Ewan might have said it was fine, but Victoria didn't believe him. She could see the disappointment in his eyes. She didn't blame him, she was disappointed too. This was not how she planned to spend her rare night with Ewan. She nodded her head and smiled when he suggested they focus on Richard instead.<br/><br/>"Yes, I believe something terrible should happen to Richard and his little brats."<br/><br/>Ewan was very correct that she needed to marry Alexander off soon, very soon. She didn't need a repeat of the little whore maid.<br/><br/>"I plan to talk to Henry about it right away. Alexander will have a good proper bride, a noble bride. I will send you a list of potential brides right away."<br/><br/>It would definitely benefit them in the long run too if her children were married off to the children of nobles that would support Ewan someday becoming the king. One of the things she loved about Ewan was that he was intelligent and could think ahead.<br/><br/>Victoria finished her wine and told Ewan with a smile.<br/><br/>"I always do."<br/><br/>She always imagined Ewan when she had to perform her wifely duties with Henry. She returned his kiss and told him.<br/><br/>"Farewell, for now."<br/><br/>A part of Victoria was sad to see him go but she knew for now they had to be apart. After all, good things came those who waited. Especially those shadows that in the darkness dwell.<br/><br/>-----------------------------<br/><br/>Little was said on the trip back to New Haven between Victoria and her children. Alexander was heartbroken for being used by Allena and Katherine was still thinking about catching her mother with another man. She promised Victoria that she would not say anything but she didn't like the idea of keeping things from her father. She just didn't want to upset him. When the carriage brought them back to Montgomery Manor, Victoria easily found the rest of her family. Eugenia was reading a fairy tale to Rebecca, who was sitting at her feet, while David slept against her chest. A mother who truly loved her children would have surely wanted to take over reading the story herself, or at least want to hold her little baby, Victoria did neither. Instead, she told Alexander and Katherine to unpack their things. Neither objected, Alexander was ready to go burn all the letters Allena had written to him and try to forget she ever existed.<br/><br/>Eugenia told Victoria that Henry was out back, playing with Adam, Nicholas, and the dogs. Dogs...Victoria hated those little beasts. The bloodhounds were loud and dirty. They slobbered all the time and got mud all over her home. But they were the one thing Henry insisted on having. He took them hunting less and less, the dogs were becoming more house pets then anything else. Since he had didn't have a mistress and, other then liking his wine too much at times, he did very little to embarrass her in the social circles, she let him have his little beasts. It kept him happy and he didn't argue with her much.<br/><br/>Henry was a good father, he seem to truly enjoy the children. He didn't do as much as Eugenia did with the children but, as a man, he did more then what was society expected of him. Adam and Nicholas were laughing with Henry as the dogs barked in excitement to play. Victoria barely greeted her sons before she told Henry they needed to talk. Obviously, she didn't tell him everything that had happened on her visit to Greenmor but she told him of what their son had done when they were alone in their bedroom.<br/><br/>"...We need to pick his bride right away."<br/><br/>"I thought we weren't going to start looking until after his birthday."<br/><br/>Henry replied. He hadn't seen the need to rush marriage on Alexander before Aeronwen's funeral. A part of him didn't want to see his firstborn leave the home. He wasn't sure he was ready to acknowledge how grown up Alexander almost was. Not that he'd tell his wife that, she'd just think he was even weaker then she already thought he was.<br/><br/>"After what that little whore tried to pull, waiting is not an option, Henry."<br/><br/>Victoria replied angrily. Henry looked down at the floor and nodded his head.<br/><br/>"Yes, you are right, dear wife. I am sure you will find a fine bride for our son."<br/><br/>He knew he would have very little say in who Alexander would marry. He just hoped it would be a girl his son could grow to love.<br/><br/>----------------------<br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><br/>Two and half years later....</span><br/><br/>Victoria had made it her personal mission to find the best bride possible for Alexander. His bride was a pure girl, a girl of noble birth. Also, a girl whose father did not object to the idea of Ewan being Regent of their kingdom if a terrible tragedy befell on King Richard. The girl's name was Gwendolyn. She was the daughter of the Baron of Westchester. It was a actually a few steps down in nobility, after all, a Baron was barely above the commoners but at least Gwendolyn was not a little whore maid.<br/><br/>Alexander had been courting her for almost two years before their wedding day. She was a kind of plain girl. She had average looks, mousy brown hair and hazel eyes. But she was a very nice girl, even if she wasn't as educated as him but..She was nothing like Allena... Alexander should be over her by now, he thought as he got ready in a room of the cathedral. Today was his wedding day and he was still thinking of the maid that had been the center of his young dreams. Dreams that came crashing down when his mother told him Allena was using him. He wondered if she had given birth to a child. He wondered if she found some other young man to fool or if....If Mother had been wrong and Allena had been true...It didn't matter. Allena was gone and Gwendolyn was the girl he would be promising his life to. He was fond of the nice girl. Someday, he told himself, he would love her. He had been trying but it was hard to make a heart love someone. Especially, when someone else broke it. Surely, it would be different once she gave him a child.<br/><br/>Victoria sat next to Henry in the cathedral as Gwendolyn walked down the aisle to meet Alexander. Her eldest child was getting married and she was happy. He had married the girl she had picked for him, without a fight. Granted, she had hoped that Alexander would marry a princess but after his dalliance with the maid, Baron of Westchester's daughter was a suitable option. At least her grandchildren would be of noble blood on both sides. She was sure the Baron was pleased, his daughter was moving up in the world. Alexander would inherit New Haven someday and become its next Duke. Victoria's dreams for a throne would not come true with Alexander. That ship had sailed. Although, she did have five other children...She looked over at Katherine, who was watching the ceremony. Her daughter had kept the secret and she was right at the cusp of courting age. If her and Ewan's plans didn't work out, being a queen's mother wouldn't be too bad.<br/><br/>Anyone who was anyone was invited to Alexander and Gwendolyn's wedding. After the wedding ceremony, carriages took the guests to the grand reception hall where Victoria had spared no expense to make it a perfect day for her son and to impress the nobles.