Aurora and Phillip's progress across the four provinces was a great success. In every town they visited, they were received with many cheers, flowers and hats tossed into the air. Tournaments were held, music festivals were organized and special plays were put together to celebrate the visit of Prince Phillip and the Princess Aurora. Special hearings were held at each province, providing the peasants the unique opportunity to meet the prince and princess and expose their problems. Phillip and Aurora weren't able to solve all of them, but they made promises to work in the future towards improving the quality of life in the village and ensuring that trade was done fairly and honestly. To the poor they distributed silver coins, and to the children they distributed rag dolls and wooden swords.
In Dunsmore, Phillip was received like a true hero. Every street in every village had been decorated with banners displaying Dunsmore's emblem, and everywhere they went people sang songs about his heroism. The people of Dunsmore were equally anxious to meet Phillip's wife and soon-to-be queen of their land. They were not disappointed. Aurora showed the true grace and poise of a princess, and her beauty was even greater than what had been described in poems written by the most gifted of poets. Unlike any princess they had ever seen, Aurora also showed the true humility of one who had been raised a peasant. One Sunday, during mass, she rolled up her sleeves and washed the feet of those less fortunate. It was a simple yet grand gesture which earned her the love and respect of the people of Dunsmore, who now, more than ever, looked to the alliance with Kingdom of the Dawn with revived hope.
During the four months during which they travelled, Aurora and Phillip got to explore new places they had only heard about in books. Aurora wrote to her parents ever so often, telling them of her adventures and her new life with Phillip. She also wrote to them about all the concerns of their people, and prayed that they'd keep her letters so she could look back on them once the progress was over and make sure that every effort was being made to address these issues.
After the progress, Phillip and Aurora got settled in their new home. It was a truly majestic palace, 'more grand than a palace in Rome', as Phillip would often say. With forty bedrooms, a majestic dining hall and an impressive library (which was still lacking Phillip's personal book collection), the royal couple found themselves extremely busy during the weeks that followed to organize the household and make sure the decorations were to their liking. The gardens also required a substantial amount of their efforts. It was still lacking once they arrived, and immediately Phillip had summoned a landscape artist and asked him to draw a plan for a 'beautiful garden fit for a beautiful princess'. Aurora had specifically asked that one section of the garden be built to resemble the glen where she and Phillip had met, so that they would be able to recreate that scene over and over again in their very backyard.
It took the landscape artist many days to come up with a plan, but when he showed them to Aurora and Phillip, they were pleasantly surprised and anxious to begin the works. Within a few short weeks, trees and flowers had been planted, stone paths had been built and the fountains were up and running. Now all they could do was patiently wait for spring to come and the flowers to blossom.
Aurora and Phillip's palace was located on the border of Kingdom of the Dawn with Dunsmore, being precisely half a day's journey from both Stefan's castle and Hubert's castle. Therefore, more often than not, Hubert would travel to the palace to spend time with his son and follow-up on the kingdom's affairs (and also remind him of the need to produce an heir soon, since Hubert wanted to live long enough to meet his grandchildren!). Likewise, Aurora occasionally visited her parents and spent a few days with them. With time, their bond had grown stronger and Aurora had grown to love them like a daughter loves a mother and a father. Her relationship with Queen Leah had nurtured beautifully, and at times the two seemed completely inseparable.
With only a few weeks to go until their first wedding anniversary, Phillip had already put in motion a plan to hold the greatest royal banquet that Kingdom of the Dawn and Dunsmore had ever seen. Dancers and artists would be traveling from afar to entertain the members of the court, pigs and lambs were being overfed so that they could be nice and fat for the feast, gifts had already started flowing in from princes and lords all across the lands, and arrangements were being made to host close to one hundred guests at the castle. The nearby villages were preparing festivals of their own to mark the event as well. A new play had been written, one called 'Sleeping Beauty', and it retold the story of Maleficent's evil curse, Phillip's heroic feat and the powerful magic of love.
In the meantime, in the royal castle of Molyneaux, the entire household was bubbling with excitement. There was only thing everyone talked about, and that was the soon-to-be-born heir of Molyneaux. Shortly after returning from their visit to Kingdom of the Dawn, Belle had started feeling indisposed and many feared that she might have caught some sort of illness during the long journey. A physician had been summoned instantly, and it was with great joy that he announced that the Queen was not ill, but rather with child. The announcement itself deserved a great celebration, and ever since people wondered whether King Adam and Queen Belle would be granted with a daughter or a son.
