The Servant Queen

by CCNilesBabcock

Newly orphaned Lady Babcock finds herself destitute and alone in a hostile world and at the gates of Whitehall Palace, where she is to work as a maid to the monarchs and their conceited, womanizing cad of a son – Prince Niles, heir to the English throne and famous for his many affairs. What will happen when this spoiled prince sets eyes on the beautiful but headstrong Lady Babcock?

33. Chapter 33

Chapter 32

Lady Elizabeth Carlisle – daughter of Edward Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Escrick, and wife to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle, was feeling rather pleased with herself. After two weeks in their home, the whore had finally gone into labour.

She'd tried to hide it, of course – the self-preservation a slut could show was incredible! – but one of their maids had noticed the bed was wet and the sheets stained with blood when she'd gone to give her the tray containing her evening meal, and had immediately sounded the alarm. Even after both had been questioned, the slut had still tried to lie and say that they were nothing – that the blood was from a cut on her thigh or something, which had been easily disproved by a quick check up on her body and by the fact she'd soon started to flinch and groan from the labour pain.

That had been fourteen hours ago.

And, as things appeared to be going currently, it seemed as though they'd be done with the king's whore in no time at all. Which was just as well – they'd been anxiously listening for every cart, horse or carriage that rode anywhere near the house ever since they'd caught word that His Majesty was coming looking for his prized possession. It'd left the house almost unnaturally quiet some days, but that had been better than whatever fate could've awaited them, tenfold.

But the more days that passed by, the more they had begun to grin and snigger between themselves; they'd clearly gotten away with it. And now, they were on the final stretch of the race – nobody was going to come looking for the slut in such a short amount of time, and no one had been seen on the roads today that could have heard all that infernal screaming.

They'd be glad to be rid of that, that was for sure! The labour had to be nearly over by now...

She'd be gone from their lives for good soon enough, which made Elizabeth happy and relieved. Her husband had tried to suggest keeping the slut as some sort of breeding mare, so that they might have more children, but she'd snapped at him to never even think such a thing again. She wasn't about to idly sit around their house while her own husband climbed on top of another woman, whether it had its uses or not!

No, she'd be happy with the one baby they were getting from this, and she'd kill the bitch herself before they found a place to dump her body.

No one was going to find England's so-called "queen"! Not when she was locked up in that room of hers and soon enough it would be like she'd never been there at all. Sadly, that would have to wait until they had their child. Until then, the Carlisles would have to continue putting up with the slut's pained screams. The sound was truly awful, so much so that they'd occasionally shout up the stairs, telling her to shut up and keep it down.

The actual birth had to be soon, and Lady Carlisle couldn't wait. Soon this whole thing would be over – she and her darling husband would have their baby, and they would quickly dispose of the bitch before any search party could arrive!

She was sure the people didn't truly want a lady turned maid as the new Queen of England, either, no matter how much His Majesty wanted his new favourite whore to warm his bed officially, nor how distinguished her origins were. Her father had been a duke, that was true, but she was a no-one now. A simple maid-turned-common-slut who'd stepped over the line. Not the queen that their fool of a king insisted she was.

And Lord and Lady Carlisle could relax (as much as they could, anyway, with the racket going on), her with her tea and him with his book, knowing they had their day to spend while the whore did the hard, painful work of childbearing in another room. Now, if only she'd keep the caterwauling down! Lady Carlisle swore that the longer it had gone on, the louder (and more irritating) it had gotten!

Elizabeth couldn't wait until the bitch was silent forever and she had the only reason for keeping her alive in her arms.

Then, it would all truly be over and done with.

"The silence is going to sound so sweet, the moment it's finished," she commented with a grumble to her husband. "I never thought I'd relish seeing a corpse as much as I'll enjoy seeing that slut's."

Her husband hummed thoughtfully over his book, "It'll certainly nice to have some peace and quiet around here!"

He'd said that last part with a crescendo of a shout, aiming it in the direction of the staircase. He groaned and rolled his eyes when it didn't make the bitch shut up at all.

"God, I hope the bitch suffers. She deserves it for all this trouble she's put us to," he threw himself back into his chair again, trying to get back to his book. "If she weren't about to hand us our child, I'd be making sure she was right this instant!"

Lady Carlisle would have spoken up to agree with him again, when their conversation was annoyingly interrupted by the sound of running footsteps and a shout coming from the other room.

A shout that was growing closer.

"My lord! My lady!"

One of the maids. Of course it was, rushing in excitedly, as though she owned the place!

Lady Carlisle could only scowl at her as she hurried to them, thinking that it had better be a damned good reason that the girl had just decided to barge her way in like she had. She didn't quite know what she'd do if the maid had disturbed them for some petty reason – she'd probably see to it that the girl's food rations were reduced for a suitable amount of time. It would teach her to pay attention and not act so presumptuous towards her betters, if she went hungry for a while.

"For your own sake, girl, you had better have a good reason for intruding on our time," Lady Carlisle growled as the maid skidded to a halt.

"Indeed," Lord Carlisle agreed with a snarl, snapping his book shut sharply. "Otherwise we'll have to start thinking of a punishment to put you back in your place, won't we?"

The maid managed a hurried, frightened curtsey before she spoke, "My deepest apologies, my lord and lady! But it is time! The baby is on its way...!"

Lady Carlisle nearly leapt from her seat, not even caring that it would mean she'd spill her tea. She grinned at her husband, who was also getting to his feet. The baby was coming, at last! They would have their child – their heir – and they'd get rid of the slut mother before anybody could find out she'd ever even been there! The king would never find her body with them. They'd keep it all very discreet and no one would realise their involvement.

He'd be forced to look for a new bride, eventually – it had always been common knowledge that he had a large appetite when it came to women, anyway. He'd forget about the slut he'd had and set his sights on a fresh one within a month, at the most!

But, first things first, they had a baby to see delivered. The child that they would raise as their own, and never once mention their common whore of a birth mother to.

Lady Carlisle turned to the maid, "Good. We shall go up immediately!"

Her husband put down his book, and took great strides across the room to follow her and the maid up towards the room they'd been keeping the bitch in.

In truth, Lady Carlisle resented even having to give her that much. She had wanted to put the slut in the cellar, but her husband had pointed out that the baby stood a better chance of living if the mother wasn't completely unhealthy from the damp down there.

She'd begrudgingly had to agree, and comforted herself with the knowledge that it meant their child would be strong. She didn't mind if they didn't have a boy – as she and her husband had rationalised, if they had a girl they could have her marry a nice and promising suitor, and their lineage would live on. Still, they were both aiming for a boy, and should that be the case they'd name him Charles, just like his father.

Of course neither Lady Carlisle nor the child could be seen in society just yet – she couldn't let anyone see her if she wanted them to swallow the story that she'd been pregnant. She'd actually stayed at home for the past few months, and would continue to do so for at least another three months, but once that period was over she and her beloved husband would be able to present their baby in society and simply enjoy from their little miracle.

Contrary to what many would have believed, Lady Carlisle didn't resent the baby's origins – that simply meant that she and her husband would have to make an extra effort to erase any kind of similarity between the child and its birth mother. She and her husband would mould him or her into a true member of their family, and they would dote on him or her, as they would have done with any biological child of theirs.

Years ago, when she and her husband had come to the conclusion they couldn't have children, it had knocked them for six. They hadn't been able to accept the reality that they'd never get the family she wanted. But now that was about to change forever, and from then onwards there would only be happiness and joy.

"Are you ready, dearest?" Charles asked his wife, smiling softly as they neared Lady Babcock's room.

"Readier than ever, my love," replied the countess, returning her husband's smile.

"After you, then," he said, gesturing at the open door that would lead them into the slut's room.

Once they were inside, it was impossible to miss the unfortunate slut they were having to get their gift from. The maids had done as they were told and had moved her from the bed to the birthing chair they'd had made and brought all the way home as soon as they'd agreed on the kidnapping with King Joseph.

It had been an expensive purchase, but it was worth it. They'd have the perfect view of their baby being born, without any of the difficulties that could possibly be involved!

They wouldn't even have to touch the child when it came out! That's what servants were for, which was why one of their maids was currently kneeling between the slut's legs, ready to catch the baby as soon as it was born, so that he could be cleaned and wrapped up before being presented to his parents.

He'd certainly look a prettier sight than the whore who'd birth him – she was sweating profusely, her face was flushed the deepest red that could be imagined, and if either one of the Carlisles cared enough to look closely, they'd have seen without a doubt that she was exhausted.

She wasn't going anywhere, either. Her left ankle was still chained to her bed to prevent that, and her hands were tied to the chair's armrests as per Lord Carlisle's request. She had no choice but to see the couple take up positions watching her in such a humiliating and demeaning position, all while sitting comfortably on two armchairs a foot away from the slut, which offered a fabulous vantage point.

Lady Carlisle snorted the minute she saw her, nodding her head at the slut's legs, "Remember a time when you thought the king was the only one who'd ever look up there?" she asked as she and her husband took their seats.

Her husband snorted out a laugh at his wife's comment, but much to Lady Carlisle's annoyance the person it was aimed for simply didn't react to her mocking. She had heard her, of course, and Lady Carlisle's words had sliced through her like a sharp knife, but C.C. simply couldn't do anything else but continue to push.

