2.6: Husband and Wife"I see you are feeling better."
Beatrice glared at Gunner as she came into the dining room and stopped. Her shoulders were stiff, her spine ramrod straight. "Just because I agreed to marry you doesn't mean you get to give me orders!"
Gunner's smile didn't shift at all; it was still infuriatingly smug as he told her, "If I think you are running yourself into the ground, it surely means I can."
Her eyes widened in shock. "You presume far too much!"
"Call it what you will. By the Maiden, Beatrice. You looked dead on your feet! I didn't like seeing it, alright?" He sat down at the table. "Can we call a truce? Can we talk?"
There was logic in his words. Her brow unforrowed and Beatrice nodded slowly. She sat across from him.
"About the ceremony," Gunner began, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, "my- father wants us to get married at the Estate."
Beatrice pursed her lips for a moment, then shrugged. "It makes sense, I suppose. You don't wish to?"
"Again, my father wants it, so I don't trust it."
"Hm, well, for one thing, there is more room at their Estate. Here-" she spread her arms out, "-is not exactly suited for entertaining." And she wanted it kept that way.
He frowned and sighed. "Aye, suppose you have a point."
"Gunner," her voice was gentle, "I promise, nothing untoward will happen. After all, King Darian will be there. As will the King and Queen of Windenburg. If your father wishes to remain as he seems, he wouldn't dare strike out at the wedding."
"But-" He stopped as she held up a hand.
"Information is what I do," she reminded him. "All information points to your father being ruthless, yes, but he's smart. There is nothing to be gained by striking out at the wedding. No strategic advantage. In fact, there is much he can lose if he reveals himself."
Though it was clear he didn't want to, Gunner nodded grudingly. "Alright. I'll take your word for it."
Beatrice arched a brow, then frowned a little. Gunner appeared very uneasy. It seemed he was worried. Unfortunately, there was little she could do set his mind at ease. She knew all too well what it was be afraid of one's own family. Instead, she would distract him. Besides, it was important they deal with a few things.
"Excellent. Now, we need to discuss something else. I believe we need to establish- ground rules."
He frowned. "Ground rules?"
She nodded. "Yes, ground rules. I know that this marriage is- a convenience. But-" She stopped. He had slowly stood up, his face a mask of fury.
She shoved her chair back and stood up, backing up a couple steps as he came forward.
"Just what do you mean by 'ground rules'?" he growled dangerously.
Beatrice drew herself up, her chin firming up. "Just that. Let's not pretend this is anything more than what it is. I can't expect this to be anything more than a marriage of convenience. Because of that, I can't rightfully expect anything like a real-" Before she could continue, he'd taken another menacing step toward her. She braced herself, her eyes involuntarily shutting.
Imagine her surprise when she felt his lips on hers!
She opened her eyes and found him still kissing her. Then he pulled back, leaving her standing there, blinking like an owl.
Gunner blew out a breath. "Every time you mention ground rules, I'm going to kiss you. Now, let me tell you something. Do you honestly think I wanted to marry some random woman?"
"Well, no. Obviously you asked the King for a favor," she replied after a moment.
Gunner rolled his eyes. "Please! If all I needed was protection, there were other ways! You're brilliant with data, but sometimes your instinct with people doesn't quite hit the mark." He took her hands in his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, then looked up at her. "Beatrice, my favor from the King wasn't to marry someone in his kingdom. My favor was asking him to introduce us."
Beatrice was frozen, her mouth slightly ajar. She couldn't seem to find any words. Gunner grinned, though there was something else behind his eyes. "You saved me, in more ways than one, Beatrice. I was escorting Kellen out of Windenburg. We were kids, 17 or so. Kellen's family was already gone. We'd been moving around a lot. We were actually in someone's barn." A faraway look came into his eyes. "In some ways, it was an adventure. We were laughing and joking. We finally bedded down. The fire- it wasn't until the barn was full of smoke that we even knew there was a fire. I managed to get Kellen out, to get him through a weak spot in the wall. I got trapped in there, though when a beam fell, pinned me down. I figured I was dead. But as I started to black out, I could hear voices. One was Kellen. I tried to tell him to go. I blacked out. I woke up, which was a surprise, let me tell you. It was the messenger. The man you dispatched that night. You were a kid yourself, younger than me and Kellen but you knew something, something not even your father did. So you sent someone to come to our aid. It was their arrival that saved me. Together, he and Kellen pulled me from the barn before it completely collapsed."
Beatrice swallowed, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue. Her throat was dry. "Y-you were trapped?"
