8. The lull before the storm
5 annuals later …
Adora Cain was impressed when she entered the Royal Palace for the first time in her life. Everything was huge, beautiful and impressive and all looked so unlike Cain that she couldn't imagine that her husband had grown up in this place.
"It's great isn't it? But much too huge I know. Tomorrow I will have to show you around the garden." Wyatt laid an arm around her belly and glided over the silken fabric of her dress.
"I can't believe that this is your home." Adora murmured as they walked past the gallery of former Queens and Prince Consorts of Oz.
"You also wouldn't believe that I'm friends with the Queen and here we are." Cain answered with a grin on his face.
"I know you're just perfect," his wife answered teasingly before she kissed him in front of a porcelain vase out of the time of Dorothy the Great.
"CAIN!" Their kiss was interrupted by a loud scream and little feet belonging to Princess Azkadellia who came running into the direction of the couple.
"Azzie, how're you doing?" Cain lifted her up and they whirled around until the little girl started laughing uncontrollably.
"Mommy said that you would come, I asked Mommy if I could stay awake for the ball but she said no." Azkadellia pouted as Cain placed her back on the floor.
"And you know exactly why she said that, you're too small but you can stay for one dance if you promise to be nice." A soft voice said from behind, and the couple turned around to see a young man standing at the end of the corridor.
King Ahamo was wearing his finest military garb and his shoulder length blond hair was tied back into a stiffly combed ponytail. The man surely hated to look so formal, was one of Cain's thoughts, but the young man approached them with a warm smile on his lips.
"Daddy!" Azkadellia exclaimed shyly as she tried to hide behind the Tin Man's broad back. She wasn't even supposed to wander the corridors at this hour.
"Az, my little angel, how often did I tell you that you shouldn't be awake at this time? What did you do to the maid let you go?" Ahamo said with a soft voice that he always used when he talked to his daughter.
Azkadellia only shrugged her shoulders, she didn't tell her dad that the maid Victoria was having a romantic dinner with a man of the kitchen staff. She liked her nanny, but she didn't want to get her in trouble just because she used her absence for her little adventures.
Ahamo observed her with a stern and angry, typical fatherly, glance but when she still refused to talk he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Az, it can't be always like this, you have to tell me tomorrow," he said very, very patiently before he lifted her up and turned his full attention to his guests.
"Wyatt Cain, it is so good to see you! Thank you for accepting our invitation. The festivities are at full swing and Lavender can't wait to see you both." His grip was strong and the handshake indicated that he was a man who knew what he was doing and what he wanted in life. Cain had learned to respect the man over the years and his greeting was friendly.
"It's good to see you too . Please meet my wife Adora Cain."
Ahamo took the hand of the beautiful woman and kissed it lightly as it was tradition amongst nobility in OZ.
Adora, being not used to such behavior, blushed at being kissed by the king of their realm. The courtesy that followed was deeper and stiffer than she intended but she wanted to show that her parents from a middle class merchant family had given her a good education and also taught her good manners.
The prince consort smiled even brighter at this and ordered her to stop before she could sink to her knees.
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cain, I only know good things about your husband and I can only expect good things and kindness from you. Your wedding was marvelous by the way. It's a shame that we didn't get the chance to talk properly. If you would follow me into the ballroom now, I'm sure that the others can't wait to meet such a nice and well mannered lady." Adora turned to her husband before she said anything but as Cain's look encouraged her to talk, she found her voice and she suddenly knew what she had to say.
"Thank you for your kindness, it honors me to meet the King of Oz," she said with honesty. Ahamo offered them to lead them to the ballroom and they accepted. During their walk he scolded his daughter again, but only a little bit. He loved the beautiful little princess with all his heart and he promised the girl one dance although she had disobeyed his rules.
Adora was holding Wyatt's hand tightly as they were standing in front of the massive opened ballroom doors, the new sight that meet her was even more impressive than the corridors and pathways of the Royal Palace. She couldn't stop her jaw from dropping lightly.
The ballroom was huge, bigger than any room she had seen before and she bet that it usually had been three or four regular rooms before a brilliant architect must have turned it into this little paradise of extravaganza, charm and beauty.
The walls were covered in a cream colored tapestry with filigree flower patterns imprinted in it, the four corners were steadied by white marble pillows and from the ceiling hung a chandelier like she had read in all her fairytale books. The floor was black and in a stark contrast to the light walls and the huge creamed colored windows. It was starting to get dark but Adora could take a look at the gardens which you could see through the glass of the windows and huge doors.
