It wasn't until Princess Unity's departure was announced that she let Prince Auden catch her. They had a wild and romantic night underneath the bioluminescent lake, crystal ceilings keeping the crushing pressure of water at bay.
It was three months before Princess Unity returned. Prince Auden convinced his parents to let him meet her privately. His father readily agreed, but Queen Lapis was reluctant. She stood on tradition, pomp, and circumstance. In the end, Prince Auden promised to be on his best behavior, and she agreed. Princess Unity would wait for him in the castle gardens, and he wouldn't make her wait. At least, he wouldn't have, if his father hadn't told him the wrong meeting time.
Princess Unity sat in a quiet alcove in the gardens. She wore a beautiful green dupatta over her shirt and skirt, symbolizing new beginnings. Her sweet perfume put the surrounding jasmine flowers to shame. As she sang to herself, bored waiting to see her betrothed again, a salamander skittered out from under a water feature and hid under her stone bench.
"Oh, hello sweet thing," she smiled. She placed her hand on the ground, and it crawled towards her, curious. It booped its nose on her fingertips, and she gently scooped it up.
"Yes, hello, sweet thing," a sinister voice spoke. Princess Unity jumped up, startled and defensive towards the dwarrow that snuck up on her.
"No need to be frightened," said the Queen's Consort, though he didn't smile or look at all reassuring. "I've only come to share my good wishes before my son arrives." He sat down beside her. Princess Unity stayed where she was, regarding him warily.
"Thank you. Prince Auden and I appreciate it, I'm sure," she said.
"Please, sit," he bade her. "It will be some time before Prince Auden arrives. We can talk in the meantime."
"Prince Auden should be here any minute," she said, confused, but stubborn. She made a show of glancing at her diamond-studded wristwatch. "It is nearly midday."
"Yes, well, he was caught up with something," he frowned, growing impatient. He gestured next to him with vigor. Not seeing the harm, Princess Unity sat down at the end of the bench. She hoped His Majesty Tramire didn't behave so ominously all the time. She hadn't had the chance to spend much time with him beyond a couple introductions. Annoyed, Tramire scooted closer to her, their things touching. "I don't bite," he joked.
He pointed towards the water feature. Won't your friend be happier in there? There's a cozy nesting spot there. Do you see it?"
Interested, Princess Unity peered at it, turning her head this way and that.
"Here, get closer," Tramire urged. He placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her off the bench and leaning over the fountain.
"I don't see it," she ground, frustrated. Tramire didn't answer.
"Your Majesty?" she looked over her shoulder, but couldn't see much before a hand on her head plunged her face into the water. Automatically, she grabbed the edge of the fountain, dropping the salamander in her panic. Bubbles raced up her cheeks, her eyes, her ears, caressing her. The small amount of water that entered her mouth before she could close it tasted disgusting. She had no air stored in her cheeks. She tried to straighten her back and pull herself out of the water, but Tramire held strong. She kicked out wildly, hoping to get him where it hurts. No such luck.
"Guh!" her lips burst open, releasing nearly no bubbles and letting the water in. She believed she was going to die. Suddenly, his hands disappeared.
"Argh! Stupid thing bit me!" He roared. Princess Unity stood up, gasping for breath, and swayed on shaky legs. Tramire was cradling one hand in the other. Seizing her opportunity lest it go to waste, she ran for the castle. Dizziness soon overwhelmed her, and she knew she wouldn't make it. A likely Bush caught her eye, and she threw herself under it. For several long minutes, she attempted to stay still and control her breathing. When she determined that she was probably safe, she crawled out from under the bush and picked herself up.
The garden was quiet, the small animals gone into hiding. Across a small courtyard, a mammoth door hung open, a lever pulled and a gear turned on the inside. If she ran straight in, then she could run into more trouble. Still, she couldn't stay in the garden for trouble to find her. Prince Auden was the only person she trusted in the kingdom of Weich. She set off in search for him, sticking to the shadows. Strangely, the servants she passed did not seem to be in a hurry or frantic and searching at all. They continued their business like normal. This gave her hope for her entourage. Maybe the peace between their kingdoms wasn't broken after all.
