Chapter 7: The Witch

I wasn't sure where I was when my eyes finally opened. The room was white and almost glowing from the sun that was coming through the windows. I frowned, backing toward the wall trying to escape the light.

"You do not have to worry, the light won't hurt you here." I spun quickly my eyes meeting the silver blue eyes of a woman that looked as though she could be my twin. Her long blonde hair braided down her back, a black dress hugged her curves, the long sleeves dragging on the ground as she walked, her bare feet sticking out of the bottom of the dress.

"You, Aylin, have been the hardest ancestors to keep on this earth." she frowned as she approached me.

"Am I dead?" I frowned, meeting her eyes as she stopped in front of me.

"No, you are alive. Though you did make it hard to keep you that way."

"You're the Witch who cursed us aren't you?"

She was silent, her face going cold as she turned and walked to the windows. She was gorgeous in a way that most human women are not, my eyes seemed to be drawn to her though I wasn't sure if it was because of her beauty or because of fear.

"Your husband has been waiting for you. When you are ready to hear my side of the story your family has butchered over decades. You'll find me again." her voice was sharp, leaving no room for me to question her as she waved her hand. The room began to almost swirl around me.

"Wait! I have questions please!" I yelled only for my eyes to jerk open and come into contact with Dorian's deep blue ones.

He didn't even speak as he stood and left the room before coming back a few moments later. His usually smooth jaw was covered in stubble, his face seemed almost gray, the dark circles taking over under his eyes. If I didn't know better I would think he was ill and never stepped outside.

"Sirona will be here to check you in a moment." his voice was hoarse like he hadn't spoken in days.

"H-how long have I been asleep." my voice sounded like his if not worse. Before he answered me he went to the bedside table pouring me a cup of water helping me sit up a little as I took a sip letting the cool liquid soothe my throat.

"Almost two weeks, you've been in and out though only seconds at a time."

"The man?" I watched his face become dark as he leaned his forehead on his folded hands that were propped on his elbows on the bed.

"It was the man my father sent." he mumbled "He said he was disgusted with your beauty, that he would have you once then kill you, I made sure he knew you were still alive."

"What? Why will he just try again!" I said my head throbbed slightly and I groaned, making Dorian look up at me. His eyes were cold as they met mine, the dark blue turning almost black sending a shiver down my spine.

"I took his head so I doubt he will hurt anyone anytime soon."

My blood ran cold at the thought of the man's head laying on the ground. My stomach churned as I placed my hand on my belly trying to keep the bile rising in my throat down when I gasped.

"The baby, what did Sirona say about the baby?" I whispered my hands gripping the fabric of the blankets on top of me in fists.

"I told her I didn't want to know until you were awake." his eyes softened as he took one of my hands in his, causing me to become stiff. I pulled my hand away slowly causing him to frown.

"Sorry, I just, I can't." I stumbled over my words just causing him to nod his head as he moved away from the bed slightly just in time for Sirona to walk in.

"Oh Princess it is good to see you awake." she smiled, setting a basket of supplies down by my feet as Dorian stood letting her take the chair he was sitting in. Slowly she pulled the blankets down and then raised my night dress up above my navel still keeping my lower half covered with the blanket. Her hands glowed her comforting blue as she closed her eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest as my eyes met Dorian's across the room who was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, his eyes looked scared and sad as we both waited for Sirona to finish. She was silent as she pulled her hand away and pulled my clothes and the blanket back into place for me before she looked up at me and smiled.

"Looks like the baby is just fine."

As she said that Dorian turned, opening the door letting the other ladies come in before he slipped out, closing the door behind him.

"Oh Aylin we were so worried!" Cara said as she hugged me tightly before pulling away.

"I am going to start you a nice warm bath, and get clean clothes ready for you. Makenna has some fruit and your tea."

Cara stood bouncing to the washroom attached to the room, Makenna set the tray of food down and made sure I could hold the tea on my own before pressing a kiss to my forehead in a way that made my heart ache for my mother to be here. Nina stayed at the edge of the room but I could see her eyes seemed relieved when she made eye contact with me.

