Chapter 166: Months Later

It has been months since the attack.

My stomach has grown round and heavy, and my feet always hurt. The baby has started moving, and he kicks at the most appropriate moments, attracting all the attention away from me. Especially during the few Council meetings that I attend. My son is so active then! I bet he's interested in politics and that he'll become a wise ruler one day!

I have to admit that the reactions I see are no better. My son isn't even a baby yet, but those surrounding us are adults, for goodness!

Usually, Ignis leans back on his seat and frowns, still offended since the lightning incident. Marius bites his lips to hide any thought, but I can tell he's feeling a lot of emotions.

My uncle smiles, all happy, just like the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The only one keeping his cool is the Chancellor.

Flavius, instead, starts moving things around and searching for more comfortable positions on his seat, or he holds the armrests with a pout. One thing is sure: his attention won't go back to the meeting anytime soon. I'm quite surprised by him, actually. I thought he wouldn't care so much, but this is still his friend's son.

It's odd because the stomach trembles, and I'd laugh because it's ticklish. But I survive it even in the most appropriate moments.

The Queen Dowager has visited twice. The first time, to tell she's glad I'm alive. And, the second one, to thank me for saving her daughter.

Gratia will stay with her, and the Queen Dowager doesn't even care if we send her to a summer residence. All is good as long as they are together.

What worries me now is that, no matter what has happened lately, there are some people I haven't met in a long time.

One is the High Priest, but he sent a missive telling he will visit soon. And the other is the Queen Grandmother. Not that I would see her often even before. Still, if someone is hiding, I worry.

Might be because of what we've been through, in fact. After the attack, even though Ignis kept my security at the max, nothing happened. The trial is over, and the proof we found is enough for a sentence without doubts, together with what came out during the later investigations.

Now that my life isn't threatened by court intrigues anymore, my only worry is to keep my magic hidden. Which isn't easy with my little boy trying to electrocute everyone who touches me.

It's not that bad because not many people are supposed to touch a Queen. I focus on keeping his energy far from my maids while getting dressed, and I pay attention to people not to be too close at all times.

As for Aida, she's not in danger, apparently. I have never sensed any attack towards her; maybe because her energy saved this little thing in the past and has stayed with him often since before his heart started beating.

Sometimes, though, I forget about it. Then, the first to touch me winces in shock. Ignis is getting used to it lately. He doesn't even feel pain anymore. Not because of our son's magic, at least.

His insomnia is back, and he's started avoiding lying close to me. He has nightmares during the night, and he wakes up in a sweat. Sometimes, I feel how he reaches out to me. He touches my arm or shoulder for a while, calming down his breath and cursing in the dark. Then, he returns far from me and turns in bed for the rest of the night.

He can't sleep properly, and me being close to him doesn't help. If anything, he is even more worried about hurting me while turning. And I'm a little concerned about it as well. He moves a lot, really a lot, during nightmares.

When he's awake, he happens to be so far from here and now.

His mind is troubled, and I don't know how to help.

It gets better when he spends some time with Aestas. The little girl is growing up fast, and now she can walk on her own. She even runs, sometimes, mostly to meet her «Anko!».

We're her godparents, so we are supposed to take care of her now that her parents can't. I understand the Princess's nervous move when she asked us to accept.

One day, Ignis asked me about it.

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«What do you think?» he said. «After all, there has been no official ritual; we just agreed with words.»

«Words are enough of a bind,» I pointed out. «We don't need a signed contract to know what our duty is. We agreed, and we won't back down now that our honour is challenged. It's easy to protect a child with a loving mother and a stable place in the world. Such a child doesn't need godparents.»

«You're so good, Veronica.»

The truth, however, wasn't in my goodness. It didn't matter how I felt towards Aestas because Ignis loved her already. She was his niece, still after finding out they were not related. To him, Samuel was closer than his own brother, in the end.

Blood does make a powerful link among people, but for Ignis that doesn't mean anything. To him, it had never meant anything.

As such, I just smiled and accepted the little girl in our life. She's a little pitiful, alone in the world. And she didn't do anything wrong yet.

How could I want her to suffer? Oh, no. I can't act in a way Ignis would disapprove the most.

As the Queen, I've also learned a little more about being gracious and elegant. Lately, especially after Juliet was imprisoned, people have stopped acting bravely in front of me. No more ladies offer themselves, except for a few cases which are funnier than bothering right now, and they talk to me with the respect they should have used since day one.

«His Majesty loves the Queen very much,» I've heard one of them say in secret. «Better not get on her wrong side.»

As if Ignis was part of the problem here! They better continue acting well because I am the one who can make trouble, not because of Ignis.

But, details are for those who have time to analyse. For me, it's the results that count.

Another one who has changed is Lola. She's gloomy and dark most of the time, and she mechanically does most of the tasks I give her. I've avoided making her lift anything heavy or do hard jobs. Still, she asks for something to do every time she's taskless.

Aida said this is normal for people who almost died. She might even regret standing in front of me to protect me. She did it out of instinct, loyalty, or who knows what... But her life shall be cherished more even if she's a maid and I am a Queen.

Even though she was saved quite easily thanks to magic, Aida told me that her body knows what happened. She thought she was going to die, and that was reality until we intervened and changed it with an enchantment. After the adrenaline and then the happiness of being alive disappeared, dark thoughts had started crowding her mind. I'm worried for her, and yet, once again, I don't know how to help her.

I don't force her to come with me when I walk outside, nor to accompany me anywhere in public. She seems to need some time alone, so I let her stay inside with the other maids and do small chores. She has already sewed clothes for the baby, and she's now preparing a shawl for me. Winter is coming, after all.

In this atmosphere, three months feel like nothing. Every single day lasts forever, and void moments make me anxious as well. But overall, when I turn back and count the weeks, it's already time for the execution.

I've told Ignis, once again, that he can make it clean and simple just like before, but he didn't listen. He says that a public event will be better for various reasons and that his advisors all agree. He also told me, once, that they praised me for convincing him to do something they pressed on earlier.

The gallows for the executions are ready, and the judges have sentenced. Ignis approved the sentence with his sigil, and all those involved are kept in the dark and far enough from the outside world not to leak any information.

Everything is ready, and this story is going to end soon.

There are just a few preparations left, and one is on me. I have to visit the Princess before the day comes and talk with her. Even if she's a criminal, she was once a member of the Royal Family. She deserves fair treatment during her last days, and I'll be the one to visit her since no one else is allowed. She doesn't need to die alone, even if she made mistakes. She might need to talk with someone just as much as Ignis does.

And I would prefer to hear her out. I'm going to be a mother soon. My conscience and feelings will be reflected on my son. I don't want him to be born with debts to pay.

I'll talk to her, give her some comfort if it's possible, and I'll listen to her last words. Traitors and those who attack the Royal Family aren't usually allowed this right but she was once part of the same family. Knowing what her husband put her through, I feel like we have to give her this.. Just to even our wrongs.

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