Chapter 8: Travel

The next morning was a rush. As soon as I woke the ladies were dressing me and stuffing me full of tea and food before rushing me off to the carriage. I realized I had slept in later than usual when I saw where the sun was as I glanced at it from under my hood. There were four carriages all together. The royal one which we traveled in here, looked to be stuffed with supplies and trunks we would need for the journey. Then two carriages for the ladies, and the guard who were traveling with us. Seemed to be enough guards so that they could take shifts riding the horses and resting, which to me made it seem that we would not be stopping much along the journey. Dorian smiled at me when I reached him and the captain. The Captain was dressed in a dark blue uniform like the other guards, except he wore a golden royal crest on the left side of his chest which I knew showed his ranking as a captain. He had long white blonde hair tied back into a low ponytail and silver blue eyes that seemed almost as cold as steel. Though when he glanced over behind where I knew my ladies were standing they turned warm briefly before he looked away back to Dorian.

"We will only stop traveling and set up camp when we get through the Rebel border, you and the others are to take shifts on watch, three four hours at most before you switch off. The rebel territory is not a place to get distracted or tired. Under no circumstances do the women travel alone. When we stop to relieve ourselves when needed the Ladies are to be guarded just remember to still insure their privacy."

Dorian's voice sent chills through his voice coming out with an authority that dared someone to question his orders. The captain just gave a nod before walking away to help the ladies into the carriage. I watched how his hand lingered on Cara longer than the others and how when they made eye contact their eyes seemed to hold so much love and passion for the other I blushed and looked away as if I had just witnessed an intimate moment I was not supposed to see. Dorian took my hand helping me into the carriage before he climbed in as well. Instead of sitting across from him like before I sat next to him as I removed my cloak and shoes and threw it on the bench across from us he seemed shocked.

"I sleep better when you are near. And since we will be traveling that is what I plan on doing." I whispered looking at my folded hands in my lap "If that is okay with you?"

"Of course," he patted his leg with a small smile. "I can double as a pillow if needed." he joked as he propped his legs up on the other side of the carriage, turning so that he was angled diagonal across the carriage so his long legs could stretch out fully. I blushed and curled into his side as his hand immediately found the ends of my long hair running. His fingers threw them as the carriage lurched indicating that we had started moving. I dozed in and out of sleep for the first two hours it seemed before I finally woke up feeling queasy as we traveled over uneven ground. I sat up slowly, my hand resting on my stomach.

"Aylin? You okay?" as the words left dorains mouth I quickly threw open the curtains covering the windows not caring that the sun would come in as I hung my head out the window throwing up the breakfast the Makenna had forced me to eat. I heard the guard next to the carriage yell for everyone to stop and the carriages all came to a halt as I proceeded to vomit out the window. The sun was not helping as my body started to get hot from the sun hitting my face. I felt Dorian rubbing my back, just as a shadow came over me and I looked up to see Makenna and Sirona standing there. Makenna with an umbrella and Sirona holding a glass bottle and a small box.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, my face flushed with embarrassment as I let Dorian pull me back into the carriage.

"You are with a child, this is normal." Sirona said as they opened the door and handed me the bottle and container. "Ginger tea, and some crackers will help settle your stomach. Small sips and small bites." She smiled before they closed the door and walked back to their carriage, Dorian pulling the curtain back in place and then taking a handkerchief and wiping my chin and the sides of my mouth making me blush even more.

"Don't worry, I have seen, smelled and dealt with much worse at war." he whispered a small smile on his face, his eyes lingering on my stomach before he took the bottle from me and opened it. "Drink."

Taking small sips from the bottle I tried to relax and ignore how hot my body seemed to feel and how dizzy I was as I leaned back into the red cushioned seat. Dorian frowned at me reaching over and feeling my forehead before cursing under his breath. He pulled open the picnic basket and pulled out another clean cloth and a glass bottle filled with water. Dumping out the water on the cloth he moved to sit next to me pulling my hair off my neck and placing it on the back of my neck, the cool sensation sending a shiver down my spine.

"You are going to make a good father." I whispered after a few moments as we started moving again.

A low chuckle escaped his mouth almost breathless, sounding as he put more water on the cloth before taking the tea and saltines from me, then pulling me to lay down my head on his lap as he placed the cloth on my forehead this time. His eyes seemed sad as he looked at me, his lips pulled down into a frown. I reached up holding his cheek in my hand, my thumb brushing his lips. I then took his hand placing it on top of my abdomen, the light blue silk dress not doing much to hide the fact that a small hard bump was already starting to form. Dorian's blue eyes widened as he glanced from our hands to my eyes quickly.

