Taken [Zayn Malik]

ch.18- Our kingdom

Zayn's eyes light up, not with the crimson smoke that made it easier for him to read my mind or my emotions, but the one that was out of pure happiness and disbelief.

He had been alone (with the exception of Madame Linelle) and now, now the entire castle was filled with hundreds of people. Our people. Our kingdom.

I turned to Zayn and he smiled at me. He tugged my hand up to his lips and the crowd erupted in applause.

"The Malik is back!" a nasally voice shouted and I recognized it as one of the plants or creatures that had shouted at me to return to Zayn when I tried to escape. 

"Zayn and Tarini" a deeper, heavier tone cheered. He clapped his bulky hands and I recognized his voice as well.

Zayn raised his hand and they all quieted their screams and shrieks of joy. He turned to me and smiled as if he knew in his heart that all was well. Everything was good for once in his life. Everything was back.

"I cannot tell you all what it means to see my father's kingdom restored" he declared proudly.

I knew he had been waiting all his life to say that. To be able to stand infront of his people as the prince, the king that he was.

"I've spent 18 years alone, with my loyal maid, Madame Linelle, but then, just a few weeks ago a young lady literally washed up on my shores and the sun shone brighter. The air smelled fresher. The leaves were greener... I was redder" he admitted the last bit quietly and blushed, adding to his confession.

"Tarini!" a woman's voice squealed impatiently. I waved at her, not knowing who she was, but not caring.

Soon, I would know who everyone was here and we could spend every moment of the next however many years, becoming friends and trading recipes for canterblossom cake and what not. I honestly could care less what we did, just as long as I was with Zayn and no one else did anything to separate us. 

"Our story is quite long and violent..." Zayn laughed as he wrapped his arm around my waist. I kissed his cheek. The crowd mumbled a few "oohs" and "awes."

Zayn and I laughed.

"But for now, for tonight, I want to make up for 18 quiet years. We're having a banquet, from dawn to dusk" Zayn declared as he pointed at the sky.

The crowd burst into eager applause and they all hurried over to take their old places around the castle: from maids to chefs to plain commoners.

Everyone went back to the way things were almost two decades ago. It was like they wanted to forget everything that had happened while also doing their best to fill in for the wasted time.

A servant laid out a red carpet for me and Zayn to walk over as we made our way to the banquet hall, the same one me and Zayn used every morning to eat in, but it was horribly empty before, daunting in a way that made it terrifying.

But now, now as we all sat down, as Zayn and I sat opposite each toher as usual and everyone else filled in the gaps on the long marble table, it was comforting, cozy even. 

Zayn held his glass up and smiled at me.

I nodded and returned his grin.

"To our kingdom" he declared confidently. He had lost his people once and now, now he was determined to keep them at every cost.

"To our kingdom" the rest of the commoners and I repeated.

Then we ate every fruit blossom, cake, steak, and bread that the island could provide. We talked and we laughed and we smiled, but we didn't cry. We didn't want to make the occasion depressing in the least.

We must have sat there for a good hour or two because a thick shadow of darkness had befallen the sky. 

Zayn watched me as the servants took our empty plates away. He nodded and I stood up. A servant walked me to him and he took my hand, excusing us a bit earlier from the dinner.

He led me out to the gardens and I saw that nearly all the plants were "normal" now. That long, prickly plant that had bitten me and oozed poisonous juice on my neck was gone. It was all still very beautiful, but also quiet.  

Zayn looked up at the moon as it shined a white path before us, leading us around the garden to a distant spot in the courtyard.

I squinted slightly so that I could see Zayn.

"You know, Tarini, just because I am king now does not mean that you have to be called the Queen, even if you would make an amazing queen" he told me honestly, then added a wink for emphasis.

I laughed lightly.

"You can be whatever you want" he told me. I pressed my lips to his in agreement. 

Zayn tugged at my waist until I was in his lap and close to his chest, listening to our hearts beating together. Beating for each other. 

Someone cleared their throat rather excitedly.

Zayn and I both turned to see a sneaky grin on Madame Linelle's face. Zayn sighed in annoyance.

"They are expecting you both in the ballroom" she told us with a wink. Then she walked off. Zayn and I got up slowly and headed back inside. 

He led me to the ballroom and I gasped as I saw it was no longer a dusty, blackened mess as I had seen unon glimpsing at it a few weeks ago. It was bright and made of ivory marble, gleaming like Zayn's teeth.

"It must have restored itself when the kingdom returned" he explained quietly. Then he walked slowly, circling me as he whispered in my ear.

"Tarini"... "My princess of love" he laughed lightly. I pushed at his chest.

Zayn wound his arms around my waist from behind and kissed down my neck.

"I thought I was just Tarini" I protested in pretend annoyance.

Zayn's lips stopped midway down my neck. He turned me around with a twirl of his hand and he held my face softly.

"You can be whoever you want to be, just as long as I can have you" he told me gently, not possesively or angrily as he had s many times before.

I nodded, giving him permission to have me. But, there was a catch.

"Can I have you as well" I asked as I looked up at him.

He nodded, almost laughed. He had given hsi heart to be weeks ago, it was just a matter of time that I accepted it and gave mine as well.

"I've been yours since the moment you struck my cheek" he laughed as he touched his cheek, reminding me of the time that I had slapped him on that first morning.

In the distance of the ballroom, a harp and piano started to play. Zayn grinned as the music cued right on time. Then he held his hand out and I took it without another thought.

He rested his hands at my waist and we pressed our foreheads together, closing our eyes and imagining that we were alone again despite all the people. And maybe we were. No matter how many hundreds of commoners and maids and chefs there were in our kingdom, we were alone in each other's hearts.