Fic: New Horizons (1/2)
Title: New Horizons
Authors: miera_c and melyanna
Rating: PG13, probably
Summary: Kate's betrothal becomes official, but deciding to marry Marcus turns out to be the easiest decision she faces.
Lady Catherine returned to Atlantis on a bright spring afternoon as a pleasant breeze wafted in from the sea. Kate had been waiting only a few minutes when the lady stepped out of the carriage with a smile on her face. "Kate, my dear," she said, embracing her, "I am glad to see you well."
Kate smiled in return. "I trust your return journey was not a difficult one?" Lady Catherine had left Atlantis when news of the impending Wraith attack had arrived.
"No, indeed," Catherine replied. "I am ready to begin my work again, which is well. The wedding is little more than two months hence."
Kate took the older woman's arm and they walked together toward the royal chambers. "The queen will be most relieved to see you," she said. "With you gone and Master Grodin still recovering, she and I have had to deal with much of the wedding preparations ourselves."
"I shall have to call on Peter as soon as I am able," Catherine said gravely.
"Carson has been pleased by his recovery, and hopes within a few weeks he will be able to return to service. Still, it will be some months before he is able to work as much as he did before the Wraith."
Catherine nodded. "And speaking of Carson, are Laura and the baby doing well?"
"Very," Kate replied. "Even at this early age, Moira has a sweetness that Laura has always lacked."
That made Catherine laugh.
They passed out of the more public corridors, but Catherine lowered her voice when next she spoke. "And what of you, Kate?" she asked. "I heard there might be another wedding before long."
Kate blushed a little, but she smiled and nodded slightly. "Father is announcing my betrothal to Captain Lorne tonight," she said quietly.
Catherine stopped to embrace her. "I'm very happy for you, my lady," she said. "A little surprised, but very happy." She took up Kate's hands. "But I see no ring yet."
"Tonight," Kate replied.
"Oh, very well." They continued walking then and soon arrived in the queen's chambers. Elizabeth was indeed pleased to see Lady Catherine, who kissed Elizabeth's cheeks and said, "I have come to rescue you from your wedding, Majesty."
Elizabeth laughed. "And I thank you for that. I'm afraid I am on my way to the shipyards now to meet with Master McKay, but will you join us tonight? I am hosting a supper with a number of diplomats and noblemen. I assure you, afterwards you may torment John and me with wedding plans to your heart's content."
"How can I reject such an invitation?" Lady Catherine teased. "I would be honored."
Catherine took her leave then to go settle into her rooms, and Elizabeth asked Kate to join her on her walk to the shipyards. On level surfaces she no longer limped, but sometimes stairs bothered her knee yet. Elizabeth rarely showed pain, but Kate had known her long enough to read the smallest change in breathing or expression. She would simply offer her arm silently.
This time, however, Elizabeth made it all the way to the slope between the palace and the shipyards before needing assistance. The changes in the landscape there still startled Kate every time she saw it. The pits had been filled and the earthen wall brought down, but there was almost no grass on this side of the palace, where the fighting had been, and scars from fires marked the soil. It looked very little like her home.
The shipyards were equally shocking. Nearly every structure there had been burned by the Wraith, though Rodney McKay was already hard at work rebuilding. He seemed to be taking the destruction as the opportunity to rebuild the yards to a level of efficiency and strength not seen in Atalan in decades. The queen was doing nothing to discourage this, of course. Elizabeth had taken to meeting with McKay once a week for updates.
Rodney bowed hastily when Elizabeth, Kate, and the guards arrived. The wreckage from the battle had been cleared away weeks ago, and every time Kate came out here, she saw something new. Long piers now extended from the shore along the entire length of the harbor. Breaker walls stood at the harbor's mouth, calming the waters within and also giving some added measure of defense. On one of the piers, a stub of a tower was being erected in stone, and it was this to which Rodney led Elizabeth and Kate.
"A masting crane," he explained. "With ships of the Margaret's class, we could mount a mast with manpower alone, but that will not be possible with the Queen Elizabeth."
Elizabeth cast a glance at Kate that was nearly a grimace. The queen was still not used to the idea of this new warship being named for her. "I trust her draft will not be so deep as to make her difficult to sail in the shallows."
"Of course not," Rodney replied, straightening up a little as though defending his honor as a shipwright. "Still, we will need the crane."
The queen had a few more questions, but soon the McKay turned their attention to another matter. "Your Majesty, the time is coming when this harbor will not be able to accommodate the amount of construction we could and should have, to support both a navy and a merchant fleet," he said. "Perhaps while the college is still amenable..."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, which made Kate smile. Elizabeth almost never reacted that way in front of anyone outside her closest friends. "My long-awaited marriage may bring me favor in the eyes of the college, but perhaps we should not push our luck. Perhaps when I have produced an heir, we may see what we can get out of them," she replied. "Besides, every province with access to the sea would clamor for the honor of Atalan's new yards."
Rodney smiled slightly. "There are worse things to have the college bickering about."
"That is true, Master McKay," Elizabeth said. "I fear I have a great deal of work to do, however, so I shall leave you to yours. Thank you for the information."
Rodney bowed to her. Kate noticed irreverently that the man still hadn't learned how to do that without awkwardness. As the ladies walked away, Elizabeth took Kate's arm. "Is your knee bothering you, my lady?" Kate asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Not yet, and I hope to keep it that way." She looked pensive. "Two months. Two months yet, and already I have enough diplomats underfoot to host a banquet for them. There is a part of me that is not looking forward to the wedding and all its formalities."
"And yet?"
"And yet for the most part, I am looking forward very much to the wedding. Or at least, to being married."
Elizabeth cast a wicked grin in Kate's direction. In turn, Kate looked coyly at Marcus, who was following passively but could surely hear every word they said. "As am I," she whispered, just loud enough that her betrothed heard it and blushed.
Teyla arrived in the palace in late afternoon. The Countess of Athos had been spending much of her time in the village since the Wraith attack, but Kate had told her of the announcement to be made tonight and Teyla had promised to return for the banquet.
"Is the queen occupied?" Teyla asked. There was a slightly anxious expression on her face.
Kate frowned. "She is speaking with a messenger from the Tok'ra. Is something wrong?"
Teyla fidgeted with her gloves, a rare outward sign of distress. Teyla prided herself on her composure. "You were somewhat preoccupied then, but at Solstice the Jaffa ambassador invited me to visit the capital. I wished to discuss the idea with the queen."
She looked uneasy about this for some reason. "I know there is an ambassador in Dakara, but I can't see why the queen would object to your going," Kate observed.
Teyla nodded. "I have been considering it for a few days. I have found myself with unexpected time on my hands in Athos."
"It must be strange," Kate said quietly. "To not have the Wraith looming out on the seas any longer."
"Strange is not the half of it, Kate," Teyla sighed, pacing restlessly to the window, where she could look out at the harbor. "The first lessons my mother and father taught me were how to sense the Wraith, and that my duty was to keep my people safe. Now... now I hardly know what my purpose is."
She sounded unexpectedly sad about this, which puzzled Kate. To live free of the fear of the Wraith was such a blessing, but Kate did not have the responsibilities that rested on Teyla's shoulders.
She was unsure what to do, so she merely laid a hand on Teyla's arm as they stood at the window. After a moment, Teyla shook herself. "In any case, my people are well able to see to the spring planting without me. And if I am to spend more time in Atlantis, advising the queen, I need to become more familiar with matters of diplomacy."
With the Wraith gone, Teyla would no longer be tied to the village and could take an even greater role in the college. It made sense that she would need to strengthen her knowledge in that regard. Something else seemed to be lurking in her expression, though. Kate hesitated a moment before asking lowly, "Is that the only reason?"
Teyla flushed. "No."
A few days after the defeat of the Wraith, Prince Ronon had departed in one of the captured Wraith ships, his reward for his service to Atalan. Kate had witnessed the ship departing, and had observed some looks between Teyla and the prince which made her suspicious. Rumors had circled through the court of a romance between the two of them, but Teyla had said nothing of the matter to Kate, at least, and with the gentleman gone, gossip had turned to other subjects.
Kate did not speak, not wanting to pry, though she was immensely curious. But her friend had held her tongue through much of Kate's tempestuous relationship with Marcus. The least she could do was offer the same.
