Baudwin wasn't sure what he'd expected to find when reaching his sister's chambers, but it certainly wasn't the image of his sister flinging a wooden spoon at a cowering medic.

"You cannot keep me in this bed!" she shrieked, her silver-grey eyes sparkling with anger.

"Your Highness," the medic pleaded while ducking from another flung object. A bowl this time. "We don't know what is wrong with you. It's safer for you to stay in bed."

"And you!" Braithe continued angrily as she saw them enter the room, levelling a finger at Aurelian. "You're letting them confine me to this bed!"

Aurelian hurried to her side, sitting down on the bed and taking her hand in both of his. "Honey," he said soothingly. "It's for your own good. We can't have you walking around fainting."

"I never fainted," Braithe growled. "I only felt a little light-headed."

"You'd have hit the floor had I not caught you." Aurelian didn't look amused.

Frustrated, Braithe flopped back against the pillows on the bed. Watching her closer, Baudwin noticed that she didn't look her usual self. Her skin was pale and there were dark rings under her eyes. Her chestnut hair fanned out around her, unbound, and she was in a blue dressing gown.

"Welcome back, brother." She smiled wryly as she finally took note of him. "How did your mission go?" Catching sight of Rhiannon, her eyes widened. "Oh, never mind. Is this she?"

"Yes, this is Lady Rhiannon." He looked at Rhiannon and motioned towards the bed. "My sister, Princess Braithe."

"I would get up to greet you," Braithe muttered. "But they're not letting me."

The medic, a middle-aged man with a shock of black hair, looked as if he worried Baudwin might send him off to the hangman. "Your Majesty," he said with a low bow, addressing him. "We have done what we can for your sister, but we're uncertain of what is causing her fainting spells."

"Not to worry." Baudwin gave the man an encouraging smile. Or it might have been a grimace. He wasn't entirely sure. "I suspect she's not the easiest patient."

While he was certain the medic agreed, the man would never dare to voice it out loud.

"I will have you know I am the epitome of grace and kindness." The look in his sister's eyes was anything but, making him smile.

"If you will permit me," Rhiannon said, stepping forward. "I will have a look at the Princess."

The medic stared at her as if she'd sprouted horns. "You? A woman?"

"Yes. I may have some expertise that you do not." Rhiannon shrugged. "Men are stupid. Especially where women are concerned."

"I... I..." The medic sputtered, unable to form any coherent sentences. "Well, I never!"

Braithe was watching Rhiannon with a newfound interest. "Are you a medic of some sort?"

"A witch," Baudwin supplied, forever finding it amusing. Rhiannon less so as she glared at him.

"I'm not a witch," she said. Again. Her voice was strained, as if she had forced herself not to snap at him.

Was it bad of him to wish she had? He wanted her anger rather than the indifference she aimed for. If she could exhaust her anger, maybe she could eventually find a way to forgive him. And so he would keep stoking her anger if he had to.

"Apparently Lady Rhiannon has some experience helping people with ailing health," Aurelian said as he tucked a lock of hair behind his wife's ear.

"Your Majesty," the medic said, wanting Baudwin's attention. "I don't know if—"

"Thank you for your help this far." Baudwin smiled, hoping to soften his interruption. "I think my sister will need some rest now."

Realising he'd been dismissed, the medic nodded and left the room.

Aurelian got off the bed to give Rhiannon more space as she walked up to Braithe. She touched the other woman's forehead, neck and chest with the back of her hand, then pressed two fingers against her neck for a few moments.

"You said you were having fainting spells?" she prodded.

"Yes." Braithe sighed. "It's happened a few times over the last few days. I feel lightheaded and lose my balance."

Rhiannon nodded, her hands carefully moving along Braithe's arms, then back up and down over her chest and abdomen, her face locked in concentration.

"When did you last have your monthlies?"

Baudwin looked away as his sister's cheeks stained pink.

"Oh... I... I've never been regular. It's been a while."

It was fascinating watching Rhiannon work, he'd only ever seen her tend to his leg before. Her hands were gentle as they moved over the rest of Braithe's body, down along the legs all the way to her feet, and then back up to stop over her abdomen. He watched as she pushed a little harder, her eyes fastened on a spot on the wall as if she was focusing on something. Finally, she nodded and stepped away.

"It's still early days, but I do believe you are with child."

There was a moment of silence, then Aurelian let out a loud whoop and threw himself on the bed to hug his wife. They'd been married two years, and Baudwin suspected they'd been waiting for such an announcement for some time. He smiled in the face of their obvious joy. When Aurelian finally stopped kissing her, Braithe looked up at Rhiannon who was standing respectfully a few steps away.

"Please tell me this doesn't mean I have to remain in this bed for months?"

A smile tugged at Rhiannon's mouth. "Not at all. Just don't remain on your feet for too long at a time and don't stand up too quickly. You should be fine."

"Oh, thank the Gods!" Braithe breathed a sigh of relief. "I think I would go mad if I was stuck in here as much as one more day."

"I could make it worth your while." Aurelian grinned as his wife swatted his arm.

Baudwin groaned. "Right. Lady Rhiannon, I believe it is time for us to leave." He nodded towards his sister and her husband. "Congratulations. I'll see you tomorrow. We've had a long few days travelling."

They barely noticed them leaving, caught up in their own little bubble of happiness. Baudwin smiled as he closed the door behind him, then began walking down the hallway.

"I believe they have prepared a room for you down here until the wedding," he said to Rhiannon, who was following him quietly. "Maybe the guest quarters would have been more appropriate, but the private ones are better."

"When will the wedding be?"

"Knowing my advisers, as soon as possible." He smiled wryly, but truth was he wanted it sooner rather than later. It gave Rhiannon less time to change her mind and disappear.

"Just as well," she said, sounding less than excited about the prospect of marrying him. "What of my parents? Will they attend?"

"Unfortunately. As much as I would have happily had them barred from coming, I suspect it would undo the alliance and Lord Delen would still rebel." It would have felt very satisfying to plant a fist in Lord Delen's smug face. Maybe one day. If possible, Rhiannon looked even more unhappy after this news than she had before. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Of course they had to be invited." Her voice sounded hollow, which only made him feel worse.

He stopped and turned to face her. It was possible that she would have kept walking, but the action surprised her and she halted and looked up at him, her eyebrows raised in question.

"I understand that this marriage is not what you wanted," he said earnestly. "And it speaks to your character that you're willing to go through with it to avoid rebellion and potential loss of lives."

Her eyes strayed from his for a moment, as if she couldn't quite bear to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry that you're stuck with me," he continued, not sure if he was hurt or angry at her rejection. "I will try to be the best husband I can possibly be. I won't ask more of you than you are willing to give. Hopefully, one day I can make up for my deception and perhaps you will stop loathing me."

She sighed. "I don't loathe you, Baudwin." Her eyes came back to his, and it was as if she could see right through him. All the way down to his heart, which was beating harder than it ought to. "But I don't like being lied to."

"I will never lie to you again," he promised, and he meant it. "No more lies."

Again, her eyes avoided his, and she motioned down the hallway. "Which room is mine?"

"Second one to the right." Leaning on his cane as he watched her walk away, Baudwin wondered if perhaps he wasn't the only one who had lied. He had a nagging feeling that his future wife was hiding something from him.

~~~~~~