He nodded. "Yes. In many ways, you saved my life that night. But not just then. The intel you provided kept us safe and saved us a couple other times. It wasn't until things finally ended, that the war was finally over and Kellen could return home that I finally understood what it was you had done." His smile became self-deprecating, an expression Beatrice was unused to seeing on his face. "You became my obsession in a lot of ways. During my first meeting with King Darian, I asked him to introduce me to the one that had saved my life. He refused, mostly to keep your identity a secret, I think, to protect you. I let it go, but I did some of my own research." He winked at her. "Your family's reputation for scholarly work is well deserved. I read several of the papers you've presented. It was then that I realized you were the one I was looking for. I bided my time. I had intended to engineer a meeting with you, meet you somewhere. I heard you'd begun volunteering. Was going to use that, but then-" His eyes fired up. "My father's suspicions were becoming clear. I was running out of time, so I asked the King to introduce us, even had King Kellen put in a word for me. He still refused, until I told him I planned on marrying you or at least trying to convince you to marry me. I never intended for you to believe this was all going to be a marriage of convenience. We don't know each other well and I blame myself for that. I realize that with everything, I have no right to ask, but I am going to anyway."
He pulled in a breath and then got down on one knee.
"Lady Beatrice Campbell, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Her mouth opened and closed a couple times before she could make a sound. "But-but I-I already am..." she murmured weakly, horrified as tears welled in her eyes.
Gunner laughed. "Leave it to you," he murmured. Then he shook his head. "Beatrice, I'm asking you to be my wife, not just in name. I know it's a lot to ask, so how about this: will you give us a chance? A chance at a real marriage?"
She swallowed, worrying at her bottom lip. It was an eternity for Gunner before she finally nodded once. "Yes." It was whisper soft, but he certainly heard it. He jumped up, then swooped her up in his arms with a whoop.
She was stiff, unused to being handled like this. He smiled at her gently and set her down. "I hope one day you'll be easy with me, Triss."
She blinked. "Tr-triss?"
"What? Don't like it?"
She frowned. "I-I don't know. No one's every called me that before. I-I've never had a nickname."
"Well, now you do, if you don't object."
Her brow furrowed. "I don't object-" She mulled it over. "No, I don't object." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"That's a start."
Beatrice stood there for a moment, looking down. "Gunner?"
"Yes?"
She picked her gaze up and looked at him. There was a hint of fear in her eyes. "W-would you- kiss me, again?"
It was Gunner's turn to blink. Then he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. "All you had to do was ask," he murmured as he dipped her backwards and pressed his lips to hers once more. This was no gentle pressing of his lips to hers, not by a long shot.
When he righted her again, she was breathless. "G-gunner? I-I want to try. To-to have a real marriage with you. My parents- they-"
"Triss, I understand." His voice was gentle as he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. "Look who you're talking to. Grew up in a house where my mother only saw me as a way to change her status, with a father that only cared about his own image and a step-mother that was always reminded of her husband's infidelity when she looked at me. I know from talking to King Darian that your own father was a piece of work. We have that in common. I can't promise things will be perfect, but I can promise that I will do everything in my power to be a good husband."
Beatrice looked down. How could she forget where he had come from? Was she so blinded by her own past, her own fears that she hadn't thought of it? Yes, she had been. When she raised her head again, her mouth was a thin line. "I promise that I will do everything in my own power to be a good wife. I want us to be- partners. Is that possible?"
Gunner wore a wide smile. "I think it's more than possible. Triss, I don't see you taking a backseat to anyone. You're too stubborn-"
"Stubborn!? Excuse me!"
He snorted. "Oh c'mon, don't even pretend you aren't."
She frowned, annoyed. "I am not stubborn."
"I never said it was a bad thing," he pointed out.
She pursed her lips, then shook her head. "If I'm stubborn, what does that make you?"
He threw back his head and laughed. Things would never be dull with the two of them.
*****
Dianna stood near the bar in the backyard. Her mother and Nina were both there. She was there to play mediator, though they both seemed to be behaving. She couldn't blame her mother, really. But she wouldn't let the two of them ruin her brother's big day. Despite the fact that her father was pleased with the match, he thought it simply that. But Dianna knew differently. Her brother was in love. She'd seen it on his face the night they had dinner. Lady Campbell was a bit of a cool one, though Dianna had seen the look in her eyes when she thought no one was watching. Dianna suspected that she was afraid of people. She hid it well, for the most part. But it was there. Dianna sipped her drink.
Her father had made good on his promise to have the wedding at the Estate. It played well for his image, she knew.
There was no love lost between her father and her. She only played nice because of her brother. Her reverie was interrupted as other guests arrived. Guests including the King of Windenburg and his Queen, as well as King Darian Bulwark. She had to hide her smile. She imagined this was Beatrice's doing. She knew her brother didn't want Kellen here with their father. It was a nice bit of thumbing their nose. Perhaps Beatrice was a good match for her brother after all.
