The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 35 & 36

Chapter 35

More days went by without word. I thought I might go crazy. I tried to occupy my mind by seeing to the affairs of the kingdom. I also spent more time with my sisters and children. We walked the gardens and talked. Ivel's husband had also been injured, so I allowed her to go home and meet him as he was unable to continue in battle with his injury. Her husband shedding his blood for our family erased any doubts that my father had of his loyalty.

I awoke one day thinking I might go crazy if I had no more word of Tony that day. I was bathed, dressed and started on my morning walk. As I was headed towards the flower beds to pick some for Quai's room, I heard horses coming. My heart sank. Was this them coming to tell me that Tony had left me here, a widow once more?

I then looked up, and saw the banners of his house, the ram. The same ram that now adorned the dress I was wearing. I knew it could only mean one thing. He had come home to me. Once again, I ran. I ran through the gardens and around the side of the castle. I cared not that I ran through dirt and that I was not being queenly. I would have received him in a shift and robe at this point.

He entered the gates at the head of his men. He also had never looked this good to me. Not even on our wedding night. He stopped, dismounting his horse when he saw me running. He caught me, with his good arm. I knew that I was probably causing him more pain, but I could not bring myself to let him go. He kissed me all over my face and neck. We didn't say a word for what seemed like forever. We just held each other.

He then eventually whispered in my ear...

"My love, I have missed you so."

I teased him and answered, "Really, I had barely noticed you were gone." He laughed as did I, but I still held him close. We eventually turned and began to walk towards the gate of the castle. The horns had started to blow to alert everyone that he was home. Servants ran to and from.

By the time we entered the gates, nobles and servants alike were lined up to greet him. They clapped and cheered his arrival. He shook their hands and waved back to let them know he appreciated their love. The first stop was to Quai's apartments, which were not far from the princes. She was engrossed in her writing. He stood and watched her for a few moments and then spoke.

"Is this the greeting you give daddy cheesehead?"

Her little body froze, and she turned around with such a big smile I know her cheeks must have hurt. She ran to him and he hugged her with his good arm as well.

"Oh, how I have missed these hugs and kisses, my lady." he told her lovingly.

"Then you should never leave again. Then you won't have to miss them so...and I won't have to miss you." She replied.

"I agree." I added and they both looked at me and smiled.

He held her hand and we all turned to head towards the royal nursery. Quai was talking a mile a minute about all the things that she had probably already sent him in letters and new things as well. He listened as if he had never heard any of it. It made me love him all the more.

We entered the nursery and the nurses were standing with both the babes dressed in their princely colors, wrapped in their blankets with the ram on them, awaiting the king. They curtsied as he walked over to the babies and took Aneesh while I took Zymree. They were wary at first, but they then came around and begin to call him daddy and hold him tightly about his neck. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Look at all you have given me." he said.

I just looked at him with my heart swelling.

We gave the babies back to their nurses as he needed to bathe and change from his riding clothes and have his bandages changed as well. I also needed to bathe again, as I had run through dirt and who knows what else to receive him. I was also sure he would visit my chamber, or I his, very soon.