A/N: Wow, at the responses! I knew that your responses would be this way which is why I had to begin working on this chapter as soon as I posted chapter 27! And audreabro, I so appreciate the suggestions even though I've already written chapters 28 and 29 (still editing that one), but I am especially glad that you noticed the time line! *winks*
The Thrill Of It All II
The Love That Never Was Pt 2
"I'm pregnant and the child isn't yours," Claudine confessed, and to her disappointment, Naveen was obviously relieved.
The king exhaled with a grin and recovered quickly before asking, "Do you know who the father is?"
"Yes, one of the guards and myself had a brief relationship after you ended our arrangement earlier this year. When you left for the United States I knew you have moved on from me completely. The guard and myself ended our relationship a month before of your return, and just learned that I am three months pregnant. Almost four months according to the midwife."
"Does this guard still work for me?" he asked.
"No, you fired him. His name was Loronzi."
Naveen nodded, remembering the arrogant guard. "Does he know about your...condition?"
"Yes and he will not be a part of our lives," she answered about herself and the baby.
"And I'm assuming that you would like to fully discharge your services here?" Naveen asked.
"Yes, your highness," she nodded.
"Then you are discharged," Naveen said.
Claudine could see by the way the king discharged her that she wasn't anything to him but a pleasure figure. A reminder of the woman he truly loved.
"Thank you your highness," she curtseyed.
"Where will you be staying?" he asked.
"My aunt has a home in Giodonia. She and her daughter lives there and offered me and the baby to stay for as long as we need to."
"Good," Naveen said curtly. "You will receive financial severance for your services here. I wish you and your child all the health and happiness."
"You've always been so good to me," Claudine leaned forward and kiss Naveen on the cheek. "Thank you for everything." She then left the room and soon out of the palace.
Naveen shut the door closed with just as much on his mind than before. Now with this new information about Jacques possibly being a relative through his mother's side. He had to ask the former queen about some questions.
Opening the door he left his office and straight for his mother's suite. It was time he began his process of moving on by learning more about himself beginning with how is his family and the Montreuils linked,
"Naveen!" Nagina gave her son a hug. "I have a feeling that you are here for questions about our family?"
"Who are the Montreuils?" he asked.
"Our family! One of my maiden names before marrying your father," she answered. "It is the oldest name in our family. We have many relatives from around the world who happen to share that name. It tends to happen when you birth thirteen children and every child leaves and settles in this country or another hundreds or thousands of miles away. Come!" she took his hand. "I have something to show you!"And led him out of the room for the portrait hall and stopped in front of a painting of a young couple.
"Do you recognize this couple?" she asked.
"Yes, Luis and Garbreilla," Naveen said, remembering what he learned from his lessons as a child.
"You never learned of their last name...they are the first Montreuils, or at least one of the first Montreuils who were recorded. They were very wealthy and happy...even if his family weren't fond of Gabreilla simply for being a beautiful Italian woman who had African genes. She was a very loving woman from her diaries that were passed down to her grandchildren and beyond...the jewelry box on this painting is also a very sacred item that has also been pass down to the new brides."
"So whoever marries a Montreuil would most likely have the jewelry box?" Naveen inquired.
"Yes, the most successful Montreuil would possess it...most of the Montreuils lives in the United States," Nagina explained.
"Jacques Montreuil," Naveen said. "Do you know him?"
Nagina frowned as if thinking and nodded as she remembered. "I've heard of him. But never spoke to any of the families from the country. He's very wealthy and successful from what I hear from your uncle Nicholas in France."
"He's also Tiana's husband," Naveen told her.
"Ah...," said the woman with a nod. "I should've known..."
"So Jacques Montreuil is related to us?" Naveen asked in disbelief.
She nodded. "He and his wife are visiting your uncle in France at this moment."
"Are they?" Naveen had a smirk on his lips.
Nagina knew what that smirk meant. "Don't even think about up and leaving your kingdom!"
"Father acts as if he still king anyway!" Naveen hurried toward the door.
"Naveen!" she called for him.
"I'll be back within a week!" he left the room.
"Son..." But Nagina couldn't stop him. "I certainly hope that I didn't begin anything that will cause trouble for our family."
()()()()
Paris, three days later...
"Mama! Wake up!" Daniel shook his mother from a deep slumber after traveling so far from home.
"Daniel," she stretched her arms."Where's your father?"
"He and Uncle Nicholas are out."
"Out?" Tiana frowned, wondering why her husband left to do anything in his condition. "Did you eat?"
"Yes! I also met a girl downstairs who said that she was my cousin. Her name is Evangeline!"
"Daniel there you are!" said a girl who had to be around thirteen entered the room and gasped when she she saw Tiana. "Oh, I'm sorry cousin Tiana!"
"No, it's alright," Tiana met the girl before going to bed last night. She got out of the bed.