The ballroom was divided into three different areas since it served three different purposes. In one corner close to the entrance door she could spot a place with long tables that were decorated with white table clothes fine silver clattery, crystallite glasses, red napkins, sparkling candle holders and flowers. Another long collection of tables served as a keeper for tons of carefully cooked meals and foods as well as drinks that made Adora's tummy grumble. A few people were sitting at the tables and chatting , she could see them laugh and smile and her anxiousness disappeared a bit.
The biggest part of the ballroom and the second area was dominated by the dance floor. Almost hundreds of people were swirling and twirling to slow classical music that was coming from another corner of the ballroom. The orchestra that the royal family had hired must be one of the best of the whole real for their music mesmerized Adora and for a moment she got completely lost in the music. Aside from that she was fascinated (and a little ashamed of her own attire) when she observed the different dresses of the pretty women who were dancing. She could spot all the colors of the rainbow and impressive designs. Most dresses looked stunning and all of them were decorated with gems of all kinds –mostly diamonds or emeralds who were a symbol of OZ and a sign for wealth. Adora's simple light blue dress didn't have a creative cut or shape and there were no diamonds. It was the finest she had though, and Cain told her that he loved it the most. It fit his icy blue eyes so she had chosen it. Cain squeezed her hand and looked her in the eye.
"You look beautiful. Don't let yourself feel down because of the other women, your beauty outshines their expensive dresses." As if he had sensed her unease and discomfort he happened to find the exact right words again. She grabbed the collar of his suit and gave him a quick but passionate kiss.
"I love you Wyatt Cain, and I love you even more because you chose me and not one of these snobby women." Cain had to laugh at that and Adora smiled before she followed him deeper into the room.
The third and last area of the ballroom was the most majestic and decorated one. While the windows and doors at the sides of the ballroom were open, the back of the room was covered by heavy thick red curtains that defined the two golden chairs that were standing in front of it. The thrones of the queen and king had high backs that had mysterious looking lines engraved in them, in the middle of the back was the typical OZ signature that also decorated the signs of certain big cities in the country.
On one throne sat the most beautiful woman Adora had ever seen. Although she already seen her for a short moment at their wedding, she was blown away by the woman's delicate pale porcelain skin, the thick braided hair and the stunning lavender eyes. She was wearing a dark green dress that had a simple cut like Adora's dress, but only because it served one purpose. The Queen was pregnant again and you could see shape of her slightly grown belly. In addition to that she was wearing a thin tiara that had the form of circles with flowers entwined on it. It looked simple and not all too heavy but her posture and her gaze made her look majestic and like a true Queen.
The Prince Consort let go of his daughter, stopped in front of the second throne, and placed himself next to his wife. He took her hand in his and both rulers faced the two newcomers with a friendly expression on their Queen lifted herself up and walked to Adora's husband. For a moment the two looked at each other before the Queen of Oz swung her thin arms around Cain's back and hugged him tightly.
"Wyatt Cain jr., you have visited us not often enough in the last five annuals. I've missed you old friend," Adora could hear her whisper as she let go of her husband. Small tears were running down her round face and she wiped them away in a noble manner.
"I apologize for my absence, dear sweet Lavender, but my job at the Mystic Man's protection detail asks for a lot of my time and me and Adora have spent a lot of time moving from the city to a cabin close to my home town." Cain took the Queen's arm and looked at her with an apologetic look on his face. Only for a brief second they remained in this position before the features of the Queen lit up and she faced Adora as well.
"I'm so glad that the Mystic Man hired you. I won't deny that I might have helped a bit, but you know how humble I am." She said with a smirk and Cain had to giggle, Adora couldn't remember ever hearing him giggle.
"It is also great news to hear that you two have found an appropriate home for yourself. Central City never was the right place for you Cain, the palace and the gardens maybe, but not the busy city. Oh and it is lovely to see you again Mrs. Cain. We never got the chance to chat and I never found the time to congratulate you to your lucky pick. Cain is a man that I would wish every kind person in Oz to marry." After saying this the Queen faced Cain for a moment and Adora had a feeling that she looked sad.
