Twelve Realms Ch. 16-17

Author's Note: These are the final chapters of the story. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 16: Aftermath

Fiona awoke, confused to find herself in her bed in the Princess's Tower in the Kype on Terra. She hadn't slept in this bed since... it had been how many cycles since the Autumnal Equinox? She couldn't actually remember. She lay in the bed trying to remember how she had gotten there. She remembered Academy. She remembered it being under attack. She remembered calling on her Land Law Magic and it not responding to her need. She remembered tremendous pain. As she lay in her bed, staring up at the dark purple velvet canopy of her bed, the heavy wood door opened and she heard someone slip into her room. She was aware that her body ached. And she was aware of a feeling of loss. And of a pain that was distant from her.

"Fiona, darling," came her mother's voice. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, mother," Fiona murmured.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Maeve sat on the edge of Fiona's bed and placed her cool, dry hand on her daughter's forehead.

"Not well, mama. What happened?"

"Academy... The Kype and the University were attacked by the Empire.... "

"I... I think I remember some. Tam and I were trying to get some children to the Kype from the University. We thought they'd be safer...

"Is Tam okay? The children?"

"Tam... Tam was perfectly okay. He did not pour himself into your ad hoc shield they way that you apparently did. He left you to take the brunt of the attack.

"The only people left alive in the courtyard after the Empire's bombardment were the Duke, Tam, those children, and you.

"Do you remember anything else," Maeve asked gently.

"I remember a great deal of pain. Like nothing I've ever experienced....

"Mama?"

"Yes, child," Maeve gripped her daughter's hand to try to give her some of her own strength.

"I lost my baby, didn't I?"

Maeve didn't respond immediately. Instead she squeezed the hand of her only child in deepest sympathy.

"Yes, child. I'm afraid so."

Fiona began to cry, great body wracking sobs of anguish and loss. Eventually her cries turned to smaller sobs and finally she fell back into a fitful sleep.

***

She dreamed of Jacob. She dreamed of their week together on Citadel. She felt safe wrapped in his strong arms.

"Fiona," his voice was deep with longing. "Beloved."

"Jake?" She sought out his lips with hers. They kissed soft, then hard, then soft again, tongues sliding across each other.

He flipped her over onto her back and his mouth slid down her body.

She felt his lips against hers, urgent kisses in the night, knowing that their time together was short. Her body remembered the feel of Jacob's mouth against her skin, the coarse hair of his beard against her face, her neck, her belly, her inner thighs. She felt his tongue against her damp folds and cried out in her sleep at the pleasure.

"Oh... Jacob...," she murmured in her sleep.

Fiona trembled in her sleep as in her dream Jacob used his mouth to pleasure her. She moaned and rocked her hips and then cried out when her climax rolled over her.

"Fi...," Jacob growled. "I need you."

He reared up over Fiona's body and buried himself into her. She cried out again. Their bodies moved together in an ancient rhythm. Fiona moaned and Jacob grunted. Fiona's body climaxed again and Jacob filled her.

Jacob's large form covered Fiona, his body sheltered hers in his warmth.

"I will protect you, princess," Jacob murmured in her hair.

"I will protect you, Jake," Fiona replied in her sleep and finally fell into restfulness.

***

In his captivity, Jacob was delirious with pain. He felt his consciousness drifting and his mind wandered to a happier time.

He remembered when he was first raised to Squire by William they had spent a lot of time working to negotiate trade agreements with Vanguard. He and the king were talking quietly as the trade team took a mid-morning break from negotiation. A whirlwind of violet silk rushed in and hit the king at the hip hard enough to cause him to take a few steps back to keep his balance.

"Papa! Mama says I can't go into the city without a guard! Captain Kennedy won't assign me one! I must go into the city! Today!"

"Häschen," the king scolded, but his eyes twinkled in amusement, "you can't just barge in here. There is serious work going on. More important than a stroll in the city. How did you get past the guards?"

"That's not important, Papa," the princess said without a trace of contrition in her sweet little girl voice. "What's important is that the bookshop by the King's Fountain is holding a book for me. Captain Kennedy isn't allowing deliveries to the Kype until your negotiations are over. It could be weeks! I can't wait that long!"

"I am sure having to learn to be patient would be good for you, princess," her father responded. The princess stomped a slippered foot and wrung her hands in front of her, her pale plump cheeks coloring with her upset.