By the time she was eight months pregnant, Belle was barely allowed to leave the castle, let alone the castle grounds. Adam had given the household strict orders to prevent Belle from wandering too far, for her belly was now fully grown and some feared that the babe might be born before its due time.
One lovely afternoon, Belle sat in the library finishing a letter to a very special friend. Her desk was filled with many scrolls and open books, and beside it was a tray with freshly brewed tea. Just as Belle was about to sign off her letter, she heard someone walk into the library. She looked up to see her lady-in-waiting patiently waiting to be acknowledged.
"Your Majesty, Sir William Marson wishes to speak with you," the woman said. "He says he is here on behalf of the King."
Belle sighed inwardly. This had been the way of things lately. Adam was always so busy with council meetings and arrangements for the birth of the heir, that more often than not he sent his men to deliver messages for him. However, he rarely sent Sir William Marson, the Captain of the Royal Guard. It triggered Belle's curiosity and made her forget about the letter for a moment. She signaled for the lady-in-waiting to let him in, then stood up –an additional amount of effort required to do so – and waited for Marson to join her.
"Your Majesty…" Marson walked in and bowed his head respectfully. "I have come here on behalf of the King. He apologizes that he cannot meet you in person, but I'm afraid a surprise visit from the ambassador of Berlindale has held his attention. He trusts you feel well?" The man glanced at Belle's pregnant belly.
"Yes, I am well," Belle replied with a small smile. She avoided any form of eye contact with Marson. The man caused her a certain discomfort. "You say the ambassador of Berlindale has requested a hearing…" Already feeling tired, Belle winced while she slowly sat down in her chair again. A moment later, she looked up at Marson and continued, "Do we know what this hearing is about?"
Marson held his head high. "I'm afraid not, Your Majesty. At the current moment, this is only knowledge of the King."
Belle eyed Marson for a moment, wondering if the man spoke the truth. When she realized there was no way she'd know for sure, she waved the thought away and sighed softly. "Very well… Have you any other messages for me?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Marson replied with a stone expression. "I have also come here to inform you that his highness, Prince Phillip," the name still caused a stir in him, "is to be crowned King of Dunsmore and Kingdom of the Dawn this Spring. Simultaneously, the princess Aurora will be crowned Queen."
Belle nodded her head in silence and smiled only faintly – a reaction Marson was not expecting. He had expected the Queen to sound a bit more surprised, since Phillip's decision to postpone the coronation had come as quite a shock at the time.
"I… have a feeling her majesty was already aware of this," Marson added carefully. While he spoke, he managed to discreetly glance at the letter on Belle's desk. He read the name the letter was addressed to and immediately a small triumphant smile came to his lips.
As discreet as Marson was, Belle knew he had seen the letter. "The prince and I exchange letters fairly regularly," she explained quickly. "We both share a passion for books and like to discuss new works we are reading. Naturally, as friends and allies, we like to be informed about the well-being of our realms."
Judging by the sly smile on his face, Marson was obviously reading in between the lines. "If that is so, then surely the prince has told you of his successful progress as well."
Belle simply nodded, wondering if there was an implication behind Marson's remark. "Yes, I was glad to hear it was such a great success. I'm certain that his findings will help him become a great ruler."
Marson lowered his head and looked down at the floor to conceal his smirk. "And I am certain the King will take great pleasure in knowing that her majesty maintains such a close relationship with the Prince Phillip."
Silence lingered in the air for a while. Although Marson's remark and caused Belle uneasiness, she disguised it firmly picking up the feather pen and dipping it into the ink. "Worry not, the King already knows about my friendship with the prince," she said, hoping the slight tremble in her voice was not too obvious. "The prince writes him letters as well, assuring him that he will continue to support the alliance once he is crowned king."
"Well, with all due respect, Your Majesty, it was the prince who desired such an alliance in the first place," Marson pointed out. "It seems only legitimate that he will honor the commitment once he steps up to the throne… However," he added cautiously, "it is also known that the prince has a reputation for being… well… volatile."
Belle narrowed her eyes at the captain. "What ever do you mean by that, Sir Marson?"
"Well, is he not the same prince who, on the day of his wedding to the princess, decided he was going to marry a peasant girl instead? A rather irrational decision, if you ask me. One can't help but wonder if one day the prince will choose to so abruptly change his mind about the alliance with Molyneaux." Marson looked at Belle intently. "His Majesty the King can never be too cautious."
