Chapter 7
C.C. smiled down at the carefully folded dress and the little box within the Queen's loaned jewels lay – both the things that she was bringing carefully back to Queen Marie.
She wasn't going to be able to thank her enough for her lending them to her, either! She'd ended up having such a wonderful – unexpectedly wonderful, at that – time just talking and laughing with Prince Niles. The conversation had sparkled, the jokes had been witty and sharp...
All of it had felt good. It had felt right. And it had made her feel like a proper lady again, which was a feeling she'd been lacking for so long, she'd almost forgotten...!
She'd liked having it back, but now it was time to go back to reality. So, after having been let into the Queen's private chambers, she made her way to Marie's study, where she knew she liked to spend her afternoon. As usual, she found the Queen with her nose buried in a book and nursing a half-empty cup of tea in her right hand. The sight was rather…endearing.
In a way, Marie reminded C.C. of her own father, perennial bookworm and tea enthusiast. She remembered he'd always let her sit by his side while he worked or read. The memory of those homey afternoons spent cooped up in her father's study always made her smile.
As she'd grown, he'd fed her curious mind with books. He'd become her tutor, and like a little sponge, she'd absorbed every drop of knowledge he'd deemed valuable enough to be shared with her. Queen Marie also enjoyed discussing her latest finds with her. According to her, she found it stimulating. She seldom had the pleasure of having an intelligent conversation, so C.C.'s arrival had been almost a mercy.
Not wanting to rudely interrupt the Queen when she was clearly engrossed in reading her book, C.C. lightly knocked on the door. Only when the Queen looked up from her book did she make her way in.
"Good morning, Your Majesty," she said, curtseying to her and trying very hard to ignore the impish (and rather…smug?) smile spreading across the Queen's face.
"So, 'ow did it go...?" she said, cutting to the chase.
Her tone was just as playfully probing, like a mother trying to find out information about the boy her girl liked, and even that comparison sent a faint blush to C.C.'s cheeks. It also put a smile so wide on her face, C.C. knew straight away she'd look like a fool. But she didn't care.
"It was...absolutely delightful, Your Majesty," she said. "We talked so much and laughed so hard...! His Royal Highness and I have...well… agreed to meet again next Friday."
Marie's eyes lit up at that, "Cherie, zhat eez wonderful news!"
C.C. nodded, a bubble of excitement making its way into her chest, "It will be! I cannot wait for the day to come! But, that is not entirely why I'm here..."
She held out the dress and the jewels to the queen.
"I must, of course, return these – Her Majesty has made me so happy by allowing me to wear such fine jewels and by making me feel like a lady again..."
Marie looked at her for only a split second, before she lightly shook her head at her. "No, my child. Zhese were not for you to borrow – zhey are yours to keep. After all, zhey are befitting gifts for one zhat 'as just been appointed First Lady of zhe Bedchamber."
Feeling the world around her come to a halt, C.C. blinked, certain that she couldn't have heard the queen right. Did...did she really say that she was making her First Lady of the Bedchamber?! The most important of all the attendants a Queen of England could have?!
How had she, a lowly and unimportant maid, possibly made such an impression that Queen Marie had agreed to give her such an important role?! And agreed that she could keep this absolutely stunning dress, and the jewels that she'd worn with it...?!
They surely had to be worth a fortune that Marie wouldn't want to spend!
They were the nicest thing that C.C. had had to wear in so long, it almost felt like she was intruding by saying yes...!
But she wasn't going to refuse such a kind and generous offer from her queen, either. How could she? This was the most wondrous thing that had happened to her in a long time - it made her feel like...like dancing!
"Her Majesty is too kind to me," C.C. gushed, part of her wanting to reach out and hug the Queen, "I… I have done nothing to deserve Her Majesty's favour."
Marie waved a dismissive hand at her, laughing lightly, "Nonsense, my dear. My last First Lady has just retired, and you are zhe most worzhy of replacing 'er. You deserve every good zhing coming your way. You will receive a generous salary from my own coffers, new and bigger rooms, and a new wardrobe fit for your new position. Now, zhat being said, what do you say eef we 'ave a spot of tea and indulge in zhe womanly 'abit of gossiping? I 'ave yet to 'ear about yesterday's events!"
As she'd spoken, Marie gestured at the empty seat next to the one she'd been occupying – there was an unused cup waiting there, and C.C. soon snapped back to the present to quickly realise that Queen Marie had meticulously planned this not-so-impromptu meeting. Again, her fussing and probing reminded her of her own mother and how she'd always insist on discussing C.C.'s suitors with her.
"It would be an honour, Your Majesty," said C.C. bowing to her queen. "Shall I pour Her Majesty a cup of tea before I am allowed to sit?"
"No, chérie! Don't be ridiculous!" she said, gesturing for C.C. to sit, which she only did once Marie had re-taken her own seat. "You are my new First Lady of zhe Bedchamber – you do not concern yourself wizh pouring cups of tea! Today, you are my guest, nozhing more and nozhing less."
First Lady of the Bedchamber ...C.C. was still completely bowled over by the title, let alone all the attention she was receiving – just like a lady once more! It was incredible – she didn't think she'd done anything to earn such a lofty position, or any of the honour that Marie had bestowed upon her!
Not that Marie looked as though she agreed. She then called one of her other servants into the room and ordered the young thing to pour them tea and fill their empty plates with all kinds of exotic delicacies. It was well known that the queen had a massive sweet tooth, so being invited to her table was always a highly coveted honour. Queen Marie was very generous, and always encouraged her ladies to help themselves to as much food as they wanted.
In the short time she'd been in Marie's service, C.C. had been the one lady-in-waiting who'd been invited to her table the most times, something she greatly appreciated. C.C. simply couldn't think of anybody more trustworthy, nor more experienced at speaking with her comfortably. And if the price to pay for the Queen's delightful company and food was indulging in a little bit of gossip, then C.C. was more than willing to provide.
She was more than grateful for everything that she'd been given, whether or not she deserved it. And that went double for the queen's friendship.
And so, she told her everything. From the tiniest scrap of information to the juiciest portion of her afternoon with the prince – nothing was left out of bounds.
She hadn't felt this welcome (nor this happy and taken care of) in a long time, and she could only hope that it would continue just as it had begun, next Friday.
She'd never wanted a day to come quite so much!
Yet another arrow embedded itself in a tree, somehow missing the prize doe it was aiming for even worse than before. The Duke of Sheffield, Maxwell Sheffield, stared after the animal, which of course quickly made its escape, and then turned to frown at Prince Niles, who had already lowered his bow. He didn't seem to be disappointed at their quarry getting away, and that was usually one of the things that annoyed him the most!
To see his best friend not even seeming to care was...well, quite frankly, bizarre! The fact that he'd missed two arrows in the first place didn't make much sense, either – nothing about it added up!
"Is...uh, not to be disrespectful, Your Royal Highness, but is something ailing you today?" he tried to be delicate in his approach. "You seem...slightly affected by something...elsewhere."
Niles didn't know how to reply to that. He wasn't feeling very affected – at least, he thought he wasn't. It was hard to know if his inability to think of more than one subject at a time was the result of being "affected", as Maxwell had put it.
The Duke of Sheffield obviously just didn't see how the constant thoughts of Lady Babcock and the splendid afternoon they'd spent together could make him so slow at hunting. Not that he personally cared if he was slow today. Not when they'd made him feel so wonderful and alive! She was refreshing to talk to – her wit was finely tuned, she played a mean game of cards, and she was so well-read that she knew a little of practically everything! Even things Niles had never cared to know!
She was simply delightful to talk to, and he couldn't imagine any of the days between that moment and the next Friday afternoon, when they'd see each other again.