Teyla looked at the setting sun in the west. "I will never forsake my people or my country. But it occurred to me the other night, Kate, that this is the first moment of real freedom I have ever known. I do not need to fear that my absence may leave my home in ruins and my people slaughtered. I know the queen will always find some work for me to do here. But I have never had the luxury of doing anything for myself alone."
"And this journey is your luxury?" Kate asked dryly. The journey to the Jaffa capital in the west was not a particularly scenic one, unlike the trip to Iolan in the east. The terrain ran to grassland, then to barren hills before becoming the desert which stretched all the way to the home of the Tok'ra.
Teyla smiled at that. "I have never traveled very far from home. I should like to see more of the world while I can."
"And you can marry this indulgence with service to the crown, by traveling to visit allies that the queen has not had time herself to see yet," Kate concluded.
"Exactly."
"I am sure Elizabeth will approve," Kate said as the sound of voices grew louder, indicating the queen was finishing her meeting. "So long as you will return in time for her wedding."
Teyla grinned. "As though I would miss the chance to see John with a crown of flowers upon his head."
Kate laughed as well. Elizabeth appeared from the other room a moment later, and Kate took her leave to allow Teyla a chance to discuss her plan privately with the queen. She did not doubt Elizabeth would agree to it. The Jaffa had been close allies under the king's rule, thanks largely to the friendships Jack and Daniel had with their leaders, but the regency had blighted the relationship and Elizabeth had not yet had much time to work on repairing the damages.
Kate did not have time to ask Elizabeth about the meeting, however, as it was soon time to prepare to receive the queen's guests. That evening, Marcus sat beside Kate during the banquet, which caused a number of murmurs until the queen acknowledged Kate's father. He rose and announced that Kate and Marcus were betrothed.
Elizabeth and her circle began to clap at the news, so the rest of the room joined in, but Kate noticed the number of surprised and even shocked faces watching her and Marcus as they stood at her father's bidding. But only one opinion truly mattered now. Marcus was watching her, his expression a mixture of self-consciousness and joy. When he placed the ring on her finger and tenderly kissed her hand, she could but smile at him.
Afterward, they walked arm in arm behind the queen and Lord John to Elizabeth's chambers. The men left them there, but Laura soon returned with the baby, having retrieved her from her nursemaid's care. Lady Catherine took Kate's hand in her own to inspect the ring Marcus had given her. It was rather plain in comparison to some of the jewels she owned, but Marcus was not a man given to ostentation. Besides, she preferred the words he had whispered to her as he placed the ring on her finger to the grandest of diamonds or rubies.
Catherine approved of the ring and sat down with the ladies. After a few minutes of discussing the endless preparations for Elizabeth's coming nuptials, the elder lady turned to Kate. "And what of your wedding?" she asked. "Your father did not announce when that happy day will be."
Kate frowned. "That is because we have not decided it yet."
Laura passed Moira to Kate's arms and got up to light more candles. It had grown dark in the room as they talked. "I would imagine you will not marry before Elizabeth and John," she said. Kate opened her mouth to reply, but Laura continued, "You said before that your father insisted on a betrothal of no less than a month. There are just two months before Elizabeth's wedding."
That much was true, but it bothered Kate. The resolution she had made not to marry before Elizabeth had caused so many difficulties between her and Marcus, and some part of her felt that delaying now would suggest she still held him second to her obligations to the queen. He had not said such a thing, but she thought that they should speak about a wedding date, since they were both likely to keep getting asked about it until one was chosen.
Moira was big enough now to hold her head up a little, and she liked to be propped up so she could look around. But now it was late and she was tired, and her tiny head eventually fell against Kate's shoulder. Kate swayed slightly, and the baby's fist closed around the necklace she wore. She pried Moira's fingers loose, which made Laura laugh. "I have given up on jewelry for the duration," she remarked. "And on wearing my hair down."
That made the other ladies laugh, but it did not deter them from their former conversation. "Well," Lady Catherine said, "when you and your captain have settled on a day for your wedding, I will be happy to assist you in whatever way you like. I would not impose on Lady Maria's rights as mother of the bride, of course, but I can help you both." The mention of her mother made Kate look away.
"What does your mother say of your betrothal?" Elizabeth asked.
Kate had been trying not to think of this too much. "I don't know," she replied. "I have heard nothing from her since Father wrote her of it."
"You think she will disapprove," Catherine surmised.
After biting her lip for a moment, she nodded. "My only solace is that she does not know I refused Charles of Neill. Couple that with my marrying a commoner in service to the queen and she might never speak to me again."
The other women laughed lightly at that. "Well, dear, my offer stands," Catherine replied. "When you have decided when you will be married, I would be happy to help."
After Catherine and Laura and the baby had departed, Elizabeth retired to see to some correspondence, giving Kate a tiny wave in the direction of the door with a smile. Kate did not need to be told twice, and she slipped outside to find that the night watch was already in place, meaning Marcus would be free for the rest of the evening.
He was waiting for her near the stairwell, sitting on the top step. For a second her heart thudded painfully in her chest, remembering him lying on the floor, his shoulder bleeding. But he looked up and smiled at her, and she pushed the unpleasant memory away. He took her hand and his thumb brushed against the ring on her finger. "It is raining, and the wind has picked up. I thought the garden was not the best place this evening." They had taken to trysting in the evenings whenever they could, as a way of making their courtship public.
She nodded, letting him draw her down the stairs. There was a balcony lower in the tower, shielded from the rain, and she was not surprised when Marcus stopped there. The last time she had lingered in this place was the night Charles had proposed to her, though, and it was somewhat strange to be standing here now.
"What is it?" Marcus must have seen something in her face.
Kate hesitated, but she wanted to be honest with him. "I came here, the night Charles of Neill asked me to marry him."
"Oh." His expression darkened. They had not discussed Charles' proposal since just after Solstice.
"It had snowed that day, and I looked out at the snow and the water, trying to convince myself that I should accept him." She tightened her grip on Marcus' hand. "Some part of me knew even then that if I had to argue myself into it, the marriage was not a good idea."
Marcus swallowed loudly and then seemed to cast about for something to say. "He cared for you."
She nodded. "I know he did, and I regret hurting him. I never wished to cause him pain. But I did not love him. And I was determined not to settle for a life with a husband I did not love with my whole heart."
Marcus tipped her face up and kissed her at that. Kate put her hand against his cheek. When the kiss ended he grinned at her. "It is strange to think we need no longer fear someone coming down the stairs and discovering us like this."
Kate laughed. "Which might not stop Carson from doing so again, of course."
"I knew that day you still desired me," Marcus admitted, brushing his lips against the back of her hand. Her breath caught and from the amused look in his eyes, her betrothed had discovered the effect that gesture had on her. "I had hoped before that day that somehow I might be able to win you back, but I could not figure out how to start. When we learned the Wraith were coming I cursed myself for not speaking when I had the chance."
The memories of the Wraith were still too fresh and she shivered, moving closer to him. Marcus put a comforting arm around her waist, but she did not want to dwell on those thoughts. Instead she shot him a saucy look. "As I recall, you did not speak so much this time either."
It was too dark to be sure but she thought he was blushing. "I have always put more faith in actions than in words, my lady." Then he kissed her, and she responded with great fervor. For several minutes Kate was lost in his kisses and the murmured words of love he said to her. By the time they parted it was growing quite late, and Marcus escorted her back to the queen's rooms. It was only after he left that she realized she hadn't raised the issue of their wedding date. The matter would have to wait until morning now.
Teyla departed for Athos the next morning. From there she would journey to Dakara, where she would remain for a few weeks before returning for the royal wedding. At Elizabeth's insistence, a small company of soldiers were to go with her for protection. The news from the south of highwaymen on the roads, while still not common knowledge, raised concerns about a woman traveling the country alone. Teyla was unlikely to need such protection, but the queen insisted and the countess acquiesced. Kate would miss Teyla's presence and her counsel, but she did not resent Teyla for taking such an opportunity when it came.
The next days were filled with business and more diplomatic frivolities, as Elizabeth called them. As lords and ambassadors arrived, she found herself accepting gifts, sometimes for herself and John, and sometimes on behalf of the country. More than once she found herself listening to explanations of odd customs attached to gifts from other monarchs. Kate found it difficult at times to keep her composure. She had no idea how Elizabeth managed to seem so gracious, though in private Elizabeth laughed rather frequently over the bizarre presents being left in her hands.
