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Firewalk with Me (Madam Mim x EvelynWillows)

Althea followed, staying respectfully a step behind the king. She wanted to cry at the way he spoke to her, not out of anger at how he treated her but out of remorse. The rules at Highchester had often been simply "because I said so" and had no foundations in reason. She had delighted in pushing boundaries and breaking rules as a child. But now as a young woman of nineteen she recognized that she had gone too far.

The princess's eyebrows rose in surprise at the king's question. "What? No!" Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth as her voice echoed unexpectedly against the stone. "No, Sire," she began again in a much softer voice. "I admit there've been times I've wished...but no. Too much depends on me living, at least until my father's lust for conflict dies." She lowered her eyes, thinking of all the times she'd lain awake at night, naked next to Edward, seriously considering taking his knife while he slept and slitting his throat...and her own. Many times it was only the thought of leaving Jacques and Tess and Apollo behind that had stopped her.

"Sire...you can trust me," she asserted quietly after a long pause. "It was foolish curiosity and nothing more. I realize I crossed a boundary I shouldn't have; it won't happen again. I swear it."
 
"You say that I can trust you, but your actions speak otherwise." He shook his head. "Regret has no place in our lives, but we must learn from our actions. You've shown Anna that you're here. She'll want to know who you are now." He led her back to her quarters. "Anna is a lovely woman, normally. She was full of love. Her murder, though...that changed her. Of course, that and her affair." He looked remorseful as he paused outside Althea's door.

"She might try to hurt you, Althea. Don't go up there again. And do not be alone. Do you know anyone who is adept at working with ghosts? I don't have many who are skilled at that. Maybe Olivia could stay with you. Or Sir Marcus."
 
"You could tell her I'm a guest. Or a distant relative; I mean, that's not so far from the truth. All nobility and royalty are linked by blood or marriage, no matter how distant, after all," Althea suggested. But she had a feeling that wasn't his point. "Affair...?"

The princess didn't expect to hear more about that. It was a deeply personal matter and she recognized that, but now she was intensely curious. She hadn't ever heard of the queen having an affair; was it with Jacques's father? Was that why he'd had her killed? She would ask Lady Roberta about it in the morning, but doubted she'd hear any more on it no matter how much she wanted to.

"I won't go up there again," Althea promised. "I swear. Sire, I've learned that what you forbid you do so for a reason; I won't disobey you again." Except in the case of Jacques, but she wouldn't tell him that. "I don't know anybody who works with ghosts; if I do I don't know it. Such things weren't exactly common place in Highchester." She smiled sheepishly. "I would feel comfortable in the presence of either Princess Olivia or Sir Marcus. But I don't wish to be a nuisance to either of them."
 
"You're not a nuisance, dear one. Never that." He paused and then put out a hand to her, to hold hers as they walked. "I know that a new life in a new country can be a frightening experience. You have no friends here, and you miss the people from your homeland. It's natural to want some diversion."

He walked quietly for a few moments before deciding that Althea deserved to hear the story from his own mouth first. "Diversion can be deadly though. My Anna...oh I loved her. Loved her as much as a man can love a woman, I suppose. She was young though; like you." He smiled. "I was young too, but I had seen much of the world. I longed to settle down and have children. We had our daughter Mirian, and then five years later Duncan was born. Just over a year later Owen and Olivia were born. I was ecstatic, as men are wont to be." He chuckled dryly at himself. "But Anna was feeling tied down; restless. She went to visit her cousin often. The Duchess Carolina de Perigod."

King Alastair brought Althea to a sitting area in an indoor atrium where lush plants and flowing shrubs grew despite the cold and snow outside. "It didn't take long for her to find the compliments and attention of the Duke appealing. He was her diversion, you see. Unfortunately for my wife she spoke in her sleep. I told her to put an end to this dalliance, and she seemed to comply once she was caught. The enormity of what she was doing hit her, I suppose. Then she received word that the Duchess Caroline was ill, and against my wishes she sneaked out, with Duncan, and went to Perigod to see after her cousin. I have no idea why she took the boy with her."