Back when she'd first found out she was pregnant, C.C. had never imagined that the birth of her child would be such a traumatic occasion. The day that she'd envisioned as joyous and beautiful, was now bleak and dark, and part of her wished she could keep her baby safe for just a little longer…

Long enough for her husband to find them…

She knew what would happen once the child was out. They'd told her so many a time, relishing in her misery whenever they did it. She didn't want these monsters to raise her baby, not when he or she had a real mother and father that would love him or her with all their heart. It wasn't fair, and C.C. couldn't help but let her tears fall.

They weren't even going to let her hold her child…! She was going to die without being able to hold the precious life she and her husband had created. She was going to die without seeing the adoration and happiness in her husband's eyes. She was going to die alone, and leave behind a broken family.

The thought was overwhelming, shattering her heart into pieces. She couldn't do it anymore – she wasn't going to let them take her baby! They were nothing but thieves and murderers and she wasn't going to let them steal away her family! Even if she already knew she was going to die, she wasn't going to just give them her baby without putting up so much as a fight!

She forced her legs shut as much as she could, screaming out even as she fought to keep her baby with her.

"I'm not doing this! You're not taking my baby! You can't! Please don't!"

But Lady Carlisle had no sympathy for her.

"Shut up and push, you little bitch!" Lady Carlisle ordered sharply, "I don't care if you die doing it, and I certainly don't care about what you want – we want that baby out of you and we are going to get it, one way or the other!"

"And keep your legs open!" her husband cut in, snapping as he leapt forward to force her knees apart. "You managed it for the king, you can do it for us as well!"

C.C. wanted to snap at him to take his filthy hands off her, but she kept her mouth as shut as she could. It wasn't easy – the pain was overwhelming and screaming at least helped her to relieve some of that.

But it did nothing for the fear. The fear of what was coming once this was over. The moment her baby was out and in the arms of the strangers who were stealing it...

It made her want to weep, and a few tears did slide down her cheeks.

But all she could do was keep on bringing the baby into the world. She had no other choice.

So, as much as it hurt her heart as well as the rest of her body, she kept on pushing.

---

It was no surprise that, after the announcement had been made, almost every person in his bloody kingdom suddenly knew C.C.'s whereabouts. Niles' men – as loyal and committed to the search as they had always been – had devoted endless hours and resources on these claims, but all of them had led, sooner or later, to a dead end.

As the days had gone past and there were no signs of his beloved wife, Niles' desperation had done nothing but grow.

Laurens still wasn't well enough to speak, which brought a fresh worry every day that he'd maybe succumb before he could even try, and that only made Niles want the men to try even harder themselves. Not that it was working. How could each and every one of their leads still be heading straight to a dead end?! Hadn't they searched every household in the country in the time that they had been looking?! Where was left?! They didn't have long before C.C. would be due to give birth, and all these false claims were just wasting time and money they didn't have or need to spend!

He'd even considered punishing people who made false claims, for being greedy and getting his hopes up where they had no right...

It had gotten so bad that he'd recently asked his soldiers not to come to him unless they had good, true, provable news. He didn't think he could tolerate the disappointment or the heartbreak anymore.

He was sick of running to the door every time a messenger came, only for it to be yet another piece of bad news.

Instead, he devoted himself to his kingdom, and his hard work was already reflecting on the nation's prosperity: England's previously decimated economy was beginning to show signs of recovery, many useful social reforms were being effected, taxes were being slowly reduced, a new (and, frankly, unusual) co-operation between the king and Parliament emerged; England's role in international politics was increasing, and so was the nation's self-confidence and sense of sovereignty.

Niles, like his ancestor, Queen Elizabeth, recognised that monarchy was held in place by the support of his people. As such, he made sure to be just, kind and fair to them. Unlike his father, he regarded his subjects as the backbone of his country's prosperity – he needed them to co-operate and work to raise government revenue – and treated them not as his inferiors, but as his allies, which explained why it hadn't take him long to start winning the affection and the respect of his people.

They wanted to trust their new king, and to believe that he had enough backbone to lead their country into a glorious era.

Some were already saying that a new golden age was coming.

Whispers were spreading throughout the kingdom – whispers of hope, of happiness...

Whispers of their great king and of his quest for his lost wife. The mysterious queen that he would give up his throne for, the stories said...

Niles hurt any time someone reminded him of that little phrase the common folk had made up. As true and as romantic as it was, it made him think of how he'd give up everything he had to have C.C. and their child home with him, wherever that ended up being.

He really would give up the throne, as long as he could have his family…

The current slow night (they'd been getting slower, the further away they got from the date C.C. had disappeared) had found a desperate king on a cold autumn evening. He was, as had become the usual, cooped up in his study and sat at his desk, poring over legal documents but not fully paying attention to them. He was too busy dreading the fact that his wife was out there, heavily pregnant, and so close to giving birth that he could practically feel the day coming on the calendar. It had been too long for their little one to be kept safe inside her any longer, and each day that passed drove him closer to madness with worry. He rarely left the study anymore, preferring to sleep (however much he could – it was more like passing out when it all became too much, really), eat (he pushed most of it, uneaten, around the plates usually) and hold meetings in there, where nobody could bother him.

He tried not to be unkind towards his servants, but more often than not he was courteous but aloof.

Happiness and all peace of mind had evaded him since his family had vanished.

Knock, knock.

The sudden noise roused Niles out of his thoughts.

"Come in," he commanded, lowering the parchment he'd been trying to read, if the words had stayed still from where his mind was focused somewhere other than the notions of politics and law.

He didn't know why he'd bothered trying, really. How could his mind stay focused when everyone and everything knew where it really wanted to be?

Whatever was going on had better be worth his time. If not, he thought he might do something desperate that he would probably regret later, like slinging the person who had distracted him in prison for a short spell!

It wouldn't be half as bad as what he would do to the people who were keeping him from his wife and child.

Nonetheless, he looked up.

A guard was stood in the doorway, a serious but ready look on his face.

He looked...like he was about to deliver news?

"Begging your pardon, Your Majesty, but George Laurens has recovered enough from his injuries to have regained his ability to speak. He is waiting for an audience with you."

For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Niles actually suddenly remembered what hope felt like.

Listening to those words was like being condemned, but listening to a judge granting an appeal and ordering a retrial. It was like finding a light source after being trapped in a cave, or seeing rainclouds on the horizon after a long, desperate drought.

They'd spent that long, first week of Laurens' care in the hands of Dr Potts simply waiting for the man to wake from his near-unconscious state; the week after, when the man had stirred for longer periods, the king had found his hopes of finding out anything dashed when it became (agonisingly) clear that those who'd done the dirty work of murdering an entire household had also smashed several of the butler's teeth. Potts had had the difficult task of removing them, which had left Laurens in too much pain to speak, between his teeth and his stab wound. Anything he had been able to say was slurred anyway, given how much alcohol they'd had to pour into the poor man just so he'd be able to make it through the extraction...

They'd tried to give him a quill to write things down once a few days had passed, but that had only ended in further pain and some slight awkward humiliation when they'd found out that Laurens' arms were broken.

But now...now, they didn't have to worry about that. His arms could be left alone to heal, if he was well enough to speak!

Now was the end of Niles' worries. He knew it. He could feel it! Laurens knew where his beloved was – he'd seen and heard everything! He had regained his voice, and could finally tell them what had happened! All they would have to do was go and get her back!

It would be like she'd never left Niles' side in the first place...

He leapt up from his chair, not hearing or caring if the damned thing fell over in the process. He had more important things to think about - like getting to Laurens and getting that information from him!

"I'm going to him. Come with me, now!"

The guards had no choice but to obey. Even if they had tried to suggest that their king got some sleep first, he wouldn't have listened and would've run quite happily out into the corridors to go to the doctor's chambers by himself. He wasn't about to waste precious hours on something as trivial as sleep when his wife was out there, just waiting for him to come to her!

Potts was waiting by the door to greet him when he arrived. The king had put the doctor and his assistants to the task of personally caring for Laurens when he'd arrived at the palace, to see that he got better and that he was well enough to explain everything.

He didn't know how he was going to thank them all, now that it had worked. But that was a consideration for another date, when he wasn't in so much of a hurry that he barely even stopped to greet anybody.

It was only a matter of moments before he was at Laurens' bedside, staring down at the man, still wrapped in bandages and lighter shadows of what would've once been dark bruises covering his face.

Despite his appearance and his obvious pain and discomfort, the butler gave as much of a smile as he could upon seeing the king approach. The pain must have still been beyond all belief, but the man was fighting through it like a champion.

His voice was strained and a little slurred as he spoke, "Ah...Your...You Majeshty...you are here...for newsh..."

Niles pulled up a chair, sitting as close as possible to make sure he didn't miss a word.

"I am. I am, and I'm not leaving until I've heard everything!" he declared. He then second guessed himself, hesitating. "That is, if you are ready. How are you feeling? Are you well enough to do this?"

Laurens seemed to steady himself, taking in a still shallow but meaningful breath.

"I am...I am. No need to worry for me, Shire..."

