A/n: Thank you LOVEM, PeterCaspianRlz, QueenElenaofnarnia, EC, Narniafan, Emily, CairParavel, Aslanmane, QueenLucyfan, GoldenAgeNarnia, Connors, Evalin Ashryver, Emma, Bella, and all the other guests. :DDD


(Anvard, Archenland)

~Edmund's POV~

This week, Gilda and I, as the new High Queen regnant and High King consort, were supposed to tour around the country; it was the tradition. Gilda had left her mother in charge of the court while we were away.

Gilda's best friend, Sir Chester, who she called Bates, had mapped out a route for us. Our first stop would be Camden, the place that Gilda used to be the marchioness of, when she was still Crown Princess.

Because the whole point of this excursion was to be seen by the people, we wouldn't be sitting in a carriage. Instead, we'd be on horseback, but as Gilda mounted her horse I got a little bit worried. "Honey, are you sure it's safe for you to ride a horse? I mean…" my gaze fell upon her belly.

"Don't worry, dear, I've ridden this horse many times before. In fact, it was given to me when I first learnt how to ride," she said in reassurance. "We won't be galloping; we'd just be trotting laxly, so I think it'll be fine. There are also so many guards around; I doubt anything bad can happen. Besides, I'll be basically sandwiched between you and Bates the whole time, won't I?"

I smiled. "As long as you feel comfortable."

I then went to get my horse ready, while Madam Louisa, on horseback, had a word with Gilda. Only Louisa would be accompanying us on this trip. Countess Abigail had remained at Court, firstly to reply to missives for the High Queen, and secondly to organize her closet and make room for maternity dresses.

Once everybody was ready, we set off. However, only a few minutes later, something bad had happened. Out of nowhere, the supposedly calm horse that Gilda was on gave a series of loud neighs out of fright. Alarmed, its front legs were in the air and it was standing on its back legs. I thought I could take control my grabbing the reins and calming it down, but then Gilda was already sliding off the horse's back faster than I thought she'd be. My heart sank as she fell backwards, and I held my breath, but I shut my eyes in relief when I saw that a guard had caught her, securely, because she could fall to the ground.

Louisa hurriedly dismounted her horse and rushed to Gilda's side, helping her up, while I made sure that Chester was doing something about the frightened horse. Ignoring the commotion, I went to Gilda right away as she clung to me. She was aghast and she had her hand on her belly. Shit.

"Are you alright?" I inquired urgently. I was actually frantic, but my facial expression probably made me seem calmer than I actually was. "Is our baby alright?"

"I guess so," she replied in a higher pitch than usual, probably because she still hadn't quite recovered from the fright yet. Her breathing was still rapid and her eyes were widened as she was shaking and sweating. "Thanks to that guard."

The guard was about to turn on his heel and leave but I had stopped him. "You've saved your High Queen and the future Crown Prince or Crown Princess. Thank you. Tell me your name so that Her Majesty and I can reward you."

He didn't say or do anything in response. He just stood there. I frowned. "Take off your helmet," I commanded, but the moment I said those words I realized what was wrong. I took a quick look at the entourage and I found out that out of all the guards in our retinue, he was the only one wearing a helmet. No, wait, there was another one too, and once he knew that I had seen him he had looked away.

"Do as you're told. Now," I said pointedly. My sword was attached to my belt so I could fight him if I had to.

He had no choice but to do as I had told him to. When he did, I was gobsmacked to see who he was. It was no royal guard; it was Silas Seymour.

I had issued a restraining order against him and his brother Ralph Seymour less than a fortnight ago, and I had made it crystal clear to them that violation of this order would result in imprisonment. Now, he was literally asking for a jail sentence.

Subconsciously my hands had curled into fists. "Arrest him," I almost barked at the real royal guards. They displayed no hesitation in carrying out my orders, and took him away. It wasn't a long way back to the palace.

I knew I had to find Lord Whitfield as well, since there was no way he could not have any part in this. But before I could, Chester had come up to me. "Your Majesty, I've found out why the horse was so startled. It was because of this…well," he held out a hideous object for me to inspect. "It's a toy snake, my King. But it sure does look real, and I don't suppose the horse could tell the difference, especially when it came out of nowhere. It must have caused the horse to feel agitated."

"This is a sick, twisted joke! Why would anyone do that?!" Gilda said, sounding infuriated.

"Your Majesties," another guard called for our attention. We whirled and found that two of the royal guards had had the other helmeted guard immobilized, and were dragging him toward us. "We just found this man trying to run away from our retinue. He's not one of us," one of them reported, as his colleague removed the helmet off the phony one's head. This time I wasn't half so surprised to see that it was Ralph Seymour, looking exasperated and trying to get away but of course failing miserably. How come they could sneak into our entourage? They even managed to get the guards' uniforms and gear.

"Arrest him as well. Lock up their family members as well and have them detained, and also search their house. Ransack both Whitfield Manor and Odessa Manor too, not just Seymour Manor. If we don't find any evidence against their family members within 24 hours, release them," I commanded sharply. But I also made it clear that the two Seymour brothers were not to be discharged unless either Gilda or I had ordered it.

"You'll never find anything," Ralph growled, but we paid him no attention.

