"You know, we have beds," Alec said to a dozing Maren.

He hadn't known he'd find her at the beach, but was glad he found her.

She blinked up at him.

"The roses were keeping me up."

He nodded. "They are hideous."

He had forgotten how awful they were before he saw Maren in her rooms on this trip. It had been years since he'd seen them last.

She sat up and yawned. He stood for a moment and looked out at the waves. He wasn't quite sure how to talk to her. So, he decided to be blunt about it.

"Are we speaking then?"

She smiled and nodded, and he smiled too before he sat beside her.

"I'm not sorry I did it, but I am sorry I didn't tell you right away."

"I hate to admit it, but it was probably best that you did do it. I am sorry I yelled at you."

He shrugged. "I would have yelled at me too. It doesn't matter."

"Thank you for doing what I needed."

He was glad to hear she agreed with his decision.

"That's what friends are for, Maren, dear."

He knew she didn't have many friends. He hoped he had done right by her.

They sat quietly for a bit, watching the waves.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Exhausted."

"That's normal. Everyone's tired the first three months or so," he said. "Morning sickness?"

"Just a bit nauseous. Can't drink coffee or wine, though."

"Also normal. It's early, though, so it might get worse before it gets better."

"Excellent."

He thought she was probably only four or no more than five weeks pregnant. Considering that she wasn't pregnant (at least so that his father noticed) and then she was while away from the father of the baby, it had to be very early.

"And your ribs, et cetera?"

"Hurt but fine."

Alec wasn't sure he believed her, but decided to let it go for the moment.

"I take it you're familiar with the proposal?" she asked.

He smiled.

"Who do you think came up with the best parts of it?"

"Your father," she said dryly.

He laughed. "No, I think he only signed off on it. I helped with the parts about Kieran. The rest was Donovan."

"What should I do?"

He sighed. "I think you know I can't tell you that. And I think you know what I want you to do, but what I want doesn't matter."

"I know. It would just be a bit easier if someone would tell me what the right choice was."

Alec chuckled. "From what I heard, that's what Donovan tried to do yesterday, and it didn't go very well"

"Ah, well, he's biased. It doesn't count."

Alec looked at her. "Do you at least believe he actually does want to marry you?"

He was a bit nervous asking the question. He was using it to gauge whether it would be helpful to tell her about his struggles.

She blew out her breath. "I'm...trying."

Alec was a bit relieved. It didn't seem necessary to tell her. He wondered what his father had said to get through to her.

"Do you want to marry him?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.

"I really do."

"But?"

She sighed. "I'm worried about how much danger the baby will be in"

"From Kieran?"

She nodded. "From Kieran and from everyone. What if I'm found out? Prince or no, a witch's child would be doomed as an outcast at best. Or what if it's a girl and she has my powers? She'll be condemned to a life as a fugitive while growing up in the most scrutinized family in the kingdom. I'm just not sure if it's right to bring someone into this world for them to be in such danger."

"What if you aren't ever found out? Or what if your daughter has no powers? What if Kieran dies, and you dismantle the Trackers and stop executing witches?"

She scoffed. "I shall be very lucky indeed."

"My point is that you don't know. It's impossible to know. I hate to say it, but it's still very possible something might go wrong, and the baby won't be born."

"Isn't that a reason to do the cautious thing? Because we don't know?"

"Gods, no! That's a reason to seize the opportunity you have to marry the man you love! Do it while you can and do it because it will make you happy and do it because together the two of you might do some good!"

He had to resist the urge to jump up in his enthusiasm. He wanted her to marry Donovan very badly. There were plenty of reasons he felt strongly about it: it was for her sake and Donovan's sake and the whole damn kingdom's sake. But it was also for his sake. Because he could never marry someone he loved, and he really did not want to see two people he cared so much about miss their chance.

"I thought you weren't going to tell me what to do?" she asked, smiling.

He shrugged. "Well, you already knew what I think you should do."

She chuckled. "I'm glad at least one of us is certain."

Alec looked at her seriously.

"He is too."

They fell silent for a time. He sensed that she needed some quiet, and he was thinking about how to tell her what he already knew to be true.

"Did he tell you about Madison?" Alec asked after a time.

"The broad strokes," she said.

"Gods, I hated her," Alec said.

She was Donovan's first-ever Selection mistress, and it was a disaster. He fell in love with her, and she played along, but in the end was only using him.

Maren laughed. "Hard to imagine you hating anyone...well, anyone except Kieran."

"She was awful. Now, I don't blame anyone for using the Selection to their advantage, that's part of the whole thing. And there is, by definition, a certain amount of theatre to it. But she knew Donovan was madly in love with her, and she led him on. She loved that she had a prince wrapped around her finger. She was mean and played with him on purpose."

