Demon's Height

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

She was nervous. Melinia sat on the bed playing with the hem of her gown nervously. Her stomach was anxious for the fact that maybe Liorn might enter the bed chamber any second. It has been almost two weeks that Charles has been coming to accompany her spare time alone.

Melinia enjoyed it really, but after more often his visits he had seem very dark. Almost as if his body was possessed at times by some unknown plague. She'd sometimes watch him clenching his hands into a fist or seen that tic work in men's jaw from aggravation or just because they want to open their mouth to say something.

A knock at the window and Melinia had risen to greet him. She didn't know why the secrecy, maybe Liorn might even let him visit. Charles was an upstanding citizen of her hometown.

Charles climbed in and then brushed his suit off. He looked to Melinia brushing his shiny blonde hair out from his white nape. Compared to him, Charles would illuminate more light in the night than Melinia would.

Today was the usual visit. He'd then shower her with gifts from home, from her sister of course. Then he'd leave. Charles bent on his knee and offered her a ring with engraved symbols that she couldn't make out. He then reached for her hand and placed the ring on her middle finger kissing the ring, his lips brushing her skin as his eyes were solely on her and smiled, "My lady Melinia, runaway with me."

Melinia stared at his royal blue eyes. It was almost like the color of the sea. A hue of blue so bright that it almost looked unnatural. "I-I am married to King Liorn" She was able to squeeze that out of herself. She tried to pry her hand away from under his chin. "Don't worry my Queen, no one will ever know. I have gold and a horse at my disposable. We could travel overseas and I could give you what you desire. We could have our own land and with children running freely. What do you say?"

This time he stood up, still holding on her hand. He kissed her hand again this time licking her ring and finger. The wet; pink tongue gliding across her finger. Her face flushed immediately a bright red as she felt the heat that encompassed her. Melinia pulled her hand away instantly.

Charles leaned in and whispered into her ear," I'll be back in three days. I'll want to hear your reply by then and remember this,” He licked his lips eyeing her the ring, “is a gift from me." He kissed the skin underneath her ear then pulled back to leave. Once he was gone, she held her hand up to her heart not believing what she felt and heard.

Liorn started walking back to his bed chamber. Another challenge and accusation from his enemy province. They just seem to want to wage war within its own land and he's refused so many times he lost count and he was surprised that Kitar was bold enough to want his assistance in the civil war that was bound to happen. Instead, he had started a contract for peace treaty, if there were to be an act of sin on any men of the sides then that would go against the contract and thus become war. That seemed good to Liorn since he hasn't any business with Kitar in any way. There had been a silent agreement to keep his nose out of whatever Kitar wanted to do with the town and he had let the bandits take over the province. So he signed the contract and set it off to the councils.

He thought about it, he would have perhaps rushed headfirst into the chance to engage in battle and strongarm the two sides of Kitar but he wanted to have some time to prove life with his wife. It has almost been two months that they're married and he knew that they never had the ceremonial bonding. Liorn was never a superstitious man believing in the spirits of fertility, but he did believe that a bonding would bring him and Melinia closer together. He wanted to become one with her soul and body and make her want him as much as he wanted her.

At their shared bed chamber, he cracked the door open to find Melinia sitting at the foot of the bed. Her arms were clutched to her chest as if she was in a prayer. She looked out of into the nothingness and didn't notice him walking in. Liorn had accidently slammed the door scaring her out of her trance. She gave him a confused look and they hadn’t spoken a word to each other for the rest of the night.

The day after, she hadn't said much to him either. She had woken him for breakfast that morning. They ate quietly with some house guests and with the few glances he gave her, she looked upset. She was quiet and to herself and he found it odd. It was not like when they first married and he almost found it was an unbearable silence. "Are you feeling ill?" Liorn finally asked as they were alone in his study. She gave him a glance and a weak smile. "I- no. I'm quite fine" She murmured. As her king and husband, he could command her to tell him but he overruled his judgement. "Would you accompany me or Nurse Mya perhaps?"

Melinia had smiled weakly, anything to get her mind off of what would be coming tomorrow. That morning they visited the court yard and garden.

In the garden there had been plants of all kinds. Very tall plants had overgrown, creating a pathway of mazes. Flowers and foliage grew everywhere and a variety of different colors had bloomed. For a while she had stayed here yet never noticed the beauty of this garden. Of course she had passed through the garden several times but never took notice of the foliage that was growing around her. One of the gardeners smiled at her, picking a flower off its brush she held and then handed it to Melinia. "Suit thy queen well." She spoke giving her another smile and rushed to complete the rest of her job.

Liorn watched Melinia hiding her smile as she sniffed the flower into her nose. Her cheeks held a slight pink tinge and her blush was adorable. He walked over and grabbed the blush pink flower, setting it behind her ear. Their eyes had met and she frowned at him as her body had tensed up from his action. Liorn knew his content smile was showing. This time she looked straight at him, almost as if she was seeing him for the first time. Warmth flushed up to his cheeks, turning away quickly, he practically jogged to the other side of the court garden.

Melinia smiled uncontrollably, if she didn't know any better, she'd have sworn to the gods that he flushed. As if he can't let anyone see him that way. She followed after him.

Liorn took Melinia to the soldier’s quarters. Many men sparred and the sounds of swords "clanked" and crashed with the force of well-muscled men. A man with a small star shaped scar at the corner of his eye appeared and approached Liorn. "Your highness" He bowed his head, and Liorn nodded silently as the Quarter Master acknowledged him and turned to Melinia. "My lady" He bowed down on his left knee and lowered his head. Her cheeks lit up and she tried to get him to stand back up.

The man nodded and gracefully stood. "This is the high lieutenant Margot" Liorn introduced. The Lieutenant nodded his ahead again. Melinia tried not to do any disrespect so she also introduced herself with as much elegance as she could. "Margot is in the very high ranks because he was my King Regent." Liorn also added. "He took my place as king when I was a young child."

Melinia smiled at him, "Of course, I remember you." He was the scary man she met when she was also a child at her kingdom. They've held many times for occasions and meetings at her father’s Castle. He wasn't the true King, but a substitute for a young Liorn who had not been ready to take the place at his throne at the young age that he was due to the untimely death of his father.

Now the man still looked about the same as when she was a child, except he of course looked more royal and the years have aged him well. They've made a good choice in placing Margot as the King Regent even though he may have been a young Lad himself though he raised in ranks the quickest. He didn't misuse his borrowed power; he just did what he could do to follow after the recently deceased king who was Liorn's father.