"He murdered him." I whispered as we all sat in the sitting area in my room. My hair was wet as Cara combed through it and smelled of flowers. I curled my knees up to my chest as I watched Sirona and Makenna play a game of chess.

"Of course he did. What he did is punishable by death, even if you were not royal. Dorian was easy on him because he gave him the answers when we found him." Nina snapped "You are not a child what did you think he would do? Especially after you saw him in the alley."

I shivered bile rising again in my throat as the sound of his sword cutting through the men's flesh in the alley went through my mind.

"You saw him do it then?" I mumbled

"Anyone who lived in the area, or in the castle saw. Dorian made it clear to anyone who wishes to harm you again that they will think twice before even breathing in your direction. Then took his head."

"Nina, that's enough." Makenna said her green eyes glaring at the dark haired women causing her to glare black.

"She is a Royal now she needs to know what they deal with. One day it will be her duty to decide if someone is to live or die, if she were awake she would have determined this man's fate as well."

"I would never take someone's life. I do not care what they did. They have jails for a reason." I whispered, causing Nina to scoff.

"I am sorry to inform you Princess, but men like him deserve what they get."

Everyone was silent for a moment before I stood.

"Leave now, I would like to be alone." My voice was cold and demanding, I could see the shock on their faces as they all gathered their things and left. I was happy to see that it was night time when I opened the curtains and stepped onto the balcony breathing in the fresh night air sitting on the bench like a chair. The view was amazing, trees stretching surrounding a lake which I heard is one of the girls favorite things to do in the warm months is swim in the lake. My mind wandered to the women I had seen in my dream, if that even was a dream. She seemed familiar, like I had known her forever and even though she seemed cold she was almost a comfortable presence to be with.

"Aylin? Are you alright?"

I turned to see Dorian walking out onto the balcony. He looked better than earlier, his face shaved and his hair combed through and slightly damp. His clothes were no longer wrinkled, the smell of his soap drifting over to me as he stepped into the night air. I swallowed my eyes looking at the sword he always carried with his hand resting on the hilt of it.

"Did he have a family?" I whispered not taking my eyes from the sword.

"Yes. A wife and two children almost of age." he answered back, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the sword tighter. I looked away then back out to the lake not sure what to say to him after that. That is five men he has killed because of me now. Their families being left with the pain of them being gone made my heart ache for them no matter what they had done to me. My vision was blocked by Dorian as he stood in front of me before kneeling on his knees like I had the night before the attack. He kept his distance as he bowed his head, his fist clenched on the ground.

"I am sorry, I swore I would keep you safe and you just keep getting hurt you and our." he stopped looking up at me tears leaving his eyes "our baby almost died because I was stupid enough to believe in the castle you were safe."

My heart ached as he looked at me with those sad eyes, before he bowed his head again. The situation between the two of us seemed to be breaking him as much as it was breaking me. I never thought how he was going against his morals to do as his father ordered.

"This baby means I never have to touch you again. We can even have separate rooms as well if that's what you want. But you will now have a full time guard. I only ask that I be there for the birth and have time with her when she arrives."

"Is that what you want to be separate?" I whispered sadly at the thought that he wanted that. I was startled when he looked up, his blue eyes fierce, his tears slowing as he met my eyes, his gaze so intense I fought to keep eye contact.

"No, I want to love you and our child and maybe even have more but I will not force it upon you, not any more than I already have. I shouldn't have rushed you into all of this."

"You know we didn't have a choice." my hand rested on my abdomen "We didn't know if I would be with child after that night you found me rushing was not your fault. And now as you sit here you don't even know if this is your heir."

"She is mine, I have claimed her as such no one will ever know except Sirona that there is a chance. Yet I feel it in my bones that she is ours."

My eyes welled up as I nodded my head. The vision of the little boy going through my mind again, then a little blonde girl next to him, both of them with dark blue eyes matching Dorian's. I knew the boy wouldn't be, and that our daughter would live a hard life even as a princess. Dorian watched me for a few moments before he reached out a hesitant and placed his hand over mine on my stomach. His eyes focused on our hands as if he could see the baby inside me, his face creasing again before his eyes met mine again.

