Annika smiled down into Princess Alina’s sleeping face, and gingerly reached out with her index finger to lightly tap the baby’s small hand. “I’ve never seen someone so soon after they’ve been born.”

Ainsley smiled, and shifted the babe in her arms to rest more comfortably against her chest.

“I’m so happy to see you again,” Annika whispered then, her dark eyes moving up to the Queen’s, the pain and sincerity of her words sobering the mood considerably.

“I’m glad to see you, too. I truly didn’t know how it was going to turn out… things just felt… wrong. Did…” Ainsley glanced over at her shut chamber door and lowered her voice. “Did Mr. Ashowan tell you what happened that night?”

Annika blushed, and dropped her gaze. Ainsley’s eyebrows shot up at the sudden shift in her friend’s reaction. She had never known Annika to be so open with her expressions.

“He didn’t tell me much other than the state of your health and that you had a baby girl.”

Nodding seriously, the Queen decided to relay some of the details of the event to her friend now that she was no longer about to board death’s carriage.

“Well I’m told that right after Mrs. Ashowan pulled Alina free, her son was the one to tend to her for hours. He was even the one to introduce her to Eric.” Ainsley’s hand unconsciously moved to her daughter’s back.

Annika was blushing all the harder and was looking intently at the baby in an effort to avoid the Queen’s bemused expression.

“He was a great help during the birth and with the children from what I hear…” Ainsley continued, a slow smile spreading on her face as she watched Annika begin to fidget.

“I must say Viscountess Jenoure, it is quite interesting to see you so… bashful.”

Annika turned around and strolled over to the secret entrance she had come through. “Glad to see you’re healthy,” she called over her shoulder, her voice sounding strangled.

“Oh for- Annika! I’m teasing you! Get back here! I need to hear more about this relationship.”

The Lady halted her steps, but didn’t immediately come back around.

“I want to know when this whole thing started,” Ainsley continued, her tone turning a little more serious. “Norman tells me he is going to be knighted most likely before the war breaks out, and that if the marriage proceeds between Antonio and his mother, he may inherit a Baron title.”

Annika finally turned and sidled back to Ainsley’s side, her face no longer aflame.

“Yes, though to be perfectly honest I didn’t plan for the Captain to marry Mrs. Ashowan. I had thought it would take several years before Fin could become a Baron…” Annika sighed wearily and slowly seated herself on the chair beside the Queen’s bedside that Norman had taken to sitting in when coming to visit his wife.

“So how did you two-”

The chamber door burst open, and Annika was on her feet in an instant with her hood drawn over her face. Ainsley jumped at the clamor, and clutched the Princess to her chest a little more tightly until she realized it was none other than Katelyn Ashowan.

The woman was carrying a wash basin, and halted alarmed in her tracks when she saw the hooded figure beside the Queen. Immediately she opened her mouth to call for the guards when Ainsley hastily hissed;

“Shut the door! This is a friend!”

The scream died in Katelyn’s throat, and instead she frowned. Following Ainsley’s order, the healer closed the door… only she remained in the room with them.

“Your majesty it is time for me to wash and check your stitching,” she began while moving carefully closer to the bed.

“Very well,” Ainsley’s panicked voice instantly began to settle, when suddenly a devilish grin started climbing up her face as she slowly turned her gaze over to Annika who was frozen to the spot.

“Lady Jenoure, would you mind holding Lina while Mrs. Ashowan tends to me?”

At the announcement of Annika’s identity Kate’s eyes bulged, and her mouth dropped open.

Haltingly, the Viscountess lowered her hood, her cheeks once again burning with color.

Kate quickly dipped into a dutiful curtsy to the two women, making Annika grimace.

“Lady Jenoure it is… good to see you again.” Kate moved over to the bedside where Annika was standing, making her leap back out of the way. The healer placed down the basin on the bedside table, and then eyed the Lady curiously.

“Er- ah… yes. Yes it is… good to… to see you,” Annika quickly sidestepped around Kate and stood at the foot of the bed.

“I trust you will not spread any gossip regarding Lady Jenoure’s presence in my chambers, Mrs. Ashowan. You see, the inner court finds her a suspicious person due to her brother’s recent arrest. However, we have been close friends for years now, and I desperately wanted her to meet the baby,” Ainsley explained with a warm smile.

