SAYA

CHAPTER 14

   Saya slowly opens her eyes but holds her head immediately due to immense pain.

"My Lady!" she hears someone call. Is that, she looks up and sees Nabir!

"Nabir, are you okay?" she asks, scanning her face seeing that her blood is wiped away but her injuries still showing. She nods with tears in her eyes, that's when Saya recalls telling the king she is pregnant, but after that everything is blank. "What happened?"

"My Lady you fainted." Her hand immediately moves towards her tummy, what about her baby?
"The baby is fine. The physician said you need a lot of rest, so please lie back down," but Saya shakes her head and gets up from the bed. "I can't, the king knows I'm pregnant, I need to leave!" she says hurrying over to her chest of clothes.

"My Lady re-"

"I can't relax Nabir! The lives of my family are at stake," she says rummaging through her clothes. "I'll just pack a few things enough to take me back"

The door barges open immediately causing Saya and Nabir to turn around. Nabir bows and leaves as soon as she sees the king, leaving Saya, a trembling mess, holding the clothes that are in her hand tightly.

"Saya," the king calls stepping forward but Saya reflexively takes a step back.

"My Lord I swear to you, the baby is yours. I don't have any lover, you are my first and only"

"Saya hold on-"

"I drank that bitter substance every time you took me. I never missed one, please forgive me, I don't know how this happened," tears flowing down her cheeks. This is not good, the physician said she needs rest, and she's been stressed, it may affect the baby.

"Saya calm down"

"I'll leave immediately, go back to my family. Please don't kill them-"

"Saya will you just listen to me!" he says in a harsh tone causing her to flinch, shutting her up immediately. She's shaking...badly, she's scared of him. He walks to her, causing her breathing to accelerate. He gets in front of her and embraces her, an action that shocks her. "M-My Lord"

"Shh" he carries, and takes her to the bed, sitting her down, him taking a seat on the bed too. He has never seen her so scared of him before, but it is his fault, he instilled the fear in her. She slowly looks up and sees him staring at her. "I swear to you, I didn't-"

Xerxes cuts her off, claiming her lips. It takes a few seconds for her to respond to his kiss due to shock. Is he not mad at her? He gently grabs her waist, pulling her on top of him so that she is in a straddling position, her hands on his shoulders. He breaks the kiss looking at his woman, who is catching her breath. She is finally calm. "You shouldn't be stressing yourself, it's not good for the baby"

Saya looks up at him, Xerxes staring at her. "My Lord you're not upset with me? " He shakes his head. "You won't banish me?"

"Why would I?"

"...You don't...want children, you banished Cordelia when she got pregnant"

"That child is not mine, the one you're carrying is, and I do want children...it's just complicated, a long story."

"I like stories," she says, giving him a weak smile.

She is so beautiful even when she's stressed and tired. He lays her down on the bed and gets in behind her. She turns so that she's facing him. It's been a long night for her, and they have a celebration tomorrow, one she's not going for. He pulls her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her.

 He can't believe he's going to be a father. The best part? The woman by his side is the mother. One thing's for sure, he is happy. That explains why she refused to sleep with him, due to the medicine. She was scared of harming the child. "I'm waiting for you to tell me the story," she says, drawing with her finger on his chest. He kisses her shoulder and then her cheek. "Sleep, you need it"

She looks up and sees Xerxes staring at her. "I won't let any harm come to you or the baby," his hand resting on her flat belly. Saya can't help but smile at him, her heart feeling at ease. She leans her head against his chest, inhaling his manly scent, drifting away into darkness, yet again.

Xerxes watches Saya sleep, her breathing even. 

This is the only woman he cares about, the only one he needs in his life. How could the gods bless him with such a beauty? A woman that is too pure for this world. He has hurt her so much that he doesn't know if he can forgive himself. 

 He says things without thinking of how it affects her. She must've been going through a lot this past week, but she tried her best to avoid showing any signs of weakness. She risked being banished and possibly death to save a maid...no, her friend. 

Saya is a woman that deserves his trust. She is completely his now, the pregnancy only a sign to show it; no one comes before her or after. He has to make it up to her somehow, starting by keeping his temper under a leash...her leash.

*AUTHOR'S NOTE*

I apologize for the short chapter. It just didn't sit well with me to add the next scene to this one. Tomorrow will be better, I promise. Thank you in advance!