It all happened so quickly, and they all rushed to see what had happened. The moment he saw her form, seemingly broken and bloodied, his mind seemed to forget about anything and everything. He and Xeik rushed over, with Xeik more or less shoving Lewis out of the way. He needed room to check her over, and Lewis wasn’t responding to words.

Vela pulled LEwis back, and slapped him. “Get your shit together, Lewis…”

“What…what happened…” Lewis asked.

“Saoirse…she shoved her. Simone was trying to find a peaceful route and-”

“Where is she,” his eyes darkened. “Where the fuck is she.”

Vela hesitated. “She ran for the towers, I think…”

Without a word, Lewis pushed past her.

—

Saoirse found herself in a strange place. She couldn’t have known it, but it was the same tower, the same ledge that Simone had tried to throw herself off all that time ago. It was here that she had run…she knew what she had done was beyond redemption. She had murdered the newly crowned Queen. Nothing she could say or do would change that.

“Don’t jump,” Lewis said from behind her, eyes cold eyes trained on her.

For a moment, she was hopeful. That was Lewis’ voice. Her Lewis. Had he finally changed his mind? Had he come to coax her down? When she saw the look on his face, though, her hope turned into dread.

“Why? What even is the point…”

“So I can kill you myself,” Lewis responded. “For murder of the Queen…”

Luck had been on Simone’s side… Or perhaps it was the same stubbornness that kept her alive those two years with Felix. Xeik rushed her to the infirmary and immediately set to work. “VELA, go tell Lewis.”

Vela nodded and took the short route up as she flew to the top of the tower scaring Saoirse into the arms of Lewis who was about to strangle her. “Now isn’t the time to kill her! Xeik told me to tell you that she’s alive but barely! She survived the fall! He’s stabilizing her now!”

Vela was attempting to get the king to see what he needed to see, “God damn it Lewis go be with your wife! We can deal with Saoirse later! Lock her up in a cell!”

Lewis grumbled, “Fine…” Guards had finally managed to catch up with them, and Lewis more or less threw Saoirse into their arms. “To the dungeons with her…”

The King rushed to the infirmary, and to Simone’s side. Xeik was already giving Lewis the go ahead, which meant things were better than they had initially appeared.

“Simone? You’re alive!?” There was genuine concern in his voice.

Xeik took a step back, and looked as Vela came in. “Have you…ever seen him like that before?”

Vela shook her head, “Never.”

“She’ll live,” Xeik said after a moment. “It’ll take some time for her to recover, but…it wasn’t as bad as we thought. A lot of blood, but that’s about it. Maybe a minor concussion…it could have been much, much worse…”

Simone made a noise and flickered her eyes but went back to sleep almost immediately. “She’s going to need her rest,” Xeik came in. “There… is one more thing I want to talk to you about though.” He wasn’t sure how to handle this with Lewis. Would he care?

He brought Lewis over to the corner of the room. “Vela, go be with Simone… This is private.” That meant it was something Xeik didn’t want anyone to know about. “Lewis, what I’m going to tell you… You can’t go berserk over. Simone needs you.”

He cleared his throat, “She was showing signs of early pregnancy but it’s not there anymore. The fall must have… Or it could have been the kidnapping with Jerome. I didn’t want to say anything before. I had stopped putting potions in your stuff when I knew Saoirse wasn’t going to be with you.”

“Wait, you were-” Lewis was about to go off on Xeik for spiking his drinks, but the realization hit him. “Wait…Simone was…” He paled. “Simone..was…..” He looked back at Simone, and then to Xeik. “She’s a dead woman…” He pushed past Xeik, and made his way to the dungeon.

—

There were rumors of what happened that day in the dungeon. They say that her screams could be heard through the entire Kingdom. The screams of a woman who had dared stand against the Tyrant King, and dares to try and assassinate his Queen. The rumors even stated that she was given life extending magic even to prolong her torment, all so that the sadistic King could show her just how badly she had fucked up.

In the end, though, they were just rumors. No one could prove anything. No one dared go near the dungeon, and no one could find Saoirse’s body in the end. Some say that Lewis let her go, banishing her from the Kingdom. Others say he had no desire to deal with ehr any longer, and slit her throat the moment he walked in.

All in all, it’s just another tale…

—

“You still writing those stupid books?” Lewis asked as he walked into the infirmary.

Xeik had been jotting down notes again, and smirked. “Look…propaganda is a powerful tool when used correctly. We spread these things around, and people will think twice about coming to face you. Just got to spin it right.” He paused. “So what did you do?”

“Like I’d give away my secrets,” Lewis responded. “Besides…I thought you liked the mystery.” He looked over to where Simone’s bed was. “She awake yet?”

“Off and on. If you go over, I bet she’ll wake up.”

Vela peeked her head in, “I delivered the letter of treason to Saoirse’s father. He was pissed at her more than he was about her being dead.” They had worked fast once Lewis had stormed out. “Saoirse conspired to drug and murder the queen.” She didn’t say the rest because she noticed that Simone had fluttered her eyes awake.

Lewis went to her side and held her. She snuggled into him. “Xeik told me… about the baby.” A baby that was probably not even two weeks old in her womb. A new life snuffed out by carelessness. She didn’t even know so she could have protected them. “If I had known I wouldn’t have gone with Jerome…”

“Simone, we don’t even know when you lost the baby.” Xeik spoke and shook his head. “It could have been the push.”

It was the first time Vela was hearing any of this and she was quiet and not her bouncy self. “I shouldn’t have left your side.”