"I know you have a problem with me killing. But as you sit here worried about his family, that man tried to take mine. I can still see, smell and feel your blood on me, soaking through the knees of my pants and coating my hands. I watched your eyes grow lifeless, your breathing shallow almost stopping." he swallowed looking away from me, his hand clenching his sword hilt again. "I would kill thousands of men to never see you like that again."

Before I could control it a sob came out of my mouth. The emotions of all the abuse I had taken through the years hit me like a ton of bricks as the tears started falling from my eyes and my throat felt tight. I pulled my knees to my chest and covered my face, ashamed that I suddenly couldn't control my emotions like I had been able to for so many years. Dorian didn't say anything, just slowly sat next to me and pulled me into his chest letting me sob into his my hands, fisting at the loose fabric. As much as I did not want to be touched, something about the fact that this man had already seen me at my most vulnerable, and had protected me when no one else noticed what was happening was comforting. His warmth seeped into my body as though he was wrapping me in a warm blanket as he whispered in my ear how sorry he was, how I deserved better than the life I was cursed with. He made sure to keep an arm loose on my shoulder in case I wanted to move away from him, the other stroking the back of my hand.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there like that. When my tears had finally run dry all that was left was small sobs, like hiccups as I tried to take deep breaths to calm down. My eyes burned and were hard to keep open as my body slumped into his, my hands loosening as he smoothed my hair from my face still murmuring words of comfort into my ear.

"Please, I cant handle anymore." I whispered my voice rough and scratchy as I pulled away to look at him.

"No more. I told you. You and the baby are my family now and I should've taken your protection more seriously." his eyes were hard as he spoke "Even from me. I swear on my life never again. Until you ask. If you ask." he whispered, caressing my cheek as I leaned back into him too tired to fight the contact.

I let him carry me back to the bed which Cara and Sirona had remade for me after I woke up. Tucking the blankets up around me he went to kiss my forehead like he had done before but stopped pulling away. That didn't stop him from placing a warm hand on my abdomen, I could feel the warmth from his hand even through the blankets.

"You are happy then? About the baby?" I whispered just now realizing we haven't really spoken about how we felt about having a baby that was basically forced upon us. I watched his face as he processed the question. I learned Dorian was very good at keeping his face neutral when he wanted. I am sure it was something he had learned in war to keep his emotions hidden from his enemies, or even from his father.

"I wish she had happened under different circumstances, and in our own time, but yes I am happy." he looked at me and gave me a small tired smile "I also wish I had found out in better circumstances, Sirona checked on her when you were sleeping, but I told her to keep any news to herself after she informed me that it would be pure luck if she made it after you lost all that blood. So I waited for you to wake up." he mumbled looking at his hand on my belly.

"I was coming to tell you." I traced the mark on my arm making his head shoot up and look at me, his eyes glassy and pained "You felt me, saved me again. You will never know the relief I felt when I saw you because I knew at least I would not die alone."

I watched his expression go from pained to neutral again before he looked away and stood up, his body tense and his fist clenching and un-clenching by his sides.

"I will be across the hall if you need me. There are guards outside the door, I have some letters to respond to. Some work I need to catch up on." he mumbled a quick goodnight before turning and leaving without another word.

When I finally slept my head was filled with nightmares of the empty hallway and the smell of ale. I felt the pain all over again in my dream, the throbbing in my head and Dorian's pained voice as he yelled at everyone to save me, and to find who had done it. When I woke up I was covered in sweat, the sun peeking out from behind the curtains. I wrapped a robe around myself before opening my door. The guards stood straight nodding their heads at me, I acknowledged them before I walked across the hall and knocked on the closed door. A frown formed on my face when there was no answer and I turned to leave before one of the guards cleared their throats.

"If you are looking for the prince, he hasn't left that room all night. I am sure he will not mind if you enter Princess." he lowered his head again

"Thank you." I whispered before turning back to the door and pushing it open.