He was grinning like a fool, even as that deer he'd been trying to bag disappeared into the forest.
"I couldn't be finer," he dismissed his friend with a wave of his hand and started setting off into the forest undergrowth.
He'd either find that doe, or else start hunting something that wasn't being quite so elusive that day. He wanted to have something to bring back to the palace – something he could show Lady Babcock and that she could taste in a dish at the table that night.
He wanted her to be impressed by it, and to have a good meal from something he had provided...
"Are you sure about that, Your Royal Highness?" Maxwell's thudding footsteps and concerned tone followed not too far behind him. "It isn't like you to miss when it comes to hunting. And you appear to be completely and utterly thrilled about it, even though that is also a statistical improbability."
Niles chuckled some at that, picking his way carefully over the larger roots of the trees. He knew he enjoyed hunting, but that day and the days before had been filled with nothing but Lady Babcock's image and the plan of their newly planned, second upcoming tea.
And he liked the both of those more than the sight of any fresh kill he'd made, anywhere.
"Ah, well, can you blame a man for simply being merry?" he said as he began knocking a new arrow in his bow. "It's a magnificent day, Your Grace, and we have already amassed quite a bounty!"
Maxwell frowned, unsure of how to answer to a statement he'd never believe he'd ever hear from Prince Niles. Whenever they went hunting, the prince was assiduous. He was painstakingly careful about not scaring their would-be preys, and his every move was calculated. He was diligent and professional, and he expected the same from the men he hunted with.
But today… today he seemed out of his game. He'd made plenty of blundering attempts at shooting does and stags down and he'd failed miserably, he'd let a number of boars escape, and he was being unusually loud and frolicsome. He was not stealthily hunting for new quarry but rather buoyantly meandering all over the forest!
He'd never been this way before! What could I possibly have changed in the meantime that meant he was suddenly off in his own dreamland, missing all the prey he'd usually be bringing down, and calling it a magnificent day like there was something special about it?
Maxwell just didn't understand, even if the answer seemed quite obvious to Niles.
"If you say we have, Your Royal Highness..." Maxwell thought about the one boar that he'd managed to spear before it gored Niles for standing around just grinning to himself, and the few wood pigeons that had been brought down and might be enough for some sort of stew, if they had to make anything at all with them. "In which case, do you want to give up on the deer? After all, we do have a...fine selection today..."
"Not yet," Niles practically sang back to him, releasing another arrow into the thicket. There wasn't a cry to indicate it had hit any kind of animal. "I'm sure that we can take this creature down and bring her home for a grand feast. Won't she look rather impressive, on the table at dinner?"
He was imagining being there, getting thanked by his father for bringing them such a wonderful catch, and seeing Lady Babcock sat at one of the lower tables, with the rest of the ladies-in-waiting, watching him...
It would round off a perfectly splendid day, if that all happened...!
"I am inclined to agree, sir, but, if you don't mind me saying so, I don't think we are going to take the creature down if His Royal Highness doesn't stop scaring every pray in a two-mile radius by being a loud, blundering oaf!" Maxwell snapped, giving the prince a deadpan look.
He usually preferred not being confrontational, but given the fact that they had been hunting for hours now and that the prince's distraction had cost him a number of prized quarries, he had little patience left.
Maxwell was well aware he was one of the few people who could speak with such insolence to the prince. Their friendship spanned over two decades – Niles confided in him and, Maxwell believed, he was one of his most (if not the most) treasured advisers. Any other poor bastard who even tried speaking to him in such a way would most likely get a good thrashing.
Clearly, being the Prince of Wales' best friend had its perks.
Prince Niles was very much like his father in terms of having a strong, albeit irascible, temper. But to give him some credit, he was less of a hothead than King Joseph (if only just). Probably the effect of their good Queen Marie's influence on him.
As such, his reply to Maxwell's chastising was merely a roll of the eyes and the wave of a dismissive hand.
"When did you become such a sourpuss, Your Grace?" he commented, pressing on his horse's side so it began moving again, "There is no rush – we are enjoying a day out, aren't we?"
Maxwell thought of replying that he would be fully enjoying a day out, if it weren't for the practically dancing idiot he had been forced to accompany, but he thought better of it. Sometimes things were better left unsaid – he might have been best friends with a prince, but that didn't make him exempt from punishment!
"We are," he instead said carefully, following close behind his friend. "But I do think there is something to be said for...well, catching the beast as soon as you see it. Striking while the iron's hot, so to speak. After all, it might turn down a hollow we're not familiar with and we'll lose sight of it. And if that happens, who knows if we'll spot another one again today?"
Niles gripped his horse's reins in one hand and used the other to wave dismissively.
"There are hundreds of deer in this forest, Your Grace! Not meeting more than one would be like going out into a rainstorm and not getting wet!"
Maxwell frowned to himself, having been confident that that might at least put a dent in Niles' attitude, so that he might at least consider amending his behaviour for the rest of this little jaunt.
It was just a pity that he had apparently been wrong.
Meanwhile, Niles was completely unaware of his best friend's brooding. His mind was in far too happy a place, and it didn't involve hunting immediately like Maxwell apparently wanted. They had all the rest of the day – why bag one noble beast and then decide that was all that was needed from the trip? The day was truly one of the most beautiful Niles had ever seen!
He didn't know what it was about it. The sun just seemed to be shining just enough, and hitting the leaves on the trees to make it all look the most spectacular shade of green...
Not walking through it and enjoying the view would be an insult to God and His own creation!
He only wished that Lady Babcock could be there to see it for herself. She'd probably love hearing all the different bird calls, and seeing all the colours of the flowers on the plants and bushes that he passed (and that his horse tried to nibble on, at least a couple of times).
His mind was starting to turn in the direction of maybe inviting her to some sort of outdoor tea when Maxwell cleared his throat.
"Your Royal Highness...you do know where we're going, don't you?"
That got Niles to properly look around for the first time in...well, perhaps he'd simply gone off the main path a little and all he needed was to go back to get back on it! He turned around and immediately his face fell, and he tried not to spook his horse by yelling. The main path back out had gone as well?!
But...maybe that didn't matter. Maybe this was all an opportunity to be bold, and to take chances?
It could certainly be interesting as a story for Lady Babcock if he got back to the palace and could tell her about the beautiful sight that was the forest.
His chest started to warm up at the mention of her...
"No," he eventually replied to Maxwell's question. Then he began smiling again. "But where would the fun in knowing all of that be? There's far more to be found here!"
The prince gestured around as he spoke, almost as if introducing his friend to a new world. He wasn't of course, but Maxwell was willing to humour him. Something was up with the prince, but he simply couldn't put a finger on what it was. He supposed that he'd either find out or the prince's behaviour would eventually go back to normal.
He only hoped it happened soon. Maxwell didn't think he could bear Prince Niles' idiotic behaviour for much longer.
"With all due respect, Your Royal Highness, I'd rather we didn't get lost," said Maxwell as he too pressed on his horse's side for it to follow Niles' own. "Or delve so deep into the unknown thicket that we cannot find out way back!"
"Ah, come on, Maxwell! Where is your sense of adventure, my friend? Have you already become one of those complacent and withered old men?" teased the prince.
That seemed to strike a chord with Maxwell, who took on a look of offence, "Who are you calling a complacent and withered old man?!"
"A complacent and withered old man, apparently," Niles continued, a grin spreading itself all over his face. "Would the senior amongst us like the chance to sit and rest, and maybe eat his evening meal a little earlier so he can sleep at a reasonable hour?"
The continued mocking wounded but also awoke Maxwell's sense of pride. He knew that he had to defend his honour, as well as his age, and he thought he had the perfect – perhaps the only – method of doing that.