Kate visibly relaxed a little more, but only nodded in response as she lifted the Princess from the Queen’s arms.

Annika’s face suddenly paled when she realized that the healer was picking up the babe with the intention of handing her over.

“Oh I… I’ve never really held a baby before, perhaps I am not the best for-” Katelyn held out the swaddled infant and waited patiently.

“Support the head using the crook of your elbow, and wrap your arm under her like so,” the healer gently guided Annika’s gloved hands to show her what to do while ignoring her protests.

When the Princess was properly settled in Annika’s arms, everyone waited- the Viscountess literally held her breath as they all wondered if the baby would break out crying.

Instead, she nestled in closer to the Lady’s cloak and let out a small sigh.

Kate had already turned to attend to the Queen, and Annika remained rooted to the spot out of fear of disturbing the Princess.

“So, Mrs. Ashowan, how did Fin respond to your betrothal?” Ainsley asked, her voice almost musical in its delight.

“He… he stormed out of the castle. I haven’t heard from him since.” The genuine worry and sorrow in the woman’s voice surprised both women.

“I… I’m sure he’s fine with it and… and was really just more surprised!” Annika blurted before catching herself and clamping her mouth shut.

Kate turned around eagerly, a hopeful glint in her eyes that paired beautifully with her relieved smile.

“Is that all? Oh, thank the Gods… I had wanted to be the one to tell him, but Antonio said that given his arrest he wanted to clear the air first. Then of course I foolishly mentioned him blasting Jiho into the woods a few weeks ago…”

“I beg your pardon, Fin did what?” Annika’s tone dropped dangerously.

While Kate’s face drained of color, Ainsley looked as though she were holding back her laughter.

“He’s fine! Jiho wasn’t hurt, more so just annoyed. I am sorry, I really shouldn’t have mentioned anything I-” Kate suddenly turned and looked to the Queen who couldn’t contain her mirth.

“I am sorry your majesty for bringing my personal matters up, I can assure you that Jiho and Fin have always scuffled since they were boys. I hope you don’t think me rude by calling Lord Ryu by his first name, it’s just I’ve known him since-”

“Mrs. Ashowan, I take absolutely no offence to you two discussing matters regarding Mr. Finlay Ashowan. In fact I would love to hear more about our beloved cook.”

Annika glared at Ainsley, while Kate’s concerned face gradually shifted to a slight frown.

“Your majesty…” the healer glanced at Annika who wasn’t quick enough in schooling her expression, back to the Queen. “Did Lady Jenoure perhaps tell you…”

Ainsley smiled beautifully. “Tell me what, Mrs. Ashowan?”

Kate stared quietly for a few minutes before waving her hand. “Oh nothing of import. Might I ask where it is you have been staying while being exiled from the castle, Lady Jenoure?”

Annika swallowed nervously before turning her attention on to Kate’s back as the woman began adjusting Ainsley’s knees.

“I have an estate in Austice by the sea.”

“Oh, how lovely! I’m sure despite everything going on that it still must be nice to spend some time by the… water…” Kate’s work halted and she turned to look at Annika again with a more calculating gaze.

“Do you get many visitors?” Despite her tone being light, Annika could see the slight stress of aggression in the woman’s shoulders.

Ainsley was forced to cover her mouth in an effort to stop herself from laughing before she decided to stir the pot… just a little.

“I understand you’ve been in exile Lady Jenoure, but perhaps you got to go out disguised to see some of the sights. In fact… why yes! Mrs. Ashowan, didn’t you mention that Fin was taking a few days off in Austice as well? How fun! Annika did you perhaps see Mr. Ashowan during your time away from the castle?”

Annika didn’t dare to move, and was silently thanking the Gods that she had a newborn in her arms to deter Kate should she become violent.

“I… I… erm…”

“What’s wrong, Annika? You’re usually so well spoken!” Ainsley was positively glowing.

It was Kate who turned to shoot the Queen a dark look before speaking. Though the monarch didn’t seem insulted or disquieted in the least.

“I doubt my son would peruse the same streets Lady Jenoure would.” The healer’s tone was clipped.

Annika stared back and forth between her best friend and her future mother-in-law, completely at a loss, until at long last she gave up.

“Mrs. Ashowan, yes Fin has been staying with me, and Ainsley you’re a conniving wench that deserves to choke on tea if you hadn’t just come back from the brink of death.”

