Gabriel walked up the steps arm and arm with this strange woman. The younger woman trailed a short distance behind them. He started introductions with his mother and ended with his children. And as an after thought he introduced Grace.
"Oh. And this is the mother of my children."
The woman's name was Ester and the lady behind her was her sister, Vanessa. Ester smirked at Grace when she was introduced and when she bent down to speak to the children they backed away. As Grace was about to reprimand them she paused and frowned when she saw the sneer on Ester's face.
Grace nodded to her mother in law and allowed her to take over and she led them all to the dining room. The staff looked to Grace for guidance.
"Everyone back to work." She turned and led her children to their chambers thinking that he had introduced them properly and they probably should go to the dining room.
But when she tried to have a maid take them they all behaved very badly. All she could say was "But he is your father."
Late into the night their was a soft knock and the chambermaid's soft voice. "My Lady? The king is here to see you." She wanted to say to never call her My Lady again. She was only 'the mother of his children'..
Instead she said "come in".
The children were all in bed with her. The chambermaid and the children's nanny came and removed the children from her bed and placed them in their own as Gabriel slowly undressed. He looked around the room and saw the paintings a few beautiful sculptures a practice piano and a baby grand and violin. He frowned a bit as he entered her bed. She watched him curiously the entire time.
"Are you not sleeping with Ester?"
"Of course not. Do you know how much I have dreamed about being inside of you?"
"Me. Little ole boring me?" She actually pointed to herself. He smiled as he kissed her hand and her forehead.
"I am going to have to divorce you Grace. You can keep the children and I will give them the Southeastern lands and castle so you can live there with them for as long as you like or as long as they will allow you to."
He kissed her softly on the lips. "I have truly missed you. Ester is fun but she can nor hold a candle to you in bed."
"I do not want to have sex with you if you are putting me out and taking all that belongs to me."
He scoffed. "You can not deny me I am king."
"So you will continue even though I have said no."
He paused and pursed his lips. "Why are you making this difficult?"
"Why did you return home with a woman and proceed to disrespect me?"
"I am sorry but you never loved me."
"Did you never think that I may be able to grow to love you?
"You didn't meet your children but all these paintings and sculptures were done by our eldest, Sabrina is a singer and actress and Devon is a musician. Because of you I had them taught then trained when they showed interest then aptitude. I wanted them to meet you and you to be proud of them and their creativity.
"I wanted you to see that you and I are the best of two worlds and that those two worlds can coexist in a beautiful harmony. I had hoped you would see the beauty that was you and I. I never dreamed that there was no longer a you and I."
She cleared her throat and looked sincerely into his eyes.
"I truly apologize for not being the best wife to you that I could have been. I never believed in love, but I had always hoped we would have grown closer and fond of each other. But in the end, that last night with you taught, me things I never thought I could ever learn."
He could not speak as he listened and looked at what he had long ago determined to be beautiful before he ever knew who created or owned any of it. He had been out "protecting beauty" when there was beauty that was an extension of him here needing protecting and nurturing. He felt like a fool.
When he met Ester he understood what she was but she was still what he needed. Even as his heart pined for Grace he felt he could never have her and here he had her the entire time.
And now what? Now he brought another woman into her home and essentially declared her the replacement. He truly ruined things. But he was king and kings did not back down. What was done, was done. He would try to make things right for his first wife and their children but he had already made such a spectacle, and in front of all the servants that he could not change things now.
She watched him as he processed everything. She was hoping he would change his mind and correct this, not an error, but a miscalculation, or slip. They could still be happy together couldn't they? Was it so difficult to say "I'm sorry. Can we begin again?"
"I will sleep beside you tonight. I will not force myself on you but tomorrow I expect you to be receptive."
She felt deflated. Perhaps apologies were difficult things for this man. She laid beside him and allowed him to wrap his arms around her and pull her in close. Her heart sped up. She had missed him more than he could have ever understood. She had truly fallen in love.
She drifted off to sleep wondering how he liked the gifts she left in his room and if her marriage would truly end like this.
Unbeknownst to Gabriel knowledge of his spectacle was quickly spreading far and wide throughout his kingdom.
In a small tavern in the capital city of Lystra an old lady was sitting nursing a large brandy. Her nose was red and her eyes were half closed as she was very intoxicated. She slurred most of what she said so others kept asking her to repeat herself.
Many knew her as one of the kitchen maids from the castle and had never seen her drink before. And by the look of her this was a rarity indeed.
"Are you saying that our Queen prepared a home coming for the former prince…"
"He's our king now ijut."
"Yeah, yeah. Our king. Out Queen kept us safe, raise incredible little ones, and made sure there was never famine and he brought some tart home and put his mother over our Queen!?"
The old woman hiccup. "Aye. Cawled haa da mudda uh hits kidz e di."
"Did she just say the king introduced the queen as the mother of his children."
"She did. I saw it myself." A large burly man came over to the elderly woman and checked on her.
"Come on Agnes let's get you home. You have an early day tomorrow."
"I nat goin bawk der. I cawnt see it."
"I know. But don't Little Miss and Little Lord always ask specifically for your pancakes and your cheesy eggs."
She stiffened and hiccup again. She nodded and stood up a bit wobbly.
"Wait so it's true."
"It is. My Lady took it like a lady and allowed the old queen to host. The children would have no part of that black haired witch."
"Ya think dey be in danger Tyler?"
"I don't know but we have all vowed to watch over them and the queen."
As Agnes and Tyler left the little tavern, Agnes paying for both out of gratitude, the tavern erupted into furious whispering. Soon the entire city had been informed and the entire city was outraged.
All the while Gabriel slept with a smile on his face and his face pressed against Grace's ample breast.