Winter.
There is nothing she hates more than the cold, she thinks grumpily. Her room in this palace is certainly beautiful, but it has its drawbacks too — it is drafty — the whole palace is, and she especially hates that in the winter. She wanders the halls until she finds a warm room where the fireplace is blazing, before she rings for a hot chocolate. It is the library, and she chooses a book to peruse while she waits.
Sipping her drink, she grudgingly admits that winter isn't all bad — the holiday decorations are nice, and everyone seems full of more cheer around this time of year.
She's just a little lonely while it seems like everyone has someone to share the holidays, or snuggle under the covers with, she does not. Her thoughts return to him and whether he was successful in finding the treasure he was looking for. She hasn't seen him since that day, so maybe not. Is this when she should start trying to move on? She wonders. She does need an heir, and she's tired of being alone.
She decides she should plan something small for the holidays and invite her friends. Vaan, Penelo, and Basch too while they are all in the same city for once. Maybe Penelo will even be able to get a message to him, and to Fran, and they will come too.
Penelo is not able to get a message to him or to Fran, at least not in time, and they do not come to her outing. A little sad, she shrugs it off and enjoys her day with her friends.
The kids become excited by the rare snow coming down in the courtyard and throw it at each other. A stray snowball hits Basch, and then it becomes an all out war. It feels good to lose herself in this moment and return to simpler days. She feels lighter after everyone is gone, more carefree.
She smiles that evening as she sips her hot chocolate before the fire.
There is a big ball planned for the nobles for Yuletide, a huge state affair. Naturally, she must attend. Swathed in rich, sumptuous velvets, she cannot help but think about how this ball differs from her last. At her last ball, she was Amalia, just a regular girl with no worries or cares, dancing all night with her handsome lover. At this ball, however, she is Queen Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca, and she has a country to represent.
While she doesn't have her leading man, there are plenty of other men there for her to dance with. It seems her suitors are back in full force and all of them are vying for her attention. Al-Cid Margrace is there, she notes, with a smile. He hates Al-Cid, she recalls, amusement glittering her eyes as she remembers how he called him a useless fop and scoffed whenever he spoke to her. How he rolled his eyes when Al-Cid kissed her hand.
Nevertheless, Al-Cid is here, and he is not, and she likes him, despite the fact that sometimes he can be too much. He asks her to dance, and she obliges. Their dance is fun! It is fast paced and he lays it on a little thick, but it is not malicious and he is willing to give her time. She wonders if she could love him. She has already loved twice, and if she still loves her second, would it be possible to love a third? She does not know. But, for her people, she could probably entertain an amicable marriage. Their children would be beautiful, though likely missing the mischief her children with him would have.
Maybe one day, she decides, but for now, her head is too full of the Pirate to think of anyone else. She's still willing to bear the pain of their stolen moments together.
She spends her night dancing, making small talk with other royals and nobles, and engaging in traditions. Larsa is there, Penelo by his side for most of the night. Vaan is probably somewhere off pirating; he has no patience for matters of state either. Basch is in a corner, watching over her, she's sure. Politics weaves its way into some of her conversations, and of course, she received many subtle and not so subtle hints that she should meet so and so and marry him. Even so, it is not a bad night, and the food is better, but she preferred the last ball nonetheless.
It is cold as she makes her way through the palace's halls back to her chambers. She comes across no one as it is late, and most of the staff is sleeping. Her guards bid her a goodnight as they take their places up outside her door once she walks in.
She's removing an earring when she notices something small, but dark on her bed and walks closer. It is a small box, a small, black velvet jewelry box. She turns it over in her hands — no note falls out. Likewise, there is no note on the bed either. She looks around, and sees no one there. Maybe one of the staff left it or brought it from someone, as a gift. Maybe someone left it in her room by mistake.
Her curiosity gets the best of her, and she opens it. She gasps with surprise as staring back at her is a beautiful ring, with a large diamond in the center, with smaller stones adorning its sides.
There is no note in the box when she turns her attention to it, and her mind races wondering where it came from and what it means.
She's so wrapped up in her thoughts that she doesn't notice or hear him creep out of the shadows, and take her hands as he bends down on one knee.
The touch startles her.
"I told you I would give your other ring back when I found greater treasure, and I did. It is you. It has always been you. I cannot give up the skies, but I cannot give you up either. I am ready to stay, if you will have me." He tells her that he loves her, that it's always been her, that he always wants it to be her.
Tears stream silently down her cheeks because she cannot believe this is happening — the thing she's wanted more than anything. She never wanted to cage him, so she swore she would never ask him to stay. She knows there will be times when he goes, but it does not matter, because he will always come back to her, and he will stay. They will have more than fleeting nights every now and again.
She cannot speak but she nods, and he smiles as he slides the ring onto her finger. An actual smile, not his smirk. Those are hard to come by. He stands and pulls her to him and kisses her. Their kisses are sweet and he murmurs he loves her between them.
He unzips the velvet dress she's wearing and she steps out of it, and there she is, in nothing but her underclothes, while he's fully dressed, albeit a little informally. The intricate vest is open, he has rolled up the cuffs on his white, long sleeved shirt, and she takes a special moment to appreciate the leather pants that she's always loved on him.
Tonight, their lovemaking is just that — lovemaking. It is long, and drawn out, full of promises for their future. After they've had their fill, and spoken all night, he's drifted off to sleep, and she stays up a bit longer, watching him. A part of her worries he will grow to resent her, for causing him to stay. But, he did say he would go sometimes, and maybe he'll steal her with him, so her life isn't always just books and treaties and rules. She'd like that, she thinks. She too drifts off to sleep.
He's still there in the morning, and as it gets later and she knows the day will start, he doesn't leave — a first for them. Instead, he pulls her closer to him peppering her with kisses and murmuring "Good morning, Princess" in his husky morning voice. "What shall we do today?" He asks her, as his fingers run up and down her bare side. She smiles because they are a "we" now.
"I thought we might go for a ride," she says wickedly, issuing his trademark smirk back at him as she rolls him onto his back and impales herself on him. He is momentarily surprised, but responds enthusiastically to her. She catches sight of the diamond on her finger shining in the morning sunlight and she still cannot believe it was all real.
Afterwards, she notes that it isn't cold anymore, even though the fire went out some time ago. Luckily, her Pirate is a furnace, and she may never be cold again. He intertwines their fingers together as she lays on his chest. They should rise soon people will start wondering where she—
A shriek pierces the air, and there is the sound of glass breaking. Neither of them had heard the gentle knock of the maid bringing her morning tray of chocolate, and to say she was startled to see a man with the Queen was an understatement.
The maid's scream brought Basch into her quarters, already on his way to bring her some news she needed to hear. "What is the —" he starts to say, and then his eyes narrow, and he hisses out lowly, "you…"
The Pirate is smirking now, as he says "Good morning, Captain, you are looking well today. As delightful as it is to see you, I ask that you desist from entering our chambers in the mornings as we will likely be in some state of deshabille. Her Highness is to be for my viewing pleasures only," he states.
"You insolent cur! This is the Queen of Dalmasca you are speaking of, not some tavern wench!"
"There are no tavern wenches, and the Queen of Dalmasca is to be my wife," he retorts as he waggles their intertwined fingers, showing off the ring he placed there.
A part of her is mortified, even though the covers fully cover her, because this is not how she wished for the news to come out. The bigger part of her, however, is pleased to hear that word come out of his mouth for the first time — his wife.
Winter may just be her favorite season, after all.