So... Did anyone guess who Barina is?

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters. It really means the world to me.

To the guest reviewer BLA, thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad you liked the first part – and I hope you like this one as well!

Dedicated to WingsofGossamer – I hope this cheers you up!

For Better or For Worse

Part II

He was not allowed to sleep in. And it felt as though he had only just fallen asleep when Emma came in to wake him up.

Jack wasn't sure if it was exhaustion or lack of motivation that made him so reluctant to get up. It might have been a mixture of both.

"Come on, Jack!" she said, climbing up onto his bed. "Dad won't let us eat until you get up!"

Jack groaned and rolled over, escaping the small hand that was trying to shake his shoulder. "I have to get married – I should be excused from social functions."

"Jack..." he wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a groan or a laugh – it got caught somewhere in the middle.

He pulled the pillow over his head.

"Come on, Jack! I'm hungry!"

"This isn't fair..."

Life wasn't fair, he had learned. But there was a level of cruelty in waking him up too early to make him eat breakfast with his mother-in-law to be, and then to get ready for a wedding he didn't want anyway.

Emma reached for his shoulder again, but he jerked it away before she could get a grip and start shaking him.

But he had trained her too well.

When she couldn't get his shoulder, she started jumping. The mattress shuddered underneath them, and the comfort of sleep was now gone.

"Come on, get up," she said, laughing as Jack tried to roll out of the way of her feet, which were coming closer and closer to his stomach.

But the bed was only so large, and he ended up with his side pressed against the cool, blue wall.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake!" He was grinning despite himself.

"Promise?" She didn't stop bouncing.

"Promise," he said.

Emma stopped jumping, and after a moment the mattress stilled once more and Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Too early," he groaned.

"Yeah, yeah." Emma jumped off the bed, looking up at him with her large brown eyes. "Now get dressed. I'm hungry."

"I think you mentioned that."

Jack pushed aside the blankets and got out of bed, stretching as he walked over to his wardrobe.

Emma perched on a chair at the table in the center of the room, watching at he pulled open the intricately carved door of the wardrobe. The dark wood was covered in images of snowflakes, trees, flowers, rivers, and writing from his father's home kingdom, North.

"I met Toothiana," she said.

"I'm sorry," he muttered without thinking, cringing when he realized what he had said.

Emma hummed an agreement though, eyes looking out the window. "She's not very nice."

This time Jack held his tongue.

The palace tailors had made him a new outfit for the wedding. But he decided not to wear that until after breakfast, to avoid the risk of ruining it before the ceremony even began.

He reached for a more relaxed outfit, but remembered that Tariana would be at the breakfast, so he had to go for another stiff jacket – though less formal than the one he had worn the night before.

When he had his clothes, he jerked his head toward the door for his sister to wait in the hall. She went without a huff, and he joined her a few minutes later, after he had changed.

The royal wing was empty save for them, but the closer they got to the heart of the castle, the more servants they passed. They went about hanging the last decorations, and placing vases bursting with flowers on every empty shelf, table and alcove. A few were carrying items back and forth.

They all bowed to the royal siblings as they passed. And their smiles told Jack they were too excited about the thought of a wedding to remember his mood of late.

A few feet from the dining room reserved for the royal family, Jack paused to stop Maudie, the head servant. She was a cheerful, middle-aged woman who had worked in the palace longer than Jack could remember. Since their mother had passed away, the woman had stepped in whenever either Jack or Emma had needed a mother-figure.

"Maudie."

"Yes, Your Highness?" She had just bowed as she passed, having just left the dining room, but stopped at Jack's address.

"I left my jacket in the side hallway to the left of the ballroom last night," he said. "Do you know if any of the servants found it?"

If she was surprised about the jacket being left somewhere, she didn't appear surprised. And she probably wasn't, having looked after Jack for the past nineteen years, and been one of the first to fight him into a formal outfit when he was a child.

"I don't think so, Your Highness," she said slowly, brows furrowed in throught. "I can have someone go check for you."

He shook his head. "No, I checked last night. Hopefully it shows up."

And not in the wrong hands, he thought with an inward grimace.

"Thanks."

He and Emma continued to the dining room.

When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by the smell of breakfast – his stomach informed him that the circumstances had not affected his appetite in the slightest.

"Ah, Jack!" His father greeted, standing up with a large, bright smile. "Sleeping in?"

