#ssgb2

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying continued from X

“Albert, please –” She knew that he couldn’t keep going on all on his own, isolated from everyone around me. “Shout at me all you like, but I’m not going. I refuse,” She hoped she was doing the right thing and it wouldn’t lead to something they would both regret. 

He backed off several steps until his back hit a wall, not wanting to risk himself losing control and lashing out. “-Please, Ashildr. Leave me.” He tried instead and eyed her from his new distance.

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying continued from X

Ashildr had been taken from the palace by guards. She had known that it was a sign that the war was taking a turn. Her fear was that she wasn’t exactly sure who was winning or what the plan was for her. Wallis had been hanging the possibility of an execution over her head, and it made for many restless nights. That she had been left alone was enough of a surprise, but she had also managed to keep a hold of a knife brought with her dinner one night.

Now she held it steady even as Albert came into the light. She didn’t know where she stood with him or anyone else.

“Is it over?” She asked, voice wavering just a little bit. “Is this a rescue or am I to be taken to another prison?” Perhaps she was Albert’s enemy again.

He certainly had not settled in the idea of weapons being pointed at him, it took just a glance and his eyes had landed firmly on the knife in her hand, wary of it but so too wanting to check on the condition of his sister. He frowned at her question on whether it was a rescue or not, not as if he would not have mistrusted her if the situation were reversed.

“It is -not over.” He gave as a truth, the war would continue, “But we -have regained -control here.” Albert had tried hard to track down where Ashildr had been taken, when she was not there he had become quite enraged and panicked that he had been too late to save her. His eyes still did not leave the blade in her hand though and he was sensible enough to maintain his distance.

“You were not at the -Palace.” Stated as if she did not already know that, “We went there -to free you, we -have been -fighting for weeks.” Granted he did not expect to have seen her there but there was also some element of relief. “This is a -rescue.” He clarified and stepped aside from the door so that she was able to leave, his gaze stuck on the knife while his mind fretted but he did not mean her harm, he just hoped she did not mean him any either.

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying

There was an almost palpable sense of change in the air on that day, that finally and regardless of all the horrors, near misses and almost total defeat, they had won despite the odds! For the first time in what felt like a very long time Albert was actually relaxed.

Crowds had gathered in the streets, as was expected and Albert had a few days prior actually returned to Buckingham Palace, bringing his surviving sister with him. He had been peering out at the gathering on the Mall before he turned to check on Ashildr and actually, very genuinely smiled to her. “I did not -think this -day would --come, -but I am -so -happy -to see it.”

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying

Ashildr was holding Manon close to her when Albert came in. She hadn’t seen him in months, and somehow she feared that he might take her away from her, or worse. She didn’t like to think about what worse might mean, but she knew her brother was not the same person anymore.

She passed the baby over to Albert assuming she had little choice. “Whatever’s happened between us, it isn’t her fault,” She wondered if he knew the truth that she might not be Pierre’s.

Albert had been informed that his sister was pregnant when those watching her had the first inclining months prior. He had apparently kept himself busy enough, adorning a fresh scratch next to his temple as the only indication that he had recently been involved in some sort of fight, everything else was covered by his uniform. It was in total silence he took the baby from his sister, wrapping the bundle in his arms and moving himself away from Ashildr to lean against a wall, still not able to turn his back to her but he had turned away from her ever so slightly so he might look at the infant in his arms.

Privately, Albert looked over his niece, settled and soothed by her company. No infant could or would have reason to hurt him or betray him yet. A pure life that really should not have been brought into the forsaken world that had fallen around them, which was his first suspicion around the linage of the baby. She did not seem to fuss though, his touch and hold was careful and gentle as it had ever been, Albert missed the smell, weight and warmth of a baby in his arms and still wallowed in the misery of his losses. He let her have his gloved little finger, gently pressing his thumb against her tiny fingers and quite content in staying there for as long as he could. But there was business to be done first.

“I -have heard rumours around this -baby.” Albert began without granting his sister his full attention, though he was still half facing her. “So many -rumours. -Speculations.” Finally he put his eyes on her and held the baby closer. “You -can -put them -to bed. Is this a -Genovian heir?”

[bertievi]

@pierre-renaldi

The Genovian Palace was quite unfamiliar to Albert, at least with the layout and his own over caution and paranoia about his own safety and innumerable enemies he believed he had. As such he had made his way into the wrong side of the Palace and found himself face to face with his nephew. Obviously spotted and with no easy nor polite retreat, he stared at him wide eyed for a long while before coming to his senses. Alexandre was perhaps the person he most wanted to avoid given what had happened.

His eyes raked over him for a moment longer, he was no threat to him and he at least appeared to be alone. With a careful move of his hands to show he meant no harm, Albert tried to bite the bullet and face his nephew properly, he owed him that at the very least. “-Hello, your -highness.” He greeted him carefully.

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying continued from X

“You haven’t lost me,” Ashildr tried to assure him. “Whatever they’ve told you, I didn’t do anything to betray you willingly. I swear. I am still on your side,” The war was over and a second captivity had not been kind to Ashildr but she still was on Alberts side. “You have to believe me.” 

Albert stared at her, he was not sure what to believe anymore, so many voices whispered in his ears that he was not even sure he trusted his own. His eyes narrowed and he took a step towards her, “You swear you -did not -tell them -damaging information?” He demanded viciously.

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying

How could Christmas be the same after all that had happened? All he could think to do was see what remained of his family, so he had travelled to Genovia to be with his sister, though he was unsure of the welcome he would receive so had arranged to meet with Ashildr outside of the capital, partly for his mistrust of other states still and partly not to just put himself on her and her family when he understood there were complicated tensions around him.

“I am -s-sorry -to have disturbed your -Christmas, but I -had to see you.”

[bertievi]

@everybodyelsedying continued from X

“I like being able to help you. I don’t feel very useful anymore,” The war had changed her, perhaps irreversibly, and being in Genovia rarely felt as it used to. Being back to visit Albert made her feel more like her old self, like none of it had ever happened. “I worry about you when you’re alone. You don’t seem like you’ve stopped long enough to realize the war is over.”

“Usefulness remains a -matter of -perspective.” He was glad there was peace but his head was still stuck in the war and her knowing as such earned a huff to himself and he toyed with his cane thoughtfully. “I am --glad you -came, I am sure there are -several members of -staff who are -too.”