Whispers and Promises (restarted)

[DrStein]

King Athmir looked up when he noticed Kyra about to leave. "Wait!" he called to her. "We still have one thing unresolved."

When Rath's father looked directly at him, the prince placed a firm hand on the older man's shoulders. "Father, I love Kyra. I always will. There are many thing I've done wrong, mistakes I've made, but she is not one of them. I will never send her away. It is only because of her I have the strength to talk to you now."

The king looked back and forth between the two of them. "That is your decision?" Rath's resolute stare was all the answer Athmir needed. He hung his head with a sigh. "Very well, then."

He stepped forward to Kyra, took her hands and kissed them. "I hope you can forgive a stubborn old man for being protective of his only remaining son... Lady Kyra. If you are to marry Rath one day, then there is only one thing for us to do. We must find a way to rescue your brother and restore to him his birthright."

Rath's eyes widened to hear his father say those words. He never imagined even in his dreams that the aging king would ever show this kind of humility, much less that he would take such a risk for anyone, nevermind a deposed princess.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra paused in her tracks, looking over her shoulder at the two men as the king told her to wait. She had no idea what he could have possibly wanted to talk to her about, but she turned back towards them, listening as Rath proclaimed his love for her. She knew how Rath felt about the entire situation, but she was still nervous with how the king would react.

She was stunned when he took her hands and kissed them, telling her that if she were to marry Rath one day, they needed to rescue her brother and restore him to the throne of Dath.

"Your highness, you do not have to do that." She said softly. "Something as great as that is too much for me to ask for."

 

[DrStein]

"Rath is his father's son," the king said with an ironic smile. "I know that if I don't help you, he'll find some way to do it himself."

Rath stepped up at that. "You were the one who told me never to give up on something worth doing."

The king turned to regard both of them. "I'll hear no further backtalk on this. You have done a great favor to the house of Katum, young lady, and an honorable man must always repay a kindness. Besides, Rath has made it clear that you are going to be my daughter some day. It won't do to have you fearing these conspirators for the rest of your life. Is there anyone else you wish to bring into confidence in this plan?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Darius already knows, and unless Rath has told someone else, then there is no one else to be involved." She said softly, looking between the two of them. "I feel that the fewer who know this the better. When too many people are involved, things get messy."

 

[DrStein]

Athmir nodded. "Agreed. This will take time to plan and we will need more information. For now, I need to clean up before I go to the banquet hall."

As Rath and Kyra, turned to go, Rath turned back and embraced his father. "Thank you. This means the world to me." Father and son stood there a moment holding each other as if the years of bitterness between them had never been.

At last they separated and Rath left the room with the woman he loved, holding her hand as he went. They returned to his chambers and he set about washing his face before dinner. "I'm not sure how to describe how I feel right now. You?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, to me you look like a man who suddenly has the entire world in the palm of his hand." Kyra commented as she pulled out a fresh gown of deep blue, one that had been made to look like her kyra bird's feathers. "I told you that you would feel better once you talked to him, but what do I know?"

She grinned at Rath as she moved to her dressing table, letting her old gown fall to the floor before she sat down to start on fresh makeup and her hair. She always took pains to look put together for Rath, knowing that she was an extension of his life now. She didn't want anyone to look down upon him because of her.

 

[DrStein]

Rath laughed at the teasing remark as he changed into a fresh shirt. "I'm going to be hearing that tone a lot in the future, aren't I?" As Kyra was attending to her makeup he came up behind her and kissed her neck. "But you're also being coy. I know how unpleasant my father was to you before. This must be as much of a shock to you as it was for me."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra smiled as he kissed her neck and she placed her hairbrush down on the vanity before she turned to face Rath. She let out a sigh as she thought about her words and what she was going to say to him. Yes, the king had been cruel to her, but she wasn't willing to let that get in the way of the budding relationship he had with his son.

"Rath, I don't believe in holding grudges. If your father is willing to let things change for the better, then I would like to put my trust in him. Yes, he was cruel to me, but he also had your best interests at heart. How can I be mad at a man for that?" She asked him.