Niles didn't think he could do that, but he knew he couldn't stop, either. They had to learn everything, as soon as possible.

"Then tell me, Laurens, as best you can – tell me what you saw the...the day they took my wife...!"

An odd sort of glaze appeared over Laurens' eyes at that moment, and for a split second, Niles feared that the trauma had all been too much and the man had suddenly taken a turn towards the beckoning finger of St Peter, but at last (and much to the king's relief) he began to speak.

"They came...shuddenly...no discrimination when they killed, either. No one...no one was shpared, in their path to Her Majesty. I...I tried my hardesht...I tried to keep them from her. But they got me. Shtabbed me, beat me when I lay on the ground. They musht've...musht've thought I wash dead, or near it. They didn't move me...not even when your lord father came in."

The king's face fell, but he waited for Laurens as patiently as he could to catch his breath back, before the older man continued.

"He told your lady wife he wash going to keep her alive...long enough to shee the baby given to the Earl of Carlisle. Shold to them. He and hish wife were to adopt it. Shee Her Majesty...killed at their home, buried where she would never be found. All of it wash... done on your father'sh ordersh, Shire..."

"Whose men were they?" Niles asked sharply, unable to stand it longer. "Were they ours?"

"No, shir. They weren't. They belonged to...to Lord and Lady Carlisle – your father did not wish to get hish men involved," Laurens said, shaking his head gently. "Those...animalsh are known for cruelty; they kill peasantsh for fun, take their hard-earned money, an' share it with their mashtersh. Mershenaries! And they...they were mosht violent with the queen – they dragged her out of the room! She kicked and shcreamed all the way, but they didn't mind…"

Niles felt the bottom of his stomach drop out as his fists curled up against his leg. A red mist also started to descend over his vision, as his blood boiled in his veins over the thought of anybody daring to lay so much as one finger on his wife! His pregnant wife!

They had been foolish enough to even try grabbing and pulling at their queen?! To show her no gentleness or mercy at a time when she needed it most?!

Those vile men were no better than savages; just like the treacherous lord and lady who were planning on buying their child! He'd never associated with the Carlisles, but he knew they were friends of Joseph's and would've done anything he'd asked.

The minute Niles got his hands on any of them – nobles or soldiers – they were going to regret the very day they had chosen to associate with his so-called "father". He'd been the one to set it up, but he'd already gone to his judgement - with any luck, each of the bastards would soon be joining him in the everlasting torture that could only be waiting!

It had to be a thousand times more painful than what his beloved was currently going through, just to rectify the injustice! Even if he had to torture them himself first, he would make them feel the pain that she had felt, and was continuing to feel while she was still held by them!

It tore at his insides and shattered his heart to think of C.C. so terrified, and in so much pain all at once...

But it wasn't going to be for much longer. Now that he knew, those traitorous ghouls would be hunted down and slapped in irons, while she would be removed, to be kept safe and sound for the rest of her days! He'd make sure she got to sit back and watch as her captors were forced to experience pain such as she'd never know!

And they wouldn't have any release or escape. Nobody would come to their rescue. They didn't deserve it, after what they had done!

But there was no time to waste in wondering what was to come in the far future. His beloved wife and their soon-to-be-born baby were but a carriage ride away. And it was all thanks to the man in front of him.

The man who had given him true information. A real lead. And he deserved a fine reward for his actions.

The reward that had been promised, and would quickly be granted.

"Thank you, Laurens," he told him, placing a hand gingerly on his shoulder and smiling down at him. "You have done this country and my family a great service, and I will forever be in your debt."

"Nonshenshe, Your Majesty, it'sh an honour to sherve...you and Her Majesty – my loyalty ish to you both," replied the servant.

"Regardless. I promised a reward to anyone who helped me find my beloved wife, and you, sir, have earned it!" said the king.

Borrowing a sword from the guard that had come with him, Niles quickly and gently tapped Laurens on both shoulders, trying to be careful and not scrape any of his injuries or bandages. The man had been through enough as it was...

It was the first knighthood he'd bestowed so far, in his reign. Niles already knew it would be the most deserving one he'd ever give.

"I dub thee Sir George Laurens, Knight of the Realm and loyal servant of the Crown. You will be given a reward of ten thousand pounds, as well as an annual stipend of seven hundred pounds. And, of course, your treatment will be covered by us. It is the least I can offer, along with my eternal gratitude and promise that you will always be known as a friend here."

Laurens nodded his head as much as he could, "You...you do me too much honour, Your Majesty...but we musht not lose time. Her Majesty...she'sh in dire need of reshcue."

Niles could only agree, so he thanked him once more and rose from his chair to speak to the guard.

"Summon the rest of the men, and get the carriage brought to the front. We're going to search Carlisle's estate. Tell no one, other than those who need to know, and see they do the same - I want our visit to be a surprise."

With a cry of "Yes, Your Majesty!", the guard saluted and hurried out, willing and eager to get on with what he had to do.

---

The carriage flew all the way from London north, up the road towards the estate, not stopping once as it seemed to pass an endless number of fields and forests, towns and cities. People recognised the carriage where it went and shouted out to it, while children squealed in delight and tried to follow, but Niles just told the driver to hurry up by frustratedly smacking his hand on the ceiling.

None of these were social visits; there wasn't a moment to be wasted! He already felt trapped, like an animal in a cage that needed releasing, and he wasn't going to delay opening that door any longer than he had to!

By the time the carriage made it to the estate, he could've easily kicked the door open in his own fury and leapt out to immediately begin the search for his wife and child. He would have succeeded, too, had one of the guards not gotten to the door first. The crowd of men surrounding him the moment he stepped out had prevented him from just marching off to do what needed to be done, too.

Which was just as well, considering they weren't alone. The guards Laurens had said about – the mercenaries that killed for fun and tortured and stole – were dotted all over the place, fairly well armed and apparently looking for a fight.

Not that they were brave enough to charge into one. They'd shouted a warning as soon as they'd seen somebody arriving, but that had turned into a fast surrender the moment they'd spotted exactly who had arrived. They might have been killers, but they clearly weren't stupid enough to go up against the king or his men, when they were there ready prepared and with better resources; there was nothing to gain from it but a quick-but-not-painless death.

They were easily disarmed and arrested, and with some men remaining behind to keep an eye on them, the rest of the guard continued to storm their way into the building and follow the king in his quest for his beloved.

They weren't met with any resistance when they went through the Carlisle's house, either – the servants were already on their knees and with their hands up, having been peeking from windows to watch what was going on outside. Instead, they were begging the soldiers to do something about their lord and lady, in between pleading for their own lives as though they thought they would be executed on the spot.

Niles didn't think they all had to beg so hard; he'd find out individually whether or not they were cruel like their masters or kind and simply carrying out a job, and he would punish accordingly.

When he had time, that was. At that moment, he didn't; it was all consumed by the search for his wife, along with the rest of his thoughts.

And speaking of said wife, Niles could hear her terrible screams – screams of pain, he realised with growing horror and fear – from the very second they'd set foot inside the manor. They echoed throughout the house, interspersed with tearing sobs and garbled words that the walls prevented him from hearing.

Something was happening. Was she in danger? Being tortured? Was it the baby coming?!

He didn't know – he didn't care what it was in that moment, either. He'd figure out what to do when he got up there, but right then he had to get to her, and he had to do it quickly!

He gestured in the direction of the stairs to his men as he sped off, "I hear her – this way!"

He raced upwards as fast as his legs would carry him – he wasn't going to waste a single second in getting to her! He quickly shoved aside two of Carlisle's guards who'd heard the commotion and come from upstairs, pushing them down before they had a chance to react to his presence so that they'd be swarmed and subdued by his guards right away.

Niles didn't care what happened to those mercenaries after that. He'd made it. The upper landing was deserted, but the screaming was louder than ever. It was almost deafening in his ears, but he took off in its direction again anyway. It was coming from the door at the end of the hallway, and he wasn't about to let a little thing like discomfort stop him from rescuing his beloved.

He knew it was the right room – he knew he'd heard his wife's cries coming from there, and like a siren calls for sailors, the Queen's voice was like a magnet for him!

He'd slammed into said door and violently thrown it open with a wordless shout before Lord or Lady Carlisle even knew it.

What he saw when he cast his eyes around the little room, however, took the red mist he'd let descend over him at the palace, and multiplied it tenfold.

Across the room, he got the most awful view of his wife chained down to a birthing chair like a wild animal, scarlet all over her face from screaming and the efforts of labour; she was clearly exhausted and openly weeping like any terrified woman would be in her position...

She must have been like that for hours, locked down and terrified as their baby started to make its way into the world!

And Lord Carlisle, the evil, disgusting bastard that he was...had his hand on her knees, clearly trying to force open her legs and shouting orders at her – threats, snarls, jeers, all to make her comply with his command, while she did everything she could to resist...

The mist had been starting to develop sparks, but as soon as the king saw his wife fighting back and losing to this blackguard, it quickly spread like a raging fire throughout his heart, mind and into his very soul.

And that rage wouldn't be quelled until Niles had destroyed Carlisle and his bitch of a wife, who was sat there on a chair watching the birth as though she thought she were taking in the latest show at the theatre. To add to her boldness, she even looked like she had been wearing a malicious smirk until the moment she had fully realised he was in the room.