Belle did not bother to look back at Marson. She finished signing the letter to Phillip then put the feather down and leaned against the chair. "Since you have raised the topic of caution, I can't help but have some concerns of my own… You see, it is common knowledge that Prince Phillip dislikes you, and in privacy he has advised me not to trust you. Although I have decided to reserve my own judgment, I now begin to wonder what gave him cause to do so…"
Marson did not seem to be the least bit affected by Belle's accusation. On the contrary, he seemed quite pleased by it. "I defeated a prince who thought himself invincible. That would give any man cause to dislike me… Your Majesty," he replied smugly.
Having already been expecting Marson's answer, Belle prepared her next move. She moved her letter to Phillip aside and held up a different scroll neatly rolled up. "I was looking through the kingdom's accounts and couldn't help but ask myself a few questions…"
For the first time, Marson seemed hesitant. "I was told only the treasurer and the King himself are allowed access to those documents."
Belle smiled. "You were told wrong. But nevertheless, I was hoping you could explain to me why the realm has suddenly invested so much in military equipment… For a moment I wondered if we're at war, and somehow someone forgot to tell me." She eyed him in suspicion. "Surely, as Captain of the Royal Guard, you are well-informed about these expenses."
Marson didn't even blink. He looked at the scroll in Belle's hand, then stared straight back at her. "I am."
Belle was silent for a while, expecting Marson to continue. When he didn't, she quickly caught onto his game. "Well, I assume you're prepared to offer some insight to your Queen?"
Marson didn't stir. "I'm afraid it is not my duty to report the realm's expenses, Your Majesty. Perhaps the treasurer could provide you better insight than myself."
Belle was starting to grow frustrated by Marson's reluctance to provide her with answers. "I am asking you as Captain of the Royal Guard," she said pointedly.
"And as Captain of the Royal Guard I can tell you that, by order of the King, I am doing everything I can to secure this kingdom's defenses," Marson responded quickly and perhaps in a harsher tone than he would have expected. He bowed his head respectfully and added a muttered 'Your Majesty' to soften his intervention. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to the throne room, for the King has requested to see me after his hearing with the ambassador of Berlindale.
Belle sighed. Though she had not gotten the answers she wanted from Marson, she was now more keen than ever to confront Adam and find out what the two were up to. "Very well," she said simply. "You may leave."
Without saying a word, Marson bowed his head and walked away.
Two days before Aurora and Phillip's first wedding anniversary, the royal couple decided they needed to get away from all the noise and confusion that had installed itself in the palace lately. Phillip told Aurora he had a surprise for her, and early in the morning he had arranged for a horse and a carriage to be waiting for them outside the palace. After a relatively long journey, they had finally arrived at the woodcutter's cottage in the woods where they had first met. Aurora had gasped when she saw the surprise Phillip had prepared to her. The cottage, once abandoned and old, had been completely restored and renewed. The broken windows had been replaced, rain no longer poured through the thatched roof, and even the chimney had been cleaned out. New flowers had been planted, and beside the cottage a small wooden shed had been built to accommodate the horses. The cottage where Aurora had spent sixteen years of her life looked as good as new, both inside and out. Phillip announced that, from now on, the cottage was to be named 'Briar Rose's Cottage', and Aurora could use it as much as her heart desired. It was her cottage now.
They spent a romantic evening in the cottage discussing their plans for the kingdom, and decided they would go horse-riding the next morning. However, when they woke up early that day, the rainy weather had ruined their plans, and Aurora and Phillip ended up staying in bed all day going through some of the letters Phillip had brought along with him.
"I wish the rain would stop," Aurora admitted with a sad sigh as she leaned against the window sill and gazed outside.
Phillip looked up from the scroll he had been reading and smiled faintly at Aurora. What a beautiful sight she was, her long blonde curls bouncing off her naked shoulders as she wrapped the white bed sheet around her body. "Don't worry, I'm sure it will cease eventually. Until it does, I'm afraid we're stranded here." Despite the negativism in his words, Phillip looked visibly pleased. The cottage had a certain tranquility that the palace simply lacked.