"Trying," he admitted, with a side-long glance at Emma, who wore an unabashed smirk. She was too much like him for his sanity.

He looked at the table, which had already been set with breakfast foods.

Aster was already seated at the table. As was Sandy, the soft-spoken king of Dune.

He looked at Aster, with the smirk that grated Jack's nerves to no end. Sometimes he really wondered why he counted Aster as one of his friends.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Aster shrugged, tossing a pear from hand to hand.

"We're part of the deal, mate," he said. "Our treaties with Tootharia are dependent on your marriage. So try not t' mess it up, huh?"

Jack smirked. "No pressure."

He and Emma took their seats on either side of their father, Jack nodding a greeting to Sandy.

"Where's Tariana?" he asked, looking around to be sure he hadn't overlooked the woman. Though with the jewel-tones the Tootharians wore, they were hard to miss.

He put a hand out to stop Emma from taking to sneak a piece of fruit while their father wasn't looking. They couldn't start eating until everyone was there.

As if in response to his question, the door was opened by a Tootharian servant, who bowed and held it open for the queen, who came in with her head held high, followed by no less than five more servants.

"Bloody show pony," Aster muttered, close to Jack's ear.

Jack nodded subtly. He was starting to get really tired of the show of Tariana's endless display of wealth. The entourage she had brought with them had been nearly double what had been expected – which had nearly sent the maids into fits of tears. (He had heard Maudie ranting about it the first night, when he had snuck into the kitchen.) She never went anywhere in the palace without what seemed like a legion of servants, and she wore so many jewels it gave him a headache if he looked at her too long.

And she liked making an entrance.

He was just glad he hadn't seen any of those traits in Toothiana. He wasn't sure he could handle being married to a woman who was so vain. A wife who wanted to kill him was preferable in his mind.

"I'm glad you're all here," Tariana said. Her eyes were a deep shade of burgundy – and they were fixed on Jack. Not with her oldest daughter's ferocity, but with something he knew he didn't like.

At her side was Barina, wearing a small jewel encrusted circlet.

Jack offered the girl a small wave, and was glad to see a shy smile.

"Tariana, welcome," Nicholas said. His smile wasn't as broad as when his children had come in, but it still genuine.

Jack was used to it, but sometimes wondered how his father could be so cheerful so much of the time.

"Come. Breakfast is ready."

Tariana made no attempt to return his smile, and she didn't step forward. Her eyes were hard, still on Jack.

"Before we begin, there is something that must be discussed - or this deal is cancelled."

The part of Jack the wanted his freedom perked up.

While the part of him who knew his responsibility to his people felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach.

"I understand our kingdoms have different values," Tariana said. "But I expect my daughter to be treated with the utmost respect. Not only by your court - but by your son."

She had looked at Nicholas while she spoke, but now she turned once more to Jack. And his stomach was sinking under the weight of her glare.

"Naturally," Nicholas said with a nod.

Everyone at the table was wary now, wondering where this was going. Jack saw both Emma and Barina glancing between the assembled adults, looking extremely confused.

"I turned a blind eye when you allowed your son to leave the ball early last night," Tariana said. "But I begin to think I was a fool to do so."

Now everyone looked at Jack. Aster's green eyes silently asked what he had done, but Jack shrugged.

He had an idea though.

Tariana gestured to one of her servants. The woman stepped forward - and draped over her arm was what Jack recognized as his missing jacket, even before it was unfolded and held up.

Most people at the table relaxed, knowing Jack and his dislike of formal clothing - and his moral standard.

But the girls were still confused. And it would stay that way.

Nicholas turned to Emma with a smile and a gentle touch on her
shoulder. "Emma, why don't you take breakfast to the gardens, and take Barina with you? Is beautiful day - you should enjoy."

"But-" Emma looked at Jack.

He nodded. "It's fine, Em."

She frowned, looking between all the tense adults. But after a moment she huffed, and nodded. "Okay."

A maid gathered two plates of food and followed the girls out of the room. Jack saw Emma take the younger girl's hand, leaning over to say something.

He couldn't hold back a grin as he watched. He had been Emma's age when he became a brother - it was strange to see her take
responsibility with Barina the way he had with her.

He felt his father touch his shoulder and looked back to see his
father smiling as well behind his white beard. Nicholas nodded his approval, and Jack knew it was acknowledgement of all he had taught his sister.

