Chapter 21: Under the Pledging Tree
Ash, Serena, and their pokemon felt the ocean breeze reach them even from atop the Courmarine manor's walls. There, the couple looked upon a librated Courmarine city and its revived harbor.
Laborers, merchants, and farmers returning from the fields moved about their daily routines as carpenters and builders tended to the damaged walls and buildings with strong pokemon.
"Another city free'd." Serena exhaled deeply with utter joy in her expression, particularly when she saw the local people and their pokemon moving about unmolested by Galar routiers.
"Oui. " Ash added, similarly grateful for their success before taking out a small bag and emptying its contents into his hand.
"That makes three Earls." Ash sounded proud while showing the badges to his pokemon whose eyes glistened with delight at the symbols of their accomplishments. Serena too smiled a little when she saw this, at least until the Princess noticed something else in the corner of her eye. Within one of the manor's courtyard rested at a vast garden where Ramos and his pokemon dutifulyl attended to the rich flora. However, he did so under the close supervision of a knight and four men-at-arms.
Just that morning at breakfast a letter arrived from Calem congratulating them on their recent victory and assuring them that things were going well further east. The victory at Courmarine secured most of the northern coast, limiting where the Galar could bring in reinforcements. Additionally, Calem officially named Michael Comte de Courmarine and approved commuting of Ramos's execution for treason to house arrest under his supervision.
"Serena, he didn't betray Alexandre as Lysandre did. He just got scared and made a mistake." Ash said in a soothing tone when he saw her resentful expression.
"Char."
"Braix."
"Cham." Serena's pokemon offered her similar comfort, and she sighed while nodding.
"You're right. At least Calem and Red are both well." Serena's smile returned while thinking back to the messenger that morning. Apparently, Red and Korrina arrived in the east with their forces and the Catalan Company and so far proved quite successful in the various skirmishes going on there.
"I knew he'd be a great commander! I just hope he doesn't take on the rest of the Earls before us!" Ash laughed with his pokemon. Serena tried to join in when she held her stomach and grit her teeth.
"Are you ok?" Serena didn't answer immediately and struggled against the unusual feeling of nausea.
"Oui, just feeling a little sick is all." Serena exhaled and tried to stand back up.
"Do you need to rest?" Serena shook her head.
"Non, I'm fine, just an upset stomach." Ash grinned mischievously.
"Really, well, maybe this will help." Serena almost yelped when she felt him move both hands under her shirt and onto her stomach.
"Ash!" Serena half cried/half laughed when he started tickling her.
"I'm just trying to help." Ash snickered as half his pokemon laughed and the other half sweatdropped with Serena's.
"Ash cut it out. I'm serious!" Serena shouted with giggles mixed in.
"But you sound so happy!"
"Ash!" He finally stopped, leaving Serena gasping for breath and struggling against her nausea.
"If I throw up, I'm going to do it all over you." She scowled at Ash, who slowly moved his right hand under her chin.
"Relax, you're going to be fine, I promise." Ash sealed his words with a passionate kiss that eased Serena out of her discomfort.
Later that morning, Ash and Serena walked through the upper portion of the city with Clemont and Bonnie until they reached a colossal tree that towered well above manor and even the Lumiose Cathedral.
"Ahhh! It's so tall!" Bonnie cried.
"Oui, we call it the Pledging Tree." Michael said with a somber smile as he gazed upon the magnificent tree.
"The first Count of Courmarine planted it centuries ago, and my family has tended to it ever since. My father used to take me out here as a boy and show me how to take care of it." Michael fought back immense emotions as he stroked the base of the tree trunk.
"He's still here, you're still here, and you're still young." Serena said, placing a warm hand on his shoulder, earning a renewed smile from the Count.
"Oui, I can teach my future sons and daughters how to take care of it."
"No need for a long engagement then." Sycamore chuckled.
"Nope, as soon as Anna arrives, we'll be married!"
"Best way to do it." Ash said, earning giggles from Serena and Bonnie.
"It's a shame she can't get here tonight, though. I can't hold off the celebrations anymore, and the locals are dying to see you perform, Princess."
