A/N: Explanation for the long wait is in the end author's note. Please don't hate me for disappearing for so long. I can't promise not to do it again either as you'll understand from the explanation below.
Thank you again for the tremendous support. AKR has been added to ten communities on FanFiction. Since last chapter it has also received 79 reviews on FF, 38 reviews on TWCS and 3 reviews on Twiwrite. Thank you everyone who alerted, favourited and reviewed. It means a lot.
Now without further ado, I hope you enjoy! Sorry it is short.
~Anna-Margaret
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Chapter Twelve: Learning
With the Queen's testimony, along with Sir Jasper and Lord Wolsey's evidence, James was stripped of his title and all monetary proceedings went to Bella in reparation of what she suffered. She, in turn, gave the money to several poor houses in the area. By a council of his peers James was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. In the town the crowd jeered and spat at James. A huge yell erupted as James screamed in pain as he burned in the vat of hot oil. Neither the Queen nor King attended the execution but instead remained in the Queen's chambers and played with their growing baby girl.
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"Ah there you are," commented King Edward as he poked his head into the newly furnished nursery.
"I think she likes it here. Thank you," murmured Bella gratefully.
The king pecked Bella's nose and smiled down at her. He was the one that was truly grateful. She had been catatonic for four days, but his misery and worry that she would no longer be by his side had awakened him to the realisation that he had truly fallen for her. He was glad to see she was more accepting of leaving Helen to the care of her nurse when it was required of her, but he was mostly just thankful that she was smiling again.
"I thought you'd want to be in the library for Tanya's surprise," he grinned.
"Oh, most definitely!" agreed Bella as she rushed from the room.
Tanya was surprised at how fervently Bella raced into the library and chuckled at the large grin spread across her face. Her smile gave her an ethereal glow and made her look her young age. Tanya embraced her dear friend but was perplexed when the king also joined them.
In the passing weeks Tanya could see that things had progressed between Bella and Edward and she was pleased with the results. The entire court could feel the happiness that emitted from their king and queen. However Tanya still felt the pain in her chest for the loss of her child and on more than the few occasions they had all been together, the couple had also brought baby Helen with them.
"Tanya, I see the pain you suffer," announced the king as he sat by the two ladies. "That is by my doing and I will have you bear it no longer."
At that moment the door opened again and Tanya's heart faltered for a second or two. There stood in the doorway was her blonde cherub, Lucy. Tears filled both mother and daughter's eyes and there was a flourish of material as they raced to embrace one another. The king grasped his wife's hand as the smiled happily at the reunion.
"Oh, Mama how I missed you so!" exclaimed Lucy.
"Me too, anima mia," whispered Tanya in a trembling voice.
Her watery gaze fell on the king and she gave him a short nod in thanks.
"You and Lucy may remain with the court if you wish, however I believe you would prefer to be away from the stifling environment and so you may live the rest of your days in comfort at The More for I know it is a place that you hold dear to your heart."
"Thank you!" she murmured.
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The following day Tanya and Lucy were departing from Hever when the Dowager Princess pulled her young friend to the side.
"My dearest Bella, I see you as a second daughter. Edward I will always care for. My only wish before I leave is that you both find happiness. I know it will prove difficult but please try to put your trust in him. Allow him to embrace his role as a husband and confide in him. He truly is a wonderful listener. His temper can be frightful but if anyone can help diminish the fire that can inflame him, it is you my dear one."
"I will try," promised Bella as she embraced her companion before allowing her to leave and enjoy her life.
"If you wish we can always visit them," said the king as he reached to wrap his arms around his tearful queen.
"I would like that but I am more at peace with her departure this time."
"Why?"
"I got to say goodbye."
King Edward froze as he stood embracing his wife. "I never thought that some may still wish to say goodbye to her."
"I believe I was the only one. All the others had already abandoned her prior to her removal as your wife," Bella explained.
"You are truly the most kind-hearted person I have ever had the pleasure to make acquaintance. Thank you for allowing me in your life."
Bella blushed and smiled sweetly at him.