The room was dark, the curtains covering the windows which I was sure was for my sake. It made me sad to see the castle so dark when I knew in the light it would be beautiful. This room was smaller than the one I had stayed in, a couch in one corner, and on the other wall was a desk which Dorian was slumped over sound asleep papers spread out all over the desk as well as books stacked on the floor all about witches, and curses. The papers on the desk were filled with his neat handwriting, notes about my curse as well as curses that were similar to mine. I pulled a blanket off the couch in the corner before draping it over his shoulders. He shifted slightly but didn't wake, only moving his one hand causing the pen he had to roll to the floor. As I bent to pick it up my eyes caught a list that made my heart pound. Among all the mess of notes with curses and witches was a list of baby names, the paper split in two labeled 'girl' on one side and 'boy' on the other. I never thought to ask my mother and grandmother about children after their first.

"What am I thinking?" I mumbled to myself, shaking my head at the thought of more children. The one in my womb was barely a baby and I was planning more with a man I barely know. Dorian shifted slightly and I frowned, circling two names on the paper before turning and leaving quietly going back into my room.

I spent the rest of the day in the room, even when the ladies invited me to lunch with them I couldn't bring myself to walk past a few feet from my bedroom door. I didn't see Dorian, and the guards at my door said he hadn't left the room he was in. The next few days were the same, and even I had to admit my fear of leaving the hallway was starting to make my life very boring. Finally I was sitting on the floor thinking of the vision with the witch. My family had not mentioned anything about being able to contact her, though from how she talked she knew exactly what had been going on in her life almost as though she could see what was happening.

"I am going crazy. Of course she knew what was going on, she's me." I frowned, leaning back against the bed rubbing my stomach which I had found myself doing throughout the last few days, slowly growing attached to the baby in my womb.

"You'll find me again." I muttered, closing my eyes and relaxing my body letting my mind wonder thinking of the women I had seen before. Then I was back in the bright room staring out at the bright scenery. The warmth of the sun felt good on my skin as I walked closer to the windows enjoying the feeling, closing my eyes and taking in the warmth.

"I knew you would be back soon." The voice made me jump as I turned to the woman she walked up standing next to me also enjoying the sun it seemed.

"I want to know your side. I also want to know more about the curse that will be passed to my baby."

She eyed me up and down a small smile on her face, before she waved her hand and a set of chairs appeared out on the balcony. She motioned for me to follow, I couldn't help but feel relaxed in her presence, as though we were old friends that had known each other for years.

"Why can we be in the sun here?"

"This is your mind, it isn't like the outside world you are safe here."

I nodded feeling how quiet it was and frowned "You have been alone? All this time?"

"Years, I have been stuck here, yes. Though it was not supposed to be this way." her face became sad "Our ancestors made me out to be the villain as well as someone who was a stranger. Though that is not the case, there is a reason we look so similar. Yes people feared me, they couldn't understand how I could do certain things, and yet they all had no problem paying me to get the spells they wanted."

With another wave of her hand a tray of food appeared and I couldn't help the watering my mouth started to do, I waited until she reached for the tray pouring cups of hot tea as well as taking herself a small pastry before I took some myself moaning at how good it tasted.

Then she went on to explain how a man had attacked her pregnant daughter, killing her husband and almost killing the infant she carried. The witch did use a spell that would be otherwise used as a curse, though she changed it so that her life would be put into the baby so that the baby and her daughter would survive. Though in doing that her own life was limited to living on in a portion of her ancestors mind. In a way making her immortal however also becoming weakened over time. Of course the curse has its setbacks, the sun being one of them at least for Aylin.

"So my baby will be like me."

"Maybe worse. I cannot control how the curse reacts with every baby, our ancestors were set with the task of helping me leave. Now they are too afraid to free me so they just look to destroy me instead of helping."

"Is one child only possible?" I blushed red, not sure why of all the questions that were the one that came out.

She laughed, smiling at me "There is no reason why you should not be able to give your handsome prince many children. The women in our family always just chose to stop at one, and no the curse does not affect all children just the first born. As you will soon realize." She looked at my abdomen and smiled fondly at me.

"I never asked your name?" I whispered, placing my hand on my stomach.

"I do not know my name, That is the curse you see. You find my name and I will be set free of course everything with my name was destroyed, and everyone who knew me by name forgot it."

