“And if you don’t get married?” Leila asked, peeking up with tears still on the verge of flowing over.
“Then I won’t die,” he replied. Leila released the breath she had been holding. Nalick didn't need to die.
“I don’t fear death,” he added. “It is the trade I am making for ten years of happiness. I didn’t have to ask you to marry me, but I did. And I don’t regret it for one minute. I want to marry you Leila. I want you to be my wife and the mother of my children. I want a lot of things out of life I will not get to have, but those two things I can have.”
“And there is nothing I can do?” she asked turning her face back down to his shirt to try to hide the tears that began again.
“No, there is nothing anyone can do to stop fate. I have accepted my fate and know I cannot change it, but I wouldn’t want to. It was fate that brought you to me,” Nalick took her hands and kissed them.
“I don’t want this to make you scared or sad. I promise you we will have ten very happy years together. Our eldest son will be the best king Lior will ever have. We will have a large, happy family where everyone will feel loved and wanted. I will not for one day regret my decision. And you will never be alone again. That is why I found Anatolio. In ten years he will no longer be just a kid. He will be a man able to take care of you and our children.”
“Does he know all of this?” Leila asked as Anatolio was standing out of sight but near enough to hear them talk without Nalick noticing.
“Yes,” Nalick replied. “I told him why I wanted him to follow you and at my prompting Gabor told him his fate.”
“And he is just willing to sit and wait for you to die?” she asked, amazed trying to steal a glance and give away his hiding spot.
“As you said before, right now he is just a boy, and he knows this also,” Nalick replied. “It is probably the reason he is such a good learner. He has had to grow up fast, and I didn’t relieve the situation any. I would have never asked you to marry me if I didn’t find Anatolio. I know the pain of loneliness, and I never want you to feel that way again.”
Leila rested her head against his chest as they continued to sit in the darkness. She was tired and emotionally exhausted. Everything Nalick told her was swirling in her head. Nalick put his arm around her and held onto her. He could see she was tired, but she was not giving the reaction he expected. There was nothing more Nalick could say to her so he scooped her into his arms and carried her down to their bed. Leila moved close as he lay down beside her, and she rested her head on his chest. Her world was spinning, and she felt like it would not stop. As she lay there, she could hear his heart beat as he gently stroked her head. The constant thumping calmed everything as she closed her eyes. No matter what Nalick told her about fate, at that moment, Leila could hear the beating of his heart and knew he was alive.
Leila woke the next morning with her thoughts still swirling around in her head from the night before. As she walked into the main room she could hear Nalick and Phillip talking from the balcony while having their breakfast. Leila quietly approached but did not want to disturb them, so she stood in the archway and listened.
“Do you love her?” Phillip asked seriously.
“With all my heart,” Nalick replied, and Leila smiled behind him. She understood he did and felt it every time he looked her direction. He had no reservations in marrying her even though it was going to shorten his life.
“Then does that mean I will have more brothers and sisters?” Phillip asked eagerly.
Nalick laughed a booming laugh that made Leila smile even more. “Is that what you want?” Nalick asked, and Phillip nodded. “Eventually, hopefully, but you better be willing to help out. Someday when I am gone, you will have to be the head of the family and take care of everyone. Can you do that?” Phillip nodded more.
“But that won’t be for a long time right?” Phillip asked seriously.
To a twelve-year-old, ten years was a long time. “Not for a long time,” Nalick promised. “I’ll wait until you are at least grown up and married, how about that.”
“Good. I need someone to teach me to ride horses and fight,” Phillip said.
“What about mom?” Nalick asked.
“She can teach me how to fight, but you ride more,” Phillip said. “So can we go ride before lunch?” Nalick nodded. Phillip quickly jumped up and ran back to his room to get dressed. Leila backed into the room as he passed.
“Good morning mom,” Phillip said as he ran by.
Nalick slowly approached Leila and looked for a sign of how she felt after the previous night’s talk. Leila could not meet his gaze and looked at the floor. She still had not had time to sort out how she felt about everything. She needed more time, and he quietly turned to walk past her. As soon as Nalick was close enough, Leila reached out and took his hand. He looked down on her, but she still wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“I really do love you,” Leila said quietly before giving his hand a squeeze and then letting go. Nalick turned and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“I will always love you. I promise that will never change,” Nalick whispered before kissing her cheek. "From here or beyond."
Phillip ran back down the stairs interrupting the moment. “Dad, hurry up,” he said, and Nalick let go of Leila.
Leila poured a cup of tea and silently walked out to her garden to sit down in the same place she was the night before. She sipped her tea and thought about everything Nalick had told her. Happy and sad thoughts ran through her mind.
Softly, Roger walked out into the garden and sat next to Leila. “Anatolio suggested we talk,” he explained his presence.
“How long have you known about everything?” Leila asked, without turning to look at him.
“Well, that depends on which part. I have known who Anatolio was since the first time you told me he followed you around Lexia. I’ve known about Nalick’s fate since before you even started to do your run’s into Lior.” Roger tried to gauge her reaction.