"I hope you rested well," Evangeline said. "My father and cousin Jacques have stepped out for a moment and should be back within an hour."
"Thank you," Tiana felt her stomach growl. "Do you know where the kitchen is?"
"I can show you..." the girl said.
"As soon as I'm done dressing," Tiana held her hand up.
"Oh! Then I can take Daniel downstairs and wait straight in the book hall! You can't miss it as soon as you make it down!"
Tiana nodded. "Daniel go with your cousin."
"Okay!" the boy was happy to have another kid around, even if she was a bit older than he was.
Evangeline watched as Tiana put on her robe. "If you would like I can have our servants assist you on your—
"That won't be necessary but thank you sweetie," Tiana said and went to the beautifully spacious bathroom as soon as the children left the room. She was pleased to see everything set out for her and welcomed the very warm water as it touched her body. The tub reminded her of the tub she had bathe in while in Maldonia. A tub she and Naveen also shared a few times together.
She knew that she shouldn't be thinking of thoughts of Naveen's naked form pressed against her nude form in a heated exchange of sexual bliss. With her husband dying and treating her with kindness she should've been thinking about the nights of passion they sometimes shared, but she couldn't deny that Naveen had her entire body yearning for his touch.
"It's time I get out...," she lightly said to herself, unstopping the tub and wrapping a towel around her body. As she went to open the closet she found a beautiful aqua dress that wasn't in the closet before, smiling she knew that it was from her husband. The matching cloche and jacket was appropriate for the cooler weather in Paris. New Orleans rarely had during late summer.
She dressed and soon found her son and cousin down the stairs reading from a book.
Evangeline saw Tiana and smiled warmly. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you," Tiana smiled back.
"Frans said that your brunch is ready just before you got down here!" the girl told her.
"Thank you. What were you two reading?" Tiana asked.
"My favourite book...The Odyssey! It's achidonza!" she beamed.
Tiana frowned. "What did you just say?"
"Achidonza?" Evangeline raised a brow. "It means—
"I know what it means, but where did you learn that phrase?"
"My royal cousins from Maldonia!" she answered. "I'm not lying about being related to them! Would you like for me to show the portraits?"
"Um..." Tiana didn't know if she wanted to see. It was enough that her husband was dying...
"Can we mama?" Daniel got up and took his mother by the hand.
"Follow me!" Evangeline started walking out of the room.
Tiana was almost afraid to even follow the girl but went anyway. The walk was a long one with the girl talking mainly about the history of the house and telling her how boring the subject was. Once they did make it into the room Evangeline pointed out to a very large and older portrait of the Maldonian royal family.
"This one is my favourite! My aunt Nagina and her son Prince Naveen!"
Tiana could immediately recognize Kabir and Nagina with their then brown natural hair colours during the time and a very young Naveen as an infant. Then the second portrait in which Evangeline was pointing at had only a younger Nagina and toddler Naveen.
Her heart felt as if it stopped at the resemblance. He was the splitting image of Daniel.
"These are my cousins, the younger kid is actually king—
"Naveen mama! That's Naveen!" Daniel said with excitement.
Tiana exhaled, placing her hand over her stomach from utter shock.
()()()()
Meanwhile a couple of rooms over...
"Its an honour to have you in our humbled home your highness," the butler said to the Maldonian king.
"I thank you for the warm welcome and...," Naveen stopped when he heard voices. "Am I intruding?"
"Oh no there are other relatives of yours here as well!"
"I see...," Naveen then saw the back of an adult woman and immediately knew who she was. "Well if you would excuse me..." he stopped again when he spotted Jacques and his uncle Nicholas walking into the portrait hall.
"So is he really our cousin?" Daniel asked Evangeline who nodded and pointed at the single portrait of an adult Naveen in his royal uniform.
"Yes, king Naveen of Maldonia is our cousin! We are related to royals!" Evangeline beamed. "Isn't he handsome?"
"Can you believe it mama?" Daniel smiled up at his mother who could only stare at the king's painting.
"No, I can't believe that?" Jacques asked with a humoured grin.
Tiana, Daniel and Evangeline turned to see Jacques and Nicholas walking in the room.
"Daddy you're back!" Daniel ran over to his father who lifted him in his arms.
"I sure am! And I see that you were looking at our family paintings..." Jacques said, looking at his wife's direction.
Tiana saw the way her husband knowingly eyed her and didn't know whether to run off in humiliation or to die from shock. If she had any self control she would've definitely choose the latter. The smirk on his lips alone let her know that he was already aware of his royal family relations. And soon the conversation she had with Mama Odie suddenly came rushing back to her...
...
"So Jacques is really Daniel's father?" Tiana asked.
Mama smiled. "You know who his daddy is."
"No, I don't! After what you said about Pierre and Yolanda—
"Ya ain't got the sense you was born with!" Mama Odie interrupted her. "You'll find out the truth soon enough."
