Connected to the King

Healed

Hours passed as the winter games of ice pulling, snowman building and even some sort of hut built out of snow had carried on the day. The arrangements of the most wonderful dishes were inside of the main dining hall for the attendees.

It was then the musicians from the village brought out their instruments and began playing our folk music which of course we had to oblige. I even watched as Sebastian joined in on the fun with Heather by his side.

"That girl is going to be trouble." Mariam whispered as she stood beside me.

"I can see it." I shook my head in disappointment. I brought my hand to my mouth to stifle a yawn that worked its way through me.

"Milady… I mean your highness." Mariam chuckled, "I think it's time you head off to bed. It's been a long day and you have a blood exchange to do." Mariam waved Marcus over.

“Why is it that you two keep doing that?” Maxwell asked from behind.

“It makes healing him, easier. It also secures my life, for now.” I replied to Maxwell without turning to face him.

"My King, it's time. Go on you two, I have everything handled here with the boys." She shooed us off when Lily approached.

"Congratulations your majesty." She curtsied and turned to stand beside Mariam.

"Thank you, Aunt Lily." I whispered and smiled. She returned in kind.

Marcus and I chuckled as he took my hand and led me to our bed chamber. "Did you have a good time today?" He asked as we rounded the final corner.

"I did, everything was wonderful! I've never had a feast like that, you really do have the best kitchen staff in the world." I squeezed his hand.

Marcus stopped in front of the door and slowly pulled it open, "I'm glad you did. I tried to make it… special."

He ushered me inside and closed the door behind us, clicking the newly installed lock, shut.

"Oh? When did you have that put in? I thought these doors only locked from the outside."

"Well, while you were busy renovating the castle, I did my own little renovations. My goal was to keep everyone out. Also, it was for your privacy." He rubbed his neck nervously.

"For my privacy from what exactly?" I bit the inner part of my bottom lip in anger. "It’s not like anyone just waltz’ in here." I scoffed and unclasped my coat, simply tossing it to the side.

I stopped for a moment as the room began to spin and my vision went dark.

A pair of glowing green eyes narrowed at me from within the black void. I recognized those eyes from previous visions.

Luthor.

"When I get my hands on you, we are going to have the biggest family reunion in the underworld." He growled as the images of his emerald; green eyes faded.

I opened my eyes and realized I was in bed, my chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. "What the hell was that?" I gulped, rolling onto my side to see Marcus staring into the flames of the fireplace.

"You saw him, didn't you?" He grounded out. "He is going to stop at nothing until you're dead right?"

Stuttering, I pushed myself up and held my head in one hand, "H-how did you?"

"Our connection, it's weakening but it's still there. I heard a voice and then you fainted." Marcus ran his hand over his face and turned toward me.

I extended my hand to him as an invitation to approach. "We need to do this exchange and fast. I don’t want to risk having it sever, especially on a night like this.”

"Well let’s get to it then, little love. I'm not letting that bastard ruin your special day. But first, we need to bathe. I took the liberty of having Mariam prepare a bath for you."

He took my hand and pulled me to him before scooping me into his arms. "We can do the exchange there and I'll pamper you the rest of the night, how does that sound?"

I melted into him and nodded, "That sounds wonderful. Wait, did you just call me?" his hand appeared below my chin forcing it up as his lips captured mine, passion started to bloom in my chest, I wanted him so bad. I returned his kiss deeper, willing him to come closer.

Marcus set me down in the bath chamber and helped me out of my gown. His hands roamed over my body as he guided me to the tub and lifted me. "This looks awfully familiar, doesn't it?" He chuckled as I shifted around and slid into the steaming water.

"It really does." I smiled up at him and submerged myself, only to resurface moments later. I wiped the water from my eyes and saw that Marcus had seemed to have disappeared. "Where did you go?" I whined only to feel the water shift behind me as he sat down. His legs corralled me.

Marcus wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me flush against him, his lips trailed across my shoulder to the underside of my ear. "You know, we have to stop meeting like this or it's going to make me think you just might be in love with me."

I let out a soft moan as his teeth grazed my skin and his hands explored my body. "Oh, after all this time you would dare question that?" I shuttered and moaned as he nipped my neck, all while his hands slid between my legs slowly pulling them apart. "Because I am."

