Love Remains the Same

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Camelot was not a place that Frederick could say he had the pleasure of visiting before now. The circumstances of his trip tarred his visit slightly, but he was determined that would not detract from the enjoyment of being in a different kingdom. Camelot of course was always a topic of debate amongst fellow courtiers; its views on magic were often hotly contested. Of course Sorestan had no particular inclination either way, but it was always rather interesting to listen to the debate, and sometimes take part in it. Sometimes Freddie liked to play the devil’s advocate, sometimes then you really got to the heated parts of an argument, and it was always fun to watch men’s reactions to him. Sometimes they weren’t sure whether to just agree with him, or to challenge him.

Frederick was of course wise enough to not raise such debates at the heart of Camelot, and especially not with Camelot’s political position as it was. Arthur was of course new to the throne, and Freddie envied him in a way because he was of a similar age to Arthur, and he was still waiting to take up his rightful place as king. Of course Frederick would never wish his parents ill, no, he would wait with patience, and for the moment he would serve his father most dutifully.

Freddie had not had chance to offer his condolences to the King personally for the death of his father. That was the primary objective of his visit of course. However, while he was here he wished to gain a feel for the place. After all, he had not been here before, and it was unlikely he would return apart from perhaps future peace talks or treaties. That however was all just in thought, so Freddie was determined to take in some of Camelot’s tradition and culture while he was here. It was with this in mind that he was now walking in the gardens in Camelot castle. His appointment with the new King was not until this afternoon, and Freddie had always been someone to seize the day and make the most of it. He was quite alone; having dismissed his servants to ready a change of clothes fit enough to see the new King of Camelot in. Of course all his clothes were quite regal and expensive, but some just had that perfect edge.

It was a pleasant enough day, and if his appointment with the King had not been this afternoon he may have even considered a ride through the scenery which Camelot had to offer. Of course riding was one of his great loves, along with many pursuits. He smiled to himself, enjoying the peace of the garden. Even he enjoyed a few moments to himself.

Timeline: A few days after The Wicked Day
Setting: The gardens in Camelot Castle
Time of day: Morning
Tags: Lady Romily

[Romily de Braose]

Romily found that a morning walk did her the world of good. It was during these times that she could ponder upon the thoughts running through her mind of what to do that day. As Arthur’s guest in the castle she was still trying to find a suitable accommodation. There had been the subject of writing to her father to tell him of where she was, but after many attempts and a hearth full of burning paper, she had decided against the idea altogether. He wouldn’t care if she were dead, so what was the use in telling him where she was?
Since being in Camelot she had felt like a changed woman. In all honesty, she was sure that she was and for the better. Romily had made mental notes to herself to call upon Yassia one day but had never got around to it – instead just walking alone anywhere. Fields, Forests and so on, just enjoying her own company for the time being.

This morning Romily found herself in the gardens of the castle. It was a nice place to retreat to and she’d only walked there once or twice. She stopped to admire flowers or just her general surroundings. It was all quite beautiful. Her own garden at Wolfhall had been like this one indeed, full of beautiful flowers and trees – of course it was the gardens that brought back the memory of the fateful afternoon she’d left her home. It was funny how the smell of just one flower could ignite a memory that she’d tried so hard to push to the back of her mind. Never mind. That was then and this was now.

As she rounded the corner, she caught sight of someone walking in the distance towards her, and as she grew nearer she could just about make out a man of rather a tall stature – dressed in all his finery. He reminded her of Frederick…

Wait!

Romily squinted slightly as she made out the man’s features. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. What on earth was he doing here! Out of all of Albion, why on earth was Frederick d’Amboise, the man who had broken her heart, here right now! In Camelot! No! This was not good. Romily’s heart banged against her chest and she looked around for a place to hide until he passed. He hadn’t noticed her yet, but another few steps and he would!

She raced behind a tree and leant back against the trunk, catching her breath and trying to make sure that she wasn’t seen.

Frederick. Frederick was really here. Someone was surely out to get her.

