Chapter 17: Kranz Farm

Anna was roused from sleep by something wet and rough rubbing against her fingertips. She stirred slowly, opened her eyes and squinted as she looked around. This environment was new and alarming. She now found herself laying in a bed of hay surrounded by the wooden walls of a barn. That wasn't where she was expecting. From what she could recall, she was running all over an open field with a soldier on her tail.

There was a soft mew coming from her left and she slowly sat up and turned her head downwards. There was a large brown and grey cat sitting next to her sniffing at her hand. The cat's nose was cool and damp. Anna deduced it was licking her fingers when she woke up, and she allowed it to sniff her further before she stroked the feline's head gently.

Once the cat scampered away to the far side of the barn, Anna took the opportunity to get a better look around. On the opposite side was a closed off chicken coop. Piles of hay filled an upper loft, and there were several stalls lining one side wall. As far as she could tell, she was alone with only the animals to keep her company. The farmer—whoever he or she was- was nowhere to be found.

Also, obviously missing, was Hans—

HANS!

Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she suddenly jumped to her feet and searched every inch of the barn for any sign of her companion. Panic started rising in her chest. The last time she saw him, the one soldier got the drop on him. She never managed to make it to his side to see if he was alright. There were so many gunshots going off. Hans' attacker fell to the ground not long after the prince, and her own assailant rounded back on her before he too was fired upon. A bullet got him in the head and she distinctly remembered a disgusting amount of blood spray and matter scattering in the air.

I must've fainted at the sight. She frowned. I didn't think I had such a weak constitution, but I guess this whole ordeal is really taking its toll.

Shaking yet another gross image from her mind, she tried to focus. There was still the matter of finding Hans. There was no sign of him ever being in the barn, however a small bit of relief washed over her as she approached the horse stalls. Both of their horses were there, although nearly all of the equipment packs Hans' steed carried were missing. That aspect didn't really bother her. She was still wearing her satchel, and that had all of her important possessions.

If our horses are here, maybe Hans is too, somewhere. Unless… unless he's… She couldn't bring herself to finish the morbid thought, and she didn't need to either. As she stared off at the horses, the barn door opened and then an elder woman came inside with a basket hanging in the crook of her elbow.

"Ah, I see you're awake," the woman said and announced her presence to Anna. The sudden noise made the princess jump and she retreated back a few steps. The woman immediately held up her hands to show peace, "It's alright, dear. You're safe now."

Anna eyed the woman curiously and cautiously, "W-who are you? Where am I?"

"My name is Gertrude Kranz," the woman said, "You're on our farm."

"Our?"

"Mine and my husband's." Gertrude explained. "He's out in the field right now. Heinrich is the one who found you."

…Well, that explains who fired on those soldiers….

The older woman continued when it seemed Anna was at a loss for words, "The field you were in is part of our land. One of your horses burst through the tree line while I was out tending to the harvest. Heinrich grabbed his rifle as soon as the screaming started."

Anna turned slightly pink. She didn't realize her voice carried that far but was never more thankful that it did. If these farmers never came to her rescue, who knew where she would be, or in what state. And Hans—

Oh god…

"Please…" Anna stepped forward, "there was a man with me—m-my husband. Is he here, too?"

The woman nodded and angled her basket downwards towards Anna to show off the used medical supplies inside, "I just finished tending to him."

"Is he alright?" Anna asked. She could see some red stains on one of the rags and her mind started racing.

"Oh, he had a pretty bad bump to the head, bit he'll recover just fine." She tilted her head to the side, "What's your name?"

"An—" She stopped herself just in time and tried to hide the embarrassed look from the slip. "M-Marit. Marit Wagner."

"Well, Marit. I'm sure you're dying to see your husband."

…yeah, but not the way you're probably thinking.

Anna nodded and clasped her hands together as she followed the farmer's wife out of the barn and into the house. It was much later in the day than she thought. The sun was already starting to set. It made her wonder just how long she had been out.

The farmhouse had an extremely cozy feel even though it wasn't an exceptionally spacious home. There was a large fireplace on one wall with chairs and a sofa nearby. The kitchen and dining area were what took up the largest amount of common living space. Anna followed Gertrude around to a narrow staircase going up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was a hallway with two doors and a curtained off area. Gertrude moved down to the door at the far end of the corridor, quietly opened it, and stepped aside so Anna could enter.

