Marcus is taken as a bride and consort by his sister

Jenny's voice echoed over the throne room, strident and clear as she addressed the crowd of nobles and courtiers facing her. She sounded so confident and sure, assuring everyone that things would change now she was Queen and sweeping them up with promises of better times to come in the near future for all in the Kingdom. Her loyal retainers who'd helped her take the throne were rewarded with land and titles, but each swore fervent oaths of loyalty to their ruler. There wasn't a murmur of dissent, even from the established nobility as these new men were raised to the ranks. Her proclamation of a year of lower taxes and reduced feudal levies to celebrate her coronation hinted at why.

Watching from the shelter of a side door where no-one else could see him, Marcus felt more in love with his older sister than ever. She was so strong...so confident, entirely in her element addressing and commanding this crowd of great men and women. A far better ruler than he could ever hope to be. He was so happy and relieved she'd come back he felt like crying, even knowing she still had his parents locked away. If he'd become King like his Mother and Father wanted, he'd just have messed everything up he was sure.

The only problem he had was what was going to happen very shortly. As soon as Jenny waved him forward, he was supposed to step out in front of the crowd to her, wearing this beautiful white dress, looking for all intents and purposes like her blushing bride. She'd be crowned soon and him beside her with a consort's diadem similar to the one his Mother had once worn. Then they'd be married, brother and sister, and husband and wife as well. The thought made his cheeks burn and his belly flutter, but...doing it in front of all these people worried him. What if someone got mad and said they couldn't?

No, he had to trust Jenny, like she wanted. He'd learned after what had happened in the dungeons that trusting Jenny made everything better. She was smarter, braver and much more charismatic than he was and she was showing him that now. This speech was part of her plan, he'd guessed. Make everyone happy with her as a Queen so they wouldn't dare object when she told them she was planning to marry him.

"There is one last matter that must be addressed, my lords and ladies." Jenny continued stridently, a look of determination on her pretty face. She paused, taking in a deep breath. "I know many of you have expressed doubts regarding my choice of consort." Here, for the first time there was a low murmur from the crowd, and even hiding in the doorway Marcus could spy a few frowning faces. He swallowed anxiously. "Yes, I am going to marry my younger brother, Marcus today." She stated, without a hint of shame or embarrassment, her voice filled with crisp certainty. "I understand this worries some of you, but I tell you now there is no need for concern. In fact, my marriage to him is a boon, not only to the Crown, but the Kingdom as a whole, drawing a firm line under the mistakes of the past and indeed ensuring the safety of my reign for many years to come." She paused again, glancing expectantly over the crowd.

"My Lady Genevieve, we are all grateful for the wisdom and restraint you have shown us so far." A voice from the crowd made Marcus flinch, the very first time anyone had spoken up during her speech. He glanced nervously out from the doorway, and saw a middle-aged woman in a fancy dress step forward. Lady Oriole, one of his Father's councilors and head of a noble family who ruled large swathes of land near the Castle. "But a good marriage is a crucial asset to any ruler, a way of forming alliances and cementing loyalties. In deciding to marry your brother you deny the Kingdom that chance." Marcus frowned faintly. While yes that was a concern, it wasn't really the first objection he'd expected the nobility to raise.

"Yes, it is true what you say, Lady Oriole." Jenny replied smoothly. "However do you not recall how early in my Father's reign he was **** to nearly beggar this realm supporting the family of my Mother as a result of those bonds of marriage when they called on him? It would be the same if I formed an alliance that way, forcing expenses on this Kingdom we can ill-afford and sweeping away the fragile reforms I have only just begun to implement. And if I was to choose one of you to be my husband, would the others not feel slighted? In marrying my brother, I avoid those problems entirely and ensure the stability of the Kingdom for years to come."

"Thank you, My Lady." Oriole curtsied smoothly, a smile on her face. Marcus didn't understand why she'd spoken up that way. It seemed so convenient, deflecting the concerns of the nobility away from the supposed immorality of Jenny marrying him and instead towards practical problems his older sister could deal with off-hand.

"There are other reasons too." Jenny continued. "My marriage to Marcus will be a clear signal to those still loyal to my Father that my reign is not a threat to them as well as preventing them from using his rival claim as a signal to rally around. Instead his claim is added to my own, a powerful symbol none of them can deny. And is it not true that bringing those nobles peacefully into the fold is far preferable to open warfare? Would you have me raise your levies instead, placing demands on your oaths of fealty?"

There were more murmurs from the crowd and shaking of heads. Marcus' Father had told him once that there was nothing the nobility disliked more than a King calling on their oaths to provide him troops in a time of war. It drained their coffers, took peasant men away from the fields, and risked the lives of their knights and heirs. With just a few words, it seemed like Jenny had turned the mood of the nobility in favor of the marriage, at least for now. Which meant, of course, she had to cement the union as soon as she could. Marcus wasn't at all surprised when she turned to him and beckoned with her hand, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous either.

