I can't respond to every review today, I'm gonna be late for work!!! But
I'm dedicating this chapter to Raven Hare..for her awesome fic "The Gypsy
and the Devil" in the X2 movie section. If you haven't read it, READ IT!
It's amazing!
Disclaimer: Dangle IS the man..
~&~
"Sir, please, let me help you," Joseph said, pulling his Count's shaking hands from his neck, and tying the ribbon.
"Danke, Joseph. I cannot stop shaking," Johann replied, looking himself over in the mirror for even the slightest imperfection.
"Nerve, sir. It'll pass," Joseph countered, straightening his own jacket. "I would be worried if you weren't a bit anxious."
Johann smiled at his servant, and returned to the smoothing of his jacket, and straightening of his cumber bund. The day his mother had vowed would never come had finally arrived. The wiley count was settling down, and marrying his beautiful American schatz. He couldn't be happier with his wife to be. They had courted for nearly a year before he had proposed, and it had taken a long while for him to truly win her heart. But now, she would be his, fir the rest of their lives. Til death do they part.
"Ahh, the handsome groom!" Mother took him by the arms, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. When she withdrew, Johann could see unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "You look wonderful."
"As do you, Mama," Johann responded, planting a kiss on her forehead. He turned back to the mirror and continued with his nervous straightening. "And what of my bride?"
"Ach! Don't even ask, Johann, it's bad luck!" Mama replied, pickig a piece of lint off the back of his jacket.
"It's bad luck to see, Mama, not ask," Johann laughed. His mother could be terribly old fashioned at times.
"Well, if you must know, then, she is gorgeous as ever. You caught yourself quite a woman, my love."
Johann stared at his reflection. He was a handsome man, but Raven was beyond stunning. He thanked God daily that he was able to meet such a wonderful woman. A woman who had already made him the happiest man alive. And a woman who he knew would give him the most beautiful children. Johann heard a soft whimper behind him, and turned to his mother.
"Mama, don't cry," he said, pulling her into an embrace.
His mother nestled her tear streaked face into his jacket and attempted to staunch the tear flow. "I'm just so proud of you. I didn't think that the day would ever come when I'd see one of my baby's walk down the aisle. If only your father and-" she paused. "Well, if only your father could be here."
Johann knew what had his mother so uptight. Hans had always been a difficult subject for her. It had never been her decision to send him away, their father had decided on that himself. Johann had never met his older brother, and niether him or his mother knew where he had been sent. That was a secret that Father had taken with him to the grave. Mother never forgot about her first born, though. And it always hit her hardest when family milestones came about.
Mama pulled away and wiped her eyes with her tissue. "Well, no reason to fall to pieces. My baby boy is getting married! My sweet baby boy," she touched his cheek affectionately. "Ach! And look what I have done, gotten your jacket all wet!"
"It's alright, Mama," he told her, wiped at his jacket. "I'll take care of it. You go on and check on my Raven."
"Alright, then. But hurry! We're going to start soon." She shuttled out the door, looking back once again at her grown son.
~&~
Johann stood at the end of the aisle, beaming as Raven made her way toward him. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen. He looked out at the sea of people who ha1d come to attend this opulent affair. His family, many foreign dignitaries, but strangely, no one from had arrived for Raven. She had mentioned to him the problems she has had with her family, and how difficult it was for them to travel. He thought it odd that they would not at least try to make it to their wedding.
He pushed these thoughts aside as Raven joined him, and the priest began. Johann could not remember having ever been happier.
~&~
He smiled fondly, going over the pictures before him. It was a beautiful wedding, but you could expect no less from royalty. The reception afterwards had been a wonderful affair. In this world Johann lived in now, he couldn't believe that he had ever been that happy. But the pictures didn't lie.
He thought of the pictures he had seen on TV. He had begun to doubt himself. He wanted so badly to believe that his son was still alive, and that he had found him. He knew that Joseph didn't believe it. He could see it in his eyes whenever he brought it up. It was a look of pity, for an old man who had finally gone off his rocker. Johann had promised himself that would never happen. What if it truly was happening now?