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Several months passed and the royal couple took each day as it came. There were some bumps along the road to them growing closer, however they learned from their mistakes in the past and turned to one another to help solve the problems that arose. On one particular day the king was angered to learn that no one knew the whereabouts of his queen. Bella was immediately accosted by a worried and angry king who demanded to know where she had been.
"I was in town. There was an accident at the sawmill. Two men died whilst another four are severely injured. I went to aid their families to stave their suffering as much as I could."
"Forgive me I knew nothing of this. Are the men gravely injured?"
"One is but I believe the help I provided the other two will ensure they do not die."
"What help did you provide?"
"Vinegar to clean their wounds and strips of cloth to bandage them."
"They do not have these provisions?"
"No their possessions are quite meagre."
"We shall have to investigate this more. The wage a man should earn working in a sawmill should be ample to live more comfortably than you are describing. In the morning will you take me to speak with the families?"
Bella stood in shock, not daring to believe what her ears had heard.
The king smirked at her dumbfounded expression. "I am learning from you sweetheart," he whispered as he leaned closer and brushed her cheeks with his fingertips. "I want to be a good king and that means caring for all those that live on our soil. Help me?"
"Of course," sighed Bella, smiling brightly.
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It had taken the king and queen almost an entire day to care for those in need in town. The king was efficient in his questioning as much as the queen was compassionate with aiding the families. After some gruelling conversations, the king was aghast to learn how little pay the men received. Although he had parliamentary business waiting for him back at the palace, the king took off in search of the owner of the mill. It took only a brief and low voiced conversation between the king and the owner before a sum was agreed upon for the wage of each man that worked at the mill.
Bella smiled, reminiscing how diligent her husband had been in looking into the matter. He had also amused her when he awkwardly sat around a table with one of the families affected and swallowed the watery broth they had provided. It proved to Bella that he was changing, and for the better, when he made no crude comment about the food provided, nor did he make excuses so as he could return to the palace and eat a hearty three course meal.
"My dearest Isabella?" asked the king as they reached her chambers. "Might I join you tonight?"
Bella froze. Her mind began to scream at her for being so foolish as to trust him and think he was changing. He had likely only done as he had that day as an attempt to make her happy and more compliant. The king watched as his wife's happiness dissolved into dismay. He could not understand why his question would cause such a bleak reaction until he realised how it must have sounded to her.
"No, my sweet. I do not ask to lie with you…I just, well, I do not want to part from you. I will take any part of you that you will give and so if you are willing to allowing me to stay in your chamber tonight I ask only to be able to hold you. Nothing more, I swear it."
Bella exhaled in relief and turned to enter her chambers. She glanced back at the king who stood nervously in the doorway.
"You may join me," she whispered as a light blush painted her cheeks.
A/N:
A Kingdom Reborn has been nominated in The Shimmer Awards for Best Angst and I'm shamelessly asking you to vote for it. Please: shimmerawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com/p/vote(dot)html
Anima mia is Italian for my soul.
Historical Information: Those found guilty of treason could also be executed by being placed in a cauldron of boiling oil.
Since I last updated I had several essays to hand in and exams to sit. The week following all of this I started to get severe joint pain. Firstly it was only in my wrists and knees. Eight weeks later and the pain has got worse. It is now in my ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists. I am on tablets that the doctor prescribed, but there is still acute pain. They don't know what it is that is exactly wrong with me but are trying to figure it out. On top of all that I've been back at University for four weeks and having problems sleeping due to the pain.
Also to make my readers aware I will, hopefully, be entering the Truly Anonymous Twilight One-Shot Picture and Prompt Contest. All details of the contest can be found here: ficcontest(dot)info
Lastly, the Hidden Star Awards are currently open for nomination so go nominate your favourite stories! hiddenstarawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com/p/not-yet-but-add-us-so-you-will-receive(dot)html
Oh and I just created a forum for AKR over on Twiwrite: twiwrite(dot)net/forums/viewtopic(dot)php?f=12&t=281&p=1979#p1979
Please review!
~Anna-Margaret
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