Tagged: Frederick d’Amboise
Setting: The Gardens
Timeline: S4
Music: One Day OST – Just Another Day

[Frederick d'Amboise]

As Frederick intended to stay the week in Camelot, he began to plan the week’s adventures in his head. Perhaps the King himself could even suggest some things to occupy himself with. He intended on taking a ride out into the countryside of course, perhaps he could acquaint himself with some nobles and impose on their table one evening. He was a Prince after all; surely they would be glad of such company? He had no idea in truth, but he would make it his business to make a few noble acquaintances while he was here in Camelot. It would surely benefit him when he was King if he had friends in other Kingdoms.

Perhaps he would also see what the town itself had to offer. Though of course that always had to be done with a certain amount of caution, he knew that he was the sole heir to the Sorestan throne, and he was therefore quite valuable. He would probably just take one of his footmen with him in casual attire. After all, you only really got to know a Kingdom from the opinion of the people who lived in it, and Frederick always believed in a balanced opinion.

Ahead of him, he could see a noblewoman approaching him. He raised his eye brows slightly; well perhaps his walk would be a lot more interesting than he had hoped it would be. He had not had the pleasure of using his charms on a noblewoman in Camelot yet, and he wondered if they differed at all from those in Sorestan. Of course he would not seek to dishonour the lady in question; no he merely wanted to have a bit of fun. There was nothing wrong with that now was there? Well there was no harm that he could see and that was the important thing really.

But then she all but vanished and Freddie found a grin press against his lips. He quickly stepped forwards until he was a mere few steps away from the tree and folded his arms in a mock sort of way. He had never had a noblewoman react to him in that manner before, and it amused him somewhat. “My Lady, would you give me the pleasure of addressing you personally, or would you prefer to work our conversation through a tree?” He supressed a chuckle, he didn’t want the woman to think he was laughing at her expense, even though in truth he was. Why had she hidden behind the tree in the first place? It was one of the weirder reactions to his presence he had experienced

[Romily de Braose]

She heard him venture closer. He’d seen her, but not recognised her – so that was good. As long as he passed the tree without any inkling that she was behind it then all would be well... but his next words aimed obviously at her were ones that filled her mind with dread.

She kept quiet as he joked about having their conversation through a tree. That sounded like Frederick – the same old Frederick that she’d known a few years ago. What would she do? She couldn’t stand behind a tree all day. Romily kept her back pressed up against the trunk, if she kept backing up against the tree any longer then she’d be in it rather than up against it.
There was no other choice. She’d have to face him sometime and no matter how much she wanted the ground to swallow her up – the time to confront her demons was now.

Taking a deep breath Romily peeked slightly round at him from behind the tree. Yes. Same old Freddie, still as handsome as ever. She then slowly emerged from her hiding place with a confident poise and acting like the woman she should be. The Lady Romily. Not Millie. She wanted him to feel guilt or pain just like he’d caused her, so now it was time to make Frederick see that she did not need him.

“My Lord” she swept into a curtsey and stayed in her position on the ground, not looking at him, but rather at the path. If she laid eyes on him again then he would see the hurt that had suddenly come streaming back into them.

Round one to Millie it was then.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

As Frederick waited for this mysterious woman to reveal herself he found his lips form into a short chuckle. He wondered what amusement he could find with this woman. Of course you had to treat all women differently, and in return they were all challenging in their own way. Freddie preferred it that way. Some women made it too easy, and that was usually the reason that they disengaged his particular attentions so sharply. He had no interest in a quick conquest, no, he preferred to be challenged by women, so long as he got what he wanted in the end everything was fine.

He took a step closer to the tree, perhaps he would have to peek round the tree himself to get this woman to show herself. Was she simply just shy, or was this perhaps a new courtier’s trick? Well, the women of Camelot were already showing themselves to be quite different weren’t they? He wasn’t complaining of course, different could be a good thing. This only boded well on the whole with his trip to Camelot, it would certainly be much more enjoyable if the women were this quirky.

