arm briefly, then returned to the walkway and went to Axyl�s stall. <--Phase 5 Phase 7--> |