 

[DrStein]

Rath smiled at that and kissed her again. "And that is why I want you to be the mother of my children." With a last kiss, he returned to his dresser to finish preparing. "We should go to the banquet hall soon. Father may approve now, but the rest of the court are still stuck in their ways. Imagine the looks on their faces when the truth finally comes out." He couldn't help but laugh at the thought. Rath had always found the court itself more rigid than he liked. He never complained as he knew his responsibilities but the opportunity to show up some of the more self-absorbed courtiers would be relished.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra smiled as her kissed her again and moved to finish dressing. She finished with her hair, placing one of the exotic white flowers that grew in the gardens in her hair. She had been given some jewels by Rath over the months that they had been together, but she hardly wore them. Until she had her mother's jewels in her possession she refused to even look at other trinkets. They meant the world to her.

"Would you hold my hand on the way to dinner, my prince?" She asked Rath as she stood, holding out her hand to him.

 

[DrStein]

"Of course." Rath took Kyra's hand and the two of them walked proudly together down the hall to the banquet room. Several members of the court were already there including the king. Most tried not to stare as the prince escorted Kyra to her seat with Amina, who seemed to have a happy smile on her face. Perhaps the favor he had done earlier had worked?

Rath went to join his father at the main table. "A bit of subtlety would not be amiss," the king softly admonished. "We need to keep up some appearances, at least for now. Agreed?"

In the past, Rath would have fought this decision. But in light of the events of the day he decided his pride was not worth interfering. He didn't want to take a step back after he had finally gotten through to his father. "Agreed."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra was on cloud nine as Rath escorted her to her seat next to Amina. It meant the world to her that he would hold her hand in the open, even despite the curious and disapproving looks that were given to them. She was still smiling as she looked at Amina and noticed the look upon her maid's face.

"Did you have a good afternoon, Amina? You are positively glowing." Kyra teased, laughing softly as her maid ducked her head and blushed. "Yes, it is very obvious."

 

[DrStein]

Father and son ate together talking quietly amongst themselves, which was not missed by the courtiers. The two royals had been on very tense terms for more than a year now, a trend which seemed to finally be giving way.

Amina was somewhat embarrassed but told her about how Salemar had told her that afternoon that she was beautiful. They decided to do away with the pretenses and begin their courtship in earnest. She also mentioned that while she was in the library, Master Ithros would look up from Kyra's manuscript now and again to lead aloud some passage or turn of phrase that he found particularly eloquent and impressive.

 

[heartofcourage]

"i'm sure when Master Ithros is finished he will talk to me about the manuscript." Kyra said with a smile, pleased that he seemed to be enjoying the text so far.

She was even more happy that her maid had finally taken a step to enter into a courtship with Salemar. Perhaps they would enter into a marriage before too much longer. A wedding at the palace would be lovely in the winter time when the weather grew damp and the wind a little cooler.

 

[DrStein]

Toward the end of the meal, King Athmir had one last thing to say to his son. "Rath... please be a little discreet. To keep up appearances I'll be considering minor noblewomen from our allies to visit. I ask that you and the lady keep up appearances until the time is right."

Rath's pride rankled somewhat, but his father was only using the same logic that he and Kyra had been abiding by. He nodded. "Agreed, Father. Though if any servants happen to overhear what goes on in my bed chambers, you'll have to take that up with Kyra herself." The grin on Rath's face left his meaning unmistakable.

The king gave a put-upon sigh and leaned back in his seat. "Suddenly I don't have quite the same appetite."

Rath stood and excused himself, giving a knowing look to Kyra as he headed for the gardens that were currently bathed in moonlight.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra caught the prince's look and nodded discretely, waiting a few moments before she excused herself from the table. She followed him into the garden, her arm looping around his waist as they stood in the moon lit gardens.

"It does my heart a world of good to see you talking to your father in a civil way." Kyra commented, looking up at Rath with a small smile on her lips. "I hope that this new relationship continues for you both. You deserve to be happy."

 

[DrStein]

Rath circled his arm around Kyra and pulled her flush against him. "I have you to thank for it. I doubt I would have had the strength to confront him, much less apologize, without you." He looked toward the heavens a while before turning his eyes down to the woman he loved. "Have I told you today that you're beautiful?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"You might have mentioned it a few times, my prince, but it is always good to hear again." Kyra commented, giving him the most sunny smile that she could muster. "You are the most handsome man I've ever met, Rath. While I think we could have met in better circumstances, I am glad that fate saw it fit to bring us together."

 

[DrStein]

"It would have been less... painful perhaps. If you had come to me as a Dathish princess at the behest of your father, I don't doubt I still would have loved you. I would have still seen you as the one in my vision." He cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned forward to place a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "Regardless, we found each other. And one day we'll marry here in the gardens. No more hiding. No more secrets."

He walked Kyra along the path to the shrine, took her hands and stood before her. "We'll stand here and pledge our love before the gods and the royal court. You will be my wife and my queen. And it will be my proudest moment yet to be able to call myself your husband and your king."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra closed her eyes as he kissed her gently, his hand cupping her cheek. She let out a pleased sigh as he told her that they would marry here in the garden, in front of his kingdom. They wouldn't have to hide any longer and she could not wait for that day to come.

She looped her arm through his as they walked along the path tot he shrine, watching as he took her hands and stood before her. She smiled as he spelled out how their wedding would be and she could nearly envision it as they stood looking at one another.

"To be your wife will be my greatest title." She murmured softly. "And I know that you will make me happy for the rest of my days. I promise to do the same for you, my sweet prince."

 

[DrStein]

Rath leaned forward and kissed her passionately. He enveloped her in a loving embrace as his strong arms pulled her against him. His heart felt like it would burst with the overflowing emotions Kyra inspired in him. One of the last great barriers between them was gone. Soon the last would fall as well. It was only a matter of patience.

Rath caught himself and broke the kiss. "I nearly forgot. We've been asked to be a little more... cautious with such displays." He leaned in again and whispered in her ear, "Let's go back to our chambers."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra gasped as she was wrapped up in his embraced, his lips crashing down on her in a passionate kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, drawing him closer as he showed her just how much she meant to him. She loved this man with her entire heart and soul. She would have done anything that he asked of her and she knew that she could have asked the same from him.

When the kiss broke, she panted, looked up into his eyes as she leaned in and whispered against her ear. She grinned at his comment, knowing that he was insatiable when he was amorous. He showed her that each and every time they ended up in bed.

"Are you sure that you should be walking around the palace in such a condition, my prince? I would hate for you to suffer any embarrassment." She smiled, teasing him in the way that they were so comfortable with.

 

[DrStein]

"Either we sneak into my chambers now while the halls will be mostly empty or I tear that dress off of you right here and the whole city will hear you calling out my name." Without waiting further, Rath took Kyra's arm in his own and headed back for the palace. She was right about one thing though. That he was wearing baggy pants at that moment was fortunate. If any signs of his passion were noticeable, the handful of servants they passed on the way said nothing about it.

Once the door was closed behind them however, Rath wasted little time. He embraced Kyra once again, kissing her passionately as his hands roamed her body.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kyra couldn't help but laugh as Rath took her arm and drug her through the halls of the palace until they were back in his chambers. She was still laughing as he closed the door and suddenly she was captured against, being kissed until she whimpered with a tone of need. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, her dress soon pushed to the floor at her feet.

 

[DrStein]

It didn't take long to remove her dress, though Rath's patience meant only his shirt was gone before the both of them collapsed onto the bed. He kissed her neck as his hands went to her breasts, squeezing, kneading and massaging them with an insistent touch. His mouth found her nipples and he proceeded to kiss, lick and nip at them. He whispered her name in heated passion. Whenever the opportunity presented itself he just wanted to touch her. Kyra awoke things in him he had never before imagined were there.