He could see it rapidly disappearing, though, as her head had snapped round to face him. If only it had been turned faster and someone had snapped it! He'd get to her in a minute, though. His first priority was Carlisle, and the hands he was unlawfully putting on the Queen!

That in itself was a crime, and Niles would consider it more than a pleasure to see to it that justice was carried out.

"Take your hands off my wife!" he screamed, rushing forward to use his whole body to shove Carlisle away. "Guards! In here, now! Seize this man at once!"

Carlisle must have been reeling from the shock of being pushed over for a few seconds, because it took him a moment (during which he righted himself) before he finally appeared to understand what was going on.

And he didn't like it one bit when he did.

He immediately turned his glare on C.C., rushing at her with an arm raised to strike, "You little bitch! If you'd just given birth faster, like we told you to–"

His open palm never made it to its destination. Niles had seen what he was going to do and had halted him in his tracks with a fist aimed squarely in the man's face.

"I said, take your hands off her!" he shouted, staggering the man with another blow to the stomach.

The rage was like a wildfire at this point. It made Niles ignore the fearful screams issuing from Lady Carlisle as she cowered in the corner, and it kept him fighting her lord husband (who would not be a lord for much longer) until the guards arrived through the door.

He only stopped when his guards stepped forward to seize both nobles (that word had, ironically, never truly applied to them even if they had held titles) and, within seconds, they'd forced them both to kneel on the floor so that Niles could give his order as to what should be done with them.

Part of him wanted to simply unsheathe his dagger and kill both of them right then and there, but the more rational and level-headed part of him prevailed over his compulsion to kill. They had to face trial, just like every other criminal in the kingdom, and they would receive an appropriate punishment for their heinous crime.

He already knew what said punishment would be. Death was the only acceptable sentence for High Treason. These cockroaches intended on murdering their Queen and stealing the heir to the throne; there would be no mercy, no clemency.

He would watch them burn, and relish in their pain.

"Lock them up," said the king to his guards, "And since I hereby strip them of their honours and titles, treat them as the scum they are – you owe them no respect or kindness."

He then turned to look at the former Lady Carlisle, now only Elizabeth Howard, and struck her across the face, just like her husband had tried to do to his C.C.. He didn't like to hit women – he only ever hit anybody when he was absolutely enraged, and it usually made him feel uncomfortable afterwards. But this was one of the few occasions in which he actually felt a sense of relief the moment it had happened.

His hand left a bright red, satisfying imprint on Elizabeth's face, and seeing Charles' teeth scattered across the floor as the man reeled, mouth bleeding profusely, made Niles want to laugh.

But that laugh died in his throat as the woman who would not be a lady by the end of it brought her hand up to tenderly feel and massage her smarting cheek. Something glittering in the light had caught his eye, and he needed to inspect it right away. If she was wearing a large ring with the intent of causing injury, she might escape in any confusion that followed a sudden attack.

He wouldn't allow that. She'd go to the same fate as her bastard of a husband for her treason, and then they would both pay for all the murders their men had committed over the years.

He was about to order one of his own men to take it from her – they'd probably take the finger too, if they had to – when the bitch's hand slipped and she accidentally moved it fully into view.

That was when he saw just exactly what the sow had been wearing on her finger for all of that time. And, knowing just exactly what it was, his blood started to run so hot he was almost certain it had evaporated in his veins.

He advanced on her immediately, eyes narrowed at her hand, which he had snatched up by the wrist, "And just what the hell do you think you are wearing?!"

Even if she had made up some excuse right away, he would've seen through the bare-faced lie. He'd known exactly what that ring was from the moment he'd seen it; the gimmel ring he had picked out himself, for his wife to wear in part for their engagement and as a whole in their marriage. There couldn't be another like it anywhere on Earth, and there was no way he would have ever been mistaken about something that he and his wife had treasured so much!

The bitch had taken it from C.C.. Stolen it, just like she had been planning to do to their baby, and would have done to C.C.'s life if they hadn't arrived in time!

There would be a special place reserved in Hell for that sow, and he hoped it was getting hotter by the minute! He wanted it to burn her to a crisp by the time he had her sent there!

She'd stolen one of the few material gifts C.C. had had before they'd been separated! The bitch had taken everything to make the time worth remembering and she wouldn't have stopped or thought her way was done until she had everything!

She was going to get everything – that was, everything prison and torture would ever hear about it! He'd make sure that the screams stayed sealed in the bricks themselves,

The little snake even had the audacity to quickly slip her hand away, which Niles caught and wrenched towards him, dragging the woman across the floor by her knees. Ignoring her cries of pain, Niles glared in her face, a storm flashing in his eyes and thunder rumbling in his chest.

He brought her arm up in front of her so violently that it smacked into her face.

"Where did you get this?!"

The former lady of the house stared up at him, eyes wide like a rat that knew it had been cornered by the cook in the kitchen, as he released her arm, trying not to even flinch that time as her own arm hit her when he dropped – practically threw it – back down.

She yelped minutely when that happened, perhaps imagining the pain that would follow this extremely minor tasting, now that they had been found out.

The horrific pain, and torture that they would all undergo, for taking the queen away from her king.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes, but she didn't want to let them loose yet. She couldn't believe it was ending this way! It couldn't really be happening, could it?! This all had to go away now – the king had to go! He had his whore now, he could leave them to pick up the pieces left behind!

She had to stop him – she had to throw herself on his mercy! He wasn't without mercy, was he?! Everyone said how good and kind a man he was, so maybe that could extend to right at that moment?!

If she seemed to be sorry enough...

"I...I found it. I thought it was pretty; is it...did it come from you, Sire? As a gift to your lady wife?" she whimpered, making it more pathetic and much, much kinder to gain sympathy and perhaps win her cause. "I...I had not thought that it might have––"

Another sharp slap rang across her face to shut her up.

"Don't you dare say another word like that!" Niles screamed, not caring if his hand hurt from the force the blow. "You are lying to me. You took this like the sly, common little thief that you are! I am going to return it to its rightful owner, and you shall be punished for its theft, alongside everything else!"

"No! Please, my lord! I did not mean––"

Ignoring the shrieked begging and pleas she gave in return, Niles grabbed at her hand, pulling at the ring as she fought him to keep it. He didn't give a toss about maybe breaking her fingers. She'd earned every bone in her body that snapped under his hand! He paid no attention to her screams, which only magnified when the guards held her down and he finally ripped the ring from her grasp.

Taking back his breath and pocketing the ring, he ordered the guards to ensure the Howards – Carlisles no longer – were held down and not allowed to move.

The awful pair squirmed and spat and shouted when the guards forced them on their bellies on the floor, but it wasn't as though it would do them any good. This was only the beginning of their suffering, and he'd see to it that they were begging for death before the executioner finally put them out of their misery!

But speaking of pain, there was another (much more important) person in that room that was in excruciating pain, and the loud cry she gave as she battled another contraction brought Niles back to the present moment – back to his beautiful wife.

He no longer cared about Elizabeth Howard's screams or Charles Howard screaming abuse at them as his guard dragged them from the room entirely. His only worry was his queen, and the baby she was birthing. She didn't look as well as he had hoped, and she clearly hadn't gained any more weight that she should have in this last stage of her pregnancy.

It broke his heart that she'd had to live like this for so long. No – not even live. This was not living; it was existing, and buckling down and holding on for things to get better It was going to cost the Carlisles their whole lives to pay his beloved back for what they'd done to her...

But he had to fight through the hurt and the anger that seeing it all caused, and focus purely on the fact that his wife was there.

She was there, alive, and she needed him.

"C.C.!" he cried out, going at long last to her side. "My love, I'm here!"

"Niles...!" pushing through her own pain, C.C. immediately tried to move her arms to reach for him but her arms were held in place by their bonds. "Oh! Damn these stupid things...!"

She looked like she might've been about to say more but another urge to push overtook her. That sparked off a panic in Niles – his beloved needed more help with labour than he could truly provide.

He hurriedly stroked her cheek with his fingers, "It's alright, darling – we'll get you out of here and take you home in no time!"

If she hadn't been in overwhelming pain, C.C. might've managed a full smile along with her tears,

"Home...I've missed that. I've missed you..."

Niles felt his chest swell, just before he replied softly, "I've missed you too, sweetheart..."

All he could start to do after that was let his beloved continue to push as he pulled at the bonds holding her arms down, whilst turning between one remaining guard and the maid who'd gotten there when her employers were arrested.

"Get Dr Potts. He's waiting downstairs for my signal to come in," he told the man, before turning to the girl. "And you – fetch the key that unlocks the chain on Her Majesty's ankle, right now. Then bring towels, clean cloths, and the largest pail of warm water you can carry here."

Both the guard and the girl were out of the room in mere seconds, leaving the two monarchs behind. Now that she was free from the bonds that had held her hands still, C.C. reached for her husband's hand and held it tightly in hers.

And it was then, as they held hands, that Niles remembered what he'd just fought one of her captors to retrieve.

He fished back into his pocket, "I...I got your ring back...we can put it back where it belongs...!"

