The reopening of the royal court in Carantania had been a lavish affair, made all the more festive by the very select groups of nobles who had been invited to make up the new court. With the attempted coup dealt with and the royal cousin safely ensconced in an abbey several countries away, there was little to worry King George and his queen. Indeed, there was much to celebrate, including the arrival of their first child, Charlotte, born on the stormiest day of autumn just five months ago.

To say that a light had been lit in the hearts of the royal family on that day was to underestimate the sheer joy of having a small bundle of smiles at the center of the palace. The royal council had been forced to get used to the king presiding over them with his daughter in his arms or on his knee, just as he did so today. Charlotte was utterly engrossed in trying to pull the gold braid from his coat as the important men at the table discussed trade agreements.

It was a strange feeling to know peace had come to Carantania, not only for the country but for the royal family who called it home. For the man who was king, he had not only found peace but contentment. Though there was still a country to run, he was not only a king, but a husband and father. He was a good ruler, but he took far greater joy in his place as a father than as a king. Even now, while his council was discussing some trade agreement or other, he was obviously distracted by his daughter's presence, smiling as she toyed with the braid on his coat.

Thankfully, he had Franz as his chancellor to keep the conversation going and, indeed, mediate the entire council meeting. Frederick only really required to approve or disapprove of any decisions made, and today's meeting ended with no decisions finalized. Bowing to their king, and smiling at the raucous giggles coming from their princess, the men left the council chamber.

Franz chuckled as he looked over at his friend. "At some point, she's going to be too much of a handful to bring her into these sessions, you know."

"Yes, I know," the king, who was known simply as Freddie to those closest to him, admitted with a sigh. "I have waited a very long time for children, Franz. I do not think they can deny me the small privilege of bringing my daughter with me just yet." He was the king, after all, though he knew he was going to have no choice but to leave his young daughter with her mother before much longer.

Franz chuckled. "Oh, I do not doubt that the council is enjoying her presence as much as you are," he assured his king. "But she is going to be into everything sooner or later. That does not mean you need be away from her all the time; just the times when you need to be king."

"Hopefully, later rather than sooner," Freddie remarked with a smirk. He knew as well as his chancellor that little ones didn't stay little for long, which was exactly why he was trying to enjoy this moment in her life as long as he could. "Is there anything else, or would you care to escort us to our quarters?"

"Nothing that will not keep until tomorrow," Franz assured him, tucking the papers away and handing them to his secretary. Then he turned, gently tickling the little princess' cheek just to hear her giggle. "I know I have said it many times, but she is beautiful, Frederick."

"As lovely as her mother," Freddie agreed, a fond smile on his face. "Shall we go see your mother, little love?" he asked, scooping his daughter up into his arms as he moved to his feet. "She is likely to be missing us."

Little hands clinging to the braid and buttons on his coat, little Charlotte giggled again, always happy just to be near her father, even if she didn't understand everything going on around her.

As the two men stepped out of the council chamber and into the private halls of the palace, Franz smiled faintly. "I understand Rolly has been talking the queen through the planned festival for Midsummer," he said. "I have heard tell of masks and bonfires."

"I do not doubt that Rolly is the perfect person to plan a festival," Freddie remarked. Not only did the task fit his sister's effervescent personality, but she was likely to ensure it was a joyful celebration for everyone, including the common folk.

"She certainly does take after your mother in that respect," Franz agreed. "And your queen has not danced with your people since your wedding day. I would not be surprised if she insists upon repeating that when this festival comes around."

"She is a brave woman to risk me stepping on her toes again," Freddie said, with another smirk. He had first met Serafina at a ball, which his chancellor had arranged so that he could meet his future queen. She had not seemed to mind that he was so much older than her then, nor did she now. It was a strange feeling for Freddie to be so happy after so many years of sorrow, and he intended to enjoy it as long as he could.

"I do not believe for a moment that you have ever stepped on her toes," Franz said with a chuckle. "I have had no reports of ruined slippers from the queen's bedchambers, after all, and the maids know everything."

"Everything, you say?" Freddie asked, arching both brows upwards. There were some things that should be kept private between a man and a woman, even if they were royals.