"I'm scared too." I mumbled as I squeezed his hand, watching the emotion swim through his eyes as he tried to keep his face expressionless. "You don't have to hide from me. Even though this isn't a marriage based on love, I am your wife and I wont judge you if you show some emotion."

"My father used to scold me when I was too emotional. Even when I would get angry, he expected me to never show my hand." he sighed, his frown appearing again on his face, his eyes softening as he pressed his hand to my stomach a little more, his warmth seeping through my dress, "What if I can't protect you? It's like trouble is drawn to you." he chuckled a dark humorless chuckle.

"That's why you are going to train me. That is another way you can protect me and then when she is born we will train her as soon as she is able to if it is needed."

"Well then we will start whenever we can make camp. We will sleep during the day and train at night. As long as she lets you." he smiled, glancing at my stomach as he pressed the cloth to my head again.

"When will we be over the rebel border?"

"Two days at most if we don't slow down. This area has never specifically been considered dangerous, though we don't want to take chances if they see a royal carriage when we are stopped."

I nodded playing with his fingers and tracing the lines on his hands, like his torso his hands had scars, and calluses. I never noticed the long scar in the middle of his palm and the matching one on the other side, like a knife or other sharp object had gone straight through his hand.

"My grandfather said the war with the rebels ended, as well as negotiations with them in the peace treaty." I traced the scar over and over imprinting it in my mind.

"Yes and no. They were losing the war, so we opened negotiations. My father however only gave them a certain amount of land they could claim as their own. It's small and I personally don't agree with my fathers choice."

"Aren't they criminals?"

"Some, but not all." he laced his fingers through mine. "The women and the children, they didn't commit crimes. Though some of the men were just vicious, some were just fighting for their families to have a safer place to live. My father is greedy, takes too much taxes, land and homes without so much as a thought. His father was the same."

"And you?"

My mind went back to how he didnt want all the palaces his family owns. Then to how he liked to collect rare people or items, which could be seen as a power move to others. How even my ladies were not just ordinary people, and I am assuming the guards he travels with are not ordinary as well.

"I wouldn't punish those who do not need to be. I am not cruel."

"You beheaded the man who hurt me, the men actually and didn't flinch after."

His body stiffened as he pulled his hand from me. His face turning to stone as he looked down at me, a shiver of fear went through my body at the emptiness in his eyes. Slowly he sat me up, sticking his hand out the carriage window he thumped the side of it in a pattern of three, I heard a shout then the sound of hooves running on the ground.

"Sleep. It's going to be a while until we stop. And drink that before you get sick again." he mumbled as he pushed the carriage door open. A white horse with just a saddle ran up beside the carriage, without stopping or slowing he leaned out the carriage and jumped onto the horse. A gasp escaped me but before I could say anything he kicked the carriage door shut again with his foot and I heard his horse speed up, leaving me with nothing to do but sleep.

Nightmares plagued me again, this time ones of Dorian slaying men, women, children. A part of me knew they couldn't be true. That I had seen the side of him that was gentle and fun even. When I woke the carriage was moving slower than before and it was starting to get dark out. The curtains were open though no sun was reaching inside being blocked by the trees we were not surrounded by.

"The man who almost killed you, begged for his life like a stray dog begging for food."

Dorian's voice made me jump as I sat up. He was sitting across from me. His face was still cold and empty like before. "Everyone in the castle witnessed me remove his head. And I would do it again to anyone who hurt you. Or another woman even. I have done things that I guess you would consider to be harsh or cruel. Including giving the order to burn villages to the ground."

My mind flashed back to the dream I had just had with fire, women and children screaming. I felt sick again though this time for a new reason.

"Even as a Prince I am not excused from the orders my father gives." he held his scarred hand up flexing his fingers "I tried, I told him no that I wouldn't burn a village with children and women, innocent people. He took his knife and shoved it through my hand, twisting the blade. I was sixteen. He had just made me General of the most Elite army he had, I was good at war and killing."

"Stop." I mumbled looking away from his hand, bile rising into my throat as I pictured a young Dorian with a knife through his hand.

"Took me three days to finally agree to his order. Three days where I stood my hand stuck to the table with a knife and my blood soaking the maps and floor. The healer and the guard were ordered to leave me there."

He leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees, his eyes softening and his face relaxing. "I learned to work around my fathers orders, telling my soldiers to save anyone they could before any fires were set and then even after, but I remember the first village. The people I didn't save and their screams, the burning smell and the images of the corpses will haunt me. I am not cruel. I will however do what I have to to protect my family, and my people.``

I looked away from him just as the carriage came to a stop, he moved, opening the door and turning to me.

"The ladies will come get you to stretch and relieve yourself." he mumbled "don't wonder, we are still in rebel territory." he stepped out of the carriage leaving the door open.

As I waited for the girls to come get me I slowly stepped out of the carriage to stretch my stiff legs. When I finally saw them I was shocked to see they had changed into fighting leathers which I had only ever seen the men in my village wear.

Though it didn't really seem to fit Sirona and Cara, Nina and Makenna looked like warriors. Makenna's tall stature made her intimidating twin swords strapped across her back as well as knives strapped to her thighs. Nina had her dark hair braided over her shoulder, a short sword strapped to her hip the sheath glinting in the moonlight when she moved, her body moving like a cat through the darkness making my throat go dry when her violet eyes met mine.

Sirona, and Cara both walked with less confidence than the other two girls. Though the knives strapped to both girls' thighs showed that they too were trained in some kind of combat. A strange chain was attached to Caras hip and jiggled as she walked closer, a smile on her face when her eyes met mine. Without saying much words they set up a small makeshift tent before they handed me a pair of leathers as well though mine seemed to be a silver color instead of black.

"These are my extra ones until we can have some made for you." Cara smiled as she helped me into them braiding my hair back as well to be out of my face.

"Are you all trained?" I was still shocked.

"Sirona really only knows the basics though she can hold her own, she was an on field medic towards the end of the war." Makenna smiled with pride "It is how we met."

Sirona's face turned pink as she smiled "Makenna would get herself hurt on purpose.just to come see me."

"Nina taught herself then started training with me, Cara however has personal lessons with a Captain." Makenna winked at Cara who blushed as she handed me a sword, I was surprised to see it was real and not a practice one.

"Dorian wants you to learn with a real sword. It is faster than learning the different weights of a practice one then the heavier weight of the real thing."

As we walked a bit away from camp I realized I enjoyed the freedom of having on pants and not a dress for once. Though the boots didn't fit as well as my other shoes they were nice to walk in. After relieving ourselves and eating a light meal we were soon standing near the camp going through the basics of using a sword. Makenna was instructing as the rest of us did the motions, I could feel eyes on us watching though I tried to focus on Mckenna's words instead, and watching her movements as well as Ninas who had a slightly different more graceful style then Makenna did. Sirona told me when we took a break drinking some water that Makenna was a master in hand to hand combat.

"Even beat your husband once." Makenna smiled as she looked across the fire, her eyes meeting Dorians in a challenging look.

"You want a rematch then General?" Dorian shouted back a smirk on his face as he walked closer the Captain walking behind him shaking his head in clear disapproval.

"As long as you don't take it easy on me. Was almost too easy last time." Makenna handed her harness with her swords to Sirona as well as her knives as Dorian just dropped his weapons to the ground. The other men started gathering around whispering bets on who would beat who and what would get broken.

I watched stepping closer to Cara as they began to circle each other. Their faces sent shivers down my spine making me clutch Cara's arm. Dorian's face I had seen like this before, harsh and calculating, ready to kill, but Makenna whose face was usually soft with a smile was also hard, a cold smirk on her lips as she made the first move. Even without experience I could tell she was faster than Dorian. Soon they were both throwing punches and kicks, flipping each other into the dirt, their bodies slamming so hard my own lungs hurt at the sound of the air getting knocked from them. I wasn't sure how long it went on, the cheering and booing of the other men around grew louder as the two of them seemed to get rougher. Blood spattered across their faces and knuckles. Dorians loose shirt was ripped blood showing on his torso from the rocks and sticks on ground, Mckenna's leathers helping defend against them.

"They won't stop until one of them can't go on." I jumped and turned to the Captain who I just realized was next to me. "It's in the training we all learn, and their pride won't let them just call it quits."