Eventually he saw a shift of movement, and he watched curiously as the woman put her head around the tree. For a moment he thought it was… no, it couldn’t be her could it? He blinked a few times as she fully emerged from the shelter that the tree had provided her and his eyes just widened with acute shock. How could Romily be here? In Camelot? And why on earth was she addressing him so formally? His head was still clicking into gear when she raised herself out of her curtsey; another unnecessary formality in his eyes.

“Millie?”

[Romily de Braose]

Romily could tell by the shock in his voice that he wasn’t expecting her. Eventually she raised herself from the curtsey and looked at him. There was no expression that she could describe right now. She was not smiling yet she was not angry either.

“Hello Frederick” she said.

Romily looked at him again – he was very handsome indeed, more handsome than he was before. She wasn’t going to deny it. She wondered why on earth he was in Camelot. Maybe his father had friends in the court or something? Her own father was friends with his and also of the court of Carmelide.
She wondered what he was feeling now, was he kicking himself mentally or was he breathing a sigh of relief?

“If you’ll excuse me” she shook herself from her thoughts, “I have to go”.

She couldn’t stay here. Not with him. He’d seen her – she’d seen him and that was all there was to it.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Frederick was just stunned; there wasn’t any other way of describing it to be honest. He was just staring at her, he knew he shouldn’t but he just couldn’t help himself. She was still as beautiful as he remembered. He knew she must be angry towards him at the fact he had just left her without a moment’s thought, he had regretted it since, and surely she had to know that in some part of her mind. He took a sharp intake of breath as she addressed him by his first name; well that was a start wasn’t it? There was no need to bring titles into this, they knew each other well enough without it.

He was then just stuck; there was nothing he could say to her. Nothing to excuse what he had done, nothing to even reassure her that he had regretted it ever since. Would she even believe anything he now had to say to her? Romily had no reason to after all, he had never given her any reason to believe anything that he had to say.

But she was here now, he could show her now that he still felt something for her; just anything to make her soften towards him. As she went to leave he stepped forwards, blocking her path. He did not make a grab for her or even really prevent her from leaving him at all. He would never be so rude towards her. “Please, stay a while.” He asked her rather calmly. This time things would be different, he did not have his father breathing down his neck while he was here with her, he could just be himself and perhaps Romily would see that too.

[Romily de Braose]

He was blocking her from leaving now – begging her to stay. Romily wondered why on earth she should give him the satisfaction of doing so. He hadn’t made the situation they were in any better all those years ago; he was responsible for everything that she had been through. She did however thank him for making her become a far better woman than she would have been.

Now he wanted her to stay for a chat? As though nothing had happened at all? He was wrong if he thought for one moment that she would actually buy any stories that escaped his lips. Romily was done with him. Even if the memories still remained, she’d buried any thoughts of the pair of them long ago.

“I have nothing to say to you” her voice cracked slightly. “Please – just leave me be”.

With that she glided past him and set off, hoping to lose him in the maze of flowers and trees that were growing all around. The gardens were big enough so surely she could just escape from him unnoticed.
It was only now that Romily felt something warm on her cheek. A tear sliding down it confirmed her own worst fear. She still cared about what he thought, and even now he still had some hold over her – whether she liked it or not. She wanted to scream at him, hit him – do anything to hurt him, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t.

Wiping the tears away, she blinked a few times before regaining her normal pace of walking. She’d already fought with him, and now she knew that she was fighting more and losing battle.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Frederick wasn’t about to let Romily just slip through his fingers again, no, not this time. He’d hurt her yes, he knew that, and he’d had to live with that unbearable guilt for so long. True, she hadn’t been exclusively in his thoughts, he’d often flirted with other women, but they just hadn’t been the same as Romily. It had been like he had been trying to find a replacement for her, when in truth he had set himself an impossible task. In a way he hated this, he hated the fact that he had to care so much. Why couldn’t he have just forgotten about her all that time ago? Then again, did he really want to just forget about her? No, in short he didn’t.

