In the King's service (wolvenrogue and nightsorceress)

Robert stepped in front of her. "Just a moment. Are you afraid to do what good you can to make the world a better place? Is it any better to hide from the troubles of the world in a place like this? If you do, how many suffering people will you help? How many lives will you change? You speak of the goodness of this place, and it is good, but it is hollow indeed if those who know it won't share that which they have. It's goodness comes because its people are free to be kind and have experienced kindness, not because they have been forced to be something they are not." " You have challenged me to do good as my Queen, and now I challenge you to share your knowledge as your King. Do not back away from my offer and walk away. You my dear, are better than that."

"A person is smart, people are dumb and unable to go against what they know as a collective. They will never learn no matter how good the teacher, and i would laid down my life before i let the outside know of the good that is here, because they will come in and trample on it." She looked at him and shook her head. "I wish i never made that request of you, because everything you said about it, makes me feel sick to the pit of my stomach. As i said a person knows what right and wrong, people don't. hence why with your statement you are 100 percent right. and i am not saying that to be spiteful, you are right. Slavery will never end, it will always be pushed to some pathetic being to endure it."

"Did you think I meant tell people of this place? Heaven's no!... This place is not magical! It's people are! Their knowledge is! We will go to your father now and discuss this. He is older and wiser than either of us. Let us see what he has to say on the subject. You must never feel bad to ask anything of me my dear, but at the same time you must never be grieved when I seek to make a wise choice. It is my responsibility as King as I said before, and now it is your responsibility as Queen." He took her firmly by the hand and lead her to her father. "Leam may we have a word with you? We need your wisdom. My wife the Queen has requested that I outlaw slavery in our kingdom. She seeks to prevent the fate that befell her from effecting others. I have said to her that we would better free the royal slaves as an example of what to do, and how to live, rather than force such action and try to legislate good morals. I further challenged her to share and teach the good morals she has learned here. She has rejected my suggestion saying "A person is smart, people are dumb and unable to go against what they know as a collective. They will never learn no matter how good the teacher, and i would laid down my life before i let the outside know of the good that is here, because they will come in and trample on it." "Slavery will never end, it will always be pushed to some pathetic being to endure it." I ask you now for the wisdom of your years, were it your kingdom and she your queen, what would you do?

Liam thought quietly for a moment and taking his daughter's hands addressed her face to face. "My darling daughter, you are an amazing woman and will be a great Queen. Have we not taught you to share everything? I say to you now, do not try to protect this place by hiding it. There is no law against slavery here. No slavers come here to sell because no one will buy. That is because they understand that love demands freedom for all. Not because a law compels them. Never be afraid to share that love with others. Love is stronger than the sword and will outlast it." He then turned to Robert, "My son, you have been given wisdom beyond your years. Never fail to use it, but temper your wisdom with love, never be afraid to give too much. Generosity is contagious. It will come back to you." He then put their hands together and said "You have my advice, now follow your hearts, the gods will not permit you to do wrong" Robert thanked him and they excused themselves from his presence. Liam looked at Lilly and said, There go a powerful couple.

Aurora did not want to drag her father into the matter, she knew that her and husband would have to figure it out on their own, however he brought her father into this. She shook her head as they left the house. "well it seems you are smarter than I by everyone's standards, so fine we shall do it your way, or no way at all. Since of course your saw it fit to bring in others when it did not concern them." She sighed. She was a spite fire, and she needed time to work out her own thoughts.

Robert was not about to have her run away at this point. He had asked her to take time to think, she had refused. He asked her to listen, she had refused, he had sought he fathers counsel she was resentful. She was acting like a spoiled child. He took her by the hand and without a word walked her quickly back through the woods to the cabin. He pulled her inside and shut the door. You my dear are acting like a child. Before she could react he pulled her skirt down her thighs and layed her over his lap and began to spank her. It was certainly not a beating, but it was meant to sting.