He tightened his grip on his reins, "No, but I would enjoy a race back to where we actually were on the trail before you led us here."
Niles blinked, unsure that he'd heard what Maxwell had said, "Hm?"
All that met his vague noise of questioning was Maxwell kicking his horse's sides to rouse it, causing it to whinny and take off. Understanding for certain and not wanting to be left out of the fun, Niles spurred his own horse into action and followed.
It didn't take long for him to catch up, and before long they were yelling jokingly mocking things at each other.
"Could a withered old man do this?!"
"Only with a horse carrying him! He'd need a cane if it was a foot race!"
"You can be such a child sometimes!"
"Says the man who wanted a ra-aaaagh!"
Niles never finished his jeering, as his horse tripped on a branch or a log or a stone, or maybe even a rise in the forest floor, and he was thrown from his saddle to the ground with a thud.
A thud, and about three sickening snaps all simultaneously, upon which a pain unlike any other shot through his left arm and down his side as he tried to scramble into a seated position.
Oh, God... Jesus Christ, it hurt...!
"Your Royal Highness!" Maxwell had slowed his horse and dismounted in an instant, rushing over to see his friend. "Your Royal Highness, are you alright?!"
Had he not been in so much pain, Niles would have tried to sit up and walk it off and dismiss it as nothing. As things were, he couldn't do that.
He couldn't move his limb, for one thing, which struck him as it being broken. If the pain there or the one burning down his side suggested anything else, he thought he might have broken at least a couple of his ribs...
If the snap hadn't already given that away, that was.
Just his luck. He was only hours away from returning home and seeing Lady Babcock, and now he was going to spend it with only one arm and unable to move because of his ribs...!
But if he had to get back, then so be it. He'd rather have Dr Potts look at it right away anyway.
"I...I think my arm and...some of my ribs are broken," he managed to breathe, occasionally sucking in air through his teeth. "Where...where's my horse? Where's Athena?"
As if on cue, a distressed cry came from a few feet away, where Niles' horse had collapsed. Whatever she'd tripped on had broken her leg – the bone was sticking through her skin, and no matter how much she tried to get up, she just couldn't...
Through his own pain, Niles felt his heart sink. She couldn't walk like that anymore, and even if she healed, it would never be right again. He'd seen the kind of agony horses were in when their limbs broke, and he certainly didn't wish to subject his Athena to that kind of pain. It would be cruel, especially when he knew she would not get better.
There was only one thing left to do, even if it broke his heart – he was going to have to put her down. He'd do it himself, too. She'd been too loyal a friend and steed for him to hand the job off to somebody else, even if his arm was broken.
He owed her that much.
"Help me up, Maxwell," he said to his best friend, pain coming through his every word. "I…I need to…to see to my horse…"
Maxwell frowned, but nevertheless obeyed the prince. He knew better than to argue with him where his beloved steed was concerned. Niles had raised her – he'd been her owner and friend from the very moment she'd come out of its mother's belly. Niles was the only human she'd ever allowed to ride her and she'd never disappointed him when he'd needed her – it was a thing of beauty to see them gallop. It was almost as if they were in a state of co-being, attuned to each other's physical and mental needs, while working together towards a common goal.
Although they didn't speak the same language, both rider and horse understood one another perfectly – she was able to pick up on Niles' needs and wishes by way of non-verbal communication. So did Niles, for that matter. They simply were an incredible team.
The prince wasn't ready to let Athena go, but he knew it was what he had to do. She needed him to put her first, even if it broke his heart into a million pieces. They trusted and loved each other, and sometimes love meant doing things we'd rather not for the sake of our loved one.
With Maxwell's help, he eventually managed to make it all the way to Athena and kneel by her side to gently stroke her white mane. "I'm here, girl, I'm here," he shushed her, eyes already welling up with tears. "I'm here…"
Athena whinnied and whined pathetically, her big brown eyes filled to the brim with fear. She didn't know what was coming, of course (how could she? No completely loyal, loving and trusting animal would ever think they'd meet their end at the hand of the one who was supposed to take care of them). All she knew was that she was in unbearable pain, and that pain was making it impossible for her to do the one thing she was born to do; get up and run.
She was frightened. She was in pain. She was in need of someone to take it all away.
Niles tried to keep telling himself that, but the guilt was crushing him from the inside out as well. He'd never thought that he'd be the one to have to do it - he always knew there was the possibility, but he'd always been so careful...!
But as he tried to get up and move to do it, it quickly became apparent that he couldn't move enough to...complete the actual movement. He had to call Maxwell forward to do it, and rested his non-broken side against Athena, stroking her with his good hand, all to keep her calm before her life came to an end.
It felt like he was betraying her, both by letting this happen and by not doing it himself. He'd let her down, was going to let her down even more, and the worst part was, she wouldn't even understand why!
He could only keep on murmuring sentiments as Maxwell slowly drew his sword.
Even though she wouldn't know what he meant by doing it, he still didn't think it right to make a big show of it, so he'd asked Maxwell to do it quietly.
A cut across the throat would do it. He could see where her jugular was and he'd pointed it out to his friend, and once that was hit, it would be over.
"I know, girl...I know you're in pain," he said, blinking the tears out of his eyes. "I am, too. But it will all be over soon...I promise..."
It was nearly done. Maxwell wouldn't hesitate. Not when his best friend needed him to do this.
What was best for Athena, as well as so much pain he didn't think he could walk, were the only things stopping Niles from shouting out, grabbing the sword from Maxwell and throwing the damned thing down before going off to rage about how unfair it all was.
"I'm sorry. But you'll be alright, my girl," he whispered. Maxwell was poising his sword ready for the – hopefully swift – kill. "Forgive me..."
With that said, he closed his eyes and let Maxwell push his sword into her throat and along, cutting through the jugular and letting her blood flow out.
The next few moments were the worst of Niles' life thus far. As Athena tried to cry out but couldn't, she tried thrashing her head around and he had to hold her down, shushing her more as she bled out and the light finally left her eyes.
He didn't know how long it took. He didn't care.
Neither did it matter that he was now covered in Athena's blood – that would be washed away in no time at all.
But what he'd just had to let someone else do for them both would never leave him. It might have been over in the outside world, but in his heart and in his head, he'd never be able to forget the day he'd had to get someone else to kill his friend for a reason that friend would never understand.
Maxwell turned away when it was done, and Niles gently rested his head against Athena's one last time.
"You rest now, girl, 'til I get there...we'll go riding again when I do..."
He didn't know when that would be. He didn't know how many years would pass, or how many other horses he'd have to let go this way. But he did know that he'd keep his promise to his girl.
She was too special to forget, and too close to his heart for anything else to happen. So close, in fact, that as he pulled his head away at last, he thought about commanding the men he'd brought with him to break out as many shovels as they could get or find.
Friends deserved dignity and respect. And the last thing Niles wanted was to take Athena's body back, only to find that some unfeeling bastard believed she'd make an excellent source of meat, either for dogs or for people...
And simply leaving her body there would be much the same as giving it over to use for meat. Something would come along and take her...
He didn't want that. He wanted her body in the ground, rotting away like any other human friend he might have had to bury.
But would the men find enough shovels? He couldn't make them dig with their hands nor could he help out in his current condition, but he could always ask a few of them to stay behind and keep guard of Athena's body until he got to the palace and sent reinforcements and proper equipment. They would fend off any unwanted company that could potentially harm Athena.
He also wanted a headstone to be placed upon her burial site, so he could always go back to it and pay his respects to his fallen friend. He really hoped she could forgive him, but there was nothing else that he could have done for her.
