“You’re so beautiful.” Pushing his robes to the floor as he walked to Rosemary, Daniel’s heart raced and his whole body hummed as he looked over his wife. He’d imagined this night every time he closed his eyes to sleep and having her in front of him finally like this was all he ever really wanted.
No kingdom would ever be as great as what his eyes gazed upon tonight.
Pulling off his shirt, Daniel l
"It'snearly time, isn'tit?" Agamori narrowed his eyes at the men training before them then glanced to Daniel. "You are aware that the moon is full tonight, aren't you?"Wrinkling his nose at the question, Daniel looked at Agamori and shrugged. "What does that have to do with anything?"Agamori twisted his lips and shook his head with his arrogant scowl never far behind his disapproving expression. "It'sas if you've learned nothing at all since you've come, Daniel. When we finally do take the castle, you need to spend more time learning the old texts. You are a warrior, without a doubt, but youknowso little about the religion.It'sa tragedy, really.""Tragedy?" Daniel chuckled to himself. "I'm a fighter, that's what I need to learn now. I can't read the langua
“They outnumber us three to one, Daniel. Perhaps, we should think of a different plan.” Agamori spoke softly as he peered from behind the tree.A huff shot from Daniel’s throat as he drew up his face at the silliness of such an idea. “No, it will work.”Agi squinted his eyes and took another look. “It’s my job to tell you when the odds are not in your favor.”
The faint vibration in Daniel’s fingers and toes moved swiftly through his body until the click-click of horse hooves on the cobblestone path and the Sentry’s alarm reached his ears. “Her Majesty’s approaching.”A flutter in Daniel’s chest wiggled its way up to his throat and no matter how he tried to swallow it down, the nervous rush overwhelmed him. Six long months had passed since he’d taken his kingdom and the castle was finally worthy enough for his family to join him.
The whole dining hall was awash in the scent of the smokey, stone fireplace and the week’s worth of food set before them in honor of Rosemary and Sigrid’s arrival. Daniel’s eyes were bathed in the light of the fire as he held Sigrid on his lap and she slapped joyfully at the table before her while her uncles and cousins took their turns entertaining her with their silly faces. Always a hero to Rosemary, she rested her chin on her hand and gazed at the warm amber and gold that flicke
“Riders approaching.” The soles of the Sentry’s leather boots were thick with mud already, and stepping out of his shack to greet the two men climbing down from their horses wasn’t making them any cleaner.He lifted his chin to the man with long, sun-bleached hair and threw out his hand to shake. “It’s been a long time, Your Highness.”With his helmet in his hand, Eason gave his other to the Sentry and shook his head with a smirk. “I just go by Eason these days.” His brown eyes rolled to the man coming to his side as he tipped his head to him. “My friend and I are looking for lodging and work if you have it.”The blue-eyed stranger gave his hand to the Sentry and nodded his head once. “Good to meet you.”With Sigrid’s chubby palm slapping Daniel’s lips as he tried to answer the library guardian, it took a few tries to get the door to open. “Rosema
Haldir stretched his neck from side to side until he got a fair crack, then he pointed up at the ceiling. “What’s this all about?”Weaving his long blonde hair around his hand, Eason knotted it, then crossed his arms as he glanced upwards. “This is the ancestral home of King Asnamar. He was one of the great old kings that battled the Evil. He was struck down before the end of it all.”From the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of red hair and heard the excited squeal of the little girl he knew. Rosemary slapped her hands over her mouth as he gave her a wave of his hand and lifted his chin. “It appears its under new management these days.”The little slaps of the soles of Rosemary’s shoes raced against the stone floor as they came closer, making Haldir turn to face the noise barreling towards him. “Haldir! Oh, is that really you?”A curl of his lips became a toothy grin through hi
“I think it’s time to I got this little girl to bed.” With her chin resting on her fist, Rosemary watched Sigrid yawn against Daniel’s neck as he patted her back. “She’s had quite a long day.”Her little lips pouted against his shirt as he pulled his face back to peek at her and nodded. “She’s out.” His chin lifted to the nearby guests. “If you’ll excuse us.”When he shifted forward to push his chair back, Rosemary placed her hand on his arm. “Please, stay and entertain our guests. The night is still young.”Slumping back in his seat, Daniel narrowed his eyes, and a sigh came from his nose as he hesitantly handed his daughter over. “Are you certain? I’m sure no one here will miss me.”Hot breath blew across his neck that made his shoulders shudder as she bent down to kiss his cheek. “Tomorrow night, my love. I’m exhausted.&
The racing beats of her heart echoed in Daniel’s brain, and he could even feel her fingernails digging into her palms. Rosemary tried to control the rage building inside her, but the King could sense the anger barreling toward him before he ever heard the pounding of her feet against the stone floor outside the throne room.He sighed before he looked to Agmori and motioned toward the door with his head. “You should leave now. Apparently, someone has spilled the news of last night to your sister, and she’s on her way to discuss it with me.”A sympathetic smirk rose on the old warlock’s lips as he tipped his head and backed away with his hands up. “Good luck.”While Rosemary ran past him, Agamori bowed his head then pulled the doors closed behind him. She gasped and panted through her teary eyes and shaking head. “What did you do? Please tell me it isn’t true!”His shoulder shrugged just a li