AN: Thank you, SonAmy4Eva2000, aliciathewolf45, MysterySecret, MaverickEverest (Haven't heard from you in awhile!), and risingzero2001 for the reviews you guys left. A little bit more conflict happening in the story as the end get near, but as always, everything will be resolved in the end! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and if anyone has any theories leave them in your reviews.
Song: "All the King's Horses" – Karmina
•~•
Like promised, Amy went to Shadow's study the moment she heard the children were rescued. Shadow looked up from his writing when she entered the room, bundled up in her bedroom robe as she marched over to his desk. Shadow lowered his quill pen and leaned back in his seat respectively. "You heard the rumors about Cordovan, I assume?"
"I did, but he had no part of the attack."
"The nobles are already calling for his head," Shadow noted. "Now that the children are safe, I'll summon him for questioning."
"Shadow, those men were planted there to implicate him. I know you are angry with me, and you have every right to be, but don't let that cloud your judgment," she begged. "He is innocent."
Shadow leaned forward in his chair, growing frustrated with her persistent devotion towards the prince. "You cannot know that for sure. Two boys were killed in the school," he addressed. "Now, I know I swore that I would protect you and Cordovan, but I will not turn a blind eye to evidence of his involvement," he stated sternly.
"I understand why you no longer trust me but trust what you know of him!"
"What I know of him?" Shadow echoed, astounded. Amy froze as he rose from his seat and walked around his desk. "He took advantage of you when you were at your most vulnerable. He knew the horrors that you had endured and saw an opportunity to slip his way in and become your knight in shining armor—he stole my wife," he growled irately.
"The affair isn't his fault, it's mine," she admitted. "I turned to him so many times. I turned to him because I couldn't turn to you!" she gestured. Shadow dragged a hand down his face in frustration. "The thought of returning to the room again where those males assaulted me, I…" she stopped herself, trying to find the right words. "The love in your eyes made it feel like I was drowning in those memories, and I couldn't do it. I had to survive somehow, someway."
"I remember a time when you turned to me," he insinuated.
Amy's ears fell sadly. "Yes, I recall those times, too," she reminisced. "But the circumstances are different this time. If anything, you should understand why I turned to Cordovan. I turned to you when I felt like Sonic was shutting me out and I ended up falling in love with you," she reminded. "When you were hiding the fact that Finitevus was blackmailing you, you shut me out, too."
He groaned. "You know why I did that—To protect you," he emphasized. "Why can't we just forgive and move on," he croaked.
"Slowly I have been, but you must realize with all the healing Cordovan has helped me with, I'm trying to return the favor by keeping him safe," she affirmed. "Please, Shadow…"
In defeat, Shadow sighed. "All right, I'll speak to the nobles. Contempt alone is not enough to condemn a male, even the contempt of a king."
Amy sighed in relief. "Thank you, Shadow."
•~•
In the village, it was about five o'clock in the morning when Cordovan finally left the pub to knock back a couple of pints. He had been feeling the stress since returning to court and had started to wonder why he had ever decided to return. As he turned a corner, he felt a presence loom behind him, catching him off guard. "…Lord Cordovan?" a voice beckoned.
Cordovan stopped and turned only to spot a brown and black male lynx, lurking in the shadows before stepping into the light. "I don't believe we're acquainted," he said before continuing to walk on.
The lynx jogged over to him, keeping up his pace by his side. "We have mutual friends." He brought a hand up to his chest. "I'm Lightning Lynx."
Cordovan halted in his tracks, stricken by the familiarity of the name. "Conquering Storm's envoy?"
He nodded with a smirk. "You've received my messages, but I nearly believed that you cared more for your status at Mobian court than a marriage to Storm."
"No," he insisted shaking his head. "I'm still interested, but as a prince of the blood, marrying without the consent of my king is treason," he explained.
"With the discovery of your men among the school radicals, your life is already at risk as I've heard," he noted.
"My men were left there to stir prejudice against me," he argued.