The room was small, but not nearly as claustrophobic as the inn bedroom back in Greja. A tall wardrobe, a mirror leaning against one wall, and a bed flanked by two end tables were the main fixtures scattered about. Once her gaze fell on Hans, it immediately softened. He was laying atop the bedding looking incredibly disheveled. His boots were off, as well as his great coat. Another quick scan of the room showed his missing garments, as well as his waistcoat draped on a wooden chair tucked away in one corner. The first few buttons of his shirt were left open and his arms were draped over his stomach. His hair, from what was visible, was incredibly tousled. There were wrappings covering the left side of his head; his eyes were closed, and Anna wasn't sure if he was unconscious or asleep.

Hans….

Anna walked over to the bed and perched herself on the edge of the mattress near his waist.

"What's his name?" Gertrude asked softly as she stood off near the foot of the bed.

Anna had to stop herself from calling him by his true name. she already nearly slipped up with her own. The last thing she needed was this woman getting suspicious. "Nikki—err, Nikolai." She answered and reached over to trace a finger down his cheek.

"He's certainly a handsome man."

I guess if you're into scruffy faces. Anna forced a smile and turned back to Gertrude. "Thank you for caring for him. I… I was so worried."

"What happened?" Gertrude asked. "Why were those men chasing you through our land?"

"Well, we were on the road and only ducked through the woods to get rid of them. I didn't know your farm was here, honest."

"But why were they after you?"

Anna hesitated. She would have to be incredibly careful what to say. Giving away anything about her and Hans being fugitives would not do well. But as Hans told her once before, she was not that great of a liar. "We were just traveling along the road when this regiment passed by us." She said, pulling from the violent ordeal the other day. At least there was some aspect of truth to this story. Hopefully, that made it believable enough today. "A few of them decided to double back and stop us. H—Nikki managed to get rid of two of them, but these last two…" she visually shuddered. "if your husband didn't come when he did…" There was an uncomfortable pause, "All they wanted was a chance at a good time, if you get my meaning."

Gertrude studied Anna for what seemed like an eternity before nodding and answering, "How awful that they put you through such ordeals. But I can't say that I'm surprised."

Anna blinked. It wasn't the answer she was expecting, and Gertrude made it seem like she was familiar with the soldier's behavior. "What do you mean?"

The woman shook her head, "never mind about that now."

Anna glanced back to Hans. "How long do you think he'll be out?"

"Probably not too much longer. He came around while I was treating him, but he didn't fully wake. But no matter how long it takes for him to get back on his feet, you're welcome to stay."

Anna's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? Just like that, you'll let us stay?" Gertrude nodded. "But… but we're strangers."

Gertrude smiled warmly and moved to sit beside Anna. "If you tell me about yourself, then you won't be."

Anna looked at her cautiously, "Are you always this trusting?"

"Call it my woman's intuition." She raised an eyebrow with a particularly amused expression across her face, "Why, is there a reason why I shouldn't trust you?"

"N-no!" Anna exclaimed and waved her hands dismissively. "It's just… I think you're the first person to be so openly kind to us. Ever."

Gertrude sighed, "Well, if everyone was a little kinder to their neighbors, this country would be a far nicer place." She shook her head and then reached over to pat Anna's hand. "C'mon, Marit. What's your story? Where are you from?"

"Well—"

"And don't tell me you're a local. I can easily tell by your dialect and the way you and your husband were dressed that you're not from around these parts."

"No, we're not." It was all Anna could manage to say in the moment. This was the time she was dreading—having to come up with a convincing cover story. Hans gave her the freedom to come up with whatever she wanted, but she still hadn't given it much thought. There was just too much going on for her to focus on something so trivial.

Well, it's not so trivial anymore….

"We're… we're from Corona." Anna eventually replied, "We live with his family." She forced a sigh, "This was supposed to be like a post honeymoon for us. We saved up for so long just for the boat fare to travel to Rheland. We went to the Fall Harvest Festival."

"Oh? How was it? That event has graced our newspapers when it first began."

Anna smiled. "It was a lot of fun! And we really needed the getaway. This was our first time away from home since we married."

"You're both quite young. How long have you been together?"

"Three years." Anna replied. Might as well make this story as realistic to our history as possible…. "We met at a party my parents were hosting. It was kind of by accident. We more or less crashed into each other. He was so nice, so charming. It was love at first sight—I know, that probably sounds silly, but it's true. He only courted me for a few weeks before asking for my hand. I never met someone so caring and affectionate in my entire life."