She spoke again finally, but it was not in a pleasing way to him. Rather it tore at him, she didn’t sound angry, but he knew that she was; she had every right to be angry with him. “How can I?” He then asked her softly and he would have continued his words Jesu, he would have done anything but no Romily was as she ever was; stubborn as a mule. And it was with this in mind that she now turned away from him. He did not shout after her, instead he broke off after her, she wasn’t getting away from him this time; he wouldn’t let her. “Romily, wait!” He said as he got closer to her and managed to get in front of her, so he was blocking her path once more. It was only then he saw the tear on her cheek and something in his stomach turned. He felt slightly awkward; did she still feel for him after all this time?

He was slightly breathless when he finally looked back at her. Her beauty still shone through, even when she was upset. It distracted him for a few moments until his head kicked back into gear and he just looked back to her, not making a bold movement just yet. “I’m sorry.” Was all he could think to say, it wasn’t enough, he knew that, but it was a start and that was better than nothing.

[Romily de Braose]

Of course she knew that he would go after her, she wasn’t that stupid after all. She halted as he appeared in front of her to block her path. Romily quickly turned her head away from him so as he couldn’t see how hurt she was.

She snorted, “Sorry…” she rolled the word on her tongue as though it were alien to her, “You are not sorry” that was it, she knew now that she would rant at him until he got the message. “I was disowned because of you and all your lies to me! You didn’t even defend us both when my father found us! It was a kiss and that’s all it was! Yet you stood by and watched and then left without another word to me! You are not sorry! How could you possibly be?” her eyes now showed the anger and frustration that he was causing her.

“How can I possibly forgive you for something like this?” she now looked him in the eye, “these past three years I’ve had to pick myself up and make a living as a barmaid, bit of a culture shock when you come from the likes of Wolfhall to a dingy Inn” she told him truthfully. “but to be honest I’m glad – because had this never had happened, I wouldn’t have found any of my friends that I have now, and thanks to Arthur – I’m here today and not lying in some unknown grave”.

Yes. That would make him feel guilty – after all, Arthur had helped her away from Cenred’s men when they had attacked her. She defiantly owed him far more than she had anticipated.

“I have wasted so many thoughts on you that now I just want to forget everything, and forget you – go back to Sorestan once you’ve finished whatever business you have here. You may be welcomed by Arthur, but you are not by me – even if I am only a guest”. She paused, before starting again, “I really did think that once you would come after me and find me…seems my expectations of you were not entirely what I thought them to be”

On that, she leant up and gave him a small kiss to the cheek. “Goodbye Frederick, I truly hope that you find a woman who is worthy of having you”

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Frederick listened to all that Romily had to say without interruption, and with a face which represented no emotion. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to be feeling right now. Did she understand how hard it had been for him to leave her? The only thing which had prevented him for declaring his true feelings for her was of course the threat of war from her father. He and Freddie had not exactly warmed to each other, and that had just made the situation with Romily even worse; if that were even possible.

“I don’t expect you to forgive the way I acted.” He said rather suddenly, and he shocked himself that the words had actually come out, “Jesu, I can’t even forgive myself, how can I expect you to even consider forgiving me?” If you hated the person you were, how could you expect others to accept this as the real you? He hadn’t expected her to forgive him, he just wanted her to know how sorry she was; that was all there was to it.

She was not being entirely fair, or at least she wasn’t in Frederick’s eyes. How could he have come after her? That wouldn’t have helped anything, he would still have been increasing the threat of a war between their kingdoms. He didn’t reply to this however, well not directly anyway. He had learnt over the years that feeding a woman’s anger was the completely wrong thing to do and he wasn’t about to start messing up now. “I never stopped caring about you Millie, whatever you might think and however angry you are, you have to know that.” He wouldn’t be trying now if he didn’t care for her, he’d have already moved on and would be flirting with the next woman, only he couldn’t because Romily held exclusivity in that area.

He let her kiss him, because he wanted that contact no matter what context it was meant in. It hurt though, it hurt that once upon a time such a gesture meant something quite different, and now it was born out of bitterness and anger. No, he wouldn’t let this be goodbye. He stepped forwards, preventing her from leaving and took one hand in hers. “Millie I will not force you to stay. But please just listen to what I have to say, then I promise you I will not prevent you from leaving.”