"Your wedding was marvelous and I apologize that we had to leave straight after the ceremony was over. You looked very beautiful my dove... am I allowed to call you 'dove'?" The Queen had dropped Cain's hand and was now holding onto Adora's hand. Hers was warm and seem to reflect the kindness and personality of the woman.
Adora was surprised and amazed how friendly their ruler was and her fear finally vanished completely. She exchanged a smile with the Queen and touched the hand of the woman with her left hand.
"Thank you, your Majesty. You're too kind. I also have to thank you for this invitation, I've never been to an event like this," she answered and turned around to look at the dancing people who now turned to faster music.
"Then you should enjoy yourself. Ask your husband for a dance, eat from the buffet and when you feel you have seen everything come back to my throne and we will talk a bit. I really would like to hear more about the woman who stole my friend's heart." The Queen responded and looked at Cain again.
"Ask her for a dance, the orchestra is marvelous this evening." She patted Cain's arm and left for her throne she was completely gone though, she turned around one last time.
"Oh and Mrs. Cain? Please call me Lavender all my friends do that." Then she was gone and Adora hoped that she wouldn't scold her daughter Azkadellia now, who had been standing next to the Queen's throne all the she raised her head she could see that Cain was looking at her.
"She likes you," he said.
"She is lovely," Adora answered as if she was in a trance.
"I'm sure that you will get along perfectly. I'm glad that you're feeling better! Now how about this dance our dear Lavender suggested?" At this Cain bowed in front of her and outstretched his right hand to offer it to time it was Adora who had to giggle and she took his hand with a light smack.
"I'd love to dance." And off they went to the dance floor.
O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O..O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.o.o.o.o.O
Dancing belonged to the skills that her mother had wanted her to learn when she had been a little girl. No matter which social class you might belong to, dancing and music were gifts from nature which meant that they belonged to everyone and that all people should be able to learn a proper dance.
Adora was glad that she had learned how to waltz for she surely would have been ashamed of herself between all of the skilled dancers. Wyatt Jr. might not look like it but he had a secret talent for dancing as well and the young woman was delighted when her husband twirled her around the dance floor. It felt like they were hovering above the marbled floor. It's not like she didn't know what he was capable of since they had danced all night at their wedding, but here at the palace there was something added to Cain's dancing skills that Adora couldn't name but was fascinated by with their every step.
The music, the champagne and the hot room made her feel dizzy and the couple was completely lost in thought when another couple approached them from behind. Cain's eyes were locked on Adora's and vice versa, the other couple were much too distracted themselves, so it was only a matter of time before they suddenly bumped into each other and found themselves on the cold floor.
"Oh dear... excuse me I always get very absorbed when I'm dancing and that must have influenced my dancing par..." The young man who belonged to the other dance couple exclaimed nervously before he saw Cain and stopped dead in his tracks.
Adora rubbed her head and left knee but she wasn't in much pain. The lady who had danced with the man seemed to be furious though. Her face was red and when she had smoothed her now crinkled dress, she slapped her dance partner in the face and left with her head up high.
The man didn't even seem to notice the slap, instead he kept staring at Adora's husband. His expression unreadable.
"This can't be true! Cain?!" He said in disbelief, as if he had just learned how to speak. His voice was a bit raspy but not all too deep and there was warmth lying in the pronunciation of Cain's name.
Her husband had been rubbing his bum and hadn't paid any attention to the other couple or the mysterious staring man, but when he heard the man's voice he quickly raised his head and jumped from his spot on the floor as if a papae was at his heels.
"We have to stop meeting like this Ambrose." Cain smirked and his eyes sparkled like Adora had never seen them before. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the man whom her husband was constantly talking about.
"So this isn't a hallucination then, it is you!" The brunette man said and gave Cain a very passionate, manly hug.
"Finally found someone to dance with?" Cain asked teasingly.
"Nah! Just an unavoidable fashion. Now that I'm duke and an ambassador some ladies feel forced to dance with me," Ambrose remarked with a devilish, yet sad grin.
The two men stood there arm in arm and chatted like they hadn't met in ages, which sadly enough was the truth.
Cain had told her many stories about his childhood companion and best friend Ambrose Gale who happened to be the twin brother of the Queen and the Duke of the Northern Territories, or Gilikin as it was still called. However she had never imagined that the prince and her husband were such close friends. Her husband had been engaged in several cases concerning the Mystic Man and his protection. Ambrose, on the other hand, was said to be busy with political meetings, journeys all over the country, and his famous inventions. And although Cain spent some time at the palace, it happened that the two men hadn't seen each other for more than 3 years. They seemed to have missed each other's company. Shortly after their wedding, Ambrose had shown up to give them his blessing but Adora had been in town during that time, so she had never seen or meet Ambrose before.