"Of course it was a ruse. Caroline had no idea what was going on in her own bedchambers. The story that I heard was that Anna fled the castle once she learned that it was just a way for her lover to get her back. He pursued her, and for whatever reason, she and our eldest were killed and put to the torch. None of the footmen or guards were spared. It was made to look like an ambush, but I knew." The pain in his voice was evident even now, over twenty years later.

"I didn't want to punish Caroline for what her husband had done, but in my anger I demanded their firstborn son. And so Jacques Perigod was sent to Highchester, where he would be guaranteed safety but I would have the satisfaction of at least knowing that Duke Bertrad Esaul was suffering the loss of his son. Somewhat. At least he knew that Jacques still lived."

"It was her murder that finally sent poor Anna over the edge. That, and the loss of our son. I think the guilt has been tormenting her all these years." He shook his head. "I wish she could find peace, Althea. I really do. We all do foolish things in our youth. Hopefully the people who love us will forgive us for them."
 
Althea slowly slid her hand to King Alastair's. It was strong and calloused by years of work and wielding a sword, but his grip was gentle. She followed him to the atrium and listened quietly as she was told the story. Her hand went over her mouth as he spoke. King Alastair was a kind and clearly loving man. He loved his children and was very clearly still in love with his wife. His first wife. Were he younger, Althea might not have minded the arrangement so much and wondered why a woman his age would have an affair behind his back.

"Sire, I...I'm sorry," she said quietly. "If I'd had any idea, I would've never...I'm so sorry."

She bowed her head as a sign of remorse. She felt terrible now that she knew the entire truth. Why had she ignored his simple request? He wasn't a tyrant; he had been fair and kind to her and she had repaid him poorly indeed. She put her face in her hands and rubbed her face.

"After all you've done for me you don't deserve this betrayal. I won't disobey you again, Sire," she promised.
 
"I know that you didn't mean to cause any harm, Althea. Ghosts are odd. Some are accepting of their situation, even helpful, like your little tag-a-long from Highchester. Others become corrupt or...turned around in their thinking. I know that Anna didn't intend to do what she did. She got caught up in the moment. If she had survived the ordeal, I'm positive that she and I would have come through that rough spot and found happiness together again. I'm certain of it. But she's trapped in the reality of what happened and that's all that she sees. So she might see you as an 'intruder', and interpret our engagement as a betrayal to my first marriage. See, I don't know that she's aware that she's dead."

His eyes had that sad, far off look of one who had finally come to accept bad news.

King Alastair smiled then. "I know this is not what you would have desired, Althea. No lovely young princess like you ever dreams of marrying a stranger her father's age. Everything I do has a reason. I want the Duke here because I hope that somehow that will allow my Anna to be released from this nightmarish vortex she's in. And I picked you, dearest, out of all the women in your father's realm who were eligible, because I think you'll be the best one to rule next to the King of Ellington."

"Now, you look exhausted, my dear. May I escort you back to your rooms?"
 
Althea listened, frowning sadly. She had intruded upon a widower's grief without even meaning to and would regret it for the rest of her life. "Have you ever spoken to her about it?" she asked softly. "About her being dead, I mean."

The princess grew sad as the King finally spoke the truth aloud. They both knew she didn't want him, that she didn't want to marry him and was only here out of a duty to her country and her people. The Duke dePerigod was to be lured here in order to try and give Queen Anna some closure on the issue of her death, and it was something Althea silently vowed to do everything in her power to assist the king in accomplishing. She sat up a little straighter when King Alastair asserted his vote of confidence in her ability to lead the people of the United Kingdoms at his side, but she was exhausted from a very eventful day.

"Yes, Sire," she said quietly, lowering her eyes. "Thank you. You're very kind. I'm...I'm sorry this whole night happened."

