Chapter 4

Clint crawled back into bed after getting up to go to the bathroom. He covered himself up and wrapped his arm around Aiden's waist, snuggling up to her from behind.

He had been completely surprised by how she had handled the meeting with her brother. He knew they had been close at one point in time. There were pictures all over the house to prove it. But he wasn't sure what had happened to force the four of them to leave the family completely.

All the backbiting and bickering had finally gotten on her nerves and she left, that was for sure. She had never said anything else about it. Mikey hadn't pestered her for the better part of four years. Now for him to ask her to return was a big step for both of them. Clint was proud she had come without a fuss. Well, too much of a fuss.

She stirred when he kissed her shoulder. This was his favorite moment. When he was awake and allowed to watch her sleep. She was peaceful and her mind didn't wander as much. It was a calm as a warm breeze over the ocean. Sometimes he could hear the waves lapping at the sand.

He had gotten used to being her comfort. He'd had his life together when he'd met the single mother on a bus bound for Tennessee. The baby had reached for him as he'd sat beside his mother, and Clint hadn't been able to resist. He was still as cute as he had been that day.

But the child's mother had kept her distance. He had sensed there was more to her than he had originally thought, and the child who walked between them had opened the conversation. Soon they'd become close friends.

Something had nagged at him until he had finally called her. They'd talked for hours, and right before he'd ended the call, he'd asked her out. Naturally the baby came along with them, and they'd looked like a little family as they'd meandered through the zoo.

Even then, Clint hadn't asked what had happened to the biological father. It hadn't been his place. He had seen how well she had taken care of her son and that had been all that had mattered to him.

Soon he had found himself falling head over heels for her. There had been no rhyme or reason. He had enjoyed her presence. Since he was a professor, he'd had to tread carefully about their relationship even though it had still come to light. When he'd been investigated, he'd been adamant that they'd met outside of class. He wasn't going to let anyone slander her.

Even a year later, they were still going strong and now marriage loomed ahead of them. Aiden wasn't done with school and that had been her biggest reason for waiting. Even with a nine month old, she had asked to wait despite knowing his feelings.

Aiden inhaled sleepily then turned over to face him. He waited until she settled her head under his chin then adjusted accordingly.

"Is it Dylan?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"No, he's still asleep," he replied. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and sighed.

"Then why are you awake?"

"Because it's five till nine and I'm always up by this time." She shifted in his arms until she was as close as she could possibly be. "You slept better here than you have in a while."

She snorted. "It's home. It's where I lived before moving back east. This used to be my room anyway."

He smiled against the crown of her head. "I'm glad you feel at home. It makes it easier."

With a sleepy sigh she lifted her head. "Makes it easier to do what?" She frowned when he smirked knowingly. "What is it?"

Clint unwound his arm, grasped her left hand that was buried under his waist, and held it up between them. When her mouth opened but no sound came out, his smile grew. "Aiden Baker Lowen, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

No ring, no fancy restaurant, no friends in attendance. Just the two of them in their most natural habitat. He wouldn't have changed the setting for the world. If she rejected him, he would be heartbroken but he wouldn't hold it against her.

He knew the answer when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She rolled him on to his back and took charge of the situation

***

"Going to the courthouse was so not fair!" Alyssa complained as she sat with Aiden and Clint in a small café. "I mean Aunt Kathryn wanted to be able to help plan a wedding."

Aiden smiled at her young cousin's excitement. Alyssa had been three months old when Aiden was brought into her family. She lived in California while Aiden and her family lived back east in Pittsburgh. They saw each other maybe twice a year at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Where Aiden was almost twenty-one, Alyssa had just turned twelve.

Kathryn Jenks, Alyssa's aunt and Aiden's adoptive mother, smiled down at her young niece. "Honey, Aiden did what she had to do. It only made sense." She turned slightly towards her daughter and winked. "So how're the meetings coming along?"

Clint sighed out a laugh. "It's good to know I'm not the only powerless one in this family."

He was right. Kathryn and her husband Jordan were low-level Silvers. Their two older sons, Jesse and Klark, were a little higher than they were but not by much. When they took in Aiden and Mikey, they knew these two would be the future of their people. It wasn't until later that the twins found out the Jenks' had been close friends with their biological mother. The knowledge just made them that much more protective of them.

So when Aiden told her mother she was getting married quickly and that they were going to the courthouse to do it, Kathryn hadn't said a word beside call her aunt and uncle to be there to sign as witnesses. Alyssa had found out and been completely mad.

The table began to shake as Alyssa couldn't contain her annoyance. It was obvious she had wanted to be in the wedding party. Aiden was the only other female in the family since Alyssa had three older brothers. If there was any wedding she would have been able to help plan, this had been the one.

