The next few days went slowly. Pip tried to lose himself in painting, and Bernard took him riding, or for long walks, to get him out of the castle. By tacit agreement, they didn't go to the woods together. They didn't talk much, but gained comfort from each other's company.

At last, Pip and Bernard were summoned to King Peter's private drawing room, and sat on the sofa together, holding hands.

King Peter looked at Pip and smiled. "I know you've had an anxious wait, so I thought I'd share Dr Browning's findings with you at once, and put you out of your misery."

"Thank you," said Pip. He noticed his voice sounded rather hoarse.

King Peter broke the wax seal on the report, and read through it, before beginning to quote from it.

"The Lenoir family are respectable country gentlefolk who were the lords of Cronkshaw Manor in the Southlands for centuries. They are of that solid, practical minor landowning class, often shrewd, frequently educated and courteous in manner, from which royalty may confidently choose for high office and public service, or even to run their castles and personal affairs. Alas, they are not such that royalty may ever marry."

Pip looked defeated, and Bernard broke in urgently. "You can live with me as my friend or my favourite, Pip, or under any title that you wish. Or I can ab-"

King Peter made a silencing motion, and kept reading, before he continued.

"Dr Browning has more to say, however. It's quite good news. She writes that your maternal grandmother, Lady Margaret Finch-Hadley, was the only child of the Earl of Cricklewood. Of course, you could never inherit the title, Pip, as the earldom didn't devolve upon the female line, but it does prove you are of noble blood. And your maternal grandfather, Merlin Corbineau, was the younger brother of Apollinaire Corbineau, the Duc de Verdier in France."

"So ... may I marry Pip, Father?" Bernard asked.

"Yes, Bernard. You may, and with my blessing," King Peter said warmly.

"There's only one problem," Pip said.

"Which is?"

"You haven't asked me, Bernard."

"You're right, Pip. I didn't want to ask you until I had Father's permission," Bernard said.

He dropped to one knee, and held Pip's hand.

"Pip Lenoir, you would make me the happiest prince in the world if you would consent to accept my hand in matrimony, and become my husband, wedded in holy union as a member of the Royal House of Luna. Will you marry me, dearest Pip?"

Pip had thought that if it ever came to this point, he would make a dignified speech accepting Bernard's offer with grace, yet displaying understanding of the deep responsibility he felt towards the Kingdom of Lindensea. But as he looked into Prince Bernard's pleading little brown eyes, his face went white with excitement, and all he could squeak out was, "Yes please, Bernard." That was quite enough for Bernard, who gently kissed him in gratitude.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't got a ring for you yet," Bernard said.

King Peter coughed, and rummaged in his pocket, saying, "This was your mother's, Bernard. I know she'd love for you to have it."

Bernard took Queen Ellen's sapphire and diamond engagement ring, and slipped it onto Pip's finger. It was a little too tight, but King Peter said the court jeweller would fix that up in a twinkling.

"Wait a minute, Bernard. Did you say your surname is Luna?" Pip suddenly asked.

"Yes, Pip. The House of Luna rules Lindensea. We're a cadet branch of the House of Encantador in Castile," Bernard explained.

"It sounds like Loony," Pip objected.

"Don't worry, Pip. Royals never use their surname anyway," King Peter assured him. "Believe me, I have no wish to sign myself Peter Luna-Encantador Rex every time. My bally hand would get sore."

King Peter summoned Princess Alice, to be the first to hear her brother's news. She hugged Bernard tight, and said, "Congratulations," as she kissed his cheek. She then turned to Pip, and took his hand.

"I thought you were going to break Bernard's heart, but instead you've made him about as happy as it's possible for him to be," she smiled.

"You looked furious with me at the party," Pip said.

"Only because I recognised you as Raven LaMidnight – and realised I'd been alone in my bedroom with a man!" said Alice severely. "Imagine if Uncle Ferdinand and Aunt Charlotte heard about that. They'd call off my wedding to Hugo."

"Well, don't tell them about it then, fathead," said Bernard, giving her a brotherly clunk on the forehead with his palm.

"And I recognised you again," Alice continued, slapping Bernard out of the way. "You were the serving boy at my tea party. I came in, and saw your little beaky face peeking around the door. It was just for a moment, and I forgot about it, until I met you again."

Bernard explained how the palace lawyers had taken Pip's money and forced him to work in the kitchens, and that he had met Pip in the stables one day. Alice was horrified and sympathetic, but also quite cross.

"If only you'd told me all this from the beginning, Bernard!" she complained. "You should have trusted me to understand about Pip, and about Raven. If you hadn't kept it a secret, I would have done everything to help you, and to make you happy."

"I promise I'll tell you all my secrets," said Pip with a grin. "I always wanted a younger sister."

Pip and Alice became truly fond of each other, and he was delighted to learn how full of fun and laughter she was when in private with her family, so different to the aloof, correct princess she was in public. He needed to join her family to discover that.

But that was in the future, and now it was Dorothea's turn to be summoned so she could congratulate Bernard.

"I'm so very happy for you and Pip," she said to Bernard, taking both his his hands warmly, "but you must understand, my wedding will be first. No more stealing my thunder and lightning!"

"And I'm very happy for you too, Thea," said Bernard. "Er, you are quite sure about it, are you?"

"Yes, Bernard," smiled Dorothea. "I know I have never loved a man before, but then, I did not meet Peter before. He is strong, intellectual, kind, funny, and very honest. And after all, I never loved a woman until I met Sybil, I never even thought of it. I have only ever loved two people, and I'm lucky enough to have both of them, and they are greatly fond of each other too."

Which was nice for Dorothea, but Pip thought he was even luckier to have only one person to love, as long as that one person was Bernard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LINDENSEA LORE

The Kingdom of Lindensea has been ruled by the House of Luna for centuries, giving our nation a stability which must be the envy of many others. Its founder was Beornhard the Exile, who was banished from the kingdom at the age of eighteen and became an outlaw. He travelled to Castile, where he ingratiated himself with its ruler, Queen Leonora Encantador ("The Charming"), became the head of her military forces, and eventually married her.

Beornhard returned to Lindensea ten years later, in order to save his homeland from Rollo Longstrider, who had long plotted an invasion. He was able to lead a surprise attack on Rollo through the Fenlands, and is said to have always travelled with his army by moonlight, in order to keep his position secret. After Rollo was driven north to Everwick, Beornhard was declared king by popular acclaim, and took the throne of Lindensea as Beornhard the Vigilant.

Beornhard chose Luna for his surname, in memory of the moon which saved our kingdom, and since that time, Lindensea and Castile have enjoyed a close relationship, while the royal family has devoted itself to worship of the moon goddess.

The History and Heraldry of the House of Luna by Dr Estella Browning