"What does that one look like?" Christine pointed to a cloud.

"A cat!" Cecile signed excitedly. Madame Giry smiled softly at the two. The three women sat at the beach happily eating and watching the clouds roll by.

"Can we go swimming now?" Cecile looked at Christine with pleading eyes.

"The king will not be pleased." Madame Giry said to Christine.

"I did not bring my swimming clothes, Cecile." Christine smiled.

"You can swim in nothing!" Cecile's eyes never lifted their persuasive look.

"Cecile!" Madame Giry shook her head. "No. You do not have your swimming clothes either."

"Then I will swim naked." Her six year old mind was not going to give up.

"I will come to an agreement with you, Cecile." Christine signed. "We will swim if we both wear our under clothes. And you never tell your father."

"Really?" The girl gave a huge smile.

"Yes really." Almost immediately the girl began to take off her dress.

"The king will not like this, Your Highness." Madame Giry scolded.

"He will never like what I do." She laughed and took off her layers of clothing until she was left with a chemise and pantaloons.

The two went into the water and Cecile let out a squeal of joy. Christine laughed and held the girl so they could go farther out. The two splashed in the water. And Christine let Cecile lie on her back and float. She felt free for once. There were no rules out here. For a moment she let herself think of a simple life. Nothing could ruin this moment. Not even…

"Your Highness!" Christine looked to the beach. Madame Giry stood there with the king and another man. He did not look happy. Quickly she swam back with Cecile in her arms.

"Your Majesty." Christine nodded to him as Madame Giry took Cecile and wrapped her in their picnic blanket.

"I told you not to let her in the water." He looked at Madame Giry.

"I took her in the water." Christine told him fiercely. "Madame Giry told me not to. She had nothing to do with it."

"If you knew it was wrong." His brow lifted. "Why do it?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," she made herself stop shaking from the droplets of water running down her boy. "But keeping your daughter from something that is harmless is ridiculous."

"She cannot speak!" He was trying very hard to keep his anger inside. "If she started to drown…"

"Then give her swimming lessons!" Her hands were trying to warm herself. She looked at the man next to him. "Who is this?"

"This is Lord Benedict." The king indicated the gentleman.

"We met in the House of Nobles, Your Highness." His black eyes held her blue ones.

"Oh." She nodded. "Yes I remember you. The man that declared women should be kept home with the children."

"I do not believe those were my exact words." The man chuckled.

"But they were something along those lines." Her smiled was now plastered on her face.

"Yes." He smiled and turned to the kind. "There is something that is calling to me at home…"

"Your wife?" Christine asked innocently.

"Perhaps you should watch your daughter more carefully, Your Majesty." His eyes looked Christine over and the king threw his jacket around her. "I would hate to see her make an exhibition of herself like others."

"Perhaps you should watch your own daughter." Christine's voice was full of malice and dislike. "You would hate to see her with another fake jewel."

The man bowed. "Good bye, Your Majesty." And left.

Erik turned his future bride around. "He is loyal to the crown. I will not tolerate this."

"You do not have to tolerate it." She glared. "You can simply ignore it like you do your people's rights."

"Is this a game to you?" He growled. "Have you come to destroy my country?"

"No!" Her voice grew. "I have not come to destroy your country! And I know this is not a game! Do not punish me like a child when I have done nothing!"

"Then stop behaving like one!" His tone was low. "Treat my men with respect."

"I do." She glared. "I treat them with the same respect they give me."

Cecile pulled on his pant leg and he bent down to speak with her.

"You should have gone swimming with us papa!" The girl's excitement showed though her face. "We swam all day! And Christine let me go under water with her too! I love to swim father! It's so much fun!"

"We also watched the clouds." Christine signed.

"That too!" She smiled. "Can I call Christine mother?"

There was a stunned silence. Erik looked at Christine steadily then back at his daughter.

"You may call her whatever you like." He signed. "As long as she accepts it." He looked at Christine.

"It would be an honor." She smiled and Cecile hugged her.

"We should get back to the castle." The kind stood swiftly. He held out a hand for Cecile and she took it with Christine's in the other. The royal family headed back to the castle. Madame Giry followed behind, smiling to herself.


"He is a very ugly man." Sorielli wrinkled her nose.

"I think he's handsome." Meg nodded.

"You think Lord Carvie is handsome Meg." Her sister rolled her eyes.

"But Lord Benedict." Christine intervened. "His family has been faithful to the crown?"

"I think they use it to their advantage, Highness." Meg shrugged, "But all those nobles do."

"Lord Benedict sets his spies everywhere." Sorielli said.

"In the palace?" Christine asked.

"Especially that daughter." She nodded. "Put in the king's own chamber… Oh forgive me Your Highness, I…"

"The king dismissed her." Meg informed her.

"Is that why she was storming out of his chamber yesterday?" Sorielli gasped.

"I do not doubt…"

"I thought you worked only on this side of the castle." Christine looked between the girls.

"We do." They nodded.

"Then why did you say you saw Arabella walk out of this king's chamber" She asked.

"His room is next to yours." Sorielli answered.

"One of those doors connects to his." Meg pointed to the doors on the other side of the room. Christine did not notice those before.

"Oh." Christine let her mind wander. Could the king walk in her room at anytime? Would he walk in?

"Your Highness." The door burst open from the hallway as Madame Giry walked in. "His Majesty is requesting your counsel in the petite meeting room."

Christine nodded and followed Madame Giry to the destination. They sped through the corridors and stopped at a door. Madame Giry let her in and left. The king's back was turned. When she made sure they were the only two in the room and the doors was securely closed she spoke.

"The nature of this meeting?"

"The wedding."


Wouldn't you just love it if Erik could walk in your bedroom at any time?;) Sorry remind me to get my mind out of the gutter. Please review I love getting them!

E.V. Oleander