"Easy, tiger." Aiden said gently.

Alyssa stuck her tongue out. "It's not fair."

"You're new to the politics of Court, Alyssa. It's not as easy as they make it, look" Kathryn said. She turned her gaze to her daughter then. "Why did you call me out here for, honey?" A look of horror overcame her suddenly. "Is Dylan alright?"

"Dylan's fine. He's back at the house with Katy and Jamie," Clint replied.

The look of relief was funny on her face. "Good. I was starting to think you called me and your father out here to tell us something had happened to that sweet little boy."

"No, nothing has happened to him."

A fit man came back to the table with a cup holder and four coffee cups on it. He passed them around to everyone after looking at the labels. He sat down beside Kathryn with a kiss to the side of her head and an arm around her. He looked at his daughter and son-in-law with a smile.

"Married at twenty. Very good, sweetheart," he said as he tipped his cup to her then took a long swig. Aiden smiled at her father's good nature. "Now, tell me why we're here."

Aiden looked at Clint. He smiled and nodded in return. "Mikey's asked me to form a new kingdom for Silvers since the Golds have taken over the Empire and are making it hard for the Silvers to live. In the last four years the treasury has seen significant drops in the business side of things. Silvers are boycotting anything Gold. In the last year, many Silvers have exiled themselves much like I did with Tyler and the Somme twins, although we did it under much different circumstances."

"I would assume so. You never did take being told what to do well. Having Mikey attempt to force a mate on you would force you away." Kathryn noticed Clint looked at Aiden in shock then. "He didn't know?"

"I hadn't gotten around to telling him that bit." She turned to her new husband then. His face was expectant. "Mikey tried to force a well -to -do man on me but it turned out he just wanted the throne. I refused and walked away. A year or so after that, I had Dylan and met you. I don't regret it."

Clint lifted her hand and kissed it. "As long as you don't."

"So you called us out here for that?" Jordan asked.

The other man at the table shook his head. "No, that's not it. We called you out here because we have news we can't ask you over the phone."

"You know there are a Court and a Council in every Kingdom. We've already gotten the Court set up that consists of my three older brothers, Tyler, and the Somme twins. They're in those positions because of what they can do. The Council hasn't been set up." Aiden glanced at Clint and he squeezed her hand. "We want the two of you to be on the Council. And I'm not asking because you're my parents or because you're Silvers. I'm asking because you were always fair and honest with us growing up. You found out both sides of every story before you did anything and that's what we need."

"We'd be honored," Kathryn said. "Where have you decided to hold the Court?"

"We're thinking of moving to New Orleans. It's on the other side of the country and can be a safe haven should the Golds need it."

"You've thought this out. Very logical," Jordan replied. "Could Dylan deal with it?"

"He's only nine months old. He should be fine with it." Aiden shifted in her seat. "We're planning on having the coronation in two days. Don't tell anyone." She looked pointedly at Alyssa. "We don't want the Golds knowing."

"You have our word. We'll be at the Council meeting in two days."

They stayed and talked for a bit before everyone excused themselves. It was going to take a lot to keep this thing a secret. If the Golds found out it would be the end of their efforts. They'd have to overthrow the Council to get anything done and that wouldn't be beneficial either.

"Everything okay?" Clint asked as they caught a cab back to their home.

Aiden looked at him from the window. "Yeah, why?"

He motioned with his head. "You're biting your fingernails. You only do that when something's on your mind."

She shoved her hands into her pockets. "It's too easy."

"What do you mean?"

"In my experience, if it's too easy, it probably means the other side's planning something."

Clint leaned against the wall. "So you think we won't get out of this Scott free?"

"I know we won't. If they don't know anything now, they will by Thursday when Pop Pop crowns us King and Queen of the Moon Kingdom."

Clint frowned. "Koen will crown us?"

Aiden shrugged. "It's tradition."

He nodded as he thought about it. "What do we need to do?"

"We need to talk to the tailor. Then plan for the holidays and then the move." She looked at him with wide eyes and a stupid grin. "This should be interesting."

~~~~~~~~~

Aiden's Journal

December 20, 2011

Well, plenty has happened in the last few days. Clint and I just got up the other morning and got married. Did we plan it? Not at all. We just called a couple of people and went to the courthouse.

It's always nerve wracking starting a new adventure in life. This one just happens to coincide with some of the craziest things I will probably ever do. I have never said that my life was grand or important, but everyone else seems to think it is. That makes it tiring.

I'm not sure what's in store for us down the road, but I know I want to try to make things work. It's the least I can do for those who have fought for me to be able to do this. Even if I fail, I can at least say I tried.