Peace

When Serenity woke she was surprised to find herself in a stark white room. She sat up in the bed of white sheets and pillows. She looked down at herself. She wasn't wearing her black chiffon dress anymore. She was wearing a cotton white shirt and baggy comfortable white pants. Warmth from the window drew her attention.

Sunlight was pouring in making the tile floor of the room warm to the touch. Serenity turned to look at the window. It appeared to be late morning. She could hear birds chirping in the distance which puzzled her. She stood up from the bed and moved to the window. Serenity stared out at Theron's garden where four sparrows were sitting in the tree chirping. She tilted her head to the side staring out the window curiously. She had never seen birds resting publicly in the Tigerian court.

"You've been resting for almost a week," a voice said.

Serenity turned around quickly. She looked across the room to the darkest corner, where the sunlight was not shining and saw movement. Prince Theron emerged from the shadows; a chair was in the corner where he had been sitting.

"Your Highness," she said surprised. "Why are you sitting at my bedside?"

"You'd rather me be somewhere else?" he asked as he approached her. There was a calm charming smile on his face. His purple eyes were looking at her with longing. She frowned slightly as she realized he had dark circles around his eyes and stubble on his cheeks. He hadn't shaved in days. His long brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail at the base of his head.

"No," she whispered as he came close to her. She touched his cheek and looked up at him with concern. "You look awful. Were you worried about me?"

Theron frowned. "What did he do to you?"

Serenity turned away and looked out the window. "Why am I in the spare room and not yours?"

"The doctors need to have access to you," he responded.

"You said it's been a week?"

Theron nodded. "Yes…I thought I would lose you," he whispered touching her shoulders. He brushed her silky curls with his fingers. As he did, he pushed her hair over her shoulder to look at the feathers at the nape of her neck. They were pure white again. He frowned at the sight of them. He didn't think he'd be so upset about the loss of the child.

"Lose me?" Serenity repeated. She turned to him slowly. "I only fell down the stairs…"

Theron nodded his head slowly. "Sit with me, tell me your side and I will tell you mine." He took her hand and led her to the bed. They sat down on the edge of the mattress together. He held her hand tightly as he stared at her.

"I would prefer if you told me what happened first," Serenity whispered. She didn't want to tell Theron what happened. She didn't want to think about what Terron had done to her or what she had done to him.

Theron was willing to humor her. "I was making my exit at the funeral, you disappeared into the crowd. I assumed that Terron had taken you, but I couldn't find you. He didn't seem to know where you were and even let me search his chamber. I didn't find you there. Later that evening, you fell down the stairs, that lead to Terron's chamber. Lord Michael was walking on the landing and found you immediately. He saw you fall. I had asked him to stay close to Terron's room in case you emerged or he heard you in there. He brought you here because you were bleeding excessively."

Serenity nodded. She felt sore from her fall on the stairs, but she didn't think she was injured that seriously. Theron was looking down at his lap. She reached forward and lifted his chin. "I don't understand."

"The child," he whispered. "You lost the child."

Serenity frowned deeply as realization came over her. "The doctors said that the pregnancy was not meant to survive. It was a coincidence that the miscarriage occurred at the same time as your fall."

Serenity nodded slowly. She swallowed hard but did not let tears roll from her eyes. She sat up straight. "You must be relieved."

Theron looked at her sharply. "No," he whispered with a shake of his head. "No. I'm not."

Serenity nodded again. It seemed to be the only thing she could do. There were no words to describe her pain suddenly. Falling down the stairs wasn't the world trying to bring balance to her for murdering Terron. This was. Losing the child. A life for a life.

"What of the King?"

"He disappeared," Theron said rolling his shoulders back. "He was found three days ago, dead in a hidden room of his chamber. Amala confessed to me that she killed him in the room because he tried to do unspeakable things to her. Things that even a husband should not do to his wife…"

Serenity looked at Theron sharply. "What?"

"She was put to death yesterday," Theron tilted his head to the side and rubbed his temples. "It was my first official act as King…"

Serenity's ears were ringing. This wasn't right. Amala had been put to death for Terron's murder? She folded her hands and put them to her mouth. She bit her knuckles and peered at Theron with terrified eyes.

"Amala?"

Theron sighed heavily and nodded. He looked at Serenity with a sad expression. "I know that is not what happened. She died for my cause. Despite what you thought, even though she was fulfilling my father's dying wish by marrying Terron, she was always loyal to me…and to you…She sacrificed herself to save you."

