Chapter 10
John had heard from Lorne after a few months, saying that despite the people of Proculus saying otherwise, they are in a very bad shape. Ill health, a halt in population growth due to sickness, and most of all, John was shocked to hear that they had people working the mines for no pay and almost no sleep. Lorne also told him that most of the older people knew that the Royal Family weren’t the rightful heirs but were too afraid of being executed if they’d say something about it.
John then told Lorne to go back to his David in San Franciskus, thanking him generously for his service, and decided there and then that something had to be done. Aracely was furious when she heard of what was going on in Proculus and after John received word from Chaya and her family that they accepted the dinner invitation, he made sure that the palace was secure, more secure than on a daily basis. He needed to be sure that his wife would be safe.
Especially now that Aracely’s stomach was more showing.
Everything was set. All the evidence of Aracely’s heritage, all the evidence of how the people of Proculus were being treated, and all the evidence about how the Royal Family had paid someone to poison the water supply near San Franciskus and how they had paid off the rogue group of Chulakkans to find the true heir and kill her, were ready for distribution along the dinner table. Yes, Lorne had found out more than he had bargained for, more than John could possibly had hoped for and he was glad that the man did.
It was near Winter Solstice that the advance guards announced that Chaya would be at the castle within a day. John had the maids ready a few chambers on the far end of the Castle, making sure that there was no easy way to reach the Royal wings, and he spent the rest of the day laying on the bed with Aracely, reading a book of poetry to her as she was resting.
“How are you feeling?” Aracely asked him, gently removing the book from his hands. “We will be fine. I have faith.”
John shrugged. “Just trying to find a way to deceive them with pleasantries before stabbing them with the cold hard truth… but the more I think about it, the more I want to throw them into a bottomless pit and declare Proculus as ours.” He pulled her in his arms and softly kissed her neck. “What about you? Having them over will be our first real Royal engagement, something we both dislike… and ugh, do you think that Gabriella can organize a Christmas ball in a short period of time? I completely forgot about that… that it’s … something that my Father used to organize for the council members, the advisers… and everyone else in the castle.”
She looked at him thoughtfully. “I suppose she could. I do not see why not. As far as Proculus, you can speak with them at dinner. Once they believe they are comfortable and secure we can just tell them. I do not know otherwise.”
“Yes that was what I was thinking,” he answered and softly caressed her belly. “But are you up to it to meet them?”
“I have met Chaya – briefly,” Aracely pointed out, rubbing her cheek in memory. “Though I can recall them vaguely, or maybe the idea of relatives when I was younger. Even that is almost like nothing.”
“Of course,” John nodded. “I promise you that neither of them will physically hurt you.” He smiled and softly kissed her neck.
“I know,” she smiled. “When are they expected to arrive?”
“Either late tonight, after our evening meals, or early in the morning.” John shrugged and continued to kiss Aracely’s neck. “They have a whole wing to themselves and won’t go anywhere, I figured they probably want to rest up after their journey and I’ve told Ronon that he should welcome them to the castle and show them where they will be staying… and then come and tell us that they have arrived.”
Aracely nodded as she curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I just wish this child would settle down. I do not believe that he – or she – is very pleased either with the anticipated guests.”
“Hmm…” John softly placed his hand on top of her stomach. “I think that Mother needs to relax, and leave the worrying to me.”
“Tell your father that if he does not cease such behavior he may develop a new pain in his head…” she teased, with some seriousness.
John felt a little kick against his hand. “Hey, that’s not fair. You should agree with me because a relaxed Mother, means a relaxed baby.” He softly caressed Aracely’s stomach and kissed her. “How about a foot rub, my lovely wife?”
“Thank you but I am fine tonight. Just truly wish to get this meet over with.”
“Don’t worry,” he softly kissed the top of her head. “Chaya is a spoiled princess and her parents are arrogant, but they do know when to back away from something they don’t like, or when they know that they have no place to go… they act like old, caged animals now instead of dangerous predators. I expect Chaya to be very resisting and shocked and she’ll probably throw a tantrum of some sorts, but King Nicholas and Queen Charlotte shouldn’t put up much of a fight anymore.” John kept caressing Aracely’s belly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Chaya had found a husband or at least a fiance, even if there barely has passed a year since you and I met, and she’ll likely try to flaunt him.”
“He won’t be coming?”
“Ah, you’ll never know. It’d be interesting though.” John said with a smile. “Over the years I’ve grown to like it when Chaya makes a complete fool out of herself. She’s horrible when she’s intoxicated.”
“I do not particularly care. I just wish to get this – event over with quickly so that I can worry about other things. Your medicine man scolded me yesterday. He wishes me to stay in bed until I am ready to give birth,” Aracely sighed, curling up more with a slight shiver.
“He did? Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?” he pulled the sheets over them. “And I told you, you shouldn’t worry about the dinner, it will be okay.”
“I can not help but worry.”
“Are you reconsidering all of this? It’s a little bit late for that now, isn’t it?”
“No… no, I’m not.” Aracely said with a smile. “I’m… grateful that you are doing everything in your power to fix what has been broken in Atlantica and how you’re passionate about doing the same for Proculus, but anything that worries you, worries me.”
“I’m not worried.”
“You are a bad liar,” Aracely chuckled. “And the reason why I didn’t tell you yesterday was because you were too busy and tired at the end of the day. I did not want to bother you.”
“How many times do I have to remind you that I don’t mind being bothered by you and that when you bother me it’s not a bother?”
“I simply can not help myself.”
“I realize that. Will you be okay with leaving the bed only when it’s necessary?”
“I suppose, I am not sure, but promise to save me when I go mad?”