"You don't understand, Papa!" she said, tugging the silver braid that reached nearly to the back of her knees over her shoulder. "I don't have anything to read right now. And Mistress Camilla said I can pick out a new piece of music to learn so I need to go and find sheet music. And..." the princess stopped her tirade and fastened her eyes on the floor hoping her father wouldn't notice.

"And?" William asked, grinning. He glanced around the room to see that both his own trade negotiators and the ones from Vanguard watched the princess with undisguised amusement.

"And... Chef says the Ice Cream shop down by the old pier is open for the season. Mama won't let me have ice cream at the Kype because she says I am too chubby." The princess clenched her hands defiantly.

"Your mother is mistaken. You are a perfect example of a healthy Terran girl of your age," the king assured her. "You are only plump in comparison to Aelfir children, Häschen."

"Your Majesty," Jake interrupted, his adolescent voice vacillating between a boyish treble and adult baritone. "I would be happy to take the princess into the city if you can spare me this afternoon. I promised my father I would check on a gift he's having made for my mother for their anniversary. I need to go to the alley of artificers anyway."

"Oh Jake! Thank you thank you thank you!" the princess squeezed Jake so tightly he thought she might break a rib.

"Princess!" the king interjected, trying to get her attention. "If I let Jake take you into the city, you MUST be on your best behavior."

"Of course, Papa," she said, trying to prove she could behave as befit a royal princess.

"And what does 'best behavior' mean, princess?" the king pressed her.

"Following his instructions," she said, ticking off her list on her fingers. "Not running off without him. Not adding to our list of errands. Not begging for more than he agrees to."

"That's right, princess. Jake is not your indulgent father. And Jake is not one of the Royal Guard who you can order around. He is no longer even the page boy you played with in the Kype during last season's snow storms. Jake is my squire and speaks with my authority. He is doing you a favor as your friend. You must be respectful of his time."

"Yes, Papa," Fiona said, but she was looking at Jake, her eyes wide.

"You know why the security is so tight right now, don't you Häschen? There are Isolationist protesters all over the city right now. They have been making threats against us to try to end our negotiations here. You must be careful and do exactly what Jake tells you," the king's eyes glittered as he spoke. "He can't protect a defiant little girl."

"Yes, Papa," Fiona said. "I promise to follow Jake's rules."

"All right, then, Fiona. I will send Jake to get you some time after lunch. You will be back in time to dress for dinner."

"Of course, Papa," Fiona said curtseying and turning to go.

"One last thing, princess," the king grumbled and she turned to look at him. "Please stop by Captain Kennedy's office and tell him how you managed to get past his posted guards this time. Just because you aren't using your glamour for nefarious purposes doesn't mean that everyone with glamour is so benign."

"Yes, Papa."

***

Shortly after lunch Jake found Fiona reading a book in the Kype's Library in the sunny alcove he knew from long experience was her favorite. Her knees were pulled up, her book against them, her little feet covered in white patent-leather mary janes

"I thought you said you had 'nothing to read'," he said, grinning at her.

"This?" she said, turning to look at the cover of her book as if surprised to find it in her hand. "It's just a kids' book. It doesn't count."

"But you are just a kid, Your Highness," Jake retorted, his lips in a crooked grin.

"I am not! I no longer have a nanny. I'm studying with the Maesters full-time now."

"If you say so, princess," Jake said, but he couldn't contain a laugh.

She narrowed her eyes and then tilted her head back so she could try to look down her nose at him, even though he was at least four hands taller than she. "I am not just a kid," she hissed.

"Okay, okay," Jake said, holding his hands up in surrender in front of him to ward off her glare.

"Are you ready to go? Your father expects us back in time to.. ."

"To dress for dinner. I know.

"Yes, I'm ready."

Jacob offered her his arm to Fiona and she wrapped her small hand around his elbow. He guided her out of the library, through the Kype, across the upper bailey, through the inner wall, across the drawbridge, past the guard towers and through the palace garden to the circle drive where a local transport waited for them.

"Oh! I thought we'd walk!"

"I didn't want to risk disappointing your father by returning late."

The driver took them down to the King's Fountain and parked the vehicle to let them out. Jacob told Fiona that they would do all their shopping from there and meet the transport down at the old pier after they got ice cream.