"Have my men guard Athena's body," Niles told Maxwell, holding an outstretched hand so he could (painfully) help him get to his feet. "I want her to be properly buried, as any good friend should be. I will send some reinforcements with shovels once we return to Whitehall."
"Of course, Your Royal Highness," Maxwell nodded gravely, having lost all previous feeling of his jovial mood as he pulled Niles back to his feet.
He couldn't help but think that this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been so insistent on proving himself not to be a sourpuss, as Niles had put it. If he'd just taken the light blow that hadn't really meant anything, his friend would still be in his strange but happy mood, and wouldn't have had to do away with the horse he'd loved and raised and cared for her whole life!
The least he could do was make sure it all went smoothly from here on out, saving his friend any more trouble and giving only the a (hopefully) minimal amount of discomfort. It was what he was there for – both as a friend and as a lord in the royal court.
"Will you be returning with them to oversee the burial?" he asked. "Because it might be prudent to have Dr Potts see to your arm and ribs, before that happens..."
For a mere hint of a second, Niles looked like he'd forgotten all about his broken bones in the first place. But then he nodded, keeping his eyes on the ground as they walked back to where they had left Niles' guards, Maxwell tugging his own horse along behind them by the reins.
"I suppose I shouldn't just leave it..."
Niles mumbled that slightly angrily, annoyed at himself for being so...fixable when Athena could not be.
But he also knew that no amount of anger at the human body would change anything. Horses were more delicate and needed more care with injuries that couldn't always be provided. That was that, no arguments.
He had done the best he could by his friend, and after giving the order to his men to stay with her, he and Maxwell started the journey back to the palace, Niles gripping the reins of a borrowed horse uneasily with his one good hand.
Niles didn't think he could possibly feel more depressed by the time they made it back. They'd had to ride back at a slow pace, given that moving too much was currently out of Niles' possibilities. He was in way too much pain to gallop back home. He didn't remember the last time he'd ridden a horse that wasn't Athena - doing it now felt awkward and wrong, and that was without thinking about his broken ribs and arm!
That presented its own issues, when the time came for him to dismount. He had to wait as Maxwell got down from his own horse first, so he could come and help him get down without hurting himself any further. It just seemed to add a layer of humiliation to the whole thing – the last time he'd been helped down from a horse was the last time he'd ridden a horse that wasn't Athena. And that had been back when he was a boy under the age of ten (if he remembered correctly, considering that had been some time ago).
Maxwell quite obviously saw the look of utter misery on his friend's face as he helped him down.
"You did what you had to do, Your Royal Highness," he said, trying to be comforting. "She was in pain, and it wouldn't have been any kind of life if she could have been...well, you know..."
He trailed off, worried that he might've said the wrong thing by even mentioning the possibility of sparing Athena. He knew he was right – they both did – but that didn't necessarily make it the most tactful thing to say at this moment in time.
But Niles simply let out a sigh and nodded. He wasn't about to get angry at his friend for making a comment that was obviously supposed to reassure him that he'd made the right decision.
When it became obvious that Niles had nothing to say on the matter, Maxwell's mouth formed a line and he nodded, before gesturing towards the entrance to the palace.
"We should find Dr Potts. It's best that we get your arm and chest seen to now."
Niles gave another half-hearted nod but said nothing. The pain was horrible – he could barely walk as it was and there was nothing he wanted more than to lie down on his bed – but it paled in comparison to the heaviness he carried in his heart. It hadn't fully hit him yet, but it was starting to do so and Niles only wished he could lie down for a while and not talk to anyone.
It wasn't possible, given the state of his arm and broken ribs, but he could always dream, couldn't he?
In barely a few minutes, both Maxwell and Niles found themselves inside the palace, informing one of the many servants about the prince's injury. He was then ordered to get the doctor while Niles and Maxwell retired to the Prince's private chambers.
Niles needed help to climb the stairs – the pain radiating from his broken bones was getting worse, making even the smallest movement an excruciating ordeal. He knew they had to slot the bone back into place, it was what the doctor always did when it came to broken limbs, but Niles was dreading it already.
He knew it would hurt like hell. It always did.
He was received in his chambers by his gentlemen of the chamber, who quickly cleaned Athena's blood off of him and then began helping him out of his shirt, trying (and failing) to cause him as little pain as possible. It soon became evident the prince wouldn't be able to stretch his arm so that his shirt could be removed; as such, his men resorted to simply cutting the garment until it came off.
They were done just as the doors to his room were pushed open, and not precisely by the doctor – it was his mother, Queen Marie.
She must have heard the news. Even without knowing that the servants would've been muttering it amongst themselves the length and breadth of the palace, he could see worry written all over her face.
She'd obviously been running, too. Not only was she slightly pink around the cheeks, but she'd also picked up her skirts so that she could move faster.
Niles winced as he tried to use his good arm to wave her over, "Hello, Mother..."
Letting out a whimper that told of her horror, Marie was at his side in an instant and checking him all over for other injuries.
"Niles! You 'ad me so worried! When zhey told me you 'ad fallen from Azhena, I 'ad imagined...oh, imagined zhe worst, mon cher! Eez eet only your arm zhat is 'urt?"
She was looking at him with such desperate panic that Niles tried his hardest to appear less in pain than he was feeling. His father would've told him to just buck up and be a man about it even if his mother wasn't there, but Niles wasn't doing it because he wanted to appear big or strong.
He hadn't felt less big or strong in a long time. He just wanted his mother to be a little bit less worried about him and his current state.
"It is only my arm and a couple of ribs, Mama. The rest of me is...still intact."
He wasn't really including his heart in that, but he'd rather leave Athena out of the conversation. Especially as his mother had been the one to gift her to him in the first place.
He wasn't completely sure he'd gotten away with it, though. His mother was looking at him oddly –in that special way mothers did, when they realised that their child was holding something back and there was more information that they could get, that they weren't currently.
Of course, that information was usually the worst part, which was why the child hadn't told their mother in the first place. To Niles, what had happened to Athena was the worst part - it would be the worst part for the longest time because he was half certain it was one of the worst things he'd ever done.
Or had to let somebody else do, anyway.
And he knew he would crack under the pressure, if his mother so much as even-
"You are not telling me zhe truth. Zhere eez somezhing else...did somezhing else happen, when you were on your way back to 'ere?"
Niles' willpower could only hold out for a few more seconds, at best. The moment he looked into her face and saw that she wasn't going to give in until she had an answer, the guilt set in and he was done for.
His face dropped to the floor, his head having hung so heavily that he thought his neck might snap.
"I had to...I had to let Maxwell put Athena out of her misery, Mama...her leg...I'd have done it, but my arm and ribs were...and her leg was broken so badly, there was nothing else I could do...!"
Niles had to make an effort to hold back the tears he wanted to let loose. He'd been taught by his father that men did not cry, and he was not planning on appearing weak. He knew Marie would probably chastise him for trying to appear strong in front of her, out of all people, but he couldn't help it.
He was who he was, and he didn't wish to humiliate himself.
"He...he made it quick. One swift cut across the neck and she was gone..." he said, his voice cracking ever so slightly as he spoke.
Knowing that it had been quick didn't help lighten the burden. It was the equivalent of taking a swig of strong liquor in order to soothe the ache – it helped take the edge off, but at the end of the day, the relief never lasted long enough.
"I...I am sorry, Mother – we both tried our best, but she is gone..."
He didn't look up to see her face, even though he couldn't imagine what her reaction would look like. If it had been his father, he would have simply told him to get over it because it was "just a horse" and maybe even chastised him for not bringing the body back so the dogs had meat.
Not that he would ever...ever...
He didn't even want to think of that. He wanted to-
"Oh, my poor boy..."