"Right away, King Edmund," they said and left.

"Wait," Gilda said suddenly. "Not the entire Seymour family. Spare Abigail. I need her to stay where she is, to do her job."

"No exceptions," I reiterated.

"Edmund!" Gilda protested defiantly. "She's my lady in waiting."

"If she's innocent, we won't be able to find any evidence against her, and then she'll be discharged, and any charges against her will be rescinded," I explained.

She huffed. "Fine. Now go."


(Seymour Manor, Anvard, Archenland)

~Chronicler's POV~

The royal guards burst into the front door of Seymour Manor, interrupting the family moment that Marchioness Whitney, Count Carl, Lady Dorothy and Lord Corin were having.

"What's going on?" Whitney stood up enquired worriedly as she and the others were captured by the guards who had immobilized them.

"Where are you taking us?!" Dorothy exclaimed, picking her young son up and backing away defensively. Corin, evidently terrified, buried his face into his mother's sleeve, but the guards still took him away from her.

"Let me go!" Carl demanded with a growl and a grimace in pain as his wrists were bound together behind his back, but all of them were ignored by the guards who only knew to carry out their orders.

"The four of you will be detained, on orders of His Royal Majesty the High King Edmund," the head of the squad explained sternly. "For suspected involvement in a stratagem to incur bodily harm to Her Royal Majesty the High Queen Gilda."

"We have nothing to do with this! Just because my husband caused trouble doesn't mean I am involved too!" Whitney protested loudly and anxiously.

"Ah, so you knew your lord husband was up to something. That could land you a heavier sentence than expected," the Inspector said unkindly. "Take them away. Their Majesties will decide how much mercy they will show you. Let's hope you bring out the Clement in the Just King."


(Anvard Pass, Archenland)

~Edmund's POV~

Several days later, we had returned to Anvard Pass once we had toured around the kingdom and greeted our people. Gilda needed a nap, while I got back to work in my office. After having David (Nain's secretary and Chester's father) brief me through the important events that had taken place at court whilst I was away, and reading through the minutes of each council meeting that Dionne had held for the past few days, I was about to take a break too. But I couldn't yet, for Dionne herself had walked into my office. I figured that I could listen to whatever she had to say to me first, before falling asleep.

"Edmund. Good. I'm glad you're here. I need to speak with you. I found out that the Seymour family — well, all but two of them — has been released from jail now," she said.

"That's correct. We weren't able to find any incriminating evidence — or any evidence at all, as a matter of fact — to convict them. So we let them go, and Gilda has agreed. She, of course, in particular, needed her lady in waiting back," I replied.

"Mm hmm. And may I know why Viscount Silas was not discharged as well?" She questioned. I was taken aback by the tone she had used; it sounded as if I was a criminal and she was a Corporal of some sort, sent here to interrogate me.

"Well, let's see. First of all he had already committed treason by insinuating that Gilda should not have been on the throne, and secondly making that laughable suggestion of putting a five year old on the throne, with his uncle as Lord Protector. And then just a few days ago, he violated his restraining order. Not to mention that Gilda almost got hurt, and it was because of him —"

"Yes, not to mention that Gilda almost got hurt, she fell, and it was because he saved her that she didn't actually suffer a single scratch. I don't care what his brother has done; he still saved her and you were even thinking about rewarding him! That's why you wanted him to take his helmet off so that you could know who he was! Remember?" She raised her voice.

"I do remember. I also remember that the lives of my wife and my unborn child were in danger. I will not risk letting him out from prison so that he can do his brother's bidding or finish what he started," I said resolutely.

"Silas would never harm Gilda. Trust me," she said desperately.

I shook my head. "I don't understand, Dionne. You should be worried; Silas Seymour is a criminal and he needs to stay as far away from me and Gilda as possible. Your daughter and your unborn grandchild could die, if we allow the two Seymour brothers to hang around. But here you are, asking me to allow that to happen."

"I'm not saying I want Ralph Seymour out of prison. I only want his brother discharged," she clarified defensively.

"Why?" I asked in frustration.

"Because I trust him. I know that he will not try anything to hurt Gilda or the child she is carrying. That I assure you, Edmund. You have my word."

"How could you trust him?!"

"Because I do," she replied plainly.

"That doesn't answer the question. You barely know him!" I exclaimed. "How can you be so sure that he won't make another attempt on Gilda's life? Or try to pull her off the throne that she is rightfully inheriting? You can't be so blind and so trusting! You must know something about him. That's why you're so sure of it, of his innocence. And loyalty."

She bit her lip. "I can't tell you why. All I can say is that he's innocent and you're making a mistake by not letting him out from his cell."

I just couldn't comprehend why she was making this illogical request. She was usually quite rational; I had no clue what had put her in this state. Had she lost her mind?

"If I'm making a mistake by protecting two of the most important people in my life, then so be it," I said firmly.

"That's exactly what's Silas is doing too!" She exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

"Doing what? Making a mistake?" I frowned.

"No! Protecting the people he loves!" She almost stomped her feet.

"How can you possibly say that?!" I ridiculed. "What kind of logic is this?!"

"Because Silas is Gilda's father, alright?!" She wanted to screech at me but had to keep her voice down, resulting in a growl. "He's her father!"