Arranged Marriage

Part 12

A poignant whimper in the hallway has engaged the attention of countess Agnes and lord Joscelin, now returning from the acrimonious but victorious session. Both of them at once halt in their tracks at the sight of the despairing queen with moist eyes, pertinaciously pounding on the door. The moment lady (Y/N) beholds her mother-in-law, she turns around to proclaim plaintively: ''The king has collapsed! Oh, what shall we do?!'' Yet Courtenay siblings don't seem to be much affected by her heartsickness as they remain imperturbable. ''Didn't you hear me? I said the king has collapsed!''

''Brother, take the queen to her chambers.'' - requests levelly lady Agnes.

''Do not worry, my queen. We have the best physicians in the entire kingdom. I'm confident the king will recover very soon.'' - solaces her lord Joscelin as he escorts the queen back to royal chambers, leaving his older sister behind.

Watching them wandering off, the countess domineeringly commands the guards: ''Open the door!''

Then in the doorway haltingly inclines his head one of physicians to first glance about before he finally speaks up: ''Countess Agnes, thank goodness you've come! The queen wasn't willing to leave the king's side not even for a single moment. Nay! Thereunto she was ready to join hands with us to treat his majesty, would contess believe it? But thank God she was near the king when it happened, otherwise your son wouldn't be getting better now.''

''Is that so...'' - mutters ruminatively lady Agnes and stares blankly at the courtyard across which runs the chief lady-in-waiting toward the queen.

''M'lady! M'lady!'' - calls in a faltering voice Elvira, who barely gulps back sobs. ''Tiberias, he...''

''What about Tiberias?!'' - asks perturbed lady (Y/N), grasping her trembling courtier's arms.

''He's been banished from Jerusalem!''

Though being staggered by those dreadful news, it hasn't enervated the queen's spirit but has awakened her pugnacity instead. Despite the seneschal's deprecation, both ladies immediately head out to find the count of Tripoli, who is by this time already preparing his horse for the journey at the main gate of the castle. The exalted knight, once a regent of the King, is being forced to decamp from Jerusalem, thereby desolating the still inexperienced queen. His distant kinsmen, last stalwarts, are now taciturnly watching from aside the triumph of their opponents, who don't spare neither Tiberias nor his men from ignoble jibes. Still not all nobles have turned their back on him during this rough moment.

''You didn't tell me you're coming back with me to France.'' - jets grinning count Philip of Flanders approaching on horseback his friend.

''Humph! In your dreams.'' - snarls splenetic Tiberias and precipitately walks away to elude his incongruous jocosity.

Even so lord Philip doesn't defer as he adds more staidly: ''For you and your family I'd arrange a fine minor with fecund lands, including a glamorous position in the royal court. My friend, you'd have a much more peaceful life there than in this kingdom about to fall!''

''This kingdom is my home as well as the County of Tripoli. And I'll be defending it till the last breath.''

''...Do as you wish. May not unavailingly.''

Just as the affronted count takes his leave, the flurried queen arrives along with lady Elvira. ''Uncle Tiberias! Please wait!''

''...Queen (Y/N)...''

''I'll ask my husband to revoke the verdict, he'll listen to my plea-''

''There's no need.'' - interrupts her with a fond smile Tiberias. ''It's truly a pity to leave especially at the time of your wedding celebration but since you're queen, my heart is at ease. Be brave and strong, but try not to get yourself involved too much in politics. Your mother would rip all my hair out if you were enmeshed in domestic wars.''

''This I cannot guarantee. However, I will do whatever it takes to protect the kingdom. You have my word.''

''Then I leave Jerusalem in your care.'' With that said he bids his teary goddaughter farewell with a peck on top of her hand. After mounting his horse, Tiberias for one more time glimpses shrewdly at the queen and sets off to his north lands, the County of Tripoli.

''My queen.'' - calls diffidently the seneschal approaching at a slow pace lady (Y/N), who shifts her focus away from the atypical behavior of weeping Elvira running after Tiberias through the fields. ''The king has woken up and wants to see you forthwith.''

With her intertwined hands placed upon her chest the queen sighs in relief. ''Thank heavens!''

''Hear it all first, my queen. The king requires you instead of the royal physicians to attend to his wounds. Alone.'' In response lady (Y/N) frowns in puzzlement, pondering what's the ulterior significance of that unwonted request. Without a word she follows lord Joscelin to the bathhouse in front of which is awaiting them a little gathering. One of the maids cues her to beforehand enter a cramped chamber where with their assistance the queen will be primed for the peculiar task.

All ravishing garments as well as glistening gold jewelry are displaced with just an austere flaxen robe. ''My queen, aren't you taking a veil to cover your face?'' Surprisingly, lady (Y/N) suavely declines their endeavors to hermetically array her entire body as if she was about to face a sandstorm and not just a leper. ''But your highness might contract leprosy!''

''I'm not afraid.'' - replies with a beam the queen before faring forth to meet with king Baldwin.

''She doesn't fear the devil, does she?'' The baffled maid shakes her head in disbelief and retreats to her previous chores.

''My king.'' Lady (Y/N) performs a deep curtsy soon after she sets her foot in the pillared hall in the midst of which stands back to her the king.

''Come forward.'' - orders Baldwin in a kind of strained tone, slipping down his cloak to reveal his bare back with thin but wrinkled cuts, and takes a seat on a chaise lounge. His wife walks in barefoot and charily kneels behind him to pensively brush with her fingers his unhealed wounds. A bit restive, he discreetly peeks over his shoulder to spot lady (Y/N) dolorously gazing at him. Irked by that look full of rue, Baldwin abruptly raises to his feet and knocks a tiny bowl with pieces of gauze out of her hold. A loud clang of brazen utensils breaks the utter silence, followed by the king's snuffling. ''Why?! Why did you agree to marry me?!'' The queen cautiously raises her head at her husband clenching his jaw in exasperation. ''You could marry any nobleman but you chose a frail king who won't even see thirty!'' In wrath he rips off all bandages from his head and leans down almost closing the gap between them to let her see better his uncovered visage so feared by the many. ''Look closely! I am a leper!!'' Half of his face, marked with rubicund spots and few tiny ulcers, is mostly affected by the illness, the nose is in the initial stage of disfigurement just like the mouth with its right corner folded up. Nevertheless, the king doesn't appear to be so odious as the queen has been told. ''Are you still willing to be with me?!''

To his surprise lady (Y/N) doesn't even wince, only tenderly strokes his features. ''My dear Baldwin, my dearest one. Oh, why it had to happen to you?'' All of a sudden, the queen wraps her arms around his torso and bursts into tears.

Bewildered Baldwin falls to his knees along with lady (Y/N). ''...Why aren't you running away from me? You shall loathe me just like others.''

''Because I am your queen. I pledged to stay by your side for eternity and that's what I'll do.''

A single tear rolls down his cheek for the first time in years. Her solicitous voice and soothing embrace is what he has needed so much. With hesitation he finally enfolds his wife and nestles his chin in the nook of her neck. ''Lady (Y/N)?''

''Yes?''

''Thank you for showing up in my life.''

''Don't thank me. Just let me love you. That's all I ask for, my dear.''