Before he knew it and could potentially protest, his mother had wrapped her arms around him, sure to be as delicate as she could be when getting close to his injured side.
The contact...wasn't unwelcome. His mother had always hugged him as a child, whenever he was upset or hurt, and he supposed that she wanted to comfort him in the same way as she had done all those years ago.
She was just as warm as she had been then, with a sweet smell of perfume that made Niles feel smaller than ever and want to curl up against her side. Somehow the hurt in his arm didn't seem so bad at that moment – he felt like he'd just been out training Athena, and had maybe fallen and scraped his elbow on the way back into the palace...
If only he were a little boy again, and Athena were safe in her stable...
Niles felt his lip start to wobble so he pressed down on it tightly, and sniffed lightly before tears – or, God forbid, a runny nose – could appear.
He didn't want anybody to see him looking so...upset. Not this childlike level of being upset, anyway.
Especially not the person he could just see past the crook of his mother's elbow, who had just walked in through the door to his chambers, apparently carrying fresh linens and some folded bandages.
"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Dr Potts sent me before he got here to lay out the bandages."
Hearing Lady Babcock behind her made Marie turn, and she smiled at her lady-in-waiting.
"Zhank you, chérie. Eet eez much appreciated."
"Yes, Lady Babcock, it is."
Her son's voice sounding so...conversational...made Marie turn back towards Niles, one eyebrow poised to rise quizzically.
In the time it had taken for Lady Babcock to get closer and for Marie to turn, Niles had somehow taken on the appearance of a man who wasn't in any pain at all. His arm might've still been horribly broken, but he was looking and acting like he couldn't feel a thing!
He was even continuing with conversation, even though it had seemed difficult before because of Athena...
"Of course, I won't be needing that many bandages," he gestured in a blasé fashion with his good arm. "I've seen combat! I've had far worse injuries than these – it almost doesn't even register! I always say that if it doesn't leave a scar, then really, can it truly be considered an injury?"
He ended that with a light peal of laughter, and Marie's lips began to curl into a smirk. He never usually ran his mouth like this in front of women, but he always did it when he was younger when he was eager to impress somebody he really and truly admired...
He was trying to make himself look big again, all for Lady Babcock!
This was certainly a more-than-interesting turn of events...!
Marie couldn't help but be intrigued. Some people might've found it intrusive on her son's private life and personal business, but she felt that the sudden change was too big to ignore. He never tried this hard with anybody – ever! If anything, he most often expected people to change their minds about him, rather than act the way he thought they might want him to...
He was definitely trying for the latter, still sat straight-backed and trying very hard to look like he didn't want to keel over in unbearable pain. And he was busy telling stories – just like he used to when he wanted the object of his admirations to pay attention to him, and to be impressed...
"Of course, I got that one by way of a stray sword swipe back a couple of years ago now – I had gone out into the middle of the battlefield to rescue a friend. He'd become trapped underneath his horse..."
Marie listened to every word of him talking himself up to Lady Babcock. Even mentioning how his own friend's horse had obviously fallen, it didn't take him back to thinking about what had happened with Athena...
No, when he was talking to Lady Babcock, he went somewhere else entirely!
It was rather…endearing, she supposed. Seeing him trying to act like a big, strong man to impress a girl he clearly liked. Marie couldn't help her amused smirk – it wasn't often that she liked it when her son put his eyes on a girl, but this time…well…she was curious to see how things were going to turn out.
She supposed the best course of action here was to let their relationship develop naturally. Always keeping a watchful eye on them, of course. And, from time to time, giving the occasional push in what she believed to be the right direction.
That started, quite obviously, with her putting an end to her son's incessant bragging. It was nice to hear about a man's heroic exploits for a little while, but Niles had to learn to toe the line between being interesting and being a being vain.
"Zhat eez impressive, my boy," she interrupted him. "But now I zhink eet eez time for you to lie down and wait for zhe doctor."
She gestured at C.C. so that she would come forward.
"Leave zhose bandages on zhe bedside table and come 'elp Niles lie down, please."
This would be the first little push in the right direction. She could probably even have a rough guess at how long it would take for the girl to start seeing these attempts Niles was making as actual proof of romantic interest.
It would all be clear in how she went about her next task - there would be a certain delicacy and tenderness about it. Probably even some awkwardness because of the closeness involved. She would study the reaction based on these, and then Marie would know for sure what she was going to have to do.
Again, perhaps some might have thought it far too great an intrusion into her son's private life and personal affairs, but if it made Niles happy at the end of the day, what was wrong with orchestrating fate a little?
She just sometimes wished that somebody had been around to do the same for her, and had managed to save her from her...situation. But that hadn't happened, and no amount of wishing would ever bring it back.
The best she could do now was see to it that their son was happy.
And as Lady Babcock gave a curtsy and came forward to help, Marie studied what happened next carefully.
She very gently put one hand on each of Niles' shoulder blades, her cheeks flushing bright red when her palms made contact with the prince's bare skin. She had never touched a man before – at least she had never touched anything but the skin of their hands.
She'd never imagined that this was how it was going to feel like, being close to a man. His skin was so very soft – so very warm…
C.C. had to shake her head, feeling her cheeks flush a deep red colour. What was wrong with her?! She was serving the prince, for the love of Christ! She had to keep it together, especially when her mistress was standing right there, watching her every movement. She had to be a responsible servant and properly perform her duties.
And that started with her making sure Prince Niles was as comfortable as he could possibly be, given his injuries.
Not that she'd dare to say anything about it, but she was incredibly worried for the prince. When she'd heard he'd been hurt while hunting she'd feared the worst – that he was gravely injured and wouldn't make it. She couldn't quite understand why, but she couldn't help worrying. She…she liked him. Very much so. She didn't want him to suffer. She wanted him to heal and go back to his usual self.
Knowing that it was not as bad as she feared it would be, and that it would only take a few weeks of recovery for him to be alright again, made her feel more relieved than she had over anything in a long time.
She didn't want to say too much on that, though. She didn't know why she felt that way and she suspected that it wouldn't be her place to even try and describe it. She supposed she had to think that everyone in the palace would feel the same way – that they were all so worried that their prince wasn't going to make it...
In there, she felt like some of them might be concerned if they were to be left without a king. She didn't suspect that most of them would have had him as their first experience of touching a man.
Although, some of them would, and that again led to an awkward and unpleasant feeling in her chest and stomach. She didn't like thinking about it, and she forcibly put it out of her mind again.
It didn't involve her. It never would.
And she had to get back to work, where her real place was.
It was the only one she'd ever have – she couldn't afford to lose it by standing around and feeling sorry for herself.
"How are you feeling, Your Royal Highness?" she asked, still not able to help the tinge of worry in her tone, even if she wanted to.
"Absolutely fine," Niles replied, clearly still doing his best at trying to keep a brave face. "As I said before, I have had far worse injuries than this!"
"Do you wish me to get you anything else?" she asked, subconsciously wringing her hands in apprehension.
But before Niles could answer, the doors to his bedchamber opened again to let Dr Potts and his staff in. Niles couldn't help but be somewhat relieved to see him there – Potts had been the family doctor for well over a decade, and he was probably the best bone-mender in the whole of England. He'd fixed plenty of Niles' fractures over the years, and he trusted this time it would be no different.
"Afternoon, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness," said the doctor, curtsying to the two royals. "I came as fast as I could."
"Eet'z alright, doctor," Marie said, giving the man a gentle smile – she held Potts dear to her heart since he'd been the doctor who'd delivered her one and only surviving child. After Josephine's death, Joseph had fired the previous royal physician, and Potts had been chosen to replace him. Not only he'd met their rigorous standards, but he'd surpassed them, and he'd been in their service ever since. "As you can see, my son is doing well in spite of 'is broken bones."