C.C. reached out her hand as best she could and allowed him to slip it back onto her finger. It was slightly dirty from Lady Carlisle wearing it and not taking care of it, but neither cared about that.

Especially not Niles. All he cared about was the fact that he had managed to put it back on her finger at all; they'd figure out everything else when they got home. That included getting the ring cleaned and properly maintained. It was obvious from its state that Lady Carlisle had just seen the ring and wanted it, but didn't care about it beyond that. She didn't care about the sentiment behind it, or what it represented to them – it was from a marriage that neither she nor her husband approved of or recognised.

But it didn't matter what they thought. That ring belonged there, legally and rightfully, and he would have harsh, swift punishments for any and all who tried to object!

C.C. knew it, too. She knew that her beloved husband would have always been on his way to come rescue her, and having her ring back where it belonged, put there by him, just made it all seem so much more real. Permanent and final. They were married in the eyes of God, starting a beautiful family of their own and no one was left to take it away.

It saddened her that their initial plan hadn't worked out as they'd expected it to, but things were as they were, and although the last few weeks had been hellish, she finally had her reward – she was with her husband, about to birth their child, she was the Queen and her abusers were locked up. No one would hurt her again.

She would never be alone again…

She only needed to get through this delivery. And, with her husband by her side, she felt stronger. More confident. At home…

"Sweetheart, the doctor is coming," he said to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "And he will see to our child…everything will be alright…I promise you."

"I know," she muttered, nuzzling the side of his head as she rested between contractions, "It…well…it just hurts…"

He rested his cheek against the top of her head in return, holding her and hugging her as tightly as he dared.

"I know, love, I know. But the doctor will be here soon – he'll take care of everything..."

It truly wasn't long before Dr Potts had made his way up the stairs (he'd practically taken some of them two at a time, he so wanted to help his patient) and into the little room where she was being kept.

And he very nearly balked upon seeing what a miserable, very-near-wretched state Her Majesty had been left in.

The only reason he didn't gape fully and openly was because his mind reminded him that she was still his queen – he owed her his loyalty, not his horror at what monsters had done to her, and she needed his help to deliver a child!

That was when his doctor's mind took over to see about a solution. Whatever had happened to her while she was on that estate, she hadn't gained any more weight than since he'd last seen her – something which was not going to help, when it came to her delivery.

He was also going to have to treat those fresh rope burns left around her wrists, seemingly from having them tied to her birthing chair. And he might take a look at her ankle, which was still chained up, as though those demons thought her some kind of...well, some sort of animal!

But he knew that he could do it, even if it was shocking to witness and only served to make him hate her captors even more. Her Majesty deserved nothing but the finest treatment to make her well and take away her suffering, and he was going to give it. He also reassured himself with the knowledge that the disgusting perpetrators were now in their own chains (they would hurt twice as much for inflicting even a single injury on a monarch, as well as the insult of keeping her on a chain), and he rushed from the doorway to assist the queen with her labour.

"Your Majesties!" he greeted loudly, setting down his case full of instruments. He was hoping he wouldn't need them. "I am here to be of assistance!"

"I have no doubt, Dr Potts," said the king, giving the man a tired smile, "But we must hurry, the baby is coming!"

Potts had no doubt about that, and if he had had, the queen's pained cry as she rode another contraction made it perfectly clear that the child was to arrive, hopefully, within minutes.

"Your Majesty, would you be so kind as to spread your legs so I can check on your progress?" said the doctor gently, "I shall help Her Majesty if she needs me to."

C.C. shook her head no – she still had the presence of mind to open her legs. Now that her captors were away, she held no fear or hesitation in her heart, and she was more than happy to let the doctor do his job. Slowly, C.C. spread her legs and hiked up her nightgown, giving the doctor a clear view. She briefly wondered how everything looked…down there. It had been months since the last time she'd been able to see her nether bits, given the monstrous side of her stomach. It was going to be a big child, that was for certain. She only hoped her body was prepared to deliver it without being split in half…

"Just as I thought – Her Majesty is fully dilated!" exclaimed the doctor just as the maid returned with the towels, cloths and a pail filled with water, which he used to wash his hands before attending to the queen. "She is to push when the next contra–"

"Way ahead of you, Doctor!" C.C. cut him off with a grunt as a contraction suddenly overtook her and she began to push.

And push she did, with all the might that she had in her body. She only stopped to rest when the doctor told her to, but got right back into it the moment she felt the urge again, repeating the cycle in as many turns as she needed.

The time passed without Niles noticing. He was too busy watching as his love fought through this like a warrior, his breath catching in his throat every time she pushed.

But it was soon obvious that her efforts were bearing fruit.

"I can see a head!" the doctor eventually cried out, "Her Majesty is doing wonderfully. Now, on the next contraction, Her Majesty shall push with all her strength for ten seconds and then rest. Alright?"

C.C. nodded, bracing herself – she could feel another contraction building.

"And…push!" said Potts.

It seemed that seconds turned into years as she pushed, but eventually she could rest again, falling back against the chair's back with a loud cry. The cycle was repeated over and over again until, finally, the doctor announced the head was out.

"Now come the shoulders and the rest will be a piece of cake, Your Majesty," said Potts, already beginning to manoeuvre the baby's little body so it could slip out of their mother a little easier.

"Easy enough for you to say!" she snapped through gritted teeth, clutching at her husband's hand – she hadn't noticed his fingers were beginning to turn white from the lack of blood, but at the time she didn't really care. The pain was terrible, and she only wanted it to stop.

Almost as if on cue, her body decided that this was just the perfect moment to have the worst, most painful contraction yet, but instead of slowing her down, the mind-numbing pain gave her the strength (or perhaps the incentive) needed for her to force the baby's shoulders out.

And, just like that, the little thing slipped out of her and into the doctor's arms, beginning to cry almost as soon as it had left her womb.

"It's a girl!" cried the doctor, "A little princess!"

A...very little princess, both parents thought to themselves as soon as they'd laid eyes on the baby. Their little girl had been born so tiny! So tiny, and yet so perfect in her father's eyes. He couldn't have imagined a more beautiful little one as she was cleaned from the water bowl and wrapped up tight to be handed straight to him.

"Here we are, Your Majesty," the doctor presented the little princess with an air of surprise still. He hadn't seen a baby so healthy who had been so small! "Your...little girl..."

My little girl, Niles thought to himself. Complete and whole, even in how small she was. All her little fingers and absolutely minuscule toes were intact, her little hands and feet flailing in this strange and new open space that she now found herself in.

"Hello, sweetheart," he murmured to her as his eyes misted over, feeling overwhelmed by his own introduction. "I'm your father...yes, I am..."

She was strong, and she was going to grow up to be as beautiful and intelligent and kind as her mother. A true heir to his throne. He'd made sure that no man would just suddenly come along and take the throne away from her one day in the future; she'd been born with the right to rule, and he was going to see that her inheritance was held up by the institution that would one day be her government.

Her government, when she was crowned queen in her own right.

But that was all for later. For now, her mother might have been resting from her ordeal, but she deserved more than anything to see and hold her daughter. She couldn't from the angle they were at, so he'd have to move more for her.

And he was always willing to be the one to have to move to help her.

So, he carefully turned (he'd never been slower or more gentle in his life!) back towards her chair and lifted their girl up for C.C. to see.

"Here she is, my love, our new little one," he said to her, gently beginning to pass the baby over into her outstretched arms. "Our princess."

"Back right where she belongs," C.C. replied, smiling adoringly at both her new child and her loving husband, "We really have been so lucky, being able to–aaagh!"

It was a good thing Niles hadn't entirely let go of the baby, for otherwise, his wife would have dropped her, something that would have only entailed disastrous consequences, given the incredibly small size of their little one. He quickly brought her back to him, bouncing her gently to soothe her crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked, panic coming through in his words, "What is it?"

But his wife didn't reply – she couldn't. Not when she was in the middle of what could only be another contraction. Clearly, the ordeal wasn't over, and it was quickly dawning on the Queen that there was a more than obvious reason for their daughter's size. It also explained the abnormally large size of her belly and how restless she'd believed her child to be.

"There's another one coming…" she gasped as she rode her contraction, "Another baby…it's coming!"

Another baby. Which meant preparing for another birth!

Feeling his insides all starting to close in with the panic of needing to act quickly, he unsteadily rose to his feet. He wasn't intending on going anywhere, but he did have to call the maid over immediately.

"You! Come here!" he waited until she was close enough, and then passed his little girl over to her. "Hold the princess, whilst I see my wife through this next birth. And don't you even think of running to your employers to let them see her, or I'll put you in irons as fast as I put them in theirs!"

The maid curtsied as best she could with the baby in her arms, and then took a demure step back to let them have room.

Niles knew that his words might have been harsh, but he wasn't planning on taking any chances. She could very easily be completely loyal to her employers and share their beliefs – not every servant in the world could be George Laurens, and she might feel as though they deserved to see the child they would have stolen. She would, of course, be punished swiftly for disobedience if she did. But if she didn't and proved to not be like them, then she would be let go at the end of all of this, and be free to either seek employment elsewhere or maybe keep the job if the next owner of the house decided that they wanted her to stay.

