There will be no updates from 23rd – 29th of January. If in doubt, dates at the bottom of the story should remain accurate.

This weekend was a little hectic for me. My parents were supposed to be going on their Christmas holiday and leaving me to look after the animals on Friday, but my mother (who has survived ten years after cancer) was complaining of headaches and feeling dizzy. Quick trip to the doctor and it's swelling in the brain. Holiday cancelled, weekend spent in panic. I arrive Saturday and find them browsing WEBMD to try and figure out what's wrong.

Had to immediately put a stop to that!

My mother is incredibly internet un-savvy, which means she knows nothing of things like not self-diagnosing, etc, and implicitly trusts what someone who claims to be a professional writes online. She's getting further scans Tuesday.

Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 9: Chapter 25

If I'd expected Ruby to be alone, I was swiftly proved wrong. Much like they had for me, the entire Guild was clustered outside, talking away and looking much happier now that Ruby was awake. They saw me flanked by Glynda and winced sympathetically. Yang was missing, no doubt inside having a moment with her little sister.

"Mr Taiyang and Yang are talking to her," Ren explained for Glynda's sake, providing reason for patience. The Warlock sighed but accepted it with a nod, fixing her gaze on all of them instead. No one would admit it, but she knew several of them had helped Blake squirrel me out the palace to see the city.

"We will give them a moment, then. The rest of you should be off – there's work aplenty to be done to repair Vale if you have time on your hands."

"We wanted to see Ruby," Weiss said.

"And you have. Be off now. Miss Rose will be here when you return, but the city will not stand waiting for your aid forever."

It wasn't lost on me or them that she was getting rid of people for what she expected to be a loud and contentious meeting between us. They grumbled and looked to me, and I shrugged in return. I had no idea what to expect. They started to head away, Blake with them.

"You're not staying?" I asked her, touching her elbow.

"This is your decision to make. Not mine." She drew away, though not without a tiny, fragile quirk of her lips. "I can't help when it comes to ruling a Kingdom. The people won't accept that." With that cryptic comment, she fell in beside Pyrrha and slipped out the corridor.

"What did she mean by that…?" he wondered.

"Miss Belladonna is simply pointing out the issues with her Class," Glynda replied. "If we're suggesting you become King of Vale solely as a way to bolster morale and faith in the city, then having an Assassin act as your personal advisor will do the opposite."

"I don't care what people think. I trust Blake."

"And you're free to do so, Jaune, but remember that you can trust her in private just as easily as you can in public. I'm not asking you to limit your association with her, only to not be seen relying on her so visibly."

"If people are fine with a Blacksmith becoming King, they should be fine with an Assassin being with me."

"That is the problem. They are not fine with a Blacksmith becoming King. They want Jaune Arc, Hero of Vale. Or Ruby Rose," she admitted, bowing her head as the door to Ruby's room opened. "There are a hundred other Blacksmiths in Vale and none would be accepted. Like it or not, people don't see you as a Blacksmith anymore. Or at least, not a real one."

Frustration burned under my skin. It was worse for the fact I'd wanted that once, for people to stop judging me on my Class but on my achievements, and yet now when I had those grand accomplishments to my name, I wanted nothing more than to be recognised as a Blacksmith. Was that unreasonable? Was I expecting too much? Hadn't I, once upon a time, seen Heroes as mythical and incredible superhuman figures who fought monsters?

In a way, I'd been just as bad. Strife and conflict had forged me into what I was now, and maybe it'd do the same to the rest of the city.

When the door opened fully, Yang froze on seeing us.

"Hey," I said, breaking the tension. "How is she?"

"Good!" Yang's smile bloomed again, her eyes lighting up. "No complications, no memory loss and a fierce thirst. I had to help her to the bathroom but…" She laughed. "I probably should have said that; she'll have a go at me now."

"I won't tell her. Guess you must be relieved."

"Mhm. I know the Priests said she'd be okay, but `okay` doesn't usually involve being in a coma for two weeks or more." Yang jerked a thumb back. "Dad's inside if you want to talk to her. Don't think he'll be leaving her side anytime soon."

"He survived!?"

"Yep." Yang looked relaxed in a way she hadn't for some time. The high-strung, coiled rope, tension that had suffused her was gone. She almost looked drunk, but I couldn't smell it on her. Drunk on relief no doubt. "Dad got injured early on, which meant he missed the fall of the walls. That was when the most Heroes died. He fought on the final lines, but by that point he was one of the strongest Heroes left."

"After so many fell against Salem, I don't doubt it," Glynda remarked, drawing our attention back to her. "If we may, Miss Xiao-Long, I think we'd like to get this conversation out the way."

Ruby's room was as royal and well-decorated as my own. Where I had the King's own chambers, she must have had those of someone of equal stature – potentially a room reserved for other Royalty that might visit the city and need to be housed in a chamber just as opulent as my own. That, or the Queen of Vale had often slept separate to her husband. Not entirely impossible given her affair that led to Lisa's birth.

The curtains had been drawn back, spilling bright light over the marble floor and Ruby's bed, over herself as well. I was relieved to see her sitting up and smiling happily, not looking tired or fatigued or unhealthy at all. There was an empty bowl by her bed with the hints of leftovers in it, next to that a large jug of water now half empty.

Taiyang Xiao-Long sat beside her bed, smiling himself with one of Ruby's hands clasped between his. The Brawler looked older, though that might have had something to do with the fresh scars across his body. His hair had been singed on one side, burned almost to his scalp and then cut short around it in a lopsided haircut.

He was alive, though. I imagined that was all Ruby and Yang cared about.

Upon seeing us, Taiyang's smile faltered. I paused for a second before realising his attention wasn't on me at all, but rather Glynda. That drew Ruby's and she looked over briefly, smiling when she saw me.

"Jaune!"

Her happiness snapped me out of it. "Hey Ruby." I walked over and took the seat on the other side of her bed. I didn't reach out, but she did, making me take her other hand. "You're looking good for someone who just woke up."

"Yang helped me wash my face. I looked like death before. How long were you up?"

"Only a day or two ahead of you."

"I saw everyone," she said. "Everyone lived."

"Yeah." I smiled back despite the small voice in my head saying not everyone had. Coco, Ozpin, Oobleck, Port, Sun, Adam. The full list of names covered tens of thousands, maybe even more than a hundred thousand, but she hadn't meant that. "We were lucky to come out of it mostly unharmed."

"No luck involved," Glynda said. "Your Guild were much higher level than the average students – in fact, you were almost as high level as some of the teachers by the end. As cruel as it sounds, experience mattered in this war. Those less able to fight died first."

Our Quests had prepared us for this, their over-combative nature giving us the Exp we needed. Not to mention my farming the Ironwood forge to push myself further. Ruby scoring half of Raven's Exp had done the same for her, and without it I wasn't sure either of us would have made it against Salem.

Even so, I hated the way she said it. To imply that weakness led to death was… it was so similar to Raven's hateful philosophy. Not incorrect but flawed. Uneven. If Levels meant everything, I'd have never made it past the First Quest.

"I hate to push," Glynda went on, "But you both know what it is that's at store."

"Glynda," Taiyang hissed. "Ruby has been awake less than a day."

"And asleep over fourteen. It may seem cruel on my part, but the impatience isn't mine. The Nobles are clamouring for a decision to be made and every day we delay has them more nervous. The people – from Labour to Soldier to Hero – are talking in the city. They're not sure why a new King hasn't been crowned and what this might mean for the Kingdom. And…" Glynda closed her eyes. "The King of Mistral is two days away."

I swore. "What!? Since when?"

"Since this morning," she answered, "Otherwise, I would have forewarned you." She sighed angrily. "I only found out myself before coming to find you in the city. You may not know it yet, but Vale does have spies in Mistral, as I'm sure they have their own here. We expected it to take more time before he came, but it seems they want to take advantage of our confusion to strike first."

"They're going to invade?" Ruby asked wearily.

"No. Quite the opposite. He's going to come and kindly offer sanctuary to everyone in Vale, and if the people don't believe there is any organisational structure or leadership here, they will surely take it." Glynda stood at the foot of the bed, face stern. "I will make myself clear. You are the best candidates to rule, but you are not the only ones. There are Nobles who could take the position, though I fear they would not be able to unify the people as well as you could. If the two of you would refuse, I would have you do it now. Vale can be patient no longer."

Ruby and I stared at her, cold and shaken.

"That's not fair," Ruby whispered. "I've just woken up…"

"It's not fair, Miss Rose, but I am not the King of Mistral. He is the one forcing our hand."

"We've not even met the nobles pushing for this," I argued. "How can we be expected to make a decision when we know next to nothing about what being royalty will entail?"

"I have offered to introduce you to them since the day you awoke…"

I winced. She had, and I'd stonewalled her by saying I was too tired or distracted or wanted to wait for Ruby to wake up. It wasn't her fault I avoided that.

"It may be too late now," she said with a sigh, "But should you accept, there will be at least two days to interact with them. More than that, Hazel and I are willing to assist – and Hazel is loyal to you for saving both his and his sister's life. You can rest assured he will stand as a bulwark against even the slightest of subterfuge from the Noble Caste. Your Resilience would also help there," she added.

"Mine is terrible," Ruby chimed in guiltily.

It took me a second to realise why. She was trying to make me sound like the better prospect, and in a way I might just be. While Ruby struck the final blow on Salem, she had high Agility going for her and little else. My Charisma was terrible but my defence against it was possibly the best in the Kingdom. Maybe even the best on Remnant.

"Why are you so against the idea?" Glynda asked. "Is it the uncertainty? Do you believe you won't be good enough?"

Ruby and I flinched.

Why…?

Honestly, I wasn't sure. I knew nothing about the role, which logically meant I didn't know enough to be against just as much as I did to be in favour. I could do a lot of good with the power. Am I afraid of misusing it?

Not really. I knew I was as fallible as anyone else, but I wasn't that kind of person.

What, then? Was I afraid of the work involved? A little, but Hazel would help with it and the rest of the Guild had promised to do the same. Was it the pressure? The thought of failing? I'd admit that was there, but I'd felt it just as bad against Salem and been more than capable of fighting her.

Panic wasn't new to either me or Ruby.

"I guess… I guess it's frightening," I finally said. "It's a fresh new responsibility, right when we've only just gotten the last one off our shoulders."

"We killed Salem," Ruby echoed. "Isn't that enough? Can't we have a break?"

Glynda watched us for a few seconds before sighing and looking to the window. Her expression softened a little, though not enough. "You are not the only ones feeling that way. Beacon has been brought low. Ozpin is dead, as are Peter and Oobleck. I… I have lost everything I held dear. At least you have one another, your family and your Guild. There are many of us left with nothing."

The words on the tip of my tongue were swallowed with a gulp. They tasted bitter.

As frustrating as it was to be faced with this so soon, Glynda had been dealing with it while we were unconscious and had been working on so much more to boot. Dealing with the Nobles, with Beacon and all the students no doubt injured, without homes and adrift. All that, and she'd lost what was essentially her entire Guild. Beacon had been her Guild.

"I-I'm sorry," Ruby whispered.

"It is fine, Miss Rose. Ruby." Glynda closed her eyes. "They would be proud knowing what their sacrifice accomplished and I do not mean to suggest I'm taking my exhaustion out on you. The two of you have been sleeping. It is everyone else who breathes down my neck." Her green eyes snapped open. "Even so, I have bought you both what time I can, but now the moment has come. A decision must be made today. If not, I fear a new King will be chosen among the Nobles."

"And that would be bad?" Taiyang asked.

"I do not see such a ruler maintaining Vale. To pick one Noble is to alienate the others, instantly creating rifts and tension. Politics. Vale is in shambles and this is a time where we need universal support across all Castes. As the ones to kill Salem – and with Jaune having been seen previously with the King of Vale – it wouldn't be hard to imply he was selected as a potential successor by the Royal Line."

"I thought it would have been his son," I said.

"It would have been, but there is always a line outside the family just in case everything goes wrong. Realistically, you used your boon from the King to save Hazel, but the average people don't know that. What they know is that you and King Galan spent inordinate amounts of time alone together, and they will make their own minds up as to what the nature of that was."

"And we don't deny it. We let them think what they want?"

"Essentially. You would be sworn in."

"Or Ruby," I countered. "It could be either of us."

"Or," Glynda said, "It could be the both of you."

Ruby's face burned red. "W-What!?"

"What better way to inspire the people than to crown both the slayers of Salem and heroes of Vale King and Queen? It would be something straight out of a fairy tale. It may sound manipulative, but the people need a happy story to cling to, and yours would capture the imagination."

Ruby kept looking between Glynda and me, mouth open and eyes wide.

I kept mine on Glynda. "It would inspire," I said carefully, "If I wasn't already in a relationship."

The Warlock stared back at me. With a sigh, she let her eyes close.

"Miss Belladonna knows she cannot be Queen."

"Then to hell with Vale!" I roared, tossing my chair back. "If they can't accept her because of the words over her head, then maybe I don't give a shit if Vale is lost to history! It wasn't just me and Ruby doing all the work. Everyone bled and died out there, from Thief to Mage to Warrior to Farmer. Blake had just as much a part in killing Salem as we did!"

"Please sit down, Jaune."

"No! This… I…" It all made sense now. Blake's reluctance. The way she said she didn't want me to accept the crown. Her words outside these very chambers. Blake knew that if I accepted, she couldn't be a part of my life. "Was it you and Hazel who told her she couldn't be?" I demanded.

"Miss Belladonna knew it long before we had to address it." How she could remain so calm, I wasn't sure. My fists were bunched at my side and I wanted nothing more than to plant one against her nose. With my Strength, she'd be launched across the room. "This is not my wish, Jaune, nor is it Hazel's. You know for a fact I have never treated Miss Belladonna nor a Rogue-based Hero different to yourself or any other."

"It's the Nobles," I swore.

"Not only them. The Labour Caste are little different. Even if she had killed Salem, people would never have accepted it was in fair combat. They'd have claimed she struck a lucky blow from behind and killed her when she wasn't looking. They would have still praised her for it, but at the same time would have suggested it was luck more than skill which enabled it. They would do all that without believing themselves biased."

"That's… That's stupid…"

"It is," she said, "But let me tell you something; Mistral is no better. In fact, it's worse."

I didn't doubt it. Cinder had been put on a pedestal because she was a Prestige Class, and the same might have happened to Pyrrha for hers. The cruel betrayal of Tyrian for the crime of not being good enough to stop the Queen killing herself, the expectations that crushed so many. They would come down just as harshly on us, and despite having killed Salem, I knew I'd be seen as a pathetic Blacksmith and nothing more.

Ruby and Blake would fare little better.

"The King of Mistral is currently unmarried," Glynda prodded. "To reinforce his legitimacy, he would look to take a wife from Vale as a way to breach the boundaries between the Kingdoms. I don't mean to use this as a threat, but he has sent messages asking to the health of Ruby Rose."

She paled. "M-Me?"

"Never," Taiyang spat. "I won't allow it!"

"B-B-But I-I'm a Reaper. M-My Class…"

"Your Class was an unknown, but after killing Salem I doubt there are many who would dare think it anything but Hero Caste. And at the end of the day, the victory writes history. If he wishes it, you will be seen as a Hero."

"And considering she's one of a kind, she'd be a Prestige Class," I filled in. "Just like Cinder…"

Cinder, who had been engaged to marry the prince – now King – of Mistral. Ruby flopped back on her sheets, ashen faced. Her father held onto her hand tightly.

I bit my lip. "He can't force her. That would turn everyone in Vale against him."

"Would he need to?" Glynda asked. "He will come as a saviour and offer to save the leaderless people of Vale. Protect them against the Grimm, offer food and safety. The Noble Caste would gift-wrap Miss Rose up for him, and even if she refused that, who can say what he might offer if she accepts. Or what he might fail to offer if she refuses."

"He'd blackmail her," Taiyang said. "Threaten to withhold aid for the Kingdom unless Ruby marries him."

"I believe so. I can't think of much other reason he would be sending letters asking if she is awake." Glynda removed two envelopes from her robes and tossed them on Ruby's legs, atop the bedsheets. They had been opened. "One of these was privately addressed to you. You may read it as you wish."

Ruby made no move to.

"To summarise, it expresses admiration of your defeating Salem, your commitment to duty and the courage you showed. It also expresses a desire to meet with you when at your earliest convenience, stating that he wishes to `share a meal with the one who protected her Kingdom`. I am sure I do not have to explain what it is he desires."

"Not Ruby," I growled. "Just her reputation."

"Naturally. It's a political move. Of course, it would free you and Miss Belladonna up to continue as you wish."

"Don't make this about us!"

"It's not their fault!"

Ruby and I shouted at the same time, silencing one another and Glynda.

"T-This isn't their fault," Ruby said, carrying on. "You're trying to force Jaune to accept to help me. That's not right! You can't make us agree to marry just because he feels sorry for me!"

I nodded along, but with less conviction. Glynda could do just that, just as the King of Mistral could threaten to make life harder for Vale unless Ruby acquiesced to his demands. It was underhanded on both parts, but they could do it – just as Roman could steal, cheat and kill those who crossed him. The rules were made by those in power.

Vale would suffer under Mistral no matter their intentions. Blake would suffer, too. Even if Ruby married the King of Mistral, there was a chance I'd be brought into the fold. Royal Blacksmith or something. Or made a bodyguard and forced to only ever show my face as a Swordmaster. I could be just as useful in making the King of Mistral appear more legitimate as a successor to take over Vale. In either scenario, they wouldn't accept an Assassin being with me. That was bad for image, and Mistral was even more focused on Class than Vale was.

"So that's it?" I asked weakly. "Blake and I are just finished?"

"No," Ruby argued. "That's not fair! I won't accept it!"

"I did not say you would be finished," Glynda said.

My head rose.

"You jump to conclusions." The Warlock pinched the bridge of her nose. "Children, I swear, even when you can seem so mature. As I said to you outside this room, you cannot be seen to rely on her in any capacity, but that does not mean you cannot. Did it never occur to you why the Queen of Vale might have chosen to cheat on a simple Farmer? Or why Saren was so often at the King's side?"

It hadn't. Still didn't. I stared at her, confused.

Glynda sighed.

"King Galan and his Royal Assassin were… for lack of a better term, involved with one another quite intimately. It was a well-kept but still known secret among the Noble Caste."

"He was gay…?"

"That was what I said, yes. Naturally, the royal line required an heir, so he did marry, and his wife gave birth to a son, but his interest never lay in that direction, hence his lack of particular care when his wife displayed infidelity. Though it's hard to call it that when they both likely gave permission for the other to be with whomever they wished…"

I'd never noticed, though to be fair I hadn't been looking. Saren had been friendly and charismatic enough and never acted like he enjoyed the company of men over women, but then if he was already happily in a relationship, secret or not, then why would he? And if there were any two people who could hide a relationship that effectively, why not an Assassin and the person who likely had the most Charisma in the Kingdom?