Franz laughed. "Not every woman who serves in the palace is a virgin, Frederick," he pointed out. "Your own nursemaid when you were a child knew an awful lot about creating babies, and your charming princess there is proof that you learned a great deal about it."

"Yes, well ....It is not my first marriage, Franz," Freddie reminded his friend, though that first marriage had not only been loveless, but childless. Thankfully, that was not the case between himself and his beloved Serafina. He supposed the maids would know what went on in the bedroom from the state of their bedclothes, but he trusted they did not possess waggling tongues.

"In spirit, I think this is your first marriage," the chancellor commented, slowing his step as they reached the door to the royal chambers. Serafina held court in the mornings when Frederick was busy, slowly taking on more of her duties as queen as she grew in confidence. She would, no doubt, join him soon.

"Would you care to join us?" the king asked upon arriving at the royal chambers. "What do you think, Lottie" Would you like Uncle Franz to come play for a while?" he asked, turning his attention to the little one in his arms.

"Ah, if only I could," Franz said in amusement. "There is a great deal I must still do before I can tear myself away for simple pleasure." He caught the little princess' hand, kissing it just to hear her laugh, and straightened, nodding to his king. "You will enjoy her company far more without me, I am sure."

"Ah, yes, but will she enjoy my company without her Uncle Franz?" Freddie countered, but that smile was still in place on his face. The fact was that he was smiling a lot more these days than he ever had before and for good reason.

"We are still deciding that," Sera told him, one hand unlacing the front of her bodice so that the princess could have her own lunch. She had insisted on feeding Charlotte herself, despite some strenuous objections. "What would you least object to wearing, I wonder?"

"I would most object to wearing a dress," he replied, answering her question the opposite way she'd asked it. That, too, probably went without saying. For them, it wasn't so much about disguising themselves, though there was a temptation to do so.

She laughed, shaking her head at his silly response as Lottie settled down against her. "That is not what I asked, Freddie," she pointed out, swallowing against a suddenly dry mouth. "Goodness ....why is it that, as soon as she starts to feed, I am suddenly dreadfully thirsty?"

He started to lower himself into a chair, still close enough to reach out and touch her when he turned instead to fetch her something to drink. "What would you prefer?" he asked, unsurprised by her sudden desire for a drink.

"At this precise moment, water would do," she admitted. "I am sorry - I always forget to fetch a glass before we sit down to do this." She glanced fondly down at Lottie, who was apparently enjoying her meal very much indeed.

"My darling, I think I am more than capable of fetching you a glass of water," Freddie insisted as he went about pouring her a glass before returning to her side to claim that chair and hand her the glass. He frowned a little as he watched their daughter suckle at her mother's breast. "I am almost jealous ....Not of ..." He waved a hand to indicate her feeding their daughter. "She seems so content when she is with you." That was what he envied, but he was not a woman and not made for such things.

"She loves being with her papa," Sera reminded him, setting the glass aside after taking a slow swallow. "You were the first person she gave her smile to, and I feel sure you will be her first word, as well. This is just ....I am merely a walking kitchen when it comes to this." She laughed at her own description.

"I think there is more to it, my love," Freddie insisted gently. "You are her mother, after all," he said, but it wasn't just about keeping their child fed. "And she is a girl. It is you she will go to with questions and problems. It is you who will teach her to be a princess."

"It is you who will teach her to ride and hunt, who will teach her to rule," Sera countered in amusement. "We are her parents, Freddie. We will teach her everything she needs to know. She will not have a deeper connection to one or the other of us."

He frowned thoughtfully. "I have been thinking ..." he said, the look on his face proving that fact. "What if we don't have a son' Why can't we teach our daughter to be queen?"

Rocking gently as she nursed their daughter, Sera considered this with a soft look on her face. "I should like that," she admitted. "To follow the Edessan rule, rather than the Pomeran one, that the eldest child gains the throne whether they are male or female."

"Yes, but the council may not agree. Change does not come easy to some," he pointed out, in that gravelly voice of his. He reached over to gently brush a finger against their daughter's hair. "I never thought I'd be so lucky as to have a wife who loved me, much less a daughter," he mused quietly.