Gertrude smiled. "What does he do? Is he a soldier? I've never seen a man so heavily armed without a uniform."

Anna bit her lip and glanced briefly to Hans. "Um, no. he's not. We kind of just acquired most of his toys on our way." Her fingers traced lightly over his hand, "Nikki's got a thing for weaponry. He's very protective." She turned back to Gertrude and continued to sell their story. As the minutes went by, Anna grew so engrossed in the tale that she didn't even notice nor feel movement behind her.

Suddenly, a hand cupped under her chin and turned her head to the side. Before she could even register what was happening, lips were gently pushed onto hers. Her eyes immediately widened in surprise. She didn't expect Hans to awaken so suddenly and kiss her no less. Her first instinct was to slap him for taking liberties, but as her hands slid up his shirtfront so she could push him away, she was suddenly very aware that Gertrude was still beside her, no doubt watching them embrace. So instead of lashing out, she humored Hans and let her eyes close for the duration of the kiss. It wasn't a forceful nor passionate kiss which worked well enough for her. Hans was only putting forth minimal effort to keep it going, and she easily got the impression that the whole thing was for show, not personal satisfaction. Still, she was furious that he would even consider pulling a move like that without asking first.

Luckily, she didn't have to stew too long. Hans broke the kiss off not long after it began, and once he pulled his head back, he stroked her cheek with a trembling hand and gazed at her with immense relief and adoration in his eyes. His eyes never left hers. Gertrude Kranz was ignored entirely.

There was a soft clearing of the elder woman's throat as she rose from the bed. "I think I'll give you a few minutes to yourselves. I'll be back." With that, she quickly went for the door and closed it quietly behind her.

That was Anna's cue. She wasted no time in roughly slamming her hands into Hans' chest and sending him back against his pillow.

"What. Did. You. Think. You. Were. Doing?!" She seethed at him, emphasizing every bitter word.

Hans let out a painful groan at his impact. One of his hands immediately went to cradle the back of his head. In his landing, part of his head missed the pillow and knocked into the wooden footboard, and for a brief moment, he closed his eyes tight and took in a deep breath while the sudden surge of pain subsided. "…playing along?" he bit out quietly as he reopened his eyes, "It seemed rather obvious to me."

"…what?!"

"You're the one who said I was a caring and affectionate lover!"

Her face immediately flushed. "I never said lover.

"I'm your husband, darling. The term is implied."

"Hmmph." She crossed her arms over her chest. His casual use of the pet name didn't do anything to help her face lose the embarrassed shade of pink. He would have used that moment to wake up. "Just how much of all that did you hear?"

"Most of it, actually." He admitted while trying to prop himself up on his pillow better. "I was only sleeping."

"Why not wake yourself up sooner?"

"Because you were doing your job and I didn't want to interrupt." He replied as a curious look worked its way onto his face, "So… a stable-hand with a thing for weaponry and a hero complex?" He chuckled, "I like that."

She couldn't resist rolling her eyes. "I'm glad you approve. I had to come up with something." Not sure what else to say, she averted her gaze down to her lap and let her fingers fidget with the fabric of her dress.

"You did well." He complimented after a brief silence and then reached over to nudge her gently. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine, just bothered, I guess."

"Look, if it's about that kiss—"

"—No." She interrupted, "It's not that. I mean, yes, I'm peeved at you, but that's…" she took another deep breath to better gather her thoughts. "…I watched another man die today. It wasn't exactly a pleasant sight."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that's uncomfortable for you." He shifted slightly. "What happened?"

"The farmer shot him—both men, actually." She fidgeted uncomfortably, "I guess I saw them both die; not just the one after me."

Hans' hand went to the back of his head where it hurt the most. "…I wasn't shot. Well, I suppose that's obvious now. I doubt I'd be alive otherwise."

"The soldier struck you with the hilt of his sword. A-and then he was killed afterwards." She sighed softly, "Apparently we were trespassing on these people's land. Thank goodness we were. Gertrude and her husband saved our lives." She gave Hans a pointed look, "Be sure to thank her when she comes back."

He raised his brow. "Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just sayin'."

"Don't worry. You know that I'm a perfect gentleman."

Anna would have snorted in response but while he was talking, there was a soft knock at the door. Gertrude had returned. This time, instead of coming back into the room, she remained at the doorway, only poking her head in briefly.