The Queen's twin brother reassembled her in many ways, yet he looked completely different. Like his sister, he had dark thick brown hair which fell from his head in soft curls that almost touched his chin. He wore it in a neat and stylish manner, not like Cain, who had cut his hair so short that he didn't even need to comb it. The young duke was pale but his milky skin looked like the porcelain skin of his sister and only underlined his royal status. He was almost as tall as Cain and his slim body seemed to be a little bit muscular but he looked lanky. He was wearing a dark blue dress uniform with slim shaped black trousers, and neatly polished black shoes. The biggest difference between he and his sister were his eyes and face. Everyone in OZ knew that the Queen's eyes were lavender because they were touched by magic, only those who knew Ambrose, though, knew that his eyes weren't touched by this magic and that they were brown like hot chocolate with a hue of green in them. While his sister had a soft round face, his was much thinner and asymmetric. His nose seemed to reassemble his aristocracy because it was slightly crooked and beaked. Nevertheless he was nice to look at like his sister and they seemed to share the same warm smile that could light up the whole ballroom.
All of a sudden her thoughts were interrupted by a question of Ambrose, who had finished his conversation with Cain and was now facing her.
"You must be Adora Cain, it is a honor and my deepest pleasure to meet you." He bowed in front of her, all-gentleman-like, and brought her hand to his lips like Ahamo had done earlier.
This time she knew better than to blush like a foolish young girl, but she appreciated Ambrose gesture as much as she had appreciated the first one, maybe even a bit more than Ahamo's.
"The pleasure is all mine. I wondered what you would be like," Adora said in return but was confused when Ambrose raised one of his brows.
"Because I'm the Queen's brother?" He asked suspiciously.
"Because you're my husband's best friend," the woman with the honey blonde hair returned, and suddenly the duke started to laugh, loud and passionate. It was a clear sound and she could tell that it was honest. Nevertheless she was asking herself why her words were so amusing. Was he making fun of her? Sensing that he might have offended her, Ambrose stopped abruptly and cleared his throat in a nervous manner.
"Please excuse me if I made you think that what you said was foolish. In contrary, your wit is extraordinarily delighting. You must know that not everyone on this party is very amusing, or witty... or kind. But it is true, Cain is a mystery. Hardly anyone can resist his charms but nonetheless, he is a difficult person to live with. So why not wonder about the sanity or personality of a possible 'friend'?" Ambrose still seemed to be amused and only he, and maybe Cain, could know why it was so funny that Adora had wanted to know what kind of people Cain had grown up with.
Adora was confused and Wyatt seemed to notice, so he tried to change the subject before Ambrose would leave the wrong impression on his wife.
"So you and the ladies, huh? How is it that they're still resisting your charms?" The smile on Ambrose's faced vanished in an instant and Cain was asking himself if he should have chosen another topic. Maybe this one wouldn't change the situation for good.
"I'm a busy man in addition to that I've never been in expert when it comes to flirting and I guess no book will ever teach me how to do so. However, I don't really mind that none of the ladies shows any interest. I barely have time for myself. It wouldn't be fair to a woman to lose her heart only to lock it away between my dusty books and piles of paper work." Over the years his answers had changed a lot in the way they were delivered but the outcome was always the same. Ambrose couldn't tell why a lady had never come to like him but he seemed to be perfectly fine with it.
"You will find your true love one day, believe in my words for I was desperate as well until I finally found the love of my life." Cain laid a reassuring hand on Ambrose's shoulder, who by now had had enough practice to hide the pain that accompanied the words of his friend.
He had never stopped loving Cain and he wondered if he ever would. Adora was a lovely woman and he wished for her to stay by Cain's side till the end of time. Yet it ripped him apart that Wyatt was talking of true love and of finding the love of his life, when all that Ambrose could think about was that this person, the love of his life, was standing right in front of him. He swallowed hard before he answered so that his voice would sound cheerful instead of croaky.
"Yeah, it's easy to say that! I would say the same if I had your looks," he joked and hoped that Cain would buy his flat joke. To his surprise Cain blushed lightly, either because he was ashamed, or for an unknown reason that he himself wasn't even sure of.