Not that any of that really mattered to Niles. He just wanted his daughter in a secure pair of arms when his own needed to hold his wife while she was busy fighting through another contraction.

She truly was the most wonderful and admirable fighter he had ever met...

It was almost impossible to think of a time when he had thought marriage would not be the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him. Seeing his parents' own, and being raised by a father who believed that women had been made for the pleasure of men and had no purpose other than to be collected by the hundreds, had probably both contributed to that. He had been a fool to ever believe that that life would lead to more happiness than the one he currently had.

And there would be even more happiness once his wife had fought her way through this last part of labour and their second child had joined their older sister in the world.

They'd go home, a joyous family of four, and his father would be proved even more wrong than he already had been.

"You are doing beautifully, sweetheart," he reached for and gripped her hand, squeezing it tightly in encouragement. "I am so very proud of you..."

He was proud of her. She had endured months of Hell, all the while carrying not one, but two children inside her, and hadn't given up hope or the will to do anything other than carry on...

She truly was perfect, in every way. And England was going to be introduced to its queen as soon as she was well enough. The people deserved to know how truly awe-inspiring she was!

They deserved to see the queen that they had been whispering about across the counties, and had been right in saying that Niles would give up everything for.

There would definitely be songs about this, if it wasn't too arrogant of him to say so. Even without his ordering one to be written, some bard or song-master out there somewhere would truly understand the nuance it took to put a love story to music.

And his beloved was as deserving of the best quality music as any heroic figure that passed through stories, poetry or songs all the way across their great land...

Their great land. It still gave him thrills to think it, and he knew it would put a spring in his step that gambolling lambs would envy when he finally got a chance to say it!

It wouldn't be long now. It couldn't be – some amount of time had passed and the second child's head was visible...

He wondered if the baby would be a boy or a girl. He wondered if they would look like him or C.C.. He wondered what they would grow up to be like, and what they would like to do with themselves...

There were so many possibilities, and he was so very excited for all of them! His lords would probably scoff at the idea of him getting so wound up about the whole thing, but Niles knew they didn't understand.

They'd been more inclined the way of his father's beliefs, and not one of them would've ever set foot in the room while his wife gave birth, let alone held her hand.

But Niles couldn't think of any place he'd rather be.

After being apart for so long – after fearing that he would not be there to support her throughout her pregnancy in the first place, Niles simply wouldn't dream of going anywhere. His place was by her side, holding her hand and holding their children close.

He'd failed them once by not protecting them enough when their lives had clearly been at risk, but he wasn't planning on making that same mistake twice. As the saying goes – fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. His father had disrespected him and taken him for a lily-livered fool; Niles was determined to not let anyone take him for an idiot again, especially where his family was concerned.

"The head is out, madam!" said the doctor, smiling up at the tired queen (a queen whose only wishes were for this to be over and for her to be able to take a warm bath and a long, comfortable nap in her husband's arms). "His or Her Royal Highness is almost with us!"

That was good news for everyone present. It meant that it was almost time for the slightly larger royal family to go home, where the queen would be able to rest and recover after her ordeal.

She just had to get through this final stage...

It was, once more, easier once the head was out. But C.C. still gripped at her husband's hand as tightly as she could through the last effort she had to give, listening to his encouragements all the way.

"You're almost there, my love...you're doing just brilliantly...!"

"We'll have our two little ones at home with us in no time at all!"

She knew he was right. Even if part of her wanted to kill him (or at least incapacitate a certain part of him) for doing this to her, they would all be going home very soon. And they would have their children with them – just like they'd said before the nightmare began, and just like she'd never stopped hoping when the nightmare was ongoing...

And it was, after a little while and a little more effort, that thought that accompanied a tiny body slipping out of her own and into the doctor's waiting arms. It was another sweet sound to both parents, when they heard the wails of their second child fill the air.

It wasn't a moment longer before Potts beamed up at them, calling out over the higher pitched cries, "It's a boy, Your Majesties!"

A boy...their very own little boy!

Exhausted though she was, C.C. thought her heart could melt all over again when Potts cut the cord and brought their son closer and placed him in her arms, and she could only just hold back sobs of delight as the maid that had held their daughter for the birth was made to give their princess back to Niles, and he came to stand by her.

Their family...now with a little prince in her hold! When he was washed, he'd probably have beautiful golden hair, and the bluest eyes. He was going to be as handsome as his father. But if he had the same reputation at the same age, C.C. was going to have some words for him!

But she didn't have very long to think about that, before her attention was directed to delivering the placenta. She had to give their son over to the maid for that moment, which she hated having to do, but it was in everyone's best interests.

She knew she had to concentrate then, and with her little boy there, she wouldn't have been able to do that!

Niles, meanwhile, thought his chest might burst from how proud he was of both his children. Back before he'd met his love, he couldn't imagine even really liking any children he might have with whichever foreign princess, duchess or lady that his father might've forced him to marry.

But this was different. He had the family he wanted – the family he'd chosen to have. It was him, his beloved wife (who had just finished delivering the placenta and was now eagerly taking back their son from the maid), their little princess, and her younger brother, their little prince.

Both their children would be just as loved and adored as any that had ever lived.

C.C., meanwhile, as she held and smiled adoringly down at their son in her arms and on her chest, could not have felt more blessed. Despite all that had happened to them in their lives, they had been brought back together. She might have had her family taken away, been humiliated, kidnapped and hurt, but she had also found love, a new family, and now...now, their love had given them new little lives to hold and adore.

It was as though they were separate threads in the tapestry of her life, woven together to create something...beautiful. It was beautiful; being there with the love of her life as they held their children, knowing she was safe, even if she was still hurting and there was a doctor tending to her nether regions.

She was safe. Her children were safe. Her Niles had found them in time and they were going home, to the life he had always promised they would share. A life as a real family.

The thought was enough to bring forth a few tears of joy, and once she'd started, she just couldn't stop – they got louder, until her sobs were actually quite audible. And that, in turn, was what caused the bottom of Niles' stomach to drop out and his heart to stop. It must have worried Dr Potts, too, who was busy cleaning the queen up after her labour, because the doctor looked up in a panic.

"Your Majesty? Is something causing you discomfort...?!"

From the looks of her sobs, Niles could only imagine so! Though a little more than just discomfort! He tried, hurriedly but somehow carefully (given that their baby girl was still in his arms), to half-crouch by her so that he could see what was wrong.

"C.C., whatever is the matter?!" he couldn't see what was going on – was she in pain still, and just not telling the doctor so he'd get it over with? There can't have been another baby, but was there an injury that she hadn't mentioned?! "What's wrong?! I'll fix it – whatever it is, I'll–"

"Niles! There's...nothing to fix!" C.C. interrupted him whilst sobbing still, taking in ragged breaths and sniffing so she could make herself heard above her tears. "I'm just...I'm so happy... I'm free. I...I have you again...we've...got our babies, and we're going home...! To be happy!"

She couldn't quite hold herself together after she'd said that — after two horrible weeks of thinking she'd be murdered after having her children taken away from her, being back in her husband's arms and knowing that she was safe from everything and everyone that would have wanted to hurt her was more than a little overwhelming.

Niles, of course, could see this, too. He'd too spent the worst weeks of his life, desperately raking the entire country for his wife and children, whom he'd feared he'd never see again. The rescue had come in the nick of time, as it was, but the important part was that his family was safe once again.

What would follow, hopefully, was happiness and a few quiet weeks spent together. C.C. would of course need extensive care in order for her to recover completely from her ordeal, but it was care he both wanted and loved to give. She'd want for nothing, if he could help it, and when she had gotten better, he'd organise the most wonderful coronation for them both.

It would be the grandest and most colourful celebration he could make it – bright, and beautiful, to chase away the gloom and the dark shadows that had haunted them both for too long...

But in the immediate, she needed his comfort. She'd been through a nightmare probably worse than all of the ones he'd had whilst he'd been searching for her, and it was up to him to reassure that it was truly over.

Taking care once more to not squash their baby girl between them, he leaned in and nuzzled up close to her. The top of C.C.'s head fit like it belonged in the crook of his neck, and he kissed her forehead soundly.

"That's exactly right," he told her, holding back a few tears of his own at this stage. "We are going to be happy. In our home, with our babies. And no one is going to take that away from us!"

She shifted beneath his head, sniffing and cuddling up further as her tears wetted his skin.

"I know...and I'm going to try my hardest to be the best mother and queen...so you'll be proud of me..."

Niles didn't know if his heart leapt or broke at that, but he managed a half-sigh, half-chuckle and kissed her forehead again.

"I already am..."

How could he not be, when she'd survived so much, and fought every day to stay strong, and had just given him the beautiful family he'd never imagined he'd ever want?

He hardly imagined he'd earned his place as her husband, after all of that! He had to count himself lucky every moment of every day that she had given her heart to him, when she deserved the hearts of thousands (even if that thought did also send a slight, candle-sized burn of jealousy through him!).

She deserved the world and all the treasures therein, for all she was and after all she'd been through...