John chuckled. “Of course. Now, rest some. I just need to take care of one thing and I will be back soon.”
“Can’t you stay? John, you haven’t had much sleep lately.”
“I will when this is all over.”
“And often you only eat a little.”
“I’ll eat more soon.”
Aracely turned around and managed to put her legs around his and her arms around his waist. Her belly was snugly secured between the two of them. She looked up with a devious smile. “Stay with me,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
“You’re not giving me much of a choice,” John chuckled and softly kissed her. “Alright, I will stay and rest with you.”
“I could always make you feel a bit more relaxed…”
John could feel how she was palming his groin with her hand and he shook his head. “No, if Carson said you need rest, you’re going to rest and not think of my needs.”
“Speaking of your needs, we haven’t addressed our needs for a few weeks!”
“I’m fine.”
“Well I am not, and what do you mean ‘you’re fine’? Am I not attractive anymore?”
“Aracely…”
“What? Do you think that now I’m showing that I’m carrying our child that I do not wish to feel you inside of me?” She was starting to sound upset. “Or are you seeing other women to take care of your needs? How can you be ‘fine’?”
“I’m not!” John pulled her closer to him, if that was even possible. He didn’t want to hurt her or the baby. “You should have said something earlier, now that Carson said you need to stay in bed until you’re ready to give birth, I’m not going to…. engage in strenuous activities with you.”
“How about pleasurable?” Aracely asked sultry as she licked her lips. She had had pulled her hand away just before he pulled her closer to him, and she could feel how his manhood had started to grow and all this talk about their needs, she couldn’t help but want him.
“I’ll ask him later,” John groaned as Aracely tried to roll him onto his back. “Get some rest.”
“John!” she pouted as she tugged on his hair. “Please?”
He swallowed hard as he looked into her lust filled eyes. “No.”
“Alright.” Aracely turned her back towards him and hugged the sheets. “Go to your office then, I’ll rest.”
She sounded cold and detached now. John was surprised by that. “Did I hurt you?”
“Go away.”
“Aracely?”
“Go away.” She repeated and then felt his weight leave the bed. Why couldn’t he see that there was nothing wrong with having a little pleasure as long as they’d take things slow?
She realized she should never have told him about her visit to the doctor, but she had been curious about his progress on the medicine he was trying to make that would help the villagers get better quicker than Samanthia’s medicine would, and he had insisted on checking her over. Until yesterday, nothing had been wrong.
When she heard the door of the chambers shut, she knew that John was going to see the doctor and then do whatever he had planned on doing and she wouldn’t see him for hours. For some reason, Aracely didn’t know if she liked the notion of being without John for so long.
Then again, hadn’t she just pushed him away? It was her own fault and she couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
<hr>
John smelled cooked eggs when he woke up the following morning, having stayed clear of the bed chambers until he was almost asleep and had snuck in while Aracely was fast asleep. For some reason it felt as if he hadn’t slept enough, and that was probably the case. He opened his eyes to see that Aracely was still sleeping, so he snuck out of bed again and softly started to eat his breakfast.
Rolling over in bed, she let out a sigh. Immediately she could feel that John was not in bed with her and it had brought her a sense of loneliness and disappointment.
“Good morning,” John said as he took a sip of his tea and reached for another piece of bread with butter on it. “Did you sleep well, my love?”
“Not as well as I would have hoped,” Aracely replied, turning her head slightly towards her husband’s voice. She still had not opened her eyes as they were yet heavy with sleep but the rest of herself was greatly awake.
“You were fast asleep when I returned a few hours ago.”
“Why did you not wake me?” Aracely blinked at him. “A few hours ago? John have you been up all night?”
“Yes, I have.” John nodded and brought over some bread, fruit and tea towards the bed. “You were sleeping so soundly I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” he softly kissed her.
“You look tired.”
“I’ll be fine,” he smiled and made his way back to his chair to eat an egg. “King Nicholas wanted to have a talk with me before dinner tonight, probably trying to offer up trades or asking for help.”
“Will this conversation not spoil the motive behind dinner?” Aracely questioned him as she peeled a banana.
John shook his head as an answer. “After that talk, I shall have a look at the progress of the work being done to build the homes you’ve suggested two months ago, would you…”
“Stop!” she interrupted him and stared him down. “You will not do anything until you’ve had a proper rest, John. You’re only one man, things take time.”
“I’m impatient.” He said innocently and finished his tea before crawling back in bed. “I’m sorry.”
She kept her eyes on him the entire time, not settling back down herself until she was positive he would not run off again. “I do not wish for you to fall ill,” she said softly.
John wrapped a leg around Aracely’s as he snuggled up to her and her bump. “You won’t get sick from not sleeping properly for a couple of days,” he smiled.
“Yes, you can. Do not argue with me please. Tell me about our intentions for the day after we rest awhile longer?” She asked, laying her head down.
“Well, as I said… Nicholas wants to meet with me before dinner and other than that… I suppose nothing. Although if you feel up to it today, we could take a look at your little project just outside the castle walls?” He pulled the blankets over them and softly caressed Aracely’s stomach.
“Perhaps later. I’m much more anxious about dealing with our guests and seeing them resolved.”
“Yes and I know, but that’s why it might be a good idea to see how far along they are out there,” John yawned.
“Sleep my husband. We will discuss this more later,” Aracely lectured.
<hr>
John went to meet with King Nicholas after lunch, after he had slept some more. Aracely didn’t like it much, but John had assured her that it was alright.