He brushed it off with a shrug and an awkward silence arose that was interrupted by the Queen and the Prince Consort raising from their thrones while a loud fanfare played the hymn of OZ. Everyone in the ballroom turned around to await words from their rulers and Cain was secretly glad that Lavender had just the right timing again.
"My dear ambassadors of Oz and neighboring countries, dukes,duchesses, majors, lords, ladies, leaders, authorities and closest friends. We, that is me and my husband Ahamo, have invited you today to this special ball, to celebrate the upcoming spring equinox and the sixth annual of my rule. We are happy to see you all being at ease and we hope that you enjoy the festivities. The Equinox ball has long been tradition here in Oz and it is the sign of a new beginning, when winter is replaced by spring, when the flowers start to bloom and when the birds return to us. In this case I would like to announce that this spring equinox ball is also to introduce you all to another new beginning. The beginning of a new life. Honorable people of OZ, your Queen is pregnant again."
A loud murmur went through the rows as the Queen announced her second pregnancy. Women were whispering with each other and you could hear the deep voices of the dukes and lords who started to discuss the gender of the unborn child. However the murmur stopped abruptly as the first guest started to clap and everyone felt the urge to join in. Within seconds the great ballroom was filled with the sounds of clapping , laughing , congratulations and screams of joy. Everyone was rejoicing the happy news –among them Adora, Cain and Ambrose.
The duke of Gillikin already knew that his sister was pregnant but nevertheless he celebrated her like any other guest, raising his glass for her as she looked into his direction. The secret smile that they shared was seen by few but it was warm and hearty.
"This is great news, but why did that they wait so long? It's starting to get obvious anyway," Cain asked as the clapping was starting to lower.
"Wyatt!" Adora interrupted in shock, for she felt that Cain's question was much too rude to be asked out loud.
Ambrose didn't seem to care though, and she noticed again that there was an atmosphere between the two men that she simply couldn't explain herself.
"They thought about it, but you know my sister she is all about tradition and preparing... finding the appropriate moment for an announcement or speech. She is just like her, you know. She's even started to look like her," the duke said happily before his voice broke and his eyes turned dark and sad.
Adora was a smart lady so she knew that he was talking about Queen Lucasta II., however she was also smart enough to know when it was best to stay silent. In one of his rare moments Cain seemed to share her opinion and so the awkward and time consuming silence came back, until Ambrose cleared his throat.
"The night is young and you really should ask your pretty wife for another dance, Cain. You said that you will stay for the night so we can talk again tomorrow at breakfast. I'm sorry but there are some ambassadors who want to hear some really boring stuff from me and I wish that I could stay with you but they start to look very unsatisfied." At this the couple turned around to a group of middle-aged men with bushy eyebrows covering dark and cold eyes which were observing Ambrose with an evil glare. They were all wearing the same garb that identified them as people of a high status and both Adora and Cain didn't want to swap their places with the poor duke.
"It was good to see you again, my friend. I hope we can catch up on old times once those hawks have left for their homes. You should feed them now though, otherwise they might start to eat the guests," Cain remarked and he didn't care if it was a very funny or smart response, for he made Ambrose smile and that was all that mattered.
"It was nice seeing you again as well, and I promise that I will make up for my absence at breakfast. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet you, Milady." For a second time the duke brought his lips to Adora's hand, before he bowed in front of the couple and left with a sigh and a look that indicated his discomfort.
Once again the two special guests were alone and once again they had been offered to dance.
"Another try, Milady?" This time Cain hoped that they wouldn't bump into an old friend of his.
Adora seemed to think the same for she looked at him skeptically before she took his offered hand for the second time and followed him on the dance floor.
"I will follow your lead to the end of the world my love."
O.O.o.O.o.o.o.o.o.O.O.O.O.O.O.o.o.O.o.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O
It was dark and freezing cold outside, only the faint light of the distant moon was reflected on the little sea in the palace gardens and you could tell that it was the end of winter. No sound was heard except for the chirping of some lonely cricket and the soft wind that was blowing through the leaves.
Adora had wrapped herself in a blanket but she still felt cold. Her gaze was fixed on the million stars above her and her mind was recalling the last hours at the ball. She and Cain had danced all night, they had eaten a fantastic meal, they had met some important people and finally the Queen had invited her to end the festivities with a nice conversation in front of a warm fireplace.