"Frau Wagner, I have some stew cooking downstairs for you and your husband if you're hungry."

"Oh! Yes, thank you!" Anna smiled warmly to the woman. "We'll be down in a few minutes." Once Gertrude was gone, she got up from the bed and went to retrieve Hans' boots. "Are you well enough to go down?"

He sat upright and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I think so. Throbbing headache aside, I think I'm fine."

"Good." Anna handed him his footwear and then reached under her chin to remove her bonnet. Her face immediately fell at the sight of it. The sides of it were already marred with dirt, and the front arch was a tad misshapen—no doubt from when the soldier tackled her to the ground. "Well this certainly didn't last long." She sighed and tossed the headwear onto the chair. When she turned back around to Hans, he was already up and moving around the bed towards the door. A few steps in, he stumbled a bit to the right. His hands went out to grasp onto the short bedpost for support. "Oh my gosh are you alright?" She asked and rushed to his side.

"Apparently I'm a little dizzy." He mumbled and gestured for her to go down first. "You go ahead. I'll need you to catch me if I fall."

Luckily for her, Hans made it down in one piece. She was certain he was joking, but the way he was walking, she was genuinely afraid she would have to actually do it. And breaking his fall would probably have broken her in the process.

The common living area smelled so good. Gertrude was standing by the hot stove stirring the contents in a large stockpot when Anna helped Hans to one of the dining chairs. Once he seemed settled, she walked over to the woman and took a peek inside the cookware.

"That smells wonderful!" Anna smiled, "Is there anything I can give you a hand with?"

"Oh no. Go sit down. Everything will be ready in a moment."

Anna retreated and took a seat beside Hans. It was only a few minutes later when two very full bowls of vegetable stew were set in front of them. On her second trip to the table, Gertrude brought over a large breadbasket.

"Aren't you going to eat, too?" Anna asked as she picked up her utensils. The elder woman made no move to serve a third bowl. Instead, she went back and adjusted pot on the stove and tidied up a few spills she made.

"Not right now. I'll wait for Heinrich so that he won't have to eat alone."

"Where is he? Is he still outside?" Anna asked. In her journey from the barn into the house, she didn't see anyone else around.

"He might be a while longer. Before I came to retrieve you, Marit, he returned to the farm. He said he needed a shovel."

"…a…shovel?" Anna briefly glanced to Hans as she took in another forkful of stew.

Hans learned over and whispered in her ear. "He's digging."

"Digging what?" She whispered back. The pointed look he sent her suddenly told her everything she needed to know. She swallowed nervously and set her fork back into her bowl.

"You're awfully quiet, young man." Gertrude said and flashed him a warm smile.

Hans set his fork down, "I was enjoying the meal. It's been a long time since we've had such a hearty supper." He offered a small smile in return. "Thank you for being so generous to us."

"It's only right to help those in need." Gertrude replied and came over to the table. She took a seat across from Hans. "How is your head?"

"It hurts." Hans said honestly, "but it'll pass. I'm sure a good night's sleep will help."

"Indeed, it will." Gertrude agreed. "As I've told Marit earlier, you may stay on our farm for however long it takes for you to heal.

"Oh." Hans briefly glanced to Anna. "We wouldn't want to impose."

"It's no bother. I enjoy having house guests. My children are all grown and have… moved on. It's nice to talk with people aside from Heinrich."

"Perhaps…" Anna began. She smiled, placed a hand over Hans' and smiled to Gertrude, "perhaps we could be of some help during our stay? A-as a way of saying thanks?"

"Well…"

"—Please." Anna pleased. "It's the least we could do."

Gertrude thought it over for a moment, "Well, since you're so eager, perhaps you can assist me with the morning chores while Heinrich goes into town?"

"Sure! Okay!" Anna nodded enthusiastically. "When should I start?"

"Don't worry. I'll come for you first thing in the morning."

Hans glanced between the two women. "What about me?"

"You will rest." Gertrude said with just enough edge in her voice to get her point across.

Anna rubbed at the ends of her long locks with her towel as she pulled back the curtain separating the washtub area from the upstairs corridor. The bath felt wonderful—not just because she was now clean, but because she actually took her time enjoying it. She didn't have to worry about Hans waiting for her. He took his first. For the first time since their journey began, Anna was truly able to relax and feel safe.

She ran her fingers through her hair afterwards to make sure it was dry enough as she crossed the hall to her bedroom. Eager for a good night's sleep, she placed her hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it.