Maren scoffed. "Sounds like a good match for Kieran."

"Well, I'm not sure anyone deserves him, but she comes closest for sure. I could have dealt with her on her own, but what she made Donovan into was just insufferable. He and I had only been friends a few months before he chose her, but we were pretty close already. The more the year went on, the more he just lost everything he was and became just completely obsessed with her. She was all he could talk about. He was just a ball of nerves and nonsense."

"That's hard to imagine," she said.

Alec couldn't blame her. The only Donovan she'd ever known was confident and self-assured.

"Well, he was only eighteen, and I do recognize not all eighteen-year-olds can be as confident as I was," he said with a wink.

The truth was that Alex was something of a nervous wreck pretending to be confident at that age, but that was beside the point.

Maren laughed and rolled her eyes. "Sure you were."

"Believe what you like," he told her smartly. "But of course when things ended with Madison, Donovan was devastated. He got over it eventually and then there was the disaster with Caroline, and I was relieved to see him stop taking public mistresses after that.

"As far as I know, he didn't have any other significant relationships before you came along. I think he was bothered by the idea once he was spoken for. And, well, you know he's a romantic at heart. I think he was trying to protect himself.

"I was so worried when he chose you. I couldn't have imagined what possessed him to, especially since I could see how awkward things were between you at the beginning."

Maren laughed. "Well, now you know why, he both loathed me and was terrified of me."

"It does make much more sense in hindsight. But I noticed that he cared about you fairly soon after that -"

"Well, I did save his life," she interjected.

"Speaking of, I have about seven thousand questions about the healing when you're up to it."

She laughed. "Sure."

"But after I saw him begin to care for you, I saw him become a better man. The time he talked about ending public executions? That was the very first time I heard him say something meaningful about being king. And that was when I knew you were good for him," he said.

He did regret parts of that conversation, though. Alec had been trying to argue a bit for the sake of arguing, trying to get Donovan to plan ahead and think about what obstacles he might face. It was something Alec picked up from his father. But he thought perhaps it might have left Maren with the impression that he was bothered by witches. He didn't think it mattered now, though.

"I'm not entirely sure that I have much of a point," he said. "But only, that you bring out the best in him and he, I think, brings out the best in you. Do you remember how terrified Court made you at the beginning? Honestly, my first thought about you was, 'Gods, what is he doing with this shrinking violet?' I even told Donovan I didn't think you were his type because I could see that you were skittish!"

She laughed. "Well, now you know why I was so terrified."

He nodded. "Now I'm impressed you weren't more terrified. But look at you now. You're so much bolder than you used to be. Gods above, you're seriously considering becoming the next queen."

"Because I've clearly gone mad."

He chuckled. "Because you're more than you were. And at least part of that was him."

Maren fell quiet and he let her think. He felt like she was close to a decision, and he wanted to give her space.

"Come on, let's go to luncheon," Alec said, standing up after several long minutes.

She nodded and rose. He offered her his arm and she took it.

"Only because I'm more hungry than I am tired," she said.

He smiled. "Good. You're eating for two."

She smiled back at him, and he thought that was an excellent sign.

--

Donovan was very pleased that Maren came to luncheon instead of eating in her rooms. He took that as a good sign. He hoped.

To distract himself, Donovan spent the morning trying to catch up on some very belated reports and correspondence. He had only brought any work to keep up appearances to his parents of a work/bachelor trip, but was glad he did. It provided a very welcome distraction while he waited for Maren to decide.

Luncheon was a slightly strange affair. He and Maren weren't really talking to each other (what could they possibly discuss?) and it made things a bit awkward. But Alec and his father were so exuberant together, it was impossible not to be entertained by their banter.

"Are you just going to laze about on the beach, or are you going to do something useful?" the Duke asked Alec in a teasing tone.

"I thought I'd take a leaf out of your book and pretend to be a gentleman of leisure while I'm here," Alec said, smirking.

"I'll have you know I worked nearly three hours last week," the Duke insisted with great dignity.

"Poor man!" Alec exclaimed sympathetically. "You must take a break, you're working yourself to death!"

Donovan shared an amused glance with Maren. It was close to impossible not to enjoy a meal with the Drakes.

Much to his surprise, Donovan found he really liked the Duke. He was as friendly as Alec, but more thoughtful and just as kind as he was reputed to be. He still felt a bit jealous of the relationship between him and Maren, but he knew that it was completely irrational.

The truth was that marrying the Duke would give Maren a much easier life than marrying Donovan. He worried that Maren might choose that life, and he couldn't exactly blame her for it if she did.

At the end of luncheon, Maren asked, "Jonathan, could I have a word?"

Donovan tried not to read into it and tried very hard not to be jealous. There were dozens of reasons Maren may want to speak to the Duke that had nothing to do with Donovan. Maren was perfectly within her rights to speak to her host privately.

