Starting Over With You
A/AN: This little o/s was inspired after watching "To the Death". Greer and Aloysius have always been my favorite background couple on the show, and I wanted to write a o/s of the aftermath from that scene. This is my first attempts at a Reign fanfic, so I hope you enjoy it.
Greer Castleroy stared absentmindedly out the bay window of their new countryside estate. They'd settled in Normandy which was close to the beach but she found it rained a lot here. It was practically separate from the rest of France since they lived near the coastline. She knew she and Aloysius could keep a low profile here since his freedom from prison. She sighed when she heard the shrill cries of her newborn daughter Camilla. They'd moved into their estate home almost six weeks ago, and she'd given birth just three days after their arrival.
Camilla was a docile child and didn't cry unless she needed to be changed or fed. Greer knew it must be about time for her feeding as she traipsed into the nursery, but she halted in her tracks as she took in the scene before her.
Aloysius held Camilla in his arms, smiling down at her with fatherly affection. Greer felt her heart melt and tears well in her eyes as she watched them. She and her husband hadn't spoken much since their arrival in Normandy. He usually kept to himself, opting to share separate bedchambers until they came to an understanding.
Greer wasn't brave enough to inquire about the things he endured while incarcerated, but she knew it must have been horrible because sometimes she would hear him cry out during the night from his chamber violently. She longed to comfort him, but she didn't know how.
Camilla seemed to bring him solace more than anything. She'd been afraid he wouldn't want to father another child, especially one which wasn't his own. It was unlikely he'd ever get to see any of his other children again because he was still considered a traitor in the monarchy's eyes. He would be risking his life and theirs if he tried to reach out to them. Mary had assured them they were all safe in a disclosed location in Spain.
"I suppose she wasn't hungry after all." she interjected catching him by surprise. He fixated his gaze on her, causing her heart to beat erratically.
"She just wanted to be held." he half smiled before averting his gaze back to the infant. Greer longed to ignite a conversation between them but the words died on her tongue like simmering embers. She cleared her throat awkwardly before turning to leave.
"It seems you've got everything under control here, so I believe I'm going to go draw a bath." she supplied, anxious to soak her body under the tepid water. She aspired to forget her troubles and drown them under mounds of bubbles.
"Greer I-" she paused when she heard him say her name and turned to face him. She locked her gaze with his, and he seemed to have the same trouble she did with conjuring up the right words to say.
"What is it Aloysius?" she inquired, tucking an unbound lock of blond hair behind her ear. He held Camilla close to his chest as he took a few steps towards her. She leaned against the corridor when they were only a short breadth apart.
"I know this is probably hard for you to understand but when I was imprisoned, I never imagined I would be free again. I made up in my mind I was going to die there, so I gave up on us completely. I was penniless, and I had no way of supporting you. I felt like a failure to you and my children but when those Spanish mercenaries came to free me, I didn't know what to think. The moment I saw you again caused a ray of hope I had tried so desperately to extinguish reappear. Seeing you pregnant with another man's child caused my insecurities to rear their ugly head about you only marrying me for my lands and titles. It made me believe you couldn't possibly love me if you'd warm another man's bed in my absence. I reminded myself I'd given up on you and realized you had done the same. We weren't ever supposed to see each other again, so I couldn't be angry with you. I was only angry at myself for squandering our riches on a group of imbeciles who betrayed me. It pained my heart to see you living as a madam instead of Lady Castleroy like you deserved. Camilla would have been mine if I hadn't ignorantly sided with the rebels. I'm so sorry for everything Greer." he apologized with tears cascading down his cheeks.
"Aloysius, I forgave you long ago. I don't want to hold onto the past any longer. I want us to move forward together and get back to the place of passion we once shared. I want a future with you no matter what it looks like. There are so many who never gain an opportunity to start over, but we have. Let's not waste another moment wallowing in our insecurities. Time hasn't stopped moving just because we have stopped living. We aren't promised another day so let's start by making the most of this one." she expressed by cradling his face in her hands. She brushed away his remaining tears with the pads of her thumbs and smiled brokenly at him.
Camilla squirmed between them, and Greer smiled down lovingly at their child. "She deserves the best of us you know." she added before gazing back up at him.
"There's no way I'll be able to amend for my past mistakes." he sighed dejectedly, diverting his gaze to the cobblestone floor.
"Nor will I but I think we can both agree the best thing we can do is give her a life full of love she deserves. She's our new beginning." she remarked, pulling away from him slightly.
"You're right...I just want to make this work. I'm so afraid I'll wake up one morning in that dungeon and realize this was nothing more than a cruel dream." he respired, placing a snoozing Camilla back in her cradle.
Greer daringly pulled him by the lapels of his shirt towards her until she could feel his hot breath fanning against her face. She traced her nimble digits down his unshaven cheeks. He seized her wrists firmly in his grasp, pinning her against the doorway before kissing her senselessly.