As the weather was fine, Elizabeth and John went for a walk nearly every day, and Kate and Marcus accompanied them, of course. Often they were joined by others, though Kate noticed that the walks tended to be shorter when others were around. A few days after Marcus and Kate's betrothal was announced, the Caldoran ambassador wished to speak to Elizabeth somewhat privately, so the queen and Lord Stephen walked on ahead, followed discreetly by Marcus. This left Kate alone with John for the first time in quite a while.
John offered his arm, a courtesy which Kate accepted. For a moment she cast about for a subject which they could discuss, until she remembered one of her conversations with Elizabeth late at night, when they were both prone to giggling over everything. John was working with Peter Grodin to study Atalan's customs and history, so that he might be more prepared to function as Elizabeth's consort. It also gave Peter something to do that did not require a great deal of physical exertion. "The queen tells me you are applying yourself to learn the history of the country," she said, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.
It did not work. John narrowed his eyes at her. "I do hope that when Elizabeth is my wife, she will be less likely to tell you everything."
"I think I should not want to hear everything," Kate teased. "But Elizabeth has been impressed by what you have learned. Mostly."
He sighed heavily. "Is she still laughing at me because of William III and William IV?"
Kate giggled helplessly. "They were a hundred and fifty years apart! And William IV hardly did anything of note, other than fail to produce a male heir." It had been that failure, in fact, which led the house of Weir to the throne.
"Well, I shall be more careful in the future," he grumbled.
Kate decided to show mercy and let the subject drop. "I have not heard you speak of your cousin in some time," she said.
John blinked at the change in subject, but he nodded. "He has been very busy of late, but I did receive a letter from him a few days ago. He will be here for the wedding, and may bring Princess Carolyn with him."
"I am surprised you did not mention it before."
"While all the court was focused on you?" he asked. "I know better than to divert attention from a bride."
Kate flushed at his teasing. "I am not a bride yet."
"I'm surprised you and Lorne are willing to wait," John said, which caught Kate by surprise. "Some time must elapse, of course, for propriety's sake, but it is not as though you and the captain are entering this union without proper consideration. You've known each other for years now, far longer than many ladies of your station know their husbands before they are wed."
She sighed a little, and they came to a stop several yards behind Elizabeth and the ambassador, who were deep in conversation. "John, I have no desire to wait, save to honor my father's wishes," she confessed.
"Then honor your father's wishes," he advised. "Beyond that, do not make yourself wait for long."
He gave her a knowing look and she smiled, even as she remembered finding him and Elizabeth entangled in the days before the battle. "You speak from experience."
"Indeed," he said, with a suffering look that only made her laugh.
Elizabeth got word that evening that the embroidery on her wedding dress was finally complete, and not a moment too soon. Kate and Laura had hemmed Elizabeth's dresses for her ever since they were skilled enough to do so, for few people were allowed to come so close to her with anything that could hurt her. With all that was going on in their lives right now, they needed all the time they could get to do this properly.
The dress was stunning, and Kate found herself a little envious as Elizabeth stood in her bedchamber wearing it. It was truly a garment fit for a queen. Elizabeth herself could not quite suppress her own excitement. "I shall have to have my portrait painted in this dress," she murmured, running her fingers over the delicate embroidery on the blue skirt.
"Have you and Lord John decided what flowers you will use for your nuptial crowns?" Lady Catherine asked from her seat near a bevy of candles. She was looking over the seating arrangements for the wedding banquet, which were proving to be one of the biggest challenges of the entire affair.
Elizabeth made a face. "Do not remind me."
"Surely your prince is being less troublesome about it than my husband was," Lady Sarah said, laughing. She was seated at the table with Lady Catherine, resting her feet. Her back had been troubling her for a few weeks as her pregnancy advanced, and Carson and Mistress Perna had ordered her not to stand too much. Jack had tried to persuade her to enter her confinement early, to no avail. "I believe you wore those flowers longer than Jack did."
Elizabeth laughed. "You may be right. I told John that crowns of some sort are not optional, but he did not seemed enthused by the prospect of real crowns either."
"He might as well get used to it," Catherine remarked dryly.
"Do we even know where the right crown for him is?" Kate asked, looking up from her seat on the floor.
Elizabeth laughed again, but this time it was curt. "No."
"I see an evening of digging through trunks in our future, my lady," Laura said with a smile.
"Indeed. And we should do so swiftly, in case we have to have one made for him."
There was a knock on the door then, and Catherine went to answer it, being the only one able to do so quickly. She returned with a letter in her hand. "Kate, this just arrived for you."
Suddenly the light mood of the room was gone, or so it seemed to Kate. She took the letter without a word, and she felt as though everyone was staring at her as she broke the seal. The blue wax was imprinted with the seal her mother always used.
She read the first paragraph once, then again and again, until the words no longer seemed real. "Kate?" Elizabeth said after a reasonable silence. "What is wrong?"
Frowning, Kate said, "She sounds... happy."
There followed a prolonged silence, in which Kate tried to read the rest of the letter. Her mother offered congratulations to her and Marcus both, and said she was already on her way to the capital to help with wedding plans. It still made no sense to Kate, so it was just as well when Laura interrupted her reading. "That seems like a good thing, Kate," she said gently.
But Kate could not think properly. "Pardon me, my lady, but I must speak to my father," she said in a rush, as she scrambled to her feet and fled the room, letter clutched in her hand.
Fortunately David was not busy when she found him in his chambers. He took one look at her and said, "Kate, sit down. Whatever is the matter?"
"Mother wrote to me," she replied, sinking down into a chair. "Father, I think she's pleased."
"What did she say?"
Kate held out the letter and waited while he read it. "Well, I must concur with your assessment, Kate," he said when he had finished. "She is pleased."
"I cannot imagine why," Kate replied. "Ladies in court are not supposed to marry commoners. Even those raised in rank by service."
"Perhaps she is simply pleased that you have decided to marry. It's been nearly five years since you had your first suitor," he observed with a hint of humor.
Kate could not share his amusement. "A temporary feeling which could soon give way to annoyance that I did not marry above my station."
"Kate, your mother cares about more than rank," David almost snapped.
Startled, Kate frowned at her father. "That is not the sentiment she has conveyed in her letters all these years," she replied bluntly.
He let out a heavy sigh and sat down beside her. "That is one disadvantage of you always being so far from home. There is a great deal which cannot be communicated in letters."
She narrowed her eyes at him, suddenly suspicious. "What did you tell her when you wrote her of my betrothal?"
Her father made a face. "That he is a good man," he said, "that he has shed blood in your defense, and that he loves you very much. That was sufficient by my judgment, and as you see, it was sufficient for your mother as well."
Kate sat silently, trying to decide what she felt about the matter. Finally David nudged her to rise. "Go and share this news with the captain. Perhaps he will be even more dumbfounded than you are."
Kate rolled her eyes, but she did as her father asked. Marcus was outside the queen's door, where she had left him, and she beckoned him away for a moment down the hall and showed him the letter.
Upon reading it, Marcus was as bewildered as she was, having fully expected to be disapproved of in no uncertain terms, but he elected to take this surprising twist as a blessing. "I would prefer not having to dread my mother-in-law," he said with a small smile, pulling her into his arms for a moment. "Your father is intimidating enough."
Kate frowned. "Has he said something to you?"
"No, but somehow it is worse now than when we were courting in secret. Then I feared his discovery that anything was happening. Now whenever he looks at me, he already seems to know every thought in my head." He kissed her neck, just below her ear, making her shiver, and leaving little doubt of what thoughts, precisely, he was referring to. She swatted his arm but could not quite bring herself to make him stop just yet.
"We need to get back," he murmured in her ear. But then he began to nibble on her earlobe and she melted a little further against him.
"Yes," she agreed, somewhat breathless.
"Mmm?"
It was difficult but Kate managed to extract herself from his embrace. "We need to get back to the queen, Marcus."
"Oh, yes. Of course." He offered her his arm politely as they walked back to Elizabeth's chambers. She noticed his ears were pink and her own face was probably flushed. Hopefully she could blame it on her surprise.
And hopefully her mother's mood would not change before she arrived in Atlantis.