“And you didn’t think that all this information might be helpful to me?” she asked.
“I didn’t want you to run away from him like I knew you would if you knew every detail,” Roger said. “He’s a good man. If you finally gave love a chance again you might end up happy. Did I do something wrong in wanting you to happy again?”
Leila shook her head no. “But now what can I do? He’s not about to take no as an answer to marriage. But if I marry him, then our time will be limited.”
“You’re lucky child. At least you know you will get ten happy years together. It could be far less. Just think of Kay,” Roger said. Kay lost her husband shortly after having Luca. Roger also lost his wife only a few years after their third son was born.
“I know,” Leila said. “It’s just that I wish I knew how he will die. Then maybe I could do something to stop it.”
“I don’t think he will ever tell you for that exact reason. All I know from Anatolio is that Nalick will die protecting one of his children. That is not something I think you can talk him out of doing, nor is it something you can stop from happening,” Roger explained.
“Don’t let this make you sad. You will live a happy life. He has made sure of it.” Roger was always good at finding the positive in any situation. “You can’t just sit and let life pass you by. Sure you might get hurt if you jump right in, but it is worth it,” Roger patted her knee. “Love is always worth the pain it might bring. Trust an old man for once. I haven’t gathered all this wisdom getting old for you to just ignore it. Nalick will take care of you and someday Anatolio will also, if you let him.” Leila wanted to protest but could not find the words to do so before they were interrupted.
“To the bath,” Ruth commanded, running into the garden. Leila beamed as she stood and scooped Ruth into her arms. Roger waved goodbye as the two left down the stairs.
Anatolio approached and looked up at the clouds with Roger before sighing. “Do you think she will ever see me as a man an
d not a boy?”
Roger chuckled. “To her you are a boy. Don’t worry. We all grow up faster than we want. Enjoy being young and having no responsibility. Someday this will all be yours and trust me, you will wish you were just a boy again. Life goes by so quickly.”
“I feel like she will always see me as a younger brother and never as the man she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with,” Anatolio added.
“Only you can change how she sees you now,” Roger said. “You will know what to do when the moment is right. I would not worry about it.” Roger trusted Nalick and Gabor that this young man was truly Leila's match. Even Roger could see it.
Chapter 32
The next day Leila again endured being cleaned and dressed to be presented to yet another group of visiting wedding guests. Leila had been so busy with getting ready that she failed to notice Nalick and Phillip had not been around all morning. As they returned together and also hurried to get ready, they were up to something yet again. Seeing the happiness in his eyes with Phillip, Leila smiled at Nalick as he passed by her. She wanted to interrogate the two men but knew it would have to wait until she was finished getting ready. As soon as she got the last nod of Mauve’s satisfaction, Leila quickly hurried to find Phillip. Leila found him sitting in his room already dressed.
“What were you doing all morning?” Leila asked, wanting to get to the end of the secrets in their lives.
“Nothing,” Phillip replied with a smile. Leila sat down next to him and placed her arm around his shoulder. As he gasped and pulled away, she knew what they had been up to.
“Let me see,” she said strictly, and Phillip reluctantly raised the back of his shirt. On the upper center portion of his back was the royal family crest, still red from it having been done the same morning. “And when were you going to tell me about this?”
“After I got my hand done also, but I think I might wait a bit longer for that. I didn’t know it would hurt so much. Dad said you didn’t take any pain medication when you had yours done, so I thought I could be as tough as you,” Phillip grinned. “I was wrong. It hurt, a lot!!”
Leila tussled his hair. “Why did he tell you that I didn’t use any medicine? And yes, it hurts a lot. I could have told you that.”
“I did tell him that,” Nalick said standing in the doorway. “Trying to get me into trouble with mom?” Nalick asked Phillip, who began to laugh.
“If you didn’t show up it could have worked,” Phillip said, and Leila laughed with him. “Have you seen dad’s?” Phillip asked, and Leila nodded her head trying not to blush at admitting she had seen Nalick shirtless. “It’s huge. It must have hurt so much.”
“We better get going,” Nalick said, noticing the blush.
“This is not going to be fun,” Leila complained.
“I don’t know about that. From what I hear, several of the men coming tonight, and many with their wives, once asked a certain ghost courier to marry them,” Nalick said quietly as they walked down the stairs.
“You didn’t,” she replied, and he nodded. “Isn’t that a bit like gloating?”
“And why not?” Nalick responded. “We need at least a bit of entertainment.” Leila playfully hit his arm. She might just enjoy the night after all.
With dinner done and Leila tucked into bed for the night, she was relieved to only have one last dinner left. She did not enjoy all the people no matter how entertaining it was to greet the last set of guests.
The next day Leila was pampered for her last formal dinner. The whole family was ushered into waiting carriages and driven to the location. Nalick offered her his hand as he led her into the market square of Lexia. Leila realized why Mauve did not mind this time as Leila removed several pieces of jewelry before she left. The market was completely filled with decorated tables and people she recognized sitting at them. They arrived from the north end of the market, and Leila could see games set up on both the east and west sides where the vender tents normally were on market days. At their own set of tables with empty seats waiting for Leila was her family.