Donovan just didn't have to like it.

Alec offered to keep him company after luncheon, but Donovan wasn't in the mood. He told Alec he wanted to work, but actually laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling and hoped that Maren would burst in at any moment and declare her undying love for him.

She didn't.

Instead, Donovan waited as long as he could stand it and then tried to work. He wasn't very productive, and it didn't last long.

Against his better judgment, he decided to go check on Maren. Perhaps she had questions about the plan. Perhaps she would let him kiss her, and then she would remember that she had to marry him.

Gods, he was in trouble.

————————

Nothing anyone had said about the matter was more impactful than Alec telling Maren how she'd changed since coming to the palace.

She truly had never thought of it that way, but she knew Alec was right. She was not at all the same as she was before the Selection. Before, she wouldn't even go to a party at a neighboring estate for fear of discovery. But not that long ago she went to a ball at the palace and spent the whole night dancing and laughing with the man she loved and never once thought she might be discovered.

She thought some of it was just who she had become under the circumstances, but a lot of it was who she had become with Donovan. In the years since Karlyn died, she had forgotten that her powers were wonderful. Her parents preferred to pretend she didn't have them, but Donovan, he saw that they were incredible. And seeing that he did made her appreciate them all over again.

She liked that version of herself so much more.

After Kieran attacked her and in the grief of leaving Donovan, she lost touch with that part of herself, the part that was proud of what she was, even if she had to be quiet about it.

Perhaps she had been deciding what to do about the baby based on who she was before the Selection instead of who she was after it.

Maren made up her mind walking back from the beach with Alec. She knew she was right when she saw Donovan. She just had to tell Jonathan first. He took Maren out on the west balcony. She thought it was a good place to talk.

"I've decided," she said.

He smiled. "I know. I could see it on your face. It's a good decision, I think."

She wondered if she should take more time to think about it, but knew her decision wouldn't change, and she wanted to avoid making Donovan wait any longer than necessary.

"I wanted to tell you first because...well, it seems only right since I'm breaking off our engagement."

He looked her straight in the eyes.

"Maren, I don't mind a bit. I am delighted for you."

She knew he would say something like that, but she still felt a bit guilty about it.

"Still, I know you wanted a wife, and I'm sorry I can't give you that."

He smiled. "Don't be. You're giving me something much better."

"Oh?"

"You're giving me the knowledge that the next king and queen will lead this kingdom in a new and better direction. You're giving me a brighter future for my grandchildren, and that is much better than a wife," he said.

She flushed. "I don't know about all that."

"I do. I have four granddaughters. Maybe five - did I tell you Philip, my oldest, his wife is pregnant again? Any one of them might be Wielders. I know being a Wielder will be a dangerous thing for a long time, but it will be much better for them than it was for you or my sister. That knowledge is a gift."

She suddenly felt something extremely heavy settle upon her shoulders. She supposed it was to be expected. Being the next queen was a big responsibility.

"I hope I can live up to it," she said.

"I know you will."

She was not as confident.

"It's terrifying," she admitted.

He chuckled. "Which part?"

"All of it. But the baby is more immediate than being queen," she said. "I'm so worried I won't be able to protect them."

"Would it help you to know that's normal? I worry about my sons just as much today as I did when they were born. That's what being a parent is."

"The good news is that your baby has two extraordinary parents to protect them. And do remember that Uncle Jonathan does have an army," he added with a wink.

She laughed. She supposed if her baby would have more dangers than the average child, they would have more protection too.

"I'm deeply grateful to you. I came here to marry you, and you're helping me marry someone else."

He shook his head. "You came here to marry him. We just didn't know that. Everything works out the way it's supposed to, I think. And who knows, perhaps this will lead to me marrying, we just don't know it yet."

"Perhaps," she agreed.

"Go and tell him. He's probably half-mad with waiting," he said. "Oh, and if you talk to Jenny, tell her I'll keep her on."

She smiled and stood. "Thank you, Jonathan. For everything."

"Maren, it is my pleasure."

"I think I can say we owe you a great deal," she said.

He smiled. "Well, if you want to start repaying me, Jonathan sounds like a lovely name for the baby. Oh, and he'd be king! King Jonathan sounds very nice, don't you think?"

Maren laughed and left the balcony. She was going to go directly to Donovan's room, only she didn't know where it was. So, she decided the most expedient thing would be to go to her rooms and summon someone from the staff to bring her to him.

She found that she was extraordinarily happy. She felt at peace with her decision, even though it was risky. Maren thought she would rather live her life fully with some danger than live a half a life in safety.

She worried about dozens of things, but she also felt that as long as she and Donovan were together, everything would be alright.

————————

A/N: I trust that is sufficient! 😉