Aurora tried to pull away from as he pulled her back to the cabin. When he pulled her skirt she jumped wondering what he was doing, then he took her over his knee as if she was her father, her only got a few hit in before she broke free and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. "Don't you ever lay your hand on me in that way again, you son of a bitch, all your talk about freedom, and there you are treating me as property." she pulled her skirt up tears in her eyes. as she moved to the door. "You are the prime example of why your kingdom will never be free of slavery." She then left the cabin.

Liam saw his daughter storm by the house, fire in her eyes. "Aurora?! come here please" he said sternly.

~~~~

Robert sat in the cabin and collected himself. He probably hadn't handled it quite correctly but he hadnot figured on such a blistering response. He got up and calmly walked out of the cottage and walked over past the house. He saw Liam and his wife talking but decided not to interrupt. Intead he walked over to the lake and waited. He would let her come to him at this point.

Lillian touched her husband arm, "something is wrong here my dear, do not scold her, remember she is a married woman now, and they need to work things outs. however if he had hurt her then it is a different story"

Aurora whipped the tears from her eyes and walked towards her parents wondering what her father would scold her about now. "Hello, mother, hello father"

"What is the matter my child? its early in a relationship for such anger as you have. I know that look well"

Aurora looked to her parents. and shook her head a little "Things just got out of hand is all. I think we have been to close for to long these past few days"

"Alright my dear" he said "I love you both. Don't let small mistakes turn into bigger ones. He loves you, that is clear, and I know you love him. Thats more important than pride." He kissed her gently on the forehead.

As she walked away, Lilly said " You did well Poppa, I still remember our first fight. You were right and I knew it but I didn't want to give you the satisfaction. After all these years you better not let that go to your head, or you'll wonder where the loving went! you hear me?" " Yes momma, Liam said with a smile.


Robert went back to the cabin. He found it empty and laid down to rest. It had been a stressful day.

Aurora sighed and shook her head. She knew she couldn't go back into the house to collect her thoughts so she hoped he was out of the cabin. She was still upset that he had the nerve to spank her, she swore that after she had been slave that she would never let another human being lay a hand on her again. She went into the cabin and found him there. "OH your still here, i guess i will go for a walk then" she said as she turned to leave.

Robert sat up. "You needn't go. I can see you need to be alone. I'm sure I can find something to do or rest in the guest room in the main house. When your ready, you may find me there, if not your mother will know where I may be found. He got up and left her there to have time to herself.

Aurora shook her head and looked around the room. Only yesterday it been a place of so much enjoyment and happiness. Now she hated this place. She started to think that maybe they jump into things to soon. They were very different people after all he had years of wisdom, he had years to figure out who he is and how to run his kingdom. She on the other hand did not. She remained in that room till sun set falling a sleep on the bed.

At dark Lilly knocked Roberts door once he answered he stood with a tray of food. "Ok you both need to figure this out. Take this food to your wife, talk over the meal, and you are both not welcome in this house until you work it out.@

Robert smiled at Lilly, "Thank you mother." He said. " She has run from me and has been refusing to be in the same room. I will take her the food and see if she will talk with me. It is good to know that she will not find shelter from me here. I hope you know I love her with all of my being, and would never hurt her. We will work this out. I promise you." Robert took the tray from Lilly and walked slowly back to the cabin. He knocked on the door and asked "Its Robert, I have food for us to eat from your Mother. It seems neither of us are welcome at the house until we can come back together. I love you."

Lilly smiled and nodded a little as she watched him leave.

Aurora was sleeping on the bed, when he knocked on the door she stirred a little but her heard his voice and she rose from the bed. and went to the door, she opened it with out saying a word to him she let him in. and then took a seat on the bed, not really wanting to be close to him to him right now.