“John, I must say, for the short while you’ve been King, you have done marvellous effort into revitalizing the Kingdom.” Nicholas sipped on his brandy. “After your father died and you denied Chaya her right…”
“Thank you, Nicholas,” John interrupted the other man before he could embarrass himself. “As you know, my father and I had an agreement, that I would only wed Chaya if I hadn’t found what I was looking for by myself, and Chaya knew about this. She was in the room when he said that, and I’m sorry if she hasn’t told you this.”
Nicholas chuckled. “I see,” he nodded. “Yes, our Chaya tends to tell half truths to get what she want. But still John, for you to seek a queen without the proper arrangements…”
“Was the best thing I’ve ever done.” John stared at his own glass of brandy, it was still untouched. It was best not to drink before dinner. “But, what couldn’t wait until dinner?”
“Oh, I want to talk business with you. Our women won’t need to hear us talk about the work we do for our people,” the older man smiled, and John would have rolled his eyes at him if he didn’t have a little respect for the man for dealing with Chaya all day. “You see, despite what I try to show, we’re poor. My kingdom is poor. My subjects are ailing, especially those at the border of Atlantica, but I’ve received word that they seem to be getting better somehow.”
“The lake that supplies water for the villages on our border was poisoned, I’ve had some of my people get rid of that.” Either the man was stupid, or really didn’t know what was going on.
“Oh, that’s good, very good…” the man said absentmindedly, sipping the brandy again. “I was wondering if you could spare a few of your subjects to work in the mine in Proculus.”
“Will you pay them?”
“I just told you, we’re poor.” Nicholas chuckled. “You need to understand, for you not marrying Chaya, you’ve done more bad than good.”
“I doubt it but no.” John said firmly. “We will need some of your stone rather sooner than later, as you may have seen, we’re building a small settlement outside our walls and I want to extend the castle walls so they’re properly protected. I will pay you for that, but you are not allowed to ask any of my subjects to work for you.”
“But John…”
“Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about, Nicholas?”
“Could you loan us some gold?”
“Oh for…” John sighed and got up. “I’ll see you at dinner, the cooks are working hard on the food as we speak.” He then pointed at the door.
“This won’t do our coexistence as neighbors any good, John.”
“I’m not afraid of your army, Nicholas.” He fixed his eyes on Nicholas and his gaze didn’t falter until the man was out the door. John walked back to his desk and downed his glass of brandy in one go before returning to Aracely.
Aracely was changing for dinner but even with alterations made to some of her larger dresses, many were uncomfortably tight around her growing belly and her bosom practically poured from the top. “I fear I will be late to supper,” she remarked as she took notice of John’s return.
“No you won’t,” John smiled and kissed her tenderly as he pulled her closer to him. “You look ravishing and dinner isn’t for another few hours.” He softly kissed her neck. She looked beautiful.
“You say that only because you must. You won’t even give me the pleasure I want in bed,” she pouted as she pulled away to pull off the garment.
“We’re not going to have this discussion again,” he took hold of her hands and kissed them. “Carson said you needed bed rest, giving us both the pleasure we want in bed isn’t resting… although it’s getting harder to resist…” he kissed her again.
She grumbled and pushed him away slightly. “I cannot help it if the desire is so much stronger. It is not fair. I need the – release.”
He pulled her back to him and grinned. “He never said anything about bath tubs…”
“And you could not say something to this last evening?” Aracely asked, letting her dress fall to her feet.
“No,” John softly caressed her sides as he kissed her again. “I’m a guy, it takes a little while longer to think of alternative… ideas.”
She grinned as she leaned into him. “Do you enjoy my larger size? I know many men tend to prefer larger breasts…”
“I’m not going to say anything about your beautiful breasts again,” John slowly moved his hands up to her breasts. “Last time you thought I was insulting you.”
Aracely let out a breath at his touch, her breasts being sensitive in their increased size. “John…bath? Now? I want you…”
“Now?” John pouted as he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples. “But I’m having fun here!”
Her jaw fell and her body shuddered. Pulling one of his hands down between her legs she turned her eyes up.”Feel that? It’s my desire for you…please do not make me beg…”
John chuckled as he started to undress himself. “Alright my love, your wish is my command.”
Before he could finish, she was all over him, covering her mouth with hungry kisses and pressing herself against him with impatience. Her hand found its way to his length and tried to coax it to life.
As soon as he felt her hand on his member he could feel the blood starting to rush through his body. Groaning, he kissed her back, gently backing her up towards the bath room and discarding the rest of his clothes without breaking contact with Aracely and her skin.
They blindly bumped into the wall a couple times on their way to the tub they had previously been prepared for them. Grunting at the need to separate to get into the water, she quickly got in, kneeling as her eyes took John in.
The way she looked at him had made him instantly hard and got into the tub, careful not to slip. He sat down on his ass, trying to stretch his legs as he pulled Aracely on top of him, but she was ahead of him and nearly jumped him as soon as he got in.“You’ll tell me when I’ll be hurting you or the baby?” he didn’t mean to make it sound like a question but for some reason it did as he was nearly straddled by Aracely.
She hummed an answer as she shifted over him so that he could enter her. “Quiet,” she panted, pressing herself down slowly, feeling herself fill up with his size.
He placed one hand on her back to keep her from falling backwards and used the other one to tease her breasts as she was lowering herself onto him. Once he was snug inside of her, he moved his hips a little to slide in a little further, which resulted in moans coming from the both of them.
Aracely grinned at him as she rocked her hips. “Yes, yes…” She breathed out, her eyes rolling closed.
They sent water over the edge of the tub with their movements, and after a while John realized that Aracely’s bump was really getting in the way of the both getting them off and Aracely was getting frustrated. “Alright, get off.”
“No!” Aracely whined and dug her nails into his shoulders. “I need release… John… please?”