"Oh really?" He chuckled in my ear as his fingers grazed over my thighs.

I leaned against Marcus and closed my eyes. "Mm, yes. I am." I purred, bringing my hand over his. I pulled it closer to my entrance only for his finger to slip between my lips and carefully explore until it landed on my softened bud.

I gasped and purred as he rubbed it in gentle circles. Bringing his other hand up he cupped my breast as his finger picked up the pace. I panted and squirmed as a knot formed in my core. "M-Marcus, I'm gonna—"

Marcus kissed my neck and whispered in my ear, "That's it. Let it go."

I clenched my thighs together and arched my back as my orgasm washed over me in waves of pure bliss. A sing song of moans escaped my lips as I gripped his hand. "Marcus!"

A growl vibrated his chest as he removed his hand from between my legs and pulled me onto his lap."Mmm, I love it when you call out my name." He ground his stiffened erection against my slit and brought his hand to my throat.

I panted with a mixture of moans in between as I reached behind me and wrapped my arm around his neck. "Is… is this what that feels like?"

"What do you mean? An orgasm?" His tongue grazed my ear and trailed down my neck to my shoulder.

I nodded and let out a loud moan as another wave rushed through me. "Love, is this what love feels like." I huffed.

"If that's what you want to call it, then yes." He chuckled, reaching between my legs. He slipped his c**k inside of me, earning him a chorus of moans and lust filled squeals. "Mmm, you're so tight." He growled as he began slowly thrusting his hips into me.

My slit throbbed as he massaged every inch of my insides with each thrust, my body begged for more. The water in the tub splashed over the sides as his hips picked up in pace. My moans filled the room as his c**k flexed and twitched, signaling his release.

Marcus let out a low moan as his grip around my waist tightened and a sharp pain struck the crook of my neck. The pain was more pleasurable than anything as a warm liquid streamed down my chest and was infused with the lavender and honey scented water.

Compulsively, I grabbed Marcus' hand and brought his wrist to my mouth and bit down, my canines broke through his skin as the smell of iron invaded my nose. I wrapped my lips around the wound and began to drink what I could before Marcus pulled his arm from me and turned my head to face him.

Blood dripped from his lips as it did on my own. We stared at one another for a moment before I rose from between his legs and turned to straddle him. I pressed my forehead to his and brought my hands up to cup his face as our faces inched closer to one another. Our gazes shifted from each other's lips and back up to each other's eyes.

"I love you." I whispered as I stared into his eyes. I was afraid of his reaction and pulled away only for Marcus to hold me in place with his hand on the backside of my neck.

He bit his lip in a seductive manner, a smirk worked its way to the corner. "I love you too, Aurora."

Tears filled my eyes as we gazed at one another. My heart throbbed and fluttered in my ears as those words left his lips. "You do?"

"I do." He smiled and brought his lips to mine in a tender kiss. Marcus wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me into his arms as he carried me back to our bed. I huffed and panted. "Why did you move us back in here?" I asked lazily.

His gaze shifted to meet mine as a seductive smirk played on his lips. "Do I need a reason for everything I do?"

I shook my head, slid from his arms and crawled into bed, only for his frame to tower over mine as his c**k found it's target between my legs.

I arched my back and let out a sing song of moans as he pushed my head down into the comforter and began thrusting into me from behind.

Gripping the sheets, I loudly moaned into the comforter as the head of his c**k hit my sweet spot with each thrust.

"Oh, my, Marcus! Slow down please!" I begged, turning my head in his direction.

His hips slow but he doesn't stop, his eyes filled with worry, "Am I hurting you?"

"No, but I wanted this time to last and at this rate I'm going to—" a knot quickly formed in my core as my body hit its release. My legs slipped out from under me.

"Oh, this is a new feeling…" my legs shook as the waves of my orgasm washed over me again and again causing me to pant and loudly moan.

Marcus chuckled as he rolled me onto my back and hovered above me, biting his bottom lip as he scanned over my body, "How's that for you?"

"How’s wha- oh my god!" I shouted as another wave pushed me over the edge, I reached up and pulled Marcus down to me and kissed him with a sense of urgency as the fire within me grew.

"Marcus, please," I mumbled against his lips. He spread my legs and moved between them, rubbing his stiffened erection against my bud causing me to shudder at his touch.

As you wish, love. He thought, knowing I could hear him before slowly entering my soaking wet slit and began thrusting. I arched my back in return as I moaned against his lips.

The night carried on, my moans and whimpering filled the walls of our chamber. It felt like forever by the time we had managed to finish, and my s****l appetite was satisfied. The both of us laid in bed entangled in one another out of breath as I thought back to what I told Sebastian to do. My emotions were erratic and unstable.

Marcus needed to know that Theil would not stop until I was in King Luthor’s possession. Knowing the magic bindings that held Nedget were probably broken by now.

"Little one, what are you thinking about, your thoughts are everywhere, I can feel it." Marcus finally broke the silence.

"I-I can't think straight. I can see stars and my mind is just…" I panted and buried my head into his chest.

Marcus rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head. "It's okay, just take it easy. I'm not going anywhere, just tell me."

I huffed and pulled away from him. "Are you sure you're not going to be angry?" I asked, my vision still blurred.

He nodded and propped himself up on his elbow. "I can't make any promises, but I can try. That's the best I can do right now."

I thought for a moment about waiting to tell him. Unfortunately, my brain had other plans. "Theil is going to try to take me." I blurted out quickly.

A short pause followed before Marcus shifted his arm under me, "I know, and I am going to do what I can to make sure that it doesn’t happen. I’ve taken the liberty of doubling the guards around the castle so please, don't worry." He kissed my forehead and worked his way down to my lips before pulling away. "Get some rest. We have two more days’ worth of this festival, and I don't want it to go to waste."

I was taken back; I was praying he wasn't going to be upset but this? Has Marcus really changed? Instead of questioning it and ruining the moment I nodded and beamed a smile at him before curling back into him.

"One more thing," he whispered as he lifted my leg from his hip and reinserted his still erect c**k back into me with one swift movement.

I moaned and tightened my walls around him earning me a deep growl. "You can't sleep like this." I giggled and gave him a teasing grind.

"Don't start something you can't finish, little love."

"So that's my new pet name, is it? Well, I love you too, Marcus." I gazed up at him and stuck my tongue out at him.

Oh dear, I shouldn't have done that.

The rest of the evening was filled with passion and lust. Not long after, our bodies decided that we needed to rest, and we drifted off to sleep.

I peeked my eyes open and focused my gaze on Marcus as the light filled the room. I studied his face for a moment and quickly sat up reaching for his chin. “What the hell?” I muttered as I examined his skin. The scar on his face was gone but the single freckle on his cheek remained. His skin held a youthful glow to it. The crow’s feet were no longer present. I grabbed his hands and examined them as the scars and calluses on his knuckles were gone. “Marcus… turn around for me, will you?”

“Why what’s going on?”

“Please just do this for me?” I asked as I grabbed his shoulders and shifted him to turn the other way. My eyes widened at the sight. All his scars were gone. “Oh my.”

Marcus tried to peek over his shoulder to see what I was looking at. “What, what is it you see?”

“Your scars… your skin. You've been healed.” I exclaimed as I ran my fingers across his back, causing his muscles to flex. A small black triangle with a swirl in its center sat at the base of his neck. The smaller elemental signs of fire imprinted at the tri points. It pulsed with a dull yellow light. "And it seems my protection sigil is now a part of you." I chuckled and kissed the tip of the triangle.

Marcus let out a heavy breath and turned to face me. "Now, I wonder how long this magic will last." He smiled as he cupped my face. Our gazes locked onto one another.

I watched as his honey eyes swirled with flecks of green. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Won't we?" I pressed my forehead to his and closed my eyes for a moment before pressing my lips to his.

Pulling away I let out a shaky breath as the soreness from our vigorous activity washed over me. I decided to push the feeling aside as much as I could and turned to swing my legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go check on everyone.”

"I like the sound of that." Marcus asked as he rose from bed.

“So, what are we going to do about Theil? I don't think he's going to stay away for long. He's probably got Nedget hunting me down as we speak." I pouted my lip at the thought of having to leave just to keep everyone safe from the magic man who bore no ties to anyone besides himself. If he was back, it was because my magic was not returned to the ancestors to hold his bindings. I was supposed to die last night.

