One Year

Queen (2)

"Say something." Ryu said as he closed the door so the two of them would be alone. "Anything."

If she could, she would. She needed time to process what Ryu just told her. Every time she opened her mouth to begin, another question would pop up and render her speechless again.

"Siri." Ryu said softly as he touched her cold cheek. His warmth brought her back from the depths of her mind as she stared back at him. "I'm sorry."

Siri raised her eyebrow as if to ask him why he was sorry.

"For what happened at the lake during The Spring Hunt. What you saw, it wasn't anything like you think it was." Ryu quickly said as he kneeled in front of her. "What you saw, it was a misunderstanding. There is nothing between Chunhua and me. She asked me if we could talk. She said she had a message from my Master Teacher. That's why I was force to meet up with her. When we started talking, it was then I knew that she used the excuse of my Master Teacher's message to me so she could get me alone so she could confess to me. I was turning away to leave when you saw us. I was, too surprise that I lost my bearings and that was what you saw. I'm sorry I put myself in that situation and had created a misunderstand between us. I'm sorry that my actions made you wavier. I'm sorry that I made you cry. I'm sorry that because of me, the Spirit of Coldness came back."

Ryu held on to her hands that were now in her lap. He looked into her silver eyes to see if there was anything in it that can give it away.

"Siri." Ryu said as a desperate feeling came over him. Siri hasn't said anything since he told her about the recent news. Since he gave her the option of leaving him again, under their one year promise. "While you lied in bed in a coma, I knew no matter how many promises that I made to you and all the Gods, would mean nothing if I couldn't back it up with actions. The Spring Hunt, it was me who staged the Five Horn Wild Boar to attack Imperial Nephew. Days before the Hunt, I've already captured the Five Horn Wild Boar. On all five horns I placed a poison on it. As long as the horn scratches the skin of a person, the poison would take effect."

Ryu scooped Siri into his arms and carried her onto the couch and sat her down across his lap as he held on to her. Her silence was deafening to him it made him feel restless and uncertain of their future.

"Through my investigation, I found out that it was Queen Yuna and King Cai that was behind my poisoning. It was the pair of them who was threatened by my presence that they decided to poison me and make me a cripple. So I took from them the one person who could hurt them the most, their son. The poison will slowly kill Morgan in his sleep and there is no cure. But they don't know that. I told Yuna that if she wanted the cure for her son, she would have to kill the King. By poisoning him. Because he would never suspect of her ever doing it. She is his Queen. His first love. His chosen one. Yuna was able to poison the King, but she wasn't careful enough. Nina caught the end of Yuna poisoning Cai. There is where she played her cards wrong. Instead of waiting it out and using what she witness at a later time and date, she confronted Yuna and there was a fight and a struggle. The royal guards got involved and in the end, Yuna pinned everything on Nina. She had all the evidence in her hands and she pinned it on Nina. The royal guards believed their Queen and imprisoned her."

Ryu breathed in Siri scent as if it would be the last time smelling her intoxicating scent.

"King Cai was poisoned and dying, there was no cure that the Royal Doctors could make so all everyone could do now was wait. As everyone waited for his death, Prince Bai and Prince Changming fought for power and support. I had already gathered enough power and support and had the ministers and generals create a staged play where Prince Bai would kill Prince Changming or Prince Changming would kill Prince Bai. In the end, Prince Bai won, but for winning, he went to prison as his prize. My army has been coming to the city undercover for the past months, when it was time to take the throne, I did it flawlessly. There was no citizens who complained. Seeing how the royal family killed, poisoned and fought each other for the throne, they didn't want a malicious king to be sitting on the throne. When I ascended, all everyone said was that I was the best choice. They didn't want a child to hold a position as King and have their Mother be Queen Regent." Ryu told her. "These guards, are the Queen's personal and family guards that she sent to kill me and you. I had 80,000 men guard you as I took the throne. While I was there, she sent her people to kill you and sent men to kill me in the throne room. After killing her people in the throne room, I got the report that you were under attack. I came here as fast as I could to ensure that no harm was brought to you."

"I told you that I would make you my one and only Queen. And I have. I know I'll love no other. Accept no other. Be with no other. I told you that you were my compass, the one that guides me through the sea, no matter how calm or stormy it is, you guide me through it all. You make me a better man, Siri, you make me want to be better everyday." Ryu said as he made her look at hima as he spoke. "You have been at my side for this past year and have been there for me, more times than any woman I've ever met. You are my life's savoir twice over. You are the only person who can make me smile, make me laugh, make me eat my vegetables, make me listen. You are the only one who can make my heart beat fast with happiness, with worry, with excitement, with love."

Siri looked into his dark and stormy eyes and she got lost in them. His onyx eyes were raging with love and hopefulness.

"You're the only person I can tolerate teasing from, the only one who can boast without me killing them. The only one that I want to sleep next to and wake up next to. The only one who I want to kiss, to touch, to hold. The only one thing I wish to treasure, to spoil, to cherish." Ryu said. His thumb came up to rub her lips back and forth, causing her lips to open and her tongue to dart out and lick it. She could see his passion rising inside of him at her small action. "I told you that you will be my one and only Queen and I meant it. On this day, our first year anniversary as husband and wife. I'll give you a choice because I know I said for us not to pretend anymore. That our one year together would no longer be fake. And I meant that. But...but if you feel that you cannot trust me, live with me, love me, and grow old with me. I'll uphold our first agreement and let you go."

Siri's heart felt so full that it could burst. She fought off the tears that threatened to fall.

"Who are you?" Siri asked.