“No… Aracely, you’re hurting me, get off me and turn around.”
She blinked at him as she stopped moving. “What is your intention?”
“Something different, but it will be good, I promise.” John softly kissed her lips. “Now get off me and turn around. Sit on your hunches.”
With a little extra carefulness so that Aracely wouldn’t fall out of the bath or slip and hurt herself and the baby, John shifted a little and then guided her down to slipped back into her with ease.
“Ohhh…” Aracely moaned as she was gripping the sides of the tub. Her head fell back slightly and her eyes fluttered closed, breathing heavily. “I like this…”
He chuckled and softly planted a kiss on her neck. “Different doesn’t always mean it’s bad.”
“That – that is true,” she eventually let out after she felt her body finally give out and the tight coil in her belly, that was not a growing infant, subside and the providing her body with the support it needed to keep herself from falling into the water completely.
Pulling her closer to him after his own release, John sighed happily. He had felt tightly wound before, with all the things going on and in his head and he felt instantly relaxed. “Do you feel better, my love?”
“Much. And you?” Aracely smiled as she settled against his body in the cooling bathwater.
“Yes,” he grinned and softly caressed her stomach before gently stroking her breasts. “Let’s just not tell Carson.”
“Of course. Must we really dine with those people tonight?”
“Would you rather that we go to war with them immediately? I think that words are more powerful.”
“Of course I do not wish to turn to war to settle a dispute. I was just expressing my dread over this meal. Perhaps you may wish to speak with them personally at the table before you bring me and my heritage in?” she asked. “I have no doubt that Chaya would try something like she did when she was here when I returned with you.”
“Oh I have no doubt,” John chuckled. “She had not even told her father about my father giving me his blessing to find my heart.” He nuzzled her neck. “I was thinking you could join me into friendly conversation with our guests before I’d start telling them that we know what they did.”
Aracely sighed and nodded. “I suppose I could try to tolerate her for a short while. Although, if I decide I had enough, could I request to have them dismissed? I fear that the – conversation may not be quite so receptive after some time.”
“My sweet Aracely… you’re the Queen, you can do anything you like,” he smiled. “I hadn’t planned on starting the conversation until after dinner, or near the end of it, you and I both require some food.”
“Very well. Let us start preparations then. I am hungry now, after all this. I do wish to finish this tonight,” she said as she pulled away and work on getting out of the bath.
He pulled her back on to him and softly kissed her. “I think we should stay in here a bit longer, if only to celebrate that we’ll hold our first official dinner and that we’re going to raise a little hell while having it.”
“John!” Aracely laughed as he tried to keep a hold of her. “As much as I would like to stay, the water is getting cold now that we have not been quite so distracted. Come with me,” she giggled as she turned in his arms.
After helping her out of the bath, he wrapped a large towel around her and pulled her back into his arms. “Do you feel any better now?” He asked with a big smile on his face.
“I do,” she replied and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. “Come on and let us get this over with and I promise to make it up to you later.”
Sighing, he reached for a large towel for himself and started to dry his body. “I’ve asked Ronon to keep an eye on things when we’re having dinner. Not that I expect anything to happen. Oh, and I’ve instructed the cooks to include a lot of fruit, I know that you love fruit.”
After they had gotten dressed, Aracely looking beautiful in her refitted dress, Janet entered the chambers. “The cooks are ready, King John. Do you wish for me to inform the king and queen of Proculus?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Is there anything else you’d like?”
“There’s a crate of papers and books in the other chambers, could you bring that to me nearing the end of our dinner?”
“Sire?” Janet sounded surprised.
“What? I’m asking you to do something for me, and if that includes walking into dinner with Nicholas and his wife and daughter, then so be it.”
“Very well,” the maid giggled and left their chambers.
John reached for a glass of wine and downed it in one go. “Are you ready?” he asked Aracely.
“Only if you are,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed watching him.
“No, to be fair, I’d rather have had a little more time to prepare… but we’ve got enough to show them, not only that they’re liars, also that they’re not taking care of the kingdom. Did I tell you that Nicholas asked me for some healthy workers to work in his mine? And when I said ‘no’ that he asked for money?” He thought for a second and then grinned. “No, you didn’t, because we were busy with other things.”
John held out his hand for Aracely. “Come on, let’s go.”
She reached out and took his hand with a smile. “I am ready.”
Ronon met up with John and Aracely as they were walking towards the dining hall. “I’ve heard from Teyla,” the man said with a gruff voice. “She’s not coming back.”
“Well, it would have been nice of her to tell her so myself,” John answered and sighed. “What about her family?”
“They’ll join her as soon as they can.”
“Did she have a reason why she doesn’t desire to return?” Aracely asked with concern. “I hope that I had not angered her so much with John’s choice in me.”
“Nah,” Ronon shook his head. “Something to do with her family and that John doesn’t need her anymore.”
John pouted and looked at Ronon. “Still, it would have been nice of her to come back and talk to me.”
“She said you’d understand.” the other man shrugged. “How are you feeling, my Queen?”
Aracely frowned as she looked at the men. “I was fine before but now I am sad about this,” she admitted.
“Oh don’t worry, the rest of the maids are a handful, you’ll see once you give birth!” the man roared with laughter. “People leave the castle all the time.”
“Not without talking to me first.” John grumbled. Sure, he could understand why Teyla would stay with her family, she was a very caring woman, but he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t have returned to come and talk to him, say goodbye properly. It was scary in some way, because now he would have to do things all by himself, even if he had Aracely now. In a way, Teyla had always been a better adviser in some matters than George, the old adviser of his father, and John would certainly miss the wisdom that she somehow possessed.