Laura's birthday, as well as her and Carson's first wedding anniversary, had passed in the spring with no time to mark either event. Laura had entered her confinement and then the Wraith attack had consumed them all as those days had passed. Elizabeth decided to throw a small party both for Laura and Carson and to celebrate little Moira's safe arrival. The baby's naming ceremony had been held privately during the initial days following the battle, unlike some of the grander affairs that sometimes attended the birth of noble children.
The party would have been merely a family gathering, with only the couple's closest friends and advisors present, but the approaching wedding made it impossible. Stephen Caldwell had elected to remain in Atlantis until the summer rather than journeying all the way back to Caldora and then having to return almost immediately for the wedding. An ambassador of his rank could not be ignored, and Elizabeth and Daniel were struggling somewhat to find ways to amuse their honored guest, as well as keep Lord Stephen away from John as much as possible.
Mere days after the Wraith attack, a large battleship had appeared off the coast, flying the green and gold flag of Iolan. King Radek had sent one of his fastest and most powerful warships to aid Atalan almost as soon as news of the Wraith attack reached him, even though it was too late to affect the outcome of the battle. Lord Henry Hayes, the ambassador, had been on board. Lord Henry was relieved to find the island still standing, and he also decided to stay through the spring and summer, though the ship returned home shortly thereafter. As an old friend of Elizabeth's father, Lord Henry also had to be included in many of the social gatherings that Elizabeth would have kept more private.
The one consolation, Elizabeth had observed to Kate and Laura, was that the Dorandan ambassador had yet to arrive.
It was just as well that the party had been delayed, for Moira was still not sleeping for many hours at a time. They were lucky that she happened to nap for a long while in the afternoon, so Laura and Carson both had the chance to rest, and the baby was in a happy mood, cooing at the attention she received at the start of the party. There was a toast to her health while Moira chewed on her tiny fist, and shortly thereafter she was handed off to her nursemaid to be taken back to the family's chambers.
That Laura was nursing the child herself had caused quite the commotion in the court, as noblewomen generally did not do such a thing. Laura seemed unperturbed by this, and Elizabeth tacitly supported her by arranging things so that Laura had the time she needed. Tonight, though, the new parents had a few hours to themselves.
Elizabeth and John opened the dancing with Laura and Carson, and in short order the floor was full of couples. Kate found herself dancing with Lord Stephen, who to her surprise was quite graceful and pleasant. Listening to John's tales of the man, she half expected the ambassador to snarl and be silent.
She danced with a few other men and then Malcolm Barrett approached her. She had seen much of him during the winter, so it was not strange for them to speak as old friends in public. She smiled at him broadly as they stood up to dance. "I have not had the chance to speak with you much since your return. How are you?"
"I am well, my lady. Particularly since your winter appears to have ended at last."
She laughed. "Yes, I recall Solstice being a bit of a trial for you Caldorans."
He paused as they circled around each other before continuing, "I suppose I need not ask the newly engaged lady how she fares."
Her cheeks turned a little pinker at that. Marcus was near Elizabeth, of course, and keeping his eyes fixed on the queen as he should. "I imagine it is not difficult to tell."
Malcolm nodded, then lowered his voice. "May I ask a somewhat impertinent question?"
Kate narrowed her eyes. "You may ask, my lord. I will not promise an answer."
"Was the captain the one who had caused you such grief last summer?"
She startled and stared at him. "How did you know?"
He shrugged. "I sensed that you were recovering from some pain, and there was a strange tension between you at times. I was never sure, though."
The music ended and the musicians took a short break. Malcolm escorted her to a seat and poured a cup of wine for each of them before sitting down next to her. Kate toyed with the glass for a moment. "We fought," she told Malcolm. "Just before attending the summit. It was a very bitter ending. I am not surprised that you were able to see it."
He reached out and squeezed her hand, a slightly more intimate gesture than she would have expected. "And has he atoned properly for mistreating you so?"
She shook her head. "We wounded each other, and badly. There was fault on both sides."
"But he has made up for his mistakes, I trust? You are a rare woman, Kate, more intelligent than most of the men I've met. I should hate to see you settling for someone who does not recognize your worth and treat you accordingly."
Kate felt uneasy for a moment, but Malcolm's eyes were open and honest, full of only genuine friendship, and she smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I promise, I am not settling for anything. Unlike most ladies of such station, I am able to marry for love. It is a great blessing. But I thank you for your kindness."
He nodded and withdrew his hand. "I suppose that the best any of us can hope for."
"Indeed."
The conversation turned to other matters, but Kate happened to glance over at Marcus as the music began again and her stomach lurched. His expression was grim, and his eyes darted away from her as soon as he caught her gaze. He had been watching her conversation with Malcolm, she realized, with a sinking feeling. And his jealousy had come back.
Anger kindled in her for a moment. How on earth could he possibly think ill of her now? After everything they had been through, he still suspected her?
She could not speak to him as the party went on, for her attention was claimed by several other people in rapid succession, then she was attending Elizabeth as the festivities wound down. The queen was in high spirits after the evening, and would have stayed gossiping for hours until Kate's distress became apparent.
"Kate, whatever is the matter?"
Kate sighed. "Marcus observed me speaking to Sir Malcolm. I fear he may have gotten the wrong idea."
"Oh no," Elizabeth said, alarmed. They had talked at length of what had occurred in Iolan and then in Neill, so Elizabeth knew what this could potentially mean. "Go, Kate, and find him. You must speak of this now, and not allow it to fester between you."
Kate agreed, though her legs trembled a little as she went in search of Marcus. She was less angry now than she had been earlier, but she was not looking forward to this conversation. Marcus was not on the balcony nor in the garden, suggesting he was avoiding her. She caught sight of Master Ford, who said that he'd seen the captain heading toward the parapet. Kate thanked him and hastened up the stairs and then up the ladder, where the door was open in the ceiling.
Marcus was indeed there and when he saw her emerge, he rubbed his hand over his face. "Kate."
"Marcus, I have been searching for you."
He turned away. "Kate, perhaps we should wait and talk in the morning."
Her fears jumped another notch. Memories of their disagreement in Iolan and the terrible fight after he first proposed flew through her mind. She wanted to avoid this turning into another argument, but postponing it would not help. "I think it better if we sort this out now, Marcus. You know that I have no feelings for Sir Malcolm, other than simple friendship. He has been kind to me, but it is nothing more than that." Her voice sharpened despite her resolution to try and deal with this calmly.
He shook his head, leaning on the wall of the parapet. "I know, Kate. I trust you. I do." He sounded almost tired, and her anger cooled quickly at his words. "I can't seem to help it. I saw you with him, saw him take your hand, and the jealousy took hold before I could stop it."
Kate approached him, relieved when he didn't pull away. She put a hand on his shoulder. "And what did you do?"
Marcus looked confused. "Nothing. I reminded myself that I know you, that you would never dishonor yourself or break your word no matter what. Then I glared at Barrett for the rest of the night."
Kate leaned forward and kissed him. Marcus was clearly shocked and when she drew back he stared. "You're not angry?"
"I am," she said, and his face fell. "I was. I wish you could see me speaking with a gentleman and not get so wild about it, especially since there will be many occasions where I have to do so, and be friendly and even flirt with some man for some reason of politics. And I will hate it because I know it will make you uncomfortable."
"I wish it didn't," Marcus said fervently. "You should not have to grapple with my fears. You weren't the cause of them, and it is not fair for me to judge you by a lesser woman's behavior."
"No, but there is not much either of us can do about it." She leaned her chin on his shoulder. "You will always get jealous, Marcus. It is in your nature. And I would rather you talk to me than try to pretend it is not, or try to hide it from me. I do not wish us to keep secrets from each other."
Marcus slipped an arm around her. "I'm sorry, Kate. I'll try to do better."
She hoped time might lessen the issue, but she knew this was a part of him, one that he couldn't change. "As long as you can look me in the eye and say you believe me, Marcus, I can live with it. I didn't accept your proposal under the illusion that you had become flawless." He chuckled a little at that. "It is not as though I am perfect either. But I can live with your flaws, if you can put up with mine."
Marcus nodded, his fingers tracing her cheek lightly. When he spoke, his heart was in the words. "I love you."
She kissed him, whispering her answer quietly, and then letting out a deep breath as she leaned against his shoulder. Though she knew they would fight over this again, she could be grateful and relieved now that they had learned from past mistakes. Hopefully, when the matter arose again, they could handle it with grace.
