Second Chance

Three Years

Three Years

That night she turns in early. She was clean, in her warm bed, her stomach full of food, and under the same roof as the people she cared about. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Sometime during the night, she felt Raiden crawl into bed with her and scoop her until she laid on top of him. When she felt his arms wrap around hers, she quickly fell asleep. Before the sun could rise, Jewels felt Raiden's heart beat, beat faster and faster. Waking up she looks up at him as sees sweat dripping down his forehead and tears streaming down his eyes. He grunts and moans in agony as his head jerks from side to side.

Alarmed that he was having a bad dream, Jewels, cups the side of his face.

"Shhhhh," Jewels hushed him. "Everything's okay, Raiden. You're okay. You're with me. Your golden gift. You're safe with your golden gift by your side."

Raiden's subconscious heard her and he quieted down. "Sleep, Raiden, sleep and I'll watch over you. So sleep."

His tense body slowly relaxes, but his arms still wrapped around her body tightens, bringing her closer to him.

"I'm here." Jewels said as she kissed his jaw before whispering into his ear.

"Sleep, I'm here."

Raiden finally lets himself go and he falls back asleep. It took her a long time, but she also fell back asleep. When she wakes up, she see Raiden having tea in her room and the day has mostly pasted well into the afternoon.

"Hi," Jewels said shyly.

"Hello." Raiden said as he smiled at her. "Come, the tea is still hot and the pastries fresh."

Jewels gets off her bed and walks over towards Raiden. When she pulled out the chair to sit next to him, Raiden instead pulls her towards him and forces her to sit in his lap as one of his arms wraps around her. Raiden hands her a freshly brewed cup of tea and fixes it to her liking as he pushes the pastries closer to her.

"General Jude tells me that you and your family have started packing."

"Hmm." Jewels said getting back at him.

"Going to Redbane with me then?"

"Hmm." Jewels mumbled as she ate a pastry.

"You and your family are going to live in the palace with me." Raiden declared.

Jewels stopped chewing and looked at him. She didn't think this far through her plans. She figured that she could buy a home for her small family to live in and Raiden would visit when ever he wanted to. She didn't want to be in any political agenda or be used as a puppet.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jewels said slowly as she put down the pastry in her hand and quickly washed the pastry in her mouth down with tea before continuing. "You're the Crown Prince and I'm sure you have the support of your father and most of the government ministers. However, in any government, there are people who are against you, no matter how small or quiet they are, there is a group that will always oppose the current ruler. True?"

Raiden's cold demeanor hits Jewels hard, but she doesn't give in, she fights it and sees him nod his head yes.

"If you bring me into the palace with my family, we will be nothing but a liability to you. We will be subject to political intrigue and agenda. We could be used against you and I wouldn't forgive myself should you lose your crown to somebody else."

"Its going to take a lot more than you---"

"Yes, I know," Jewels interrupted. "But just the thought that anybody can use me or my family to hurt you or your family or the people you care about, would make me feel horrible. If we lived near the palace, we would have no political ties or power and won't be able to be used to hurt you in any way. If we lived near the palace, I could always visit you or you could always visit me. I would be able to go about town and have the freedom to visit my Master. He still hasn't taught me everything he knows yet and I want to keep learning from him. I would be free to move around and study and practice my craft with out worry. I would be free of the back palace, where all the concubines and your mother resides. I wouldn't have to deal with any jealousy or scheming or poisoning or what ever they do in the back palace that makes them jealous of one another and want to kill, embarrass and pull down one another. I would get bored so easily that I would probably sneak out with Roku and get him into so much trouble and trust me, I can convince him to do anything if I put my mind to it."