She and Helios had taken the decision a couple of months ago for Amy to come off the contraceptive pill, both of them figuring that it would take a good few months for the hormones to get out of her system. The hope had been that she would conceive after their coronation.
Whoops.
A month after taking her last pill Amy’s breasts had suddenly grown in size. Their baby—the new heir to the throne—was due in six months, something they had decided not to make public until after their coronation. Naturally half the palace knew about it.
Greta had been given Corinna’s job at the museum and was thoroughly enjoying bossing Amy about. Amy had gone back to curating King Astraeus’s exhibition and then, when the exhibition had closed, she’d taken on the role of museum tour guide. It was a job she would be able to fit around the royal duties she would have to take on when she was crowned Queen.
Helios still thought it appropriate to give bloodthirsty Agon history lessons to children in the dungeons.
In all, everything had worked out perfectly, as if the stars had aligned for them.
Jo stepped forward to adjust Amy’s veil, having to stretch to accommodate her own swollen stomach, which was fast resembling a beach ball, and then it was time.
When her arm was held tightly in her father’s, the doors of the cathedral were thrown open, the music started and Amy took the first step towards the rest of her life.
The congregation rose as one, every head turning to stare. The first face she saw was that of Princess Catalina, who, as gracious as ever, smiled at Amy with both her lips and her eyes. When the press had bombarded her with questions about Helios and Amy’s marriage her statement of support for them had been heartfelt and touching.
Surely somewhere in this packed cathedral stood a prince in need of a beautiful, elegant princess to make his own?
In the back row was the woman who had made all this happen—Neysa Soukis, there with her husband, and their son, Leander. It was amazing how the thought of being Queen Mother had spurred Neysa to recognise Amy as her child with enthusiasm and thus proclaim her a child of Agon blood. No doubt Neysa had imagined this moment many times, had thought she would be sitting in the front row of the congregation.
Alas, Neysa had soon learned that the only place she had in Amy’s life was as a name on a piece of paper. Elaine—her mum, the woman who had raised and loved her—would be the officially recognised Queen Mother.
And, thinking of her mum, there she stood in the front row, beautiful in a pea-green skirt suit and an enormous hat, beaming with pride. Next to her stood Amy’s real brothers, Neil and Danny, with identical grins on their faces. Both of them had been fit to burst with pride when Helios had appointed them as his ushers. Their wives had a dazed, ‘someone pinch me to prove this is really happening’ look about them.
And best of all, standing at the front, beside the altar, his brothers by his side, stood Helios; her lover and her best friend all rolled into one.
The three Princes were dressed in their military uniforms: the Kalliakis livery complete with sashes. They all looked magnificent, like three benevolent giants.
Helios might not be able to see her face through her veil, but she could see his, and see the full beard he’d grown especially for her. The expression in his eyes made every step she took closer to him feel as if she were bouncing on the moon.
When she reached him Helios took her hand, and together they knelt at the altar to pledge their lives, fidelity and love to each other for ever.
They were pledges neither of them would ever break.