"Well, I don't mind that," Aurora replied softly as she leaned over the window sill and reached out her hand so she could touch the rain. She used to do it so many times as a child, in this very cottage, and while she did she'd wonder why the rain fell from the sky. Given her vivid imagination, Aurora – or rather, Briar Rose – had invented many theories as to why such a phenomenon occurred. With a small sigh, she turned her head to look at Phillip. He was sitting in her bed, his back up against the canopy and the sheets only covering part of his lower body. At the moment he was scratching his cheek while reading a letter in his hands with the most intense gaze. Sitting on the edge of the bed was a simple basket made of straw, filled with juicy berries that had been picked the afternoon before. "Why do you suppose it rains?" Aurora asked Phillip with curiosity as she walked up to the bed, dragging the bed sheet across the wooden floor.
It took Phillip a moment to look up from the letter he was reading, and after that he stared at Aurora mesmerized as he tried to register her question. "Hm, I've never given it much thought, really," he admitted. "When I was a boy, my maid told me that rain was a special kind of fairy dust that fell from the sky to help the flowers and the trees grow." He smiled faintly at the memory. "I seemed more convinced that it was God's evil way of forbidding me from playing outside."
Aurora chuckled lightly. "I refuse to believe that a little rain would stop the rebellious little prince from playing outside," she teased.
"Well, you're right, it didn't," Phillip admitted. "That is why at the age of six I landed a nasty cold and dreadful fever that had me bedridden for three days. The physicians thought I would never make it, but alas…" He beamed and spread his arms open. "Here I am."
Aurora sat on the edge of the bed with a smile as she picked a berry from the basket. "You poor child… but I pity your father the most! He must have been worried sick about you."
Phillip nodded slowly. "He was… He had lost his wife not long ago, and for moments he thought he might lose his only son. But alas, let's not speak of what could have been, for all that matters is the future and now." He grabbed another scroll off the bed and slowly started to unroll it.
Aurora silently picked another berry and gazed at it lost in thought. "Phillip?" she murmured after a while, a very curious and inquisitive look on her face. "Why did your father never re-marry?"
Phillip looked up from the scroll, surprised by the question. "Oh… Well, I'm not sure. We never really discussed such issues. He was always more concerned about my betrothal rather than his second marriage. And believe me, there was quite a line-up of candidates willing to become the new Queen of Dunsmore. But my father never paid attention to any it."
Aurora felt a slight chill on her chest, and when she looked down she saw that sheet was slipping off her body and partially exposing her naked breasts. She gently pulled it up again then looked at Phillip with a curious frown. "Why do you suppose not? Did he not think it important for you to have a motherly figure in your life? Or even someone for him to love and cherish?"
Phillip shook his head gravely. "My father loved my mother with all his heart, and that's partly why I think he never re-married. He couldn't stand the thought of being romantically involved with another woman. And as for me, I already had a second mother." He looked up and smiled faintly. "Queen Leah."
Aurora tilted her head in surprise. "My mother?"
"Oh, yes… Every time I visited Stefan's castle with my father, Queen Leah would treat me as her own son. She read me stories and ignited my passion for books, you know," he recalled with a small smile. "She'd sit in the gardens and watch me play with the dogs, and when it got late she'd lure me back into the castle by promising me cakes and warm milk." He playfully pointed at his stomach. "You see this belly right here? It was all her doing!"
Aurora laughed. "I am not surprised… My mother speaks very highly of you. Sometimes…" She sighed painfully and shook her head with a playful frown. "Sometimes I think she loves you more than she loves me."
"Well, of course she does," Phillip replied nonchalantly as he continued to skim through the letter. "I'm the perfect specimen. What's not to love?" At that moment, he felt something small hit him right on the forehead. When he looked down, he saw a berry had fallen on his lap. He picked it up and showed it to Aurora mockingly. "Really? A berry?"
Aurora slipped another berry into her mouth with a playful smirk.
"What is it with your obsession with berries, anyway?" he murmured out loud as he tossed the berry back at Aurora. "It's all you've been craving for the past week few weeks. You've even driven our cooks mad!" he chuckled. "Blueberry bread, blueberry pie, turkey with blueberry gravy… If we ever face a shortage of berries in the realm, I'll know who to blame!"
Aurora laughed. "Shortage of berries… You should listen to yourself!" she mocked. "I loved eating berries as a child… Granted, most of the times I'd only fill my stomach with them so that I had an excuse to go out into the woods and pick some more. I was picking berries when we first met, you know," she told him as she pulled the basket closer to herself.
"So all that gibberish about meeting 'once upon a dream'... Nonsense, really." Phillip shrugged then looked up at Aurora with a grin. "We should tell everyone that it was berries that brought us together. Why, we could engrave one on our emblem – let it become a national symbol! We'll be known as the King and Queen of Berries!"
