Ranger's Apprentice: The Tantalizing Tales

Love Royale

As a Queen-to-be, there's nothing you need more than the consort of your dreams. 

~~~

Cassandra opened the door and there he was, with his beautiful beaming and his beautiful eyes and his beautiful hair. She threw her arms around him, uncaring of the curious faces in the hallways and uncaring of her pyjamas. Uncaring of how un-Crown-Princess-like she behaved. Horace was back, back home, back in her arms, and that was all that mattered. Their lips touched and now for once it was him who initiated. His hands moved up to her face, caressing her cheeks. There was nothing bossy about the way he gently pushed her inside. No taking control. It was just them, moving in sync, moving equally.

Oh, how she had missed this. How she had missed him.

There was nothing she hated more than having to send out her husband, her Champion, her general of her army.

But she would do it again. And again. And however many more times she needed to, to ensure the safety of the throne she sat on, the safety of the Crown she wore, and the safety of the Kingdom under her protection.

They parted, out of breath, in a sudden need to see each other - really see each other - as they hadn't in weeks.

Horace smiled. His smile was everything she'd dreamt of - goofy and sweet and kind and so, so happy to see her.

She threw her head back and laughed. Standing in front of her was the man who had chosen to carry the burden of protecting the Kingdom. He was the only one - truly, the only one - who had ever genuinely had a choice. And he had chosen yes. Yes to serving his Kingdom. Yes to carrying the burden of protecting it. Yes to forever being second - and, if they were blessed, perhaps even third - in her life. She could not prioritise him. Not like he could - had - to prioritise her.

And he had chosen yes. Without a doubt. Without a hesitation. Without a second thought. As she knew he would again. Because he loved her. As she knew he always would.

And so tonight, for one night, he was the only thing she cared about.