Authors: miera_c and melyanna
Rating: PG13, probably
Summary: Kate's betrothal becomes official, but deciding to marry Marcus turns out to be the easiest decision she faces.
Lady Catherine returned to Atlantis on a bright spring afternoon as a pleasant breeze wafted in from the sea. Kate had been waiting only a few minutes when the lady stepped out of the carriage with a smile on her face. "Kate, my dear," she said, embracing her, "I am glad to see you well."
Kate smiled in return. "I trust your return journey was not a difficult one?" Lady Catherine had left Atlantis when news of the impending Wraith attack had arrived.
"No, indeed," Catherine replied. "I am ready to begin my work again, which is well. The wedding is little more than two months hence."
Kate took the older woman's arm and they walked together toward the royal chambers. "The queen will be most relieved to see you," she said. "With you gone and Master Grodin still recovering, she and I have had to deal with much of the wedding preparations ourselves."
"I shall have to call on Peter as soon as I am able," Catherine said gravely.
"Carson has been pleased by his recovery, and hopes within a few weeks he will be able to return to service. Still, it will be some months before he is able to work as much as he did before the Wraith."
Catherine nodded. "And speaking of Carson, are Laura and the baby doing well?"
"Very," Kate replied. "Even at this early age, Moira has a sweetness that Laura has always lacked."
That made Catherine laugh.
They passed out of the more public corridors, but Catherine lowered her voice when next she spoke. "And what of you, Kate?" she asked. "I heard there might be another wedding before long."
Kate blushed a little, but she smiled and nodded slightly. "Father is announcing my betrothal to Captain Lorne tonight," she said quietly.
Catherine stopped to embrace her. "I'm very happy for you, my lady," she said. "A little surprised, but very happy." She took up Kate's hands. "But I see no ring yet."
"Tonight," Kate replied.
"Oh, very well." They continued walking then and soon arrived in the queen's chambers. Elizabeth was indeed pleased to see Lady Catherine, who kissed Elizabeth's cheeks and said, "I have come to rescue you from your wedding, Majesty."
Elizabeth laughed. "And I thank you for that. I'm afraid I am on my way to the shipyards now to meet with Master McKay, but will you join us tonight? I am hosting a supper with a number of diplomats and noblemen. I assure you, afterwards you may torment John and me with wedding plans to your heart's content."
"How can I reject such an invitation?" Lady Catherine teased. "I would be honored."
Catherine took her leave then to go settle into her rooms, and Elizabeth asked Kate to join her on her walk to the shipyards. On level surfaces she no longer limped, but sometimes stairs bothered her knee yet. Elizabeth rarely showed pain, but Kate had known her long enough to read the smallest change in breathing or expression. She would simply offer her arm silently.
This time, however, Elizabeth made it all the way to the slope between the palace and the shipyards before needing assistance. The changes in the landscape there still startled Kate every time she saw it. The pits had been filled and the earthen wall brought down, but there was almost no grass on this side of the palace, where the fighting had been, and scars from fires marked the soil. It looked very little like her home.
The shipyards were equally shocking. Nearly every structure there had been burned by the Wraith, though Rodney McKay was already hard at work rebuilding. He seemed to be taking the destruction as the opportunity to rebuild the yards to a level of efficiency and strength not seen in Atalan in decades. The queen was doing nothing to discourage this, of course. Elizabeth had taken to meeting with McKay once a week for updates.
Rodney bowed hastily when Elizabeth, Kate, and the guards arrived. The wreckage from the battle had been cleared away weeks ago, and every time Kate came out here, she saw something new. Long piers now extended from the shore along the entire length of the harbor. Breaker walls stood at the harbor's mouth, calming the waters within and also giving some added measure of defense. On one of the piers, a stub of a tower was being erected in stone, and it was this to which Rodney led Elizabeth and Kate.
"A masting crane," he explained. "With ships of the Margaret's class, we could mount a mast with manpower alone, but that will not be possible with the Queen Elizabeth."
Elizabeth cast a glance at Kate that was nearly a grimace. The queen was still not used to the idea of this new warship being named for her. "I trust her draft will not be so deep as to make her difficult to sail in the shallows."
"Of course not," Rodney replied, straightening up a little as though defending his honor as a shipwright. "Still, we will need the crane."
The queen had a few more questions, but soon the McKay turned their attention to another matter. "Your Majesty, the time is coming when this harbor will not be able to accommodate the amount of construction we could and should have, to support both a navy and a merchant fleet," he said. "Perhaps while the college is still amenable..."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, which made Kate smile. Elizabeth almost never reacted that way in front of anyone outside her closest friends. "My long-awaited marriage may bring me favor in the eyes of the college, but perhaps we should not push our luck. Perhaps when I have produced an heir, we may see what we can get out of them," she replied. "Besides, every province with access to the sea would clamor for the honor of Atalan's new yards."
Rodney smiled slightly. "There are worse things to have the college bickering about."
"That is true, Master McKay," Elizabeth said. "I fear I have a great deal of work to do, however, so I shall leave you to yours. Thank you for the information."
Rodney bowed to her. Kate noticed irreverently that the man still hadn't learned how to do that without awkwardness. As the ladies walked away, Elizabeth took Kate's arm. "Is your knee bothering you, my lady?" Kate asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Not yet, and I hope to keep it that way." She looked pensive. "Two months. Two months yet, and already I have enough diplomats underfoot to host a banquet for them. There is a part of me that is not looking forward to the wedding and all its formalities."
"And yet?"
"And yet for the most part, I am looking forward very much to the wedding. Or at least, to being married."
Elizabeth cast a wicked grin in Kate's direction. In turn, Kate looked coyly at Marcus, who was following passively but could surely hear every word they said. "As am I," she whispered, just loud enough that her betrothed heard it and blushed.
Teyla arrived in the palace in late afternoon. The Countess of Athos had been spending much of her time in the village since the Wraith attack, but Kate had told her of the announcement to be made tonight and Teyla had promised to return for the banquet.
"Is the queen occupied?" Teyla asked. There was a slightly anxious expression on her face.
Kate frowned. "She is speaking with a messenger from the Tok'ra. Is something wrong?"
Teyla fidgeted with her gloves, a rare outward sign of distress. Teyla prided herself on her composure. "You were somewhat preoccupied then, but at Solstice the Jaffa ambassador invited me to visit the capital. I wished to discuss the idea with the queen."
She looked uneasy about this for some reason. "I know there is an ambassador in Dakara, but I can't see why the queen would object to your going," Kate observed.
Teyla nodded. "I have been considering it for a few days. I have found myself with unexpected time on my hands in Athos."
"It must be strange," Kate said quietly. "To not have the Wraith looming out on the seas any longer."
"Strange is not the half of it, Kate," Teyla sighed, pacing restlessly to the window, where she could look out at the harbor. "The first lessons my mother and father taught me were how to sense the Wraith, and that my duty was to keep my people safe. Now... now I hardly know what my purpose is."
She sounded unexpectedly sad about this, which puzzled Kate. To live free of the fear of the Wraith was such a blessing, but Kate did not have the responsibilities that rested on Teyla's shoulders.
She was unsure what to do, so she merely laid a hand on Teyla's arm as they stood at the window. After a moment, Teyla shook herself. "In any case, my people are well able to see to the spring planting without me. And if I am to spend more time in Atlantis, advising the queen, I need to become more familiar with matters of diplomacy."
With the Wraith gone, Teyla would no longer be tied to the village and could take an even greater role in the college. It made sense that she would need to strengthen her knowledge in that regard. Something else seemed to be lurking in her expression, though. Kate hesitated a moment before asking lowly, "Is that the only reason?"
Teyla flushed. "No."
A few days after the defeat of the Wraith, Prince Ronon had departed in one of the captured Wraith ships, his reward for his service to Atalan. Kate had witnessed the ship departing, and had observed some looks between Teyla and the prince which made her suspicious. Rumors had circled through the court of a romance between the two of them, but Teyla had said nothing of the matter to Kate, at least, and with the gentleman gone, gossip had turned to other subjects.
Kate did not speak, not wanting to pry, though she was immensely curious. But her friend had held her tongue through much of Kate's tempestuous relationship with Marcus. The least she could do was offer the same.