[Romily de Braose]

Did she really want to listen to his words? They had been like poison before and no matter how much he had ‘never stopped caring’ about her, Romily wasn’t entirely sure that she wanted to hear him out.
She knew she would have to though. He’d listened to her go on about how much of an idiot he was in her view, so now she’d have to grant him the same. She didn’t dare look at him, she couldn’t – he was Frederick, and the only man she’d ever really cared for. Bonnie had told her to be careful when the pair had first met.

“That boy is no good for you my lady, I’ve heard stories of him…” she warned. Of course Romily had dismissed it as some misunderstanding.

“Oh Bonnie, stories can bend – Frederick is a very charming man – he wouldn’t hurt me”

Oh how those last few words had been stupid – very stupid indeed. That was why she was here now. Of course he wouldn’t hurt her more than he already had. If Bonnie had been here now then she would have been doing all the fighting for Romily and leading her away from him.

“So why did you leave?” she demanded, “If you cared that much, why did you leave?” she wanted answers and she wanted them now.

Looking down at her hand she saw that he’d taken her own in his. Her eyes travelled back up to him. He’d held her hand like this before. Removing it slowly from his grasp, she noticed a stone seat and sat down on it, looking up at him and waiting.

“Go on then…” she shrugged, “explain”.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Well she hadn’t run off, that could only be a good thing really couldn’t it? At least she was willing to listen, that showed that she still did care, she must care if she still wanted an answer for the way he had treated her. He breathed out softly, he had to keep control of his temper if he was going to make any sense to her. None of it made sense to him, so really this wasn’t going to go well. At least he could try, he could make the effort now that he never could when his father had been breathing down his neck.

It did not go unnoticed as she slipped her hand out of his, and his hand felt rather cold without her touch even though the experience had been brief. He tried to ignore that for the moment and he just focussed on her, and only her. Frederick just wanted Romily to understand him now, and to take his words as he gave them because they were sincere and she could try and twist this however she wanted but it would not detract from the fact they were true; not in his eyes anyway. “I had to leave.” He began to explain, but then he just uselessly trailed off. Jesu why was this so hard? Why could the words just not come to him. He was Frederick, he could spin words whichever way he chose, but he couldn’t in front of Romily, he just couldn’t find the words to explain what he had done.

“I could not cause tensions between the two kingdoms. Declaring my feelings for you, no matter how true they are, would have angered your father.” That was the bare reason to why he had to leave her alone, he hadn’t liked it, but the prospect of war was one that Sorestan could not comprehend at the time of his visit to Romily. They would have been sitting ducks and everyone knew that. “I wanted to stay Millie, I really did. But your father...” It always came down to her father, if he hadn’t have discovered them in the gardens they could have continued in their bliss together, they could have been happy together without the worry of causing tensions between the two kingdoms. Everything would have been different.

[Romily de Braose]

Of course. Her father. It always was her father when it came down to situations such as theirs. Things would have been so very different had he not had interrupted them.

“My father always did his best to hide me away” she told him bitterly, “He never let a man near me apart from the ones who he thought acceptable. Even now I still cannot understand his character. He wanted me married yet never took me to court and kept me hidden.” It was now she was starting to realise that perhaps her father had cared. That he hadn’t wanted to lose her and have no one left. But he had lost her and in the most unfortunate of circumstances. Oh well that was his problem.

“A war” she half laughed at the thought that she could ever be responsible for a war between Carmelide and Sorestan, “was I really that much of a disappointment that I could’ve started a war?” she asked quietly. “My father is not a King, he does not choose who to declare war with other than by words – the King of Carmelide would have not declared war on Sorestan just because the daughter of his good friend was sharing a few private moments with a visitor”. Durwin didn’t have that much of a hold over King Leodegrance, no matter how good a friend he was to him.

