Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

The Sword and The Rose. ((Kolath x Butterfly))

The Fox’s men were the last to put up their weapons making sure the prince was obeyed. As he claimed his place as the true and only king they all cheered along with some few of the nobles that had joined them. the women were all flustered and worried what was to happen to them with all these rough men about. And only a few of the noblemen were still alive and most of them were under arrest at this point.

Nathan came back in and slowly made his way over to Terra. he made sure that the proper tears were there as he dropped to his knees and gently drew her up into his arms. Hr brushed her hair back from her face looking down at her doing his best not to smile knowing that she was still alive. He leaned down kissing her lips softly waiting for the final piece of the plan to fall into place.
 
There was no reply from her. She should have instantly sprung back to life again with his kiss, but... there was no response from her. Her lips were warm, but did not kiss him back. Her heart was beating in her chest, but somewhere in all the chaos she had actually passed out from her own injuries upon her back and her face.

The prince, glancing to the side, saw this all happening and instantly went to kneel at their side, but calling over his shoulder, "Make a room ready for the Duchess and get a doctor." Then his voice went low for Nathan, "She's been beaten Nathan, we didn't foresee him making such a move against her. Then again, we didn't foresee her scaring his face... or seeing his clothing on fire either..." the prince smiled as a groan escaped her lips to show she was indeed still alive to those around them. The realization spread through the room like wildfire.
 
Nathan about died on the spot when she didn’t respond to his touches and kiss. It wasn’t till she moaned and confirmed she was alive that his heart slowed down. He looked at the prince his head nodding out of automatic response rather then really hearing what had been said. He gently picked her up an arm around her shoulders and the other under her legs as one of his men came and led them to one of the large guest rooms. He laid her down and sat beside her being brought so water to gently brush over her forehead and cheeks also some to give her to drink once she woke up.
 
As plush and soft as the bed was, Terra's back was still ripped raw. She was still out, but her face twisted in pain, a groan or true pain escaping her lips as she gritted her teeth. It wasn't until a few moments later, when the prince looked in, he ran to the bed, "Nathan turn her over! They ripped her back raw with the the lash! I should have told you! I'm sorry!"
 
Nathan had figured out something was wrong and was trying to calm her when the prince told him what was wrong. He glared for a moment irritated that he hadn’t had the foresight but then forgiving him because it had been a big day for them all. He gently rolled Terra onto her side and slowly undid her dress pulling the back open. Some of the wounds had started to bleed again and so he changed the bandages cleaning her wounds again and re-bandaging them. it was then he gently slipped under the covers with her in front of her gently pulling her close against his chest as they lay there.
 
The prince had been crowned while Nathan had seen to his wife. After all was calm again, the now king came to visit them. "I hope you don't mind my intrusion, but I am your king now after all. I wish to speak with you. I figured since you would likely not be leaving your wife's side for awhile, I should come to you rather then insist you come to me. I know you'd refuse anyway. Leave us," he instructed the servants about in the room and the guards that had followed him.

Once they were alone, "Come, sit at the table with me, I brought a bottle of wine to celebrate."
 
Nathan sat up when the prince, or rather the king came into the room. He watched as the servants and guards left and then sighed softly before making sure that Terra was comfortable before slipping out of the bed and moved over to the table. He sat taking the offered cup and waiting till it was filled. He looked around the room really letting it sink in that he was done, no longer needing to leave to be the Fox. He sighed and toasted the Kings long and successful reign. “Just don’t make me become the Fox again to come take your kingdom down, or Terra might just kill you.”
 
The king laughed as he raised his own cup, "I don't know which one of you wants to kill me more by now. It just makes me feel good inside knowing that you two are likely my most loyal subjects and would never raise a hand against me in rage or treason." He sipped back his wine. "I wanted to thank you. Before I even knew you, the Fox was fighting for this moment. I don't know what I ever did to earn your loyalty Nathan and we never spoke of it while in the wood. I want you to know that my first act as king was to pardon the Black Fox and all his men of all the crimes there were formally charged of. And you man Jacob, I will be making him a duke for there are now plenty of titles to go around with the nobles uncovered to have been working against my father and myself for so long."
 
Nathan laughed softly shaking his head. “I don’t know if Jacob will take you up on that your majesty. He was looking forward to going back and working his family farm after we won the fight.” He took another sip of wine looking over his shoulder at Terra’s sleeping form. “You didn’t need to earn my loyalty. All you had to do was be your father’s son. I would have stood by the son of your father no matter what. My father owed him that much.”
 
"Well then, I thank you for your loyalty to my father," he paused a little and looked to Terra sleeping in the bed, her having rolled to her stomach and looking comfortable almost the many pillows and blankets. The king sighed and turned his attention to Nathan again, "I don't know how to tell her.... but her family was uncovered as working with my uncle. One thing about my uncle, he kept detailed records of his deeds in his study. They will be stripped of their lands and titles. Do you think she will be upset over it?"
 
Nathan froze for a moment before looking back at Terra seeming to be asleep peacefully. “I don’t know. I do know that none of her family even bothered to come to her wedding. It seemed like they were happy to be rid of her.” he sighed and shook his head looking back at the King. “I will tell her for you your majesty. Maybe coming from me will make what pain there is from it easier to bear.” He sighed and took more of a drink from his cup sighing deeper and looking at the king. “Well, here is to the bright future we fought so hard to win.”
 