"You deserve to be loved, Freddie," she murmured, smiling as Lottie raised a little hand to capture her father's finger in her grasp. "And the council can be brought around, in time. If we educate all our children the same way, then perhaps Lottie will grow up to be as enticing a prospect as any brother she might have."

Freddie smiled, both at the knowledge that his believed him deserving of love and at the grasp of their daughter's hand. "If she is anything like her mother, she would make a fine queen," he said quietly as he lifted his head to meet her gaze.

"Under her father's guidance, she will," Sera countered sweetly. "I would like to give her siblings, but if she is the only child we have, then I will be very content."

He knew he wasn't getting any younger, but he had a young wife who was still capable of having more children, if they were so blessed. And if they weren't' Well, at least they had Lottie. He smiled again as he leaned closer. "I am content, Sera," he told her before touching a kiss to her lips.

She giggled against his lips. "I'm very pleased to hear you say that, my darling," she responded affectionately. "May I make a request of my king" It is the last piece of official business before lunch, I promise."

"Of your king or your husband?" Freddie asked, a single brow lifted in curiosity. He remained where he was, leaning close enough to touch her face and meet her gaze with ease. There was nothing he liked better than the few quiet moments he was able to spend with those he loved the most.

"Of my king," she confirmed, unable to keep herself from tilting her cheek into his hand. "But just one thing. I was wondering if I might invite the restored king of Coimbra to send a representative to our festival?"

He smiled warmly, gray-green eyes glinting in momentary amusement before he turned serious to regard her question. "Tralin?" he asked, brows arching upwards again. "Hmm, that may not be a bad idea," he murmured. It would be like extending the hand of friendship and welcome to the newly-restored king.

"It will take time for Coimbra to regain the trust of her allies," Sera said quietly. "If we can help, in any way, I should very much like to."

"In that case, perhaps we should invite a representative from all our allied nations," he remarked. "We could use the festival as a means to celebrate the defeat of the heretics and gain the restored monarchy's friendship."

"Oh, what a lovely idea!" Sera beamed at him, delighted he had improved on her initial thought. "We should send those invitations very soon, then. Some of the allied lands are quite some distance away, and they will need time to travel."

"I will speak to Franz. We will have to seek the approval of the council, of course, but I see no reason they would protest." It would not only be good for Carantania, but for all of their allies, as well.

She smiled faintly. "At this moment in time, the council would do anything you asked of them, if only to prove their loyalty and keep themselves from being banished from court," she said in amusement. The fallout from their shake up of the court dynamics had been quite a lot of fun to watch, in the end.

"That is true. The real question is what Pomerania might think of the idea," he pointed out. What he really wondered was what the High King would think of their idea to host a festival that might bring representatives of all their allied nations together at one time. Would he think it was some sort of bid for power"

"Then we invite the High King himself to join us," Sera suggested. "Many of the vassal states have encountered difficulties in the past few years and risen above them in victory. Surely a celebration of such triumph is worth his time?"

"I agree, but it could be dangerous, Sera," the king pointed out. After all, if so many important royals were in one place at one time, it might invite trouble from their enemies. He was not so naive as to think they were not without enemies, even now that they were at peace.

"That was why I initially suggested representatives, rather than the royals themselves," she said quietly. "I will not send the invitations without your agreement and approval, Freddie. I know there is an awful lot at stake."

He nodded his head in appreciation and understanding. "Let me speak with Franz first," he said, wanting his chancellor's approval and input before he approached the council. Though he was the king, he depended firstly and formostly on Franz to advise him.

"Of course." She nodded, happy to let the decision be made by those who were better placed to know exactly how the world was turning at this precise point in time. "Would you like to burp your daughter?"

"It is a fine idea, Sera," he said, of the festival. "More than fine, but I should speak with Franz before the decision is made." Otherwise, the man might be put out that they had decided without him. He smiled at her offer. "So long as she does not decide to soil the king's clothes," he teased.

"Perhaps his royal majesty should lay the cloth over his royal shoulder this time?" she answered, just as teasing. Lottie burbled as she was sat up, hands already reaching for her papa.

"Perhaps his royal wife could give his royal majesty said royal cloth," he teased in return as he reached to take Lottie into his arms. The adoration he held for them both was obvious in the warmth of his eyes and the smile on his face.