"Why can't you tell me? You are a psychic reader, am I correct?" Tiana asked, getting annoyed but remaining respectful.
"Ya answer is right in front ya..." the woman then laughed. "Well, not in front of ya now! Ya get my point."
Tiana sighed. "Not really."
"You can't help ya feelings baby. I know you miss Jacques even after all the hurt he caused ya and dat is normal. Talk to Naveen about it baby. It will hurt him but he will be there and understand. Since he's become king he's grown as a man and as much I tried to stop from him from going to New Orleans his determination and impatience pushed him and now ya here," she chuckled. "Tiana, you attract men with a lot of determination and impatience. Good or bad."
"They do share a lot of qualities," Tiana agreed.
"Mm-hm," Mama Odie smiled...
…
Tiana's visual memory suddenly broke off as she looked back up at Naveen's portrait and realized what the older woman was hinting to her.
"Oh my god...," she said in disbelief.
"Darling, are you alright?" Jacques asked, concerned.
She stared at her husband for a second as he looked her way puzzled.
"Tiana?" he reached out to touch her
But she refused and hurried out of the room and right into Naveen's arms. She gasped when she stared into Naveen's eyes and saw her son's eyes despite the colour differences. The emotions were so overwhelming that she fainted.
Jacques and the others rushed out of the room to find Naveen holding an unconscious Tiana. He smirked at his royal relative. "My loving cousin holding my loving wife!" he said in sarcasm and continued on by adding: "You look as sweet as two lovers in New Orleans!"
"And you look as sick as a liar who uses guilt as a way to save a broken marriage!" Naveen glared his way.
While everyone else didn't catch the meanings behind Jacques and Naveen's heated words, both men clearly understood what the other meant.
Jacques glared at the one man who took his wife from him not once but twice, and now stood before him in the same room. And he would be damned if he let this man take what was his away from him again.
As a man of many businesses and a lot of money he would carry a weapon in his pocket for protection. He felt the knife and was ready to use it when provoked.
Naveen was ready to fight until he felt Tiana stir. He carefully walked her over to a nearby sofa and lay her there.
She opened her eyes and saw the love of her life before her. "Naveen?" she said softly.
Naveen smiled. "Yes, its me..."
She returned the smile and raised her hand to touch his face.
He stopped her, taking her hand to his before saying. "Your husband is here."
Tiana suddenly remembered where she was and sat up to see her husband walking near them.
"Hello cousin," Jacques said with sarcasm.
Tiana stood up and noticed her son not in the room. "I really have to find my son—
"Why don't you have a seat," Jacques offered.
She sighed. "I'm fine Jacques—
"I said have a seat," his tone more stern.
"She doesn't have to do anything," Naveen stepped up to him.
"Is there a problem that I should know about?" Uncle Nicholas asked.
"No Uncle Nicholas. Everything is okay in here." Jacques said.
"Doesn't seem like it," he eyed the three and knew that they all shared some history. "I brought the children out so that you can have a more adult conversation in here."
"Thank you," both Naveen and Jacques said.
"You are family. No matter who comes between that," he gave Tiana a judgmental glare before leaving the room, shutting the door.
Jacques grabbed Tiana's hand. "Come on darling we're leaving."
But Tiana pulled her arm away. "Where to?"
"Anywhere I go!" he exclaimed angrily. "You are my wife!"
"I'm staying!" Tiana frowned.
Jacques laughed. "Oh so now that your royal highness is here you are ready to disobey me again?"
"I'm not disobeying you. I'm simply refusing to leave."
Jacques glared at her. "You are being childish now come on!" he grabbed a hold of her arm, yanking her away.
Naveen couldn't be more furious at his actions so he swiftly walked up to Jacques and punched him in the face.
Tiana gasped as her husband fell onto the floor. "Naveen why did you do that?"
"He was disrespecting you!" he exclaimed.
"He only wanted to avoid a conflict like this!" she pointed out.
Naveen couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So you're defending him?"
"You hit a terminally ill man!" she reminded the king.
"He looks mighty damn fine to me!" Naveen said.
Tiana glared up at him and said, "Stay away from us!"
Naveen frowned. "What did you—
"I said to stay away from us! Leave us alone!" her voice echoing the enormous room.
Naveen was so shocked and angered that he left the two for themselves. Pleased to have finally socked Jacques the way he wanted to despite how the outcome played out.
Tiana watched Naveen leave and quickly regretted her wording.
"Darling?" Jacques groaned, getting up. "Let's get back in our room and rest there. I need my wife in my arms."
Tiana assisted her husband up the stairs with Naveen still on her mind. And hoping that he would someday understand why she even push him away the way she did. There had to be a way to get him alone and talk. Despite what just happened her heart was still his and his to have.