He put away the wedding album, reaching for the next. A piece of paper fell out from between the pages as he pulled it down from its shelf. Johann remembered this drawing. He had commissioned an artist to do it, a drawing of his newborn son. It was surprisingly accurate, considering all the artist had to go on were Johann's descriptions. Perhaps, though, it wasn't as accurate as he believed it to be. It had been 16 years. Sixteen long, lonely years.
The Count set the drawing aside, and opened the next album. His first years with Raven, their honeymoon. They were so much in love. He kept flipping though, as the memories reliving the most treasured memories.
~&~
The two sat quietly at dinner, the restaurant bustling outside their private room. Raven had been acting odd lately, and Johann was a bit more than worried. He lifted his glass of wine to his lips and took a sip, noticing Raven had not even touched hers. She shifted the food around on her plate, taking bites every now and again. He couldn't stand to see her this way.
"Liebe, is there something the matter?" he asked, placing his glass down on the table.
Raven looked up and placed a smile on her exquisite face. "Not at all, darling. Why would you ask?"
A waiter walked over and refilled Johann's glass with their chosen Pinot Grigio. He offered to Raven, and she shook her head.
Johann took another sip of his wine and stared at his wife. Something was not right. It was their second anniversary, their second year together. Why did she look so forlorn? Why wasn't she as happy as she was last year at this time? It puzzled Johann, but more than that, it worried him. He hated to think that there was something truly wrong with his beloved.
"Raven," he said, reaching forward and grasping her hand. He began to ask her agin, but thought better of it. He lifted his glass in a toast. "To the past two years. And many more to come."
Raven smiled at him sadly and lifted her glass to his. Johann watched as she returned her still untouched wine glass to the table, and continued to push around her food.
~&~
Upon returning to their palace, Raven excused herself and retired to the bedroom immediately. Joseph took her coat as well as Johann's as she rushed past and up the stairs. He looked to his Count.
"Is everything alright with the Countess, sir?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Johann simply rubbed his face with his hands, sitting in a chair nearby. "I don't know, Joseph, she won't tell me. I'm very worried."
Joseph gave a knowing smirk. "Well, sir. Perhaps the results of a recent trip to the doctor would shed some light on her, er, condition."
Johann raised an eyebrow at his servant and closest confidant. "What are you talking about, Joseph?"
"I think you should ask m'lady about that, sir." Joseph turned to hang the coats in their place.
The Count started up the stairs, trying to put together what Joseph was trying to say. Was his wife sick? He opened the door to their bedroom, noticing Raven's dress laying crumpled on the floor. She herself was not in the room, but wretching sounds coming from the master bath noted to him where she was. He tapped lightly on the door.
"Raven? Is everything ok?" he was answered by the door opening and his wife swiftly passing him and collapsing on the bed.
Johann walked over and placed his arms on her shoulders, lying down with her. "Please, Raven, tell me. Anything it is, I promise, we can work through it. Please," he pleaded with her. He could feel tears begin in his eyes, so concerned he was for her well being.
Raven turned her head toward him, staring with her bloodshot eyes. He gave her a small smile of encouragement. She sighed heavily. "I'm pregnant," she replied, burying her head back into the sheets.
Johann stopped. Pregnant? He smiled. His wife was pregnant. His beloved Raven was going to make him a father. He picked Raven up into his arms and held her close. "Liebeschen! This is the most wonderful news!"
Raven continued to cry into his shoulder. She pulled away slightly, looking into his eyes. "I-I don't think I am ready for this yet, Johann."
"I told you, liebe. We will work through it," he planted a small kiss on her forehead. "I promise."
His wife pulled herself out of his arms. She still looked troubled by something. "Johann, I-" she stopped, playing with her fingers nervously. Her face suddenly changed, her mood lightening. "I'm going to be a mother."
Johann smiled at his bride, none the wiser. The two embraced happily, eager to turn their pair into three.
~&~
Ya, there ya go..ergh, I'm troubled by this fic. But lemme know what you're thinking!
Disclaimer: Dangle IS the man..
~&~
"Sir, please, let me help you," Joseph said, pulling his Count's shaking hands from his neck, and tying the ribbon.
"Danke, Joseph. I cannot stop shaking," Johann replied, looking himself over in the mirror for even the slightest imperfection.
"Nerve, sir. It'll pass," Joseph countered, straightening his own jacket. "I would be worried if you weren't a bit anxious."
Johann smiled at his servant, and returned to the smoothing of his jacket, and straightening of his cumber bund. The day his mother had vowed would never come had finally arrived. The wiley count was settling down, and marrying his beautiful American schatz. He couldn't be happier with his wife to be. They had courted for nearly a year before he had proposed, and it had taken a long while for him to truly win her heart. But now, she would be his, fir the rest of their lives. Til death do they part.
"Ahh, the handsome groom!" Mother took him by the arms, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. When she withdrew, Johann could see unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "You look wonderful."
"As do you, Mama," Johann responded, planting a kiss on her forehead. He turned back to the mirror and continued with his nervous straightening. "And what of my bride?"
"Ach! Don't even ask, Johann, it's bad luck!" Mama replied, pickig a piece of lint off the back of his jacket.
"It's bad luck to see, Mama, not ask," Johann laughed. His mother could be terribly old fashioned at times.
"Well, if you must know, then, she is gorgeous as ever. You caught yourself quite a woman, my love."
Johann stared at his reflection. He was a handsome man, but Raven was beyond stunning. He thanked God daily that he was able to meet such a wonderful woman. A woman who had already made him the happiest man alive. And a woman who he knew would give him the most beautiful children. Johann heard a soft whimper behind him, and turned to his mother.
"Mama, don't cry," he said, pulling her into an embrace.
His mother nestled her tear streaked face into his jacket and attempted to staunch the tear flow. "I'm just so proud of you. I didn't think that the day would ever come when I'd see one of my baby's walk down the aisle. If only your father and-" she paused. "Well, if only your father could be here."
Johann knew what had his mother so uptight. Hans had always been a difficult subject for her. It had never been her decision to send him away, their father had decided on that himself. Johann had never met his older brother, and niether him or his mother knew where he had been sent. That was a secret that Father had taken with him to the grave. Mother never forgot about her first born, though. And it always hit her hardest when family milestones came about.
Mama pulled away and wiped her eyes with her tissue. "Well, no reason to fall to pieces. My baby boy is getting married! My sweet baby boy," she touched his cheek affectionately. "Ach! And look what I have done, gotten your jacket all wet!"
"It's alright, Mama," he told her, wiped at his jacket. "I'll take care of it. You go on and check on my Raven."
"Alright, then. But hurry! We're going to start soon." She shuttled out the door, looking back once again at her grown son.
~&~
Johann stood at the end of the aisle, beaming as Raven made her way toward him. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen. He looked out at the sea of people who ha1d come to attend this opulent affair. His family, many foreign dignitaries, but strangely, no one from had arrived for Raven. She had mentioned to him the problems she has had with her family, and how difficult it was for them to travel. He thought it odd that they would not at least try to make it to their wedding.
He pushed these thoughts aside as Raven joined him, and the priest began. Johann could not remember having ever been happier.
~&~
He smiled fondly, going over the pictures before him. It was a beautiful wedding, but you could expect no less from royalty. The reception afterwards had been a wonderful affair. In this world Johann lived in now, he couldn't believe that he had ever been that happy. But the pictures didn't lie.
He thought of the pictures he had seen on TV. He had begun to doubt himself. He wanted so badly to believe that his son was still alive, and that he had found him. He knew that Joseph didn't believe it. He could see it in his eyes whenever he brought it up. It was a look of pity, for an old man who had finally gone off his rocker. Johann had promised himself that would never happen. What if it truly was happening now?