I frowned watching them throw each other around some more, their pained grunts echoing around us. Looking at Sirona I could see the sad look on her face as she clutched Makenna's swords to her chest. Without thinking my arms dropped from caras as my feet moved walking closer to the fighting pair. Dorian flipped Makenna over his shoulder, her back slapping the ground as she rolled away from a kick he threw her way, his back to me. She froze when she saw me as I reached up and touched Dorian's shoulder gently causing him to spin his fist stopping a hair's width away from my cheek. The crowd mumbled in shock as I didn't even flinch.

"Aylin." he gasped out his fist dropping his eyes wide with the realization.

"That's enough my prince." I whispered the words weird on my tongue but I knew the men around us wouldn't like it if I used their prince's name informally. Taking his fists I smiled small at him as I walked around and helped Makenna to her feet, Dorian soon helping her as well, both of them limping to where Sirona stood in shock like the rest of them. Sirona immediately went to heal Dorian first her training to help the royal family kicking in even though her lover was the other one injured.

"No, Makenna first." Dorian said his voice stern as they both plopped down onto the ground, my body getting pulled down to my knees with them both looking sorry as I grunted at the impact.

"Dismiss them.'' Dorian motioned to the Captain and the other men around still standing there.

The captain started shouting orders and they all scurried off back to their posts, some of them mumbling their disappointment that the fight had ended so early. As Makenna was getting heard and lectured by Sirona I jumped when I felt Dorian's warm touch on my hand.

"You do like putting yourself in danger don't you?" he whispered as he frowned though I could tell he was trying to joke "I could have hurt you."

"I knew you wouldn't." I took a cloth from the basket Sirona had set down, putting water on it and starting to wipe the blood from his hands and face bruises beginning to form on his knuckles and cheeks. His eyebrow was bleeding as I held the cloth to it helping it clot some until Sirona could assist.

Dorian frowned, cupping my face in his hand wincing and grabbing his ribs.

"Dammit Makenna I think you broke a rib." Dorian said looking over at his smirking general who already was looking better thanks to Sirona's healing hands.

"I guess I, win again then. Technically you forfeited thanks to Aylin."

Dorian chuckled "I suppose you do then, I picked the right women to protect my wife then."

Sirona came to heal Dorian and he waved her off again "It's okay, I just need a little sleep and to rinse in the river."

His head bleeding slowed as he stood holding his hand out to me pulling me up. WE began to walk away much to Sirona's dismay. Making our way through the trees Dorian easily found a river quickly taking off his shirt and wading into the river washing the blood off, his torso was already turned black and blue near his ribs as well as other bruises littered here and there on him.

Coming out of the water he sat next to me pulling me so that we were laying down in the grass staring up at the stars. I gasped at how many were out with the full moon shining along with them.

"You almost glow in the moonlight." he whispered looking over at me with a small smile. His cut eyebrow and eye also turned purple.

"Why didn't you let her heal you?"

"It takes her energy to do it, I know she would rather focus on Makenna than the one who did it to her."

I stared into his eyes and smiled slightly at the care he held for his people. Especially those close to him.

"How long have you been training?"

Letting out a long breath he rolled flat onto his back, his arms raised and under his head.

"Since I could walk and talk, my father had me in some form of training or another. Started off with hand to hand, then weapons as soon as I could support the weight of a sword. Then you learn to fight while on a horse. My mother made sure I was also packed with knowledge, everything from the histories to basic medical training one can do in the field." he sighed his eyes holding a distant lonely look that I knew all too well.

Though I had my mother and grandparents I spent my life learning the family trade and doing some schooling at home and was mostly alone. Reaching out I placed my hand on his arm causing him to flinch slightly before he looked over his eyes clearing when he realized it was me. A small smile graced his lips as he rolled facing me causing me to do the same, the grass tickling my cheek as we stared at one another.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered glancing down at my stomach then back up his hand reached out slightly as if he were to touch my stomach then stopped and let it drop back down. I moved closer slowly before taking his hand and placing it on my abdomen holding it there with a small sigh, the warmth of his fingers sending a tingle through me.

"I am okay, I have a feeling the little amount of training I did tonight will for sure wipe me out. You and Makenna seem like you could go forever." I frowned thinking of all the blood that was on him.

"We are trained to, she's one of the best. Don't let your other ladies fool you; they are also very skilled in combat. You will be ready to defend yourself in no time." he smiled and my heart skipped a beat as his teeth glinted in the moonlight. I could never deny how handsome this man was.

"I am sorry to interrupt." Sirona's voice made me jump as we both sat up and turned to look at her. She was holding some thread and a needle as well as a clean cloth. Her face looked like it was void of color as she stood there I could tell she was drained.