She had learned things about Cain that the man himself would have never shared and she had heard stories that still made her laugh. Nevertheless she was standing outside now, the chilly breeze blowing over her face, making her nose turn red. Cain was fast asleep by now, but she needed to go outside. She needed to think, about his life, about hers but most importantly: about their life together. Now that she had seen how at ease Cain felt among his friends, she was afraid that she would never be able to give him what he wanted –what he needed.
"It's a beautiful night isn't it?" a low voice interrupted the silence and made Adora's heart jump in her chest. She hadn't been alone at all and she was wondering how long Ambrose had been standing there watching her.
She turned around without showing the shock on her face but she knew that Ambrose was way too smart to buy her fake smile. Maybe it was for the best if he knew the truth after all. He was her husband's best friend and he seemed to be noble and kind. She really felt like she needed someone to talk to, so why not the Queen's advisor?
" Yeah, chilly... but I've always felt drawn to the cold. I would love to see this place when it's lighter though," Adora said silently and maybe more to herself than to Ambrose, but the duke knew what to do and guided her to a marbled bench close to a waterfall.
"I've brought a blanket with me, you don't want to freeze your behind, do you?" He said kindly and placed a white fluffy blanket on the bench before he sat down and asked her to do the same by tapping the place next to him.
"Thank you."
They watched the reflections of the moon in the water and the white clouds of their warm breath playing around their mouths before Ambrose broke the silence.
"I didn't mean to snoop, believe me that's actually something I wouldn't do, but you looked sad when I happened to see you leave my sister's chamber. I have no idea what's on your mind but as an advisor I've got some practice with reading people's faces and interpreting their expressions. I won't tell you what I think if you don't want me to but I could offer you my help," he offered, his gaze never leaving the water in front of them.
"I…"
"Or we could just sit here together and watch the moon and the stars." Now he turned around and smiled at her with this thin lips and muscles that formed little dimples on his cheeks.
"Was it hard for you to let him go?" Was all that Adora said, leaving Ambrose with a surprised expression.
"Pardon? I don't understand what.."
"Was it hard for you all to let Cain go? You're all very kind to us and the way you talk with Cain shows me that you all love him very dearly, so now I feel like I have stolen him from you and I want to know if it was hard and if you hate me for it." She couldn't believe that she had just said that. Was she even believing that herself? Had this thought crossed her mind in this very moment or had it been lurking in her mind the entire evening? The fact was that Cain felt more at home here in the Palace than he did back in their cabin and that made her feel lost.
Completely unexpectedly, Ambrose grabbed her hand and it remained there in his soft and warm palms as if the mere touch of his was there to soothe her pain.
"I do respect Cain very much. We've been friends for over a decade now and all of my siblings feel the same way. Nevertheless, we're all leading independent lives and we would never want Cain to do something that stops him from being happy. Cain is an honest and loyal man and he would never leave you because he want to hunt old memories. I have seen him with women before but he has never looked at a single one the way he looks at you. I've seen so much love in my live, true love, deep love and honest love. My parents, my sister and Ahamo … you and Cain, they all look the same to me, they're all special. This isn't a short liaison, dear. This is something forever … until death will part you," Ambrose said encouragingly and Adora could see that he was saying the truth. Something about the man was simply honest and it was hard to not trust him.
Maybe it was the wrong decision but she felt like she had to do it so she placed her head on his shoulder. Luckily he didn't protest and so she was enveloped by the warmth of his body heat. His answer calmed her, she was glad that her doubts had been wrong and that Cain's best friend was sure that her husband would never leave her. That made it all much easier. Now she wouldn't have to fear that she would be alone with the new, challenging task that was awaiting her.
Ambrose seemed to notice the change of her emotions for he suddenly broke the silence again.
"Is it because you're pregnant?" He whispered into the night and beside the coldness of the gardens Adora froze. How could he know that? Was it so obvious? Had she acted differently without noticing it? The man beside her could see her surprise and a low laugh escaped his mouth.
"Honey, I have three sisters and I'm claimed to be the smartest man in all of Oz, you show the typical signs of a pregnant woman, but don't be afraid Cain doesn't know it yet," He answered with a wink and a funny looking smirk.
"You truly are unbelievable," Adora returned with a smile on her face once she had relaxed from the sudden shock.
