Chapter Twenty – The King Has Returned

Chapter Twenty – The King Has Returned

I rushed out of my room, Jurah was just behind me, and I immediately began looking for him. Jurah's ears were capable of hearing things at great distances so he might not of even been in the castle. Still, I looked everywhere I could. Finally I came to the staircase at the main room and I had to catch my breath because the sight of his figure nearly stopped my heart. My eyes widened and I put my hand on my chest. When his eyes met mine I couldn't help the overwhelming tears that fell eagerly out of my eyes. Everything started to feel like it was going through slow motion after that.
I carried my heavy feet over to him and he met me half way, taking me up in his arms in a warm, loving embrace. I held tightly, crying in his shirt, as he tried to calm me down, stroking my hair and kissing my head.
Finally I was able to compose myself and I looked up into his eyes with so much happiness.
“I'm so glad your back,” I smiled as I rubbed away unwanted tears.
“I'm glad I'm back too. I've been thinking about you the entire time I was gone. I'm so sorry for the way I treated you.” He squeezed me tight and whispered in my hear. “Could you ever forgive me?”
I just smiled and nodded. Of course I forgave him. I was just happy he was back, safe and sound. I hadn't realized I missed him this much.
Suddenly I remember something that caused me to pull back with puzzlement.
“How are you able to remain human during the day?”
“Well, while I was gone I managed to get the technique down.” He smiled and kissed my cheek, making me feel hot. “It's a bit of a strain, but if I can manage to concentrate I'm able to keep the human form. I'll get it down to a science by the end of the month, though, no problem.
“I'm glad it's working out for you. So what happened out there anyways?” Curiosity was starting to get the better of me. I wanted to know what exactly happened and if they took care of the Temple Keeper.”
“It's quite a bit of a story, Dante.” He grinned as he took me by the arm. “But I'd love to share it with you. Let's head to my room first.”
We both sat on his bed facing away from the window. I held a pillow in my arms and waited for his story to begin, but he did something unexpected first.
“I felt like it's been ages since we've seen each other.” Saeron said in that seductive tone I could never forget.
“I feel the same. It was almost like you were never coming back.” I looked down with sadness. His hand quickly pulled my face up.
“I'm sorry I left you like that. My intention was never to hurt you.” He said with a serious tone. “I was just so caught up in the fact that he had come here. It enraged me so much that I couldn't think about anything else. I'm sorry I didn't apologized to you then like I should have.” He rested a gently hand on my leg and I instantly became aroused. I smiled. He never failed to turn me on.
He gazed lovingly at me, his eyes soft and seductive. They drew me into him like a magnet. Or perhaps that wasn't his eyes. I realized now that his hand was leading my face to meet him. My eyes slowly closed and I willing took in the breathless moment, our lips touching passionately. This kiss seemed different than the rest. This kiss felt so passionate, like there was more longing for each other, that I literally lost myself in the moment.
He pulled me closer to him and I fell back with him on the bed. His hands on my hair and my back. A breath of air and then a plunge into another kiss.
After we had stopped kissing Saeron held me tightly to his chest, as though he were keeping a precious treasure safe. It was hard not to feel loved when he held me like this, whispering sweet things in my ear. He stroked my back softly as I listened to his heart, the beat just as fast as mine was.
“It's been too long since I've held you like this.” He said softly, his voice almost a whisper. I nodded and closed my eyes in complete content.
“Did you want to hear about what happened?” Saeron's voice was a little louder this time, but still soft enough to keep me in a state of sleepiness.
“Alright,” I said before a yawn interrupted my talking. “What exactly happened?”
“Well, that morning I awoke early because I overheard everyone talking about something. My ears are extremely sensitive you know. We I asked what was going on they described the man to me, and the black horse he was riding on. Immediately I realized it was him and I realized the horse was Oris. The second I heard I was enraged and I wanted nothing more than to help them on their hunt for this threat. They hadn't seen him as a threat yet, but I was already weary knowing it was him. Nothing good ever came from him.
