10 Years Ago

"Anneliese, please pay attention," Julian said tiredly as he caught her staring out the window yet again.

"Sorry," she said quickly, turning to face him. "But it's such a nice day! We ought to be out in the gardens."

"If we have our lesson outside, you definitely won't pay attention."

"I don't want to have my lesson outside. I want to pick flowers and chase you around the grounds."

Julian blushed. "After our lesson."

"You promise? You'll come play with me in the gardens?"

"I—I didn't say that."

"Why won't you play with me anymore?" Anneliese pouted, crossing her arms.

Julian shifted uncomfortably and closed The Princess' Book of Etiquette. "It's not really proper."

"I'm not a lady yet!"

"I didn't mean that. I meant... For me to play with you is... against decorum."

"Papa said you were going to be my friend," Anneliese reminded him. As if he needed reminding. "I'll... I'll tell on you!"

He raised his eyebrows. "Tell on me? For not playing?"

"I will, I'll tell my papa, and he'll make you play with me."

She stood up and he panicked, grabbing her hand. "Don't!" She paused and looked down at his hand on hers; he blushed and let go, staring at the floor. "Sorry."

"I like it when you hold my hand, Julian," she said quietly, blushing to the roots of her long blond hair.

"I'm not allowed," Julian said faintly.

"Why not?"

"It's not proper."

"Don't you like me?"

"Of course I like you," he said, almost angrily. He was here, wasn't he? "But there are rules about this sort of thing. You don't want them to send me away, do you?"

"Who would send you away? Papa wouldn't let them. I know he wouldn't. He wants me to be happy." She crossed her arms, defiant.

"Don't ever stray from protocol," Julian said, tapping the cover of the book. "There's a certain way things are done, and it's all for a reason."

"A stupid reason," Anneliese muttered, and his mouth twitched.

"Come on, let's finish this lesson, and then... And then we can go into the gardens and pick flowers. I promise."

She looked to his eyes for a long minute, as though trying to detect a lie, then sighed and sat down. "Alright. If you promise."


3 Months Ago

Anneliese waited anxiously in her chambers for Julian to arrive. She was wearing a dress she'd commissioned specially from Erika after their conversation about affection; Erika had been surprised, but quite happy with the design she'd requested.

Julian entered the room after knocking three times, as had been his habit for several years. He stopped short when he saw Anneliese, inhaling sharply and then averting his eyes.

Her face fell. "You don't like it?"

"Your dress? It's very... Pretty."

"Of course it's pretty," Anneliese said impatiently. "Erika made it."

"She did?" Julian looked at her, surprised, then saw her dress and turned away again.

"Yes, I asked her to."

"Why?"

Anneliese looked down at the dress. It had a low, tight bodice, and the skirt hugged her hips. It was actually very comfortable, but she had only requested that it be revealing—scandalous, even. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I think I need to go."

"Julian, wait!" She walked to him and put her hand on his cheek, turning his head to look at her, but he kept his eyes closed. "Please. We're going to be married in a few weeks, and... You'll barely touch me. I... I almost wonder if you even love me anymore."

"Of course I love you," he said, opening his eyes and taking her hand from his cheek. He stepped back, looking carefully at her face. "I... I don't trust myself to be alone with you."

"Why not?"

He took a deep breath. "You'll see after the wedding." He blushed as though embarrassed, or perhaps excited.

Her heart fluttered. "Do you promise?" she whispered, stepping closer.

"Yes."

Julian hesitated for a fraction of a second and then kissed her. He pulled away far sooner than he would have liked; Anneliese, for her part, seemed lost in a giddy daze.

"Now... I've got to go." He kissed her hand, and then walked to the door. "But if you'd like, please save that dress."

He left before she could respond, which was good because she could only giggle.

She had never been so happy.


2 Months Ago

After their wedding and a short parade through Astraea, the Beaumonts and the Von Brandts said their goodbyes. Dominick and Erika left the palace, so they could get a good head start on their journey to Martha, the capital of Dulcinea; Anneliese and Julian went straight to her room, which they would now be sharing.

As the door swung shut, Anneliese began to feel very nervous. She had, admittedly, seen Serafina and Wolfie doing this, but she very much doubted that Julian was going to bite the back of her neck, although it may not be so bad if he did. She very much doubted he would do anything that would hurt her.

He had held her hand as they went upstairs, but now he stood several feet away, looking unsure.

"Well... We're married now."

"Yes." He looked happier and more excited than she had ever seen him.

"You did promise..."

"Yes, I know. I'm just... not sure what to do."

