Disclaimer : I own nothing.
foreword : I'm supposed to be studying for finals. Or, if I'm gonna goof off and write fanfiction, I should be adding to one of my multichapters - but I wrote this, because I was inspired. I love procrastination.
Confidant
"Ambrose, what do you think of the lake?"
"Of what, my lady?" he said, looking up from the tiny gadget he had been fixing.
"The lake, Ambrose, isn't it lovely?" she said, pointing at the clear blue waters that stretched far in front of them.
"Oh, yes, it's quite lovely, my dear." Ambrose said, casting the sound encoder away from him, "Well, it's not like we've had much time to visit lakes, have we?"
She shook her head, "No - no, we haven't."
"It's refreshing."
"Ambrose?"
"Yes?"
"You said you wanted to come, but why do you tinker now?"
Amborse looked sheepishly at the device he had just been fixing, "I'm sorry, Lavender, but my mind aches to work at all hours."
"That's sad."
"Why?"
"A mind that never shuts off?" she said, "You can't even properly enjoy your holiday."
Ambrose shrugged, "I do, my queen, but in a different way."
They spent the rest of that afternoon on the banks of the water, skipping stones, flying a makeshift kite Ambrose had composed of materials around their cabin. They laughed and talked, and for the first time in many moons they both felt happy.
He was never more shocked than when her lips met his whilst they were knee deep in water.
----
She had wanted this for a long time, to feel him against her in the most desperate way. No one knew her quite like he did, and it gave her a jolt of excitement to know that. She snaked her hand into his hair, running her fingers along his scalp, their lips locked.
They fell into the water, two bodies together, but she didn't even notice the liquid around them.
Was this the bliss so many people spoke of?
----
Ambrose was still awake, his fingers stroking a lock of Lavender's hair. How long he had waited for this night, how his heart had yearned for her since the moment he met her - and now she was in his arms, she was his.
Her strange colored eyes fluttered open, "Are you not tired, my love?" she said sleepily.
"No, my sweet, I'm much too awake now."
Lavender sat up in bed, holding the silken sheet around her torso, "I'm assuming you need more proding to sleep, no?" she said, a grin on her face.
Ambrose smiled, his fingers tracing the skin on her neck, "Ah, more proding? Yes, you'll have to convince me to sleep!"
Their lips met again, and soon they fell into the sheets, tiring themselves out before falling asleep not long before dawn.
Ambrose held her in his arms, "I'll never let you go, my Queen." he whispered before he slept.
----
Half a moon had passed since that night, and their stay at Fenaqua was coming to an end. His Lavender Eyes had to return to her duty, as did he, as the most noble royal advisor.
He couldn't help but wonder how this would affect their political relationship. Would he remain advisor? Would they get married?
Get married, now that's a thought! he laughed to himself, Married to the most powerful woman in the O.Z. The most beautiful woman in the O.Z.!
Ambrose was drunk with love, and his heart swelled whenever he looked upon his Queen.
Until that morning.
"What's that?" Lavender had asked, pointing to the sky.
"Oh, nothing my dear, don't worry." Ambrose said, for he was bathing himself behind their holiday home.
"I'm going to go see," she said, her eyes trained on a spot on the horizon.
"Go ahead," he said, dumping a bucket of cold water over his head.
He would live to regret that.
----
The young man was handsome, blonde haired, blue eyed, tall and rugged. He spoke strangely, over confidently, and he was paying much too much attention to Lavender in the wrong way.
Ambrose got her aside for a moment, "My Queen, I do not like this man. There is something odd about him."
"Of course there is!" she said, "He's from the other side. Like my grandmother. I've never met anyone from the other side." she beamed.
"I'm from Omaha." he said loudly, apparently over hearing them.
"Ahamo?" Lavender asked, "That's an odd name."
Ambrose frowned and sulked away. There's nothing like the call of the exotic.
----
Ahamo, as the Queen so lovingly called him, came to stay at the royal palace. Not only that, but he stayed in her chambers. Ambrose spent his nights alone.
----
Not even four moons later, they were married.
In this time, she'd spent all her time with Ahamo, and Ambrose barely saw her.
It was her wedding day, and as advisor, he was with her as she prepared. The two were strangely quiet, Ambrose was trying to distance himself.
"You know, Ambrose," she said to him, touching his face, "I do love you you. But I'm in love with him."
He had to hide the pain from showing, hide the anger from streaming out.
"I know, my Queen. I feel the same!" he said, smiling, masking himself, "I'm happy for you, and I love you."