She stared out ahead of her trying to remember what her father had said to her that day. “My father told me that I had let myself down and him once you had run off” she said, “he said that my mother would have not liked the woman that I was becoming – there were a few more words and he said that he would never forgive me. So I left, just like that without any second thought. He wanted to be rid of me and I rid of everything that had happened.” She admitted

Romily looked to Frederick, “There have even been times where I wish I had never met you…but the damage is done.” She gave a small shrug. “I’ve moved on with my life, even if it does not seem like that – I have a new start here in Camelot and that is what I intend to do – start a new chapter”.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

As Frederick listened to Romily, he became increasingly aware of how little he actually knew of her family life on the whole. He had just thought that he was always that protective for Romily’s own good. After all, many fathers took it upon themselves to protect their daughter’s honour, as in the end it would benefit them in the long run wouldn’t it? He however had no idea that her father kept her locked away in such a crude way. He felt slightly awkward and for a moment couldn’t look at her. Guilt just ripped through him, he could have stopped that in its roots if he had just been more of a man; a man who Romily deserved.

He forced himself to look back up at her. He would show his courage to her now because it was more important now than ever. She needed to know how sorry he truly was. He nodded as she repeated his words. “Yes, a war.” It had seemed so simple, so black and white back when it had been proposed. In retrospect it was a feeble suggestion and he should not have paid it any thought. “I did not want to cause any tensions between our Kingdoms, your father was so angry, he was shouting all sorts of possibilities at me that night.” As the future King of Soreston, Freddie always had to consider keeping the neighbours friendly and doing anything within that Kingdom which could upset the balance would only cause countless problems. He had been a coward, he had been scared of the foreign policy between the two Kingdoms and he had stepped down.

“You have not let anyone down.” He said softly, indeed in the same situation he perhaps in her situation would have run off. Of course considering these things was of little use, but he just wanted to understand her now. She had changed so much, but then again she hadn’t. He could still see her in there; his Millie. “I am glad you have made a home out of Camelot, I hear King Arthur is a most agreeable man.” He had not yet met him personally, but he would soon have the pleasure of doing. What else could he say to her? How could he possibly make any of this any better? He wanted to, Jesu he just wanted to make her happy. “I’m here for a week Millie, please say you will not avoid me for the duration of my stay. Please, I couldn’t bear it.”

[Romily de Braose]

Romily wanted to slap him yet at the same time wanted to believe him. she had no idea why Freddie was taking this much of an effort to make things up to her when he had never done before, despite his reasons – which quite frankly she found pathetic. She hardly thought herself capable of starting a war, even if her father had hit the roof.

“All the same, despite what my father said – it would have been nice to have at least a ‘goodbye’” Romily replied, “I have no idea what he said to you, but whatever it was then I wouldn’t have even bothered listening to him. “She had no idea why she was defending her father; he was just as much of a fool and Freddie. “Despite his cold exterior, he wanted me kept away because he couldn’t lose me. He’d already lost my mother”.

A week?! A whole week! What the hell was she going to do with him around for a week! She couldn’t keep hidden in her room whilst he talked affairs and whatnot with Arthur. Why couldn’t he just see that she wanted to move on and forget about him.

“I don’t think that will be possible” she shook her head, “I’ve already told you I want to start a new chapter – so why won’t you let me?” she asked. Romily had to know what it was that was so important.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

Freddie had regretted not giving Millie a few parting words, god he just regretted everything. He ran a hand through his hair and forced his eyes back to her. She really deserved better than this, but now he would at least try to be the man he should have been all those years ago. “Your father threw me out, Millie he wouldn’t let me say goodbye to you.” He said bitterly, he just felt pathetic, why did she make him feel like this? He furrowed his brows as she openly defended her father, wait, hadn’t he been the one who had prevented them from being together in the first place? Why was she now openly defending him? Whatever his motives, he should never have treated his daughter in the way that he had.

Her question cut right through him. He could still see his Millie in there, the woman he had fallen for, as much as she tried to keep him out he could tell there was something there. “Because now I have found you again I don’t want to let you go.” He would never have thought it possible to see her again after their last meeting. Her father, he was sure, hated him, and he had not been welcomed at the estate anymore. He would have thought Romily would have been long married by now, perhaps even with a family. However, to find her so amiable once more just made him more determined to keep her attentions and not let them go. “If you must go now then I will not stop you, just promise me I can see you again before I leave.”