Teyla looked at the setting sun in the west. "I will never forsake my people or my country. But it occurred to me the other night, Kate, that this is the first moment of real freedom I have ever known. I do not need to fear that my absence may leave my home in ruins and my people slaughtered. I know the queen will always find some work for me to do here. But I have never had the luxury of doing anything for myself alone."
"And this journey is your luxury?" Kate asked dryly. The journey to the Jaffa capital in the west was not a particularly scenic one, unlike the trip to Iolan in the east. The terrain ran to grassland, then to barren hills before becoming the desert which stretched all the way to the home of the Tok'ra.
Teyla smiled at that. "I have never traveled very far from home. I should like to see more of the world while I can."
"And you can marry this indulgence with service to the crown, by traveling to visit allies that the queen has not had time herself to see yet," Kate concluded.
"Exactly."
"I am sure Elizabeth will approve," Kate said as the sound of voices grew louder, indicating the queen was finishing her meeting. "So long as you will return in time for her wedding."
Teyla grinned. "As though I would miss the chance to see John with a crown of flowers upon his head."
Kate laughed as well. Elizabeth appeared from the other room a moment later, and Kate took her leave to allow Teyla a chance to discuss her plan privately with the queen. She did not doubt Elizabeth would agree to it. The Jaffa had been close allies under the king's rule, thanks largely to the friendships Jack and Daniel had with their leaders, but the regency had blighted the relationship and Elizabeth had not yet had much time to work on repairing the damages.
Kate did not have time to ask Elizabeth about the meeting, however, as it was soon time to prepare to receive the queen's guests. That evening, Marcus sat beside Kate during the banquet, which caused a number of murmurs until the queen acknowledged Kate's father. He rose and announced that Kate and Marcus were betrothed.
Elizabeth and her circle began to clap at the news, so the rest of the room joined in, but Kate noticed the number of surprised and even shocked faces watching her and Marcus as they stood at her father's bidding. But only one opinion truly mattered now. Marcus was watching her, his expression a mixture of self-consciousness and joy. When he placed the ring on her finger and tenderly kissed her hand, she could but smile at him.
Afterward, they walked arm in arm behind the queen and Lord John to Elizabeth's chambers. The men left them there, but Laura soon returned with the baby, having retrieved her from her nursemaid's care. Lady Catherine took Kate's hand in her own to inspect the ring Marcus had given her. It was rather plain in comparison to some of the jewels she owned, but Marcus was not a man given to ostentation. Besides, she preferred the words he had whispered to her as he placed the ring on her finger to the grandest of diamonds or rubies.
Catherine approved of the ring and sat down with the ladies. After a few minutes of discussing the endless preparations for Elizabeth's coming nuptials, the elder lady turned to Kate. "And what of your wedding?" she asked. "Your father did not announce when that happy day will be."
Kate frowned. "That is because we have not decided it yet."
Laura passed Moira to Kate's arms and got up to light more candles. It had grown dark in the room as they talked. "I would imagine you will not marry before Elizabeth and John," she said. Kate opened her mouth to reply, but Laura continued, "You said before that your father insisted on a betrothal of no less than a month. There are just two months before Elizabeth's wedding."
That much was true, but it bothered Kate. The resolution she had made not to marry before Elizabeth had caused so many difficulties between her and Marcus, and some part of her felt that delaying now would suggest she still held him second to her obligations to the queen. He had not said such a thing, but she thought that they should speak about a wedding date, since they were both likely to keep getting asked about it until one was chosen.
Moira was big enough now to hold her head up a little, and she liked to be propped up so she could look around. But now it was late and she was tired, and her tiny head eventually fell against Kate's shoulder. Kate swayed slightly, and the baby's fist closed around the necklace she wore. She pried Moira's fingers loose, which made Laura laugh. "I have given up on jewelry for the duration," she remarked. "And on wearing my hair down."
That made the other ladies laugh, but it did not deter them from their former conversation. "Well," Lady Catherine said, "when you and your captain have settled on a day for your wedding, I will be happy to assist you in whatever way you like. I would not impose on Lady Maria's rights as mother of the bride, of course, but I can help you both." The mention of her mother made Kate look away.
"What does your mother say of your betrothal?" Elizabeth asked.
Kate had been trying not to think of this too much. "I don't know," she replied. "I have heard nothing from her since Father wrote her of it."
"You think she will disapprove," Catherine surmised.
After biting her lip for a moment, she nodded. "My only solace is that she does not know I refused Charles of Neill. Couple that with my marrying a commoner in service to the queen and she might never speak to me again."
The other women laughed lightly at that. "Well, dear, my offer stands," Catherine replied. "When you have decided when you will be married, I would be happy to help."
After Catherine and Laura and the baby had departed, Elizabeth retired to see to some correspondence, giving Kate a tiny wave in the direction of the door with a smile. Kate did not need to be told twice, and she slipped outside to find that the night watch was already in place, meaning Marcus would be free for the rest of the evening.
He was waiting for her near the stairwell, sitting on the top step. For a second her heart thudded painfully in her chest, remembering him lying on the floor, his shoulder bleeding. But he looked up and smiled at her, and she pushed the unpleasant memory away. He took her hand and his thumb brushed against the ring on her finger. "It is raining, and the wind has picked up. I thought the garden was not the best place this evening." They had taken to trysting in the evenings whenever they could, as a way of making their courtship public.
She nodded, letting him draw her down the stairs. There was a balcony lower in the tower, shielded from the rain, and she was not surprised when Marcus stopped there. The last time she had lingered in this place was the night Charles had proposed to her, though, and it was somewhat strange to be standing here now.
"What is it?" Marcus must have seen something in her face.
Kate hesitated, but she wanted to be honest with him. "I came here, the night Charles of Neill asked me to marry him."
"Oh." His expression darkened. They had not discussed Charles' proposal since just after Solstice.
"It had snowed that day, and I looked out at the snow and the water, trying to convince myself that I should accept him." She tightened her grip on Marcus' hand. "Some part of me knew even then that if I had to argue myself into it, the marriage was not a good idea."
Marcus swallowed loudly and then seemed to cast about for something to say. "He cared for you."
She nodded. "I know he did, and I regret hurting him. I never wished to cause him pain. But I did not love him. And I was determined not to settle for a life with a husband I did not love with my whole heart."
Marcus tipped her face up and kissed her at that. Kate put her hand against his cheek. When the kiss ended he grinned at her. "It is strange to think we need no longer fear someone coming down the stairs and discovering us like this."
Kate laughed. "Which might not stop Carson from doing so again, of course."
"I knew that day you still desired me," Marcus admitted, brushing his lips against the back of her hand. Her breath caught and from the amused look in his eyes, her betrothed had discovered the effect that gesture had on her. "I had hoped before that day that somehow I might be able to win you back, but I could not figure out how to start. When we learned the Wraith were coming I cursed myself for not speaking when I had the chance."
The memories of the Wraith were still too fresh and she shivered, moving closer to him. Marcus put a comforting arm around her waist, but she did not want to dwell on those thoughts. Instead she shot him a saucy look. "As I recall, you did not speak so much this time either."
It was too dark to be sure but she thought he was blushing. "I have always put more faith in actions than in words, my lady." Then he kissed her, and she responded with great fervor. For several minutes Kate was lost in his kisses and the murmured words of love he said to her. By the time they parted it was growing quite late, and Marcus escorted her back to the queen's rooms. It was only after he left that she realized she hadn't raised the issue of their wedding date. The matter would have to wait until morning now.
Teyla departed for Athos the next morning. From there she would journey to Dakara, where she would remain for a few weeks before returning for the royal wedding. At Elizabeth's insistence, a small company of soldiers were to go with her for protection. The news from the south of highwaymen on the roads, while still not common knowledge, raised concerns about a woman traveling the country alone. Teyla was unlikely to need such protection, but the queen insisted and the countess acquiesced. Kate would miss Teyla's presence and her counsel, but she did not resent Teyla for taking such an opportunity when it came.
The next days were filled with business and more diplomatic frivolities, as Elizabeth called them. As lords and ambassadors arrived, she found herself accepting gifts, sometimes for herself and John, and sometimes on behalf of the country. More than once she found herself listening to explanations of odd customs attached to gifts from other monarchs. Kate found it difficult at times to keep her composure. She had no idea how Elizabeth managed to seem so gracious, though in private Elizabeth laughed rather frequently over the bizarre presents being left in her hands.