"What would you like to do?" She didn't know what they were supposed to do, exactly, but she trusted that Julian did. He knew so many things.

"I'd like to get you out of that dress," he said, staring with unfocused eyes at her shoulder. Her cheeks felt very hot.

"Then come here," she said, her voice quavering. "You can't do anything from over there."

Julian stepped closer, taking her face in his hands, and kissed her. This was a very different kiss from the chaste peck he'd given her downstairs to seal their marriage. Anneliese felt like she was melting, and her legs nearly gave way; she pulled away, breathing heavily, and tried to steady herself. She found the ribbon that had held Julian's hair back in her hand. She'd never seen his hair down before, but she found that she liked it.

"Are you alright?" he asked, catching her before she could fall.

"Yes, I just need... a moment..."

His hands found the buttons on the back of her dress, and spun her gently around so that he could properly undo it. Her heart was beating very fast as she stepped out of her dress, leaving her in her shift and corset, which he began to unlace, kissing the back of her neck. She shivered.

"Are you alright?" he asked again. Perhaps he was doing something wrong.

"I feel so naked," she said breathlessly as he pulled her corset off. Her shift felt very thin all of the sudden. "It's not fair, let's get you naked, too." She unbuttoned his jacket, and Julian pulled it off, along with his shirt, and kissed her again.

His lips moved to her neck, and then her collarbone, and his hand was on her rear! No one had touched her there before. It was almost ticklish, and she giggled. He paused a moment, looking at her curiously, but she pulled him into yet another kiss, throwing her arms around his neck, and he lifted her up, carrying her to the bed.

They broke the kiss and she sat on the edge of the mattress, breathing heavily, while Julian kicked off his shoes and took off his breeches and stockings.

Anneliese's eyes were wide with surprise as she looked at him, and Julian began to feel self-conscious. She tipped her head to one side, still staring between his legs, and asked, "Does it always do that?"

He laughed softly. "Well, no—"

"Will it hurt?" She shrank back, bringing her knees tightly together.

"I don't think so," he said.

"You don't think so?"

"I've never done this before!" He took a deep breath, trying to be serious for a moment, which was difficult with an erection. "But you know that I would never intentionally hurt you."

She knew the answer, but she had to ask: "You promise?"

"I promise," he said solemnly, and he kissed her.

With that kiss, she forgot that she was nervous, forgot that she was afraid, and relaxed.

Julian kept his promises that night.


Dominick and Erika stopped at an inn in Slade, several miles from Astraea.

They were supposed to be sleeping, but no one in their party thought they were going to sleep much that night. It was their wedding night, after all.

As soon as they were alone together in their room, Dominick and Erika were nearly sealed at the lips, each trying to get the other's clothes off while kissing every inch of skin they could reach. It was messy, but neither cared; no one was watching, so it hardly mattered how it looked.

Erika had gotten Dominick's jacket and shirt off before he'd made any headway on her dress, and in his excited scrabbling at the buttons, he pulled too hard on the fabric and it tore all along the seam on her bodice.

They both paused in surprise, until Erika shrugged and said, "I was only going to wear it once, anyway," and pulled him even more fervently into a kiss.

No longer caring, he tore at the rest of the seams, until the dress was only scraps of fabric on the floor, which they both kicked aside on their way to the bed.

Erika lay on her stomach as Dominick unlaced her corset with fumbling fingers. "Promise me we'll sleep tonight," she giggled. "We're going to be so tired tomorrow."

"No promises," he said, turning her over and tossing her corset aside as he kissed along her jaw.

"I guess I'll take my chances," she laughed, pulling him into another kiss.


Now

It was the last night of the Beaumonts' stay in Dulcinea. Erika and Julian waited in the foyer for Dominick and Anneliese; Anneliese had ripped her favorite dress and was having it quickly sewn, and Dominick's afternoon meeting had run late. They were going to have dinner in the gardens to celebrate the departure.

Erika shifted her weight from foot to foot awkwardly while Julian picked aimlessly at his cuffs. They hadn't actually said much to each other since he had asked her to masquerade as Anneliese.

"So... How do you like our library?" Erika asked finally.

"It's extraordinary, really. I've been meaning to ask if I could borrow some of the books—I've been taking as many notes as possible, but I can only read so fast."

"You'll have to ask Dominick. Most of them were his father's or grandfather's, you know. They might be sentimental or something."

"Of course."

Erika rocked back on her heels. "I never did say thank you."

"For what?"

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here." She gestured vaguely at the walls.

"If it wasn't for your cat, neither would I."

They laughed, each pretending that the absurdity of the statement wasn't terrifying.