The proprietor of the book shop, a tiny rotund man in spectacles and a sweater vest, greeted Fiona with his arms widespread.

"Princess! I didn't expect to see you today," he said, pulling her into a hug.

"Maester Stewbum, you know I had to beg! But Jake took pity on me and volunteered to be my escort."

"My Lord Sparta," Stewbum greeted him with a bow. "Can I help you with anything?"

"I don't think so. Fi just said she'd reserved a book with you."

"That I have. And princess, " he said, smiling at her like a proud grandfather, "I've included two more novels that I think you'll like." He handed them to her and she looked them over, squealing with delight.

"Oh thank you thank you!" she said, exuberant. "You know exactly the kind of stories I like!"

"Did you want to take some time to browse or shall I wrap these up for you?"

"Oh, I'd love to look..."

Jake gave the princess a sharp look and interrupted. "Unfortunately we are short on time today," he told the shopkeeper, "so please just wrap them up."

Fiona gave Jake a perturbed frown which Jake fought hard not to smile in the face of. A pouting child princess was bad, an angry one far worse.

"Where do you buy sheet music, princess," Jake asked as he escorted her out of the bookshop with her purchases.

"There is a shop two blocks down."

"You can take a half hour," Jacob told her. "No more than that."

They walked down the sidewalk, Fiona's hand on Jake's arm. She scanned the windows of the shops, periodically making a noise in her throat, but never asking to detour into one, cognizant of her promise to not add to their errands. Jake scanned the crowds of people, looking for any danger to the princess. He knew the king had protected the child from even knowing that there were some among the populace that wished her ill and he, Jacob Marquess Sparta, would do whatever it took to maintain her innocence. He steered her away from some street performers and kept his eyes on a handful of men scattered throughout the throngs that seemed to be pacing them in the crowds.

They arrived at the music shop and Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled at Fiona's delighted laughter when she discovered a stack of music written by one of her favorite composers. The shop's two proprietors watched the little girl indulgently. Jacob couldn't tell the elderly twins apart but Fiona was clearly a frequent customer and was well able to distinguish between the two.

"These are the pieces Mistress Camilla suggested for you, Your Highness," one of the men said, handing her a stack of sheets.

"Thank you, Maester Brock."

"And you know where we keep the newest acquisitions. Let me know if you want to borrow an instrument."

"Of course, Maester Bradford."

"My Lord Sparta," Maester Brock said, coming over to him. "Congratulations on your elevation to squire at the start of the season. The king must think very highly of you to do that while you are still so young."

"Thank you, sir," Jacob responded formally, unhappy with the attention to his youth.

"Is there anything we can get you while you're here? The princess will be preoccupied for a while. Could I offer you a soft drink? We also have cookies in the back."

"No thank you, sir," Jacob's voice cracked, much to his annoyance. "The king trusted me with keeping the princess safe and I need to remain vigilant."

"Of course, my dear boy."

"Besides, our last stop will be to get ice cream. No need to spoil that by having a cookie now."

They finally left the music shop more than 20 minutes behind schedule, much to Jacob's annoyance. He didn't want the king to think him incapable of escorting his daughter. The princess just would not leave off talking to Maester Brock and Maester Bradford and the two men did nothing to try to hurry her along. Finally Jacob had put his foot down and all but dragged her away. She was not pleased and he was fuming.

Fiona could feel the tension between them as they marched silently toward the alley of artificers.

"I'm sorry, Jake," she said finally. "I broke the rules and may make us late. I'm sorry. I'm sure Papa won't blame you."

"The king trusted me with you and gave strict instructions," Jacob said through clenched teeth. "It is entirely my fault if we are late getting back.

"We still have to stop at the artificers. This trip into the city wasn't supposed to be all about what you wanted."

Fiona hung her head in shame at having upset Jake. She knew it was her fault and vowed to herself that she would make it up to him.

"I'm sorry, Jake," Fiona said again.

They made their way to the alley of artificers and into a tiny shop filled with beautiful intricate clocks and clockwork toys.

"My Lord Sparta!" the young man behind the counter greeted him. "And is this our princess?" he asked bowing low to her and earning a giggle from the girl. "We are honored by your patronage."

"Thank you Maester Nicholas. My father sent me to ask about your progress on my mother's clock."