[Romily de Braose]

So her father had lied to her? Well that didn’t surprise her in the least! He’d told Romily that Frederick had left and had no intention of returning to her again, not that they’d had words and he’d been thrown out! She sighed slightly and looked to Frederick. “I did not know that – he told me that you had left and that was it. Of course he wouldn’t have gone into details”. Why had she even stuck up for her father before? Was there anything else that he had done to Frederick? Paid him to leave? Offered him a woman who would make a better wife? Come to think of it, was he even married? Romily most likely thought that he was yet spied no ring on his finger.

His words were like ice, they made her freeze inside. He didn’t want to let her go? Again? She was so confused that she did not know whether or not to believe him. For all she knew he could just up and leave Camelot without so much as a goodbye again.

She looked from her feet back up to him. He had always been much taller than her that she’d almost forgotten the little features. The ones that had made her fall too deep for him. “I cannot promise that, you know I can’t” she shook her head slowly, “I’ve spent these last years running from my past and now when I finally have the chance to move on, it comes back to haunt me.” She bit her lip slightly, “It’s not fair Freddie, not fair to me or you. We could both have lives that we’ve wanted.”

Romily had no idea what kind of life Freddie wanted, she knew what one she wanted – just – right now she was undecided as to what path to take anymore, and who to include in it. However she was sure that the thoughts that were collecting themselves in her mind included Freddie. And that scared her more than anything else.

[Frederick d'Amboise]

It didn’t surprise Freddie in the slightest that Romily’s father had lied to them both. If she was truthful in saying that he wanted to keep her hidden away then he would have done anything to make sure that she stayed with him and never left wouldn’t he? Freddie listened to her and nodded in understanding, anger pulsing through him at her father. How different this meeting could have been if the lies from her father had not tainted both their thoughts of each other. There was no use in dwelling on this, what had happened had happened, and they had to deal with that.

He had been hoping for a better reaction than that, surely she could promise him something? Anything? He would be here for a week, they couldn’t just avoid each other. He didn’t want to avoid her. Frederick never wanted to let Millie go again, he just wanted to make this all better somehow but he knew that somehow this would not be sorted in a week. Perhaps he could extend his stay somehow…

He sighed softly, looking down at the ground before looking back up at her; content with locking her gaze with his. She was still so beautiful, she was now a full grown woman and seemed to positively bloom with all the airs and graces that womanhood brought with it. He breathed out slowly, trying to keep his emotions under control. Jesu, she just made his head spin.“How can I have a life that I have always wanted Millie?” He asked now, taking one of her hands, “For you are not in it.”

[Romily de Braose]

Romily could sense that Freddie was angry at the revelation of her father lying to them both. She was angry herself, but she did not show it. That was the past – it had come and was now long gone, and there was nothing that they could do about it.

Freddie hadn’t changed personality wise. He was still as charming as she remembered him. Yes he looked a little older, but it had been some time since their paths last crossed. It could have been so different –perhaps they could even have married had her father not intervened. She could slowly feel the tears prickling her eyes. How dare her father! How bloody dare he! All this was because of him and his overprotectiveness to her!

She looked at Freddie, still somewhat hurt by all that had been said and uncovered. She felt him take her hand, her own that had felt a little cold before was now warmer. “Freddie…” she began, but did not know what to say about this. “I can’t…I cannot be in your life” she told him. “How can I be sure that you want me like you say you do?” she asked. “How can I be sure of anything that you are saying to me?”

She wanted him to kiss her so much again, just as he had done before her father had screamed murder at them both. In all honesty, she had missed his touch. It was only now she was starting to realise that perhaps she could not hate him as much as she had made out to?

“I could never be your wife Freddie, or anything to you” she shook her head sadly, “the way that I am now…I’m not the Romily that you met back at Wolfhall those years ago – I’ve changed for the worst and I would just be as much of a disappointment as I was back then.”