But their smiles faded as soon as they looked back at Tariana.

"This was found in a hall outside the ballroom," she said, gesturing to the jacket.

Aster laughed. "Ya don't think Jack was havin' some kinda... tryst?"

"That is what clothes strewn around mean, isn't it?" Her glare was now turned on Aster.

Nicholas laughed as well. "Tariana, Jack is hardly the kind. I raised him better than that."

"We all raise our children to the best of our ability," she said. "That does not mean they do as we would wish." There was a hint in her voice that made Jack wonder which of her children she was thinking of at the moment.

"Jack ain't the type," Aster said, with a shake of his head. "The only girl he pays attention to is his sister."

"I wish I could believe that. But your word is not enough." Tariana looked back at Nicholas. "Unless you can prove to me that your son was not involved in a tryst, the wedding is off."

Was she trying to send the Burgess servants into a mental breakdown? Jack wondered.

"I didn't have time for a tryst," he said, almost strangling on the word. "I found Barina in the gardens less than twenty minutes after I left the ball, and then I brought her to the guest wing. Before that I was with Aster."

"And after you brought Barina to the guest wing?" Tariana challenged.

"I checked on Emma, looked for my jacket, then went to bed."

"That doesn't explain why your jacket was left in a side hallway."

"It does if ya know how much Jack hates formal clothing," Aster said.

Sandy nodded his agreement.

"And anyone in the palace can tell you that," Nicholas chuckled, patting Jack's back.

Jack met Tariana's burgundy eyes - her glare had intensified.

Until now, Jack hadn't understood why she was so opposed to this deal when she needed the trade treaty as much as they needed access to her armies. She had searched for any loophole, throughout the negotiations she had been looking for some reason why Jack wasn't good enough.

It had nothing to do with Jack himself, he realized. Her pride didn't want to admit that her kingdom needed anyone else's help. Jack was just the only variable she could find a flaw with.

She glowered at Jack, and he could see the muscles in her jaw working as she struggled to find anyway to argue with the witness of the three kings in front of her. International law required only two witnesses. Aster and Sandy were both known for their integrity, so challenging them would mean calling the full international council.

Finally she nodded, with all the grace she could muster. And it wasn't much.

"Very well," she said, her voice. "I accept your witness."

As if she had a choice.

"Excellent!" Jack could hear the forced cheer in his father's voice. "Now we eat! There is still much to do."

#

Jack was in bedroom, pulling on an undershirt when he heard his
father's familiar knock on the door.

"Come in."

"You're almost ready," Nicholas said with a nod. "Very good."

"Yeah." Jack took his jacket from the hanger in his wardrobe. It was a darker blue than the jacket he had worn the night before, which was now in his laundry hamper.

"Sorry about the jacket," he said, as he shrugged into the darker jacket.

Nicholas waved a hand. "Ah, is nothing. You have done that all your life - cannot ask you to do different now. Tariana is..."

"Proud?" Jack offered. He pulled up the zipper of his jacket.

Panic washed over him for a moment as the fabric tightened around his ribs, constricting his lungs.

His father, Maudie, and Aster were the only ones who knew his dislike of the formal clothing was based in claustrophobia. And Aster knew only by chance - he had dared Jack into exploring a cave when they were younger.

He took a few deep breaths, assuring himself his lungs still had the space to inhale enough air.

"Jack, I want to tell you something my father tell me before wedding."

Turning back, he saw his father looking at him with more severity than he was used to.

"Please don't give me another lecture on how to keep my wife happy," he groaned.

His father laughed. "Hey - is important."

"I know, I know," Jack chuckled, rubbing his temples. "But I heard you the first five times."

Nicholas chuckled as well, the sound coming from deep in his belly.

"That is not what I want to say," the older man said. "It is a story from North."

Nicholas carefully lowered himself into one of the chairs at the table in the middle of the room.

"Hear me, Jack. Once, the sun and the wind decided to have a contest, to find out who was stronger."

Jack leaned back against the wardrobe. He rolled his silver circlet between his hands, listening. He had heard many of his father's folk tales from North, but he was unfamiliar with the one.

"Below them they saw a traveler on the road," Nicholas went on. "And the wind said: 'whichever of us can take off his coat will be the greater.' The sun agreed, and told the wind to go first.

"The wind began to blow as hard as he could. But the harder he blew, the tighter the traveler held on to his coat, pushing through the wind.