“So we left that morning in a hurry to catch up to him. This island really isn't as small as one might think, which is why it took us several days to find him.
“But when we did finally find him we had no idea what we were in for. I mean, I knew that he was capable of using magic, but what he used on us was far more powerful than what I remember him being capable of. We lost him several times, not because he was too powerful, but because he fled so many times. I've never seen that horse run so fast, there was just no keeping up with it. I have a feeling that if we hadn't allowed him to escape his powers may have been too much for us. Already we were suffering from fire attacks that took him only seconds to cast. I could only imagine what kind of damage he could do if he really wanted to.”
“So, he got away?”
“Yeah, I wanted to keep going, but I also missed you too much.” He squeezed me tightly. “So we all came back. I have a feeling, though, that he'll probably come to the kingdom. He's not here for nothing. He probably wants me back.”
“What are you going to do when he come?”
“Fight back. Even if he is that powerful I can't let him get the best of me. I'm done working for him and I'm make sure he knows it. Still, the way he looked, the way he acted wasn't normal at all. It looked like....eh, I don't know.”
“Like what?” I was suddenly become very awake and intrigued.
“Almost like he was possessed.” Saeron's said in a serious tone. “Normally he would have said something to me, or even tried to fight me if I was really who he wanted, but he seemed to be looking for something, only using his powers when he absolutely had to. So maybe it's not me he wants back. Maybe theres something else he wants on this island.”
“Well as long as he doesn't want you I really don't care what he wants.” I pulled myself closer to him.
“Even if it is I won't go down without a fight.” He chuckled to himself. The thought of this made me uneasy. There was a very powerful man riding around and we still didn't know what he wanted.
“You mind if I take a nap here with you?” I said through a yawn.
“Sure, but don't you want some lunch?”
“Nah, I'd much rather lie here with you, sweetie.” I smiled and relaxed in his arms. He stroked my hair and rubbed my back, which helped in the process of getting me to sleep Even if he didn't know it. I was in complete heaven. I was reunited with my love, laying with him in bed, and his touch was absolutely amazing. It was only minutes before I was lulled to sleep.
“Dante,” I heard his voice faintly in my ears, then it got louder. “Dante, wake up sweetheart.”
“Whats wrong, Saeron?” I opened my eyes to find him hovering over me.
“Nothing, I just thought you'd like to get dressed before you went to dinner.”
I looked down and realized I was still in my pajamas. “Oh, oops! Guess I was so excited to see you I kind of forgot.” I laughed to myself.
“Don't worry about it. Just go get dress so we can walk down to dinner together. Please hurry though. Dinner starts in a few minutes.”
“Don't worry, I'll be dressed in no time.”
“Oh, Dante.”
“Yeah.”
“Come to my room after dinner tonight. I have a surprise for you.”
“Ok,” I said as I headed out the door. I thought of all the possible things he could want to give me, but nothing came to mind. Finally my thoughts rested on the idea that perhaps it wasn't a thing to give but something we could do. Could he? No. But maybe. Did he want to go further than he had that night he refused to go further? Maybe that was it!
I was still a little bit sleepy when I got to my room so I quickly dabbed my face with cold water and then picked out some suitable clothes to wear. I found a light yellow lacy top and put it with a white skirt and some gold jewelry I found in the drawers. I looked at the jewelry pieces attentively. I hadn't remembered them being in my drawers.
“Where the heck did these come from?” I asked myself as I held them up to the light to get a better look.
“I see you've found my present to you.” I nearly dropped the jewelry when I heard his voice behind me. My heart started beating frantically as I took in who it was. “I hope you like them. Their a symbol of my love to you. And theres more where that came from if you'll be mine, Dante.”
“Jurah, we've already had this talk. I don't love you. You can't make me love you.”
“How do you know that's not possible. With enough admiration I'm sure I could win you over from that childish boy you say you love. I'm much more mature and I could take care of you better.”