Handing over the five month old princess, Sera paused for just a moment to tuck herself back into her bodice before draping the necessary protection over her husband's shoulder. "Must we really attend this tedious guild masters' banquet this evening?"

Other men might have ogled their wife's state of undress, but Freddie was too polite for such things. He had always made it a point to treat Sera with love and respect, before and after they'd been married. She was young, after all, and he didn't want to embarrass her, even if the sight was a pleasant one. He frowned as he settled the little princess against his shoulder and gently rubbed her back. "I'm afraid so, love, but we need not stay long."

His smile warmed, his eyes soft with affection for this gentle creature who had so unexpectedly come into his life. "As I love you," he whispered back, drawing her once again into his arms for another soft kiss.

As she turned into his arms, their kisses deepening, the soft sound of the door opening was compounded by a quiet, "Oh!" Drawing back, Sera looked in that direction, fighting down the desire to laugh at the sight of Agnes, dropped into a low curtsy, and bright red at having caught the king and queen in a loving moment.

Freddie couldn't help but smirk at the nurse's unexpected arrival, amused by her reaction to their intimate moment. "Is there something you need, Agnes?" he asked, refusing to let Sera go despite the interruption. He was the king, after all, and they were a properly married couple.

"I'm very sorry, your majesties, I ....I did not know you were still in the nursery," Agnes apologized, clearly mortified to have walked in on them. "Do excuse me." She began to back out through the door.

"It's all right, Agnes. We were just tucking Lottie in for a nap," Freddie interrupted, turning and tucking Sera's hand into the crook of his arm. "She's had a busy morning."

"Yes, your majesty." Agnes bobbed another curtsy out of sheer nerves. "Will the princess be joining you for the afternoon court?" Sera smiled, glancing up at Freddie. "I believe the children will be there," she said softly.

Freddie tilted his head toward Sera before nodding in acknowledgment. "I believe so, Agnes. Would you be so kind as to wake her and get her ready when it is time?" he asked the child's nurse.

"Of course, your majesty." With another curtsy, Agnes made her escape, no doubt intending to return to keep watch over the princess once she was certain the king and queen had definitely left the nursery. Sera giggled softly. "At some point, she is going to have to start looking us in the eye when she speaks."

"I suppose it's strange to see us being affectionate with each other," Freddie pointed out, though it shouldn't be such a surprise anymore. "Elena and I were not so very fond of each other," he said, the hint of a frown on his face, though that was old grief.

"It does seem that very few of the nobility are affectionate with one another," she mused, leading the way out of the nursery back into the main chambers of their apartments. "Even Esme and Leo are very reserved when they are in public spaces."

"It is good for the people to see that their king and queen are not afraid to show their affection for each other," he remarked. And it was good for the court to see them that way, too. "That we love each other," he added, a little more quietly.

"It is," she agreed. "And it keeps them from attempting to part us with sour words." She still had not forgiven the marquise who had attempted just that a year before, and had taken great relish in informing the woman she was no longer welcome at court.

"That is something at which they will always fail," he assured her, as he turned to face her once again, now that they had left the nursery. Just as his cousin Alfred had failed in his underhanded plans to claim the crown for himself.

"Always." She smiled up at him, curling her arms about his waist fondly. "Now then, my lord, what shall we do with ourselves until the afternoon court is in session?"

"I can think of a few things," he said, the smirk on his face evidence that his thoughts were bawdy ones, though simply spending a little time alone with her was enough.

She laughed, a soft flush painting her cheeks rose. "Perhaps it is time to further my education in how to please my lord and husband," she suggested impishly.

"Or ..." he said, taking her hands in his and stepping backwards to draw her toward the bedroom. "Perhaps it is time for your lord and husband to please his wife," he suggested.

"That does sound enthralling, my darling," Sera agreed, following with his gentle guidance in a quiet swish of skirts.

Never let it be said that the King of Carantania was not blessed with a most loving wife. Or that the king did not adore his queen in every way. It seemed Carantania, at least, had at last found stability, peace, and prosperity for her people, and her king and queen had found happiness. After a year of upheaval across Meringia, perhaps peace truly was in store for them all.