Serena nodded. That night, Michael planned to host a great festival beneath the Pledging Tree to celebrate the city's liberation. The festival would include a showcase of performers, with Serena acting as the grand finale.
"What kind of performance do you have planned this time?" Clemont asked, though somewhat quietly. He was still a bit shaken from the battle and his first time killing a man with a sword. Sycamore came over and comforted him while Bonnie did the same.
"Something a little different. Charla and Pancham both learned a new move two days ago." Serena beamed with her pokemon.
"New moves? Really, what are they?" Ash asked with an eager expression.
"You'll find out tonight, mon amour!" Serena giggled.
"Come on! I want to know!" Bonnie pleaded as she came up and wrapped her arms around Serena's legs, earning laughs from the others and their pokemon, all except Greninja, who secluded himself and leaned against the tree. Ash and his Pokemon turned to him with a shared longing gaze and sighed.
Moments later, the city bells started ringing, and a messenger raced over on a Gogoat, both their faces illuminated.
"Mon sieugner! Mon sieugner!"
"Oui, what's wrong?"
"It's the Queen. She's at the city gates!" The group went silent and caught their breath.
"Mama!" Serena cried, her heart racing while Ash's did the same.
They raced to the city's southern gate, where countless inhabitants gathered in awe before a large company of knights and men-at-arms on rhyhorn with none other than Queen Grace at their head.
"Mama!" Serena and Grace's eyes met with overwhelming emotion.
"Serena!" The Queen dismounted so fast she nearly toppled out of her saddle. However, she quickly recovered and sprinted over to embrace Serena, the two women tearing up as they did so.
"Char?"
"Cham?" Charla and Pancham tilted their heads, slightly confused as they'd never met her before.
"Braix." Braixen explained who she was, earning shocked expressions from them both.
"Your majesty!" Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie raced over before bowing their heads alongside Sycamore and Michael.
"Ash." Grace muttered. The Prince Consort didn't catch it, but Serena and Clemont did. The Queen didn't look at him and almost sounded a little disappointed.
The party returned to Michael's estate for wine and lunch in the dining chamber. Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie recounted their travels to Grace there.
"Bon Reduka! Ash, how could you be so reckless with Serena and the others!? You swore to us you'd protect her!" Grace almost stood up and bore down on the chevalier, who nervously sweatdropped.
"Calmer, mama! Ash saved us outside Lumiose and countless times since then!" Serena quickly came to her husband's defense while Bonnie and Clemont nodded.
"I'm afraid I must agree, your majesty. Given their position, any route would've been perilous. Ash and Red showed great prudence escorting Serena to Shalour City."
Grace sighed.
"Red, he's lucky he's the Count there now, or I'd have him flogged for putting you in such danger." The Queen returned her harsh gaze to Ash.
"All due respect, your majesty. Monsieur Ash is one of the bravest and most dutiful chevaliers I've had the privilege of meeting. The Princess is blessed to have such a husband, and we're similarly blessed to have her. Together they've made a world of difference for the war effort." Michael said respectfully but firmly.
Grace took another deep breath, and the rage subsided from her expression. However, Serena remained suspicious.
"Oui, and I'm very proud of what you've done, Serena. Arnaud and so many others have stood up to the Galar because of the hope you have them. But it's too dangerous for you to remain in Kalos."
"Quoi?" Serena and the others all muttered.
Grace stood up and placed her hand on Serena's shoulder with the kind of loving expression only a mother could give.
"Serena, I lost your father, Monsieur Pierre, and so many others. I can't lose you too. The Kingdom can't lose you, which is why we're leaving Kalos and heading to Navarre. Your uncle will keep us safe there."
"Ehhh!?" Serena yelped while Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and their pokemon joined in.
"Mama!"
"Serena it's for your own good! It's by Reduka's mercy alone you haven't been captured by the Galar or their new allies from Kanto. I'm your mother, and it's my duty to keep you safe, especially when your husband won't."
