Chapter Notes:
Latin:
Nine = Novem
Ten = Decem
Twelve = Duodecim

Chapter 14 – The Engagement

Rose had a fitful night's sleep, and she was awake long before the maid came in to light the fires. Rose felt quite retched. She had honestly thought that Decem would say something to dissuade her, even propose to her. She could not marry the King if she were promised to Decem. But he had not said a word. In fact, he had been quite horrid about the whole thing. And now ... now if she had a decision to make.

Should she accept the King's proposal? Did she really have a choice in the matter? While it was indeed a great compliment to have secured the King's affection or at the very least his interest, could she really marry a man who showed so little affection for her up until this point? She would never have guessed that he had felt anything for her. He had danced with her to be sure, but he had also taunted her and mocked her relationship with Decem.

She curled up into a tighter ball under the covers, her head in her hands. He had experienced so much, when she had scarcely set foot outside her neighbourhood before her journey to the Capital. Why had he asked her? No, the real question was could she live with herself if she spurned him? What woman in her right mind would refuse the King's hand? It hardly mattered what had motivated him to ask for her hand.

She had always thought that she would marry for love and not for money, despite what the majority of her peers had said. But she could not refuse his offer. She had to accept his hand.

Well, is that it, she thought. If Decem has not said anything to stop her, and any other woman who had received the same offer would have said yes immediately, and she was not exactly in a financial position to refuse such an offer, then she must accept. It was a yes.

That afternoon Rose was once again summoned to the King's study and with a rustle of skirts and more than a little trepidation she entered the room.

Novem turned as she entered. "Have you considered my proposal?"

"I have." Rose paused and took a breath before finishing, "And I accept. I will marry you."

The King nodded. "I am glad. Will you need to contact your mother for approval of the match?"

"You are the King, my mother will hardly disapprove of such a match," she countered with an air of sarcasm.

She noted the flash of surprise in his eyes and she waited with some apprehension for the response.

Then his face cleared and he a bark of laughter. "Touché. I recommend, milady, that you save some of that sharp wit to respond to those that wish to offer you false compliments in your most fortunate engagement."

Yes, people would talk, she thought. Well, of course they would. Why had she not realised that? She would be Queen. Oh Goddess, she would be Queen. She, Rose Tyler, a penniless Baroness from Arcadia would be Queen.

"Are you all right?" He asked slowly and deliberately, as though he expected her to misunderstand, "For a moment, you looked quite ill."

"It is nothing," she choked out.

"Shall I open a window to let some air in?" he asked, looking unconvinced.

Rose cleared her throat. "No really, I am fine." She did feel somewhat faint at the realisation of what she had done by agreeing to marry him, and the impact it might have on the rest of her life.

Rose swallowed, feeling nervous and unsure of herself and waited for Novem to speak.

"Good," he said, moving back behind the desk. "To make it official I shall see to it that our betrothal is announced two weeks from now. That will give you some time to become more accustomed to the idea before you have to inform your mother and to deal with the rest of the court. The Engagement Ball will be held one week following the announcement and after that we can begin the more formal arrangements."

With the preliminary details sorted the King bid her good day and Rose was free to leave.

Sometime later, sitting at her desk Rose found herself confronted with the dawning realisation of her changing situation. The letter she wrote to her mother was brief giving only the facts, for she knew her mother's response would contain more than enough excitement for the both of them. But in writing it down the reality of was happening slowly began to sink in and it was quite terrifying.

She also wrote a letter to Mickey. Mickey, dearest Mickey, who she promised she would not forget, and she had. Would he hate her?

Rose lay her forehead down on the desk and groaned. What was she doing? She sat back up and shook her head. Tell Martha, she thought, you have to tell Martha. In that moment Rose was eternally grateful that she and Martha were friends again and their close companionship had been restored.

Thankfully, Martha was in her rooms so Rose did not have to spend too much time searching for her.

The two women settled down in Martha's small sitting room and with minimal stuttering Rose told her of the King's offer of marriage.

Martha gasped. "I knew he was intrigued by you, why else would he dance with you? But to propose marriage? Who would have thought that he would hold you in such high regard? Congratulations!"

Martha threw her arms around Rose. "But you really do wish to marry him, do you not?"

Rose appreciated Martha's concern for her, was delighted that there was no lingering resentment over Decem, and reassured her friend that it was what she wanted even though she did not feel as confident as she appeared.

