The King's Obsession

by Tanya Bird

  ‘Leksi!’ Xander squealed, leaping down the steps two at a time.

  Petra just continued to watch, her heart almost bursting when Xander sprang into the knight’s arms. Leksi laughed and hugged him tightly for a moment, and Petra’s heart lodged in her throat. All those weeks she had been shut away from the rest of the world, suffocating, dying piece by piece, Xander had been living. She marvelled at their bond, expecting to feel a pang of envy but finding only gratitude.

  Smiling, Leksi placed Xander back on the ground, crouching in front of him to comment on how big he had gotten.

  ‘I saw you two days ago,’ Xander said, beaming. Beaming. ‘I thought it would be weeks.’

  ‘So did I.’

  Hali and Yuri had wandered out of the house. They stayed back, happy to watch the reunion from afar. Petra remained by the horse, in awe and a little afraid. Her hand went to the cut on her neck where a sword had rested the day prior. What would he make of it all?

  ‘And look who I brought with me,’ Leksi said, turning to her.

  Xander’s curious gaze was on her then. ‘Why does she look different?’

  So he did see it.

  ‘Because she needs fattening up, like you did when you first arrived.’

  Leksi stood, and Xander took his hand. ‘Did the king not feed her?’

  ‘Not enough, it seems.’

  The boy studied her. ‘She looks sad.’

  Such a perceptive boy.

  ‘Nothing a swim in the ocean and a lot of laughter can’t fix,’ Leksi replied.

  She met his gaze. He sounded so confident, so sure there was something left to salvage. But soon he would realise that the woman he remembered had died in that room at Masville.

  ‘Why don’t we go say hello?’ Leksi suggested.

  She had intended to move, to go to them, but now she felt like an outsider, like she did not belong in their world.

  They walked towards her, and Petra’s eyes went to the small hand swallowed by Leksi’s large callused one.

  He was safe.

  He was loved.

  Now he watched her, seemingly unsure. She crouched, feeling too tall for him suddenly.

  ‘Hello,’ she said.

  He chewed his lip and leaned closer to Leksi. ‘Hello.’

  She took in his smart clothes, which were covered in dog hair. ‘Look how handsome you are.’ Her eyes welled up as she spoke the words, but she did not cry.

  He looked up at Leksi, then back at her. ‘Do you like dogs?’

  Her mouth twitched. An almost smile. A miracle. ‘I can see you do.’

  He looked down, brushing at his trousers. ‘Hali let Muno sleep with me.’

  ‘Muno?’

  ‘Muno is a dog,’ Leksi explained.

  ‘She was supposed to guard the sheep,’ Xander continued, ‘but Lord Yuri says she’s not very good at it.’

  Petra nodded. ‘I see. Perhaps she is good at something else, but no one has figured it out yet.’

  Xander thought about that for a moment. ‘She is good at being my friend.’

  Warmth spread through her. ‘Well, there you go.’

  ‘Want to meet her?’

  A close encounter with a dog was the last thing she felt like, but still she replied, ‘I would love to meet her.’

  She stood on shaky legs, determined not to ruin the moment by collapsing. They had travelled overnight, stopping frequently because her malnourished state had finally caught up with her. In fact, everything had caught up with her, the past few months hitting like a rock. But now Xander was inviting her in the only way he knew how, and she would not fall down.

  The boy tugged on Leksi’s hand.

  ‘And you have definitely gotten stronger,’ Leksi said, pulling his hand free and giving it a shake.

  Another laugh from Xander.

  Leksi wrapped an arm around her waist and brought his lips to her ear. ‘I’ve got you,’ he whispered.

  She closed her eyes and swallowed back tears. While she could not say it, or show it, she loved the man.

  Opening her eyes again, she looked down at Xander. ‘All right. How big is this dog?’

  ‘Huge!’

  ‘And tied up?’ she asked, hopeful.

  ‘No such luck,’ Leksi said, walking her towards the steps.

  The previous months walked alongside her like a shadow, a dark stain on her soul. During that time, she had deprived herself of food and sleep, imagined her death, imagined the king’s, shut down. Now the man responsible for her misery was dead, and somehow she was alive.

  The realisation planted the smallest seed of hope. Perhaps with Leksi beside her, and a small boy whose smile radiated more warmth than the sun, she would not only survive, but live.

  Epilogue

  Sometimes Petra dreamed that she walked down to the ocean only to find it empty. No water, just parched sand stretching out like a desert, its sea creatures food for the crows. Waking with a start, she would creep from her bed and walk down the sandy slope, standing with her feet in the water and listening to the gentle roar coming off the waves, as though reassuring her that she had not been abandoned.

  Five.

  That was the number of years she had missed of Xander’s life. Now he was six, and she had an entire year’s worth of memories, small moments, laughter and gappy smiles to hold on to.

  They began every morning the same: first mass, then a long play by the water. She never tired of watching Xander wade in the shallows, searching for shells and crabs. Muno was always close by, bounding alongside him, splashing cold water over anyone within ten feet of her.

  That particular morning was no different.

  ‘Naughty girl,’ Petra gasped, brushing water off her dress. She looked down at the dog who stared back at her with bright eyes, her tongue hanging from the side of her open mouth.

  Xander was playing in the water nearby and looked up.

  ‘You were wet anyway,’ he said.

  She glanced down to find the bottom of her dress soaked. The tide had come in and she had not even noticed. She often disappeared inside her head, sometimes losing hours. Xander never said anything. Perhaps he understood in his own six-year-old way. He was always there waiting when she returned from the dark nooks of her mind, boisterous and affectionate.

  ‘Did you find any crabs?’ she asked, gesturing to the pail in his hand.

  ‘Three.’

  A wave came in, catching the skirt of her dress. She did not step back from it, because every barefoot encounter with the water restored a small piece of her. ‘Show me.’

  He ran over to her, the crabs sloshing in the pail. She crouched, peering down at the clawed creatures. Muno trotted over and stuffed her enormous black snout into the pail. Petra went to push her away and lost balance, tipping backwards into the water. Muno licked her face as though it might somehow help the situation. Xander dropped the pail and rushed to help his mother.

  ‘Now you’re wet everywhere,’ he said, trying to push the enormous dog away from her and failing.

  That was what she got for letting Muno sleep with her son. The animal did not know her place. But as soon as the thought came, she pushed it away, scolding the mentor who occasionally surfaced. An enormous pink tongue came for her again, and she closed her eyes as she tried to get a grip on the dog. When she finally succeeded, she opened her eyes only to find Xander with his hands over his mouth, holding in laughter. He might not have shared Leksi’s blood, but they shared the same sense of humour.

  ‘Is that funny, is it?’

  He nodded, keeping his hands in place.

  ‘Then perhaps you will find this funny.’ She scooped some water and threw it at him. He squealed and leapt back from her, laughter ringing out from him. Muno barked and bounded between them.

  ‘Watch out for the crabs,’ Xander called over his shoulder.

  Her eyes went to the empty pail sitting on its side. Now it was her turn to squeal. She kicked her feet, imagining them crawling on her. A lar
ge wave came, splashing up her side. Another gasp, but that time followed by laughter—another piece of her restored.

  ‘So this is what happens when I’m away?’

  Leksi.

  She turned her head, searching for him on the shore. He strolled towards her, a lazy grin on his face. She pushed herself up from the water and stumbled in her efforts to reach him quickly.

  ‘Careful,’ he called. ‘Wouldn’t want you to get wet.’

  The moment her feet were on dry sand, she broke into a run. His smile widened as she flung herself at him, and he caught her without hesitation, not caring that his shirt and trousers were soaked in seconds. Before she could say anything, Muno bounded up to them, followed closely by a very excited Xander. Leksi kept hold of her with one arm while picking the boy up with the other. Even the dog got a brief pat.

  ‘Looks like I’m just in time for a swim.’

  It was all Xander needed to hear. He immediately wriggled out of Leksi’s grip and sprinted back to the water, stripping off his shirt and trousers while he ran. Muno galloped after him, barking excitedly, sand and water spraying from her coat.

  ‘I better make it a quick one,’ Leksi said, glancing back at the house. ‘We have company.’

  ‘We do?’ She followed his gaze as he placed her on the ground. ‘Who?’

  ‘Everyone.’

  Her eyes widened at the sound of children. ‘Aldara is here?’

  ‘The whole family is here.’

  She looked down at her soaked dress and sand-covered arms. ‘I wish I had known that five minutes ago.’

  He cupped her face and kissed her so deeply that she soon forgot about her dishevelled appearance.

  ‘You look absolutely radiant,’ he whispered into her mouth.

  She pulled away so she could look at him. ‘How long are you staying?

  ‘A few days.’

  She tried not to show her disappointment. It was not long enough. It was never long enough. ‘I plan on making it very difficult for you to leave me.’

  He ran a thumb over her cheek. ‘You always do.’ He moved his mouth to her ear. ‘You might need to wait for our guests to leave though.’

  She pushed on his chest, her cheeks burning.

  ‘Are you coming in?’ Xander called from the water.

  Leksi tugged his shirt over his head, and Petra took in the sight of him, the silver scars painting lean muscle. She had to look away. The man was beautiful, a god, and she was lucky enough to call him her husband.

  ‘Go on, then,’ she said as he jogged away from her. ‘I will tend to our guests, shall I?’

  Leksi turned and walked backwards a few paces. ‘You might want to change your dress first, mentor.’ He winked at her. ‘Straight back, hands clasped in front of you. You remember how it’s done?’

  Petra shook her head. ‘I have really missed your bad jokes.’

  A grin from him. ‘And sarcasm is unacceptable.’

  Another shake of her head as she turned away, but she could not stop the smile that followed or the warm sensation that pulsed through her. It took her a moment to recognise it.

  It was happiness—in its purest form.

  That evening, Leksi sat with his arm draping the back of Petra’s chair. Aldara had finally gotten Zelia to sleep, and Charis was playing chess with Xander and Mako in one of the bedrooms. Later, the royal family would travel back to the manor where there was plenty of room for everyone.

  They were only mid-meal when Hali pushed her food away and leaned back in her chair, releasing a long groan as she did so. Her pregnant belly still touched the edge of the table despite her change in position. Aldara reached a hand out and placed it on top of her stomach.

  ‘It will not be too much longer.’ She gave Hali a knowing smile.

  ‘There is literally no room for food in there.’

  ‘Small, frequent meals are the key,’ Aldara replied.

  ‘Frequency is never Hali’s problem,’ Yuri said.

  Hali shook her head at her husband. ‘I would swat you if I could reach you, but just the thought of moving right now makes me tired.’

  Petra laughed, and Leksi immediately turned his head to look. It was a sight he never tired of. She was a different woman to the one he had chased down a year earlier. Her once hollow eyes shone brightly, her cheeks round and full of colour. She was alive, brought back from the dead.

  This was the woman he had glimpsed briefly all those months ago, the one King Nilos had suffocated. There were times where he still lost her to that life, brief moments when his voice did not reach her and the light would fade. But she always came back to him. Sure, she still turned the handles of the pots so they pointed in the same direction, but this version of her loved openly, and with her whole heart. She was no longer afraid to say it, to show it, to feel it. And he loved her back, more than he could ever put into words.

  Tyron stood and everyone looked to him. He excused himself for a moment and returned with a roll of parchment secured with the king’s seal. ‘I have something for you,’ he said, handing it to Leksi.

  Leksi frowned at the seal. ‘Has King Pandarus finally sentenced me to death?’

  Everyone laughed.

  ‘Something like that,’ Tyron replied, a smile tugging at his mouth as he took his seat again.

  Leksi broke the seal and read it. When he reached the bottom, he cleared his throat and then read it again.

  ‘Well, do not keep us all in suspense,’ Petra said. ‘Am I to watch you hang or not?’

  His gaze went to her. ‘Look at what a bad influence I am. You’re developing a rather wicked sense of humour.’ He handed her the parchment. ‘Looks like you will be addressing me as my lord from now on.’

  She rolled her eyes. ‘What are you talking about?’ She read the letter, and her lips formed a small smile. When she looked up at him, he saw pride in her eyes.

  Hali was holding a cup of wine with two hands, balancing it on her belly. She looked between them in confusion. ‘Lord?’ She turned to Tyron. ‘I can only assume the document is forged, or His Majesty was drunk at the time of signing.’

  ‘I assure you Pandarus did eventually agree,’ Tyron said. ‘It just took a year for him to sign it.’

  Leksi laughed and caught Tyron’s gaze across the table. ‘Thank you. This is a great honour.’

  ‘Of course, the title is not without perks.’ The prince took Aldara’s hand as he spoke. ‘It comes with land.’

  ‘Let me guess,’ Leksi said. ‘Somewhere near the Braul border, where even weeds refuse to grow?’

  There was light laughter around the table.

  ‘That was Pandarus’s first suggestion,’ Tyron said, ‘but I finally convinced him to give you something further north.’

  ‘Oh, fancy,’ Hali said. ‘Where? Please say Veanor.’

  ‘Right here, actually. This house, this land.’

  Petra’s gaze went to her lap, and she brought a hand to her face. ‘Sorry,’ she whispered, becoming emotional.

  Leksi reached out and brushed a finger down her cheek. ‘I really hope those are happy tears, because given my current standing with the king, I’m not sure how fussy I can be.’

  She smiled and wiped her eyes. ‘Definitely happy tears.’ She looked at him. ‘Our piece of ocean.’

  ‘This has been your home for some time,’ Aldara said. ‘Now it is just official.’ She glanced at her husband. ‘There is more.’

  Everyone turned to Tyron, waiting for him to continue.

  ‘A late wedding gift,’ he said.

  Leksi nodded as though agreeing with something. ‘To be honest, we thought the money you gifted was a little light, but Petra insisted I not say anything.’

  More laughter.

  ‘A long time ago, I promised you a house in Wripis. It has finally been built. I do not like the idea of families being separated.’ He looked at Petra. ‘Whenever Leksi travels east, you and Xander can now join him.’

  Leksi was all out of jokes. He gl
anced across at his crying wife, then stood. Walking around the table, he pulled Tyron to his feet and into a hug. ‘Thank you, brother.’

  Tyron patted his back before returning to his seat.

  ‘Oh dear, now you have started Hali off,’ Yuri said, smiling at his wife.

  ‘She has the perfect excuse,’ Aldara said, rubbing Hali’s round belly.

  Cups were filled, wine consumed, jokes made. It was an evening of friendship, of family, a reminder of what they had all fought so hard for.

  Only when Hali’s yawns became so incessant they could no longer be ignored did the party come to an end. Sleeping children were carried out in the arms of their parents and loaded into the wagon. Goodbyes were exchanged, and then Petra returned inside to tuck Xander into his bed while Leksi scolded Charis for falling asleep when he was supposed to be watching the children. The dog jumped onto Xander’s bed, snuggling into the boy’s side as he had done every night since they had been introduced.

  Leksi leaned in the doorway, watching as Petra stroked Xander’s hair before giving the dog a hesitant pat.

  ‘He is safe. He is loved,’ he whispered.

  She turned to him, unaware that he had been watching them. Pushing off the bed, she went to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and kissing his chest. ‘I love you.’

  ‘I love you, Lord Leksi,’ he said with a straight face. She laughed softly into his tunic, and he lifted her face to see it. Such beauty. ‘Want to go for a swim?’

  Her smile faded. ‘Now? It is dark.’

  He bent to kiss her. ‘It’s perfect.’

  ‘We will not be able to see a thing in the water.’

  When she took a step back from him, he caught her hand. ‘What have I told you? When I’m here, you’re safe.’

  She studied his mischievous expression. ‘Very well, Lord Leksi. I put myself in your very capable hands.’

  He nodded approvingly. ‘That’s more like it.’ Turning, he led her out of the house and down to the water.

  She was safe.

  She was loved.

  I really hope you enjoyed Leksi and Petra’s story. I will be returning to The Companion series in late 2019.