The Planned Assistant

Klaus's POV

The next morning, I decided that I was going to do something special for Mara. She had not taken my rejection to see her parents really hard and I wanted to show her a special place that meant a lot to me.

As I got out of my room, I found that the first rays of the morning sun had not began to peek over the horizon yet. 

I soon found myself standing outside her door, my heart pounding with anticipation. I hoped this special surprise would be something that would bring us closer and allow our connection to deepen. 

Taking a deep breath, I knocked gently, hoping she would be awake and willing to join me.

Mara was a fierce woman. It wasn't uncommon for her to reject my proposal just because I did the same for her yesterday which I prayed she would not do but I anticipated it so I would not be disappointed.

She had the ferocity of the vampires and I wondered if she would have been the same or different if she still had her powers.

Moments later, the door opened, revealing her radiant smile. 

"Good morning, Your Majesty," she greeted, her voice filled with warmth and affection. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in my presence at such an early hour. "Is something the matter?"

"Good morning sunshine," I smiled as she looked at me all dressed up. "Nothing much."

"Uh huh," she said, not believing me. "And where are you going so bright and early? Aren't you the king of this kingdom? You can sleep in and no one would bother you."

That had me chuckling.

"Yeah, that's not how the kingdom works. I still have to work just like everybody else. Sometimes I feel like my job is the hardest but at least it comes with its advantages."

She smiled, pointing to my attire.

"I wanted to show you something," I said, which had her intrigued. Now she was interested in what I had to say.

"Just follow me," I smiled at her as together, we made our way through the palace hallways, the soft sounds of our footsteps echoing in the silence of the early morning. 

As we stepped out into the crisp air, the scent of blooming flowers and dew-kissed grass enveloped us, filling our senses with a peace and quiet.

Even the maids had not started working yet.

Guiding her through the winding paths, I thought back on the stories of my childhood, of moments spent with my mother in the vibrant beauty of the garden. 

"My mother used to love nature," I smiled at her as I led her through the path. "She had this gentle spirit and she would talk to me about how being king or at the time and heir to the throne was not all about throwing orders but about being someone the people could depend on."

As I cherished the memories that had shaped me into the man I had become, I remembered the woman who had done that and smiled even harder.

We stopped by a small summerhouse, covered in delicate vines and blossoming roses. It was a place where my mother and I had often sat, sharing moments of quiet thoughts to each other and having heartfelt conversations. 

I could still hear her laughter and feel her warmth, even in her absence.

"Let's stay here at the summerhouse," I smiled as we entered and she laughed at me. "What is it?"

"I watched in a show where they called this place a gazebo but here you are calling it a summer house."

I shrugged. "Different cultures call it different things I guess."

As we stepped inside the summerhouse, I turned to face her, my eyes filled with adoration. "I used to play in this garden," I began, my voice catching with emotion, "I know it holds not only memories of my mother, but of the wonders we accomplished here."

We sat on the couch there, looking into the distance.

"Do you miss her?" She asked as I smiled.

"I'm not ashamed to say it but yeah. I do miss her a lot. Sometimes it does get very noisy at the palace and I don't want to be seen in the normal garden so I go through the path to come here to think."

"I can't relate these days. Before I could hear words spoken from across the gardens an even fields but now, even when I'm having a conversation with someone close to me I can't hear anything."

"You still blame me for the loss of your powers huh."

"I actually don't. At least not anymore. I've come to know you and I've actually seen that you're not as terrible as I thought you were. You're actually sweet."

That warmed my heart because I had actually been putting in a lot of time and effort for this. I was sure Sam and Gail were either proud of me or wanted me to keep putting more efforts.

As the first rays of the morning sun began to paint the sky with hues of pink and gold, I found my heart filled with anticipation. 

Beside me sat the woman I had feelings for, her presence bringing warmth and joy to my soul unlike when we had first met where I didn't care if she lived or died. 

We sat in comfortable silence as we watched the world awaken.

This garden was a place of solace and beauty, a sanctuary where we could escape the demands of the kingdom and simply be together. 

It was different and if I looked past the memories I had shared with my mother I would find it to be romantic in some way.

As the soft light of dawn grew brighter, casting a gentle glow upon us, I turned to her, my heart fluttering with nerves. 

Her eyes, like pools of sparkling emerald, met mine with affection. I wondered if she actually felt the same way I felt about her.