“Vela, I told you to. I thought all this time Saoirse was trying so hard because of her father but her greed is just as much as his is. I suppose in that instance I am still naive.”

“Do you intend to do what you said?” Vela tilted her head.

“Yes, I do.” She nodded. “Xeik, I’m hereby disbanding the harem. The women will be guests but off in the side palace where they can live their own lives. I would be a liar if I went back on my word even if it was to Saoirse. If they want to go home they can.” She took a deep breath and looked up at Lewis, “I’m tired, Lewis…”

Vela clapped her hands and Simone winced, “Sorry! I meant to tell you the maids put together a martial suite for you both now. A new room! In the commotion, it was all they could do to remain calm just in case Simone survived the fall.”

“Then I guess that’s where we’ll be once you’ve recovered,” Lewis stated with a smile. He pinched Simone’s cheek. “And…if it suits the Queen…” He paused. “We can try for another…” The thought was out in the open now, but he dare not wait for a response. Instead, he stood up, squeezing Simone’s hand.

“We need to get things ready, though. Once Simone is able, I want a proper ceremony for the masses. The people of Auclair will want to know that their Queen is alive and healthy…as well as married.” He smirked. “And if you’re up to it, you can address them. After all, these are your people, Simone.”

There were plenty of things to do and plan. The moment Lewis realized there was likely to be more paperwork involved, he sighed. “And…of course all the paperwork that needs to be done.” He sighed. “And I guess plans to conquer the next Kingdom…”

“You still want to do that?” Xeik asked.

“Not really…but I have an image to maintain, if you’re to keep writing these ridiculous pamphlets…”

Simone was listening to them and chuckling. “I would love to.”

There was chuckling as she thought about it. “We can use the magic here to tell all the residents of Kalitoya. I just need a moment to recover and then we can reactivate the magic here. Every time I think I’ve recovered enough something else has happened but with Lewis… I think I can do it now… After all he is a king of Auclair too.”

She tapped her finger to her lips, “As for conquering a kingdom… You could always say that the queen has changed the king’s way of thinking but he isn’t scared of starting to conquer again?” She tilted her head. “That or there is this kingdom directly south that has always made me upset… We could take them.”

Ah, the tyrant king needed a tyrant queen. The thought alone made Xeik grimace.

–

The magic of the kingdom reactivated and the people were happily using magic devices again in their everyday lives. A wedding was to happen and nobles from all over Kalitoya and their allies were invited. Even people who weren’t affiliated were invited to the massive luxurious wedding.

The large cathedral was decorated with the best of the best when it came to flowers and there was no small detail left out. The flags of Auclair and Kalitoya were flown high together all throughout the city. Simone had a look on her face though as the maids made her standstill on top of the pedestal as they readied her for the wedding.

“Cheer up Simone, it’s almost over,” Vela chuckled.

“I don’t like being pricked by needles over and over again…” The seamstress was trying her best not to get the queen but she would fidget causing the seamstress to miss what she was doing.

“Just stand still… Please…”

Vela left the room and entered the throne room where Lewis was entertaining all of his guests, “The queen is about ready to die having to stand still for her last dress fitting. She looks mad.” Vela was giggling about it. “She hates standing around I guess.”

The wedding had been delayed for a bit while Simone recovered, and by the time it rolled around, a month had passed. When it was finally time for the day, there were last minute, rushed details that were being panned out. Simone’s wedding dress was one of them. It had almost been complete, but some unexpected, last minute adjustments had to be made.

Vale, of course, had an inkling of why, but even her gossiping had it’s limits. Besides, she had a feeling it would be relevant soon.

Lewis excused himself from the small gaggle of people and walked over to Vela, “Well, she won’t have to deal with all of this for much longer.” It was obvious that he wasn’t enjoying the social aspect of it all either. But, royal duties and all. It wasn’t long before the wedding dress was complete. Sure, the kingdom was practically rushing the ceremony, but they were all happy that things were going well for King Lewis and Queen Simone. The reality was setting in that the Queen was a benevolent person, and that she calmed the Tyrant Phoenix’s rage. There were,m of course, rumors that the Queen was spiteful though, and that if anyone wronged her that she would sic the King on them.

Rumors or not, it was enough of a deterrent at least for the time.

Wedding bells rang as Lewis and Simone stood upon the podium. There was a resounding applause as the two kissed, sanctifying the marriage in the eyes of the kingdoms. Simone stepped forward, addressing her people with a bright smile.

“I’d like to announce…that I am pregnant as well…your valiant King is going to be father…”

The cheers roared across the lands…

—

Roughly eight or so months later, Simone was smiling. In her arms was a crying baby boy, and Simone was practically crying with joy. “Oh my sweet baby boy…welcome to the world.”

Lewis was at her side, smiling. The times had been kind to him, and the Kaliyota Auclair Kingdoms had grown and prospered. Things were looking up in the world…

Simone sighed, “I miss them…you know. It might be time…”

Lewis sighed, “I know. But it was a fun escape, at least for the time being… I bet Xeik is panicking.”

“DAMN RIGHT I AM!” a voice resonated, shaking the world around them. “WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TWO SLEEPING LIKE THIS!?”

“I mean…we wanted to?” Lewis replied with a smirk. “These are fun. First one might have been an accident, but this…well…what can I say? I’ve always wanted to be a tyrant king.”

Simone frowned, “Excuse me, though…a harem? Really?”

Lewis looked back at her, “Uh…I didn’t write that.”

“Uh huh,” Simone responded. “Well…you’re lucky that I love you.” She was playing with him. “I miss my own little tyrants though…”