She moaned into his mouth, heat pooling in her belly as he pressed her firmly against the egress. He unbound her wrists, running his hands over her soft curves. She threw her arms around his shoulders and craned her neck to give him better access. He peppered her collarbone with kisses before hoisting her into his arms. She gasped in surprise but kept her arms fastened firmly around his neck as he carried her to her chamber.
He cradled her in his arms a moment before placing her gingerly on the bed. He hovered over her, his body barely brushing hers as he sought out her lips once more. She pulled at the lapels of his shirt, willing him to be free of it. She needed to touch him, to have his bare skin, beneath her fingertips. He stopped kissing her briefly to pull it over his head. He coaxed her to sit up and began undoing the stays on the back of her evening gown until she was free of it. He pulled it down and then began unloosening her corset until she left in nothing but her shift.
"Greer are you sure you want this?" he inquired, his azure eyes full of uncertainty.
"I want this...I want all of you." she affirmed by pulling him in for another passionate kiss. He broke the kiss briefly enough to pull the shift over her head, leaving her fully exposed to him.
Tears gathered in her eyes as a broken sob tore loose from her throat. Did she dare to hope this was more than just another dream? She touched his face tenderly, and he sighed pleasantly, leaning into her touch. He undid his trousers and tossed them aside so there were no barriers left between them, his own moan echoing through the room as they were pressed flesh to flesh. "I love you, Aloysius," she whispered softly as he cradled her face in his large hands, their gazes locked with more than passion, more than need, but everlasting love. He pressed himself against her, and she shuddered in delight, relishing the fact they had found one another again.
"I love you too, Greer. I've missed this so much," he murmured, his voice reverberating in her ear as he joined himself to her. They fit together like two beautifully missing puzzle pieces. She shivered as he remained still, his fingers trailing a delicious path over the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Her Aloysius, her love. No man had nor would ever make her feel so cherished. Greer wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him with all the emotion coursing through her. She'd never felt more complete in the prior year of their separation, as though a part of her were missing. He urgently returned her kisses as they moved together. Aloysius felt like the thirst in his soul was finally sated with the return of her loving touch.
He held her face delicately in his hands as her body quivered around him, welcoming him home and drawing every last drop of his essence into her warm center. He rolled over on the bed, pulling her flush against him, his arms a vise about her. He couldn't bear to let her go. She was his. She held his heart, his life, and his soul within her delicate hands. He buried his face in her hair, sighing contentedly, at peace for the first time in years. "Don't leave me, Greer. Stay here with me," he pleaded groggily fighting the sleep his body craved, but which would steal precious moments away from them.
She turned to face him, snuggling closer to his body for warmth. "I promise," she assured him before falling into a peaceful slumber.
~X~
Greer awoke what felt like hours later, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. She untangled herself from him and reached for the robe she'd hung on the door. She prodded out of the room, her heart swelling with a love she never thought she'd feel again. She wandered into Camilla's nursery and lifted the tiny infant from her crib. Her cherub face broke into a babyish smile when she recognized her mother.
"Hello my precious...Are you hungry?" She inquired to her daughter who shoved her tiny fist into her mouth at the mention of food. Greer couldn't help but chortle at the babe's answer and undid her robe slightly. She placed Camilla to her breast, and the child latched onto her nipple, sucking contently. Aloysius had woken up shortly after Greer had left and suspected she had gone to check on their child. He watched the maternal display in awe from the doorway, feeling more complete than he had in years.
Greer absentmindedly averted her gaze to the doorway, startled by his intrusion, " Aloysius I wasn't expecting you. I figured you'd still be asleep." she added, adjusting Camilla's position in her arms.
"When you left, I suppose I woke up." he shrugged, before settling down in a chair next to her.
Greer placed Camilla on her shoulder and began to pat her back in attempts to burp her. "You're welcome to sleep in my chamber tonight if you wish." she supplied, satisfied when she heard the baby hiccup.
"I can assure you I won't be sleeping anywhere else." he remarked, brushing a kiss against Camilla's forehead. She placed her back in her cradle before she dozed back off peacefully.
"Where do we go from here?" she inquired as she gazed out the window towards the horizon. The sun had began to set in the distance, signaling an end to another day. He wrapped his arms around her waist while resting his head on her shoulder.
"We simply take it one day at a time." he answered, and she nodded, gazing at the sunset. The sun would surely rise again tomorrow, and they'd be given another day to resolve their issues. She would cherish each day because she knew it wasn't promised and after all they'd been through, she didn't want to waste a single one of them. They'd been given another chance to start over and even if she didn't understand why, she was still grateful it had happened.
A/AN: I hope you guys enjoyed this little piece! It gave me a little closure for the aftermath of their reunion! Please review!