She leaned into John’s side, her hand going to her back. “I suppose we should continue now. I do need to sit,” she noted, her back growing painful. “We should sent word to Miss Teyla that she is welcome to visit the castle whenever she wishes. That she’d be welcome despite the conflict that she and I encountered with one another.”
“Yes and we will,” John said as they continued walking. “At the end of the very long letter I’m going to write to her trying to make her feel guilty about leaving.”
Ronon opened the big doors to the dining room for them with a smile, Nicholas already sitting there with his wife Charlotte and Chaya, some of their maids were standing against the wall with their backs. Chaya looked bored and Charlotte looked a little tipsy already.
“You will not. If she wishes to return to her blood, she can do so. You may however invite them all to come back to the castle and live here,” Aracely smiled, but quickly sobered at the sight of their guests already seated for supper.
John saw how the color drained from Chaya’s face at the sight of him and Aracely. “I am sorry for not meeting with you upon your arrival two days ago, I had some urgent matters to attend to,” he said with a smile and gently squeezed Aracely’s hand. “So welcome back to Atlantica, you all remember my wife, Aracely?” John helped her to sit down in her comfortable chair.
“Thank you,” Aracely smiled at him as she eased herself down before adjusting the wrapped layers of her gown more comfortably to be loosened around her belly while they ate.
“I’m not sure if I should congratulate you on an heir so soon or berate you, John,” Charlotte slurred.
“Mother!” Chaya shot at her mother. “Of course we’re happy,” she said with a big fake smile plastered on her face as she looked at John. “Congratulations.”
Aracely looked unfazed by the comments as she stared at the older woman. “Why would you berate the King in his own castle for what he and I choose to do in our chambers? You probably could have stood some benefit to having more children. Family is a blessing.”
“You should forgive my wife,” Nicholas said. John could see the man was almost squeezing his wife’s hand into pulp. “She’s never been able to keep a good glass of wine down. We are happy, of course we are.”
“Right,” John smiled. “Let’s start eating, I’m famished! How have you been, Chaya?” he asked as he pulled a bowl of fruit towards Aracely and had Katie fill his plate with food while he scooped up some fruit onto Aracely’s plate when a few of Nicholas’ maids nearly jumped forward to assist the three in filling their plates.
“Thank you,” she smiled at him as she picked up a piece of melon to nibble on, watching with disgust the level of ignorance the other family displayed toward their servants. “So the plans for the women and children’s shelter are coming along well. The sleeping quarters will be finished first and then we can begin to make arrangements to find the most in need that would benefit greatly by it.”
“So you have been looking!” John said surprised. “I thought we’d go and see the progress together.”
“Women and Children’s shelter?” Nicholas asked as he dug in to his meat in a way that disgusted John. “Are you spending your money on useless things, John?” he said it in a way that John knew that he was referring to their conversation earlier.
“No, just on more important things. It’s Aracely’s project.”
“You gave your wife something to do that involves the funds of your Kingdom? Are you mad, John?”
“I thought we weren’t going to discuss business during dinner,” Chaya said as she glared at her father. “I think it’s a great idea, that way the women can be more productive and make dresses.”
Aracely remained silent as she watched and listened to the interaction. Chaya’s support was clearly intended only to gain the couple’s good graces and a small part of the woman was able to give her enough credit that she was attempting to settle a subject that would and still could very likely cause a great deal of conflict – unlike the one that would come later. “Just because someone has little money does not mean they are unimportant and not valued to the land. They have many skills that can be utilized if given the proper chance. We have our plans well thought out for the start of the programme.”
“We are trying to make things better for our subjects,” John said as he dug into his mashed potatoes. “It was a shock to me to find out that because of my father’s illness certain things were severely neglected. Anyway, how are you doing Chaya?”
“I’m okay,” she nodded. “Father has been sending me off to various other Kingdoms to meet the princes. Do you remember Fraeir of Asgardia?”
“I do,” John smiled.
“He’s even more crazier than when he was younger. He has some sort of cloth hanging between two trees to lay in it to watch the birds,” she chuckled. “And he’s an awful dancer.”
“Oh yes! I think he sent one of those things over as a wedding present for Aracely and I, that was nice of him to do, we still have to see if it works.” John chuckled, feeling slightly creeped out by how pleasant Chaya was and how easily he was slipping into the idle chatter mode. “I believe the Chulakkan’s have a male heir or two.” John looked up to see Charlotte nearly choking on her piece of meat. There we are, he thought.
“Small bits, mother. Remember what the physician told you.” Chaya gently tapped on Charlotte’s back before looking at Aracely. “I am surprised to find how well you seem to be settling in, considering you’re from a small village.”
“Of course she is, she’s amazing.” John responded and then felt the need to clear his plate in record time, just to have the evening over with and everything else out of the way.
Aracely passed John a hard look after seeing him finish with her taking her time so that she wouldn’t find herself ill later. That was one thing she learned early on after she realised that she was expecting, when she ate fast, she ended up vomiting it back up not long after. “May I have some hot tea please?” she asked Katie who was refilling John’s wine glass.
“Of course my queen,” Katie smiled and signalled one of the other maids to get it.
He hadn’t missed Aracely’s look and scooped some more mashed potatoes on his plate including a piece of chicken. “Surely there must be someone you fancy, Chaya.”
“Someone that is not my husband…” Aracely threw out, unable to forget the slap to the face she received the first night in the castle.
“I must apologize for my behavior that night,” Chaya seemed to sound sincere, or maybe she had become better in fooling people. “I was upset, mostly because I didn’t have faith in John finding what he was looking for, hoping that he’d return empty handed…”
“It’s funny though, that a lot of people think that I am incompetent or not following through with things,” John chuckled and shook his head as he took a bite of the chicken.
