Eternity

9.

Two weeks of anticipation passed before my boys were set to arrive. I waited on the balcony that overlooked the road to the castle for hours before I finally saw them trotting down the road.

I saw my Luca riding on his own little pony, he must have received it for his birthday that I missed last week. I raced down the many flights of stairs until I was outside. The wind blew through my hair as I waited for them.

My son was so adorable on his horse but I didn’t want to tell him that, he always likes to think he is a grown man. Cesare jumped off his horse as they grew closer; holding the reins as he stopped Luca’s horse.

He then picked Luca off his horse and placed him on the ground. I crouched down as he ran into my arms. Tears began to fill my eyes.

A hand was placed on my shoulder.I looked behind me to see Edward. He then turned to Cesare as they shared an awkward handshake.

We walked inside together, the tension was building. I showed my guests where they would be staying. It was the same room we barricaded only a month ago and yet so much has happened since then.

I offer to help unpack and to settle in but am pressured by Edward to help him greet other guests from faraway lands. I welcome Edward’s cousins from Marridia who give me nothing but scathing looks, I remember them from court; they were a part of the group that questioned my faithfulness to my first husband.

It nears the end of the day as we go to head back into the castle I hear the faint sound of distant galloping. I turn around to see a tall man racing down the dirt road to our isolated castle. Within seconds another man pulls out beside him and they gallop alongside each other.

As they come closer I focus on the first man, his height, his build there is no doubt in my mind that it is Rodrigo. The other man however is also tall but his short blonde curls are new to me. Until it clicks. This man was not from Marridia but from Ferlan a small island off Dakragh. The same island where my mother hails from. This was her much younger brother Torrance Glanden, I had not seen him since my Mothers accident.

Considering he and Rodrigo were of similar age they became best friends after my parents wedding and actually visited each other quite often, but I however had not seen him in eleven years. The two men slow down as they reach the castle gates.

As Rodrigo climbs off his horse I walk towards him with my arms outspread. He picks me up as he hugs me and spins me around with him. As he puts me down I turn around to Torrance who is giving me his signature smirk that I still remember. I hug him and then introduce him to my husband who I can tell is wary towards my many strong and overprotective male companions.

The guards close the gates behind us as we walk both men to their separate rooms either side of Cesare’s. Edward is ushered away by his guests which allows me time to reconnect with my family. I gather up my men in Cesare and Luca’s room and introduce them to Torrance and then I begin to ask about what I have missed.

I sit Torrance down on the divan in the corner of the room, ‘Why after so many years have you decided to reconnect with me?’ I ask.

‘ I apologise, I have been a most unworthy uncle, I am only able to visit you now because i hear your father is growing weaker and cannot police me from your side. I am here to admit my services to you.'

I thank him for his services and assure him that he will have a prominent place in my court once my father has passed. A knock on the door alerts me that dinner has been brought up to us. I accept the food and bring the platters in front of my entourage who journeyed so long and are famished.

They devour the simple roasted chicken and potatoes the cook prepared in an instant. I give Luca a birthday present, a most precious memento to me.

I hand him the leather bound book, the words ‘The Tale of Lorenzo Lillipachi’ inscribed in gold. ‘This was my favourite book as a child, its about a man who goes on many adventures and gets in lots of trouble; and I want you to learn to read it.’

He at first looks confused but gives me a reassuring grin. Luca climbs into his bed after dinner and begins to flick through the pages of the novel studying the illustrations.

I am now seated around the small table with my kinsmen. ‘Rodrigo, how is the Marridian life treating you?’ I ask interested in the wellbeing of Luca’s throne.

‘ As long as I am there they can’t do anything, that is why I can only stay until the morning after your coronation, at the moment they do not know I am gone, they all believe I am ill except for your allies of course’.

I begin to worry about Luca that he will be king at just fifteen with all those other lords trying to take advantage of him; I will have to keep my brother with him to watch over him as he reigns.

As the next day draws nearer both Rodrigo and Torrance retire to their rooms. I am left alone with Cesare. We lay on the plush lounge facing the small open window in the room looking out at the stars. I rest my head on his chest as we talk about our problems.

I hadn’t been alone with Cesare all day and this time made me happier than I could have ever imagined. I look up at him and I see the worry in his eyes. I sit up and place my hands on his jawline as I look directly into his rich brown eyes and tell him that everything will be fine as I kiss his cheek.

His crooked smile makes a brief appearance on his face. ‘ But again Catalina I am your lover and nothing more, at this rate I will never be your husband, just a broken man.’ 

I place his head in my lap and stroke his head as his gentle tears flow. ‘Cesare you are not just my lover, but my love, my treasure, my jewel, my desire and nothing will ever change that.’ I whisper.

He sits up abruptly and plants a kiss, which lasts a lifetime, on my plump lips before gently sliding his tongue in my mouth. By this time he is holding my head as he sits on what little couch remains in front of me. He puts one leg either side of me and now holds me by the waist, our kiss unbreakable. I wrap my hands under his arms and place them on his shoulder blades in an unbreakable bond.

A rap at the door startles the both of us. Cesare stands up swiftly allowing me to get up and fix my appearance as I head towards the door knowing who is there. My husband is standing there, his head held high. ‘I think we should make our way to bed now my love, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.’ I agree to go with him scared of what he would do otherwise.

I say a distant goodnight to Cesare who now stands above our son. As we make our way to our room, Edward grabs my hand, his cold as ice, and says lightly ‘I shall not leave you alone with that man again.’

He does not look at me as he says this, nor does his tone change which frightens me even more so. We undress and climb into bed and say nothing. I face away towards the fireplace as I always do. I feel his cold hand on my stomach even through my linen chemise, he moves his body closer to mine and rests his head on my shoulder, I feel his breathing against my neck and try to ignore it.