"You must have a theory of what happened then?" Serenity whispered as she looked towards the window.

"Yes," he whispered. "He kept you in the room. That is why I couldn't find you. He assaulted you. Amira informed me that you always carry a knife with you now. I doubt that Terron even fathomed you'd have a weapon." He stood up from the bed and opened the drawer of the nightstand next to the headboard. He pulled out the long thin knife that Serenity had killed Terron with.

"Lord Michael said this was his. He gave it to you so it could be hidden in your boot," Theron glanced at Serenity before he put it back in the drawer. "The shape matches the wounds on Terron's body. I think while he was assaulting you, you killed him in self defense. You left his body in that room hoping it would be hidden long enough for you to find me. At least, I hope you were coming to find me. In your haste, you fell down the stairs."

"I guess you don't need to hear my story then," Serenity said slowly. "You've figured it out perfectly."

Serenity bit her bottom lip as it quived at the thought of Terron touching her with the belt again. Of all the things he had done, he never hurt her in a way that would leave an imperfection on her flesh. She had thought for a moment in that room that he was going to beat her with it, or restrain her; she had finally pushed him far enough that he really was going to kill her once he was done with her.

"He tore your shirt?"

"Yes," Serenity whispered. She wiped the tears that were running down her cheeks away quickly.

"How did you get the mark on your arm?"

Serenity looked down and pushed the sleeve of her white shirt up. The belt had left bruises around her arm when it wrapped around her.

"I didn't take off my clothes when he told me to. He tried to smack me with his belt but I blocked it. The belt wrapped around my arm."

Theron looked at her with some surprise. He was smiling with pride. "I thought he restrained you."

"I thought he was going to," she muttered. "He forced himself into my mouth." She could barely speak and put her head in her hands. She brushed her hands through her hair as she sat up straight. She couldn't look Theron in the eye as she spoke. Part of her didn't want him to know what his brother had done to her…she had never told him the details before. Why did he want to know now?

"When he closed his eyes, as he was choking me, I grabbed the knife from under my skirt and stabbed him. I didn't think he would expect it. And there wouldn't have been another chance to take him by surprise…."

She rolled her shoulders back, folded her hands on her lap and took a slow breath.

"I will never speak of this again."

"As you wish," Theron replied.

Serenity nodded her head once. It was exactly what she wished. She didn't want to give Terron, his abuse or his death another thought. She would never let him control her in anyway ever again. Not her mind or her thoughts. She stared towards the window. She could hear the birds chirping again. The sound seemed to bring her back to reality. She blinked and looked up at Theron.

"Why are their birds in your garden?"

"I told all of the birds they can take their form whenever they wish," he replied. "As long as they conduct themselves in a civil manner and get all of their chores done, it is no business of mine what they do with their free time."

Serenity stared at him for a few moments.

"You're the King now," she whispered. Theron nodded and turned to look out the window.

"Yes. There is still much work to be done. I think we need to move slowly to ensure that there is peace when I release the birds. I want to make sure they have somewhere to go. I don't want to free them into a life of struggle and poverty. They have to trust me. Just as I have to trust them."

Serenity nodded. "I appreciate you thinking of their well being."

Theron turned to her with a smile. "Amira mentioned your concern yesterday. She seemed to think that it bothered you a great deal that I would release them into struggle."

Serenity couldn't help but smile. "Yes," she whispered. "I just want to make sure that everyone is given a chance to thrive."

Theron nodded in agreement as he folded his hands behind his back. "You must be starving, I'll send up some food."

Serenity looked at him with surprise as he moved to the door. "Where are you going?"

Theron looked at her. He stepped closer to her and stroked her cheek gently. He leaned down, kissing her lips with hot passion and love. Tears formed in her eyes because he had never kissed her so fiercely before.

"I have some matters to attend to," he said simply. "But, I will come to bed early tonight to hold you, if you'll have me. I don't want you to be alone."

"I'll always have you," she replied back as she touched his arm that was holding her cheek.

He smiled against her lips and kissed her again. "I'll send Cevin with some food."

"Thank you, your Majesty," she whispered as he pulled away.

He smiled at her. "Do not call me that when we are alone," he said. "As my love, you are the only one who can call me by my name."

Serenity smiled at Theron in return before he disappeared behind the chamber door. She sat back in the bed with a heavy sigh and pulled the blankets around her. Despite having been asleep for almost a week, she was exhausted. She closed her eyes as she folded her hands over her stomach and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she slept peacefully.