Marcus shook his head, letting out a heavy breath, “Don’t worry about that Theil person. I’ll make sure Maxwell and everyone else is ready when that time comes. Okay?”

I shuddered in fear at the thought of that man's hands anywhere near me as I tiptoed across the room toward the wardrobe.

"Marcus…" I whispered, pulling a ruby red gown and a light purple gown from their hooks.

"What is it?" He asked, slipping into his brais.

I lowered my head for a moment and took in a large breath, "Will you…" I paused for a moment, awaiting his reaction.

"Yes love, what is it?" Marcus' tone shifted to one of annoyance.

I spun around and held out both gowns, "Help me choose a color for today's festivities?" I giggled as I watched his lip curl into a smirk.

With his tunic in hand, Marcus bit his bottom lip, his eyes scanning me up and down as he paced over to me in a seductive manner. "How about nude?" He stopped in front of me. His eyes turned dark.

"Oh, no, don't even think about it. I think we've spent enough time in bed. Now…" I raised the two gowns again. "Which one for today?"

"Let's go with the red today." He placed his hand over mine that held the simple red gown.

I smiled at him and turned around to hang the other gown back on its hook. "So, which games do you want to participate in today?" I asked as I slipped into the velvety fabric.

"Well, we can do that snowman building thing you showed everyone else." He shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, as long as I get to spend the day with you, I am up for anything."

My heart fluttered at his words. I could have melted into a puddle right there on the floor. How could this man be so… sweet yet scary at the same time? The power that radiated off him washed out any doubt I had in my mind.

I grabbed a brush off the nightstand and quickly ran it through my hair before pinning it in a half up half down hairstyle. "Okay, let's go have some fun then, shall we?"

We grabbed our coats and headed out into the corridor and down the maze of hallways in a comfortable silence. As we rounded a corner, we stumbled upon a small crowd of people who stood circling something on the floor causing Marcus and I to glance at one another.

“Why is this here?” A maiden asked as she glanced up at me.

He let out a huff and stomped up to the group, "What are you all staring at?" He shouted as I watched his head dip down then back up again.

I maneuvered around the group and looked between them, there was three dead birds in the shape of a triangle with a small pool of blood in the center.

Marcus' focus was elsewhere as he stared off out of an open window. "What the hell is that?" He muttered.

I raised a brow, "Hmm? What do you-"

A high-pitched screech shot through the air followed by an arrow. Out of pure instinct, I reached my hand out and swiftly grabbed it without hesitation, stopping the tip mere inches from Marcus' chest.

My heart throbbed into my ears and my anxiety pushed its way through my open veins. Who the hell shot this? I pulled the arrow to me and rushed to close the shutters as Marcus' voice boomed down the corridor. Panic set in as I examined the arrow. The tip was laced in some sort of liquid.

"Poison. Marcus shut everything down. Everyone here is going to stay inside. Shut all the windows! Close the main gate! Even the villagers need to stay put." I shouted at him.

"What the f**k was that, Aurora?" He asked, clearly shaken by my actions.

I raised a brow at him and held the arrow up for him to take. "I-I don't know, I just had this weird feeling." I mumbled, my gaze shifted to the feathers on the arrow, there was a letter tucked away in the back end of the stick.

As Marcus reached, I pulled the letter out and began to shake. "Whoever it is wants us to find it.” He grabbed the note from me and unraveled the note, quickly reading it. “You’re too late.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I pinched the bridge of my nose, pacing the corridor.

"We need to go back to our chamber. Now." This time Marcus' stomach let out a low rumble.

I gave him an unamused look, "Really? At a time like this?"

"Hey, yours was always untimely too." He rolled his eyes and marched off toward the kitchen.

My anxiety let up long enough for me to chuckle as I grabbed the sides of my gown to follow him.

A sharp stinging pain shot across the base of my neck causing me to cry out in pain.

Marcus' muffled voice called out to me as my vision blurred and I slowly turned around to see my assailant with a swirling portal behind him.

"Theil…" I whispered; my eyes rolled back as my knees gave out. The threatening darkness consumed me.

Marcus…