As the weather was fine, Elizabeth and John went for a walk nearly every day, and Kate and Marcus accompanied them, of course. Often they were joined by others, though Kate noticed that the walks tended to be shorter when others were around. A few days after Marcus and Kate's betrothal was announced, the Caldoran ambassador wished to speak to Elizabeth somewhat privately, so the queen and Lord Stephen walked on ahead, followed discreetly by Marcus. This left Kate alone with John for the first time in quite a while.
John offered his arm, a courtesy which Kate accepted. For a moment she cast about for a subject which they could discuss, until she remembered one of her conversations with Elizabeth late at night, when they were both prone to giggling over everything. John was working with Peter Grodin to study Atalan's customs and history, so that he might be more prepared to function as Elizabeth's consort. It also gave Peter something to do that did not require a great deal of physical exertion. "The queen tells me you are applying yourself to learn the history of the country," she said, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.
It did not work. John narrowed his eyes at her. "I do hope that when Elizabeth is my wife, she will be less likely to tell you everything."
"I think I should not want to hear everything," Kate teased. "But Elizabeth has been impressed by what you have learned. Mostly."
He sighed heavily. "Is she still laughing at me because of William III and William IV?"
Kate giggled helplessly. "They were a hundred and fifty years apart! And William IV hardly did anything of note, other than fail to produce a male heir." It had been that failure, in fact, which led the house of Weir to the throne.
"Well, I shall be more careful in the future," he grumbled.
Kate decided to show mercy and let the subject drop. "I have not heard you speak of your cousin in some time," she said.
John blinked at the change in subject, but he nodded. "He has been very busy of late, but I did receive a letter from him a few days ago. He will be here for the wedding, and may bring Princess Carolyn with him."
"I am surprised you did not mention it before."
"While all the court was focused on you?" he asked. "I know better than to divert attention from a bride."
Kate flushed at his teasing. "I am not a bride yet."
"I'm surprised you and Lorne are willing to wait," John said, which caught Kate by surprise. "Some time must elapse, of course, for propriety's sake, but it is not as though you and the captain are entering this union without proper consideration. You've known each other for years now, far longer than many ladies of your station know their husbands before they are wed."
She sighed a little, and they came to a stop several yards behind Elizabeth and the ambassador, who were deep in conversation. "John, I have no desire to wait, save to honor my father's wishes," she confessed.
"Then honor your father's wishes," he advised. "Beyond that, do not make yourself wait for long."
He gave her a knowing look and she smiled, even as she remembered finding him and Elizabeth entangled in the days before the battle. "You speak from experience."
"Indeed," he said, with a suffering look that only made her laugh.
Elizabeth got word that evening that the embroidery on her wedding dress was finally complete, and not a moment too soon. Kate and Laura had hemmed Elizabeth's dresses for her ever since they were skilled enough to do so, for few people were allowed to come so close to her with anything that could hurt her. With all that was going on in their lives right now, they needed all the time they could get to do this properly.
The dress was stunning, and Kate found herself a little envious as Elizabeth stood in her bedchamber wearing it. It was truly a garment fit for a queen. Elizabeth herself could not quite suppress her own excitement. "I shall have to have my portrait painted in this dress," she murmured, running her fingers over the delicate embroidery on the blue skirt.
"Have you and Lord John decided what flowers you will use for your nuptial crowns?" Lady Catherine asked from her seat near a bevy of candles. She was looking over the seating arrangements for the wedding banquet, which were proving to be one of the biggest challenges of the entire affair.
Elizabeth made a face. "Do not remind me."
"Surely your prince is being less troublesome about it than my husband was," Lady Sarah said, laughing. She was seated at the table with Lady Catherine, resting her feet. Her back had been troubling her for a few weeks as her pregnancy advanced, and Carson and Mistress Perna had ordered her not to stand too much. Jack had tried to persuade her to enter her confinement early, to no avail. "I believe you wore those flowers longer than Jack did."
Elizabeth laughed. "You may be right. I told John that crowns of some sort are not optional, but he did not seemed enthused by the prospect of real crowns either."
"He might as well get used to it," Catherine remarked dryly.
"Do we even know where the right crown for him is?" Kate asked, looking up from her seat on the floor.
Elizabeth laughed again, but this time it was curt. "No."
"I see an evening of digging through trunks in our future, my lady," Laura said with a smile.
"Indeed. And we should do so swiftly, in case we have to have one made for him."
There was a knock on the door then, and Catherine went to answer it, being the only one able to do so quickly. She returned with a letter in her hand. "Kate, this just arrived for you."
Suddenly the light mood of the room was gone, or so it seemed to Kate. She took the letter without a word, and she felt as though everyone was staring at her as she broke the seal. The blue wax was imprinted with the seal her mother always used.
She read the first paragraph once, then again and again, until the words no longer seemed real. "Kate?" Elizabeth said after a reasonable silence. "What is wrong?"
Frowning, Kate said, "She sounds... happy."
There followed a prolonged silence, in which Kate tried to read the rest of the letter. Her mother offered congratulations to her and Marcus both, and said she was already on her way to the capital to help with wedding plans. It still made no sense to Kate, so it was just as well when Laura interrupted her reading. "That seems like a good thing, Kate," she said gently.
But Kate could not think properly. "Pardon me, my lady, but I must speak to my father," she said in a rush, as she scrambled to her feet and fled the room, letter clutched in her hand.
Fortunately David was not busy when she found him in his chambers. He took one look at her and said, "Kate, sit down. Whatever is the matter?"
"Mother wrote to me," she replied, sinking down into a chair. "Father, I think she's pleased."
"What did she say?"
Kate held out the letter and waited while he read it. "Well, I must concur with your assessment, Kate," he said when he had finished. "She is pleased."
"I cannot imagine why," Kate replied. "Ladies in court are not supposed to marry commoners. Even those raised in rank by service."
"Perhaps she is simply pleased that you have decided to marry. It's been nearly five years since you had your first suitor," he observed with a hint of humor.
Kate could not share his amusement. "A temporary feeling which could soon give way to annoyance that I did not marry above my station."
"Kate, your mother cares about more than rank," David almost snapped.
Startled, Kate frowned at her father. "That is not the sentiment she has conveyed in her letters all these years," she replied bluntly.
He let out a heavy sigh and sat down beside her. "That is one disadvantage of you always being so far from home. There is a great deal which cannot be communicated in letters."
She narrowed her eyes at him, suddenly suspicious. "What did you tell her when you wrote her of my betrothal?"
Her father made a face. "That he is a good man," he said, "that he has shed blood in your defense, and that he loves you very much. That was sufficient by my judgment, and as you see, it was sufficient for your mother as well."
Kate sat silently, trying to decide what she felt about the matter. Finally David nudged her to rise. "Go and share this news with the captain. Perhaps he will be even more dumbfounded than you are."
Kate rolled her eyes, but she did as her father asked. Marcus was outside the queen's door, where she had left him, and she beckoned him away for a moment down the hall and showed him the letter.
Upon reading it, Marcus was as bewildered as she was, having fully expected to be disapproved of in no uncertain terms, but he elected to take this surprising twist as a blessing. "I would prefer not having to dread my mother-in-law," he said with a small smile, pulling her into his arms for a moment. "Your father is intimidating enough."
Kate frowned. "Has he said something to you?"
"No, but somehow it is worse now than when we were courting in secret. Then I feared his discovery that anything was happening. Now whenever he looks at me, he already seems to know every thought in my head." He kissed her neck, just below her ear, making her shiver, and leaving little doubt of what thoughts, precisely, he was referring to. She swatted his arm but could not quite bring herself to make him stop just yet.
"We need to get back," he murmured in her ear. But then he began to nibble on her earlobe and she melted a little further against him.
"Yes," she agreed, somewhat breathless.
"Mmm?"
It was difficult but Kate managed to extract herself from his embrace. "We need to get back to the queen, Marcus."
"Oh, yes. Of course." He offered her his arm politely as they walked back to Elizabeth's chambers. She noticed his ears were pink and her own face was probably flushed. Hopefully she could blame it on her surprise.
And hopefully her mother's mood would not change before she arrived in Atlantis.