Apollo stood as they did and trotted along after them as he had the entire time. He liked the old man, but wasn't quite sure what his intentions toward his Mistress were and so stayed wary around him still. Either way they were in a new place and he wasn't likely to leave her alone very often; who knew what was lurking around here, especially after that poltergeist?
 
King Alastair's smile reached his eyes. He kissed her hand. "I'm not sorry, dear. You are brave, stubborn, and compassionate. Those are wonderful characteristics for a queen to have. If she were still alive my Anna would have adored you as much as I do. She would have thought you the perfect choice for our nation." He gave her dainty hand a loving squeeze and then stood, offering her his arm as they walked to her wing of the castle. He seemed completely accepting of Althea's large, fuzzy chaperone. Even amused by him. The animal had an innate connection to his mistress that was evident for anyone with a bit of insight.

The hour was late. The king left her at her doorway, and once she was safely ensconced in her room he drew a protective ward across her door that would forbid any hostile soul from crossing the hearth. He paused, wondering if he should make it permanent, then went ahead and did it. There was no reason he'd want anyone hostile to Althea to be able to enter the room.

For that matter, any part of the castle. But until he could put Anna's soul to rest, he had to take it piece by piece.
 
Althea gently squeezed the king's hand back and smiled. She could come to care for him as a father figure or as a mentor, perhaps, but knew she could never care for him as a lover. That distinction had always and would always belong to Jacques. She took his arm as they walked and spoke softly as they padded through the dark.

"I seem to have come into very good fortune indeed, Your Majesty," she said. "Most men would be furious at my disobedience and insist upon punishing me harshly. Not that I wish for any sort of punishment or question your judgment," she added quickly. "But...if my marriage were to be arranged to anyone apart from that which we've already spoken of, I think I was very lucky it was to you." The princess gave him a small smile. "I hope that we can become friends, Your Majesty."

Althea slipped quietly into her room with Apollo and fell onto the bed. The day and then the evening had been exhausting and she knew her limbs would be sore in the morning; she would have to take Sir Marcus up on that promised massage. She didn't hear the muttering of a protection spell as Apollo jumped up onto the bed with her and the two quickly fell asleep.
 
The next morning dawned early and bright; the sun shining and causing ice and snow to melt off the roof. Huge sluffs of snow slid to the ground with wet heavy thuds, exciting Apollo with each portion repositioned. The servants who came in to help Althea were perky as well, as they reported that the first crocus leaves were poking out of the snow according to the gardener. A few of the girls giggled over mention of him, smacking each other with pillows as they fluffed Althea's bed and laid out clothing for her.

Lady Roberta came in a few minutes later with a rolling cart set up with tea and a few 'nibbles before breakfast', as she put it. "So darling! Today Princess Olivia tells me that you are scheduled to practice your 'arts' with Sir Marcus and her later this afternoon. But first! I hear you're going to sit in on the morning audiences!" She smiled. "Those are always so interesting!" She waved the hairdressers over as she settled in to having a cup of tea with Althea.
 
The thud of snow as it slid from the roof woke Apollo with a start. His Mistress only awoke when he stood on the bed and turned a small circle before letting out a woof at another soft slish of snow falling.

"Ugh...Apollo, get down!" But the dog was in a playful mood and had soon cajoled his mistress into wrestling on the floor with him. The princess quickly stood and cleared her throat when the chamber maids came in. A flame of jealousy licked at her heart when they giggled at the mention of the gardener, but she had to remind herself that he was hers and they didn't know any better.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Lady Roberta," Althea smiled as she sat down to tea while her hair was done. "But it sounds like they're dreadfully boring, in all honesty." She chuckled, though she remembered that she still had to discuss the slaving issue with the king beforehand. "I'm grateful for any time spent with my future husband and am grateful for the learning experience, but look much more forward to thus afternoon. On a personal level, of course."
 