Something of her uncertainty must have shown because Martha gave her a shrewd look and asked, "Or are you simply accepting his proposal because he is the King?"

Rose shrugged, not wanting to admit it out loud.

"Rose, I would not blame you if you did. It is not every day a King proposes to you."

Rose smiled appreciatively. "It is not the full reason why I accepted but it certainly contributed to the decision. I am not exactly in a position to refuse such an offer."

"But what woman would not accept such an offer even if she was a very wealthy heiress? The King is a stern man to be sure, but he appears to be loyal and steadfast too, and I do believe you will be happy with him."

With Martha's supportive words Rose began to feel somewhat more comfortable about the engagement.

Martha sent word to the others to call to her rooms and within the hour Clara, Sally and Larry had arrived.

Rose would have found their reactions to the news amusing had she herself not still been so stunned over it. Initial shock and gapping mouths were swiftly followed by delight and glee.

"Told you!" Sally laughed to Larry. "I may not have been able to see your affection for me, but I saw the King's for Rose."

"I stand corrected, my dear," Larry chuckled with a shake of his head.

"You saw?" Rose asked, partially dismayed.

"I think we all had an inkling but not that it was so serious," Clara chimed in, the other three nodding in agreement.

The others peppered Rose with questions for the rest of the afternoon, wanting to know all the details. The discussion was frequently broken exclamations of astonishment and delight over the whole situation.

The subject of Decem was studiously avoided.

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"You cannot be serious! It is utterly unacceptable. You are the King! You should be marrying a Princess from another kingdom or at the very least a Duchess from you own kingdom. Not some dead Baron's daughter from a small and dilapidated estate. It is ridiculous!"

Jack smiled indulgently as he listened to Donna rant at the King. She was the only person in the kingdom who could get away with speaking to the King in such a manner. Not even he would be able to address Novem in such a way. Donna, as strong-willed as she was intelligent, would always try to do what was best of the kingdom and Jack could understand her current irritation.

While he had been privy to the King's growing interest and affection for Rose, nay encouraged it, Donna had not and now the King's decision to propose to Rose probably felt quite impulsive and irresponsible to her, not only for the King personally but also for the kingdom.

"I mean, I liked the look of her. She had fire in her eyes, gumption. And she was instrumental in stopping the assassination plot, but still. I would never have encouraged her if I though you would end up wanting to marry her!" Donna continued.

"And you!" she turned on Jack. "You were the one who recommended that I approve their invitation to the birthday celebration last year. Have you been planning this all along?"

Jack held up his hands in placation, "I assure you dearest Donna that I planned nothing. Honest!"

Donna glowered at him, unconvinced.

"I thought they were pretty and wanted to see more of them."

"And you could not have seen them around the castle? Accidentally bumped into them out in the gardens?"

"But they would not have been so pretty, and all dressed up."

Donna narrowed her eyes at him but did not push the issue any further. She would get nowhere with him; he had an excuse for everything. He was one of the most insufferable men she had ever come across, but he was still one of her closest friends.

"What about Princess Jabe, of the Forest of Cheem? You always liked her," Donna suggested in desperation rather than in hope that he would agree.

The Cheemians were a woodland people, their cities built in and growing with the forests of their kingdom.

"Enough!" Novem called. "As you so aptly put it, I am the King, and as such I will marry whom I chose."

"It is that very fact which means that you cannot marry whomever you wish. Your life is no longer your own, you must do what is best for the kingdom. And that entails not marrying a Baroness," Donna countered.

"You can always make her a Duchess," suggested Jack from the corner of the room to which he had retreated. This earned him a withering look from Donna.

"It would appear that you are outnumbered, my dear," came a voice from across the room.

Donna turned to see her grandfather traversing the room and gave him a slightly exasperated look.

"I know you value propriety, but it is really not all that bad. The young Baroness is of noble birth, she is well liked by many at court and had made many friends including Lady Oswald. And Lord Duodeciem himself has told me how highly Lady Oswald speaks of her. It is really not as bad as you think, sweetheart," Wilfred continued.

Donna sighed. She was indeed outnumbered and her only true ally, Sarah-Jane, was not due to return to the kingdom for many months. "I do not doubt her personally, only how her low social ranking will be perceived both within and outside the kingdom. It will be viewed as a weakness, a weak King, and a weak kingdom. The Southern skirmishes have only just been resolved what if this union sparks another rebellion or if we have passed up the opportunity to make a strategic alliance with another kingdom?"