The Queen burst out howling in hysterics, unable to suppress her laughter any longer as Kate closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Lady Jenoure, I do not think it is wise for you two to be behaving so brazenly. It speaks ill of both of you should anyone discover the two of you having formed a… an… alliance,” Kate finished awkwardly while Annika winced and wished that the floor would open and swallow her.

“I know… we just… Fin and I needed… oh pipe down you!” the Viscountess snapped at the Queen who was wiping her eyes and still snorting to herself.

“I would… if I… could… this hurts my stitches… but it is just too... damn… funny!” Ainsley was then set off yet again and both Kate and Annika were left waiting for her to settle down.

“Fin and I just wanted time to get to know each other without the pretense of hiding…” the Lady explained quietly, while blushing deeply for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

“Well how are you going to stop the staff of your estate from gossiping, hm? All it takes is one maid to talk with another maid.”

“Oh, none of Annika’s staff members can ever step out of line,” Ainsley explained while still actively trying not to laugh.

Katelyn’s expression turned serious as she stared at the Viscountess with obvious assumptions being built up in her mind.

“Why is your staff so beholden to you?”

Annika looked to Ainsley and seriously debated the woman’s desire to live another day.

“It… is supposed to be a secret,” she began slowly. “All of my staff members are fugitives or Daxarian mixed Troivackian bastards. My footmen, my cook, my maids… I’m the only one keeping them from being either impoverished, imprisoned, or beheaded.”

“With the King and my permission of course,” Ainsley reminded with a slightly more serious nod.

“I see,” Kate frowned thoughtfully.

“Mrs. Ashowan I… I know this shouldn’t come from me, but I do have to leave soon and I need to tell Ainsley…” Annika didn’t know what inspired her to do it, and in the years to come she would call her actions that day ‘a lapse of sanity’.

“This morning, Fin proposed to me.”

Ainsley’s hand flew to her mouth, while Katelyn stood frozen.

“I… I said yes.”

“Oh good Gods! It’s too soon!” Ainsley burst out then, unable to keep out of the discussion, but Annika’s gaze was fixed solely on Fin’s mother.

“You and the Captain have been together almost exactly the same amount of time.”

"Yes, but,” Kate’s mouth had gone dry and she immediately began to empathize with her son hearing about her betrothal from the Captain. “I’ve been married before and-”

“So have I.”

Kate blinked in astonishment.

“He… died more than a year ago. He was in his seventies it… wasn’t sudden…” Annika tried to explain to lighten the news. “We didn’t have any children.”

Kate swallowed with obvious difficulty, and opened her mouth to reply, when the chamber door opened once again, and in stepped his majesty, the King.

“Mrs. Ashowan is everything alright? I thought this was to be a quick-”

Norman stared at the peculiar scene in front of him of Viscountess Jenoure in her trousers and cloak holding his daughter, then to Mrs. Ashowan who was staring at the Lady with such a wide range of emotions that he wondered if she had discovered new ones, and Ainsley who looked…

Like she was having the time of her life.

“Ah, Lady Jenoure… I thought you were coming this evening.” Norman closed the door swiftly behind him.

“I-I had work to attend to this evening so I thought I’d stop in earlier.” Annika hastily handed the Princess to her father. “I best be on my way then. Mrs. Ashowan has promised not to repeat to anyone that she’s seen me. I will take my leave now, good day.”

Lady Jenoure then swept over to the false panel, ignoring Kate’s startled expression at the hidden door, and disappeared into its opening.

Norman frowned in confusion at her departure, before turning to look back at his wife.

“Is the Viscountess feeling alright? She’s not usually so flustered.”

Ainsley grinned at her husband lovingly, while Kate closed her eyes and appeared to be taking calming breaths.

“Oh Lady Jenoure is doing perfectly well, I think she was just a little startled by being discovered by Mrs. Ashowan.”

Norman nodded slowly, unconvinced that there wasn’t more to the strange atmosphere.

“Very well, I’ll go retrieve the nursemaid for Lina- oh, Mrs. Ashowan, I believe I spotted your son heading towards his cottage on my way here. Once you’re finished tending to her majesty, please feel free to go speak with him. I know you’ve been distressed about his reaction to your betrothal.”

Kate’s eyes fluttered open, and Norman grew concerned over the intense fury in the woman’s face.

“Yes… my betrothal… We will have much to discuss indeed.”