Brimsley and Reynolds

Chapter 16**

A/N: This chapter gets super steamy at the end, so proceed with caution. Also, I love listening to music while reading, so I came up with a playlist specifically for this story that you can listen to, I highly recommend!!!! Let me know what you think of it! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0PaJ6FhC2ePfoGPRCQiEkr?si=4315dd79748b4e7c

Brimsley was standing outside the entrance to Buckingham House. He spotted a tall blonde head of hair hurriedly walking towards him.

"What is going on?" Brimsley whispered. The King and Reynolds should be at parliament, giving the speech he had been working on for weeks.

Reynolds looked shaken, "The King couldn't get out of the carriage, he just laid there below the seats, frozen," he shook his head.

"What are we to do?" Brimsley asked, feeling panic beginning to settle at the prospect of what this could mean.

Silence.

Brimsley stopped in his tracks, looking around to make sure no eyes were on them. "Reynolds, what are we to do?"

They both followed behind The Queen, struggling to explain the events of the day. She didn't seem to be able to comprehend the fact that The King hadn't just magically been healed.

"What happened, did his speech not go well?" She questioned as they walked towards The King's quarters. Reynolds had told Brimsley he had barred himself in his room, refusing to let anyone inside.

"His Majesty did not deliver a speech. He never got out of the carriage," Reynolds replied steadily.

"What do you mean he never got out?" The Queen continued.

To the untrained ear, one would not notice the subtle shake in Reynolds' words. But Brimsley did.

"His Majesty could not get out of the carriage,"

The Queen still pushed, "Well what happened? What did you do, he seemed quite fine when he left here,"

Reynolds stopped in his tracks, raising his voice as he spoke. "HE WAS NOT FINE," he exclaimed loudly. Brimsley whipped his head around to face Reynolds, not believing he had heard him speak to The Queen that way. She stopped short of the door, looking at Reynolds, her face unreadable.

Immediately realizing his mistake, Reynolds' angry expression grew grave. "Forgive me Your Majesty, only he was not fine. He was not. That was merely hope," he said it softly, his face pained. Queen Charlotte cast her gaze from Reynolds to Brimsley. "Wait here," she said finally, and she stormed into The King's Room.

Brimsley and Reynolds stayed on opposite ends of the hall, facing each other. The footman standing outside the door made it impossible to speak freely, but Brimsley kept his eyes on Reynolds, studying his face. He gestured to the small closet a few doors down, and they began walking towards the door, taking care to stay out of sight of the footman.

"What?" Reynolds asked rashly once the door closed behind them.

He could feel his face scrunch up as he frowned. "What? What was that? Yelling at The Queen? You forget yourself Reynolds," he said firmly.

"I didn't mean to, it was just.... You saw him Brimsley, his hands shaking, his temper going up and down every day. She is his wife. Should she not know?"

Brimsley shook his head, "She was not informed she had to know how to determine if her husband is in his right mind or not Reynolds. You have had years to study his mind, the way it works, she has not, she is no more to blame than you are,"

He squeezed the bridge of his nose as he responded, his voice strained. "I know it's not her fault. I know. It's just easier if it is,"

Brimsley stepped forward, placing his hand in the crook of Reynolds' neck. He leaned into the soft hand, his eyes closed. "We just have to get through this Reynolds, together," he said gently. Reynolds nodded, and they made their way back to the hall.

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