“How old are you anyways?” I asked curiously. My words came out in chokes.
“I'm 23. Saeron's 19 isn't he?” Jurah grinned, showing his perfect teeth. “You deserve a much older man.”
He took a few steps towards me and I edged back, only to feel the bathroom counter hit my back. Jurah closed in on me and took me in his arms. I wanted to fight back, but I was too afraid, so I cried instead.
“I wish you'd stop doing this.” I cried out. “It's not right. It's not fair to me.”
“Don't talk to me about fair.” He growled. He pulled my face up to meet his and pressed my back to the counter. “I deserve fairness as well, and do I get it?! No! I love you. Why can't you just accept me. Why won't you give me a fair chance?”
“It's not that simple. Love doesn't work that way.” My sobs were getting worse. “I can't ever love you because you don't truly love me. Even if you say you do.”
“I do all I can to please you. Of course I love you.”
“Then why are you hurting me like this?” I sobbed out. He gasped and looked at me with a new realization. Just then the door opened and Saeron walked in. I could feel my heart pounding even louder in my chest I watched him when he found me and Jurah together like this.
“Get away from her!” He growled. He literally tore through Jurah to get to me, pulling me close to him then putting me just behind him to act as a barricade for me against Jurah. “Don't you ever touch her again!”“You watch what you say to me! I'm still the king of this kingdom. She deserves the right to choose who she wants to love.”
“I know, but she doesn't love you and you don't love her. Someone who loves her would never treat her like that. How could you make her cry like that?!”
Jurah turned away for a moment, obviously realizing what Saeron said was true, but I could tell he still wasn't going down without a fight.
“I do love her. I've been showing her that I love her.”
“What?! Dante, has he done this kind of stuff to you all week?!” He growled. I nodded meekly. “What makes you think you can even touch her--
“Oh, I did more than touch her.” Jurah grinned maliciously.
“You bastard!” Saeron was now enraged. “You have no right!”
“I'm the king. I could have her now if I chose.” Jurah eyed me through slanted eyes. “It's law. And everyone in the kingdom obeys law. I'll have everyone turn against you and I will have Dante as my wife.”
“What?! You can't do that!”
“Yes, I can. And I will. As king I get whoever I want.” Jurah chuckled cold heartedly. “And even if you did manage to get through everyone else, theres still me you have to go through. And no one gets through me.”
Saeron clenched his teeth. He seemed troubled already by this predicament and I for once in my life I felt like even he couldn't save me from the things I feared.
“Dante, come here.” Jurah cooed to me. His arms outstretched.
“No,” I said softly.
“What was that?” Jurah asked. He clearly hadn't heard me.
“No!” I screamed.
“You don't have a choice!”
“Yes I do! Because your not the rightful king! Saeron is!”
Jurah let out a gasp and looked at me with eyes you'd only see of someone who was about to dies.
“How did you. No, that's not true.”
“I found out in the library. Taj was the son of the former king and Annie his daughter. Therefore you are not it's rightful king.”
“Your sure about this Dante?” Saeron asked with hope.
“Positive.”
“It doesn't matter. I'm still king now!”
“I don't care! Technically because I'm suppose to be king that gives me the same rights as you. And to be fair it would mean we had a fair chance at Dante.” Saeron said. I was surprised at how mature this made him sound.
“What do you propose?” Jurah asked.
“I say we fight tomorrow and the best man keeps Dante.”
“Saeron, you don't have to do this!” I reminded him. He leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“I know, even if we didn't fight I'd have to take on the rest of the kingdom anyways, along with Jurah and I really don't think I can handle fighting that many. Not to mention I don't want to hurt the people that have been so nice to us.
“Alright,” Jurah said after much thought. “We'll fight for the right to be her love. May the best man when.”
The shook hand and parted ways. Jurah leaving the room, and Saeron heading toward me.
“Don't worry,” I heard Saeron say under his breath. “I will.”