"Oh my, not boring. Not at all." Lady Roberta rested a hand on Althea's arm and looked at her with a serious expression. "So very, very important, those morning petitions." She nodded before picking up a scone and smiling. "But yes, I completely agree about this afternoon! It will be great fun to spend it with Sir Marcus and Princess Olivia. And of course, that gardener." She winked. "What is his name again?"

The hairdressers finished braiding and tucking Althea's hair up and then putting a few fresh flowers into the braids. The flowers must have come out of the greenhouse since the only things hinting at growing outside were the crocus.

A couple of the maids giggled behind their hands at the mention of Jacques again. They hurried to finish their chores so that they could leave the future queen and her lady-in-waiting alone.

Lady Roberta nibbled on her scone and sipped at the tea. "So my dear; are you settling in well?"
 
Althea smiled gently. "My lady, I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to dismiss the concerns of the subjects of the crown as unimportant. They're very important indeed; they keep our great nation running. But I've always found politics and economics frightfully dull. That's all I was saying." She smiled mildly over the rim of her cup before taking a sip of tea.

At the mention of the gardener, however, she choked. The princess reminded Lady Roberta that his name was Alex, and flushed when the chamber maids started giggling. If she wasn't careful, there would be rumors about the truth in no time!

"Yes, m'lady. I'm settling in quite nicely. We both are." Apollo woofed quietly from his place at Althea's side before returning to the consuming task of begging for crumbs off of his Mistress's plate.
 
Jacques' morning was not as warm or pleasant as Althea's. He started out by hauling wood into the greenhouse to where the small heater was that kept the insulated wonderland comfortable in the dead of winter. The melting snow and sharp green blades of crocus leaves poking through the white blanked heartened him. Spring was right around the corner.

And with it, Althea's wedding.

He groaned inwardly. He loved Althea dearly, and if she had to marry someone other than himself he was glad it was at least someone he could respect. He lifted another armful of frozen wood to carry into the greenhouse and nearly bumped into the king as he rounded the corner.

"Sire! I'm sorry, I was just..."

"Thinking so loudly you were broadcasting yourself across the field." King Alastair smiled as he took a few of the logs from Jacques' arms and propped open the door so that the younger man could enter the greenhouse. "But I came to speak to you about our original agreement." He set the pieces of firewood down on the pile and waited for Jacques to unload his arms. "Most notably I want to understand how completely your oath of fealty and obedience to me extends. If there's any part of you that is not willing to obey my commands in absolutely everything then I need to know."

Jacques felt his cheeks go pale. Usually such a premise to a conversation boded ill for at least one of the parties involved, and in his position the ex-knight felt his chances of coming out unscathed lessened by the king's words. "Your Highness, I meant every word of my oath. Unless you ask me to commit an evil or unconscionable task, I'm your man completely, until the day of my death."

"You were Duke Highchester's man when you swore that oath to me." The king reminded him.

"I never swore fealty to the man, Your Highness. I was knighted alongside his son as a matter of rote; not as a sign of my allegiance to any man."

The King seemed to take his words into consideration for a long moment before nodding once. "Good. That is good. Then would you say that you are loyal and obedient to me, spirit and body?"

Jacques searched the king's eyes nervously. This was beginning to ring frighteningly to his danger sensors. "Yes....yes Sire. I am yours to command." He examined everything he knew about his liege to figure out where this strange path was leading them. From the first time he met King Alastair in the battlefield he felt like the king knew things that Jacques did not. Important things, things that would change his life forever.

"Good. Then I want you to prepare yourself for the idea of being married, Alex. I intend to have you brought back to knighthood after I am wed, but to do that you'll need to be established. And of course, Jacques d'Perigod is dead. Alex the gardener is no one, and you'll need a noble link to be elevated to knighthood again. I know a wonderful young lady, a good woman, who you will do well with."

Jacuqes' felt the world rush out from underneath him. "A...a wife?"

NO! NO! He could never love anyone other than Althea!

"Could you not simply...find some other way?" He swallowed.