Speaking of, the bride and groom had taken their place beneath the arch. It was time!
Dianna quickly took her place in the front.
She smiled and sighed softly as she watched the two.
Gunner took Beatrice's hand. "You look beautiful, Triss. Truly."
A faint bit of color stained her cheeks. "Really?"
"Yes."
He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. As the music began, he smiled. "Ready?"
She nodded, though he frowned at the look in her eyes. "Triss, you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Triss, are you afraid?"
She swallowed, then nodded slowly. "I-I suppose you can call it a- phobia."
"Why didn't you tell me!?"
"Because it wouldn't matter. This has to happen, Gunner. I-I can handle it, alright?"
He ran his tonuge over his teeth, then just nodded. "Stubborn," he murmured to her, one corner of his mouth twitching into a lop-sided grin.
"If you like."
"I do."
Raising his voice, he pulled the ring from his pocket. "Lady Beatrice Campbell, with this ring, I thee wed. I promise to remain by your side, forever faithful, and forever yours. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you in sickness and in health, all the time that I draw breathe." He slid the ring on her finger.
Beatrice had to draw in a shaky breathe, tears shimmering in her eyes for a moment. She had to block out the other people or risk a panic attack. It was something she had experienced too often as a child. Blocking helped. What helped more was staring into Gunner's eyes. Her voice started out shaky as she slid the ring on on his finger. "Lord Gunner Villareal, with this ring, I thee wed. I promise that I-I will stay by your side, be your shield, a companion, a friend. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you through whatever life will bring until death do us part."
Gunner lowered his head and they wrapped their arms around each other while sharing a kiss. Gunner looked into her eyes. "I love you, Triss."
"I-I love you, too, Gunner."
The guests looked on as the two became husband and wife. King Darian let out a whistle and then clapped politely.
After some congratulations, everyone trooped inside. The cake was cut. Gunner brought it over to his new bride, smiling. They each took a forkful and gently fed it to the other.
"Hey little man! C'mere!" Gunner picked up little Anthony as the toddler made a break for the door.
Beatrice watched Gunner with his younger brother for a moment as he tossed him up in the air. Something clutched in her chest. He'd make a good father. "Lady Beatrice?"
She turned. Her eyes had gone icy. "Lord Villareal." She bowed. "I have to thank you for allowing us to use your home for the ceremony."
"Of course. He is my son after all."
She nodded. "Yes, of course. He's my husband now." She smiled, though it wasn't a nice gesture. It was far too predatory to be nice.
"Quite." Something flashed in his eyes. It was there and gone, but Beatrice saw it.
She inclined her head to him, her expression a polite mask. "Family is important, don't you agree, Lord Villareal?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"Gunner is my family now. I protect my family. I should fetch my husband. It is getting late." Bowing once more with perfect decorum, she turned and walked away. She could feel his eyes on her.
Gunner saw her coming and grinned. Then he saw his father behind her and his eyes clouded for a moment. "Everything ok?"
She smiled for him. It was a geniune one. "Of course. I do believe we should go back home, though."
He grinned. "As my bride wishes."
*****
The car dropped them off in front of their home. "Well, Lady Campbell. The deed is done," Gunner murmured to her as they stepped inside."
"That it is, Lord Campbell."
Gunner pulled her close so they could kiss again. Beatrice could definitely get used to this kissing thing.
Gunner took her hand and the two went upstairs. He looked at her. "Nervous?"
He swore her grin was almost cocky. "Not at all. I have some wonderful books on the subject. I am well prepared."
*****
Gunner sighed as he snuggled close to his wife. "I wanna see those books," he murmured sleepily.
"Someday," Beatrice promised softly.
They lay together for a little while, then Beatrice sat up. "I'm hungry," she announced. "C'mon, let's eat some of the leftovers. We can sit on the deck and watch the moon and stars."
Gunner opened one eye. Then he nodded. The two climbed out of bed and raided the kitchen, then brought their plates out onto the back deck and sat at the table. Neither seemed to care they hadn't dressed at all.
They joked and laughed a bit, Gunner stealing a bit of food off her plate and then her retaliating. Beatrice dropped her fork. "I don't want to be Queen," she told him softly. "I-I can best serve the Kingdom as I am, as I do now. I know the other two. Either would be a better ruler than I and of the two, Blakely makes the most sense."
Gunner took her hand in his. "If you don't wish to be Queen, that's your decision, Triss. Whatever that decision is, I will be there for you."
"Thank you." There was a wealth of emotion in those two simple words. Their hands were still joined as they fell silent and looked up at the moon.