I frowned looking into the women's eyes trying to sense if she was lying and just trying to escape. She seemed sad, her eyes holding years of wisdom went blank as if she were trying to remember something she had misplaced and then she shook her head.

"I do know that we originally are not from this village, we come from farther in the mountains. We migrated this way when we became more of a farming community but many of our relics should still be there I would assume."

"Thank you."

"I know you have your doubts, but your family lied for years. I gain nothing from lying."

As she said that she waved her hand again and then I was blinking my eyes open back in my dark room and sighed. Something in me wanted to talk with Dorian, though I didn't want to disturb him if he was busy with the work he said he needed to finish. Frustrated I stood storming to the door then across the hall not bothering knocking as I opened in. I was shocked to see Dorian standing there shirtless breathing heavily as he lowered his sword from the stance he was in. Again he was more disheveled, and sweaty as his face went from shock to concern looking over me.

"Are you okay? Is something wrong?" he said, his voice coming out in pants as he sheathed his sword and then grabbed his shirt covering his scar-covered torso.

"I am bored, and I know how to break the curse." I mumbled looking away from him as I walked further into the room, shutting the door behind me. I was only answered by silence as I sat at his desk chair seeing again the list of names as well as letters from other places in the kingdom all seeming to be about the curse that I had on me. Though I suppose now it isn't really a curse if the witch was right about the story she said.

"How? Did someone find something?" He asked, pulling up a chair to sit on the other side of the desk keeping his distance from me. My heart hurt a little at the distance, however my mind appreciated he respected my need to be further from him.

So I told him about the visions I have seen with the witch. How she lived in my mind without me even knowing. As I talked I picked up the quill and sketched the image on the witch on a blank paper. Sketching her made her seem even more real and made me feel less crazy as I soon fell silent finishing the quick sketch and sliding it over to him. I watched him scan the drawing then look between her and me, seeing the resemblance between the two of us.

"She is family to me. Her name has been lost to her and to break the curse we are to find it so she can speak it and she will be free."

"How do you know this is not a lie to set her free and kill you?" he frowned, setting the drawing down.

"I don't, but there is a part of me that can just feel the truth. What other options do we have?"

Dragging his hands down his tired scruffy face he leaned back into his chair with a long sigh. His eyes were thoughtful as he examined my face before he gave a small nod his eyes then became determined the shade turned darker then before.

"We have another palace near the area you said she was from. I will tell the ladies to pack the things we need for there and we will head that way."

"Is it safe? To travel for me?" I frowned my hand on my belly, his eyes drawn to it before he looked away quickly.

"Sirona said travel was fine since you are not that far along yet. Once we are there though that may be where the baby will be born. Depending on how long we need to stay. It takes two, maybe three weeks to get there, it's in the mountains where the old village used to be."

"Is the palace still in good condition?"

"Should be, my father has me go over who we pay every month and we still pay for staff to care for that palace as well as all the other ones we have."

"How many is that exactly?"

"Seven or eight, including this one, My father and his father liked to show our wealth. Even in villages that have nothing, whenever I am king I am getting rid of most of them. What do we need more than one for?" he grumbled

I nodded, having a new appreciation for the fact that he was not greedy like I knew his father to be. My grandfather had told me about how the king liked to flash his riches and power around, Dorian didn't seem to be that way, or his mother she was kind though Queens didn't have much say when it came to most things. Women were made to make babies not help rule at least in the king's mind that seemed to be the case. Dorian took another paper and the quill writing what seemed to be a letter. I glanced over it seeing it was a letter to his mother telling her about where we were going and to tell the king that the new heir would be safer further from people since recent events. He folded it up taking a burning candle letting hot wax drip on where it was folded before taking the ring he wore on his right ring finger pressing his seal into the wax sealing it with the royal symbol. He stood handing it to a guard outside the door whispering to the guard as well before shutting the door and walking back looking toward the closed curtains.

"Before we leave, let me show you the grounds, its over cast so the sun isn't out.'' He handed me an umbrella and gave me a small smile. "You have been inside for too long, the fresh air will be good for you."