Although Aurora knew Phillip was only teasing, the seriousness in his voice caused her to laugh even more. "The King and Queen of Berries… I quite like that," she admitted.
"I shall pass a bill tomorrow to make it official," Phillip announced. He leaned forward and stretched out his arm to grab a berry from the basket. Then, eyeing Aurora with a smirk, he popped it into his mouth and pursed his lips.
Aurora grinned like a little girl and, before Phillip could pull back, she rested a hand on his cheek and planted a small, sweet kiss on his lips. "Mmm, berry-flavored kisses," she whispered playfully.
"Only I can give you that," Phillip whispered back with a smile. He gave Aurora one last kiss then sat back and resumed reading the letter.
Aurora stood up from the bed with a happy sigh and walked up to the window again. This time she watched the rain with a smile, thinking about just how perfect her life was. It had gotten slightly dark due to the grey clouds in the sky, so at some point Phillip had felt the need to light up a candle to provide some light.
After a few minutes of silence, Phillip let out a heavy sigh and held up the letter he had been reading to Aurora. "King Gutenberg has written to me again," he said. "He insists that a betrothal between our unborn child and his youngest daughter or eldest son is an opportunity to strike an important and prosperous alliance."
Aurora sighed as she sat down on the window sill and looked at Phillip. She pulled the sheets up to conceal her breasts, but as she did she exposed her legs. "I'll leave you to judge whether or not his thoughts are well-intentioned, but either way it does not feel right to discuss the future of our first-born before he or she is even born…"
"I know," Phillip agreed. "But if I tell him that, then King Gutenberg will have cause to believe that I am the one who is ill-intentioned, for not agreeing to a betrothal is essentially the same as disagreeing to it. And by disagreeing to it, we are disagreeing to an alliance with Berlindale. It could sound like an invitation for war."
Aurora shook her head. Why did everything have to be so black and white with men? There was no such thing as neighboring kingdoms. They were either allies or enemies, at peace or at war. She looked up at Phillip while she rubbed her arms to fight back the slight chill in the air. "Well, do we want to start an alliance with Berlindale? Is it something you feel would benefit the kingdoms?"
Phillip paused at Aurora's question. Although it was simple and straight-forward, it amazed him that he hadn't actually given it any thought. That's why he needed Aurora. She was always so good at looking at the 'big picture' rather than getting lost with the minor details. "Well," he began, "as long as our alliance with Molyneaux stands strong, our defenses are secured. The only possible reason why Berlindale would want to secure an alliance with our future kingdom is to enhance trade and benefit from our crops and wines. On the other hand, he could be using it as a diversion… Pretend to be our friend, then attack when we are most vulnerable."
Aurora stood up and started walking up to the mirror on the wall. "Well, what would you do if you were King Gutenberg?" she asked him.
Phillip eyed Aurora and gave her question some real thought. It was a brilliant question, indeed. The best way to get to know your enemy was by being your enemy. "I… would want to keep my enemies close," he realized. "King Gutenberg knows that alone he is not strong enough to defeat us. Only the forces of Milandor, Nisse and Berlindale combined would pose a threat to us. Gutenberg knows he'll never be able to strike an alliance as such, and now he fears that together with Molyneaux we will turn against him."
"But why would he fear such a thing?" Aurora wondered.
"Because soon Kingdom of the Dawn and Dunsmore will be united, becoming the largest kingdom in the region," Phillip replied quickly and excitedly. The more questions Aurora asked, the clearer things became to him. "King Gutenberg is fearful that greater power will bring greater greed, and it won't be long before we try to outreach ourselves and expand the realm by invading neighboring kingdoms. It has happened before," he realized. "Long ago, Kingdom of the Dawn was only half the size it is today. And if it has happened before, it can happen again… That's what I'd fear if I was in his place, anyway. An arranged marriage will secure peace for our future generations."
"So then let us show him that we our good-hearted and that we value peace more than we value power," Aurora suggested as she looked away from the mirror and smiled faintly at Phillip.
"And how do you suggest we do such a thing?" Phillip questioned. "By agreeing to the betrothal?" He hesitated at the thought.
This time, without saying a word, Aurora slowly walked up to the bed and stood facing Phillip. Bit by bit, she loosened her grip on the sheets that covered her body, until delicately they slid against her skin and dropped to the floor. She now stood in front of Phillip perfectly naked, her curvy silhouette forming a shadow on the wall behind her caused by the candlelight.