With a shuddering breath, he stepped forward, keeping his gaze fixed on his gorgeous sister. It was like she'd whispered in his ear before stepping out just minutes ago. The crowd didn't matter...not to him at least. She was the only person he needed to care about now. His dear older sister, his lover, and his soon to be wife. For her, he'd do anything, including stepping out like this dressed as her bride. The indrawn gasps from the nobility washed over him like he hardly heard them. Instead, he focused only her delighted smile, the way her eyes lit up like sapphires as she watched him step to her, and the arm she held out to him. The young prince reached out a trembling hand and took it, and she guided him gently the rest of the way to stand beside her.

"Marcus Valerian, son of Castor Valerian, and my soon to be consort." Jenny announced to the crowd, while Marcus kept his gaze on her, not daring to look at the nobles while he was dressed like this in front of them. "Now, let us both be crowned and I will take him as my husband at the same time." At her order, their Father's chamberlain stepped out from beside the throne, holding a velvet pillow stiffly in front of them. The lead one had two crowns resting on his, the ornate royal one that had been their Father's, a golden band studded with gleaming diamonds, and then beside it a second smaller silver one with sapphires. Marcus felt his heart quicken at the sight. Marriage...to Jenny, it felt so right now. How could he marry anyone else when he loved her so much his heart ached just looking at her? He watched shyly as his gorgeous sister lifted their Father's crown from the first servant and placed it on her head. There were cheers and polite applause from the nobility as she turned to face them wearing the royal regalia. It suited her so well, the gold resting in her brown hair. Now she was Queen in truth...and he was to be her consort. "Kneel, little brother." Jenny leant in towards him and purred, just loud enough for him to hear. "Kneel and I'll make you mine by law."

"Yes Jenny." Blushing even hotter, the young prince turned and went down on one knee in front of her. He raised his head towards her staring up at his gorgeous older sister. She was so strong, so amazing, and seemed even more so wearing the crown that made her the ruler of this entire Kingdom. He couldn't imagine anyone better suited to that role, and the fact that she wanted him as her consort now made him giddy. Jenny smiled back, taking the smaller crown from the servant and then placing it gently on top of his head, settled on top of his silver hair. While there weren't any cheers from the crowd when she guided him back to his feet, there weren't any objections either. Not even when Jenny leant deftly forward and planted a tender little kiss right on the young prince's lips that left him gasping. Their first...as husband and wife.

"As the newly crowned Queen of this Kingdom, I proclaim Marcus as my consort and husband." Jenny announced, her blissful words filling the young consort up with warm delight. "To celebrate this glorious day, I announce that all lowborn men and women of the Kingdom will receive a royal boon of five Crowns, paid for entirely from the royal coffers of course." There were more murmurs at this, the nobility seeming rather pleased with this idea. No doubt because the money their peasants received would be taxed once it was spent, swelling their own coffers. "Thank you all for your support and well-wishes, lords and ladies of my Kingdom." Jenny continued, hugging Marcus gently into her side. She was shivering a little under that smart uniform, the young prince realized suddenly. "If you proceed to the great hall I have arranged a fine feast with bards and minstrels, a chance for the new nobles I have raised to get used to the idea." There were polite chuckles at that, the tension in the room easing away. "I'm afraid my husband and I must retire, he is exhausted after the excitement of the day. Tomorrow, I will hold court as Queen and you may bring your petitions to me, but for now, enjoy yourselves."

She waved her hand, and there was another round of more enthusiastic applause, before the crowd started slowly moving out through the set of large double doors at the back of the hall. Jenny watched them leave for a moment, her arm still wrapped around her brother's slender shoulders, gentle but insistent. Then she leant in towards him, her breath hot on his ear.

"Thank you again, my darling." She murmured hotly. "We're safe now, I promise. You're mine by law, and I'm yours. I'll make sure tomorrow that none of the nobility have second thoughts about accepting this marriage and soon they'll all just see it as normal that we're together. That's why doing this in front of them was so important. I know that wasn't easy for you and it means so much that you did it for me all the same." Her hand squeezed his shoulder tight for a moment, her pale cheeks flushed pink. She looked so happy, like she was glowing, and she'd never been more beautiful in his eyes.

"Um...that's okay, Jenny." Marcus replied. "I was nervous, but I did...want to be married to you. And now I am it's..." He fell silent, the words catching in his suddenly tight throat. His chest ached fiercely as he gazed at his sister, his wife now, and suddenly there were tears stinging his eyes. He could still hardly believe it, even standing here wearing the consort's crown...Jenny had come back, and now they were married. The waves of delight, excitement and love were impossible to control, sweeping through his trembling body and leaving him sniffling and shuddering.

"Hush, my darling husband, you don't need to say anything more, as lovely as those words are." His sister purred, her blue eyes lighting up with obvious desire. "Let's go, back to our bedroom. Leave all this behind. It's time for our wedding night, my love, and I'm going to make sure you enjoy every single moment of it."