"I mean it, though," Erika said earnestly. "If there's anything I can do—I mean, we're basically the same rank and everything, but if there's anything I could do for you, please, don't hesitate to ask."

"I owe you just as much. If it weren't for you, Anneliese would have married Preminger." He shuddered at the thought, and after a moment's silence, he said, "Sometimes... Sometimes I think King Alphonse meant for me to marry Anneliese." He had never told anyone this before, because it was such a silly thing. But he trusted that Erika wouldn't laugh.

She didn't laugh. Instead, she looked thoughtful. "Why do you say that?"

"He picked me to tutor her, did you know that? He was worried that she didn't have any friends her age, and obviously she didn't have any siblings. He could have picked any little girl from the village to be her playmate, but he chose me, and he wanted me to teach her. It's almost... almost like he knew that she would fall in love with me. I know it sounds strange."

Erika shrugged. "I didn't know the king, obviously. Maybe he did plan it. I mean, he never tried to have her betrothed to Dominick or anyone else. Maybe he wanted her to fall in love."

"I like to think so," Julian said quietly. "May he rest in peace."

Erika nodded fervently.

"So sorry I'm late!" Anneliese said breathlessly, rushing down the stairs and kissing Julian on the cheek. "But I'm all stitched up now."

"Don't worry, Dominick isn't even here yet."

"Oh, good." She took a moment to catch her breath. "What were you two talking about?"

Julian slipped his arm around her waist. "How I fell in love with you."

"Really?" Anneliese giggled.

"I may have fallen in love the moment I saw you. It's very difficult to be an eight-year-old in love, did you know?"

She raised her eyebrows, the smile sliding from her face. "What do you mean, eight years old? I thought you were ten, like me!"

Julian reddened. "I was tall for my age, and obviously very smart—"

"All this time, I can't believe I never thought to ask how old you are. Not even on your birthday!" Anneliese said in amazement.

"Well... It never really came up. When we were younger, I didn't want you to think I was a baby, and then... It wasn't important. I'm sorry," he added, alarmed by the strange smirk quirking her lips.

"Don't be. That's just... very interesting." Anneliese shook her head. "I know you won't surprise me, Erika. You're exactly my age. Or am I your age?"

"I don't think it matters," Erika laughed. "It's all the same to me."

Anneliese looked at her thoughtfully. "Dominick is older, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's twenty-six."

"There's quite a gap between him and Oliver, then."

"I suppose." Erika shrugged, and then her face lit up as Dominick appeared at the top of the staircase.

"Just got out of the meeting, so sorry. Well... Shall we go out, then?"

"Let's," said Erika, and all four went out into the evening.


Wolfie and Serafina lay on a second-floor balcony that overlooked the gardens, and saw their humans gathering at a table to eat. They heard voices, but didn't understand what they were saying, apart from the occasional random word. They heard their own names once or twice, and wondered what they were discussing, and if they should be worried.

Serafina stood and stretched, licking a paw daintily, then pointedly turned away from the humans and went back into the palace; Wolfie followed, deciding that curiosity would not kill this cat. They leapt lightly onto Genevieve's bed and curled up to sleep.

Genevieve didn't notice. She was sitting at her desk, writing her twelfth page of notes on the many things to do when they got back to Aurelia, provided Mathieu Dubois hadn't left the country in shambles. This trip could hardly have come at a more inconvenient time, but she certainly owed the Von Brandts a great deal. In any case, they were going home tomorrow, and that was something.

From the garden, she heard the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses, and almost wished she was with them, but she had shouldered a lot of Anneliese's duties—more than usual—so that she could have a relaxing visit with her friend.

After the incidents two years ago, Genevieve had tried to make Anneliese's life as stress-free as possible. She felt very responsible for everything Anneliese had been through, and she tried to ease her guilt by assuming many of Anneliese's duties, in addition to her own. The stress of it all was getting to her, but her guilt was worse; she kept to herself as much as possible so that she would not have to put up an unfazed facade.

She came to the end of this page, and decided that everything else could be done in the carriages on the way home. She stood up and went onto the balcony, smiling and waving at the two couples in the gardens before shutting the doors and drawing the curtains over them. The smile slid quickly from her face as she dressed herself for bed. Dominick has offered her a chambermaid, or several, but she had graciously declined. She had had trouble trusting anyone since Preminger.

Genevieve shivered as she remembered the fortune they had seized from him after his arrest. He had been stealing from them for so many years... She shook her head. It didn't matter now. He was penniless and sat in a dungeon cell. There was nothing he could do to hurt her, or anyone else.

She hoped.