The Crown's Entrapment

Gilas could only sigh in relief as he felt the carriage stop right in front of Cordon Castle. It had taken a long while for them to arrive, what with their delays making them leave hours behind schedule, but thankfully, they managed the journey just before the night was completely over.

"We're finally here," Gilas remarked as he walked into the castle with his mother and Clara by his side. "It's pretty late, but we're here."

"It is rather late, isn't it," Clara remarked. "Why, I'm honestly surprised we even arrived before midnight."

It was a rather tiring journey too. Unfortunately, as much as Gilas wanted to pin the blame on the dark roads making their travel slower, he knew that both he and Clara were the cause of this delay in the first place. It just had to keep coming out that they delayed their departure because they indulged in a bit of pleasure, courtesy of his mother just constantly beaming at the fact that they almost did the deed.

[You should've done it too,] Ham scoffed. [She was more than ready for you back there. Just one more push and you could've had her dancing in the palm of your hand.]

[And again, I won't do that to her,] Gilas sighed. [How many times have we been through this very discussion?]

[More times than both of us can count,] Ham chuckled. [I'm simply stating facts.]

Gilas sighed as he walked up to some of the men present to accommodate them. With Clara and Shila seemingly having retired for the night, he was left with the men around him as he struck up a conversation.

"So, what's the situation?" he began. "Any pressing matters that need attending?"

"None so far, Lord Gilas," one of the men replied. "All is well in the capital, and the rest of Cordon is still celebrating the coronation of our new Queen."

Gilas nodded in understanding. True enough, some of the towns and villages they passed by were visibly in high spirits with the good news regarding the royal family. Sure, while the royal couple was currently away from the castle proper, it was only to be expected of them after such an occasion. The rest of the populace had to be graced with their presence to ensure a more peaceful transition to what was assuredly a new age for the kingdom.

"Anything else?" Gilas asked.

The men clearly looked at each for answers. After a pause, the same guard that replied to him spoke up.

"There's nothing of note that needs immediate attention," the man reported. "Beyond the usual meetings and the daily upkeep in terms of logistics and paperwork that is."

Gilas sighed as he heard those last few lines. As much as he was honored to be taking on the task of being the Great Constable, the additional work almost made him regret taking on the role in the first place. Then again, such tasks were needed to ensure peace throughout the realm, and there was no way that he'd willingly subject himself to the stress of having internal problems to deal with.

"Uhm... Lord Gilas?"

His ears perked up at the guard's curious tone. "Yes?"

"Is it true that..." the guard trailed off, seemingly trying to find his words. "Is it true that the Queen is pregnant?"

"Yes?" Gilas nonchalantly replied, blinking as if the question didn't really warrant an answer.

To his surprise, however, almost everyone within hearing distance of his words jumped for joy at the news. Gilas could only look on as servants and soldiers alike cheered for their king and queen, celebrating as if the proverbial royal baby had already been birthed.

"I would've thought that such good news had already reached the capital?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Apologies, Lord Gilas, but the only reports that had reached the capital had been about the Moonlight Pack's usual celebrations and parties," one of the celebrating guards bowed to him. "A message coming from the Moonlight Pack Territories came here regarding some kind of good news, but unfortunately, the one reporting the events were... rather slurred and unintelligible. We can only assume that it was good news from there."

"Typical," Gilas chuckled. "Though I suppose I should've expected that to happen."

The Moonlight Pack's propensity for partying was truly just so legendary that the very reasons for the celebration often got muddied in between reports. He could only be glad that things turned out great for his King and Queen.

Gilas intentionally didn't mention to his mother the good news about the Queen being pregnant inside the carriage in fear that his mother would tease him and Clara nonstop about giving her a grandchild soon.

"So I heard that you were there when Princess Freya had been marked," another one of the guards inquired. "How were the celebrations? Was it as amazing as what we've heard happen?"

Gilas let out a soft smile as he replied, "They were that and more... Alcohol and wine poured forth from the very cellars of the Everett Manor. It almost looked like it would never end..."

From there, he found himself being more talkative than usual. Maybe because he was in a good mood? Nevertheless, it just felt right to tell the guards, as well as some of the servants what exactly happened. They all expressed their awe as he continued with his tale, and with each tale that he told, the more his audience seemed to grow. Even in the dead of night, the energy surrounding him only seemed to match his stories, until eventually, he got to the part where he got drunk and lost a few precious hours' worths of memories.

"And that's the end of it," Gilas shrugged. "I'm honestly at a loss for words with everything that happened."

"I agree."

Gilas's eyes widened as he heard the familiar tone of Clara approaching him from behind. Turning around, he was surprised to see her still up even after all of the traveling they'd just done.

"I thought you already went to bed?" he asked her.

"I was... I was wondering what exactly you were up to," Clara leveled, her word selection clearly chosen carefully. "Were you regaling them with how you ended up drunk in front of the King?"

"I was just wrapping things up, actually," Gilas weakly chuckled. "They don't need to hear the rest, especially since I don't remember much beyond it anyway."

...

...

A brief silence settled between them before a blush adorned both of their faces. Gilas could only shake his head as images of their time together flooded his senses. And judging by Clara's expression, she was going through the exact same thing he was going through.

[See? I told you she's more than ready for you,] Ham chuckled.

[I know,] he admitted. [But I won't do it. Not until I've finally carved a space for myself in her heart.]