"Prejudice may fan the flames, but I believe your relationship with Queen Amy is the spark," he accused. Cordovan felt the color drain from his face as those words left his mouth. The lynx smirked by his reaction seeing he had tapped into a home truth. "Or are you innocent of that, as well?"
"If you think there's truth to that, then why even entertain the marriage offer?" he replied defensively.
"Because it doesn't matter. Storm will not hold this dalliance against you. Regardless, my queen's interest is firm, so the decision is yours—face your fate in Mobius or seek Storm's hand in marriage."
"Here, the only fate left for me is a noose or a date with the guillotine." Lighting watched as the young prince debated silently in his mind on his decision. With a few moments of silence, Cordovan looked up with certainty. "I can leave immediately so that Storm can make her decision."
"Her decision is already made. She wants to be married as soon as possible and desires a foothold in Mobius."
"She accepts then?" he questioned with surprise.
He nodded. "You will be the king consort of the Dragon kingdom."
•~•
With Storm's urgency, Cordovan was whisked away to a private home with Lightning and a priest to rush the wedding. Although Conquering Storm was not present for the wedding, a proxy wedding would do for the time being. Cordovan stood by the fireplace with the priest and Lightning as he gulped nervously, waiting to meet his bride. "What's wrong?" Lightning asked, seeing him fiddle with his collar.
"I-I just didn't realize how fast things would move," he replied, suddenly feeling anxious.
Lightning chuckled. "Just look alive, my friend," he said bumping shoulders with him. "It's not often one gets to marry a queen." Cordovan looked towards the entryway where a shadowed figure walked down the hall. "Here's your bride…" Cordovan's eyes widened with awe as he saw the bride enter the room.
"I knock the ice from my bones…"
Suddenly, a beautiful female red fox entered the room wearing a white wedding dress and veil. It wasn't Conquering Storm, but instead a female proxy to take her places for the ceremony.
"Try not to feel the cold."
It suddenly dawned on him that this would be the biggest treachery he'd ever commit, and at this point, there was no turning back.
"Caught in the thought of that time."
The female fox stopped by Cordovan's side, looking at him in the eye through her sheer, lace veil.
"When everything was fine."
Cordovan had to admit, she was very attractive, but he could only wonder what his real bride's appearance would look like once he met her at the kingdom.
"Everything was mine."
The priest cleared his throat. "Shall we begin?" he asked looking to the couple for confirmation.
"Everything was fine."
Cordovan nodded weakly. "Yes…"
"Everything was mine."
•~•
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
Meanwhile, at that same time at the castle, Amy was in the process of informing Cordovan through a letter that he was safe with Shadow's protection. She finished the last line and placed her quill pen into the inkbottle.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
A male messenger stood off to the side, waiting for further direction as Amy sealed her letter in an envelope and stood from her chair. "Take this to Lord Cordovan's apartments in the village," she instructed handing it to her messenger. "Do not make any stops on your way and deliver it directly into his hands."
"Run with my hands on my eyes."
The male messenger bowed. "Yes, my grace."
"Blind, but I'm still alive."
•~•
"Free to go back on my own."
Back with Cordovan, the priest had already begun the wedding ceremony. While the priest babbled on through his scriptures, Cordovan longingly found himself drowning out his talking and staring out the window. It was snowing again, and as he was stuck in his thoughts, the only thing he could think about was one person. Amy.
"But is it still a home?"
The beautiful female fox reached out and took his hand, pulling him out of his daydream. He looked to his left where she looked at Cordovan adoringly.
"It's time, my lord," the priest spoke.
"When you're all alone."
Lightning held a ring out for Cordovan to accept. Hesitantly, Cordovan took it from him and stared down at the delicate piece.
"It is still a home?"
The female proxy lifted her hand for him to slip the ring onto. Exhaling a shaky breath, Cordovan slipped the ring onto her left finger. The proxy repeated this action for him completing the task.
