AN: OMG! It updates? Indeed it does… It just needed a while to think. I've been trying for a while, but here it FINALLY goes. Also, there's mention of religion in this chapter. I'm not actually sure what religion I was aiming for in this one, but it's based off of Christianity, and Catholicism as practiced in the Middle Ages. I am not Catholic, or even that religious, but it flows better with the timeline. I'm sorry if this offends anyone. Obviously, there are going to be some differences. The priests (Fathers/Padre) wear masks, and homosexuality is welcomed and embraced.

Disclaimer: I do not own World Wrestling Entertainment or any of the wrestlers mentioned herein. The wrestlers portrayed in this act of fiction are property and copyright of the WWE and their respective owners.

TheHeartofaKing

The drawbridge was lowered the next morning and business around the castle continued as normal. Among the usual business men moving about the castle center was a woman. She had bright blue eyes and brilliant blond hair that fell in thick curls down to her waist. She wore a red dress that clung to her curves, dropping to her ankles. The thick petticoat held the dress' shape around her legs, but the top of it was hugging her torso. Black lace covered the top of the corset-style bodice and dipped down the middle, splitting the rich red fabric.

She smirked as her black horse moved through the center. She rode it, side-saddle of course, and was alone. A large man, his skin a light shade a brown, with dark hair that hugged his head and bulging muscles that forced him to wear chainmail instead of leather armor looked at her, one eyebrow arched. His brown eyes watched the woman as he stopped her horse.

"Excuse me, madam. Do you travel alone?" he asked. The woman's blue eyes grinned at the man even as she smirked.

"Yes," she said. "I fear no man, woman, nor beast of this earth." The knight shook his head.

"You're a brave woman… or a stupid one. Where do you need to go?"

"The King, if you would. He is expecting the Duchess, and I'd hate to keep him waiting," she said. The man bowed.

"Of course, your Grace."

The knight led the Duchess to the King's Hall. They stopped at the stables to leave her horse with Matt, who assured the Duchess that the stallion would be well taken care of. The man paused outside the Hall and waited. Before the Duchess could ask why they were waiting, the doors of the Hall opened. A man with an alternating blue and purple hat, the bobbing ends jingling with golden bells, winked at her, green eyes twinkling in mirth.

"Your Majesties! I present to you, Maryse Ouellet, the Duchess of-"

Jeff was cut off by Maryse herself, who waved a hand at him.

"They know," she said. She smirked and moved through the Hall. As she walked, Shawn smiled, leaning in to whisper to Hunter.

"I like her," he told his husband. Hunter merely grunted. Shawn sighed softly and leaned on the arm of his throne, his chin in his hand. Hunter was still mad at him for the night before. That meant that today was going to get really, really boring… unless he could get away…

"Your Grace, it is a pleasure to see you. I was not expecting you, however. What brings you here?" Hunter asked.

"I know, and I do apologize," Maryse replied. Jeff made a face at Maryse, causing Shawn to begin coughing to cover his laughter. Hunter didn't even look at him, which immediately killed Shawn's joy. He sighed, seeing – and hearing – Jeff shake his head, the bells jingling merrily once again.

"It's no trouble," Hunter assured her, leaning away from Shawn. "What do you need?"

"Merely a place to stay for a while. I fear my party got lost somewhere along the way." Laughter rippled through the Hall. Most people of Court knew of the wild daughter of Duke Ouellet. A fearless woman, she hated having a party anywhere around unless it was to carry her luggage. Hunter even allowed a small smile to cross his face, and Shawn suddenly wasn't sure how much he did like this woman.

"Of course," Hunter said. "We'll set you up with a room as soon as possible. I'll also make sure that you have some clothes until your party can catch up. Mike!"

A man with dark blue eyes and dark blond hair appeared from the shadows behind Maryse, wearing black leather armor over his form.

"Majesty?" he asked. Maryse, and the large knight next to her, jumped. Mike met Jeff's eyes, and the jester snickered. Mike allowed a faint smirk to cross his face before he directed his eyes back to the King, ignoring the duchess' scowl.

"Take her Grace out to the courtyard and let her get some air. I want you to stay with her and keep her company until someone tells you her room is ready. When it is, you'll take her to her room," Hunter ordered. Maryse's scowl was directed to Hunter now, and mike let out a soft growl. He, however, bowed to Hunter, turning to lead Maryse away.

"I don't need a guard," Maryse snapped. Mike sighed, turning back to the King.

"That's why I didn't send you with Dave," Hunter said back. The large man next to Maryse inclined his head to Hunter. "Mike is very good company, especially if you like to talk. It's just to keep you entertained. And Mike?" Mike looked from Jeff, who was making faces at Maryse, and to the King.