King Alastair smiled sadly. He could see the turmoil in the young man's eyes and he understood the cause of it. "Absolutely not. And you're to tell no one about his. No one, understand? I cannot have my bride pining away at the thought of her childhood love marrying another."

The message was clear. Jacques nodded. He stood there in the rapidly cooling greenhouse for long minutes after the king left before remembering that he needed to start the fire or risk every exotic plant in the sanctuary freezing to death because he grew distracted.
 
Althea was grateful to get away from the giggling maids. The maids giggling over her love. She had nearly gone into fits of jealousy as she walked down the hallway when she realized that they probably thought they had a chance with him and would try to woo him. She nearly broke down into tears when she realized it might work and nobody would look askance at the gardener marrying the chamber maid. It was all this which drove her downstairs in a heavy cloak to walk the grounds and find Jacques. She just needed some reassurance.

"Sire! There you are!" Althea smiled brightly, but her heart pounded against her chest. She had gotten out the door and just rounded the corner to find herself face-to-face with her husband-to-be. The man standing both literally and figuratively between her and her love. She almost wished he'd be cruel to her; it would make it a lot easier to resent him.

"I hope you haven't forgotten about breakfast?" she asked, still smiling. "And we still need to discuss that slavery issue before we hear their case."
 
King Alastair paused to smile at the vibrant young woman before him. "I would never forget about a chance to spend time with you," he said easily as he took her hand. With a knowing smile he brought her fingertips to his lips before escorting her away from the garden. "I usually take my breakfast in the library. I so love books...it will be nice to be able to start on your own library after the wedding, don't you think?"

He noted her flushed cheeks and the slight look of anxiety in her eyes. "How has your morning been, my dear? You look...disturbed." As they walked through the palace he felt a pang of guilt over the way he was toying with the young couple, but he had to know that their loyalty to him and the kingdom would surpass their desire to be with each other. He needed to know that they would be the best for the kingdom, especially with the way that 'Jacques' had been raised.

As they approached the library the king patted Althea's hand. "You should know that your brother has requested an audience with you for lunch, which I have granted. I hope you don't mind that I've arranged for you to take lunch in the castle. The greenhouse is...a special place for me. I'd like to keep it just for you and I."
 
Althea managed a nervous smile as the king kissed her hand. She had the feeling King Alastair knew more than he let on. The princess remembered what Jacques had said about him being able to read minds and worked desperately to block her thoughts. So preoccupied was she that she very nearly missed what the king had said about breakfast.

"I'm very excited to start designing a library," she replied, this time with a genuine smile. "My parents are having my books sent over and I can't wait to find more. When Mother quit tolerating my fondness for playing outdoors, I found my adventures in books."

Althea blinked a couple times when he asked if anything was wrong. "Disturbed...? I er...no. It's just that you mentioned the wedding. Our wedding. It's still a strange thought to me is all, Sire." She groaned inwardly when Edward was mentioned. Lunch! Ha! He probably wanted lunch in her chambers! "I understand about the greenhouse, Your Majesty. Of course, you're more than welcome to join us you know." Mentally she begged him to join them so Edward wouldn't take the opportunity to violate her once again.
 
King Alastair smiled and nodded at her invitation. "I would enjoy the chance to get to know your brother better," he said. "If you're sure that you don't want to meet privately with Sir Edward then I would be honored to join you, my lady. I simply assumed that you were so close you'd want some time with him before you were married."

The king's library was surprisingly bright. A manservant was setting down a silver tray at an intimate table and another was pulling the long thick curtains aside to let in the cheerful light of the morning. The king pulled a chair out for Althea before sitting himself. He waited for the servants to move away before resuming their conversation.

"Now..." it sounded like he was going to begin talking about their topic of the morning but he reached for the tea pot. "May I pour you some tea before we go about solving the issues that plague the world?'
 
Althea almost laughed in relief when the king accepted her invitation to join them. "I spent a month alone with him, Sire," she said with a small, good-natured smile. "Besides, he'll be your brother-in-law. One should know who one's family is."