"Of course, sir. Right this way. We are nearly finished with the Terran cycles, but the Citadel ones are proving more difficult," Maester Nicholas guided him toward a curtain behind the counter. "The three moons, you understand?"

"Of course.

"Fiona, please do not touch anything while I am talking to the Maester."

"Of course, Jake," Fiona said, clasping her small hands behind her. "I'll look but not touch."

"I'll send my father out to demonstrate any of the toys, if you wish Your Highness," the Maester suggested.

"Oh, yes!" Fiona responded, clapping her hands and bouncing on her toes.

Jacob followed Nicholas through the curtain and moments later an elderly gentleman came back through and greeted Fiona.

"I am Maester Blake," he introduced himself. "Is there anything you would like to see, my dear?"

"Oh, yes. Can you show me the carousel?"

By the time Jacob returned from the back of the shop Fiona was enraptured with the many magical wind-up toys Maester Blake had shown her.

"Maester Blake," she asked, "is the flying man available for purchase? My brother would love it. I want to get it for him for his birthday."

"Of course, princess. We would be delighted for you to gift it to Prince Edward. The celebration is in what? Three weeks? We can do a custom build in the royal colors in that timeframe. Do you wish it?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Then you will have it. We will contact you at the palace when it is ready."

"Thank you sir!

"Jacob! Don't you think Edward will love it?" Fiona pointed out the tiny mechanical flying man she had purchased."

"I am certain he will love it more than all his other gifts combined, princess," Jacob said, grinning.

"Now, are you ready for ice cream? We are short on time, but I think we can squeeze it in if we hurry."

"Absolutely! Let's go.

"Thank you Maesters! Do let me know when Ed's present is ready."

***

They found the chef's recommended ice cream shop in a mobile kiosk in the broad public plaza next to the old pier. Jacob got them both ice cream, a scoop of chocolate chip mint for the princess, a scoop of mocha fudge for himself. He agreed that it was both excellent and worth the trip. Fiona was glad to see he was no longer angry with her after the artificer's shop and the ice cream.

"We'll have to eat in the transport," he said, drawing Fiona by her hand in that direction. In their rush they weren't paying attention to their surroundings like they should have been. They were still more than fifty paces from their waiting vehicle when there were sudden flashes of light accompanied by the popping sounds of energy projectiles traveling at supersonic speeds all around them. Jacob felt a searing pain in his left shoulder but managed to pull Fiona with him behind a nearby barrier at the edge of the plaza before there was another round of fire.

"Jake!" Fiona screamed. "You're hurt! What do I do?"

"Calm down princess!" Jake propped himself up against the barrier, his left arm hanging useless at his side, blood flowing out of his wounded shoulder. "I'm sure the guards will be here soon." Fiona applied pressure to the wound while looking over Jake's head behind him.

"There are men headed this way with energy guns, Jake," Fiona told him her eyes wide, voice trembling with fear. "Projectile weapons aren't allowed in the city. Papa forbids it."

"Come with us, princess," one of the men shouted. "Come with us and Sparta lives."

Jake's right hand encircled Fiona's wrist and pulled her down next to him.

"We only need the princess alive," they heard one of them say to the others. "Aim for his head."

"No!" Instead of trailing off, Fiona's shout grew louder and louder until it rolled across the sky as thunder and then one... two... three... four... FIVE precisely placed lightning strikes took out the would-be kidnappers, their guns vaporizing in their hands. As Jacob watched, mouth agape, Fiona's eyes rolled up in the back of her head and the little girl collapsed on top of him.

***

Jake was jolted out of his reverie by a painful kick to his already damaged ribs.

"Wake up, Your Grace!" the Naran Diego shouted. "You have work to do."

"I wasn't asleep," Jacob murmured. "I was remembering...."

"Well, look sharp. My Lord wants to transmit his demands to your king, and His Imperial Majesty has decided you will be the messenger.

Chapter 17: Recovery

When she woke again Fiona looked around her room and spotted her mother sitting next to her fireplace under the large casement window, mid-afternoon sunlight illuminating her as she worked ribbon embroidery. Her mother noticed she was awake and came to her.

"Are you hungry, child?" Maeve asked, smoothing Fiona's hair back from her brow.

"I... Not really," Fiona responded. "I would like some water, though."