"Your Majesty?" he asked. Shawn saw those blue eyes of Mike's twinkle. Mike – known across the lands as Miz – was a shadow dweller, an assassin who dwelt within the shadows and was unable to do much in the sunlight. That made him rather mischievous and a bit of a trickster. Anytime he was spending time with Jeff, the subjects held their breath. Shawn thought about pointing it out, but if Hunter wasn't going to talk to him, then Shawn was going to be silent too.

"The Sun Courtyard."

Mike's mischief disappeared, and Jeff winced. Mike bowed stiffly and turned to Maryse.

"This way, Your Grace."

Maryse lowered herself to Hunter in a curtsy before she followed Mike out. Jeff looked at Shawn and shrugged. Shawn watched the jester for a moment before he decided to go anyway. He stood, smiling as the Hall bowed, before he pushed the long red robes back so he could walk. Hunter grabbed hold of his wrist in a vice grip, stopping him from going anywhere.

"Where are you going, Shawn?" he asked. Shawn looked at Hunter, who wasn't even looking at him. Shawn felt the hurt overwhelm him, but the rage pushed it away. He snatched his hand away.

"Worship, my king," Shawn snapped. He bowed quickly to Hunter and then moved swiftly out of the Hall, the door echoing behind him as it closed. Hunter sighed as Jeff came over.

"Temper, temper, my King. Thy Queen's love is a tender thing, and thy rage does break his heart. Thou wouldst apologize, if thou were smart," Jeff rhymed. Hunter's eyes narrowed.

"And you would hold your tongue if you were." Jeff pouted, but bowed fluidly, getting the Hall back in motion as he moved away.

HeartofaKing

Shawn moved into the large tower located to the north of the castle, smiling as the light filtered in. He blinked in surprise when he saw what looked to be rainbow light filtered in over the altar. He looked to the right, then the left, seeing the windows with scenes painted from the scripture to either side of the altar. He gasped in surprise and muttered a soft prayer of thanks. A soft chuckle caught his attention. He turned, smiling at the smaller man dressed in white robes with a large blue cross on the front and back. Lighter blue crosses were across the sides of the sleeves. The man smiled, inclining his head to Shawn, who smiled and inclined his head back.

"These new windows are beautiful, Padre," Shawn said. A quick flash came to the man's brown eyes, but it disappeared a moment later, his eyes as masked as his face. A white mask was over his head, a blue cross going down the center. Blue wings framed his jaw, and blue designs were over the eyes, making his eyes seem slightly slanted.

"Gracias, Majesty," he replied. Shawn pouted.

"I swear I asked you to call me Shawn. The man grinned.

"And I remember requesting that you call me Rey." Shawn laughed.

"Fair enough, Rey. When did these come in?" Shawn asked. Rey smiled, his hands clasping in front of him and under the sleeves of his robes.

"They didn't," he said. "They were donated to us. The windows were replaced only yesterday." Shawn blinked and looked at him.

"Who painted them? The same man who donated them?"

"Yes. It was Jeff." Shawn went silent.

"Jeff? Hardy? The jester? Lord Gilbert's youngest son?"

"One and the same," Rey replied. Shawn shook his head. Rey laughed and motioned for Shawn to sit with him at the pews located in the front of the Worship. Shawn sat down, eyeing the windows again.

"I had no idea he could paint," Shawn said.

"I got the feeling that he didn't tell many people he could," Rey replied. "What is it you need, Shawn?"

"Advice, Rey. I'd appreciate it if this was held in the same secrecy as Confession," Shawn said with a sigh. Rey blinked.

"If that is the case, Shawn, I believe we should move along toward the Confessional. I would hate for this information to slide into the wrong hands and then used against you." Shawn smiled.

"I'm not sure how it could, but I agree." Rey stood, leading Shawn toward the doors tucked away into the wall in the corner. Rey opened the door for Shawn and then slipped into his door. He sat, arranging his robes before he slid the wooden separator over so that he could see Shawn. Shawn looked through the mesh-like opening at Rey's blue and white mask.

"Forgive me, Padre, for I have sinned. It's has been two days since my last Confession-" Shawn began, but Rey cut him off, rolling his eyes.

"Shawn, unless you're actually invoking the Right of Confession, don't do that. You want my advice. I only suggested here for privacy." Shawn laughed.

"Sorry. Just habit, I guess," he said. He sighed softly and began to speak. "Hunter and I have had a sort of falling out… I was thinking and brought up John Morrison…" Shawn trailed off and Rey understood immediately. He remembered that young Morrison had come to him for Confession before Hunter had been healed from the ordeal to admit what happened. Shawn had begged Rey to speak out about John's Confession, but Rey had been unable to break the Seal of Confession, even to save John Morrison from banishment. Rey still remembered the way that John Morrison had bowed before he left the castle. Rey sighed softly.

"Shawn, I am still unable to break the Seal of Confession, even if he is banished," Rey warned, starting to stand. Shawn shook his head.