Laura's birthday, as well as her and Carson's first wedding anniversary, had passed in the spring with no time to mark either event. Laura had entered her confinement and then the Wraith attack had consumed them all as those days had passed. Elizabeth decided to throw a small party both for Laura and Carson and to celebrate little Moira's safe arrival. The baby's naming ceremony had been held privately during the initial days following the battle, unlike some of the grander affairs that sometimes attended the birth of noble children.
The party would have been merely a family gathering, with only the couple's closest friends and advisors present, but the approaching wedding made it impossible. Stephen Caldwell had elected to remain in Atlantis until the summer rather than journeying all the way back to Caldora and then having to return almost immediately for the wedding. An ambassador of his rank could not be ignored, and Elizabeth and Daniel were struggling somewhat to find ways to amuse their honored guest, as well as keep Lord Stephen away from John as much as possible.
Mere days after the Wraith attack, a large battleship had appeared off the coast, flying the green and gold flag of Iolan. King Radek had sent one of his fastest and most powerful warships to aid Atalan almost as soon as news of the Wraith attack reached him, even though it was too late to affect the outcome of the battle. Lord Henry Hayes, the ambassador, had been on board. Lord Henry was relieved to find the island still standing, and he also decided to stay through the spring and summer, though the ship returned home shortly thereafter. As an old friend of Elizabeth's father, Lord Henry also had to be included in many of the social gatherings that Elizabeth would have kept more private.
The one consolation, Elizabeth had observed to Kate and Laura, was that the Dorandan ambassador had yet to arrive.
It was just as well that the party had been delayed, for Moira was still not sleeping for many hours at a time. They were lucky that she happened to nap for a long while in the afternoon, so Laura and Carson both had the chance to rest, and the baby was in a happy mood, cooing at the attention she received at the start of the party. There was a toast to her health while Moira chewed on her tiny fist, and shortly thereafter she was handed off to her nursemaid to be taken back to the family's chambers.
That Laura was nursing the child herself had caused quite the commotion in the court, as noblewomen generally did not do such a thing. Laura seemed unperturbed by this, and Elizabeth tacitly supported her by arranging things so that Laura had the time she needed. Tonight, though, the new parents had a few hours to themselves.
Elizabeth and John opened the dancing with Laura and Carson, and in short order the floor was full of couples. Kate found herself dancing with Lord Stephen, who to her surprise was quite graceful and pleasant. Listening to John's tales of the man, she half expected the ambassador to snarl and be silent.
She danced with a few other men and then Malcolm Barrett approached her. She had seen much of him during the winter, so it was not strange for them to speak as old friends in public. She smiled at him broadly as they stood up to dance. "I have not had the chance to speak with you much since your return. How are you?"
"I am well, my lady. Particularly since your winter appears to have ended at last."
She laughed. "Yes, I recall Solstice being a bit of a trial for you Caldorans."
He paused as they circled around each other before continuing, "I suppose I need not ask the newly engaged lady how she fares."
Her cheeks turned a little pinker at that. Marcus was near Elizabeth, of course, and keeping his eyes fixed on the queen as he should. "I imagine it is not difficult to tell."
Malcolm nodded, then lowered his voice. "May I ask a somewhat impertinent question?"
Kate narrowed her eyes. "You may ask, my lord. I will not promise an answer."
"Was the captain the one who had caused you such grief last summer?"
She startled and stared at him. "How did you know?"
He shrugged. "I sensed that you were recovering from some pain, and there was a strange tension between you at times. I was never sure, though."
The music ended and the musicians took a short break. Malcolm escorted her to a seat and poured a cup of wine for each of them before sitting down next to her. Kate toyed with the glass for a moment. "We fought," she told Malcolm. "Just before attending the summit. It was a very bitter ending. I am not surprised that you were able to see it."
He reached out and squeezed her hand, a slightly more intimate gesture than she would have expected. "And has he atoned properly for mistreating you so?"
She shook her head. "We wounded each other, and badly. There was fault on both sides."
"But he has made up for his mistakes, I trust? You are a rare woman, Kate, more intelligent than most of the men I've met. I should hate to see you settling for someone who does not recognize your worth and treat you accordingly."
Kate felt uneasy for a moment, but Malcolm's eyes were open and honest, full of only genuine friendship, and she smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I promise, I am not settling for anything. Unlike most ladies of such station, I am able to marry for love. It is a great blessing. But I thank you for your kindness."
He nodded and withdrew his hand. "I suppose that the best any of us can hope for."
"Indeed."
The conversation turned to other matters, but Kate happened to glance over at Marcus as the music began again and her stomach lurched. His expression was grim, and his eyes darted away from her as soon as he caught her gaze. He had been watching her conversation with Malcolm, she realized, with a sinking feeling. And his jealousy had come back.
Anger kindled in her for a moment. How on earth could he possibly think ill of her now? After everything they had been through, he still suspected her?
She could not speak to him as the party went on, for her attention was claimed by several other people in rapid succession, then she was attending Elizabeth as the festivities wound down. The queen was in high spirits after the evening, and would have stayed gossiping for hours until Kate's distress became apparent.
"Kate, whatever is the matter?"
Kate sighed. "Marcus observed me speaking to Sir Malcolm. I fear he may have gotten the wrong idea."
"Oh no," Elizabeth said, alarmed. They had talked at length of what had occurred in Iolan and then in Neill, so Elizabeth knew what this could potentially mean. "Go, Kate, and find him. You must speak of this now, and not allow it to fester between you."
Kate agreed, though her legs trembled a little as she went in search of Marcus. She was less angry now than she had been earlier, but she was not looking forward to this conversation. Marcus was not on the balcony nor in the garden, suggesting he was avoiding her. She caught sight of Master Ford, who said that he'd seen the captain heading toward the parapet. Kate thanked him and hastened up the stairs and then up the ladder, where the door was open in the ceiling.
Marcus was indeed there and when he saw her emerge, he rubbed his hand over his face. "Kate."
"Marcus, I have been searching for you."
He turned away. "Kate, perhaps we should wait and talk in the morning."
Her fears jumped another notch. Memories of their disagreement in Iolan and the terrible fight after he first proposed flew through her mind. She wanted to avoid this turning into another argument, but postponing it would not help. "I think it better if we sort this out now, Marcus. You know that I have no feelings for Sir Malcolm, other than simple friendship. He has been kind to me, but it is nothing more than that." Her voice sharpened despite her resolution to try and deal with this calmly.
He shook his head, leaning on the wall of the parapet. "I know, Kate. I trust you. I do." He sounded almost tired, and her anger cooled quickly at his words. "I can't seem to help it. I saw you with him, saw him take your hand, and the jealousy took hold before I could stop it."
Kate approached him, relieved when he didn't pull away. She put a hand on his shoulder. "And what did you do?"
Marcus looked confused. "Nothing. I reminded myself that I know you, that you would never dishonor yourself or break your word no matter what. Then I glared at Barrett for the rest of the night."
Kate leaned forward and kissed him. Marcus was clearly shocked and when she drew back he stared. "You're not angry?"
"I am," she said, and his face fell. "I was. I wish you could see me speaking with a gentleman and not get so wild about it, especially since there will be many occasions where I have to do so, and be friendly and even flirt with some man for some reason of politics. And I will hate it because I know it will make you uncomfortable."
"I wish it didn't," Marcus said fervently. "You should not have to grapple with my fears. You weren't the cause of them, and it is not fair for me to judge you by a lesser woman's behavior."
"No, but there is not much either of us can do about it." She leaned her chin on his shoulder. "You will always get jealous, Marcus. It is in your nature. And I would rather you talk to me than try to pretend it is not, or try to hide it from me. I do not wish us to keep secrets from each other."
Marcus slipped an arm around her. "I'm sorry, Kate. I'll try to do better."
She hoped time might lessen the issue, but she knew this was a part of him, one that he couldn't change. "As long as you can look me in the eye and say you believe me, Marcus, I can live with it. I didn't accept your proposal under the illusion that you had become flawless." He chuckled a little at that. "It is not as though I am perfect either. But I can live with your flaws, if you can put up with mine."
Marcus nodded, his fingers tracing her cheek lightly. When he spoke, his heart was in the words. "I love you."
She kissed him, whispering her answer quietly, and then letting out a deep breath as she leaned against his shoulder. Though she knew they would fight over this again, she could be grateful and relieved now that they had learned from past mistakes. Hopefully, when the matter arose again, they could handle it with grace.