"Bob set the tray down on the end of the bed, and sat in the chair. I know you don't want me here, but your mother sent me here. She told me that neither you nor I can come to the house until we made this right. I'm going to try. If when i'm done you still don't want me here, let me know and I'll go to my carriage and leave you alone. Let me start by saying I was wrong to spank you for several reasons. First your not a child, your my wife. Second, you have been beaten before, when you didn't deserve it and that was insensitive of me, Third its no way to solve problems. Aurora, I hope you will forgive me for that." Robert paused and allowed what he had said to sink in.
"Though I am sorry I spanked you the reasons I spanked you are still there. I can forgive them, but only if you want that forgiveness. First, you ran away and refused to discuss your objections to my plan. You tried to make me a Tyrant or a dictator, when I was neither. Second, I asked you to take time to think, and give a reasoned response but you refused. Third, I asked you to listen, and you refused, and last when I honestly sought your fathers counsel you were resentful. You were acting like a spoiled child." "Now I've said my peace and delivered your mothers food, If you wish, I will stay and listen to you, or if not, I will leave you in peace, and you will find me there when you are ready. Aurora, I love you more than anything or anyone in this world even my own life."

aurora listen to his words, and shook her a little and sighed. "Your right you shouldn't have hit, and i meant what i said, i will not let, you or any other person hurt me again." She had to be very clear on that point, she could not live a life like that. "And i can't help but to think maybe love wasn't just enough to get married so swiftly. I mean we are at different stages in our lives, you have a great foot hold in the world, I on the other hand and still struggling to keep my footing. May be I will not be the right queen for your kingdom, because i am not sure our views will ever be matched and understood."

"Aurora, I would never hurt you physically, and didn't then, you know that you said yourself you are a war princess. The wrong I did was to hurt you emotionally, for that I am profoundly sorry. As for our differences, they are what make us strong. What need do i have of counsel that will always agree with me. I could hire that! and what good would it be. How would I learn. Your differences are what will make my country rich in culture and kindness. Your parents are not alike, and they seldom agree in private, but when in public they are one and a tower of strength. I'm sure you have seen that. We should strive to be like them.

"Well you have a hard time talking it through when i don't agree, what are you going to do seek consoul from my father or anyone else any time we disagree? Aurora looked over the bed at him he was use to things being his way, to set things down as law the moment he says it, she wasn't sure that she would ever be heard.

nightsorceress said:

"Well you have a hard time talking it through when i don't agree, what are you going to do seek consoul from my father or anyone else any time we disagree? Aurora looked over the bed at him he was use to things being his way, to set things down as law the moment he says it, she wasn't sure that she would ever be heard.

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Before we go on.. i have two questions? First I asked your forgiveness. Will you grant it to me? and second is there anything at all that you are sorry for in what happened?

If not then I had best go. I have humbled myself before you, but you continue to bite and sting.

Aurora sighed a little and tried to let the anger drop from her voice. "Yes i forgive you, and yes i am sorry for my anger i should have controlled it better" She looked down and shook her head. it was all that she was able to say at the moment.

Robert looked at her and raised her chin with his finger. "This isn't about winning and losing. Its about loving! Don't you love me any more? I want to make this right. You don't seem to. I just don't understand why. I haven't heard you say you loved me since this argument began. I LOVE YOU. What do you want of me?

Aurora did not say anything at first. She drew a slow breath before opening her mouth to say anything. "I love you...." she trailed off as she moved from the bed and paced the room a little. "I love you but, I am afraid I may not be right for you or for your kingdom. I fear that any time i don't agree with what you saying, I will be nothing but a spoiled child because lets be honest Robert, you will go to any lengths to make me see your point. You to could have stop this today, you to could have taken what I said and thought on it, but instead you were hell bent on making sure you poked as many holes through it as possible."

Robert thought a moment about what she said. "I'm sorry, will you forgive me?" he made no excuses, and no arguments. He looked her in the eyes. "I did one other thing wrong, I tried to treat you like a cabinet minister, someone to be argued with and persuaded, and that is not your nature. I'm so sorry. Will you please forgive me. Please remember that though I may be clumsy with affairs of the heart, I truly love you.