“There are plain clothed guards around the perimeter and two guards here are to watch each child,” Nalick explained as the children ran to the table.
“And how many are watching me?” Leila teased, but he did not answer as she set Ruth down.
“I’ll stay with her,” Phillip volunteered as he took a hold of his sister’s hand.
Leila looked at the faces around her. Nalick had a hand in inviting the people present. Emma and her husband along with Lady and Lord Pillas were the only nobles there for the party. Leila caught a glimpse of Nikias. He was there to watch someone, and she hoped it was Phillip. Across the way she saw Frank and Marg along with their son who had worked on her arm and back. Theo, Macarius, and Theo’s entire family were also nearby. Gazing around she knew most of the faces and recognized the rest from her trips to the market.
“When did you plan this?” Leila asked Nalick.
“Oh, it didn’t take much planning,” Nalick replied. “Most of the vendors in the market already wanted to throw a party for you, and I just helped them along, with the help of your family and Roger of course.”
“Where’s Roger?” she asked, and she quickly looked around and did not find him.
“He will be a little late with Anatolio,” Nalick explained, sitting down next to one of her brothers.
Leila immediately knew then that Nikias was there watching over her for Anatolio. Tim pulled on Leila’s hand, and she kneeled next to him.
“Can I play too?” Tim asked, pointing at Phillip across the way.
“Of course,” Leila replied, taking the child’s hand and walking him over to his brother. Phillip easily took charge of both his brother and sister as several of his new cousins also joined them at the games.
Leila spent the evening enjoying herself with her family and friends. The dinner, dance, and games were much more relaxed and she felt comfortable in the atmosphere. Leila was surrounded by what she considered normal people and found that the stuffiness and coldness of the noble’s court and dinner was not there. Everyone there seemed truly happy for Leila and Nalick and wanted to share in the happiness they saw between the two of them.
“So sis,” Leon said approaching from one side and Nael from the other on the walk back to the palace. “Are you ready for tomorrow?” Leila stared at Leon as she tried to remember the plans for the next day. Her week had been so long and every day there were plans, but everything seemed to be running together.
“And tomorrow is?” Leila asked, still not remembering.
“Your wedding,” Nael replied, picking her up as Leon tapped on her head. Her brother's had always treated her like a doll because she was so much smaller than them.
“I think you would forget your own name if left alone too long,” Leon added, motioning for Nael to toss Leila to him.
“Put me down,” Leila complained before she could be tossed in the air. “It has been a long week, and I have gotten little sleep. It is okay for me to forget stuff without enough sleep,” she added, pounding on her brother’s chest to set her down. Nael complied and set her down.
“So you’re actually going to go through with it?” Leon asked.
Leila smiled punching him in the arm. “Of course. Some of us don’t get cold feet before making a commitment.”
“Just checking,” Leon said grinning. Nalick joined her and handed her the sleeping Ruth as he picked up Tim.
“I don’t know how you still have the energy to fight with your brothers,” Nalick said quietly.
“I don’t think she has ever not had energy to fight with those two,” Dirk added walking beside them also. “All three have been fighting since the day she was born. Just wait until you have more children. They are not all as nicely behaved as the three you have.”
After she got all three children tucked into bed, Leila returned downstairs to find Anatolio and Nalick on the balcony talking. Slowly she approached so that they woul
d not know she was there. She stood just inside the doorway and listened.
“I’m sure,” Anatolio replied keeping his head bowed.
“Are you two not getting along?” Nalick asked.
“No, everything is fine. She seems to be treating me the same as before. I just feel it would be better if you have Nikias escort her tomorrow,” Anatolio added.
“It won’t be a problem, but she might be disappointed you won’t be there,” Nalick added. For his plan to work there would have to be more between Leila and Anatolio than a teacher-student relationship in the future. Nalick was betting his life on the fact that Leila and Anatolio would end up together.
“She won’t even notice,” Anatolio lied. He knew better than anyone that Leila noticed everything that happened. She had never once failed to know exactly where he was in the two years that he had been following her.
“I know you are afraid of what everyone will think when I die and you take care of Leila and my family. It doesn’t matter. Everyone that matters knows that I asked you to be here. I truly wish you would come tomorrow, but I am not going to force you.” Nalick stared at the young man. Anatolio had conflicted feelings on the issue.
“Do you have enough guards for her to be protected?” Anatolio asked. Nalick nodded his head yes. “Then, I wish to not come.” Anatolio had agreed to wait ten years, but he understood there would be times that it would be hard. Seeing Leila on her wedding day marrying someone else would be one of them.
Leila hurried to her room quietly and slid under the covers. She was confused. Why did Anatiolo follow me non-stop for two months and yet now he doesn’t want to? What changed now? Nalick did not know either. Before long, Nalick joined her in bed, and she pretended to be asleep. She felt his hand on her back as he quietly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Leila yawned as she sat up next to Nalick who had gently shaken her awake before dawn. “Is it morning already?” Leila asked, rubbing her eyes.
To Stand Beside Her Page 28
