Thread: Distrust & Intentions || Prodi & Mach

When her parent's arrival was announced, the tremor in her heart was almost painful. Charlotte managed to walk calmly with Max to the hall, but when she finally laid eyes on her parents all sense of propriety drained out of her. Maybe she'd had quite a few hours to understand what had happened to her, but it did not erase the hours she'd spent blind and bound in the back of a wagon afraid that she would never see them again. She ran to them, struggling not hold herself together as she felt the warm embrace of her mother--she knew her father would restrain himself, but his hand on her shoulder was enough. She remained close to them throughout the entire exchange, only stepping in when she truly disagreed or to reign in her father. At the start he'd been nearly shaking with rage, but gradually he came to understand that this was all inevitable now. The most curious moment for her came when she'd glanced toward Max's mother and found her making eye contact with her own mother. Had she expected animosity between the old friends? Charlotte couldn't be sure, but it felt as though they were speaking a secret language that only they understood. If front of both sets of their parents, it was harder to look over at Maximilian. It was foreign still to be seeing him at all, but even more tense to remember what had transpired between them the night before--and to know that everyone knew. Leaving the Trevaine castle was like finally exhaling a deep breath she was free, for the moment. Her mother let her lean on her the entire way home, and they both had to patiently maneuver the king's boisterous anger. Just the tiniest part of Charlotte enjoyed it, after all, it was rather heartening to have someone so boldly on her side. She suspected her mother was amused as well, not that they were going to encourage them in the least. Even with the announcement out, Charlotte's life at the castle felt unchanged. It was a bit disenchanting, the dichotomy of her impending future and what was now technically her past being so close together. It made her pensive, more quiet than usual. Her mother was more affectionate as a result, her father, however, had become stoic. It took everything in Charlotte's power not to let herself succumb to feeling that she'd let him down--she knew if she tried to apologize he would be offended and very annoyed. But then her father floored her. He privately called upon her in the library one day, and said something she never could have anticipated. Charlotte, you don't have to marry him. It chilled her to the bone it surprised her so deeply. He told her that if she wished, he would step down and allow her to ascend and rule unwed. He was sure of the people's love of her--and if the truth came out she would face it as a queen. If anything it would only come down poorly on the Trevaine family. Was their kingdom alone strong enough to withstand a war? Her father was proud enough to think so, but the pit in her stomach wasn't so sure. And he did not know what she knew. If her father knew, she was sure he'd only encourage her further. Her kingdom could probably withstand against the kingdom of Trevaine, if it came to that. But Maximilian's father would not last long, if anything his lifespan would be cut even shorter. Could she face scandal, war, and the downfall of old friends alone? Was that a better alternative? Charlotte was sure her father was speaking as a father, not a king. Because if she did as he was suggesting, it would subject their people to danger and uncertainty. The means used by Max's father were underhanded, but the end was actually a very good solution. It spared a lot of people. There was the added security that once the country's were fully allied, they would most likely be untouched by others in any more uprisings. And then there was Maximilian. He'd tried, hadn't he? He'd tried to make it all civil, to offer her something when his father hadn't so much as spoken a word to her. And now not only was he losing a father, he was being thrust into a position that perhaps he wasn't yet prepared for. The Max she'd once known...he was carefree and playful and not quite dedicated to his studies. She tried to imagine that young man receiving the news of his father's illness--who was he now? There was so much unfinished business between them, and now all of this... It was clear he was still angry with her, though she hoped not as angry as he'd once been. What did a marriage of friendship look like? It was hard to find the answers when they weren't for the questions she'd been asking herself her entire life. It was all so different now. Yes, she would marry him. For all the right political reasons, and for a few no-doubt unwise, selfish reasons as well.