"You're fine Sirona." Dorian smiled sitting up all the way.

"I cant heal you but please allow me to stitch your eyebrow so it wont get infected." she walked forward slowly before she could sit down I stood taking her hands in my with a smile

"Go sleep, I can stitch him," I whispered, taking the thread and needle from her hand. Unlike a normal needle this one was thicker and curved, the thread also had a different texture.

"Princess, I couldn't ask you to-"

I held a hand up stopping her then smiled softly "Please, go be with Makenna I can stitch him."

She looked between the prince and I before giving a nod and mumbling a goodnight as she walked back to where the fire was glowing. I could see Makenna's tall form standing and watching her partner as she walked back towards her through the dark. Sitting back down I saw the frown on Dorian's face as he looked at my hands with the needle and thread.

"Don't you trust me?" I whispered as I sat close to his injured side, our faces so close it would only take a small movement forward and my lips would brush his. I blushed at the thought before I got to work threading the needle. I had watched my mother and grandmother stitch up the odd customer here and there so knew the basics of how to do it.

"I just don't like the thought of your hands having blood on them." his voice was thick as I looked up into his dark blue eyes.

"It's okay, I want to help and learn these things." I whispered back as I moved so that I was pinching his wound on his eyebrow together with his warm blood almost instantly coating my thumb and forefinger. He grunted, shutting his one eye to keep the blood from dripping into it. The sound of the needle and thread pulling through his skin made my stomach turn. I felt his warm hand on my leg gripping the leathers slightly making me stop.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even ask Sirona for anything for the pain. I'll go ask her."

"No, no it's okay I don't need it just keep going." he opened his eyes and smiled at me quickly before shutting them again. I breathed a sigh of relief before continuing. I tried remembering how my grandmother stitched my arm once, doing one stitch and tying off the thread before cutting it and doing another stitch making sure to keep them close together. I blushed in embarrassment, thinking about how the first few stitches didn't look the best.

"You okay?" Dorian's voice broke my concentration as I met his eyes again, I hadn't realized he was looking at me.

."Me? You are the one getting stitched." I gave a small smile going back to the stitches.

"After the first two I get used to it, besides you are probably the most gentle person I have ever had stitch me up." he paused "Don't tell Sirona I said that."

I laughed tying off the last stitch before sticking the needle through my leathers top blood smearing on the gray leather before I took the clean cloth Sirona left and dabbed at the blood on his face cleaning it off the best I could.

"You didn't answer me." he whispered in a soft voice as he took the cloth and wipe the blood from my hands, "Your face is flushed."

I felt my face turn hotter as he said that "Yes, just maybe don't have me stitch anything else on your face. At Least if you want to keep your looks."

"My looks huh?" he chuckled as my face shot up to meet his eyes which were filled with amusement.

"No, I mean yes you are handsome but what I mean is."

I ducked my face wishing I had something to hide behind as he let out a bark of laughter at me stumbling over my words before lifting my face up, his thumb brushing my chin a soft smile on his face.

"Your beautiful," he whispered as he leaned closer, his lips almost touching before he stopped instead leaning his forehead on mine with a sigh "sorry, I keep trying to kiss you without you saying it's okay." he mumbled my heart aching at the pain in his voice. Cupping his face in my hands I lifted it letting my lips brush his softly before leaning in and kissing him fully. I squeaked when he grabbed my hips pulling me so that I was straddling him as he kissed me again. I knew if I wanted to move he would let me, instead I relaxed into his touch kissing him, my hands threading through his still damp hair as he squeezed my hips pulling me closer, if that was even possible. I focused on how he smelled like the river and the grass, and tasted almost sweet like he had been eating sweets of some kind earlier. Relaxing more into his lap I instantly shot up on my knees more and pulled away from his lips when I felt his member through his and my pants my stomach queasy.

"Shit Aylin I'm sorry, I didn't think." he let go of my hips as I stood up on shaky legs walking back towards where the fire was glowing. I told all the girls goodnight as I climbed into the carriage, a sob escaping as I curled up on the bench. I shook my head trying to get the flashes of the men out. I heard the carriage door open and felt a warm hand on my leg making me flinch and look up to see Dorian there, a frown etched into his features.

"What do you need?" he asked, pulling his hand away as he shut the door behind him.