When King Alastair led her into the library, however, she was left breathless. Her father's library was large, but this was enormous and bright and wonderful. The library at Highchester had enormous windows, certainly, but they were all covered with long, heavy drapes. Even in the summer in the middle of the day the library would need to be lit with lanterns and candles. It was wonderful to see books in such a glorious light.

Althea recovered sufficiently in time to seat herself. She looked around the library once more before smiling as he poured her tea. "Thank you, Sire," she said politely. "This...this is wonderful!"
 
"It is wonderful, isn't it?" The king smiled contently and looked across the table at Althea. He could imagine how easy it would be to love a woman like her. It was no wonder that she turned heads without trying; even in a simple peasant's garb she could spin a man around with just a smile. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she walked into the library, and her approval meant more to him than he could have imagined. For a moment he wished that he had never run into Jacques in the battlefield and that Alastair's engagement to Althea was simply that; an engagement with no twists or turns in it's wording.

But he had run into Jacques, and he understood that duty, sometimes, went before one's own desires. Besides, he had an inkling that there were other, good things in store for him if he listened to the urgings of his conscious.

"So, the topic at hand is slavery. I know that you do not have anything remotely like it in your father's kingdom," he said, elegantly distinguishing her kingdom and her father's as two separate places. "We've come up with it as a solution to a difficult situation. First there are captives of war; killing them would be cruel. We've traded some of their men for some of ours, and that helps to alleviate some of the burden for their care, but there are others that our enemies will not pay to have returned, and to simply let them free would be to sanction their attack upon us and possibly to embolden them to attack again, so we came up with slavery as a way for these men to earn their upkeep while serving in a safe, supervised, and helpful manner."

He smiled and looked out the window for a moment. "Then there are our own people which are in slavery. These are those who have created a debt that they cannot or will not pay, or people who have committed crimes and must do penance for their crimes. Their slavery is shorter in term; usually a year for eery thousand gold crowns they are in debt. Their ownership is strictly regulated, of course; their owners are not allowed to treat them harshly or use them unkindly, but they are required to work their slaves to repay their dept. In exchange, the owners pay a fee to the crown, and that goes to repaying the actual debt that is owed. As far as criminals go, their terms are slightly different, but they are designed specifically to match their crimes."

The king stirred his tea absently. "We have today a case in which a woman wants to release her slave, but the slave refuses to go. He says that he sired the woman's children and he wants to stay with them, but she says that the children are strictly hers, and she demands that he leaves." He looked across the room at Althea. "It's a difficult situation to rule on, and there are others like this before us today."
 
Althea listened attentively as she squeezed a bit of lemon and spooned honey into her tea. She found the entire notion of slavery uncouth and simply barbaric, but apparently this particular situation was even more complicated than that. She arched her eyebrow delicately at the mention of a slave having sired his mistress's children. It seemed to her that both adults had something to answer to, especially if the owner was married.

But of course, that could have been the slave's main purpose in the first place...

The princess shook her head slightly before taking her first bite of breakfast and chewing slowly. She used the time to think over a solution to the problem. Swallowing, she pressed her lips together into a line as she formed her final thoughts on the matter.

"First of all, Sire, I think when we don't have a pressing appointment you and I ought to sit together and discuss reform of the slavery system," she began slowly, trying her very hardest not to sound impudent or bossy. "But for the matter at hand, I would propose a compromise. Either way, it is the woman's property and if the former slave is no longer considered part of the household she has a right to evicted him as she sees fit."

"However," Althea continued after some quietly thoughtful chewing, "both parents have a right to their progeny and each deserves to have a voice in their upbringing. If the man is indeed the father of her children, I propose some sort of joint custody arrangement that is agreeable to both parties be drawn up under the provision that he stay clear of the woman's property and lands when not visiting his children."

She looked up, seeking approval from the king. She searched his eyes to see whether he thought she had a good idea. "Is there any way magic could tell us with certainty who the father is?"
 