"Here, here. And to a well deserved rest for you," the king added with his own raised cup, "There is no rest for me. I have to mend all the damage done by my uncle, but you... this is your time to rest at long last. I hope you will stay here as my guest for awhile. At least until Terra has healed. It would honor my to have you both here. The cause stole so much time from you both, I want to make sure you get some of it back again, personally."
 
Nathan laughed and drained his cup before setting it down on the table. “What really stole time from us my king was a certain young prince’s advice that I shouldn’t tell my bride to be the truth when I found her letter. Had I just come out with it then…well I fear that she and I might still be locked in our wedding suite and it would take a act of god to get us out.” He smirked and laughed heartily as more wine was poured as they started to really just enjoy each other’s company.
 
"All right, so I'm a poor judge of the reaction of a lady. I thought it in her best interest that she be left as much out of the situation as possible. And you see what happened when we did allow her to be apart of it." The prince cringed a little, "That sounded poor of me. Forgive me Nathan. I was trying to think of her best interest at the time. If feared something like this may happen and even thought I tried help you prevent it, it still did." He filled both her cups one more time and raised his glass, "But here is to never having to face such things again. May the Black Fox never be needed again and may his loved ones never be placed in danger for his cause..."

"I should like to drink with you to that..." came a soft voice from across the room. Turning to the best, Terra's face was turned on the pillow towards them and her eyes opened.
 
Nathan had been about to drink to that toast when Terra spoke. He smiled slipping out of his chair and coming over to the bed. He sat down next to her and gently brushed his hand over her hair. “And you are the reason that his majesty here is toasting to that my love.” He smiled and leaned down to kiss her lips softly. “Do you feel strong enough to sit up?” he offered her his hands to help her up if she wanted them.
 
She groaned a bit and shook her head against the pillow, "My back feels like it's on fire still. I am quite content lying on my belly for the time being."

"Well then, I promise to save the last bit of this wine for a day soon when you can share it with us Lady Terra." The prince plugged up the bottle and nodded his head to them, "I will leave you two to talk for I have a feeling there might just be much that needs to be spoken. I will send food up for you both." With that the king let himself out of the room.

Terra nuzzled her cheek against his hand, "I take it we won the battle?"
 
He smiled and brushed his finger over her lips softly. “Yes my love we won. Though there were a few losses on our side. most of my men were able to win without too much loss of life.” he leaned down and kissed her hair his hand brushing her hair lightly. “And that bastard that did this too you paid a dear price my love.” He smiled and gently moved so she could rest her head in his lap if she wanted.
 
She saw the opening for it and she took it. Soon her head rested in his lap and she sighed. It was over and for the first time in a long while, she was able to relax and not worry over her husband's life. A light smile crossed her lips as she laughed, "Did you like what I did to his face?"
 
He smiled and leaned back against the head board smirking and laughing softly brushing his hand over her hair. It felt good to know that he wouldn’t be called away again by his people finding out more information or needing to have something done at this moment. He was totally his wife’s now and that felt so good. “Mmm I did my love, though…it worries me what happened that he needed that done to him? did he really try to rape you love?”
 
She took a deep breath, holding it in a moment before letting it out again slowly, "Yes... he did. If not for the lit torch in my cell, I have no doubt he would have been successful. I took it and set his clothing ablaze to distract him." She nuzzled her cheek against his leg, finding comfort in it, "He didn't come back but sent his guards to beat me within what felt like an inch of my life."
 
He growled softly clearly angry at himself and the dead regent. “That bastard got off to easy.” He sighed and brushed his hand over her hair lightly looking down at her. “I’m sorry Terra. I should have been there and stopped them. It makes me sick to think that I was sleeping comfortable down here while you were almost being raped and beaten like this.” He sighed and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I’m sorry love.”
 
"Shhhh," she coo'ed to him, "If you had been there they would have only beaten you to. Then you never would have been able to complete the task you needed to today and we'd both be dead." She sighed again and felt her eyes growing heavy once again. "I don't think I will be able to keep my eyes open until the food arrives...."
 
He smiled and brushed his hand through her hair again. “Shhhh its ok Terra I will make sure to save some for you and wake you when you are strong enough to eat.” He smiled and leaned down kissing her hair softly gently pulling her closer and sliding down so that she was more sleeping on his chest then his lap.
 
Terra and Nathan remained in the King's castle for a month before they both desired to return home. "I want to spend the winter holidays in our own home," she had begged him, even though her back was still sore from time to time. The king would only let them leave if they would allow him to lend them his personal carriage to transport them safely home. A demand they were fine fulfilling. So along with gifts from the king for them both and for Arnold whom the prince had never met but was thankful for the man's part in all that had happened, the king stood with them to bid them farewell. He shook Nathan's hand, a fine hearty, manly gesture, "It's been a pleasure to have you here my friend. I did not wish you had to go for now I have to fend for myself now. Just me and these stuck of advisers all around me." He smiled and leaned in, "Permission to kiss your wife's hand goodbye?" The King knew that he was on thin ice with Nathan when it came to affection with Terra... even since he found out that the man had seen his wife naked.
 
Nathan shook the king’s hand and laughed softly looking at Terra before shrugging. “Depends if she will let you your Majesty, just don’t hold her accountable for what she might do.” He slipped an arm protectively around Terra’s waist below where the scars were. He was careful to no hurt her and only offer support for her wanting nothing more than to be with his wife alone just enjoying her company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom