20

"So… you are a princess?" Gray asked her as they sat talking softly "A real live one?"

Lilly giggles as she slapped at him "Yes. Cora was wed to Michael to ensure that the two kingdoms would join as one upon the death of my father. With her dying I retained the land until my wedding, when my husband will become the next king. A terrible thing for my father to worry on as no matter whom he marries me to, the others asking for me will bay like hounds and cause unrest. Maybe even war."

"But … you shall wed me. I am brother to the two most loved and powerful kings, the largest kingdom… when he gives over the crown it can come to me. It will still combine the kingdoms in so much as I will rile beside my brothers … you at my side, our children will retain the land. Even better isn't it? Now your family so not give up everything to another kingdom, merely become part of it with it's own little patch being just as is."

"Well … some may not like that, some of daddy's advisors are horrible old prigs who will see this is worse, a hollow victory. I gained your hand yes… the protection of your brother… but in the end … their hope to make the two kingdoms one will have failed. I don't really see why they pushed for it." She sighed "I can only believe the threat of war is so great that it is better to fade away than go in a blaze of glory."

"Well… no need for that. No. With my brother's men given to me, I shall rule. With Jack and Ianto as advisors … Johnty … I will be well counselled, and a good king there…. As I am a Duke here. Yes. You know … I never wanted to be king. Funny isn't it? My mother would be tickled pink right now if not for the fact she did terrible things to try to get me a crown. All she had to do was let me live for myself and she would have lived to see it" Gray sighed as he looked at their joined hands "What is it called again?"

"Greenichia" she replied softly "But we call it Greenery sometimes. It Is lush, palatial and bush land. We have many birder and wildlife indigenous to our region and our meat trade is second to none. Our beef is sought all over the world. Daddy made a pigs ear of it though, insulted and demanded too much … it is in a not so great place financially."

"Well … we can fix that. Your dowry will be refused by us as this is a matter of love… the old farts will be relieved to see that money entering the royal coffers" Jack's voice joined the conversion, as did he "Just spoke with your folks. They are happy with the union and will return home to take the bodies of their men for burial. They may have been thieves and vagabonds but they were still your subjects. They have agreed you can stay here. I think a visit to their place in the summer might be nice, as our two kingdoms are now… well … sisters?"

"Or brothers?" Gray screwed up his nose.

"Sisters" Ianto settled in a chair as well, smiling softly as them "A kingdom is always the motherland of her people. A woman. A mother."

"Oh, good. Sounds nice" Gray looked over at Jack "So … they are Ok?"

"Yes. Johnty will see to their travel arrangements… it's OK, I see that face" Jack laughed as he waved a hand "He will not travel with them. He will handpick the security detail and see to the transport. No …. He would like to stay a while and the boring old Viscount Hamburger….damn … Hammington … I have to stop calling him that, I shall to his face… he is going home to his winter house so the quarters he is currently using will be released. Johnny likes those, they look over the lake. John likes water."

"He used to take me out in a boat. When little, I remember a rowboat on water. He would stop out in the middle and let me eat crisps, drink pop and we would fish. He called me his little fisherman. Cuddled me and helped me with my reel. One of my most favourite things was fishing with Johnny. You were off on adventures with Ianto … Johnny was my real friend. Like a big brother to me."

Ianto nodded "I does love you. Very much, adores you as I am sure you do him. It is nice to have a friend like that, Owen is my weirdly funny friend. I do not know what I would do without Owen and Toshiko … friends are hard to come by. Real ones."

"So he can stay? You will not send him away again for … whatever naughty thing he did?"

"No. No, he can stay and enjoy your happiness" Jack nodded as he glanced at Ianto.

He was finally seeing that Johnny was more than his mother's man. He was his uncle, blood. Family.

Ianto saw more, but did not say.

Royal blood is always tainted somehow.