Author's Note: I'm board, waiting the 25 + hours till the next episode of YB... so...here's the next chapter. (Plus, my wonderful beta promised a chapter or two back tonight...) Feedback, or no chapter 18 till Mon and ya'll want 18 before then believe me... thanks to Heather and Nicole... enjoy guys. Meg

Charles studied her face looking for some sort of sign. Jacqueline showed no outward emotion. "Wine my dear?"

Jacqueline shook her head. "We had a small incident on the ship that I prefer not to repeat." She stopped a second, not wanting to think about what happened. "Perhaps some more tea." Charles snapped his fingers and an attendant bowed, and left the room. "You must get tired of pretending," Charles said pointedly.

Jacqueline sighed, "It has been nice to be myself…, but the disguise has its rewards." Charles nodded to another attendant who bowed and left the room as the first one reentered with Jacqueline's tea. As Jacqueline drank, Charles cleared his throat preparing to speak. "The papers will prove Mazarin a traitor and then my dear you will be free." He let that soak in. "What then?"

Jacqueline coughed and sat the cup down. "I do not know; I have not thought about it."

Charles, the king of England, Scotland, and Wales smiled. "Come with me." He took her hand and led her down the hall back to the throne room. The king's throne sat in the middle, with two smaller ones on either side. He sat on the middle one and gestured for her to sit on the one to his left. Jacqueline hesitated but sat.

She felt a little uncomfortable as she looked down at the two servants who followed them, standing silently by the wall. The attendant entered and approached them, carrying a small box. Charles gestured to Jacqueline, and the attendant bowed as he opened the box and pulled out the tiara. Jacqueline's eyes widened in shock. It was gold and thin. It had rubies all around it except for a lone diamond in the center. It has heart-shaped and huge as it dangled down. The attendant knelt before her as he placed it on her head.

Charles stepped down and knelt next to her, taking her hand. "Jacqueline you were meant to be Queen of Britain." He pulled her up and to the far end of the room where a floor-length mirror stood.

Jacqueline stared at herself, the jewels on her neck and then the tiara on her head. The diamond hung down between her eyes, level with her eyebrows. She gulped silently and Charles spun her around and kissed her softly. "All I'm asking is that you take the night think it over, reconsider past decisions," he said. Jacqueline turned back to the mirror and touched the tiara with her right hand and caught a glimmer of the ring she wore.

"When does the ship leave?"

Charles turned her around again. "Midday," he answered.

She nodded. "I'll let you know by breakfast. For now, I must retire."

He nodded at his attendant who escorted her back to her rooms. Tears filled her eyes but did not fall. Jacqueline was at a lost to know what to do. Go back to France? She would be free now, free to live as she choose to. She turned the ring around, the one that once belonged to d'Artagnan's mother. He had made it clear he only wanted to marry her because of… she refused to finish the thought. Stay here and be Queen? Charles had made it clear; she could have anything she wanted. He had also made it so this time she had a real choice to make.

D'Artagnan stood in his room; he had taken his vest off already. The soft knock startled him from his thoughts and the sight that greeted him; he was not prepared for.

Jacqueline entered wearing a tiara. He gulped visibly as she entered. He bowed to her, "Your majesty, what would you like me to tell Duval, Siroc and Ramon when you do not return?" He knew his voice was bitter.

She burst into tears and he regretted it as he pulled her into his arms. He sighed, "Forgive me Jacqueline, it is your decision and I will support you no matter what."

Jacqueline sniffed as she turned to look at him. "Edmund, hold me for a minute." He did not have the heart to refuse her. She was all right in a few minutes and pulled away. "I do not know what to do," she said. She looked around her. It was a big room, but that was it, one room. She sat on the end of the bed. "Last time, well at first it was a matter of somewhere to go, someone who could love me…" she trailed off and looked at the floor. " Then he broke his promise, and again it was not a real choice." She looked back up at him. "Now, I am free, here or in France, so it is a choice. I do not know what I want."

D'Artagnan offered no words, just took her hand, and smiled. She waited and when he said nothing, she got up. "Thanks for listening Edmund, I will try and rest. Maybe I will think clearer in the morning."

He watched her go again. She was having a hard time deciding and he refused to burden her further with his feelings on the matter. It was after all her life. He sighed. She deserved to be Queen of England if it was offered to her. Surely, he could do something to help her see that…

Jacqueline sat in her room thinking. She moved to the vanity and looked at herself once again. She pulled the earrings off and sat them down, and then took off the necklace. She gingerly laid the tiara down on the top of the vanity and slowly turned to the ring. She looked at it for a few minutes, and then took it off as well. She knelt by the bed and clasped her hands together in a motion to pray. She needed to make the right decision and she only had a few hours in which to do so. She got up and climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up and closed her eyes, hoping that when they opened again, she would know what to do.