But what she needed right then was a whole lot simpler than that. It was clear, not necessarily from her emotional state, but definitely from the fact that she had just given birth and probably hadn't had much of a good opportunity whilst being in a house with two traitorous demons (who would be sent back to Hell in due time). She needed to rest, and probably most likely to sleep. And he knew just the place where she would, too – the best bed in the entire house was always reserved for guests.

And there was no higher honour for anybody – even bastards who betrayed the Crown – than having the queen to stay.

"Are you feeling tired?" he asked quietly against her skin. "I can order the servants to prepare a bed..."

C.C. hummed quietly in thought before she replied, "In a moment...there is something I think I'd like first..."

Well, whatever it was, Niles knew that he would get it for her, or see to it that it was done! He meant it when he said and thought that his beloved wife and queen would never want for anything and he was going to prove it to everybody right away!

"What would you like, sweetheart?" he asked, smiling at her adoringly. "I'll arrange it, whatever it is."

C.C.'s eyes had a new, reassured shine to them when she looked up at him, "I'd like – and I really think I need – a bath."

That was more than easy to provide, and it would be started immediately.

"Of course," he said, kissing her forehead once more. "If it is a bath my queen wants, a bath my queen shall have."

He straightened up so he was stood again, and snapped his eyes straight to the maid who was holding their son.

"You," he said, preparing his commanding tone. "How many maids are there in this house?"

The maid's eyes darted from him to the floor and back as she answered, "Ten, Your Majesty."

"Good," Niles nodded. "Then listen well, because I have jobs for all of you."

The maid appeared to perk up at that, most likely because she didn't want to upset the king in his current mood. Not when she was already associated with the house that had kidnapped and were planning on murdering his wife and stealing his children...

"To begin with, you must give His Royal Highness to the doctor," Niles gestured between his son and Potts. "Then, you are to take my wife and I to the best bath in this house; my queen wishes to have one, and she will have nothing but the finest in bathing facilities. After you have shown us there, you will instruct some of your fellow maids to draw the bath, while those who are left over will prepare the finest guest bedroom in the house for our stay. Do I make myself clear?"

The maid nodded, "Completely, Your Majesty. The bath is in Lord and Lady Carlisle's chambers – I will bring you there at once."

"Alright, then get to it," he made an ushering gesture with his hand, waving her away so that she'd get on with everything she'd been ordered to do.

She curtsied as best she could with the baby in her arms, and turned to give the little prince back to Potts. Satisfied, Niles smiled at his wife and daughter, before looking over at Potts as well, as the doctor took the baby from the maid and into his arms.

"I hope you have room for one more over there, Doctor. There's no one else in this house that I trust to bring my children along, while I am taking my wife to the bath."

The doctor nodded in return, understanding, "I have room enough for both of your children here, Your Majesties. I would not trust too many people in this place, either."

With that said, he waited as Niles came over, crooning to his little girl all the way, and carefully moved her brother into one arm so that the little princess could have the other.

Then, the king went back to his queen and lifted her up gently in his arms, taking her from where she was resting and turning to the maid with an air of expectation.

The girl knew it, too, so she didn't keep them waiting any longer.

"If Your Majesties would care to follow me..."

She brought them all – Niles with C.C. in his arms, and Potts carrying the twins – through the house until they reached a large bedroom that appeared far grander than most of the rest of the house. In a room to one side of the main chamber, there stood a large bath just waiting to be filled with hot water, and opposite a comfortable looking chaise longue that would make a perfect place to recline and relax until it was ready.

Setting his beloved down gently so that she was lying stretched out on the seat, he then turned to ensure that the maid hurried off to complete the rest of her work. In return, the maid practically ran out of the room, as though she thought that she – alongside a few of her fellow servants – might be punished or get into trouble for not working as hard or fast as they should.

Not that they'd be in any kind of real trouble for that. Certainly not the kind of trouble that you just couldn't get out of, no matter how hard you tried.

They weren't at that stage. Not like their employers were. Not unless the next words out of C.C.'s mouth were to tell him that any of the rest of the household had been cruel to her as well. Then...well, suffice to say, there would be a few more used cells and a trial waiting at the end of it.

With his hands free and the maid gone, he then received his two children from Dr Potts, who was then allowed to leave so that he, too, could get some sleep.

"I shall check on you again in the morning, Your Majesty," he told C.C. with a bow. "Rest well tonight."

With a thanks he probably would have dismissed if he had been allowed (had they simply been his friends and not his monarchs), he left them alone with their children.

"Let me hold them," C.C. said. "I'd like to have them with me while we wait. Once I'm in the bath and the water has cooled down a little, we can wash them."

Niles smiled adoringly at her, "That is a wonderful idea, my love. And the perfect place for our little ones...!"

He knelt carefully down by the side of the seat, slipping the twins one by one into her arms so that they could stay cuddled up with their mother for the time being.

Niles smiled to himself at the scene; all three could stay relaxed while the bath was prepared, resting and recovering after their combined experiences.

They waited and watched as a pair of maids came in carrying fresh linens. They had obviously not wanted to upset anything further by delaying his order, even though only the day before they would have been treating his beloved like a commoner at best, and a condemned prisoner at worst.

He wasn't going to stand for his beloved being made to feel that way.

A third maid came in a while after the other two, having been tasked with carrying the buckets of warm water up from the kitchen. She halted in her tracks when she saw the royal couple, before remembering to curtsy as best she could in front of them.

"Y-Your Majesties! Got the water – piping hot. Should make for a soothing bath!"

Niles nodded approvingly, but did not reply to the maid. He had no interest in engaging with any of the people there. Any of them could have gone to him sooner, so that his wife wouldn't have had to experience the nightmare she'd gone through, but out of cowardice or indifference, they'd kept their mouths shut and allowed the abuse to go on.

For all he cared, they were the closest anyone could get to being the Carlisles' henchmen.

And he held nothing but hatred for anyone related to them and to the heinous crime that had almost been committed.

Once the tub had been all filled up, Niles gestured for the maids to take their leave for the rest of the night. In any other situation, he would have had them help C.C. undress but, as it was, he did not want any of them touching the queen again.

They did not deserve the honour of being chosen to serve her.

No, he would undress her himself, just as he'd done many times before, and he would make sure she did not strain herself. She needed all the rest she could get, and he would wait on her hand and foot, if that was what it took for her to get better.

In any case, undressing her represented little to no effort – the gown might have been completely unworthy of a queen, but it was going to be easy enough to slip over her head.

But first, he had to help her sit up so that the children could take the space she'd leave while getting undressed and then settled in the bath.

"Come on, my love – let's get you out of this nightgown and into your bath."

C.C. hummed thoughtfully as she lay there, holding their children and half-dozing on the chaise longue, "Hm, that sounds just lovely to me..."

She allowed him to lift her up again with care, helping her to settle in a more seated position and moving the babies, settling them down in the space she'd vacated. It was the safest place for them, as Niles gently slipped the nightgown up and over C.C.'s head.

Every movement seemed to hurt his poor wife, even something as simple as raising her arms, but when she was finally free of her garments, he was able to scoop her up in his arms and then gently settle her into the tub.

She winced when the hot water touched her skin (and some still-very-much-sore bits and pieces), but she was soon relaxing into the comfortably warm bath, relishing in the relief it brought to her aching body and strained muscles. Being like this with him and their children was almost a blessing, considering she'd come horrifyingly close to being murdered only half an hour ago.

"Better?" her husband asked, having knelt next to the bathtub.

C.C. smiled faintly, "A lot, thank you" she said, reaching for one of his hands, which was perched on the side of the tub, "But it would be even better if all of you were in here, with me."

Niles couldn't help but smiling more than a little at that, and he squeezed her hand back to show that the feeling was mutual.

He loved that they could have that kind of intimate moment together, whether it was just to bathe or if it was so they could get started on some more lively fun (though even the former ended up as the latter, a lot of the time!).

He could honestly do with a bath with her right then. The grime of the journey, plus the rush of needing to get to her and get her through the birth...

Well, they were alone. The maids were outside, and the doctor had retired to rest. They could take advantage of that by having a bath and getting their children cleaned up together!

It seemed simple and easy enough to him. They were married and they were new parents – they had to learn to manage both!

Dropping a kiss on his wife's cheek, he quickly got to his feet and stripped down to his britches, preferring to keep them on for property's sake. He had no qualms whatsoever about being naked around his wife, but considering their children were there too, it didn't seem…appropriate.

He then picked up the twins, cradling one in each of his arms, and made his way back to the bathtub, this time slipping into it alongside C.C.. She'd scooted forward to leave him some room to get into the tub.

Once he was settled, he handed one of the children over to C.C., who then settled comfortably in between his legs and against his strong chest. She sighed contentedly, having missed her husband's presence for the past horrifying weeks. Throughout her captivity, she'd tried to stay hopeful, but the longer Niles had taken to come save her, the more hopeless she'd become. It had reached a point where she'd thought she'd never enjoy from her husband's company again, but she'd been mistaken.

Gloriously mistaken…

It had never occurred to her that she could be – would be – this happy again. Mere hours ago, she had been convinced this was the day that she'd...

She wasn't going to think those words! She wasn't going to ruin what was rapidly becoming a perfect moment by slipping back into thoughts which simply weren't going to happen now!