Aracely smiled at him. “John is quite skilled in researching the legacy of some people. He had managed to discover an old image of my father when I was quite young right here in the castle in fact,” she commented before taking a sip of her soup to hide the smirk that threatened to come across her face.
“I think that Nicholas and Charlotte remember that day, my father wanted to have drawings of all his favorite people, at least that’s what George told me.” John said and took a sip of his wine. “Of course, it was more difficult to find the rest of the images, father liked to hide things.”
“We have all the time in the world to search the castle. I have confidence that it would not be far from where he liked to spend his time,” she said reassuringly. “They may very well be in his chambers.”
“Yeah well, I’ve begun to turn his chambers upside down, and found some … oh, I think that Janet will come in soon to bring me those things, really Nicholas, you should see it. It’s fascinating,” John said excitedly. “For example, did you know that some people of Aracely’s village are from nobility? They are unaware of this, but it’s fun to see where some people end up.”
“Don’t you have scholars that are doing that kind of research?”
“Oh where’s the fun in that, Nicholas? You never know what you may or may not dig up in old boxes,” he said with a smile and carefully moved away when Katie put a glass of steaming hot tea in front of Aracely. “Thank you Katie.”
“And you cannot always trust that the scholars that conduct the research are always truthful in what they may uncover, if they would inform people of things that would be quite well to know. Such as …” Aracely trailed off as she tried to think of something inconspicuous to begin with. “Information such as that a portion of one farmer’s land actually belongs to the blood line of a poor man who searches desperately for ways to feed his family after the land had been stolen from his father’s father and never knew of it.”
“And you know how it goes, some of the poorer inhabitants of a Kingdom sometimes refuse to travel so many days to inform the registrars in the capital of a new birth or a dispute… but we’re working on changing all of that.”
“That is absolutely fascinating!” Chaya squealed. “I wish that father would have allowed me to learn something of importance when I was younger. Knitting and sowing makes me dizzy.”
“Your parents might not wish for you to have discovered information like that. I am sure that they fear you might have learned that you are not –” Aracely began to say as John cut her off, a look of disgust and anger flashing in her eyes at the two who seemingly attempted to ignore her presence at the table.
“I am sure that if Nicholas and Charlotte had been more free in their beliefs, you could have, Chaya, it’s never too late to learn new things. I mean… Aracely and I are going to become parents, and I have already told my staff that we want to change the dirty cloths, feed the baby ourselves, all those things, and it’s scary because we have to learn something new.”
“Women aren’t meant to have projects of their own that are important, or do studies,” Nicholas said grumpily. “Which is why I think you’re still mad, John, for having her rule as your equal.”
John shrugged. “I don’t,” he then sighed as he saw Janet walk in with the crate filled with journals and other papers. “She would have been a ruler, even if I hadn’t married her.”
“Women can’t rule!”
“Really? Have you checked your own laws, Nicholas? You never seemed to have changed them when you stole the throne from your own brother.”
“John, that’s ridiculous! Daddy doesn’t have a brother.” Chaya said disgusted.
“We have mountains of records that say otherwise. He overthrew him, where King Robert and his wife Eileen were forced to flee, seeking sanctuary in the lands of a friend. My parents,” Aracely said evenly, leveling her eyes on the three.
John took the crate from Janet, and without minding the plates on the table, he put it down in front of Nicholas. “Not only that, but you knew that they had fled to one of the villages out of reach from yourself and even my father’s, and have poisoned not only your villages, but more in Atlantica, for years.”
John could see that the color had drained from both Nicholas and Charlotte, and Chaya was looking as clueless as ever. “Oh, and not forgetting this… you had people of Proculus pay off people of Chulakka to steal the girls from the villages near the border. And had them bribe my own soldiers!”
Aracely sat in her chair, staring at her own uncle by blood. She wished that things may had been under different circumstances but after all the man had done to her family and the people she loved, she felt nothing good for him. “The only question now is what do you have to say about it. I would not even attempt at denying the facts. We have collected plenty of testimony and are prepared to protect those that has confessed to their crimes on the orders of the royal family of Proculus.”
It was quiet for a while, John was patiently sipping his wine, to let everything sink in. Chaya had picked up some of the papers and was actually paying attention to the words as she read them. “I don’t like war, Nicholas,” he said eventually. “Anyone else in our position would have sought blood. You know that. Why did you do what you have done?”
“You have no idea what it’s like to have an older brother, see him get everything he needs, see him get more attention of your parents just because he’s the heir to the throne,” Nicholas said bitter. “Robert was a push over, a pacifist, like yourself, not fit to be a king, and we did everything we could to prevent him to take back the throne. We knew that he had a daughter, and we hoped that by doing what we did, we could safeguard our future.”
“You killed a lot of innocent people on both sides of that lake, Nicholas,” John stared him down. “Good, innocent and hard working people got sick and died. Or were taken by the Chulakkans. Families, ripped apart.”
“You have no right to preach to me boy!” Nicholas bellowed. “I ought to have your head for the words you dare to use against me!”
“Last time I checked, we were in my castle,” John said evenly and held up his hand to stop Ronon from approaching any further. “That makes it that I can say whatever I want, it’s you who’s out of line.”
“You never should have bothered seeking out a – a pheasant girl to marry you! My daughter is far more suited to bear your heirs to your wretched little kingdom here,” the older man argued.
“Watch your mouth, Nicholas.” He shot at him. “You have two choices. One, you forfeit the throne right now and hand it to Aracely. Two, you leave and go back to Proculus, but I have to warn you, my army is bigger, stronger and faster than yours and lives will be lost.”
