The King's Obsession ✔️

Epilogue

Word Count: 1089

~Akara

A knock sounds at the door.

Groaning, I flip the covers off my legs, although I don't make it very far out of bed before arms wrap around my waist, yanking me back. I giggle, falling into Marek's chest.

"Uh ah, get back here," he murmurs into my ear.

I push at his arms. "Marek!"

I don't actually want to get out of bed. In fact, ever since we came back to the Emerald Province to start our new life, for real this time, I haven't wanted to spend a moment away from Marek. Finally, we have each other, but for once, I'm not scared of losing him. I think this time, we may have gotten it right.

"I thought we agreed on a slow morning," he complains, pulling me onto his side of bed, nestling his face into my neck.

"We did, but I think we have mail."

"Who could possibly have our address?" he questions. There's a tinge of suspicion edging his tone, even as he tries to sound happy. He doesn't want anything ruining our peace either.

"Only the people that matter. That's the point," I exclaim, clambering out of the bed. Marek doesn't look convinced, although I can't blame him for his hesitation. The last letter we recieved was from Tai summoning me back to be married to him. Thankfully his mother becoming the Queen absolved me of that.

Marek watches me pull some clothes onto my body. "You're worried about Tai, aren't you?"

I lean down to kiss him. He looks so delightful, lying in bed, completely naked. Just the look of him is tempting me to sink back under the sheets with him.

"The only thing I'm worried about is getting this mail so I can come back to bed and spend the rest of the day with you," I murmur against his lips.

He grins as I pull away, resting his hands behind his head.

"I like the sound of that."

Sure enough, an envelope sits in front of our door. I take it back into the bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Having Marek near as I peel it open is comforting, knowing that we can face anything together.

I skim over the top of the writing. "It's from Zavian."

"Don't tell me anything is gone wrong again," Marek mutters.

"He says he is well, that he is enjoying his new position. Apparently Nakoa and Clea have moved in with him," I read out. Just by his writing alone it is clear that he is content, that his new life is treating him well. And to hear Nakoa and Clea are with him also is good. They both deserve all the happiness in the world.

"That's good."

I fold the paper out. "He's in constant contact with Maria, apparently. She has had the weapon dismantled and the blueprints eliminated."

Marek releases a long breath. That's a relief. It's something the both of us have been worrying since we came here. Knowing that it no longer exists, that it can't hurt anyone anymore is all I could ever want.

"Anything about Tai?" Marek questions.

"He is still in prison, but he's been going out helping do some community work with a nearby village. Apparently he's enjoying it," I convey.

Marek and I exchange a glance. That additional piece of information isn't what I though Zavian would be telling me. Tai has always been so desperate to remain King, and now, he's seems to be integrating into his new life.

"That's a shock."

"It's not, actually. I think he likes helping people, as long as he's on the right path," I remind him. Or at least he once did, so maybe he's finding himself, the old self that I once knew after the rebellion, who I fell in love with.

"You did the right thing, Akara," Marek says, pulls the letter out of my hand. "He deserves to be dead, but he's not."

He's right, Tai is lucky he's even alive. But knowing he is alive, that there is a chance he can change makes me happy, and is going to fuel me as I move on with my life. And maybe one day, we can go back to being friends, but I already figure that will be long in the future.

"Sometimes I just wonder what I could have done differently," I admit, falling back onto my pillow.

"There is no point dwelling on that. We have the future to think about," Marek insists. It's easy for him, to get over all of this. Vaia is dead, and he can leave what happened during the rebellion behind him now.

Maybe that's how I need to think. Like he does...

"Yeah. You're right," I sigh, turning on my side to face him. He smiles, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face.

"I know I am. We need to talk about getting married," he exclaims. His smile is so warm, so earnest it has my heart fluttering.

"Oh really?"

He grabs me, drawing me closer against him. "Yes. I want you mine and mine forever."

"I am yours. And you're mine," I affirm. We don't need to marry for me to know that neither of us will be going anywhere. We are practically made for each other. The rebellion happening and us being drawn apart proved that.

"But a simple ceremony may be nice, right? And then we can focus on building up his place and making it truly ours." He kisses my face a few times, and I giggle.

Forcing him back, I look into those beautiful blue eyes of his, the note from Zavian forgotten.

"I'm really happy to be here with you, Marek," I breathe.

He smiles. "I'm happy too."

"Everything that has happened has led me to this moment, with you. I wouldn't change that." Not for anything. When it comes to him, there will never be any doubts.

He looks as though he wants to say more, but we both know we have the rest of ours lives for that.

He grips my waist tightly. "Come here, I have a lot planned for the rest of our morning. And the rest of our lives."

🤍••🤍

Hey guys!

I want to thank you all for reading this series that I've created! I can't believe it's over, I enjoyed writing it so much and I hope you all enjoyed reading it.

Thank you all for the ongoing support, I appreciate you all (:

~Midika 🐼💜