Madeline’s Fears

Doreen looked at Madeline like she was crazy, "What do you mean he's changed? He's always been like that."

Madeline pouted cutely at Doreen and said, "No, I mean it, something is different. I have never seen him act like that around Claude before. He almost killed him during a spar. That isn't the Guy I know and love. No matter what, when he would spar with people he would always talk to them after and explain what the weaknesses were and how to train for the future. He just beat Claude up and then walked away. I have never seen anything like that from him before."

Doreen looked at Madeline seriously and then asked, "You really don't know?"

Madeline had a curious expression on her face, "I really don't know what?"

Doreen started to get angry, she walked up and got in Madeline's face, "You're going to sit here and tell me, all this time that you didn't know about all the things Guy did to Claude?"

"All what things?" Madeline seriously asked.

Doreen shook her head, "Guy only acts that way for two reasons. The first is someone taking an interest in you. The second is someone taking an interest in his sister. The man goes crazy and becomes an overprotective monster. He would one-up Claude anytime there was even a hint of competition all because he dared compete for your affections. He also purposely stunted Claude's growth by paying teachers to lower Claude's grades."

Madeline looked like she was in complete disbelief, "That can't be right, they were friends."

Doreen snorted and laughed, "That friendship died when Claude got together with Aoi's sister."

Madeline frowned, "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Doreen snorted again and said, "You must be joking, we all love Guy and respect him, but all of us fear him too. That man, he's not worth provoking. No one is willing to get on his bad side just to protect a Claude." She laughed.

Madeline sighed, "Maybe I need to rethink my relationship with him."

Doreen smiled and asked, "Oh so then he is available?"

Madeline frowned hard and said, "He's taken."

"What about if I just..." Doreen started to ask.

Madeline said louder this time, "He's taken."

*****

Olivier smiled and said, "I have plenty of armor, but if I ask the royal blacksmiths to modify it, won't it be obvious where it was made?"

Guy nodded and said, "I know just the place, the blacksmiths I used to make a lot of my inventions the first time around. Do you remember Murphy? Well, he and his father have a good shop in the Montfort territory. I befriended them again because I knew I would need them later to forge the parts for Madeline's airship. They'll be discreet as well. We can trust them."

Olivier smiled and said, "Great, I'll bring the suits, then we'll just modify them. I think we just need to make them shiny and add some decorations. I think magic knights should look pristine. Like the knights, we have in our honor guard at the Palace. Only brighter and gaudier."

"I like that idea, Olivier." Guy smiled, "I found a ship too, it was expensive, but I still have plenty of gold in my inventory. I just bought it outright. It will be fun to sail it over the land. That should be a good show alright."

Olivier smiled and then asked, "Hey, don't you think you went more than a little overboard with Claude?"

Guy frowned and then answered, "I did. I felt bad about it afterward. That's not the kind of man I am." He sighed and then explained, "When I went back in time and saved myself from being killed, I spent ten years with my father and my sister. With me alive, my sister ended up staying with my father and me instead of finding a boyfriend and getting married. I felt terribly guilty. I know that she was different without me there, it really hit home to me that I had made the wrong choice. It was wrong of me to do that to Madeline and it was wrong of me to change the past all because I was upset at my own mistakes."

Olivier shook his head and asked, "And Claude?"

Guy frowned, "When I saw him dance with Madeline at the masquerade ball I realized that I really might not be able to win her heart."

Olivier slapped him on the back and said, "You shouldn't worry about things like that. Even I feel inadequate around you."

*****

Madeline sat with Doreen and asked, "Am I crazy to be worried that he might not choose me this time? I have to be honest, the thought has crossed my mind a few times. Maybe I am too much trouble. In order to be with me, he has to change his reputation and do so without doing all the things he did last time. I am afraid it's going to be too complicated. I mean, we have already been married once, maybe I wasn't even that good?"

Doreen giggled and said, "You could always give Claude a try. Remember how big it was?" She laughed.

Madeline gave her a playful slap, "Doreen! Bad, you know that would get Claude killed."

Doreen leaned close and said in a lustful voice, "I could teach you things, you know." she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Doreen!" Madeline frowned and then said, "I'm being serious here. What if he decides that it's not worth it to go through all the effort. It's not like I am the only beautiful woman in the world."

Doreen thought for a minute and then said, "Ask your Mother."

Madeline thought about it and then said, "I am sure she would agree since it's with the son of a Duke, but I think Guy wants to do this himself. I think he needs to do this, he wants the challenge."

Doreen nodded and said, "Then stop losing faith in him. He's your hero, isn't he? You just need to have faith he will come and rescue you from your long line of really handsome suitors."

Madeline shook her head, "They really are handsome aren't they?"

Doreen nodded and said, "I think Alicia blowing them all off made you much more of an attractive target."

"What about you?" Madeline asked.

Doreen smiled and said, "I found a guy I am interested in, remember? For some reason, there is just something about his shy awkwardness that really sets me off, in a good way."

"I was surprised you were ok with him hanging around Ella so much." Madeline smiled.

Doreen laughed, "I had Guy light a fire under Olivier for me, he grabbed Algernon and sent him to school to get him out of her shop."

Madeline shook her head, "You are the most manipulative of all of us, aren't you?"

Doreen snorted and shook her head, "No, that would be the Empress. You need to be careful around her. She isn't the girl we remember. That twenty years living in that world changed her, she is Wolter's wife now."

Madeline nodded, "Yeah, I am starting to get that feeling too. She never used to be so... Confident."