With luck, Hans will have already fallen asleep.

Hans' head turned in her direction the instant she stepped inside. He looked comfortable, at least. He was propped slightly on his pillow, but this time he was buried under the blankets. When her eyes met his, she only sighed. He looked exhausted.

"Why are you still awake?" She asked softly and draped her towel on the chair in the corner of the room.

"I was waiting for you."

"You didn't have to do that."

He shrugged lightly. "I wanted to. And besides, I bet you would have woken me up anyway once you came to bed."

"Hey, I know how to be quiet." She countered and pulled back the blankets on her half of the bed. Even before getting in, she could tell this would be a better night than the one spent in Greja. The bed was actually big enough for both of them, and the mattress or bed frame didn't creak or squeak when Hans shifted around on it earlier.

"I was referring to you just moving about."

"Oh." She slipped her legs under the sheets and fluffed her pillow. That was soft, too. Even better! Just as she got settled comfortably on her side, Hans pushed off from his pillow, leaned forward and started to pull the rest of the bedding halfway up her chest.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked once he finished tucking her in.

She nodded and glanced down the bed. "Were there always so many blankets on here?"

"Frau Kranz came in while you were in the bath. Apparently, this room gets drafty at night."

She sighed. "Wonderful."

"Don't worry. Between all these layers and our joined body heat, I'm sure you won't even notice."

"…joined body heat?" Anna looked at him skeptically.

Hans angled himself towards her, "like it or not, we have to play-house for several days. And I seem to recall being your caring and affectionate husband."

He would decide to focus on that one stupid detail. Why am I not surprised? Her expression started to falter when her mind flashed to earlier that day. "Um yeah… about that…." She paused to choose her words carefully. "Please don't kiss me anymore. It's uncomfortable… and painful."

His brow furrowed slightly. "Painful how? I haven't hurt you."

Maybe not today… but every kiss you try giving me now only reminds me of the one you refused me years ago. And no stupid cover can erase that.

"I don't want to discuss it. Just… just keep your lips off mine." She said quietly and shifted against her pillow. "Please. That's all I ask. You can be the charming man of affection in other ways."

"What about hands?" He reached over and gently took one of hers. "You weren't ready to punch me earlier in town when I did that."

Her eyes narrowed and she let out a loud sigh, "You're pushing your luck."

"It's what husbands do." He replied with a coy smile.

"…fine. I'll make that compromise. But I'm warning you now. Nowhere else."

She wasn't sure if he did it to prove a point or to make her mad, because as soon as she agreed to the terms, he took their joined hands and placed a soft kiss onto her skin. "Deal." He met her gaze briefly and shrank his head back slightly. "Are you really still mad at me for earlier?"

Anna glared at him for a good minute just to make him uncomfortable, then softened her gaze as she shrugged her shoulders. "Should I be?"

"Roleplay aside…" he said softly, "I really was relieved to see you, to know you were alright. The last thing I remembered, you were screaming, and I was convinced some bastard shot me. That's not exactly a reassuring memory."

"…well, I suppose I can't fault you for that." She wiggled her hand from his grasp and fluffed her pillow again. She couldn't help but notice his gaze lingered on her for longer than she wanted. There was a strange look to him, as if he were expecting her to say something. She couldn't imagine what he could have wanted from her, but it soon became apparent for him that whatever it was, it would remain unsaid. There was a brief flash of disappointment on his face before he shifted to his other side to blow out the candle on his bedside table.

"It's late." He said once the room went dark. "Goodnight."

Even with the room darkened, she could still make out his silhouette as he rolled onto his back again and rested his left arm up on the pillow just beyond his head. There was definitely hurt in his voice when he spoke, and while she really wanted to dismiss it as him wanting sleep or him being irritated by his injury, there was a small part of her that wanted to get to the bottom of this. Knowing her luck, she wouldn't get any sleep if her subconscious was fretting over Hans all night.

"Hey…" she said softly and reached her hand back over to gently nudge his chest. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

You certainly don't sound it. Anna frowned. She tried to replay their entire conversation in her mind from the moment she came back from the bath. There wasn't all that much said between them, and he didn't seem so put out earlier once she slipped into bed. What happened in the last two minutes to make him upset? What did she say?

Or… what didn't she say?

"Did it even faze you that I was hurt?" He eventually asked.

