AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Just a little bit of discomfort, but I’m fine now,” I lied. It had taken the gods and their help for him to even let me out of my bed this morning.
“You should go rest. You’ve had enough for today.”
Strands swayed over my shoulders with the shake of my head. “No. I’m fine.” Glancing back before he could open the doors, confusion filtered through me. “Why isn’t Braxton with your Elevated Warriors? I thought we agreed that I wanted him with you.”
“And I thought we agreed that he hasn’t earned it.”
Rolling my eyes, I pushed the doors open without waiting for him to do it, and made my way to the throne.
The majority of the items here were salvaged from the Lost Kingdom. Our men had brought them through several nights, since we were hidden in plain sight, right behind the place that had long ago protected this world.
“Were it any other time, I would have fully agreed with you. But this isn’t a normal situation, Kingston. You know that,” I argued, taking my place on the beautiful gold and silver encrusted chair. “I need you to keep him close because of who he is, and because he is important to me.”
“You mean, he might be importantto us and our cause…” he corrected, sensing the change in my tone when I spoke of him.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I glanced towards the line of people forming before me to ask for favors. It was a tradition as old as time, and it conveyed the true ability of a ruler. People only asked for things they weren’t able or given the means to obtain by themselves, so when the line was short, it indicated how great a job their ruler was doing in providing for them. I was relieved to see that only about a dozen of my kin stood there, waiting to talk to me.
“I am training him personally, that is good enough,” my guardian huffed, crossing muscular arms over his chest, and his gaze went to the right side of the room, where other citizens sometimes gathered to witness the proceedings.
When my gaze followed his, I found a group of new trainees standing by the corner, Braxton was among them. He smiled at me again, and the memory of the dream I’d had last night returned. The one of him sitting by my side on the bed, caressing my cheek and vowing to be there for me always. Something stirred inside me with his devotion, though I knew there was no way he could have actually been with me.
It would have been impossible for him to make it past Kingston and into my room in the dead of night, so it had to be a dream, right? I still felt his lips brushing against mine and my stomach kind of flipped in response, pulse racing.
Clearing my throat, I turned towards my guardian. “Have you witnessed anything unusual by being close to him?”
A strange emotion filled his eyes and he tensed. “We will talk about it later.”
I guessed that was the end of that conversation. Lifting a hand, I motioned for the first person to come forwards, and Asher escorted a man and his wife to our side. She had the most beautiful babe in her arms.
“Did you give birth recently?” I asked, amazed, and sad I had missed the news of the event.
“Yes, my princess. We come today to ask for your blessing,” the father admitted, wrapping an arm around his wife.
The memory of my mother saying the blessed words returned to me, and I stood, lifting my arms to gladly to carry the babe. “Is it a girl?” I asked, glancing at rounded pink cheeks and bright green eyes when they handed her to me.
“Yes, Princess,” the mother answered. “I also wanted to ask your permission to name her Sienna, after your late mother and our queen.”
A smile curved my lips just as the emotion rushed through my chest. “She would be honored,” I whispered, placing a kiss on the babe’s soft forehead and reciting the blessing against her skin.
“If we may ask for one more thing,” the father added after I handed little Sienna back to her mom. “My wife has been weak with this pregnancy, more so than with our son, and she hasn’t produced as much milk as the babe needs. Would it be okay for us to ask for a cow or a goat?”
“Oh, I’m sorry about that. I’ll send a medicine woman to your home to make sure you are taken care of. And that is perfectly fine. We’ll go hunting for a cow for your family tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
Waving them goodbye, I asked Asher to please make sure a medicine woman went to check on the lady.
By the time the last person reached me, I was staring at a young woman and a little boy. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he even had the most adorable pout on his lips. My heart squeezed when I saw them.
“How can I help?”
“Hi, Princess Evanna. I’m Mila, and this is Eli. I’m sorry to come bother you, but I’m hoping that speaking with you will calm my little brother.”
“And why is that? I asked, intrigued.
Mila opened her mouth to answer, but the voice that reached me wasn’t hers. “I want to be a warrior, but my sister won’t let me!”
Chuckles and awes came from the trainees and Elevated Warriors left in the room, and I turned to see Kingston grinning, unable to resist so much cuteness. The boy had to be six, maybe seven years old at most.