She gave Niles a pointed look accompanied by a cheeky smile – she was going to have some fun at his expense, of course. He'd preened and boasted about his manhood in front of Lady Babcock. Now it was time to live up to what he'd said. If he really wanted to prove to Lady Babcock that he wasn't in any pain, he was going to have to put on one fine show, considering what was about to happen!
Niles smiled back at his mother, trying not to show that her words had just left him uneasy. He didn't like them when they were accompanied with that look – it made him think that she had something planned.
He didn't always like it when she had plans. Especially not when her next move was to smile at Lady Babcock from over her shoulder...
By the time he'd even guessed what that could mean, Dr Potts had come a little bit closer, bandages in hand.
"I will bind your rib cage first, Your Royal Highness," he explained. "So that I may then tend to your arm without having to later disturb it. Do you need a moment to brace yourself for this, sir?"
Niles looked between his mother, the doctor, and Lady Babcock. One of them knew he was already in pain and trying to hide it. One of them was about to put him in worse pain and there was nothing he could do about it...
And one of them absolutely didn't have to know that he was in pain at all, because he'd just spent the last few minutes trying to prove himself to be such a man that there was none.
He had to keep on with that ruse, didn't he? Saving face in front of Lady Babcock felt more important than a little tightness around his broken bones!
So, he gently waved his good arm dismissively, trying not to look like he was feeling – agonised.
"No, no – you may begin your work, Doctor."
His words, he was soon to feel, might have not been...as well thought through as his pride and his sense of masculinity wanted him to feel that they were. Even holding out his arm to let the doctor slip the bandages around him turned out to be an excruciating endeavour. But that part he did, in fact, hold up well. He'd barely let a whimper of effort escape his lips, and when he'd seen that Lady Babcock was watching he'd congratulated himself on not letting it show.
His mother had just looked impressed for a moment before returning to a knowing smirk, and Niles had then been definitely sure that he didn't like whatever she was thinking and whatever it was that she was trying to prove.
He had thought he could handle it. Then came the moment of truth, when the good doctor prepared to tighten the first of the bandages for the first time.
"Here we go, sir!"
And he tightened. And Niles felt like his sides were screaming like he was being crushed unbearably and like...like...
Like he needed to cry out, to let out just some of what his body was feeling...!
But Lady Babcock was still watching, and he knew that if he wanted to remain impressive instead of appearing pathetic, then he had to direct the pain and need to shout elsewhere.
Unfortunately, his mother hadn't chosen to make it easy for him.
"'Ow does zhat feel, son?"
He plastered on such a false smile, he was afraid his face would crack, but it held long enough for him to speak.
"Fine, Mother...just fine..."
Marie could tell he wasn't fine – his eyes were watery and his breathing had become irregular, but to his credit, he was putting up a good show for Lady Babcock's sake. Marie could potentially have some more fun at his expense, but given that her boy really was in pain due to the fall and the loss of his beloved Athena, Marie chose to go easy on him.
But only this time.
Her boy was way too used to getting on his high horse, and he sometimes needed reminding that he ought to be a little more down to Earth, even if he was to be the next King of England. Luckily for him, it appeared to Marie that Lady Babcock was doing exactly just that for the prince.
"Zhat's good to 'ear, my boy," said the Queen, patting his head. "Would you like me to 'old your 'and, darling? You always did when you were little!"
Much to the delight of the "parent determined to embarrass their child" side of her personality, Niles turned a very interesting shade of crimson in response.
"No, thank you, Mother," his voice was strained as he replied, and his eyes kept darting quickly towards Lady Babcock. He might've been trying to see her reaction to what was going on. "I am a grown man; I don't need my hand to be held through this."
He was really and truly hoping that she'd stop after that. If Lady Babcock saw his mother mollycoddling him as though he were a boy of five, what would she think?!
Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. He wouldn't be able to look her in the face again without wondering if she saw a man or a boy...!
And his mother really wasn't helping. She was insisting on trying to stroke his hair, and on the brink of crooning all the way.
"Really? Are you sure zhat you do not need your mama to help? I was always able to, when you were small enough to sit on my knee..."
Niles felt like screaming again and that only slightly had something to do with the bandages Dr Potts was still winding tightly around his middle.
"I am fine with you being exactly where you are, Mother," he felt his face growing hot from the flush in his cheeks, and tried to move as much as he could away from his mother's petting. "I am not...small...!"
Niles had to suppress a groan of pain as he spoke. The doctor was doing a wonderful job, there was no denying, but did it hurt like hell. It was almost a mercy when the doctor told him he could lie down once again, something for which he required help.
Help, of course, which was eagerly given to him by his mother, who still was going on about all the many times childhood mischief had resulted in Niles rushing back into the palace, seeking both comfort and care in his mother's arms.
He really hoped it didn't show, but he felt as if his face were on fire — especially when Lady Babcock seemed to be enjoying (enjoying!) his mother's stories.
Was this how every mother behaved when their offspring wanted to impress a girl?
"...and zhere was one time when Niles was around five years of age when 'is fazher accidentally dropped 'im while carrying 'im on 'is shoulders. You should 'ave seen bozh of zheir faces — fazher and son, bozh crying like two big babies!"
Lady Babcock clutched at her heart and crooned, apparently overwhelmed with endearment, and Niles wished that the fall from Athena had killed him.
He remembered the day his mother was talking about, which didn't help his case in the blushing department. He didn't like remembering feeling so... small, when Lady Babcock was right there and listening to how small he was! And he knew his father would probably be beside himself with rage, if he knew his mother had told somebody else that he'd cried – for all the world knew, King Joseph did not cry!
He'd drummed it into Niles that crying was a woman's occupation. No man who wanted to impress a woman could ever let her know that he'd cried in his life. She'd immediately see him as weak, and she'd probably take her time and her attentions elsewhere.
None of the others he'd ever spent...closer...time with had ever seen him cry. He'd still be sad and pathetic (as having no experience made one, his father often said) if they had.
Not that any of this seemed to bother his mother right then. She was gladly going on with stories for Lady Babcock's delight.
And each one seemed to be worse than the next.
"Or zhere was zhe first time zhat Niles ever saw a fully grown 'orse-"
"Excuse my interruption, but was His Royal Highness spooked by a horse the first time he saw one?!"
Lady Babcock sounded far too pleased for his liking – her suggestion. wasn't even true, as he would have protested heavily if it hadn't been for his mother cutting back in.
"Oh, no – 'e loved zhem from zhe very first moment! Unfortunately, zhey did not love a zhree-year-old getting so close, shouting out in 'is delight...! Zhey were spooked, and when zhey reared up zhat is what sent Niles running back to me, crying 'is little 'eart out! 'E asked me zhat night why zhe 'orses didn't like 'im...!"
Niles found himself wishing he were dead (or at least unconscious) for what it felt was the millionth time that day. He normally liked having two women gushing over him, but this time the situation was all too different. He'd rather his mother stopped telling all her oh-so-charming anecdotes about his years as a child, but knowing her she was going to milk this opportunity for all it was worth.
Niles couldn't help releasing a tired groan.
At least the whole thing got moved out of the forefront of his mind when Dr Potts spoke up again.
"It is now time for me to set your arm, Your Royal Highness," he explained. "You may remain where you are for it, though I must ask that you hold as still as you possibly can. And I apologise in advance for any...discomfort, that this may cause you..."
Niles at this stage was just ready to let him bring the whole thing on. He needed the distraction from his mother picking out best-forgotten parts of his life to amuse Lady Babcock, and he thought getting on with why they were actually supposed to be there might be a good idea.