"I hope that's something positive. I like you, you're the woman I always wished Cain would find. I can imagine that this is all very scary for a young woman like you, but you seem to be strong and feisty, just like my sister. I think you will manage it perfectly and Cain," for a moment he looked sad when he mentioned her husband but maybe it was only the effect of the reflecting moon on his face,"Cain will be the happiest man in the world. He wants to be a father I can feel that, family is important to him and you will give him this family." He ended with a soft pat on her shoulder. Adora had to think about the things that Ambrose had told her before she asked him her last question for the night. She wasn't sure if she could risk it for he had helped her in many ways and shown her that Cain was an honest and loyal husband who would be the fulfillment of her dreams and the father of their future child. However, she could feel the emotions that were coming from Ambrose and it was only fair to both of them if she asked.
"Do you love him?" She asked quietly and very cautious. This time it was Ambrose who froze and she could feel him stiffen lightly. His facial expression was hard to read but Adora wasn't stupid, she could see that he was struggling with the answer, but if he was as honest as she thought he was, then he would tell her the truth.
"Yes." It didn't surprise her to hear the short response coming from his mouth but it hit her nevertheless.
"However, I want to emphasize my words from earlier; Cain is a loyal husband and he loves you. I've been in love with him for a long time now but it wouldn't be fair to anyone if I told him how I feel. Maybe this is foolish, because it definitely would be fair to me to confess everything, but Cain isn't … isn't like me and I never would begrudge him his happiness. You two are meant to be together and I will never steal him away from you. I doubt that he would ever leave you because of me, but if you want me to make a promise... or if you want me to stay away from him for a while that's okay with me. But please don't break his heart. I want him to be happy and it would break my heart if he wasn't with the one he loves. Maybe I sound stupid, but love is about the heart and not the brain."
Now those big brown eyes were starring at her pleadingly and captured so many desperate emotions that Adora thought she might faint from just looking into those eyes.
She was surprised about her own emotions but she felt pity for him. The only one you ever loved being married to a stranger… the true feelings you have forced to be locked up like a prisoner. Your whole life a lie. She wouldn't want to lead a life like this and Ambrose surely wished to lead another one as well. It hurt her to know that there was another person who had the same feelings for her husband, but she trusted Ambrose. Of course it made her feel uncomfortable but every man or woman who was in love with Cain would make her feel this way, especially if one was as handsome as Ambrose. However she knew that Cain needed his friendship to Ambrose and she herself started to like the young duke as well. It wouldn't be easy to both of them-him being faced with their happiness and she being reminded of an unfulfilled love whenever she would see him. Maybe they would learn to live with it, but maybe one of them had to give up one day.
"I like you Ambrose, and it pleases me to hear that you won't stand in my way. Nevertheless, should you ever try to rip me and Cain apart I will do everything to turn your life into hell," she said with a devilishly sweet voice. Ambrose understood and nodded before he took her hand and kissed it.
"It is sealed, may our friendship bloom even if it's just for the sake to make Cain happy," he said and his warm breath tickled the skin of her hand.
"Oh I won't say that, this threat was necessary because I want to make clear that I'm not a foolish girl who trusts everyone that give her a promise, but I never said that we can't be friends. No matter how weird this whole situation might be I would be thrilled to get to know you, Ambrose and I hope that you feel the same way."
Yes, it was awkward to befriend the guy who had confessed his secret love to her husband, but she hoped that she could find someone for the duke as well, to feel a little bit more at ease but also to wipe away this sadness that seemed to engulf his heart.
"You're too kind. Yes, I would love to be your friend as well," Ambrose said, more joyful now.
"To an awkward friendship then." Adora smiled and they both hugged in the darkness of the garden and the reflection of the moon light.
In the morning Adora would tell Cain that she was pregnant and that she would never leave his side like she had promised at the day of their wedding.
A.N: First off I have to add here that I'm totally aware that I exaggerated a bit when I explained Ambrose's physical appearance XD Can't help it that man is simply beautiful XD Another thing that I'm a bit afraid of is how people are going to react to the conversation between Adora and Ambrose. I have no idea if that is a realistic conversation …or if any woman would be just okay with it but I mean she is not like : Hooray another person is into my man ..but I wanted them to respect each other and get along because they are both important to Cain but I also didn't want Adora to come off as a naïve girl who doesn't feel threatened by Ambrose at all . I'm sorry if I screwed that. More next Saturday ;)