#silver service

‘I’ve made my decision’ she said, and Liam’s eyes widened. ‘I will be your Queen’ He let his breath go, and picked up her hand to kiss it.

‘You make me so happy’ he said, smiling broadly ‘I know it won’t be easy – we both need to work at this, but I think we’ll be good together. And our child will be cherished’ he gently put his hand on her belly. ‘I’d like to announce it at the closing ceremony’

‘Of course’ she said, placing her hand over his ‘and the pregnancy?’

‘Not just yet’ he replied ‘We can deal with any speculation about that later’

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The day progressed well, excitement growing as the finals of each event was held, and the stallholders had one last chance to sell their dwindling wares, happy at their success. At midday, Liam received news that the machines had been turned off at the hospital, witnessed by Lord Rashad. The press asked him for a statement, and he made sure to inform them that the decision had been taken by the Council, with he and Olivia abstaining from the vote.

‘It is with a heavy heart that I hear that Lord Anton has been taken off life support this morning. The Council was assured that his quality of life was very poor. There is a very small chance that he may survive independently, but it was thought it would be a mercy not to let him linger further, with no family or loved ones to care for him. I await to hear of his final passing, and will mourn for a young man who lost his way in fighting for what he believed in. He will be made as comfortable as possible, but that is all that can be done. I thank you for your attention. May he find peace at last.’

Thankfully, Anton’s situation did not mar the tone and excitement of the day, and the finals were followed and enjoyed avidly. The medal ceremonies were watched by a huge crowd who waited for the final speeches. Olivia made another stirring address about harmony between all the duchies which was well received with much cheering and applause, but everyone was eager to hear the King speak. He began by praising both participants and sponsors and congratulating the medal winners. He echoed Olivia’s sentiments of Cordonian unity and at last he came to the moment he had been hoping and planning for the last few days.

‘Citizens of Cordonia, I have an announcement that I hope all of you will rejoice in. It has been but a short time since I learned I was to be your King in my brother’s stead, and even less since I announced that I would take no Queen. I know that many of you feared for the succession and continuation of the Monarchy, and for that I apologise. As you know, I plan to hand over much more power to you, my loyal subjects, and am working on legislation to make this a reality. However, over the last few weeks I have realised that having a Queen by my side would be beneficial to both myself and to the country. To that end, I have asked Lady Olivia to rule with me, and she has consented’ a murmur ran through the crowd, and he paused to let his words sink in. The murmur grew louder, and people started to rise to their feet, at first clapping, then raising their voices, cheering, stamping and shouting congratulations. Liam’s throat tightened, and he held out his hand for Olivia to take and stand close to him. She smiled broadly and waved as the crowd went wild, and any further words from him were impossible. The press surged forward and cameras clicked and flashed and clicked again, capturing the moment as Liam turned to Olivia and kissed her on the lips. She willingly melted into it, drawing him closer as her Lythican spirit kicked in. Finally nothing more could be said, and the two of them retreated to the Lodge with the help of the King’s Guard. Bastien drew them aside into Olivia’s office.

‘My sincere congratulations your majesty, Lady Olivia.’

‘Thankyou Bastien. I think the wedding will have to be held very soon, and I have yet to work out when to announce the pregnancy’ Liam replied. Olivia looked happy but pale.

‘I’m sure you will come up with a good plan, but I am at your service and will offer advice if you need it’  

‘Is there any more news of Severus?’ Olivia asked

‘It appears he is slowly deteriorating. May I ask permission to visit him in hospital?’

‘Of course. I don’t think it’s appropriate for either of us to go, but I’d like to have a reliable witness at his end. Of course, any member of the Guard is sufficient, but you may feel some satisfaction in being there.’

‘Thankyou Sir, I shall indeed. I’ll leave shortly.’ Bastien bowed and left the room to make his way back to the Capitol.

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‘Are you sure about this?’ Sophia asked, Bastien at the wheel as they travelled the long road back. She had already been packed ready to leave the next day, and it only took Bastien a moment. They didn’t know how long Bastien would be at the hospital, so he had to be prepared to go wherever the King was.

‘Never more sure of anything, theá mou’ he replied ‘I will get closure, and can report back to the King when he’s finally gone’ He briefly turned his head toward her. ‘You know I will never forgive him for his crimes, most of all for what he put you through’

‘Agapé mou’ Sophia said softly. ‘I won’t come into the room with you, but I’ll be nearby. I can bring you coffee, and we can be together when it’s finally over’

‘Yes’ he replied ‘But if you need to rest, get one of the guards to drive you back to the Palace’

‘Bas’ she said, and her tone made him listen carefully ‘Does this mean you’ll be resigning as Captain?’

‘Formally, yes. I’ll be sworn onto the Council at their next scheduled meeting. That’s not for a week or so, so if you like, we can take a short break’ Eyes on the road, he heard her gasp.

‘Oh Bas, that would be wonderful’ she breathed ‘I’d love to be near the sea’

‘Greece is still warm’ he said ‘It’s not too far, so if I’m needed…’

‘You won’t be’ she said firmly ‘If I have to throw your phone into the sea, we’re going to have time completely to ourselves.’ He chuckled softly.