Phillip immediately dropped the scroll onto the floor and sat up on the bed expectantly. His heart was beating loud and fast. He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to look at Aurora in the eyes or whether she was granting him permission to admire her naked body. Even after being married for a year, he still looked upon her like it was the first time, and he still felt the adrenalin in his heart and the chill on his skin.
Aurora slowly climbed onto the bed and straddled Phillip. She rested her hands on his cheeks and gently sat down on his lap. Then, she calmly leaned forward and in his ear she whispered, "We don't have to agree to the betrothal…"
Phillip opened his mouth to ask Aurora what she meant by that, but the instant he felt her breasts rub against his chest, he found that all he could do was breathe and wrap his arms around her.
Aurora pulled back slightly and fixed her gaze on Phillip's lips. "I want our daughters and our sons to marry for love, and not because someone long ago decided they were destined to marry someone. Who knows? Perhaps they will find love with the princes and princesses of Berlindale… But let them be the judge of that."
Phillip rubbed his hand up and down Aurora's back. Her skin was so smooth and he loved the curve her spinal cord formed whenever she pulled herself up against him. "How do you propose we tell Gutenberg that?" he whispered.
Aurora leaned in even closer until her lips were only an inch away from his. She felt Phillip's muscles tense as he tried to lean forward to kiss her, but she rapidly placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled him back slightly. "Tell him we can't agree to the betrothal because we want to give our children the freedom to choose who they wish to marry. But… tell him that we'd be happy to arrange for our children to spend their summers together and get acquainted with each other. We can help nurture their friendship and, who knows, perhaps they will find love…"
Phillip smiled. "That is a wonderful idea, my love," he whispered. "Though I think it will only make King Gutenberg even more anxious, for those summers seem so far away…"
Upon hearing Phillip's remark, Aurora felt a million little butterflies in her stomach. The feeling was so overwhelming that it even caused her to laugh a little. Phillip looked at her with curiosity, not understanding what had been so funny about his observation. However, when he saw the twinkle in her eyes and the sincere grin on her face, his own heart skipped a beat.
Aurora held onto his face, trying hard to contain her laughter. "Then you can tell him not to worry, for those summers are closer than he thinks…"
Phillip's breaths grew heavier, and he was unable to tear his gaze away from Aurora. "Berries," he breathed, and before he knew it he was laughing too. "You've been craving berries…"
Aurora bit her lip and nodded, happy to see Phillip had already caught on without her saying a word about it. It was obvious that he had desired this for a long time, and she was so happy to finally grant him his wish. "I've been craving berries," Aurora repeated with a breathless chuckle. The sentence sounded so silly and out of context, but it held great meaning to the both of them. "I was going to tell you tomorrow at the royal ball, but…"
"No," Phillip shook his head and pulled Aurora's hair back with a grin. "I'd never forgive you if you waited a minute longer to tell me!" He glanced down at her belly and felt a sudden rush of adrenalin. "Have you… have you…" He burst into laughter again. His words were just so hard to articulate!
"Yes, I have been seen by the physician," Aurora laughed back, knowing exactly what Phillip was trying to say. "He visited me the day before yesterday and confirms it… He has assured me that I am with child! Oh, Phillip," she sighed, and at last she kissed him passionately until she needed to pull back and breathe. "I never thought I would be this happy!"
Phillip didn't know how to express his happiness through words, so instead he wrapped his arms around Aurora tightly and lovingly pressed his lips against hers. She slid her arms around his neck and fell back onto the bed, dragging Phillip down with her. He breathed into the kiss as he towered over her, wishing they could stay like this forever. However, a moment later Phillip pulled back and looked down at Aurora, his eyes wide with realization. "The coronation."
Aurora shook her head with a small smile as she ran her fingers through Phillip's hair. "That won't happen until next Spring," she reminded him.
"I know," Phillip whispered. "But I do not want to wait that long."
Now Aurora was the surprised one. "What?"
"Let us be crowned next week instead," Phillip said excitedly. "I am ready to be your King, and the people are desperate to have you as their Queen. The child you now carry in your womb… He or she will mark a new beginning for us, for Dunsmore and for Kingdom of the Dawn." He placed his hand on Aurora's abdomen and rubbed it affectionately. "What do you say?"
"I say…" Aurora took Phillip's hand in hers and entwined their fingers. "I say that our new beginning has already begun…" She smiled at him. "Your Majesty."