A small smile reached my lips as I took the offered object and with a small nod we headed out of his room. My heart raced as we walked through the halls, I stepped closer to him bumping arms with him as I did so, mumbling a small apology. He continued to walk close to me, our arms brushing. Anyone we passed seemed to back away from us, seeming intimidated by how tall and powerful the prince walked through the palace. He radiated power, part of me wondered if his family came from a line of magic as well. When we got outside I opened the umbrella. Though it probably wasn't needed with how cloudy it was I did not want to take any chances. Dorian walked us under a bunch of willow trees and into a garden. His mothers favorite place, as well as his sisters when she could come here. He told me all the plants and flowers they planted together. There were three trees planted together in the back of the garden with a bench underneath.

"A tradition my mother started, she planted a tree for each baby she had. Even the one who didn't live.``He placed a hand on the tree which I assumed was for his brother who lost his life far too young.

"Well then, when this baby is born we should continue the tradition." I smiled at him touching the tree next to his hand, smiling at him.

"I would like that, thank you." he whispered before a crack of lightning flashed in the sky and then thunder before it started to pour.

I smiled up at the sky before dropping the umbrella stepping into the rain letting it soak my hair and clothes as I started to spin laughing.

"Aylin! Are you crazy you'll catch your death!" Dorian yelled

"Dance with me Prince!" I shouted back as I started dancing in the rain, my mind going to when I was young and my mother and father would dance in the rain with me, the only time I could enjoy the outdoors without fear. I stopped walking over and grabbed the prince's hand pulling him further into the downpour of rain before I started spinning us in a dance, the only music was the sound of our laughter and the rain hitting the stones beneath our feet. I admired his handsome face as he spun and dipped me. His muscular body moved with a grace that could only come from years of training. When the thunder and lightning started to get worse we ran back to the willow trees racing through the garden. I knew if he wanted he could easily win the race but he let me win only grabbing my hand and making me stop as we made it under the willows, the rain barely penetrating the dense branches as I leaned against one of the huge trunks my breath coming out in pants as we mad eye contact.

I couldn't remember seeing him so happy since we met. His dark blue eyes seemed to be dancing with happiness and joy. His hand was on my waist, his other holding my hand as his eyes darkened when he stepped closer to me, his face flushing. He dropped my hand moving slowly and moving the hair off my face, his thumb brushing my lips as he moved my hair that was stuck there. I blushed looking up at him through my lashes, suddenly feeling shy, my heart racing as he looked from my eyes to my lips as if asking silent permission. I gave him the smallest nod as he gently cupped my cheek, his lips brushing mine softly, before he captured them by kissing me softly and slowly, the water from his wet hair dripping onto my face as he backed me up to the tree. I kissed him back, my hands going around his shoulders. His hands held my waist as mine found their way into his hair. He deepened the kiss, making me moan into his mouth before he stopped suddenly and leaned his head on my shoulder, his breath coming in pants.

"I'm sorry." he muttered "That was-"

"Perfect. That was perfect." I cut him off a blush rushing to my cheeks as he stood up fully and looked down at me

"Yeah, perfect." he smiled, his thumb stroking my lips again before he sighed and looked out towards the rain "I'll race you again." he smiled widely before he took off towards the palace laughing as I yelled after him and following. Every time I would go to pass him he would grab my hand and kiss my cheek or my lips before taking off again leaving me breathless as we finally entered the palace laughing like idiots.

"Don't complain to Sirona if either of you catches your death." I gasped looking up to see Nina in a blood red gown, arms crossed as she glared at the two of us.

"Lighten up Lady Nina." Dorian chuckled, "Are you ladies preparing to leave?"

"Yes everything should be ready by mid morning tomorrow prince." she snapped before turning her dark hair whipping behind her as she walked down the hall.

"She loves you, you know that?" I muttered once I saw she was far enough away causing him to sigh.

"Yes, I know." he frowned before we started walking back to our rooms. "I thought at one point she would be my wife as well." he whispered softly.

I gasped and stopped walking, causing him to stop and turn to me. A puddle started to form under our feet as we stopped walking and our wet hair and clothes dripped onto the marble floor. Letting out a sigh he looked down at his boots before looking back up at me.