She blinked in surprise and glanced to his chest where her hand was still laying. One of his hands found hers and was fiddling mindlessly with her fingers. Well, if he's going to get right to the problem, all the easier to solve it.

"Of course, it did." Anna replied softly. "When I came around in the barn and you weren't there, I was worried! I didn't know what became of you if you were alright or even alive. For all I knew, you were dead."

"You had a strange way of showing relief."

"Is that what's bothering you? That I didn't express myself to your impossible standards?"

"Well it's hard to understand properly when you go and knock my head into the bedpost."

"What did you think I would do when you suddenly kissed me?"

The quietest scoff escaped his lips and his hand suddenly pushed hers off his chest and back to her pillow. "It was a five second gesture that meant absolutely nothing." He replied a bit shortly and let out a loud sigh. "Though, it seems that's all you want to focus on. You're missing the point."

"What then?"

There was a brief period of silence. "…I don't want to have to spell it out for you."

"But—"

"Go to sleep, Anna."

Her eyes widened and she glanced briefly towards the door. She could have scolded him for using her real name, but he was already mad enough at her as it was. As she shifted to a more comfortable position, she laid there and stared off at the ceiling wondering what she could have possibly done until sleep eventually claimed her.

Queen Charlotte's jaw quivered as she paced about in her bedchamber. This was the first time in days that she didn't feel sick to her stomach, but the nauseous waves were replaced with different feelings of anxiety, dread and horror. Her sudden bout of illness couldn't have come at a worse time. The greater portion of the week had come and gone, and she had learned absolutely nothing. The only plan she had come up with originally was to try and closer to Viktor Beker. He seemed focused on her at first, and she thought perhaps she could use that to some advantage. But then that interrogation in the study led to her falling ill, and everything only worsened from there. Not that she really wanted to be around the Chancellor in the first place, but once the bed rest started, Beker stopped coming in. Not even the minion officers made appearances. The only person admitted into her chamber was Agatha. At least hers was a friendly face.

Agatha had been her sole support. At her worst times, the lady's maid was always at her side. Charlotte wasn't sure she could have endured the last several days without her beloved friend's help. Not only did Agatha keep her health in check, but she relayed what little gossip there was circulating down in the servant's wing.

Charlotte stopped to lean against the chaise as she felt her stomach take a turn. It wasn't anywhere near as violent as some of her previous episodes, but it was enough to stop her movements for a short period. Her hand went to her stomach and she took a few deep breaths. In between waves, she glanced over her shoulder. If she really bolted, she could probably make it to the chamber pot in time.

"And here I was hoping today would be better…" she sighed.

There was a soft knock on the door, the sound of a key fumbling in the lock, and suddenly the door swung open. When Charlotte glanced over, she got a quick view of the stationed soldier in the hall as he moved aside to let Agatha enter. The elder woman had a small tray in her hands that contained a bowl of soup and a few slices of bread. The moment the door closed, Agatha's eyes widened at seeing her mistress up and about and she quickly set the tray on the nearest table surface.

"Your Majesty!" She exclaimed, "you should be in bed!"

Charlotte waved the woman off and swallowed hard. "I couldn't lay there any further. It's bad enough I've got more rounds of it in my future. I want to savor my mobility while I still can."

"Are you feeling better then? The retching has stopped?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I thought so, up until the last few minutes, at least.

Agatha walked over and gently pressed her hand to the queen's forehead. "You don't feel ill. Not like before."

Charlotte moved away from her maid to peek out through the window. "Hopefully, this is the last of it. I'm tired of sleeping and retching."

"I brought some soup…" Agatha gestured to the tray, "Are you hungry?"

"I think the real question is, can I keep it down?"

"Milady, only you can answer that."

The queen's hands went to her stomach again as if she were feeling intently for something that wasn't quite there and let out another sigh. This couldn't go on for much longer. She wanted to eat. She needed to eat. And that soup did smell good. "I suppose I could try. What's the worst that could happen? It comes back up and I go right back into bed?" She slowly lowered herself into a chair at the table.

"I don't suppose the doctor that was here had any insight—"

"—No." Charlotte shook her head as she pushed the tray closer to her, "He suspects a flu. But you and I know very well that isn't the case."

"He was supposed to be back today, was he not?" Agatha asked and sat down in the other chair, "I hope I didn't miss his visit."

"Not, not that it really matters." Charlotte said softly and mindlessly stirred her soup with her spoon. Her voice was incredibly shaky, "I don't need a man to tell me that I'm with child…."