“If your female takes the throne like you claim, then what would you have to do with two kingdoms. You barely are capable to deal with the problems in your own,” the man laughed.
Aracely’s eyes narrowed. “John and I are more than capable of organising and ruling both lands. You clearly are incapable of managing the one, considering the state of the lives of the people. It makes me ashamed to think that you and I are of the same blood. Forfeit the throne and I may be more kind enough to show you the same kindness you showed my parents. However,” she added, her tone softening slightly. “Being that I am about to be a mother soon, I will allow you to have a small piece of land so that you may farm and sustain yourselves.”
“You broke your kingdom’s own laws and got caught. It’s that no child should be without his or her parents or we would have publicly made an example out of you.” John said. “It’s your choice, Nicholas, but I suggest you take the less embarrassing one.”
“This is ridiculous, you can’t do this,” Charlotte eventually said. “You simply can’t, you’re ruining our lives! What about Chaya? She had nothing to do with this.”
“This is your own fault, Charlotte. Your own greed and jealousy caught up with you. Besides, Chaya isn’t a child anymore, she’s an adult, she can make her own decisions.” He answered. Sure, Chaya was spoiled, very spoiled, but she genuinely seemed to have changed, matured, somewhat over the last few months. “Save yourself, Nicholas, you’ve always only looked out for yourself and your family, so why stop that now?”
“Can we choose where we will spend the rest of our lives?”
“No, in fact, there’s this island off the coast of Proculus, isn’t there? It would be the perfect place for you to be able to take care of yourself for many years to come.”
Chaya looked between them, unsure of what to say or do. “Father?” she asked, her voice with hurt and disbelief. For the man to be silent now, actually considering the offer from John and Aracely, it was enough of an admission to her parents’ guilt for her.
“An island of your own. It is a generous offer. More than I was willing to entertain to offer you,” Aracely commented as she sipped her tea, her tone with no nonsense.
“How about Aracely and I will give you a moment to yourself, so you can think about all of this, look over all the things in that crate and know that there’s no way to turn? Ronon will make sure you won’t leave this room.” John slowly rose from his seat and held out his hand for Aracely.
Putting her tea down slowly, she stood and joined her husband as they went out to the hall to leave the other family to discuss their situation. “I do not believe they will try to go to war with Atlantica. It would mean suicide for them.”
“They know,” John nodded. “I just want to give them the time to realize that, and for Chaya to chew them out,” he chuckled.
“And what of her? As much as it pains me to say, she appears to have nothing to do with her parents’ affairs. It would be wrong of us to punish her for their crimes,” she sighed, sitting down onto a servant’s chair that had been left outside the dining room doors.
“How about we give her a choice? Stay with her parents, or… well, maybe she could learn a lot from someone, in a certain village…”
Aracely instantly frowned. “I would not dare to have my friends suffer from her petulance. They have done nothing to me to bring them such a burden.”
“Fine,” John sighed. “What’s the other choice? I mean, she needs to learn the right things in life, knowing Chaya, she wouldn’t last for a day in a random village.”
“This is something that I believe your Teyla would have been perfect for. She knows quite well how to manage a girl such as her, but Chulakka still isn’t the safest land if one does not share their blood.”
“Teyla’s not here,” John sulked. “Halling would be great, I’m sure if we’d ask him to take care of her, he’d do it, and I’m sure that she would turn around quickly. That… or… have Fraeir more interested in her.”
Aracely raised an eyebrow. “Is he truly that despicable?”
“No,” John chuckled. “He’s like me, just a bit more… eccentric and scientifically orientated.”
“Let us see what she has to say. Perhaps she might have a request worth considering,” she offered.
“Yeah… how are you feeling? Are you okay?”
“I am fine. I am feeling very well, all things considering,” she smiled.
He squatted down and softly kissed her. “I’ll be so happy when this is all over.”
“You and I both. What do you say we head back in and see what they have decided?”
“Alright,” He got up and helped her up from the chair. “But really, if there’s crying involved, I’ll walk right back out,” he chuckled as they walked back into the room. Chaya had switched sides of the table, looking sternly at her parents. “Chaya, I want you to know that none of the options we’ve given your parents include you. You’re always welcome to join in their future, but I want you to know that you will have our support if you decide not to.”
Chaya turned from her parents and looked at John and Aracely. “I know we have not gotten on so well, but I do wish to change that, in time. I ask that you may allow me to stay here, with you. Perhaps I can help with your infant when it is born. I wish to do whatever I can to make up my short comings to you and the people.”
John looked at Chaya, blinked, and then looked at Aracely before looking back at Chaya. “I don’t think…” he started to say before Chaya spoke again.
“Please, John? I always thought that I didn’t have family apart from my parents. Had I known about Aracely… you know I would never have hurt her if I had, please? I would really like to stay here, help you and Aracely and get to know each other?”
“I’ll leave that to Aracely,” John said after a while and then approached Nicholas and Charlotte. “Well?”
“Very well, we’ll do whatever you want us to do,” Nicholas said tiredly. “I’m getting too old for this, John.”
“Don’t.” He replied and shook his head. “You’re welcome to stay the night, but tomorrow, a few of Ronon’s men will escort you to Proculus, to the castle to pick up your belongings, and take you to the island off the coast.” John continued. “You will also order your entire court to come to Atlantica with all the documents, books and everything else that Aracely and I need.”
Aracely had watched Chaya from the moment of her request before nodding slowly. “With the combined resources we can focus on the health of the people before rebuilding a structure between the two lands. Perhaps of use for the council to communicate with the people more efficiently with my John.”
“I’m glad we see eye to eye on this, Nicholas.” John said to the older man as he nodded. “I suggest you retire for the night, you’ll have a busy couple of days ahead of you.” He walked back towards Aracely and put an arm around her waist as he looked at Chaya. “Tomorrow, Janet is going to help you settle in, give you different chambers and will make sure you’ll have enough clothing until your belongs arrive from Proculus. She will also be your shadow for the time being, I hope you don’t mind.”
Chaya nodded in relief. “That is fine. Anything. I just feel so bad about this, and them.”
“We’ll see how it goes, good night, Chaya.” John gently pulled Aracely towards the door as he nodded at Ronon, who then walked towards Charlotte and Nicholas to show them to their quarters.
The walk back to their bed chamber was quiet. As they neared closer, Aracely looked up at John as she ran a hand over her belly. “You managed to avoid a war. How do you feel about everything now? The work on the well-being of the people just doubled after all.”
“I don’t know,” John said thoughtfully. “It probably won’t make much of a difference in the amount of work considering we’re still working on improving the well-being of our own people.” He opened the doors to their chambers. “We’ll see, when we get the documents, in just what kind of a shape Proculus is. Maybe we can reorganize the land there, grow better tasting tea leafs and get the mine operational with healthy people… but we’ll see. Right now, I just want to take it easy for a while.”
She raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You? Take it easy? I find that difficult to believe that you are capable of such a feat.”
“Well, I haven’t been into my garden in a long time, so maybe I’m going to do that.” John shrugged. “Or help out with building the home for the mothers and children… it doesn’t hurt to do physical labor every once in a while. Or maybe find a great stallion for my mare. Or… I don’t know… design and build the crib for our child.” He waved his hands around as he spoke, closing the door as they entered their chambers.
“So many ambitions for one man. Where will you begin?” she smiled.
“Taking things easy,” he shrugged. “You choose.” He grinned and put his arms around Aracely. “Or you know, we could start with having some more fun today,” John softly kissed the top of her head. “Or, we could go to bed and get some sleep…”
“After all the fun you and I experienced today, I think a full night of sleep is very appropriate. As much as I would like to have more – fun, I simply cannot right now,” she sighed, falling onto the bed and laying back still in her garments.
He crawled onto the bed and gently helped her out of her dress. “Alright my love, let’s catch up on some much needed sleep,” John said after getting out of his own clothes as well and snuggling up against her. “I love you, my beautiful Goddess.”
“And I love you my husband,” Aracely smiled, content and happy with changes that had occurred in her life since meeting the strange man that came into her village.
John had the sudden realisation that night that everything was going to be alright. Everything that he had feared hadn’t come across, in fact, he was doing a better job at being a King than he thought he would do. It helped that he had Aracely standing next to him. He was sure that in time, both Atlantica and Proculus would be thriving again and maybe, in a couple of years, the rest of the Kingdoms would start to see that being different in your ways, didn’t necessarily mean that it was a bad thing.
He was amazed by what he and Aracely had accomplished in the few months since his Father passed, and knew that they would continue to do amazing things the rest of their lives. He felt honored that Aracely chose to be with him when he asked, because she gave him the strength to stay true to his beliefs and ideas, instead of sticking to the old ways and old traditions.
It was truly the start of a new era.
Everything worked out in the end. Some time in the new year, Johan Halling was born. Johan, the child of King John and Queen Aracely, future heir to the throne.
Nicholas and Charlotte were banished from Proculus lands and were living exiled on a small island off the coast of Proculus, and their daughter Chaya was now living under King John’s roof, receiving the lessons that she needed most, the ones she’d missed, and she worked hard to earn her keep.
Much to King John’s surprise, combining two different kingdoms wasn’t as hard as he’d imagined. The people of Proculus welcomed the Royal couple with open arms, knowing that their lives would become a lot better now that the old King and Queen were gone.
Queen Aracely’s housing for widowed mothers and orphaned children was finished in the summer, turning out to have become a settlement on its own. Aracely loved spending time with the women and children, and did so almost every other day with some of her servants and even Chaya.
As for Aracely’s friends in San Franciskus, the village was prospering in the Spring, Danyel and Vala were expecting their second child, and Radell was happy with his rebuilt workshop. Herbalist David had taken over the role of healer of the village after Samanthia’s passing. Both John and Aracely were saddened when they heard the news, and that they were not able to attend to her burial. Halling and his wife were graced with a new pregnancy as well.
By the end of the second year of King John’s reign, both Atlantica and Proculus were fairing better than before, having opened more trading towards other Kingdoms, the subjects were all healthy and John and Aracely were expecting their second child.
Chaya was eventually courted by Prince Fraeir of Asgardia, and in honor of John and Aracely, for all that they had done for her, they named their first child Johanna Aracely.
Ronon asked John to give his blessing to ask for the hand of one of the servants, Amelia, and both John and Aracely were happy to give it to them.
One by one, each of the former advisers of John’s father passed away, such as Meredith, George and Todd, and even though John knew that it was a part of the cycle of life, it was hard to come to terms with it, as it dawned to him that he was now able to really shape the Kingdom to his liking and the way he wanted to reign without interference or objections from days of old.
It was amazing to see how the sapling tree that he and Aracely planted near the Castle lake was growing strong, and they went to the tree almost every month in the Summer.
The halls of the castle in Atlantica were filled with joyous screams and laughter from many children, by the time John and Aracely reigned 15 years, and it was then that King John was happier than ever. His life couldn’t be better than it was, and he was still very much in love with his wife, his queen and his soulmate.
And they lived happily ever after.
The End.