Princess Unity found Prince Auden in the throne room, speaking to his mother. Tramire was there, too, shouting. "She's a witch! A witch and a harlot!"
"No!" Princess Unity threw herself upon the floor, soaking wet, pleading for Queen Lapis to see reason.
"She threw herself upon me, but I resisted her charms." Tramire blazed on. "I had to push her into the fountain to cool her head."
"He lies! He tried to murder me!" She cried.
"SILENCE!" Shouted Queen Lapis, her low voice echoing throughout the hall.
"My husband has my confidence above all others," she continued. "Send the princess back to her kingdom. It appears Rau is not prepared for peace."
"You cannot!" Princess Unity clambered to her feet. She said the only thing she could think to say. "I am with child. It is Prince Auden's."
All three looked to Princess Unity in pure shock. Prince Auden, who had been silent until this moment, spoke. "It is true. We have met, and Princess Unity bears my child."
A long moment passed in tense silence. Princess Unity feared another war. Tramire prayed for another war. Prince Auden shifted his weight from one foot to another. Queen Lapis looked over her throne room, resplendent in marble and granite. Finally, she spoke.
"We shall wait for the child to be born, in Rau. If the child is Auden's, then the marriage may proceed. If not, then a new peace treaty must be forged, though I fear for its success…"
At once, Princess Unity curtseyed, low and repeatedly. She shared her thanks and assurances that the child was Prince Auden. Prince Auden himself tried to reason with his mother, but she ignored him in favor of turning to Tramire.
"As for you," she said. "I will have to confine you to your chambers for the time being."
"For six months?!" Balked Tramire.
"It is but a moment of discomfort should Princess Unity's story prove true." She reprimanded. "Though you are always welcome to spend it in the dungeons." Tramire was quick to agree then.
Princess Unity was sent home quickly, where her parents put her on bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. It wasn't strictly necessary, and drove her quite mad, but they feared the public's reaction to an unwed, pregnant princess. As the time of birth drew near, Princess Unity's concern grew. She truly was pregnant with Prince Auden's child, but how could she prove her child's parentage? She sent Prince Auden a letter asking for his help. Together, they came up with a plan.
The night of Prince Silverfoot''s birth was tense. The fate of two kingdoms hung in the balance. That didn't stop Princess Unity from rejoicing when her baby boy was born healthy and beautiful. It didn't stop Prince Auden from rejoicing, either, when the midwife finally let him in to see them. Regrettably, Queen Lapis and Tramire were let in at the same time, giving them no reprieve, or time to enact their plan.
"He has my eyes," declared Auden.
"So does your father," Queen Lapis said, wryly. Everyone scowled at her, even the midwife.
"That's enough of that," Princess Unity's mother, Queen Anika, who had been there the entire time with her husband, King Padamprem, gritted her teeth. "We allowed you to be here as a courtesy. If you intend to cause trouble, then you may leave."
"I do not intend to cause trouble," Queen Lapis replied, testily. "I merely wish to ascertain the boy's parentage and clear your daughter's name."
Princess Unity spoke up before the situation could devolve further. "Prince Auden and I have discussed it, and we believe we can prove Prince Auden is the father." They all fell silent. Her mother gestured for her to continue. She turned to the midwife.
"Take his blood," she bade her. "If the bleeding does not stop after ten minutes, then we will know that he has the royal disease." The midwife was reluctant to do so, since the punishment for injuring a royal was death. After a few minutes of arguing, it was determined that Prince Auden would do the deed.
(Author's note: this is not quite how hemophilia works. The mother has to have it for the son to have it. Otherwise, the daughter can be a carrier. Also, it's eight minutes, not ten. I was going to go with bipaldism, but that would be less dramatic.)
The midwife handed Prince Auden a tiny pin to prick Silverfoot's finger with. He leaned, obscuring Silverfoot from sight. He grabbed his tiny fingers, but didn't dare harm him. Instead, he pricked his own finger, and smeared his blood on his son's hand. Once done, he presented Silverfoot's hand and they all waited in silence. Every few minutes, he pretended to check the finger, but really smeared fresh blood on it. After ten minutes, all were forced to realize the truth; Prince Auden was Silverfoot's father.