"We were young, she was beautiful before you, she was the most beautiful woman, well girl I had ever seen. She was only sixteen, me freshly eighteen and finally home from war. We found comfort in each other's company, Until she had a vision of who her husband was to be, someone we have yet to meet and she said it would not be fair for us to continue."

"Yet she still loves you?"

"I have moved on, though it did hurt when it ended. I just hope whenever she meets the man she saw that she can forget me."

I nodded before reaching out and squeezing his hand as we started walking again.

"I am sorry however if it makes things tense between you two, she was always the jealous type and though it has been almost a year since we have visited each other, she still holds those feelings."

"Visited? You mean?" I blushed as I pictured Nina under Dorian in the same way I had been.

"Yes, even after we ended things we occasionally used each other for relief. Though If I am honest she is not the only female I used in that way, though she is the only one who was serious."

"Yes, you told me when we first visited each other." I frowned using the phrase he had used

"Are you upset? I should've told you sooner I am sorry."

"I have no reason to be upset this was before us, though now I know why she tends to be cold towards me."

"I'll talk to her."

"No, no it's okay I don't want her knowing I know and I really don't want it creating more issues, she will come around or she won't, it's okay." I gave him a reassuring smile as we stopped at our bedroom door.

"A bath is drawn, your majesties." the guard at the door said as he gave us a nod in greeting.

"Thank you, Captain." Dorian smiled as he opened the door for us and we both stepped in.

"You bathe first I will wait." he whispered as he removed his sword and boots.

"The tub is plenty big for the both of us, just let me get in."

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"You're shivering." I said as I noticed how cold I had become from the wet clothes, "The water is hot now and won't be when I am done, please it is just a bath nothing more." I whispered as I entered the bathing area. The tub was filled with hot water and smelled of lavender bath oils and salts. I stripped and sank into the bathtub, the hot water making all my muscles relax as I took a cloth and covered my breast before I called him and told him it was fine for him to enter. I blushed and averted my eyes when I saw he was already naked, and at the groan he let out when he relaxed in the hot water.

"So have you slept with any of my other ladies?" I asked causing him to chuckle

"Well even though they are all beautiful, Sirona and Makenna don't seem to enjoy my type." he smirked "And Cara is very much into the love of her life, the Captain outside is her husband."

My eyes widened. "She never mentioned she was married." I frowned thinking of the blonde who helped me dress every morning and gossiped more than my grandmother with her long time friends.

"Yes, about two years now maybe. They keep it low key, but they have been caught groping each other in every dark corner of the palace." he chuckled, shaking his head.

"I was shocked when Makenna and Sirona displayed affection so easily."

"Yes the palace doesn't care about those things, especially since they have a higher ranking position. They are waiting for the last of the rebellion to be dealt with before they wed, since Makenna is a general in the Army, though now she has been promoted to being your personal guard and lady so I wonder if those plans will change since she will no longer travel so much." Dorian shrugged.

"Would you train me?" I whispered

His eyes flashed up to mine, shocked. "You want to learn to fight?"

"I think I should. After everything that has happened I can't keep being the helpless little girl, I want to be able to protect me and our children, child I mean." I flushed looking away from him.

"We can do an hour a day, until you are too far along or Sirona says otherwise."

"Thank you."

I smiled, thankful he ignored my slip up in saying children, I didn't want to give him hope that we would have more than one. Kissing him this afternoon was one thing I wasn't sure I would ever be ready to make love to him. We stayed talking in the bath until the water started to get cold. He got out first wrapping a towel around him before holding my robe out for me, closing his eyes as I stopped and slipped my arms into the sleeves tying the front closed. He then took my hair and towel dried it gently for me making my eyes start to drop as I felt his fingers massage my scalp through the towel. When he finished that he led me into the bedroom and even brushed my hair as we sat on the bed.

"Goodnight." he whispered as he pulled the blankets over me

"Stay." I whispered back, my eyes already starting to drift shut "please I sleep better with you near."

He gave a small nod before he stood slipping on some loose pants before climbing into the bed next to me. His warmth surrounded me even though he stayed further away. That night was the first time in a long time that I slept soundly with no dreams of the men who had harmed me. Instead I dreamt of rain and willow trees, and deep blue eyes.