Looking about the room Donna exhaled in frustration. Turning to Novem she said "Well, clearly there is no talking you out of it."

"No, there is not," Novem replied in a firm tone.

"Then I suppose I had best start getting things organised for an engagement ball and the deployment of extra soldiers. Jack, I will need to discuss the placement and allocation of soldiers with you later."

"I will call on you this evening," Jack said.

With only a small amount of residual annoyance Donna said, "Congratulations on your engagement, Novem."

Wilfred echoed his granddaughter's sentiments although in a much more jovial tone before the two of them left.

After they had left Jack turned to Novem. He beyond happy for his friend, and for Rose, but he wanted to make sure it was what Novem wanted. "Does it at all bother you that you will be marrying so far out of your class? The court gossips will have a field day and it will cause quite the scandal," he asked

"Personally, I do not give a damn what people say, in particular those members of court who make it their business to drag up the dregs of a sandal. What does concern me is if it hurts Lady Tyler, but she is strong, and I believe she will weather the storm."

Jack gave him a crooked grin, "So, you really are going to marry her, aren't you?"

Novem nodded and a soft smile of his own curved his lips. "She really is quite beautiful, and she has a sharp mind to go with it."

"Indeed, she does," Jack agreed, "You have gotten yourself a treasure in Rose. Congratulations, my friend," he said moving to embrace Novem.

"Thank you."

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True to his word, two weeks later the announcement was made of the King and Rose's engagement.

The announcement caused quite the stir in court and the wider city, everything from joy and excitement to disbelief and mockery. And very quickly the whole kingdom began humming with talk of the engagement and the woman how had managed to snare the King.

The engagement ball was to be a lavish affair; no expense was going to be spared. The week before the ball was hectic; the castle was a hive of activity with palace staff desperately trying to get everything ready and in order from decorations to the food, to the number of guests and rooms available.

The ball would also be the first time that Rose and Novem would appear together in public as a betrothed couple which caused no end of gossip among the courtiers as to what the pair would be like around each other.

Rose's dress for the night was elegant but simple enough. It was an ivory white bodice and skirt with an overlay of teal blue flowers stretching out across the fabric.

When she was ready, she was conveyed up to the King's study from where the two of them would depart for the ball together.

"Good evening, your Majesty," she said when she entered eyeing the man before her.

His black evening clothes matched his dark hair and contrasted sharply with his snowy frilled shirt and accentuated the long, lean lines of his body. Rose noticed again how incredibly piercing his eyes were. It was impossible not to respond to him, his masculine power dominated the scene.

"Novem," he said.

"What?"

"My name is Novem. Your Majesty is far too formal in the circumstances."

"As you wish Your Maj- Novem."

Novem cocked his head to the side. "Do you prefer Rosabel, or are you a Rose?"

"Rose."

"Then Rose it shall be."

There was a slight paused before he said somewhat awkwardly, "I have something for you," and he produced from a drawer in his desk a black velvet box. Opening the clasp, he withdrew a diamond necklace with one large single drop of a sparkling grey stone Rose did not recognise in the centre. It was the most beautiful necklace Rose had ever seen.

"Do you like it?"

"It is beautiful. What is the centre stone?"

"That is a Key Stone. It was used centuries ago to decorate the key stone in door arches. They have long since been either stolen or hidden away but one still remains over the door of the reservoir here at the castle. The stone is very unique, it has particles in it that appear to shine and glow yellow in the sunlight." Rose continued to admire the necklace as he spoke.

"Turn around and I will put it on you."

Rose turned her back to him. His long fingers brushed the nape of her neck as he fastened the clasp and sent shivers down her spine. The Key Stone came to rest delicately above the bodice of her dress. Turning back to him she fingered the stone and smiled awkwardly.

"Thank you, Novem. I have never seen a necklace quite as beautiful."

"It is a family heirloom," he explained. "It was my mother's and my grandmother's before that."

Rose stared at him, uneasy at receiving a gift that must have sentimental and family value. "Then you should not have given it to me. I cannot accept it. It should be given to the Queen-"

"We are engaged, and you will one day be Queen. It is only proper that I give you gifts," he interrupted.