"At last, the wind could blow no more, and he gave up. The sun took his turn, shining down on the traveler, until of grew warmer and warmer, until eventually..."

Nicholas looked at his son expectantly.

"The traveler took his coat off," Jack finished, looking at the
circlet in his hands.

"Mm-hmm." Nicholas nodded. "Force is not always the best way. Keep that in mind, Jack. You will need it not only as a husband, but as a king."

Jack nodded understanding.

#

The wedding was uneventful.

Toothiana wore a sky blue dress - the Tootharian color of innocence.

Jack did his best not to sulk, repeating to himself what he had told Barina the night before. It was a price he would pay for his people.

As he repeated his vows, at one point his throat clenched, his free spirit horrified what he was doing against his will. But he pictured the border towns after a raid, cleared his throat, and continued.

Toothiana bit out her own vow, her promise to honor coming out with a special level of venom.

Her nails dug into the back of his hand, but he refused to let the pain show.

A brief, awkward kiss - nothing more than the seals that would be placed on the treaties the next day.

Not how Jack had imagined his first kiss.

#

"Could have been worse, I guess," Jack said, shutting the door of his rooms.

"How in the world could it have been worse?" Toothiana asked, with a vicious glare.

Jack considered, and finally had to shrug. "I guess you're right."

He unzipped his jacket, inhaling deeply as his lungs were free from the construction. But from the corner of his eye he saw Toothiana tense.

He shrugged out of the jacket and tossed it to the hamper, on top of jacket that had caused the morning's trouble.

He sat back in the chair that had already held his father and his sister earlier that day, taking another deep breath.

He didn't know what to say to make her relax, so he didn't say anything.

His bed, which had been freshly made since that morning, promised that he would be able to sleep soon. His sleep debt from the past few days(or weeks) had come to collect with interest.

When he looked at Toothiana again, he saw her looking around.

"Where are my things?"

Jack pointed to the bathroom door. "There."

"The bathroom?" Her eyes spoke murder as she glared at him.

"No - on the other side of the bathroom. That we have to share, but you have your own room."

Thank the Man in the Moon, too. He looked forward to locking the door on his side and sleeping as long as he wanted. No one would be waking him up tomorrow morning – the final meetings weren't scheduled until late in the afternoon.

Pulling himself back to his feet, he grabbed the pajamas that were folded on the shelf beside the wardrobe.

"You-" Toothiana stopped. She blinked, staring at him. "You are not going to..."

"No," he said simply, guessing what she was having so much trouble saying.

She blinked a few more times.

He gestured to the bathroom door. "If you don't mind, I'd kind of like to sleep. It's been a really long week, month, year..."

"Is this some kind of trick?"

"Not this time." It was habit – it was a common question in his life.

She continued to stare at him.

"Look, Toothiana: one, I'm an older brother. I would probably kill any man who made Emma do something she didn't want to do – especially that, married or not. I try not to be a hypocrite. Two, I know your history well enough to know the many gruesome ways your ancestors have killed men that forced them. I like living. Being strangled by your hair is not on my to do list."

"That is not how I would kill you," she said. "My hair is not long enough."

"It was an example." He gestured to the door again. Exhaustion was about to tear him to the ground.

After a moment she nodded, and turned toward the door.

"Good night," he called, out of habit.

She paused at the door, and looked back.

"Thank you, Jack," she said. Again, her voice was void of venom.

"Uh, you're welcome?"

She nodded, and vanished behind the door. He heard her shut the door on her side firmly.

Jack considered for a moment... then went back to changing now that he was alone.

Like the night before, he tumbled into bed, sleep already taking over his mind.

Relief that it was over passed over him - there was no point to stress further.

But just before he went under, he couldn't deny the sneaking suspicion that it had just begun.

What, he didn't know. And he was asleep before he could ask himself.

To Be Continued

Really quick, in case anyone didn't understand – all the kingdom names come from the Guardian's homes. Nicholas is from North (I know it's confusing, but I got it from North Pole), Tooharia is from Tooth Palace (I really tried to think of something else – I really did), Aster is from Warren, Sandy is from Dune (in the books he lives on the island of Dream Sand Dunes).

If there are any questions please let me know so I can clarify them. I think this story will carry me a few more days, if not through the rest of the week. And no, Jack probably won't get a good night's sleep until the end. XD

Reviews are greatly appreciated! I would love to hear what you think.