The king seemed to be pleased with Althea's thoughtful response to the situation at hand. "Magic may indeed tell us who the father is, though it is not always admissible as evidence. In this case, however, the man is a captive from your kingdoms. He has been here for ten years, and during that time has earned his freedom. Unfortunately, he must return to his homelands, because a foreigner here who does not have a responsible owner is greeted by distrust and even hatred. It would be very dangerous for him to remain close enough to be able to visit his children."

"The mistress wants the man to be gone forever; she wishes to have her children inherit her family's estate, but that can only happen if she is able to sever ties with the slave completely. He, however, wants to be acknowledged as the children's father and to remain near them." King Alastair took a bite of breakfast and leaned back in his chair as he considered the situation. After a moment he sighed. "I suppose this whole thing could be avoided if we had disallowed owners from engaging in sexual activities with their slaves, but you know how difficult it can be to keep two people apart when they are attracted to each other, or even to keep them apart when the one who desires the other is in a position of power." He looked at Althea. "It's nearly impossible."
 
Althea chewed thoughtfully as the king gradually revealed more facts about the case. This was more complicated than it originally had sounded. She pursed her lips in thought and swallowed, but nearly choked as the king spoke of how impossible it is to keep apart two people who want to be together...or to keep a person in power from taking advantage of their victims. Althea wondered if he referred to her love affair with Jacques or if he somehow knew of her brother's abuses.

"Indeed, sire," she agreed quietly. The princess allowed a few moments to compose herself before answering. "If he has truly earned his freedom, then he mustn't do anything. But the mother has her rights and deserves to have her wishes heard and honored."

She thought over how to say what she wanted to do with this particular case. "I think we still ought to determine if he is truly the father," she said slowly. "If he isn't, he'll be banned from being within five miles of the woman's property or any of the regular places where he might waylay her to get to the children."

"If he is, however, then he has as much right to his children as she does. She'll be required to allow him to visit the children at least once a week, under penalty of heavy fine if she doesn't. Since he is a free man here legally, and because our kingdoms are now united or soon to be, we cannot force him to leave and go back from whence he came. He will be warned of the danger of staying and given no protection if he chooses to do so since he does have other options. When the children each come to thirteen years of age they may have the freedom to choose with whom they wish to live."

Althea looked up at her intended, looking for approval. She felt like a child or a student in front of him.
 
King Alastair paused to watch the ideas flit across Althea's face. She was a thoughtful, intelligent woman. She tried to consider all the aspects of the situation, and he appreciated that in a future ruler. "I would like you to sit by me this morning and to preside over the slavery issue, especially since it involves a citizen of your kingdom." He took a drink of tea and considered it carefully. "The decision does not have to be made today, but I want whatever outcome we arrive at to be something that you will not lose sleep over."

He reached across the table and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I am glad that your concern was not whether or not one was noble and the other a commoner, Althea, but rather who was the rightful parent in the matter. It can be a difficult decision to make. What, exactly, constitutes a parent? Is it the man's seed that determines parentage, or who has loved and cared for the child all of its life? Does one parent or the other have more claim to the children simply because it grows in the mother's womb?"

The king examined his betrothed intently. "What would you do, for instance, if you were raped and found yourself with child?"
 
This time Althea did choke. She had smiled at the king's approval and had been taking a sip of tea to give herself time to prepare an answer to his question of "rightful parenthood." The princess tried to keep the ensuing mess contained in her cup, hunched over and coughing.

"Sire!" Althea croaked, watery-eyed and quite red in the face. "What a terrible notion! Why ever would you think of it?!" But inside she was beginning to get angry with the kind old king. He was toying with her! He had to be! He had to know what her visions had shown her, that she would bear a child of Edward's force. Why wouldn't he just come out and tell her what he knew?

"I suppose we should give them truth serum and interview them separately to determine if it was consensual," the princess said after she'd recovered sufficiently. "Class doesn't matter when it comes to children; they don't care, so why should we?"
 
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