"Oh, Ambrose!" she said, hugging him, "I'm so happy!"
He nodded against her shoulder.
----
It wasn't much longer until everyone could plainly see her stomach growing as her dresses grew tighter around the midsection.
"Ahamo and I are expecting our first child," she told him, just before it would become visible to anyone who saw her, "I haven't told him yet. It feels strange to be having a child so early marriage - but I am excited."
Ambrose nodded and smiled, "Congratulations, my Queen." he said, squeezing her hand.
She looked into his eyes, and he was swept in her violet gaze, "If it's a boy I want to name it Ambrose, after you. After all, no one has ever been more loyal."
"That would be an honor, my Queen." he said.
That night, when reflecting over the days events, he saw past his Queen's words. Why would she not name it Ahamo, after it's father, after the one she do adored? It hit him like a ton of bricks, hard inside his chest - she was possibly carrying his child.
----
"Here Ambrose," she said, lying his hand on her stomach, "See? That's what it feels like when it kicks."
Ambrose felt a little vibration against palm. "That is amazing, Lavender!" he said, "I've never felt anything like it."
Lavender smiled ruefully, "He will love you, Ambrose. Just as I do."
Ahamo walked into the gazebo, chuckling as he saw Ambrose feeling Lavender's belly.
"Amazing isn't it?" Ahamo placed his own hand next to Ambrose's, "He's kicking a lot today!"
Ambrose couldn't help but inwardly laugh at the silly little family they formed.
----
It was raining for a week straight, and on the day the child was born there was also thunder and lightning.
Ambrose acually thought the storm was quite beautiful, as he sat and watched it through the window, awaiting news.
Ahamo burst through the door, "It's a girl!" he said, grabbing hold of Ambrose and hugging him, "We have a princess now!"
Ambrose laughed and patted Ahamo on the back, "Yes, we do, now don't we?"
The two went into the room where Lavender and the baby were. Lavender was ragged and looked tired, but she was still beautiful nonetheless.
"Look, see?" she said, holding the baby a little up to show the two men. It was tiny with a head of dark hair. The instinct in Ambrose sparked when he saw her, the instinct one has when they know a child is theirs. This was his child, their child, created in that fleeting love she had once had for him.
The love I still have for her, he thought as she handed the baby to Ahamo.
"I want to name her Azkadellia," Lavender said, "It's very pretty isn't it?"
"It's a good name for our child." Ahamo said, placing his finger in the baby's grip.
That's my child, Ambrose thought sadly, my child.
Ahamo's eyes were sparkling, holding the baby up in his arms, his mouth wide in a grin.
"Well, congratulations to both of you." he said, slipping out the door, pain heavy in his heart.
He didn't hear Lavender call his name.
----
The little princess grew older, a sweet little girl who was intelligent but also reserved, a tiny version of her mother.
Except she's got her father's eyes, Ambrose would think whenever he gazed upon her. Azkadellia would look up and see him staring at her, but she would smile, such a sweet, angelic smile, nod, and go back about her business. She was always respectful of her mother's advisor.
Now though, Az had a little sister, and this one was very much Ahamo's child. While a part of him seethed at the thought, another part of him grew soft around the girl. She was his daughter's sister, after all.
"Please protect her," Lavender had said to him, "I know you would never betray my family. Protect her, Ambrose, protect my daughters."
He nodded, "I will, my queen."
----
When he brought the news of Azkadellia's regime finally winning the war, Lavender broke down.
"It's my fault!" she said, sobbing.
"No! No, it's not your fault!" he said, trying to comfort her.
She wiped away her tears, "Thank you for always being there, you are my most loyal friend." she said, and kissed him softly on the cheek, "I am sorry for any hurt I may have caused you."
He had waited so long to hear that.
----
His child was all but dead to him, and the other little girl was dead.
His queen was missing, as was her husband.
Ambrose lied strapped on the operating table, his eyes wide and breathing labored.
"Please don't do this." he begged.
"I want you to count back from 100."
"Please!" he screamed, but he was losing consciousness.
Azkadellia's smiling face flashed before his eyes. So did the face of the other little girl he had sworn to protect.
Then the color, the soft lavender of his lover's eyes, came to him.
"I love you so much," he thought as the light dimmed. Those memories of that happy afternoon and night of love coming back to him - the feel of her skin, the taste of her lips, the crystal water around them - and then it faded.
He would do it for her, all for her, even if she had forgot him long ago.
----
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