Page 62 of The Time Of Kings

It was a pretty name to be sure and indeed similar to Lia, so I suppose it was an easy slip up to make. But after she folded the letter, one I already knew I intended on reading the moment she was asleep, she slipped it under the rest of the sheets of paper. Like I said, I knew it would be an invasion of her privacy, but how else was I to learn of my wife to be? To learn of her lifebefore the one I intended to give her. I told myself it was done so as to protect her, and for the most part it was true. But it was also to rid me of the fear I could feel building that she was about to slip through my fingers.

Perhaps it was the melancholy I could see on her face, making me run my fingers down her jawline until getting to her chin. Once there, I raised her face up to mine so as I could see the same sorrow painted there in her stormy coloured eyes.

“What brings such sadness to your eyes, my love?” I asked but before I could react, she was suddenly up and out of her seat, throwing her arms around me. I was so taken aback by her response, that it took me but a moment to react. I didn’t know what brought this on, but I held her back all the same. Soon wrapping my arms around her and holding her tighter when I felt her shuddering against me.

She was crying.

“My sweetest one, please tell me, what makes you cry?” I asked, feeling my throat thicken as the sound of her tears affected me like no other.

She pulled back and the sight that met me nearly had me staggering. The beauty in her eyes was painfully exquisite. A bitter perfection, as her gaze spoke of so much and yet I could not pinpoint a single emotion long enough to be sure of its name.

But then she granted me her thoughts and never before had a single word ever affected me so.

“I love you, Dominic.”

Love.

She loved me.

I swallowed down the emotion that threatened to spill over, joyous tears trying to arise where they never had before. So, I cupped her cheek, framing her face with my hands so as I could tip her head back. Then I lowered my forehead to hers and told her what I knew to be true to the very depths of my heart. Thefirst time these very words had ever been spoken to any other but that of my family.

“As I love you, my Catherine.”

She closed her eyes as if these same words had meant everything to her. In fact, she was just about to speak, when suddenly someone was banging against the door.

Anger at being disturbed had been like a barb at the end of my tongue, so close to lashing out at the unwelcome intrusion. That was until I felt my sister’s presence. So, I did what I loathed to do which was let Catherine go so as I could open the door that I had locked after first entering. A habit I very much doubted that I would get out of for quite some time.

What I would have preferred to do was bask a little longer in the glow her words of love had brought me. However, one look at my sister’s anxious face and I knew time wasn’t yet on my side.

“The villagers, they have gathered and are making their way to the castle. They look like a small army and as of yet, I am unsure what brings them to our gates.” Hearing this had me gritting my teeth in both frustration and anger. For this was the very last thing I wished to be dealing with right now, not when I had something far more important to achieve. Like making love to my Chosen who had just confessed her deepest affection for me.

“Send word to Lucius, tell him he is needed. Then come back here, for I will need you, sister,” I told her, looking back to Catherine, knowing she would understand what I was asking of her. Because I wouldn’t trust my Chosen to remain here without being guarded and there was no one more capable than my sister at doing so in my absence.

Sophia nodded, before picking up her skirts and rushing down the hallway in search of a servant. As for myself, I walked straight to where I kept my armour and started to pull pieces one at a time from the oak trunk.

“What happened? What is it… are we… we under attack?” she asked, the trepidation in her tone giving me cause enough to take pause.

“Come here,” I asked of her, trying to keep my tone light so as not to worry her. For little did she know that no trouble would reach these walls, for I would kill every last one of them before I allowed any threat to get near her. She did as I asked, and before donning my gauntlet, I ran the back of my fingers down her cheek.

“Do not fret, my love, for I would not let anything happen to you… do you trust me?” I asked when she bit her bottom lip and looked uncertain.

“Catherine.”I spoke her name more forcefully before asking again,“Do you trust me?”

At this she released a held breath and nodded, gifting me with her words.

“With my life.” An answer to which I closed my eyes as I let that knowledge seep deep within me before gazing upon her with all the love I felt in my heart. Damn, but all I wished to do in that moment was pick her up in my arms and carry her to my bed. To lay her down and show her just how much I did love her.

But the moment Sophia re-entered the room, I knew that blissful end to the day would have to wait. Because first I had a threat to eliminate. Shortly after this Lucius joined us, knocking on the door and prompting me to say,

“Enter!”

Lucius appeared also clad in his armour. Not that we expected to need it, but we also knew what an intimidating sight we would make. For more often than not, this was all that was needed. That and my Second’s particular skill set, giving me cause to say,

“It seems I am in need of your persuasive talents, Lucius… but what is this, you bring your own frightened doe with you… isshe…?” I said the moment I saw his Chosen One looking fearful by his side. However, it was the unspoken part of my question that we both focused on, as he knew what I asked without needing to say it aloud…

Was she to be trusted with my Electus?

“Yes, and if not, I will gladly bear punishment in her place if foolish enough to do anything reckless,” Lucius replied with ease, no doubt trusting her enough to be assured of this. I nodded, knowing that if it was good enough for my friend, then it was also good enough for me.

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