"Your Majesty! Letter from your commander in the North!" The envoy dashed into the Council Hall.
"Show me." Robin stood up from his throne and got the piece of paper.
"Marvelous! Sir Nathan must be rewarded handsomely!" Robin laughed heartily. "Fetch me a cup of wine! Fetch everyone a cup of wine! We must celebrate!"
Robin came into the Raven Tower, into Raven's bedchambers.
"Dear wife!" He picked Raven up from her armchair and held him in her arms, slamming a kiss onto her cheek. "Husband," she smiled. "What is there to be so happy?"
"Great victory in the North my dear," he exclaimed. "We would celebrate, I shall call back the commander of the North to celebrate with us." He put Raven down. "Sir Nathan Harcourt would make a great match to one of our daughters."
Raven shuddered at the thought. "But Your Majesty," she said slowly. "Our girls are …"
"Fit for marriage!" Robin said again, waving for a cup of wine. "Katherine is almost twenty, and Victoria eighteen! By that age you were already their mother!"
Raven closed her lips. "Or perhaps, your brother's son, what's his name again?"
"Raphael, the Crown Prince of Azarath." Robin nodded. "He would make a fine match as well."
"He is out training in battle, Lucifer is not thinking of marrying him to anyone any time soon."
"Well, he would have to consider an offer from his sister, wouldn't he?"
"I shall see to it, Your Majesty."
"Very well," Robin nodded at her and left the room.
The girl beneath him moaned in pleasure as he thrusts into her. He kept on thrusting until his seed was released into her. He rolled off her body and lied down.
"Your Majesty is marvelous," the girl panted and kissed Robin.
"How come you still have the strength to talk?" Robin joked and patted the girl's hips. Gabrielle giggled and placed her head onto Robin's chest.
"My mother is speaking of marriage," said Gabrielle. "She speaks of marrying me to some rich lowly landlord. I saw the portrait of the pig."
"I see," replied Robin. "And you plan on asking me to help you evade this marriage."
"If it pleases your Majesty," she smiled slyly. "That I may stick around to serve you and perhaps … allow your seeds to germinate inside me."
Robin chuckled at the thought. "You have my word." Then he turned his back on her. "Go on now, woman," she said. "Go back to your chambers and ask that mother of yours to come here."
The celebration was held at the Grand Hall. The musicians played music that flowed like a stream. Wine was poured cup after cup and food was served plate after plate. The nobles danced around and chanted phrases that praise the Emperor.
"Your Majesty," Sir Nathan greeted Robin. He dipped his head towards Raven. "Your Grace."
"Nathan! Marvelous victory, you would have made your teacher proud."
"Aye Sir, Sir Victor sends his regards from the North."
"Pray, why haven't Sir Victor return to Gotham City for the celebration?" Raven asked. She remembered Sir Victor, the man had an iron arm and iron leg, but he fought as well as any able-bodied man, even better at times.
"He said the North needs a watchmen at all time. He sends his warmest regards to the Emepror and the Queen."
"That's very nice of him," she smiled.
"Let the fun begin!" Robin stood up and glanced briefly at his wife.
"Wife, would you like to dance with me?" She saw the look in his eyes, he was just asking for the sake of courtesy. "Pray, Your Majesty, my knees have been hurting these few days. I am afraid that I won't be able to dance."
"Take care," he nodded at her and walked down the stairs to the floor.
Raven sat on the throne, she saw her husband dancing around with different ladies. She see them flirting with him, with their enchanting eyes and flirtatious smiles. Gabrielle was one of them, and his eyes stared at her the longest time; his hands lingered on her body. She looked at them sternly, taking morsels of food from her plate.
Another person sitting idly was Katherine. She sat at her place, taking tiny sips of wine. Sir James approached her and kissed her hand. Katherine looked at him in an affectionate yet painful glance.
"My lady, are you unwell?" He asked.
"Yes, Sir James, go on and have your fun."
Painfully she knew that he should never knew of their love child, he would be killed, in the worst ways one could ever imagine.
She must keep this painful secret or it would be the end of all three of them.
Victoria on the other hand was having her fun; she was dancing with Sir Nathan Harcourt, the commander of the North who returned to celebrate his victory.
"Dear Princess, you are such a charming maiden," he complimented her.
"My, aren't you a fine specimen for men all around the realm yourself, Sir Nathan." She returned the good word. "I would love to have you join my hunting party," she said.
"I have heard of your title of Warrior Princess way back in the North." He laughed as he twirled her around.
He was a tall man, slightly taller than Robin. His hair was in the shade of honey, his eyes the mesmerizing blue of the ocean. His features were handsome, far too handsome for one to connect him as a brave warrior; he had the look of a poet instead.
Victoria and Nathan chatted away as they dance with each other.
The banquet continued until late night, everyone was drunk and asleep.
Except one.
"Victoria!" Katherine shook her napping sister awake.
"God, woman, I was asleep!" Victoria yawned. "What do you want?"
"My…situation, sister."
"I see, I see," she replied and took a sip of wine from her cup. "I have it all sorted out. You must leave in these few days."
"To where?"
"My estate in Blackthorn Hill. You shall go there and give birth there. The rest I have it all sorted out."
Katherine nodded. "I shall go prepare myself for the journey." Then she paused.
"What of Sir James?"
"Sir James would be handled of."
Two days later, Princess Katherine left the Gotham Castle, for her vacation to Blackthorn Hill.
"It is my desire to marry Sir Harcourt." Victoria announced to her mother, as she looked at her doing her sewing work.
