The Princess Bride

Chapter 26

I'd only been alone for a few moments when Isabelle and Juliette burst into the room without warning.

Isabelle rushed over, throwing her arms around me, squeezing tightly before pushing away to look at me.

"I can't believe you did that!"

"You're not angry?" I looked nervously between the two of them, suddenly realizing how drastically I may have just affected their futures.

"Terribly." Isabelle failed in her attempt to keep a straight face. "You could have said something!"

"You shouldn't have had to do that alone," Juliette said. "How ever did you manage not to faint with all those men watching you that way?"

"I have no idea." I laughed a little breathlessly. "But really? You don't mind? I'm afraid I may have just severly limited your prospects for husbands."

"Mind?" Juliette asked, astonished.

"Are you kidding?" Isabelle said. "You may have just guaranteed that we won't be packed off to some foreign and horrible place, never to be seen again!"

"We're the only girls in the entire kingdom who are expected to either marry down in status or be sent off to another kingdom," Juliette said. "To whoever has the best deal to offer and for no other reason. You gave them another option that they can't dismiss!"

I smiled between the two of them, enormously pleased that they were genuinely happy about what I'd just done.

"Do you really think they'll accept it?" I wondered. "It makes sense, but people are so stubborn about changing the tiniest things."

"I know Father will want to," Isabelle said. "And Alex, of course."

"Your father and your aunt and uncle will definitely be in favor," Juliette added. "Their opinions carry a lot of weight."

"Even so," Isabelle said. "I could tell, a lot of the men liked the idea. No one really wants to think about divorce unless they have some ulterior motive like Houghton. Anyone with the welfare of the kingdom in mind will want the integrity of the royal family preserved. And they'll want the potential benefits of allying with another kingdom or two, more closely."

"But the suggestion came from a woman and they'd potentially be relying on a woman for their heir," I said.

"But it will still be a legitimate heir," Isabelle said. "And like you said, potentially royal on both sides. I honestly don't see how they can refuse."

Juliette laughed. "You should have seen Alex's face when you stared down all those detestable men and scolded them! I've never seen him so surprised."

"Or so proud," Isabelle added. "We all were."

I smiled and felt my face warm. "I hate what they've put him through. For him to say he'd abdicate.... That's what broke me. I couldn't help it after that."

"At least we know Lord Houghton won't be too much of a problem for a while." Juliette giggled. "After your not-so-subtle statement about his questionable motives, he'll have to be very careful about what he does and says regarding any one of us."

"Yes, that is a nice side benefit." I grinned. "And if he didn't like me before, he positively hates me now."

We all burst into laughter. It was amazing to feel so light after everything we'd been through lately. I still couldn't be positive that my suggestion would be accepted, but I was beginning to feel confident that it would be. Either way, I'd done all I could and at the very least, I'd probably bought much more time for Alex and myself.

What I'd told the king was true. I wasn't very old, and I still might have several boys. Just look at my mother. Even the doctor didn't think she would be able to have one baby and she'd had six! Like she said, it had just taken time. And with the constant stress this last year, it wasn't a wonder that there wasn't an heir yet.

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Juliett and Isabelle left me alone moments before Alex barrelled into the room. He rushed toward me, looking crazed. Once he reached me, he pulled me close and kissed me hard.

"I am...horribly...angry with you... for leaving me out," he said between kisses. Pulling away to stare in my eyes, he said, "and I've never been more proud or loved you more."

My head was spinning slightly and I was attempting to catch my breath, so I could only smile.

"What on earth were you thinking?" he scolded, fighting a grin momentarily before he sobered. "That could have been very dangerous."

"I had to do it, Alex."

"You could have given me some clue about what you were thinking!" he said. "I nearly had a heart attack when you singled yourself out for potential punishment!"

"I know," I said. "But I certainly wasn't going to let them blame you!"

He stared at me, trying to decide whether he was more upset with me or more proud.

Heaving a weighty sigh, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

"You have the most brilliant mind," he said. "Now we have to work on your sense of self-preservation."

I laughed and pulled away.

"Do you think they'll accept it?" I asked, hopeful.

"Didn't I tell you that you're impossible to argue with?" He grinned. "There's no way around what you suggested. They need another option and you gave them one. One that the other kingdoms will love. Anything Houghton or anyone else tries to suggest will sound as if they're attempting to disgrace the royal family and hinder alliances."

My eyes clouded with tears and I smiled. "So, there won't be any more talk of an annullment?"

"None," he said. "I promise. I'd die before I let them take you from me."

The tears spilled over and I kissed him again, so releived.

"I know there's no rush for a baby now," Alex murmured against my lips. "But..."

Laughing, I checked that the door was closed before pulling him further into the room.

Maybe we would give the kingdom its heir and maybe we wouldn't, but for the very first time since I agreed to marry Alex, I couldn't have cared less which way it turned out.