‘My foster parents have a villa on the coast’ he replied ‘I’m sure they’d love to meet you – they don’t travel far now my foster mother’s in a wheelchair, but she could manage that’

‘I’d really like that. Mum and Dad have been hinting that they could visit us in December, so that would fit in nicely’

‘You don’t want to visit them instead?’ he asked

‘I’d rather go in Spring, make sure we have plenty of time. Now would be too rushed. I have so many places I want to show you’

‘And I you’ he smiled. ‘The sea will still be warm, so we can go swimming’ They reached the outskirts of the city, and Bastien set his face into his grim work expression. ‘We’re nearly there. Be strong, my goddess’

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Six hours later Bastien rose to stretch his stiff limbs, the steady bleep of the heart monitor slow and monotonous. There was no movement  apart from the shallow erratic rise and fall of Anton’s chest. He was still attached to drips for hydration and pain relief, and Bastien fought the impulse to tear out the medication tubes. He found himself hoping that even though he was shielded from physical pain, some part of his mind and spirit suffered torment. He remembered the words of the King, diplomatically expressing sorrow and regret. He knew he could never feel those things for the prone figure, and could manage only neutral words or silence when asked his opinion. The Captain of the Guard would never voice his thoughts to another living creature. He intended his role to end the second Anton’s last breath faded, so he sat again and waited, silent and watchful.

He jerked awake, his head falling forward as the muscles in his neck went slack. He blinked and registered the change in the heart monitor. It was definitely slower, and Anton’s closed eyes had somehow opened, staring blankly at the ceiling. Bastien sat up straight and called a nurse in to sit vigil with him. There was a CCTV camera in the room recording all that happened, but for this vital moment he needed another human to witness that he did not approach the bed or rise from his chair two feet away save to leave the room for a bathroom break or walk the length of the room to restore his circulation.

The nurse leaned over the bed and closed his eyes again, but as she stepped away, horribly they slowly opened again, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling. She stared at him in disbelief.

‘I’ve never seen that happen before’ she said ‘But then they say it’s a Lythican poison, so goodness knows…’ her voice trailed away.

‘Indeed’ Bastien said ‘The Council thought it merciful to let him slip away’ The nurse jumped as Anton’s body suddenly jerked, and the heart monitor shrieked its alarm as it lost signal. His back arched off the bed and she ran over to hold him down, pulling the alarm cord, and staff rushed in to help her. Bastien stood back, determined to have no part in the unfolding drama. Just as suddenly as he had convulsed, Anton’s body went limp, and the beep of the flatlining heart monitor echoed around the room, the shocked medical staff stepping away. At last Anton’s body lay lifeless on the bed and Bastien felt a ton weight lift from his shoulders. Still he sat for another half hour before he rose and left, leaving the body of Anton Severus alone and unmourned.

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The news reached Lythikos, where Olivia and Liam sat waiting to hear. Olivia broke into tears, weeping uncontrollably while Liam held her.

‘He’s really gone’ she said ‘At last that monster is dead. He can’t hurt us any more’

‘We can go forward now’ Liam said gently ‘This is a new era for Cordonia – one of peace and diplomacy, with our two families united.’ He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. ‘You’re the strongest person I know, Livvy – but you can let your guard down with me. Any burden you bear, I bear it with you. We stand together, whatever life brings us’ Olivia smiled through her tears. Truly Liam was the only one she could be herself with, and although she hadn’t declared her love for him, she felt that might come with time. He had called her loyal, and that was a quality they shared. He had always stood up for her when they were children, and they may have lost touch for a while as teenagers, but he was coming full circle, and she hoped that would continue into the future.

‘Liam, you don’t have to demonstrate your statesmanship with me’ she said ‘You can just be Liam, and I can be Olivia. It’s that simple’ Liam relaxed suddenly, letting his forehead rest against hers.

‘You’re right, Livvy’ he replied ‘That’s what being King is like. I have to think about everything I say before I utter a word’ She laughed

‘Whereas I say what I think. Perhaps you should teach me about diplomacy. I’ll have to start by keeping my mouth shut.’

‘Passion has just as much a place as restraint’ Liam smiled ‘you just need to channel it’

‘It comes naturally to you’ she sighed ‘I’ll have to work hard at it’

‘I’m sure you’ll rise to the challenge. After all, Nevrakis always succeed at whatever they do’ Olivia made a sour face.

‘Then let’s hope Lucretia decides that you making me Queen is enough for her not to plot against you’

‘I told you, she won’t be the first or the last’ he assured her ‘Bastien may be retiring, but Lewis is a superb replacement and I’m sure we’ll rule together for a long time. I’m handing over more responsibility to the Council, so hopefully we’ll have more time to ourselves than my father ever had.’

‘You’re such an optimist’ Olivia smiled ‘Perhaps you can teach me that too’

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Anton was buried next to his father, last of his line and mourned only for show by Liam, Rashad (as a representative of the Council) and Lewis. Hints of a large power base held by the Sons of the Earth had dissolved, as had that organisation, disappearing like a puff of smoke. Claudius and the other men arrested at Valtoria awaited trial although most of them co-operated once they knew Anton was dead.

The Charity tour came to an end, and Liam and Olivia went back to the Palace, now clear after extensive security sweeps. The Royal Wedding and Olivia’s coronation was planned in one ceremony,  and it was decided that the pregnancy would be announced soon after. Olivia visited Lucretia and the old woman grudgingly congratulated her niece on her elevation to Royalty, but Olivia did not trust her to be out where she could harm Liam. She was charged with treason before it was decided that she was to be kept in a maximum security prison with strictly limited visitors awaiting trial.

Bastien did at last resign his position and take up his place on the new Cordonian Council of Citizens, but not before taking Sophia on a well earned break to meet his foster parents. Drake and Riley went on a trip to New York and Texas after the Royal Wedding, but decided to return to Cordonia while they worked out where their relationship was taking them.

By the time Olivia’s pregnancy was announced, the country had taken her to their heart, and few people criticised her for jumping the gun. The fact that there would be a new heir filled the gossip magazines, and the Royal Couple were in demand on front pages everywhere – not just in Cordonia, but Europe and further afield. It really was a new dawn for the country, and although all was not plain sailing, King Liam’s reign was set to be peaceful and prosperous.

THE END (for now)