"Why, such a rash decision dear," said Raven. "You haven't known the man for a month!"
"It is my desire." Victoria grinned. "I have never quite see a man so fine as him," she said. "He would make a fine husband, I am sure of it. Father seemed to like him as well."
"We will leave that matter for your father to decide," Raven pulled the needle out of the cloth. "Now, child, remind me where is your sister?"
"At Blackthorn Hill," Victoria replied. "She said she needed a peaceful moment with God, and I told her to go there. She is well taken care of."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Why, isn't she well taken care of in the capital?"
"Mother, my sister is a bit peculiar," she replied in the plainest manner. "She enjoys her time alone, so let her be! She will be back in a month, probably."
"It has already been half-a-year since I have seen her, child." Raven replied. "Once you have your own children you would understand."
A lady-in-waiting came into the chambers and curtseyed.
"Your Grace, Your Highness, an envoy has come." She produced a piece of paper from her sleeve. "A letter for Princess Victoria."
Victoria took the letter and read it. She walked to the fireplace and burned the paper.
"What is it child?"
"Non-sense," Victoria spat. "Some lowly noble girl asked me to attend her tea party or some sort. I barely knew them." She stretched her back. "I am going out to hunt," then she left the room.
Raven noticed that her steps are hastier than she usually is.
'Never mind,' she thought to herself. ' She has always been an excitable child.'
Victoria leaped onto her horse and began to gallop as fast as she could.
"Out of my way or I will have your heads!" She dashed through the castle gates and headed northwest. She rode for hours, and finally she reached Blackthorn Keep at nightfall.
"Open the gates for the Princess!" The guards shouted as the iron gates are raised. Victoria immediately rushed to the bedchambers.
"How long has she been in labour?" She asked the physician. "Hours, milady."
Katherine was in great pain, her golden locks spread across the bed like a thousand golden snakes. She panted and sweated. Victoria could see a round orb emerging from her. "Katherine, you need to try harder."
"I am trying!" She shrieked.
"Try harder!" Victoria grabbed her hand. "You mustn't give up, you cannot die."
Katherine cried and screamed as she pushed the baby out of her.
"A boy, milady." The midwife cleaned the blood of the baby and placed him into Victoria's arms.
"Show me," Katherine whimpered. Victoria lowered her arms so that Katherine could touch his face. Then she turned to Victoria. "What do you plan to do to him?"
"I have my plans, sister." Victoria handed the baby to a servant girl. "All you have to do is rest and trust me."
A month later, Victoria returned with her sister to the capital.
"Mother," they greeted Raven as they entered her bed chambers.
"You are back," Raven hugged them both. "How was your trip, Katherine?"
"Quite exciting really," she replied.
"I thought you are hunting, Victoria."
"I was, I chased a great deer until I shot it dead near Blackthorn Keep. I had its head mounted in the dining hall of my keep." She replied. "Then I stayed and keep Katherine company."
"I heard a baby was born in the Keep?"
"Yes, such… humiliation." Victoria spat. "A lady got herself pregnant with the guards. The child lives, the mother died in childbirth."
"What would you do with the child?"
"I shall see whether he could be trained as a squire."
"Pray, whose daughter is it?"
"Lord… Horshell. The late lord, she was the only heir to the puny fortune."
"God rest her soul." Raven sighed. "Take your leave, child."
They left Raven alone.
Robin sat on his armchair with loads of paper work on his desk. Gabrielle sat on his lap, her hands around his shoulders.
"Your Majesty, have you decided yet?"
"Decided what?"
"Whom your daughters should marry?"
"Of course, I have my plans all worked out."
Robin kissed Gabrielle. "You are a nosy little bitch are you?"
Gabrielle bit his ear and whispered. "I am my lord, your lustful nosy bitch."
Robin laughed and squeezed her breast. She let out a pleased moan.
"Your Majesty," a guard said outside the door. "Sir Garfield requests an audience."
"Sir Garfield?" Robin smiled and thrust Gabrielle off him. "Leave."
Gabrielle pouted and left the chambers through the backdoor.
"Gar!" He stood up as his old friend entered the door. The green man hugged him.
"Your Majesty," he grinned. "It has been quite some time."
"Quite some time indeed! I haven't seen you for ten years, you bastard!"
Garfield laughed heartily.
"I bought myself an estate in the city," Garfield said. "We should be able to see each other more often, Your Majesty."
"Good for you, Gar."
"How is the Queen?"
"She is… as well as she could be."
"I have heard rumours," said Garfield.
"I take you more than a common fishwife."
"I know, these rumours are bad for your rule, particularly with your relationship with Azarath."
"I am only telling you this Gar," Robin said grimly. "Because I trust you."
Garfield leaned forward.
"I intend to make Gabrielle Cromwall my Queen."
"But, Your Majesty, she is your father's bastard daughter! Besides, what would the Azarathians say?"
"I don't care about all this!" Robin roared. "I am their Emperor, and the people shall rejoice once I have a son as the heir to the throne. Raven would never be able to give me that."
"But she has given you two daughters, Victoria is as fit for the throne as any Prince would be."
"Aye, but she is not Prince."
"You plan on deposing the Queen?" Robin nodded. Garfield looked as grim as his cheerful face allowed him to be.
"Your Majesety if I may, please do not do this. You would regret this."
"I never regret."
Garfield nodded and took his leave.
Robin stared at the empty chair as his old friend left.
No one could stop him from getting what he wants.
No one.
Author's Note:
Here's another chapter, thanks for reading and reviewing!
Have a great day!
V.S.V