Chapter 303: v4 - 4: something new

Chapter 303: v4 Chapter 4: something new

The carriage came to a stop before the Pembroke residence.

Marian looked out through the window.

It was no longer the Wiltshire residence she had once known so well.

Clara had left her family home after her marriage, and the Pembroke residence had since become hers.

Marian had visited before, of course.

Still, there was something faintly strange about seeing how much had changed in only a few years.

Clara had married not long after Marian’s own marriage.

The Marquess of Pembroke was not a particularly remarkable man to look at.

He was neither strikingly handsome nor imposing.

But he was kind.

And, more importantly, he loved Clara deeply.

Not long after their marriage, they had welcomed a daughter.

Clarisse.

Marian’s goddaughter.

The carriage door opened.

An attendant stepped forward to assist her down.

Marian gathered her skirts and descended.

The household was already waiting.

After all, an Empress was not an ordinary guest.

Servants stood in orderly rows near the entrance, while the head of the household waited to receive her.

Clara, however, needed no such formality.

The moment Marian stepped forward, her friend’s face brightened.

"Marian."

She crossed the distance between them and embraced her.

Marian laughed softly and returned the hug.

"It has been too long."

"It has."

Before either of them could say more, there was a sudden patter of small footsteps.

Marian looked down.

A little girl came hurrying toward them.

Her dark hair bounced with every uneven step, and her tiny hands reached toward Marian.

"Auntie!"

Marian’s expression softened immediately.

"Clarisse."

The little girl reached her and wrapped both arms around Marian’s skirts.

Marian bent down and gathered her into her arms.

"Oh, there you are."

"Auntie Marian."

"Yes, darling."

"You came."

"I did."

Clarisse pulled back to look at her.

Then she studied Marian’s face with great seriousness.

"Pretty."

Marian laughed.

"Am I?"

The little girl nodded.

"Princess."

Clara immediately smiled.

"She’s the Empress, darling. Not a princess."

Clarisse looked at her mother.

Then back at Marian.

"Princess."

Marian laughed again.

"I think she prefers princess."

"She does," Clara said with a sigh. "Princesses are apparently much more exciting."

Clarisse nodded solemnly.

"Princess."

Marian kissed her cheek.

"Very well. You may call me whatever you like."

Clarisse giggled and clung to her again.

Marian held her close.

There was something about the small weight of the child in her arms that made the familiar longing return.

She wanted this.

Not merely an heir for the Empire.

Not merely a child because everyone expected one.

She wanted a child who belonged to her and Adrian.

A little life born from the love they shared.

She wanted to know what it would feel like to hold their own child between them.

To see Adrian with a baby in his arms.

To watch him become a father.

To have someone who was, in every sense, theirs.

The thought made her smile.

And ache.

At last, Clara touched her arm.

"Come inside before she decides you’re never leaving."

Marian laughed.

"I think she already has."

They entered the residence together.

The formalities were brief.

Once inside, Clara dismissed the servants who had remained nearby, and the atmosphere immediately became easier.

Marian settled in the drawing room while Clarisse remained close beside her, eventually climbing onto the sofa and settling against Marian as though she belonged there.

Marian smiled down at her.

"So," she said, turning toward Clara, "tell me everything."

Clara laughed.

"There isn’t much to tell."

"I don’t believe you."

"You’ve been away from ordinary society for too long."

"Exactly. Which means you have a responsibility to keep me informed."

Clara smiled.

They spoke for a while about ordinary things.

The household.

Their husbands.

Friends they had not seen in some time.

The latest gossip from families Marian barely remembered.

Eventually, Clara turned the question toward her.

"And you?"

Marian looked at her.

"Me?"

"How are you?"

Marian smiled.

"I’m fine."

"That isn’t an answer."

"It is."

Clara gave her a look.

Marian laughed softly.

"Really. I’m fine."

She glanced down at Clarisse.

"I spend most of my time at the palace these days."

"Reading?"

"Reading. Walking in the gardens. Taking care of Adrian."

Clara smiled.

"Of course."

Marian’s expression became slightly sheepish.