The fact I'd expected some kind of obvious clue like tone of voice or mannerisms made me feel like a heel. It wouldn't change the fact I disliked how the King banished Lisa, though. Whether he thought he'd done it to protect her or not didn't matter. He'd made a choice she didn't want.

"If you and Ruby were to marry, it would be an official ceremony, but what you do in private is your own concern. You would be expected to provide an heir in time and given the faunus nature of Miss Belladonna, it would be hard to imply any child of your union was Ruby's, but there are ways around it if you do not wish for that to take place in the… ah… bedroom manner."

Ruby was choking on the very air she breathed, and I didn't dare look her way. That was much too awkward a thing to hear from your teacher.

"That's not fair to Blake," I said. "I'd be cheating on her."

"Mr Arc, this is not fair to anyone. I thought we'd already established that. We are out of fair and just solutions and left only with the ruined pieces of our Kingdom that we are trying to put back together."

"Right…"

"She should be here," Ruby argued. "Blake should be here for this."

Glynda sighed. "Is that necessa-"

"Yes! I refuse to make a decision without her."

"Very well." Glynda uncrossed her arms and brushed a hand through her hair, stepping toward the door with a pointed sigh. "I shall find and escort her back. Please wait for me, and if it pleases you, speak what you must between yourselves. As I've said, we will need a decision today."

The door closed behind her.

/-/

"Do you want me to leave?" Taiyang asked us.

Ruby looked at me hopefully, and I wasn't sure what answer she wanted me to give until I saw her hand leave mine and hold onto her father's. That was a good enough hint.

"You don't have to. If anything, I think a calmer mind might help."

The Brawler snorted. "Not sure I'd call myself calm right now. More livid."

"At me?"

"You?" Taiyang sighed. "Come on, kid. Don't be like that. Maybe if you were pursuing my girl the traditional way, I could give you an intimidating speech, but I'm not sure how far that would go for the Hero of Vale."

"A long way. I'm actually a totally normal guy."

"Aren't we all?" Taiyang chuckled. "That's the thing both of you need to learn. We're all just doing our bit. Your mother was no different, Ruby." He rubbed his daughter's hair. "For all that you saw her as the greatest hero in Remnant, she was one of many. And before a Hero, she was Summer Rose. Friend to many, wife to one lucky bastard and mother to two beautiful girls."

Ruby flushed. "Daaad."

"It's true. Point is, the average people don't see that – just as they, right now, see you two as legendary figures. And as much as I hate to say it, they likely see your friend as just another Assassin. It's unconscious bias. For the most part, they don't even realise they're doing it and probably think they'd never discriminate on someone based off their Class."

"That doesn't make it right," I said harshly.

"No. It's something you could change, though."

I tensed. "You're suggesting we accept?"

"I don't know. It's not my decision to make." Taiyang sighed. "I fought for Vale. Summer died for Vale. Qrow was killed by my ex-wife and his own sister, and that was for Vale as well. I guess it's hard for me thinking about all that not mattering in the end and Mistral sweeping in. And I don't mind saying that this-" He picked up the letters from Mistral that indicated Ruby's potential as a marriage candidate, "-can burn."

He tossed it away, into the gently burning fireplace. The envelopes and the letters inside curled up and charred, and neither Ruby nor I made so much as the slightest effort to save them.

"I don't know what it means to be Queen," Ruby said. "A-And the same for Jaune."

"Neither me nor your mother knew what it meant to be parents either. And you certainly didn't know what it truly meant to be a Hero until now. You thought you did, but truly understanding something only happens once you experience it." He tweaked Ruby's nose. "I'm not telling you what decision to make, my little rose. Only that you shouldn't let fear of the unknown hold you back."

"What if I do a bad job?"

"Ruby." He chuckled. "No one is perfect. No one expects you to be."

I felt like I was the one who should have offered to give them some time alone. Ruby looked understandably afraid, but Taiyang held onto her hands with one of his own and continued stroking her hair with his other.

