One Night with the King -- Book One: Fire

Chapter Five

             In the short while that I had awoken in the cave, I have come to the conclusion that life was a mystery that, perhaps, did not need to be questioned. 

            I do not believe this was one of those moments, however. 

            The day had passed as the two suns danced above us in the sky, giving a warmth to the ground and meadow that surrounded us. As I lay against the soft blades of the grass, watching the clouds roll across the soft blue sky, hinting towards a soft blush towards the horizon, I found a sense that this scene that I was captured in was one that had been played out before.

            A sense of familiarity clouded everything in my mind, practically causing my mind to tingle with wonder, as the possibility of memories flourished below the surface of my subconscious. The King sat at the base of the tree, eyes closed, though still observing all that went around us. With bellies full to practically bursting, a soft breeze to keep the heat of the suns from baking like that of sweets in an oven, and the soft babbling of the water, the day was like that of something from a painting. It was practically perfect, but yet it was still imperfect.

            I found myself opening my eyes as the feel of the smoke wafted across the pads of my fingertips, caressing the delicate flesh, soothing me further into the lullaby of the moment I shared with my husband. This place, this sacred meadow, was more than what I believed had been spoken to me. And in the short distance, I could see where the land started to break away into floating lands, cascading across the magnificent scene of stars mixed into the canvas of black, purple, pinks, and deep blues. It was beautiful to look at, yet still frightening to see something so close, so complete and yet broken.

           "What is it that troubles your wandering mind?" I heard him ask a few moments later.

           Moving my body up, I sat with my hands entangled in the soft blades of grass as I watched the horizon.

         "This place..." I found myself whispering, "is far more significant that I was told." Turning my head towards the King, I found that he had kept his eyes closed. Thick brows had furrowed as the lines around his mouth deepened. 

         "It is considered holy ground, sacred to the Kingdom and all of its people." He opened his eyes, a golden gaze consuming me. "Our people."

          Shaking my head, I let out a breath. That is not what I had meant, and I was practically positive that he knew it as well. And, if that was the case, then why? 

          Taking a slow breath in, I let the air fill me with life once again, the cooling in my chest a swirl as it settled, only to be released back into the world as it let it out in a single huff. 

           A chuckle came from deep in his chest, causing the ground to rumble under my fingers. Power, danger, knowledge, and lust all rolled off of his large body in waves, changing the air into something darker, like that of the night sky, yet still bright with promise.

          "I have never been able to fool you, in all the cycles that we have known one another." Those brows lifted as the corner of one side of his lips lifted. His smile was gentle, kind, yet still held so many secrets to which, I fear, I would neither remember or forget. "This land," he gestured around us, "is special to you and I. It is the place where we first met." My brows lifted in surprise at that. 

            "How could that be possible? If it had been the place where we first met, then I should not have been of royalty." A golden gaze looked at me while I spoke, causing my heart to skip a beat and find its way into the bottom of my throat. For a moment, I could not find the air to fill my lungs and breath. Yet, even as the slight tingling of anxiety curled, it soon dissipated into nothing. "I trespassed these lands," I whispered, shaking my head.