"And thinking about when we’ll finally have a child."

Clara’s smile softened.

"You’re still counting the days?"

Marian sighed.

"Yes."

"How often?"

"Every day."

"Marian."

"I can’t help it."

Clara reached across and touched her hand.

"Don’t think about it too much."

"I try not to."

"But you do."

Marian smiled faintly.

"Perhaps."

"It will come."

Marian looked at her.

"When?"

"When it is meant to."

"That is very easy for you to say."

"I know."

Clara squeezed her hand.

"But you cannot spend every day waiting for something you cannot force."

Marian looked down at Clarisse.

The little girl was busy playing with the ribbon on Marian’s sleeve, completely unaware of the conversation.

"I know."

Clara smiled.

"Pray. Trust that it will happen."

Marian nodded slowly.

"I do."

And she did.

She simply wished faith were easier when every passing month seemed determined to test it.

Clara let the subject rest.

They returned to lighter conversation, speaking of their families and the small changes that had taken place around the capital.

Marian found herself relaxing.

This was why she still came to Clara.

There was no performance required.

No one watching her expression for signs of pregnancy.

No one calculating how long she had been married.

No one waiting for an opportunity to ask about the succession.

She could simply sit with her friend.

After a while, Clara leaned back.

"You know, you really should come out more."

Marian gave her a skeptical look.

"You know why I don’t."

"I know."

"I don’t miss it."

"I know that too."

Marian glanced toward the window.

"I suppose I simply got tired of it."

Clara nodded.

"I understand."

They were quiet for a moment.

Then Clara suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Well, perhaps you will have something new to occupy you soon."

Marian looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"The delegation."

"The delegation?"

Clara nodded.

"The Milician delegation."

Marian frowned slightly.

"No."

"They’re coming to the capital."

Marian thought back to the journey from the palace.

The banners.

The preparations.

The activity along the streets.

"Oh."

She looked toward Clara.

"So that’s what all that was."

"You noticed it?"

"I saw the preparations outside, but I didn’t know what they were for."

Clara reached toward the table and picked up a folded newspaper.

"It’s been in the papers."

She handed it to Marian.

Marian unfolded it.

Her eyes moved across the article.

"The Milician Kingdom..."

"Yes."

"A delegation for the peace negotiations."

"Apparently."

Marian continued reading for a moment.

"I didn’t know."

"You’ve been rather removed from the capital lately."

"I suppose I have."

Clara smiled.

"They’ll probably be staying at the palace."

Marian looked up.

"They are?"

"The Emperor is hosting them, isn’t he?"

"Of course."

She looked back at the newspaper.

The thought of it suddenly seemed rather pleasant.

Foreign guests.

New faces.

Different customs.

Different conversations.

Something unfamiliar within the palace walls.

Marian did not need to leave her quiet life to experience something new.

For once, something new was coming to her.

"That might actually be interesting," she said.

Clara smiled.

"I thought you might say that."

Marian folded the newspaper again.

"I should ask Adrian about it."

"He’ll know more than the newspapers."

"I’m sure he does."

Marian glanced down at Clarisse, who had begun playing with a small wooden toy beside her.

For the first time that afternoon, she felt genuinely curious about something beyond the familiar rhythm of her days.

The delegation would be different.

And perhaps that was enough.

Not a return to society.

Not another season of dinners and balls.

Just something new.

Something she had not seen before.

Later, when it was time to leave, Clarisse hugged Marian tightly.

"Bye, Auntie."

Marian bent and kissed her forehead.

"Goodbye, little princess."

Clarisse smiled triumphantly.

Clara laughed.

"She’ll remember that."

"She should."

Marian rose and gave Clara one last embrace before making her way outside.

The carriage was already waiting.

As she settled inside, Marian looked back toward the residence.

The afternoon had been exactly what she had wanted.

Quiet.

Familiar.

Easy.

And yet, now there was something else to think about.

The Milician delegation.

She would ask Adrian about it when she returned.

Perhaps, after all, something new was coming to the palace.

And Marian found that she was looking forward to it.