She'd been saved. Her husband, the man who adored her so much he'd married her and made her his queen, had found her. By some miracle and a twist of fate, he'd found her in time.

And now, they got to be a real family. And right in that moment, that meant getting their two little ones cleaned up.

Their little prince and princess...! Oh, the words were magical, almost! They got to be a family with their little prince and princess!

"Comfortable?" Niles asked quietly. She had closed her eyes, but the adoring smile on his face was implied.

She nodded slowly, "Mm-hm..."

"Are you in any pain?" he said, nuzzling the side of her head with his own.

C.C. hesitated to answer – she was in pain still. Her... nether regions were as sore as they could be, she was exhausted, and every tiny movement hurt like hell. It hadn't been an easy delivery, and it had been made worse by the knowledge that she was going to be murdered the moment the children had been delivered. It was a fear nearly impossible to describe, and it had maximised every little pain and discomfort she'd felt throughout the delivery.

She wasn't sure if she wanted Niles to know just how horrible the experience had been, but at the same time she felt like she couldn't lie to her husband. Not when he'd saved her in the first place.

Maybe it would be for the best, telling the truth...

Lies and deceit had no place in a stable marriage.

"I am a little, yes," she said, opening her eyes to look down at a fussing Will – the babe must have been hungry! "Having...having to go through most of it alone wasn't...wasn't easy."

Niles felt his chest and stomach tighten to the point that he felt like he was being crushed. He hated himself and the fact that he hadn't been there right from the start with every fibre of his being – even if he couldn't have fully helped it, what kind of father nearly missed the birth of his children?!

He should have been there. He should've done something to make sure that he could've been there from the start! Worked harder to find her, sent out more scouts and offered more rewards! Anything so that he could've taken her back and protected her and their children from the demonic bastards they'd be sending back to Hell soon enough!

He could've done so much more, though, and had his family back so much more quickly...

All he could do now was try his best to make up for what he had done – or failed to do, rather.

And the first opportunity came as his wife next spoke.

"But I think our little ones will need feeding and bathing, lover. Our son and daughter are getting fussy..."

Niles could only look down at his daughter and son, both tucked up safely in his and her arms respectively, but whimpering like they were protesting right alongside her brother, and agree.

So, he carefully lifted himself up and out of the bath, hurrying to fetch a couple of cloths and some soap before hurrying back to the warm water so that both he and Lottie didn't get too cold.

He then bathed their little girl, and swapped her over with C.C. so he could bathe Will whilst Lottie was fed. And, once their girl had had enough, it was time for their son to have his share.

It was an awkward – and slippery – transition, but the two parents just about managed it without dropping anybody in the water.

And as Niles had to be instructed by C.C. on the fact that the children had to be burped, and had to be positioned correctly on one's shoulder to be burped, he couldn't help but think it would still be a long, long way from here to make up for not being there at the start.

He would try his very best, and that meant having his wife want for nothing. He would pamper her and she wouldn't have to lift so much as a finger – he'd have an army of servants (apart from himself, of course) waiting on her from the very moment they were back home.

He didn't know if she was ready to return yet. The ordeal had tired her greatly, so riding a carriage back to the palace would most probably have to wait a day or so. He wouldn't force her to move quicker than she wanted or could, but the sooner they were out of that wretched house, the better.

He didn't know what he wanted to do with it, now that the Earldom of Carlisle was vacant. He supposed he'd have it burnt down to a crisp – a way to erase the nasty memories, perhaps.

In any case, that was unimportant at the present moment. He'd worry about the Earldom only when his wife was comfortable and resting, not before. He had bigger and more important things to do and think about that what to do with a disgraced nobleman's land.

Once their son had been properly fed and burped, C.C. returned the baby to Niles, who in turn carried him out of the tub, alongside his sister. He wrapped them snugly in towels and then briefly left them to rest atop the chaise longue while he helped C.C. clean up.

It didn't take long for him to do so, and when he was done, he helped his wife out of the tub and, just like he'd done with his children, wrapped her in a warm, fluffy towel.

He was so very grateful for the opportunity to do that. Every inch of his body had feared never being able to do that again...

"Feeling warmer in there?" he asked, beaming all over his face at how adorable she looked, all wrapped up and freshly clean from the bath.

C.C. chuckled under her breath, "Less...disgusting."

Nikes screwed up his face, pulling her to him and pressing a kiss to her forehead before enveloping her in a hug.

"You could never be disgusting, my love," he said.

C.C. made a vague, unimpressed noise at the back of her throat, "You try pushing two human beings out of your body and see if you don't end up feeling a little disgusting afterwards."

Niles could only suppose that she had a point. She had just performed what must've been the hardest task he'd ever seen a human body undertake, and there had been...well, more than an amount of blood that he would ever have liked to see near her...

She'd fought like a warrior, in his mind. He wasn't going to argue with anything that she said. If anything, it simply made him more determined to give her all the gifts and rewards that she deserved.

Though from the look on his C.C.'s face when she pulled away, the only thing she looked like she'd accept, out of all the jewels, land, books or dresses that he could give, would be a warm bed where she didn't have to be disturbed for a whole night's sleep.

Luckily, that was something he was also more than willing to provide.

"Alright," he said, kissing her cheek. "Get comfortable with our little ones, I'll get dressed and have a maid help you get ready for bed."

C.C. nodded; he could see in her eyes that she wanted nothing more, and he was more than happy to let her drift off to sleep. So, after having donned his linen shirt and breeches ( he figured they would suffice for him to spend the night there), he called for a maid to come help him with the babies.

With a court nod, the young servant very gently picked the babies up and, after Niles had gathered his own wife in his arms, they all made their way to the bedroom they'd been given for the night.

Upon entering the room, Niles was pleased to see that their own servants had already brought up the few chest he'd had brought along. He'd left in such a hurry that his servants had barely had time to pack some clothes for the baby (or babies, as it had turned out!), the king and a few dresses for the queen, should she be found alive. Still, most of the toiletries and, as it so happened, their nightwear, had been left behind in Niles' urgency to get to C.C. before it was too late.

Not that it mattered to them. They were soothed by the knowledge that their children had more outfits and blankets than either of them needed for such a short amount of time!

"Get a nightgown for Her Majesty," Niles ordered as he lowered his wife on the bed. "And help her dress while I attend to my children."

The maids exchanged a nervous look that didn't sit well with the King.

"Is something the matter?" he asked crossly. He wouldn't tolerate them not wanting to serve their Queen, if that was the case!

"I…I am afraid so, Your Majesty," said the eldest (and probably highest ranking) maid.

She was a plain-looking, middle aged woman with greying hair and a heavily-lined face. For some reason she had a near-permanent look of worry on her face – probably because of having had to work for such cruel masters for so long. C.C. remembered seeing her from time to time, back when she was still a prisoner; she would sometimes be sent to feed her and give her clean clothes. She'd never been mean to C.C.. What's more, the queen distinctly remembered just how pitifully she'd always look at her whenever she'd visited her prison. They'd never spoken, but in her tired eyes C.C. had detected that a silent "I'm sorry" lay hidden.

"All the spare nightgowns are with the town's washerwoman. Only Lady Carlis– I'm sorry, Elizabeth Howard's nightgowns are left." completed the eldest maid. "Shall we bring one to Her Majesty anyway?"

Niles frowned. The last thing he wanted was for his beloved to have to wear Elizabeth Howard's cast-offs. She shouldn't have to sully her beautiful skin with fabric that had touched anything so vile!

"No, don't bring any of her filthy rags," the King said. "Go to the washerwoman's and inform her she is to come up to the house with clean clothes immediately. In the meantime Her Majesty shall be dressed with one of my linen shirts – it will suffice for the time being."

A chorus of "Yes, Your Majesty" rose from among the maids. So, while one of them left to look for the washerwoman, the rest were soon retrieving a shirt for the queen to wear and helping her into it. Meanwhile, Niles saw to their children, who still needed to get dressed. They were so small that most of the gowns he'd brought for them to wear were too big on them! Still, he managed to get them all bundled up and wrapped in warm blankets, making sure the latter weren't wrapped too tightly around them so that they would have freedom of movement. He couldn't help feeling rather pleased with his handiwork – he was, after all, a first time father and as such was unexperienced when it came to childcaring.

Once both the queen and the royal children were appropriately dressed, Niles helped the former into bed. She slipped readily between the sheets, holding out her arms in preparation to receive their little bundles – the two greatest accomplishments they had, and they had made them together...!

"You alright?" he murmured, watching as she snuggled down with their little prince and princess, and feeling the greatest warmth he'd ever known.

C.C. nodded again, starting to close her eyes, "Mmhm...better than I've been in a long time..."

Niles smiled at her, and then they both settled into bed and into getting comfortable, relishing in the warmth and the silence that came with the maids going away and then having been gone for a while, the rest of the house apparently quiet. Everyone else was either giving them their privacy or had gone to bed themselves – the king didn't much care which, as long as it lasted. Anything C.C. or the children needed, he would get it himself, and not bother the rest of the house again until the morning.

They had each other, and for now, that was enough.

More than enough.

And with that thought in mind, the king and queen drifted into a pleasant sleep.