The Blackmail® [Complete]

Chapter Forty-One

Finally!

The journey of my favourite couple Tania and Ovian ends here.

It's been an awesome ride and I loved every moment of it.

Once again, I'm sorry about the typo and grammatical errors. Please feel free to correct me.

Lastly, thank you for reading.

Till next time, cheers!❤

Tania's POV

"Taylor! Taylor!"

"What is it?!" She asked as she let me into her rooms. "Sometimes, you don't know you are queen now and should behave appropriately."

"Oh, don't give me that sermon. I will do as I please, thank you!"

She rolled her eyes while I grinned at her. "Why didn't you tell me? I had to hear it from Ovian!"

Then she smiled. "I didn't know either until Ovian called me. According to him, he has to seek permission from the King before asking for my hand in marriage."

"Ooooh! I am so excited! My bestie is getting married!" I screamed again.

"Lower your voice Tania! The whole castle can hear you!" She shrieked as we laughed together.

Earlier this morning, Ovian had left our quarters very early saying he needed to do some things. I had wondered what they were but had decided to let it slide. I felt he would tell me when he was ready. But I suspected it had to do with Lahran and his mother.

So when I saw him later in the afternoon, I expected that he was going to tell me about his decision, only for him to tell me that Lord Shattonham had asked for permission to marry my friend.

"So what's next?" I asked as I plopped down on her bed.

"Well, he hasn't asked. And until he does, I really don't know."

"Do you love him?"

She nodded.

"Taylor?"

"Alright, yes, I love him!" She said laughing.

Suddenly, I realised tears were threatening to fall and I quickly blinked them back. I couldn't believe how our lives have turned out. Two shabby girls from Tuncan County. One a queen, the other a lady. Who would have dreamt it?

I had also decided that as soon as Taylor is married, she would represent the women folk on the Council and the foundation will be run by Anthonia while I concentrate on other things such as getting pregnant. I still haven't been able to see a doctor or gynecologist.

I finished my visit with Taylor and headed towards the conference room for another meeting with some duchesses who had come to see me. Since the release of my interview and that of Alex, things have sort of died down.

Especially, after the authorities found Fairweather and he confessed to trying to get the throne. He clamied that, Ovian was not a legitimate heir, and since there was no legitimate heir that it was time the throne was handed over to the next family in line which was his.

The people had rallied round Ovian and supported him. They had called for Fairweather's head but Ovian had told the authorities and the council to meet out a well deserving judgement.

I reached the conference doors and walked in. There were about five women seating round the table, all dressed to the nines, sipping tea.

I smiled and watched them rise to their feet. "Good afternoon ladies!" I said cheerfully. Too cheerfully. "To what do I owe this visit?"

One of them spoke up. She seemed to be the leader. "Your grace, my name is Lillian York, my husband is the Duke of York. We each here are wives of the dukes of our great republic. Except Duchess Gringham, she's very indisposed right now and couldn't be here. Your grace, we have come to formally give you our support. No woman has ever fought for the rights of women as you have."

She looked at her colleagues and continued. "When opportunity came your way, you didn't just sit back and enjoy it, rather you used it to make things better for our women and young girls. For this alone, we support you."

I was surprised. I had no idea this was going to happen. Suddenly, I felt hot and my throat had gone dry. I placed my hands on the chair in front of me for support because my knees were beginning to weaken. The other women were nodding their heads and I could see admiration written all over their faces.

"I don't know what to say..." I said incoherently.

Another woman spoke up. "We understand your grace and whenever you need us, we will be very glad to help. The singles' ball alone which you held a few weeks has yielded great results. And we realise that if we can continue in that direction, coupled with the extension of education for our female children and the total removal of the age restrictions on marriage, the number of unmarried and uneducated young women will decrease."

"Yes, yes." I croaked. The singles' ball had indeed been successful. I have been getting news of engagements and impending marriages. God, what is wrong with me? I was feeling dizzy and nauseated at the same time. I was trying to keep my cool but...

"Are you alright your grace?" Duchess York asked.

I tried to nod my head but I realised the ground was getting closer to me. The last thing I heard was someone saying, 'Its the stress. She probably shouldn't be on her feet.'

I wanted to ask her why.

Ovian's POV

"I'm sure she's fine. She just needs rest." I heard Taylor saying as if from a distance. We were both standing outside my quarters waiting for the doctor's diagnosis.

I had been in my office writing my final decisions about Lahran and his mother, which was to exile them from the land. With the condition that if they ever set foot on this land, they will be executed. I was giving it to my assistant to send it to the Council of Seven when the valet had called me that the queen had fainted. At first, I had thought it was one of her panic attacks but he had said that had not been the case.

The doctor finally came out with a grin on his face.

"Your grace, let me be the first to offer you congratulations! Her grace is twelve weeks gone."

Taylor gasped and clapped her hands in glee.

I just held the doctor and couldn't stop shaking him. I asked. "Twelve weeks?"

The doctor nodded again. "You can see her now. She's better."

Without further ado, I dashed into our room and found the love of my life looking so tired in our bed.

"Oh Ovian! We are having a baby!" She said as she reached for me. I crawled into bed with her and pulled away the cover to reveal her stomach. I placed my left hand on it gently before reaching up to kiss her.

I pulled back and took her face in both my hands and looked deep into her eyes with all the love I could muster. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I promise to love you throughout eternity. You have given me everything, more than I have ever imagined. I promise to cherish you and our children. I promise that the throne will not take your place in my heart and in my life. Tania Gregory Lancaster, these I promise you."

She just nodded her head, with what I deem to be tears of joy running down her flushed cheeks.

THE END