I threw myself at him, my arms around his neck "Just hold me. Please. Please." I sobbed as his arms wrapped around me, his one hand smoothing down my hair as I breathed in his sent the tension leaving my body. He pressed kisses to my forehead and whispered calming words in my ear until I finally stopped. I leaned back, wiping my eyes taking in a shaky breath.

"Don't apologize." he said before I could even get the words out of my mouth "It's okay, I shouldn't have pulled you so close, I am the one that should be sorry."

"I like being close to you. It just triggers something and I can't" I shook my head not knowing how to put it into words. Dorian was the only one I felt I could really talk to about what happened to me, probably because he had saved me twice. I also knew he felt guilty about everything his father had made him do as well.

He held me closer, rocking me slightly, pressing another kiss to the top of my head. Relaxing into him I sighed, closing my eyes listening to the rhythm of his breathing and his heart. Opening my eyes I started tracing the scars on his chest making him sigh as he too relaxed back into the seat.

"What is this one?" I asked about tracing one on his right upper chest, it seemed about two inches long up and down but was a thin puckered line.

"I was about fourteen and new to war, we were in enemy territory fighting a group of rebels when one came behind me and ran his sword through me." I gasped looking up at his face "It's okay, I got lucky and it didn't hit anything too important. Luckily Sirona was around then and healed it mostly before there was another attack." I nodded, tracing it again picture his back and imagining that there was a identical one there as well.

"And this one is from Reks." I whispered tracing the bite mark on his side as I felt him nod "And the burns from saving your sister." I traced the burns on his right arm as he again nodded "You have so many. You remember them all?"

With a shrug he took my hand and held it to his lips kissing it softly.

"Only the significant ones. If it weren't for Sirona there would definitely be more. However like everyone seems to say as the Killer Prince I am usually better at leaving scars then getting them." he mumbled with another shrug as he held my hand on his chest leaning back into the seat.

"How did your father make you… I mean I don't understand how he controls you the way he does."

"You mean how did he make me do what I did to you without even being present?"

I looked up at him. His face turned hard and cold again as he stared at the other side of the carriage. Squeezing his hand he looked down at me, his eyes turning sad as his face relaxed again with a long breath.

"My father is a cold man. He has mistresses, so he tells me all the time how he no longer needs my mother around. How I am the heir so that also makes my sister useless. I fought with him, from the moment he told me about the consummation, to the moment you became pregnant. I told him we had time. That we are young and shouldn't rush into having a child." his voice cracked. "He threatened them."

A gasp escaped my mouth, I knew the king was callus but I didn't believe he would threaten his family.

"I called his bluff, he had done cruel things to me before" when he said this his hand with the scar flexed and closed into a fist. "But he never hurt them before, when I said he wouldn't he had my sister dragged in by her hair, her frail body thrashing as she heaved for air her lungs not able to keep up. Held a knife to her throat. His daughter who he killed to protect." his voice shuddered again as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"I don't understand why he is so concerned with us having an heir. Even my mother doesn't understand why he is being this way, I couldn't tell her what he did. If he weren't so guarded I would've killed him."

"It's me. I bring out the worst in people." I mumbled looking away from him "It's like people see me and turn cruel."

"No, that's not true. Whatever is happening with him is not your fault."

"Your mom and sister, they are alone there with him now and you're traveling with me to find whatever I am cursed with. What if he does something?"

"I made them leave and go to the honeymoon palace," he shrugged. "As soon as we decided this is what we were doing I sent a message to my mother and told her how beautiful it is there and how Delila would love to see it before her time comes."

I let out a sigh of relief as I leaned back into him, my grandfather has said before the king could come off as cruel and cold but this was more than that. The queen said she had grown to love the man she married even though he was cold at times. A shiver went down my spine as I thought of the king. The look of disdain he gave his son and I after we were wed, that man was dark, not just cruel.

"Your sister is okay to leave?"

"I thought the same thing. Sirona said that at this point there isn't much that will harm her more than she is already suffering. My mother does not think it'll be much longer until she passes."

"But you are here with me. You wont get to say goodbye if you don't go back."

His eyes were soft and sad as he reached and cupped my cheek in his warm hand "My sister understands why I need to be here."

I felt my face burning and knew my cheeks were bright pink as he stared into my eyes, his eyes turning into dark liquid blue pools that felt as though they could swallow me whole as I leaned closer to him. Pressing a small kiss to his mouth before pulling away quickly and turning away from him. He didn't question it just pulled me so that I was resting on his shoulder as we continued on.