"But something of such value and personal meaning?"

"Then let it be a promise of commitment and things to come."

This necklace meant marriage and lifelong commitment. The clarity of this realisation frightened Rose a little.

"I ... Thank you. It is very beautiful."

In a strange yet not wholly uncomfortable silence they proceeded down to the Great Hall and paused for a few moments in the ante chamber as they were announced to the court.

Unfortunately, this period of waiting allowed Rose's anxiety levels to rise considerably and it was with a mixture of wanting to be sick and feeling like her heart was going to burst out of her chest it was beating so quickly that Rose took Novem's arm and they walked out onto the dais.

Several hundred men and women dressed in silks and satins and with jewels glittering in the light of the chandeliers turned to look. Rose saw a sea of faces and the babble of conversation from the courtiers died down as she appeared on the King's arm.

Curiosity, admiration, and envy were just some of the expressions that looked up at the couple.

Keeping her proudly and protectively by his side, Novem strolled nonchalantly into their midst.

Every neck in the hall craned to see Rose, straight backed and very lovely, walking beside the King. The folds of her dress clung to her slender body and her necklace gleamed with its prisms of sparkling light and the glow of a setting sun.

Tucked in by Novem's side Rose began to relax and was both impressed and amused by Novem's indifference to the excited curiosity their appearance was generating. Rose watched as he nodded to acknowledge friends and acquaintances, introducing her to what seemed like hundreds of people. They all seemed quite pleasant; they smiled and simpered and congratulated the pair on their engagement. All the while Rose wondered which of the simpering courtiers were sincere in their good wishes and which of them would be whispering malicious gossip about her over the next couple of weeks.

Taking two glasses of wine from the tray of a hovering footman, Novem handed one to Rose, raising it in a toast.

"My Lords and Ladies of the court, I thank you for being here and for your kind wishes on this happy occasion." He turned to Rose, took her free hand and kissed the back of it. "Lady Rose has most graciously accepted my hand in marriage, to be my wife and my Queen and made me a very happy man. To the future."

For the benefit of their audience she gave him a dazzling smile and said, "To the future." This was echoed by the courtiers who broke into a round of applause.

"Come, people are staring, and I would have this dance before I find you swept away by some overzealous Lord, namely Jack" he said offering his arm to her, the corners of his lips twitching upwards in a suppressed smile.

Rose, grateful for the humour, gave a small chuckle and took his arm graciously.

Novem led her out onto the dance floor, the guests parting to let them through. He took one of her hands, the other going to her lower back, while she in turn placed other hand just below the nape of his neck.

The music stated to play, and they moved to it. As they moved gracefully across the dance floor, caught up in the King's arms the doubts of the engagement and impeding marriage disappeared from Rose's mind and the dance passed in a blissful dream.

It was later in the evening, after spending much of her time with Martha, Sally, Larry and Clara, that Rose came across Jack.

"I hope you do not disapprove, Jack," she asked as he took her hand and kissed the back of it affectionately.

A smile stretched across Jack's face. "If my humble approval can be of any comfort to you Rose, I give it to you gladly. I sincerely hope the two of you will be happy."

It was Rose's turn to smile. "Thank you. It means a lot to me and gives me courage knowing that in you I have a friend."

"He is not the easiest man to get close to. But he is better for knowing."

"He has been a good friend to you?"

"We have been friends since we were children. He has tremendous strength of mind and will. I cannot match him in that, and he rarely meets with opposition from anyone."

"Only you?" Rose teased.

Jack chuckled, "Me and Donna, and perhaps Sarah Jane as well. He is a man who needs to be taught how to love, and I think you are beautiful and sensible enough to stand a chance of doing just that."

Rose was not convinced and gave an ironic smile.

"We are not marrying for love. To be honest I do not know why we are marrying."

"Your marriage may be convenient to both of you but that does not necessarily mean that affection, tolerance and even love will fail to blossom. He has been working himself into the ground the last few years trying to get the kingdom back into shape. But some time with you will do him the world of good. You have nothing to fear, Rose."

With the serious part of the conversation done Jack pulled her towards the dance floor, saying, "I must have at least two dances with you before you become a married woman."

True to his word Jack danced the next two dances with Rose before the two retired to the side-lines to rest and catch their breath. Novem joined them after some time and he led Rose out onto the dance floor for the final closing dance before the engagement party ended.

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