"No, I didn't mean that, Rey. That was just to let you know why. I understood that you couldn't then, and I know you can't now. I'm not asking you to. The advice I need is to know whether or not you believe, with what you know, that he can ever come back."

Rey grew silent as he pondered. Their Sovereign King was nothing if not stubborn. He had yet to falsely banish a subject, at least not that had been proven. But, Rey knew the King was fair. If the King was given the proper evidence, then Hunter would pardon or grant amnesty to the accused. His rage and pain at the attack had made him particularly harsh to the former Earl. John Morrison had been stripped of his title, his lands, and had been banished. His family had died from illness and Rey figured that John was probably lucky. Families had disowned their heirs for less.

"What do you believe, Shawn?" Rey asked quietly.

"I don't know. He gets so angry when John is even mentioned. I don't know that presenting him with any kind of facts would make a difference," Shawn said.

"Then wait. Something will come that will present His Majesty with information he won't be able to ignore. It may make him angry, but you will have to patient enough to help him ease through that. When he's through it, then he'll be able to view this evidence with a clear head. Letting him remain angry is only going to cloud his judgment." Shawn listened to Rey patiently, then nodded. Rey saw this through the mesh-like screen and smiled.

"Any other advice required, Shawn?" he asked. Shawn thought it over.

"No, but I am in need of your healing abilities. I cannot heal myself, or even tell what's wrong. Could you take a look?"

"Of course, but not like this. I cannot examine you through a wall." Shawn laughed and moved out of the small booth, waiting patiently as Rey muttered something quietly. The prayer ended, an oath that the words exchanged in the Confessional would not pass his lips again, and Rey exited with a smile.

"This, we shall take to my office. The people will not like to hear that something is wrong with their Queen." Shawn laughed and followed Rey into his office, blinking at the soft blue light that filtered into the room. Blue had been associated with Rey for a while. He always seemed calm and cool, though there was some kind of sorrow or melancholy aura lingering around him that he never spoke of. Shawn looked at the window the light was coming through. The image was of a single blue dove flying through a white sky. Shawn seemed perplexed about the image, and Rey appeared to have caught Shawn's confused expression. He laughed softly.

"Confusing, isn't it?" Rey asked as he leaned against his desk. Shawn looked at Rey.

"Jeff mixed up the colors?" Shawn asked. Rey shook his head.

"That's what I thought at first, but Jeff explained it to me. He said that white is a neutral color. They sky has no side. It is only what it is supposed to be, and is only doing what it is supposed to do. The dove is a symbol of peace. Jeff said that I was the dove, the symbol of peace, in our kingdom. He said that my inability to reveal the things that would save people makes me blue."

"Therefore, a blue dove," Shawn said. Rey nodded.

"Indeed. Come over here, please, and I'll see what I can about your condition." Shawn moved over to Rey, standing still. Rey's eyes glowed blue for a moment as energy rippled into the room. Rey's hands were extended in front of him, toward Shawn. Shawn stayed still and quiet through the entire thing, knowing from one healer to another, that it was easier if the person stayed still. Rey smiled his small, secretive smile a moment later, and dropped his hands, the blue fading from his eyes as he looked up at Shawn.

"What have you been feeling, exactly?" Rey asked. Shawn frowned in curiosity, but he answered anyway.

"Minor things. Sleep deprivation and a change in appetite, mainly," Shawn said. Rey watched Shawn, almost as though he were waiting for it to click. Hunter and Shawn had been married for nearly ten years. People had been yelling for an annulment, but other subjects had stomped them out. The majority of the people both loved and respected Shawn as their Queen. When he satisfied the terms of the treaty between his father and Hunter's and married Hunter, the two fought tooth and nail over everything before Shawn managed to calm the war-loving King. Less people leaving home meant more happy families.

"Is that all?" Rey asked patiently. Shawn frowned and thought it over.

"All the symptoms that came more than once… though, I did throw up this morning," Shawn muttered. Rey laughed softly and bowed low to Shawn.

"Congratulations, my Queen. The Kingdom will have a Royal Heir."

TBC

AN: Whoa! Shawn's pregnant? Hunter's mad! Rey's a priest! Oh, you so didn't see that one coming. Hahaha. Quick explanation for you: Mike or Miz is a Shadow Dweller or a Shadow Assassin. The sunlight weakens him, and he hangs out mostly in shadows, using them to draw power from for spells and the like. Rey is a healer, amongst other things, as is Shawn. A healer is forbidden from examining themselves, because they may not see all the right symptoms and what not. That's why Shawn had Rey look him over. Anyway, I'm considering writing out John Morrison's story, as well as the story of Hunter and Shawn. I don't know if I will yet, but we'll see. Anyway. Until next time.

.: TheMizMagnet :.