He’d referred to Sally as an angel, but in his mind, whenever he thought of the white garment dwellers in the creator’s home, Danika’s image was the first that came to his mind. He was done questioning why it was so. Why it was her. Questions did not provide him with the answer. He hoped that one day he would have the answer to why the daughter of the biggest monster in the universe was the bringer of peace, bearer of light, and the cloak of calmness.
“My king?” Her melodic voice filled the night.
“Mm.”
“We have to go back to the palace. It’s not safe out here for you at night with no bodyguards around.”
You will protect me. King Lucien frowned. He did not know where such a thought came from, but it was there, and he realized he believed it to be true. She would try to protect him if anything happened. Not that he couldn’t protect himself—he could, really well. But he knew she would want to. He did not know how he knew that, but his instincts were saying it was true, anyway. He trusted her that much.
He frowned again and pulled away from her. “You’re right. Let us go back in.”
Danika rose first from the wooden bench, and a wave of dizziness slammed her with so much force she swayed on her feet and almost fell. Strong arms shot out and wrapped around her midriff, saving her from losing her balance.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his face scowling.
She nodded repeatedly as the waves of dizziness passed. “Yes. Thank you, my king.”
But he didn’t let go of her.
She stared down at his arms on her body. Instead of pulling away, he wrapped them more securely around her middle, pulling her closer to him. Then he lowered himself to his knees, placing his head to her belly, and kept it there. Butterflies spread out inside her; warmth sizzled in her. Memories of the first day he did something like that filled her mind. She wore her love for him in her eyes as she began stroking his hair again.
King Lucien closed his eyes again. For a man that hated physical contact of any kind from people, he had been affectionate with her tonight.
But it was a stolen moment where duty did not have to matter. And an unfamiliar pain that filled him.
The pain of his inability to father a child.
A king who could not produce an heir.
What would the world say about that? What would his people think about that?
Swiveling his head so that his cheek rested on her belly, he allowed that pain to wash over him.
.
.
CHAPTER 14
ON A BEAUTIFUL MORNINGD
anika woke the following day with competing feelings. She felt sick and so much better at the same time. The sick part of it was the new normal. She understood it because she had been that way for a good while. But the better part?
She smiled wide as she remembered the previous night. Or had it been early this morning?
That hug.
She closed her eyes and could almost feel his arms around her. The king had held her tight, like he hadn’t wanted to let go of her.
Then they had walked. He’d sat with her and let her put her hands on him. He’d told her about his late cousin. He’d rested his head on her belly.
Her hands rose and pressed to her stomach, her face glowing. She could still remember the way they’d stood there, and she was patting his head. They’d stayed for a long time, too.
Such a sweet, sweet moment.
Later, they’d walked back to his chambers, and he’d let her lie down on his bed. He hadn’t touched her intimately; frankly, she hadn’t expected him to. It was courting week. The only rule was that the future queen had all the undivided attention of the king throughout that period. She was the only one who could grace his bed during that time.
That was why Danika had been surprised when the king asked her to lie on the bed. She’d laid down, but he only laid beside her and watched her with eyes that saw too much.
She knew the king was a moral man; he would honour that rule regarding his future bride.
He’d surprised her again when he resumed talking to her, telling her about his time during his slavery. In return, she’d told him some stories of herself when she was a child, how she and Sally used to sneak to the village to watch festivals, how she had attended some of the princess meetings.
She deliberately excluded the name of her father from everything she told him. Any event that would lead to saying her father’s name—reminding him of her father—she scrapped that story.
That was how they’d spent long minutes.
She was in the middle of telling him the story of one horrific event that happened in Mombana when she was a teen—about a man that killed his own child—when he fell asleep. She’d stayed a few more minutes, gazing at him as he slept, unabashed. She didn’t have to hide her love for him or her feelings for him because he wouldn’t see her.
Such a sweet, sweet fleeting moment.
Danika couldn’t remember how long passed before she allowed herself to get up from the bed, wrapped the duvet around him, and walked out of his chambers back to her own room.
“Someone’s looking happy this morning, standing in the middle of the bedroom, her cheeks flaming as she gets lost in thought.”
The sound of Sally’s voice pulled Danika out of her own head. She smiled at her former personal maid. “Sally.”
“Good morning, my princess. I can see the day looking so bright, my princess!” Sally whirled around two times; her cheeks stretched in a beautiful smile.
“The only person brightening up the day is you, Sally. I didn’t get to see your dress yesterday. I’m so sorry. I was sleeping like a goon.” She bit her lips guiltily.
“Oh, stop it, my princess. I made sure you slept for a long time, too. Then I came back to look for you and couldn’t find you. You don’t know how shocked I was when I saw you with Princess Kamara.” She made a face. “I hope she didn’t hurt you.”
Danika shook her head. “No, she didn’t. She saw when the mistress was beating me around, and she came to my rescue.”
“Your rescue?” Sally asked, wide-eyed.
“She slapped the mistress three times and scolded her.”
Sally’s jaws went slack. “What!?” Her eyes were wide like saucers, filled with disbelief.
“Yeah, I was that surprised, too. Creator, I never expected it.”
“Oh… My… Creator. She slapped the witch of the west?”
Sally’s disbelief was so comical Danika laughed. “Yes, she did. Then she took water from her personal maid and washed her hands clean for touching dirt.”
Sally cringed. Then she was grinning. “I almost feel sorry for that wicked witch. She finally met her match.”
“I’m worried, though. Vetta threatened to tell the king all about it. The king might punish Kamara.”
“Or he might not. With the king, you never know. Let’s just hope for the best, and in the meantime, let’s go to the village and buy some clothing. You know we only have a few moments to spend together before I get married,” she finished sadly.
“Don’t be so dramatic, Sally. Of course, we’ll still be spending time together even after you’re married,” she told Sally with a smile, but her chest tightened. She was so happy that Sally was getting married to a man she loved. She really was. But she felt a burning in her chest whenever she was reminded that Sally would no longer be so close to her afterwards. She’d have to live with her husband. Take care of her husband and make him her priority.
“I’ll really like to go into the village with you, Sally, but I have some chores—”
“Don’t worry about chores. I already pleaded with two maids to do it as a favour to me. I’ll pay them back.” She grinned and clapped. “I want us to go into the village; it’s been so long since you stepped out of the palace gates.”
Danika smiled, staring at her. “Alright. Let me dress up, and we’ll go.”