He put away the wedding album, reaching for the next. A piece of paper fell out from between the pages as he pulled it down from its shelf. Johann remembered this drawing. He had commissioned an artist to do it, a drawing of his newborn son. It was surprisingly accurate, considering all the artist had to go on were Johann's descriptions. Perhaps, though, it wasn't as accurate as he believed it to be. It had been 16 years. Sixteen long, lonely years.
The Count set the drawing aside, and opened the next album. His first years with Raven, their honeymoon. They were so much in love. He kept flipping though, as the memories reliving the most treasured memories.
~&~
The two sat quietly at dinner, the restaurant bustling outside their private room. Raven had been acting odd lately, and Johann was a bit more than worried. He lifted his glass of wine to his lips and took a sip, noticing Raven had not even touched hers. She shifted the food around on her plate, taking bites every now and again. He couldn't stand to see her this way.
"Liebe, is there something the matter?" he asked, placing his glass down on the table.
Raven looked up and placed a smile on her exquisite face. "Not at all, darling. Why would you ask?"
A waiter walked over and refilled Johann's glass with their chosen Pinot Grigio. He offered to Raven, and she shook her head.
Johann took another sip of his wine and stared at his wife. Something was not right. It was their second anniversary, their second year together. Why did she look so forlorn? Why wasn't she as happy as she was last year at this time? It puzzled Johann, but more than that, it worried him. He hated to think that there was something truly wrong with his beloved.
"Raven," he said, reaching forward and grasping her hand. He began to ask her agin, but thought better of it. He lifted his glass in a toast. "To the past two years. And many more to come."
Raven smiled at him sadly and lifted her glass to his. Johann watched as she returned her still untouched wine glass to the table, and continued to push around her food.
~&~
Upon returning to their palace, Raven excused herself and retired to the bedroom immediately. Joseph took her coat as well as Johann's as she rushed past and up the stairs. He looked to his Count.
"Is everything alright with the Countess, sir?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Johann simply rubbed his face with his hands, sitting in a chair nearby. "I don't know, Joseph, she won't tell me. I'm very worried."
Joseph gave a knowing smirk. "Well, sir. Perhaps the results of a recent trip to the doctor would shed some light on her, er, condition."
Johann raised an eyebrow at his servant and closest confidant. "What are you talking about, Joseph?"
"I think you should ask m'lady about that, sir." Joseph turned to hang the coats in their place.
The Count started up the stairs, trying to put together what Joseph was trying to say. Was his wife sick? He opened the door to their bedroom, noticing Raven's dress laying crumpled on the floor. She herself was not in the room, but wretching sounds coming from the master bath noted to him where she was. He tapped lightly on the door.
"Raven? Is everything ok?" he was answered by the door opening and his wife swiftly passing him and collapsing on the bed.
Johann walked over and placed his arms on her shoulders, lying down with her. "Please, Raven, tell me. Anything it is, I promise, we can work through it. Please," he pleaded with her. He could feel tears begin in his eyes, so concerned he was for her well being.
Raven turned her head toward him, staring with her bloodshot eyes. He gave her a small smile of encouragement. She sighed heavily. "I'm pregnant," she replied, burying her head back into the sheets.
Johann stopped. Pregnant? He smiled. His wife was pregnant. His beloved Raven was going to make him a father. He picked Raven up into his arms and held her close. "Liebeschen! This is the most wonderful news!"
Raven continued to cry into his shoulder. She pulled away slightly, looking into his eyes. "I-I don't think I am ready for this yet, Johann."
"I told you, liebe. We will work through it," he planted a small kiss on her forehead. "I promise."
His wife pulled herself out of his arms. She still looked troubled by something. "Johann, I-" she stopped, playing with her fingers nervously. Her face suddenly changed, her mood lightening. "I'm going to be a mother."
Johann smiled at his bride, none the wiser. The two embraced happily, eager to turn their pair into three.
~&~
Ya, there ya go..ergh, I'm troubled by this fic. But lemme know what you're thinking!