So, he nodded at the doctor to proceed. Besides, after the rib cage, how bad could it possibly––
––the sharpest pain he'd ever felt surging through him from his arm all the way upwards and outwards forced a scream of agony from his mouth.
He'd never had pain like that before – it surged and overwhelmed, even as Potts did his best to be delicate setting the bone back in place. It was really no use. Niles just had to put up with it, and a few, painful tears leaked from the corners of his eyes with the effort.
Tears that his mother noticed right away. In her mind, how could she not? She was his mother – any pain that he had, became her pain, too.
And he was hurting enormously.
Dropping all thought of trying to embarrass him any further, she was at his side in an instant. All motherly instinct took over when it sensed that her boy needed him.
"Sweet'eart...! Are you feeling alright? Zhat was quite a...quite a scream..."
The same sort of worry was busy overtaking C.C.'s chest, too. She'd never heard Prince Niles complain about any kind of injury, even the ones that he'd been trying so hard to hide from them only moments ago!
He must have really had to be in pain that time...worse pain than having snapped ribs...
She couldn't even imagine it!
But the very thought of him being in distress compelled her to do something.
"Can I...can get you something, Your Royal Highness, to...to ease it?" she stepped forward, blinking hurriedly. "Whiskey, perhaps?"
As numbing as liquor often was, Niles doubted very much that anything could take this away. It would burn through any kind of blissful haze that whiskey might settle over him!
It was simply overwhelming. Even listening to what anybody else was saying represented an effort – almost too much of one.
And it was the same with replying to questions, no matter how well-intentioned they were.
"No, Lady Babcock...don't trouble yourself with it..."
He gasped every word of his reply, and Marie looked like she wasn't having any of it specifically for that reason.
"Eet would trouble us far more for you to be left een pain," she told him. "You do not 'ave to be proud, eef you are not feeling well..."
Marie gestured over to C.C. for her to pour Niles a generous serving of strong, heady liquor – it certainly wouldn't take the pain away, but it would numb it for a little while. Hopefully, long enough for Niles to make it through Pott's treatment without bursting into tears.
Marie disliked her son imbibing, but she had to accept that alcohol was a necessary evil on the odd occasion. This, clearly, was one of those occasions. She'd much rather Niles be drunk than in pain.
They had no time to squander, at any rate – Niles needed relief and he needed it now.
Almost as if to stress this idea, Niles let out a plaintive cry as the doctor started to carefully bandage his shattered arm. It was obvious to both women that the prince was trying to keep his composure for the sake of saving face in front of them, but neither would have any of it.
They wanted him to get through this with as little pain and discomfort as possible, and he truly wouldn't be helping them to do that if he hid how much pain he was in.
At least he wasn't behaving entirely like his father in this case, Marie thought to herself, as she watched her son take the half-full glass of whiskey from Lady Babcock. Joseph would've probably insisted that he was fine and knocked the alcohol away, and then probably have given the girl a disgustingly lascivious wink and told her that he could prove he was still just as much of a man as ever he was, if she'd care to find out.
Niles was in too much pain currently to even think of trying that one. The gulps of the deep golden liquid were almost desperate, and he was probably long finished with the thing before he'd reached an ideal level of comfort. Potts had had to pause in his treatment, too, so that the prince didn't spill the drink on his bandages, which would just make the whole process harder.
Marie bit the inside of her lip, frowning carefully, "Do you need anozher one, my son? Lady Babcock can pour you as many as you need..."
Niles nodded swiftly, motioning for another serving of whiskey to be poured and then guzzling it down in a split second before asking for yet another serving.
He needed it, right then and there – the pain was still overwhelming, but he could feel a tingling sensation that might develop into blissful numbness. That would take care of everything, the moment it spread over his entire body.
Lady Babcock didn't take long with the alcohol. Perhaps she could see that he meant for her to hurry – she always had been good at her duties, no matter what they involved...
The goblet was in his hand and he was filling himself with mouthfuls of liquor again within moments. And when that one was done, another soon followed. The doctor was still going at his painful work, but numbness was spreading inside Niles – his head felt...odd...
The liquor must have finally gotten to him...
Once he'd finished his latest goblet, he pushed it back into Lady Babcock's waiting hands and he blinked up at her.
He was so very grateful that she was helping. She had to know. She deserved to know – someone so good and perfect had to be made aware of it! And he had to be the one to do it, before some...some...lord or knight with a charming...grin of a smile told her – he wouldn't be second place to something like that!
"You are an angel of mercy among mortals, Lady Babcock..."
She even looked like an angel, stood there all tall and golden...her hair had to feel like silk – there wasn't any way a goddess couldn't feel or be perfect from her head to her toes...
He remembered, dimly in his mind, once seeing a completely gold statue of an animal god that some trader or privateer or explorer or whatever had brought back from...somewhere...for his father.
He'd thought it had been the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. But he'd been wrong. That statue paled to tin in comparison – how could it compete, with those golden locks he wanted to run his fingers through, or those rubies she had for lips, or those sapphires she called her eyes?
She was golden all over, and she sparkled and shone in the sunlight...
Niles gave the maid a loopy smile, finding her blushing both incredibly endearing and, strangely enough, ridiculously funny. He wanted to laugh at the noticeable reddish hue that had settled on her porcelain cheeks – but his mirth was not born out of mockery, no, it was born out of...well...endearment, he supposed.
Still, he didn't laugh. He knew women did not appreciate being made a mockery and, more importantly, it wasn't gentlemanly to do so. He had to thank whatever remaining sobriety left in him for realising so and not having laughed at what could only be described as an angel.
Instead, he reached out for her hand with his good arm and, for a second or two, he held her hand tightly in his. He didn't hold onto her for long (mainly because he lacked strength and the whiskey was making him rather sleepy), but it was long enough for him to feel the softness of her delicate hands in his. It was long enough for both prince and maid to feel like their hearts had missed a beat or two.
Not that the prince knew it, but C.C. had seldom experienced the touch of a man, in any shape or form. The last time she'd been in close proximity to a male (that wasn't her father or brother) was at the ball that had been thrown in Niles' honour, back when he'd just come back from military training.
She'd danced with a man then, and walked with him in the palace gardens. The night had been beautiful, and she'd had a wonderful time talking with him...
But she'd had to leave, when her father had come to tell her that her sister was sick. Too sick.
That had been the only other time, and it had been so very quickly followed by the most devastating time in her life. The only thing which could be considered good was that she'd managed to find a job at the palace.
Things definitely had been getting better from there. Even if some of it still hurt.
Not that anything hurt, currently. It had all been replaced by a kind of excited rush; it left her breathless, even if she tried hard to make sure that nobody noticed. Prince Niles was clearly a happy – and grateful – drunk. But she was a sober maid, and she had to remember her place.
Even if that wasn't easy, with him looking at her the way he was.
She offered him a smile, aware of the heat still in her cheeks.
"I do my best to serve, Your Royal Highness."
It was about the only thing she could say, without giving too much away. Anything else and somebody might start questioning why a maid such as herself was getting so friendly with a prince.
And a long queue of idle gossipers would be waiting to mention how said prince had every maid in the palace at the first chance he got. It didn't make any of them special. That thought stung enough for her to remember to let go of his hand and clear her throat, looking to the floor all the while.
"Would His Royal Highness care for some more alcohol? It seems to be doing...quite a trick, while His Royal Highness is still being bandaged..."
It was at that moment that Marie leaned over and whispered to her.
"I think 'e might've 'ad enough, chérie. Look at 'im."
C.C. did as the queen said and looked up, only to see that Niles hadn't moved from the position he'd been in when he'd withdrawn his hand after she'd taken hers back; eyes shining (blearily) up at her, mouth wide in a beaming smile.