Ruby's fears mirrored my own, though the underlying issues with Blake continued to hum over the surface. It was the fear of the unknown. The fear of what it might mean, what pressure it would bring and how our lives might change for the worse. They might change for the better, too. That was just how life worked. But here and now, it was so hard to see those ways.

"What do we do?" she asked, looking at me for answers.

"I don't know." I replied. "I kept delaying until you were awake."

I'd said it was because I didn't want to decide without her and that was true, but it was also because I just hadn't wanted to make a decision.

"I don't want to marry the King of Mistral."

"You won't have to," I promised. "Whatever we decide, that won't happen. The others wouldn't let it happen either."

"I also don't want Vale to be swallowed up by Mistral."

"Me neither."

The others weren't saying anything for fear of influencing me, but I knew they didn't want it. Blake for her Class and Pyrrha because it was the Kingdom she'd run away from in the first place. The others had issues less personal, but after fighting as hard as we had to keep the city, I doubted any of them wanted to see it captured. And then there was the fact Mistral broke the Grand Treaty and attacked us in the first place. They'd killed people.

They had also delayed their reinforcements. Sure, they'd helped us at the end, but I couldn't help but think how less people might have died had they been there from the start. Or had they not weakened out forces with their stupid war in the first place. Anger bubbled away under my skin. Despite all the time between it, I still hated them for that.

I don't want to let Mistral win. I won't let them.

"The best way to stop them would be to become King," I said. "Fuck. I guess that means it's a foregone conclusion, doesn't it?" Swearing again, I sagged back in my seat. "I guess I should just do it. Just accept. We can argue over it all we want, but it's pretty much a yes or no at this point. If I say no, Mistral wins and tries to force your hand. If I say yes, there's a good chance we keep our independence."

"At the expense of your own happiness," Ruby said.

"At the expense of some of it," I argued – and I wasn't sure why I was, seeing how much I hated the idea. "It's going to suck, sure, but I don't think happiness and being King will be mutually exclusive. Things will just be harder. I'll have to get used to them."

"And what about me?" she asked.

"You can stay as you are. You don't need to accept Glynda's idea."

"A King and Queen would help make it stronger. It would inspire everyone…"

"There's no need for us both to make that sacrifice."

"Is it really a sacrifice?" she asked nervously, looking down as heat crept up her neck. "Like you said, it's not like we can't be happy even if it's not ideal. And we'll have people to help us. Hazel, Yang, the Guild." She looked up hopefully. "Dad?"

"Do you even need to ask, sweetheart?"

My own parents would be with me too, though I had no idea what suddenly being siblings to royalty would do to my sisters. Probably land them with a hundred or more suitors clamouring for their hands. That was something that could be dealt with on the side.

Am I really considering this? Are we really doing this?

It felt like it. The King of Mistral coming was the final nail in the coffin, and the more I thought about it the more I knew I'd be dead before I let him try and take the Kingdom. I'd fought back the last King, and if needs be, I'd do the same again here.

"We need to talk to Blake," Ruby said. "Ask her what she thinks."

"I don't see what that would be necessary," Blake said from the open doorway.

Her expression was flat, her tone wooden and dull. She stood with an expression so neutral I couldn't consider it anything other than a mask. Glynda was behind, but providing space, making to close the door as Blake was pushed reluctantly inside.

Her hesitance hurt more than I cared to admit.

"Blake…" Ruby whispered. "It… It's not like that…"

"I don't see why my input is needed," Blake repeated. "I've already said everything I can, and it sounds like you two have made up your minds…" She swept a bow, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Congratulations, your majesties. I…" Her breath caught but she pushed on, "I look forward to the royal wedding."

Long conversation chapter is long conversation chapter. Difficult next chapter is difficult next chapter. I know what has to be written, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it – and no, that's not a spoiler or hint at the outcome. It's just me saying that writing chapters where emotions are so tense is difficult.

Next Chapter: 16th December

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur