Convinced she was dreaming, Kaori wiped at the tears which continued to roll down her cheeks, lifting her head to gaze up at Therek, afraid to hope that she’d heard him correctly. “Your... wife?” It didn’t make sense. She had wronged him in ways she was ashamed to admit. Next to Lady Orith’s betrayal, she couldn’t think of anything worse she could possibly have done. Her heart wasn’t prepared for a renewal of the proposal he gave before leaving the city. It was almost too good to be true.
His smile widened, the side of his index finger gently tilting Kaori’s chin upward to meet his earnest stare. Kaori’s heart leapt at the closeness of his lips, wanting nothing more than to lean forward and press her mouth to his in joyful acceptance of the offer. But she couldn’t bring herself to give in. If it was a dream, she didn’t want to embarrass herself worse than she already had. At her hesitation Therek’s other hand lightly pressed against the small of her back to draw her body closer, gazing deeply into her eyes, his voice soft and gentle when he finally spoke. “Kaori Levadis, will you honor me by accepting my hand in marriage?”
“Do you really mean it?” she asked, afraid to let herself believe. “I thought you would hate me…”
“I could never hate you, Kaori. My only request is that next time you find yourself carrying my child, please tell me before it is born.”
“You will be the first to know, I promise.”
“Is that a yes, then?”
Consumed by happiness, Kaori gave in to the urge to lean into Therek’s arms, the warmth of his lips against hers washing away the fear and torment she suffered for so long. He loved her. Through all her mistakes and foolish decisions, Therek’s heart remained hers. It made all the pain seem worth it somehow. With him by her side, she would never have to feel alone. The people of Tanispa may never know the identity of Honora’s father, but it all seemed trivial when she realized that the only ones who mattered were her and Therek. As long as she had his love, she could take on whatever tests life threw at her. “Yes,” she leaned back to get a better look at Therek’s face, the tears which fell now streaming from her eyes from utter joy and contentment. She had everything she could ever want right there in that garden with her. And she wasn’t about to let her chance slip away again. “I have dreamt of this moment longer than you may ever know. You have made me the happiest woman on Myatheira.”
In a swift motion Therek was on his feet, catching Kaori in his arms to spin her jubilantly around the garden. “You have made a lowly general feel like a king,” he smiled, leaning forward to pull Kaori into a passionate kiss. She gave in to the tug of his hands at her waist, her body melting into his touch, overcome with joy to feel his arms around her.
Curious of his meaning, she pulled away slightly, her hands gently pressed against the side of Therek’s face to hold his gaze steady with her own. “You confuse me,” she mused, peering deeply into Therek’s eyes in search of what he was thinking in that moment. “Does my acceptance of your proposal not in fact make you my King?”
“In the privacy of this courtyard, I may be your King, but in the eyes of our people I must remain your loyal general. While my heart could not tolerate the idea of separating myself entirely from you for the sake of preserving the monarchy, it has not changed in the fact that the role of General must not be confused with that of a king. Military is not royalty. Our people must understand this.”
“You still fear they will regard you above me?”
“Without doubt,” he frowned. “In the short time I acted in your stead while you were taken ill, my position as General was forgotten by the population. On occasion I found myself mistakenly addressed as royalty and was forced to correct the error to prevent misunderstandings. Were I any other man, it may not pose such a difficult task, but our people are acquainted with the rank and title I held before the war. They are familiar with my status being near that of the Emperor and it confuses them as to my position when I act in a manner of authority. The crown of Tanispa is yours to wear, not mine. I am but a humble servant whose heart you have stolen, like so many other men who have crossed your path. My only hope is that you are still willing to accept my hand, even if I cannot sit on the throne at your side.”
Disheartened by the thought, Kaori’s smile faded, her shoulders slumped forward under the invisible burden she’d grown accustomed to feeling upon her back. She loved him too much to pull off such a ruse. Someone was bound to take note of the way her eyes lingered on his, the frequency of their visits in each other’s private company. But the fear of discovery wasn’t enough to keep her from him. They had managed to protect their secret for nearly a year already. With proper care and discretion, there was no reason they couldn’t guard the truth indefinitely.
A hint of her previous joy began to find its way back into her heart. It wouldn’t be easy. Life would become a constant charade, but that was to be expected. Regardless of her decision to accept Therek’s proposal, they would be under the scrutiny of the courtiers who would spend their time within the palace walls. People would assume a romance between them. If they were going to be accused of being lovers behind their backs, why not make the rumors true so they could at least be happy while pretending not to know of the local gossip. “What fun is there in being Queen if I cannot have a few scandalous secrets?” she gave a hesitant smile. At her concession, she felt Therek’s embrace tighten around her waist once again, the brilliant azure glow of his eyes shining brightly with elation.
“That is the spirit,” he chuckled, leaning forward to fondly press his forehead against hers. “There are worse secrets a queen could have than being married to her general.”
Kaori gazed lovingly into Therek’s eyes, a sense of peace settling over her to finally have him in her arms, content that with him and her daughter, she could endure anything this life decided to throw at her next. “Then let it be our secret,” she whispered, softly kissing the tip of Therek’s nose with a gentle smile. “To the world you may only be known as my general – but to me, you will always be my King.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 94