He didn't even seem to notice that Potts was still going.
Perhaps it was better this way – it meant that the pain was not so overwhelming anymore, which was exactly what they'd been after. The cycle would probably need to be repeated quite a few times over the next few days, but at least was on his way to recovery.
It would mean no partying, riding, hunting or (as much as Marie detested to even think about it) cavorting with pretty young things for a long, long while. Which, it quickly dawned on the Queen, was not a bad thing.
It was, in fact, the opposite of a bad thing – it was the ideal opportunity for her son and Lady Babcock to spend some time together! What's more, if she played her cards just right, this might as well be the little push these two needed. She could very well appoint Lady Babcock as her son's nurse and caregiver, which would mean, coincidentally enough, that she'd have to spend most (if not all) her time looking after him.
Still, she was going to keep an eye on the both of them – a close eye, at that. She knew her son disliked when she mucked about with his life, but as the saying goes, "mother knows best". And she was bloody certain about Lady Babcock being exactly what her son needed.
If everything went as well as Marie hoped it could (and that was a strong hope, after what she'd just seen), Lady Babcock could be the cure for everything that ailed her son. Well, potentially, she could be the cure for everything that ailed the palace, but finding out if she was right about that would come a long way in the future.
But it was a future that started with one simple decision that she was about to make.
She smiled once more at the state her son was in, then turned fully to Lady Babcock.
"I think I should appoint you to be 'is nurse for zhe time eet takes 'im to recover, chérie," she told her, trying hard not to sound too excited or happy at this prospect. The girl might get suspicious if she did. "You can supply 'im more liquor when zhe doctor checks and changes 'is bandages, bring 'is meals and see to eet zhat 'is laundry eez taken away – eet could be very efficient..."
Efficient, Marie thought, and it would prevent him from charming other maids by limiting his contact with them alone.
The only one of any serving rank he'd be alone with for all that time was Lady Babcock.
And that was something Marie didn't mind one bit. She didn't think she could have created a better match for her son if she'd been born divine, and had been able to create, shape and model a person from the ground-up to be just perfect.
Lady Babcock herself would probably say that she obviously wasn't perfect. But when Marie looked at the stupid smile her son was still giving the girl, even after said girl had turned away (towards Marie, nearly gaping at what she'd just been asked to do), the queen could only imagine that at least one person in the room would disagree.
Not that she knew.
"Your Majesty...!" Lady Babcock exclaimed softly, one hand clutching at her chest. "You...you mean it? You would not miss my service to you while I had to help His Royal Highness?"
"Zhat eez not important, my dear – 'is Royal 'ighness needs you more zhan I do," replied the Queen, waving a dismissive hand and smiling brightly at the young girl. "Now, why don't you start on your duties by 'elping to tuck 'im in?"
With a muttered, "Yes, Your Majesty" the girl was off, soon helping the prince ensconce himself in his comfortable bed. Marie could see her diligence, and how she was taking extreme care not to bother the prince's injuries. Her nimble fingers were delicate and soft, and Marie congratulated herself on her having had the gumption to come up with this perfect plan.
Yes, before either knew so, they'd be truly and deeply taken with one another.
But just as she was about to take her leave (so as to give them some privacy), the doors to Niles' room were opened again, and through them strode the last man Marie wanted to see: her husband.
Lady Babcock must have spotted him out of the corner of her eye, because she gasped under her breath and came hurrying forward to curtsy before the king. After seeing her move and looking up in the same direction, Niles noticed him too, and immediately waved his good hand up in the air cheerfully.
"Good day, Papa!"
The king raised his eyebrows at the scene.
"Now, just what is going on in here?" he asked, quickly stepping further into the room. "I'd heard from some jabbering steward that my son had fallen from his horse!"
Marie nodded as quickly as her husband had walked, wanting to get him out of there as well. They'd never get any privacy if he decided to stay!
"'e did, Joseph. 'e broke 'is arm and a few ribs. But Doctor Potts saw to zhem, and now, after 'elping supply 'im with whiskey during zhe process, Lady Babcock 'as agreed to be 'is nurse. She eez een zhe process of putting 'im to bed right now."
She gestured to the girl, who nodded in confirmation.
Joseph's mouth formed a thoughtful line, "Hm. I see..."
Marie held her breath. What could her husband have to say about this? Was he going to demand that Lady Babcock step back from her duties? He had no reason to, other than if he decided to suddenly go back on their agreement...
That was when, at last, the king spoke again.
"Very well," he said, using one hand to flick at the air, ushering the maid away. "Return to your duties, girl. We wouldn't want our prince going without when he needs care."
Lady Babcock nodded and curtsied again, "I'll see to him right now, Your Majesty."
With that, she turned and went back to her assigned duty.
Marie hoped it would turn into far more than that, though.
But it didn't escape her notice that Joseph was – perhaps blatantly – looking past her at Lady Babcock as she went away, back to where Niles beamed brightly upon noticing she had returned.
The queen felt disgust churn in her stomach before her husband had even said anything. And she knew it would only get worse when he did speak.
"If I had her plying me with whiskey and getting me into bed, I'd be grinning all over my face like that, too...!" Joseph said, chuckling under his breath.
It was worse – somehow worse than Marie had originally imagined it would be.
Why did her husband, out of every type of man in England, have to be the type that acted this way? The type that didn't care whose feelings he hurt because they weren't his, and who only saw women as things that he could just pick up and play with whenever he wanted, before dropping them again until the next time?
Why was he the type who would, of course, go back on their agreement and meddle by... interfering ...with Lady Babcock, ruining her chances at finding more with Niles, and then claim he "just couldn't help" himself?
Well, he wasn't going back on it today, in any capacity. Marie was going to take a stand, and give their son and Lady Babcock a fighting chance. And she was going to do the girl a favour, by keeping the king's disgusting hands off her.
"Remember our agreement, Joseph," she warned him in a low voice. "You promised you would not meddle!"
Joseph looked offended and annoyed. Angry, even. He often got that way when she told him not to stare at other women and girls.
"Am I meddling by making an observation?" he asked mockingly. "Besides, my own fun with any little thing has never stopped Niles having his at a later date before now."
Marie thought she might be sick at that (especially the idea of them both laughing at and about the poor girls they'd used later), but she held back. The anger had to come out first, and the determination to protect what she knew she had started was far stronger.
She took a step towards her husband. The pig she'd had to marry.
"Eet might've not stopped Niles "'aving fun" as you so put eet, but eef you interfere wizh eizher of zhem in any way, I will stop you from 'aving zhe fun zhat we agreed on."
There was a moment of silence, and then Joseph let out a quiet cough when he realised she really meant it – she'd go back on their agreement and he'd have to go back to charming his way through maids and paying off whores, instead of getting to demand it whenever he wanted in his very own chambers...
Maybe letting Niles have one plaything to himself wasn't a bad idea...
So, he caved in.
"Alright, fine," he replied gruffly. He knew just what she had to do to make up for what he was going to miss out on, though. "But you are going to have to make up for whatever I would have gotten that girl to do."
Again, Marie thought she could be sick. The fact that her husband talked as if Lady Babcock wasn't even a person who could do as she pleased, and instead referred to her as some sort of slave to his genitals who'd simply do what he said because his body was just that much of a talisman to women, made her sick.
But she'd go in the girl's place. Lady Babcock still had a chance at being happy.
"Very well," the queen replied, turning and starting to walk out of their son's chambers. She knew just where to head, too. "Let's go."
She heard her husband's hideously eager footsteps behind her as she walked, and knew that the agreement was safe for now.
Niles and Lady Babcock's near-fledgling relationship was safe for now.