"When you're all alone…"
•~•
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
Back at the castle, Amy stood out on her balcony with a shroud around her frame to keep her warm as she stared into the night, contemplating her own deep thoughts.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
She watched from above as her messenger rode off with her message to deliver.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
As she stood on the balcony, watching the snowfall, she could only wonder what Cordovan would think once he read her letter.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
She sighed sadly then headed back indoors to warm up and closed her balcony doors behind her.
•~•
"There is a reason I'm still standing."
Back with Cordovan and the proxy, the conclusion of the ceremony was coming into play. Cordovan and the proxy held hands as they stared into each other eyes.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest instructed, but Cordovan looked uncertain and reluctant as he started to second-guess his decision.
"I never knew if I'd be landing."
"Kiss her," Lightning demanded, growing impatient.
"And I will run fast, outlast."
Cordovan leaned forward and shared a kiss with the nameless girl. The kiss was fairly chaste and didn't last for more than a few seconds.
"Everyone that said no…"
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
Lightning and the priest broke out into a set of applause as they watched the groom and bride walk down the aisle together, completing the ceremony.
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
"All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again."
•~•
After the wedding was complete, Cordovan and the female proxy laid in their nightwear in bed together. A sword laid in-between them, keeping them separated. "So, it's done?" Cordovan asked quietly, breaking the awkward silence.
The female fox giggled and looked at him lying by her side. "Yes, it is done, but as required, we must sleep in the same bed to consummate the marriage without the sex. That's why this sword has to remain between us," she informed.
"Yes, I figured," he laughed nervously. "Do you have a name, by the way, I never caught it earlier?"
"My name is Annabelle," she answered.
"Annabelle," he repeated. "So, do you know Conquering Storm personally?"
She nodded. "Yes, I'm in her inner circle," she smiled. "Do you want me to tell you about her? I can tell you everything."
Cordovan felt his ears lower as it suddenly sunk in with what he had done. "Uh, no that's alright. I'm sure she'll tell me all about herself when I get there."
Annabelle cocked a curious brow by his disinterest. "You're officially king now, will you be a good king?"
He twiddled his fingers together nervously as he rested his hands on his chest. "I hope so…"
"Do you think you'll miss Mobius?" she inquired.
His eyes stared up at the ceiling as he really dwelled on the answer to her question. "…I will miss her with every fiber of my being," he replied softly and sincerely.
•~•
The next morning, Lightning and Prince Cordovan set out for the docks to set sail for the Dragon Kingdom. "The road to the port should be largely unoccupied," Lightning deduced.
Cordovan ran a hand over his quills. "I won't feel safe until we're aboard that ship."
"Understandably," he retorted. "Conquering Storm's new king consort would be a prize captive for any Mobian."
Suddenly, Cordovan pulled his horse to a stop when he caught a strange scent in the air. His eyes drifted to the west where he saw black smoke puffing up in the distance above the dead trees. "Wait, what's that?"
Lord Lightning stopped his own steed to take a gander at the sight. "A fire?" he surmised.
"Yes, but it's coming from the village." Cordovan's eyes widened. "The girl—Annabelle, she was still sleeping!"
"Your majesty, let me go and wait for me here," Lightning urged. Cordovan nodded and watched as the lynx raced back down the trail towards the village.
•~•
Twenty minutes later, Lightning returned to Cordovan on the path looking sullen by his return. "What happened?" Cordovan inquired curiously.
"The proxy is dead and the priest that performed your wedding has been murdered. Every last document signifying your union has been destroyed. It seems like someone is out to erase all evidence of your wedding."
Frantically, Cordovan tried to think of another solution to fix their problem. "They've undone the wedding, but can't I marry again? Can't I find another proxy?' he proposed.
"I'm afraid that's not a decision I can make without first consulting my queen."
"Who would do this?'
"I would look first at the Mobian Crown then to Storm's foes abroad," he voiced.
Cordovan watched in bafflement as Lightning pulled on the reins of his horse starting to turn away. "Wait, are you leaving me here?"
