Author's Note
Chapter 2 is up! That was actually really fast, wasn't it? I still don't own Pandora Hearts as much as I wish I did. Thank you for reading this fanfic. Sorry if the characters are a little OOC, I haven't read Pandora Hearts in a while. I'll try to get chapter 3 out quickly. In the mean time, review responses!
Guest: Thank you for your analysis and support!
Jules: I'll keep writing! Oswald is my favorite, too!
Loopy Leefy: Thank you! As for the spelling, thank spellcheck.
Starlit Skyline: Thank you for correcting my grammer! I didn't notice that at all. Unfortunately, I write tragedy the best. I feel kind of bad for killing off a character right off the bat, but at least Oswald, Lacie and Jack lead somewhat better lives in this AU. The manga made me cry. I just hope this chapter is as good as the first one.
Grace: Thank you for your support! I'm not sure if this is the best way to start reading fanfic because it kills someone off immediately, but thank you for the compliment!
Back to the story!
It was finally the day of Jack's coronation. The servants had already started bringing out the plates and food by the time Oswald remembered it was morning. He dragged himself out of bed and pulled his clothes on, checking himself in the mirror. Sighing, he ran a brush through his bedhead and walked out the door just in time to crash face-first into Jack's far too cheerful smile.
"Good morning!" greeted Jack. "Since you weren't up yet, I just decided to wake you up!"
Oswald stared at him for a while before walking out of his room. He was not a morning person. The mornings were entirely WAY too early for people to be cheerful. Unfortunately, Jack WAS a morning person and since he was one of the few people that were actually awake, he kept up his meaningless chatter.
"Did you see the Great Hall yet? The servants must've worked really hard on all those delicious dishes. Did you know we had a thousand salad plates?" and so on and so on. It was annoying. Hopefully, Oswald wouldn't strangle his best friend before his coronation.
"Did you see those banners in front of the gates?"
Oswald reconsidered the increasingly lovely idea of homicide.
The two men walked down the corridor, heading towards Jack and Lacie's room. Just as Oswald was about to knock, the door burst open and for the second time in ten minutes, Oswald crashed face first into an object. As he picked himself off of the floor, Oswald considered retiring to a small, reclusive village WITHOUT people that felt the need to try and smash his face in. He waved off Jack and Lacie's concerns and apologies and dusted himself off.
"I'm so sorry, Oswald! I really didn't mean to open the door in your face," Lacie apologized.
"It's alright. Shouldn't we be getting ready for the coronation?" Oswald said.
Jack and Lacie blinked. Then, they ran back into their room. Oswald could hear the loud banging of drawers and closets being wrenched open and slammed shut. He pinched the bridge of his nose and walked away.
The coronation went off without a hitch. The visiting dignitaries found the new emperor to be extremely affable and cheerful. Lacie found it very funny. Oswald was simply glad that their economy would be getting better. However, he did not appreciate Jack setting him up with various young princesses and future empresses. Therefore, about forty minutes into the party, he made a strategical retreat. It was not running away, it was simply knowing when to back out. Despite his little problem, Oswald was happy. Pandora would prosper under Jack and Lacie's combined rule. With Jack's cunning and Lacie's wits, Oswald was sure that there would be no wars and even the lowest peasant would have food to eat. All in all, this coronation would be the start to a new era.
Six years later
Two children ran around in the castle gardens. A little blond haired duplicate of Jack dashed away from a little dark haired girl in a red dress as Oswald watched over them. The little girl tripped and fell. She looked like she was about to start bawling, but the little boy carefully helped her up and wiped away her tears. In no time, they were running around again. Oswald smiled. His niece and nephew often played in the gardens when they didn't have lessons with the royal tutors.
One year after Jack's coronation, Lacie had given birth to Oz Vessalius-Baskerville; future emperor of Pandora, and the year after that, Alice Vessalius-Baskerville came to join her brother. One day, Oz would rule Pandora with his queen and Alice, like Oswald, would support him. But for now, they were just two children monkeying around in the gardens.
The years after Jack's coronation, as Oswald had predicted, were relatively peaceful. There had only been one border skirmish with the neighboring Nightray kingdom and either way, they had become allies afterwards, thanks to Jack's remarkable diplomatic skills. Lacie had become an expert at dealing with little domestic problems and in general, running a kingdom as Jack gained more allies and expanded their borders through careful manipulation of other kingdoms. The Pandora Empire was now the largest empire on the continent. With any luck, they would hopefully be able to maintain their borders. Now where on Earth had he put his papers? He needed to finish the treaty befo-
"Oswald!"
Oswald was jerked out of his thoughts as Lacie called out his name. "Oswald!" she called excitedly. "I've got really exciting news!"
Oswald sighed. Just when he thought he would be able to get some of that horrid paperwork done. "What is the exciting news?" he said, humoring his hyperactive sister.
"I've been invited to attend a party hosted by the Yura Kingdom!" She did a little twirl and plopped down in the chair beside Oswald. "The eldest prince is turning fifteen in a couple days!" Her smile was as bright as the sun.
Oswald blinked. Now that Oswald thought about it, this event would be one of the few times that Lacie would leave the Pandora Empire's territory. When they were young, their father had been constantly fighting wars against other kingdoms and empires, so it was never safe for them to leave the empire. After Lacie grew up, she had been courting Jack, and later, their father had been very ill. Even after Jack had become emperor, because of his constant diplomatic journeys, Lacie had to stay behind to run the empire.
Now, Lacie had the chance to visit another kingdom and see different sights. It was no wonder she was so enthusiastic. Oswald was very happy for his sister, but he felt very reluctant to allow Lacie to venture out of the empire's territory, where he and Jack could do nothing to protect her. But, for now, he could just sit in the castle gardens with his niece and nephew, basking in the warm sunlight and his precious sister's happiness. If only that blinding bright smile would stop actually BLINDING him.
Oswald would regret his decision later on.
Woah, cliffhanger! Sorry to leave you all off like this. Now, we've taken a break from the depressing mood and hopped into a more cheerful one. Unfortunately, this is still a tragedy, so in the next chapter, the pace will start picking up. Please read and review!