Ash sweatdropped again and felt knots form in his stomach as he thought back to the promise he'd made Alexandre and everything that had happened since then.
"Actually, Princess, I think the Queen has a point." Sycamore said as he stood up and used the chair to help himself remain standing.
"Bishop!" Bonnie cried.
"S'il te plaît, listen to reason. You've already lit the spark of hope across Kalos and helped retake the north and west. Right now, the best thing you can do is get out of King Victor's reach in Espana."
"Merci, bishop." Grace said.
"Your majesty, Serena has worked hard towards her dreams here and wants to see her part in all this through. I wanted to keep her safe in Shalour, but Serena is determined." Ash and Serena shared spirited smiles, much to the Queen's chagrin.
"Oui, but if she's captured, then King Victor's won! Listen to the Queen. Both of you should leave Kalos and take Bonnie with you-" Sycamore started.
"Réellement, bishop. Just Serena and I are going."
"Quoi!?" The entire chamber turned to Grace in disbelief.
"Mama!?" Serena muttered. The Queen sighed deeply and covered her face.
"We can bring Bonnie with us, but Ash must stay."
Ash tightened his fist.
"I'm a knight, it's my duty to fight for Kalos-"
"That's not why you can't come."
"Eh?" Ash and Serena murmured.
"...Ash, you were like a son to Alexandre, and you've been one of the best Royal chevaliers I've ever seen. But the truth is, it would've been better had you died with Alexandre."
"Mama!" Serena roared.
"Pika!"
"Grauu!" Ash's pokemon snarled while the chevalier went pale.
"Your majesty!" Sycamore nearly toppled over as he tried to race beside Ash.
"How could you say something like that!?" Bonnie shouted in a similar fury.
"Because I made a deal with King Ferdinand of Castile & Leon!"
"Deal?" Ash and Serena muttered.
"Oui. He's won a decisive victory against the Daharans and subjugated them as vassals. Right now, Castile & Leon is the dominant power in Espana, and his oldest son needs a wife."
"Mama." Serena covered her mouth and backed up in utter horror as Grace approached her with a sorrowful expression.
"Serena, please try to understand. This is for your safety and Kalos's. If you marry Prince Alfonso, it will cement Navarre's future, keep you safe, and give Calem a real chance to win. King Ferdinand promised me he has no intention to let his son press a claim to Kalos's throne through you."
"Your majesty!" Sycamore roared, his face turning red.
"In case you haven't forgotten, the Princess is already married!"
Grace clenched her eyes shut and fought back tears.
"I made arrangements with a bishop in Navarre. He can have the marriage annulled."
"No! Mama, how could you!?" Ash had to hold Serena back to prevent her from slapping Grace even as tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Serena-" Grace reached out, but Serena smacked her hand away.
"Jamais! There are no grounds to annul their marriage! I did everything properly! In Reduka's eyes, they're bound for all eternity!" Sycamore threw himself between the couple and the Queen, who now grit her teeth.
"The bishop assured me he'd find a way."
"Jamais! I'll fight him tooth and nail if I must!"
Grace pushed past him and tried to take Serena by the shoulders even as she trembled.
"Serena, I know it's hard for you to understand, but this is for your own good-" Grace backed up when she saw Ash force himself between her and Serena, a fiery expression on his face that reminded the group of Charizard when he got angry.
"All due respect, your majesty. But I promised my King that I'd keep Serena safe. I promised before Reduka. I failed him once. I will never do so again!"
Grace backed up a little, but regained her composure and narrowed her eyes at him.
"You love my daughter."
"With all my heart and soul!"
"Bien, then you'll do what's best and let her go."
Serena broke down and began to sob. The Princess covered her face and ran off, her pokemon following.
"Serena!" Ash and Grace cried.
Michael, meanwhile, nervously sat at the end of the table, sweatdropping with his Gogoat.
"Merde."
Serena hugged each of her pokemon tightly as they sat beneath the Pledging Tree. She couldn't believe her own mother threatened to end her marriage with Ash, especially after her father insisted she marry him.
Serena's emotions mixed with her upset stomach again making the young woman nearly lose herself to sensory overload. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't force her to leave Kalos, her dreams, and Ash.
"Braix."
"Cham."
"Char." All three of Serena's pokemon tried to comfort her but to no avail. That was until a familiar hand reached her shoulders.
"Serena." The Princess slowly opened her eyes and saw Ash's smiling face.
"Ash!" Serena wrapped her arms tightly around him and remained locked in that position for what felt like hours.
"I thought you might still be feeling unwell."
"Eh?" Serena opened her eyes again and realized he was holding a basket.
"Pecha juice." Ash poured her a cup, and Serena slowly smiled while wiping the tears from her face. The chevalier slowly sat down beside his wife and joined her as they drank and watched the setting sun with their pokemon.
Serena rested her head on Ash's shoulder while Braixen and Charla similarly tried to cuddle up beside Charizard and Lucario. Neither spoke, both merely enjoying each other's presence.
"...She can't make me leave you. I won't!" Serena cried before Ash eased her back into a relaxed position.
"Serena, I'm still excited to see your performance tonight."
"Eh?" Serena muttered. Ash smiled warmly.
"You said it would be a great surprise."
"Ash! How can you even think about that when my mama's threatening to annul our marriage!" Serena tried to get up, but Ash kept her in his arms and maintained his relaxed expression.
"I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they see you." Serena's rage and anxiety vanished as she finally understood what Ash had gotten at. The Princess smiled warmly and hugged him tightly, with more tears streaming down her face.
"Oui, espoir." With a deep breath, Serena got up with a confident look as she turned to her pokemon.
"Allons-y! We still need to get dressed!"
"Braix!"
"Cham!"
"Char!"
By nightfall, several performers went before the people of Courmarine and Michael's troops, but the audience eagerly anticipated Serena. All except for Grace and her escort of knights who forced their way through before finding the Princess on the stage.
"Serena! We're leaving!" Her knights encircled the stage, making it clear this wasn't a request.
"Not yet." Grace's head shot to Ash, who stood nearby with Clemont and Bonnie.
"He's right, I have to perform first."
The audience roared back, demanding that Grace let Serena perform.
"Fine! Then we leave!" A few of Grace's knights forced themselves between Ash and the stage, though they did so reluctantly and gave Ash looks that made their guilt and sorrow clear.
However, the Prince merely nodded to his wife who returned the favor and readied herself.
"Let's go!"
"Braix!"
"Cham!"
"Char!" Braixen and Charla lit up the night sky with their moves while Pancham propelled himself and Serena up and just beneath the spectacle. Once there, she extended her dress's wings and began dancing in the air with Pancham before Charla took to the sky and joined her.
"Go Serena!" Bonnie cried.
The audience joined in, losing themselves to the overwhelming sense of hope and passion Serena's performance gave them. When Grace saw how alive her daughter looked and the effect she had on the audience, the Queen touched her heart and felt tears swell her eyes.
"Serena." As Serena went on and prepared for the grand finale, Grace almost considered letting her stay, but shook her head.
"Non! It must be done!"
"Now, grand finish! Dragon Dance, Sunny Day!"
"Char!"
"Cham!" Charla and Pancham combined their bright moves into a vibrant display that almost resembled a mega-evolution sphere.
"Ahhh!" The audience gazed with wonder and delight as Serena and her team disappeared into the light.
"Magnifique!" Grace cried. However, her expression changed when she realized that Serena and her team had disappeared.
"Eh?"
"My Quenn." A knight nervously muttered as he pointed out a now missing Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie.
Ash beamed as he rode Charizard with Pikachu, Bonnie, and Clemont in Charizard's arms, his other pokemon racing below with Braixen. Nearby Serena glided beside Charla with Pancham in her arms.
"Where too now?" Serena asked with a beaming smile.
"East!" Ash laughed.
"Serena!" Grace shrieked.
Author's note
Yep, it's not just the Galar who are after Serena now!
The next few chapters will be smaller in scale, no big battles for a while, more episodic pokemon esk chapters
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)