"I'm afraid I must," he replied.
Cordovan shook his head, suddenly growing unnerved. "Please, take me with you. I will wed her by her side!" he pleaded.
He shook his head sadly. "I can't do that."
"You don't understand," he groaned. "Even if King Shadow or Queen Amy didn't set the fire, they'll still find out what I did! Marrying Conquering Storm is treason!"
"You said yourself it was a great risk," he said without a care.
By the second, Cordovan was becoming more and more bewildered by his apathetic tone. "I turned my back on Amy! Betrayed all my allies in Mobius, all for Storm!" he argued. "Certainly she owes me something?"
"I don't think her Majesty would see it that way," he said lowly before riding off. In astonishment, Cordovan watched as the envoy rode off down the path, completely abandoning him.
•~•
Later that evening at Finitevus' estate, he and Queen Isabelle enjoyed some alone time in his living room. "Word of Cordovan's involvement with the radicals has spread nicely," Finitevus mused as he poured himself a glass of wine. "It appears that I underestimated the sway that Amy still holds over Shadow, though. Surely, I thought planting those bodies with his crest would seal the deal."
"That doesn't matter anymore," Isabelle dismissed, taking a sip of her own wine. "You won't believe what Cordovan's done now."
"What?"
"He married Conquering Storm, by proxy," she revealed.
Finitevus looked stunned by the news. "Chaos, how do you know this?" he asked stepping closer.
"One of my spies in the village overhead and gathered some Intel. There was a fire in the village and the proxy was killed in the result. Someone was trying to erase all legal proof, but there were witnesses," she explained. "Cordovan was identified as one of the newlyweds at a borrowed noble's house."
"Were they not successful or is Cordovan now the king?"
She shrugged. "I don't know, he fled."
"If Cordovan and Storm are married, then she has essentially laid claim to Mobius. She'll rally the angered and branded Mobians here to protest at her disposal."
"I am well aware of that," she droned.
Finitevus eyed her suspiciously by her tone as a thought crossed his mind. "…Did you do this, Isabelle? Learn of the wedding then have it undone?"
She looked beyond insulted by his accusation. "Heavens no!" she spat before looking at him skeptically. "Did you, in some way? After all, you were the one who tied Cordovan to the assault on the school with those dead men of his…was that not enough for you?" she taunted.
"Yes, I may have been responsible for planting the bodies at the school, but I had no part in this fire," he defended. "I wish I had, though."
"How do I know if you're not questioning me to throw suspicion off yourself?" she countered.
He chuckled in amusement. "Is this how it's going to be from now on?" he smirked. "Both of us constantly wondering what the other is up to?"
Isabelle smirked proudly. "Yes, you have met your match," she boasted.
•~•
At that same time, back at the castle, Shadow visited Amy's chambers to give her the same news Isabelle had just told Finitevus. "Married? To Storm?" Amy repeated in disbelief. Shadow nodded slowly, but Amy refrained from jumping to conclusions. "It can't be true."
"It is…or it was for however long their marriage may have lasted. No one knows if the arson and murders undid their union, or if Cordovan fled Mobius as newly appointed king consort."
Amy took a seat on her bed as she pondered the information. "Well, now that I think of it, he was approached by Storm's envoy some weeks ago." She fiddled with her hands nervously. "He told me so himself."
"You knew about this? That Cordovan was courting the Dragon kingdom, our greatest enemy—your greatest enemy?" he barked in astound disbelief.
She narrowed her eyes at him by his temper. "He swore to me that he would reject her proposal."
Shadow crossed his arms. "And you believed him?"
"If he did this, it's only because he felt he had no other choice," she theorized.
"I sent troops to Mercia for you—to honor your needs, your nation's needs. And still you choose to lie to me?" he criticized.
"There were things I could not share with you. Or things that Cordovan couldn't share with me! But he has done this because I ended things with him!"
"If Storm has a stronghold in Mobius and Cordovan's claim to the throne…this may mean the end of our reign," he railed.