Chapter 32 The curse and his family
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” I lost my mother when I was a kid, and lost my father later because of the sacred bond between kings and their true Queens” He started with a low voice staring at me deeply with his grey eyes, gauging my reaction. My mouth was wide open as I stared at him with a Confused look.
” I don’t understand”
” My mother’s body has always been weak and she suffered frail health since her childhood. She journeyed from Ruqgu to Nayak just to receive a drop of Natalí’s tears after hearing of its healing prowess. She met my father at the northern gate and it was love at first sight, even with her frail health and on the verge of death, she looked normal and didn’t look sick at all. He took her to the Queen mother after learning of her condition, and the tears reacted to her touch before the Queen mother could wield them. That was how they knew she was his true Queen. They got married a few years later after his coronation, she used the tears to heal herself but her illness kept persisting even after giving birth to me and my younger sisters. She used the tears like a medicine every day but whenever she healed another person, her sickness got worse before she eventually stopped using the tears altogether. She said she wanted to rest, she would have been dead even before giving birth to me but the tears had prolonged her life and it was more than enough for her” His voice grew sorrowful towards the end and I sighed. It was a very sad story.
” That is very sad, how did your father die?” I asked and he gave me a tight smile before continuing his story. ” Nayaki kings form a great bond that can never be broken with their true Queens. Their Queens are their main weakness, and that is why the goal of every king is to protect their Queens from any harm after forming the bond. When their queen dies, the highest a king can live after that is five years of heartache. Most kings die with their true Queens”
I nodded my head at his explanation, it was even more complicated than I thought. So if anything were to happen to me, he would be affected? That was a little bit scary.
” I didn’t want to form the bond with you in the first place but it’s not like I have a choice. You are my weakness and I hate it”
” I can only be your weakness if you see me as your weakness. I am capable of taking care of myself and you know that, your parent’s case is sad truly but that doesn’t mean we will end up like them. The goddess might have pitied you, maybe that is why she gave me enough power to protect myself. Remember I saved your life once, if that screams weakness to you maybe there is something wrong with you” I said folding my arms. The only problem I have is being barren, but apart from that I don’t want to be his weakness, I want to explore every part of this destiny and see if I have a second chance at loving and being loved back. I understand his point of view but he was being selfish with that decision.
” Yes you can protect yourself and you have saved my life, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that the goddess blessed me with a used woman.” He snapped at me and I laughed, dropping my fork on the table. I laughed out loud as I stared at him, so this was where he was coming from.
” Wow, I see what this is”
” I didn’t mean to say that, I … That came out wrong” He retracted seeing after seeing my reactions.
” Okay, I’m not your perfect Queen, I understand. But you had a right to reject the marriage and you didn’t” I Scoffed and he stood up and walked toward my seat.
” I can’t reject my chosen Queen. I won’t have an heir and if I don’t have an heir, the lineage will end with me” He pushed the table away and stood in front of me with a sharp gaze but that doesn’t help my growing anger.
” Good luck having your precious heir because I am Barren! I can’t have children. Do you want to know the reason why my ex-husband maltreats me? It’s because I’m unable to have children, Now that you know I can’t give you the heir you want or continue your lineage with me. What is going to happen? Are you going to start abusing me too?” Standing up, I pushed him away from me angrily but grabbed both of my wrists and pulled me closer to him.
” I will never hit you. I do not hit women, Meisi might have pushed me a few times but I never touched her. Why will I hit my Queen?” He seethed wrapping his hands around my waist as his hot breath fanned my face. He was angry but he still wanted to hold me close to him.
” That was what my husband did when..” I muttered but he cut into my sentence before I could finish “Stop calling that beast your husband! I am not him And I will never lay my hands on you. I’m just scared of loving you.” His voice grew soft, bringing back the soft tune I heard the first time he uttered a word to me.
” You shouldn’t be scared of loving,” I said softly, our lips almost touching.
” And You will have my heir. Natalí won’t be so cruel” He said placing a peck on my lips. The touch sent Sparks throughout my body, I’m not sure I could ever get used to how his lips make me feel. For someone who doesn’t want anything to do with love, he was a hopeless romantic.
” Do you kiss every one of your women like this or it’s just me?” I asked trying to hide the blush on my face.
” Are you jealous?” He smirked staring at my face intently making me flush under his gaze. The way we act around each other is quite funny, we tend to tickle each other’s anger with little misunderstanding but we also know how to make up quickly with kisses.
” No why would I be” I lied trying to get out of his hold but he held me tighter. ” You shouldn’t. You are the only one I kiss like this”
Our little charade ended with Annalise’s appearance in the dining room. She greeted the King and I politely but secretly threw a wink at me making me blush. That woman.
” It is time for her Majesty to visit the temple. People are waiting” Annalise said and Treven only nodded but not letting go of my hands.
” Are the cases serious?” Treven asked, oh those must be the people waiting at the temple for me to heal them.
” Not really … But” Annalise replied but Treven stopped her.
” Can she be mine for today? I’m sure they can wait a little bit.”
” Of course your Majesty. Their conditions are not that serious. Erxi will fix the one she can and the Queen can come later to finish the rest” The lady bowed before taking her leave immediately. I missed her already.
I faced Treven with a “What the hell?” expression and he only grinned like a spoilt child.
” Your people need my help”
” Our people. But let me have you for just today. You can do whatever you want starting from tomorrow. Can we visit my daughters?” He asked flashing me the cutest puppy eye I had ever seen. I couldn’t resist his handsome face and I nodded at him while trying to keep myself from smiling too much.
Hand in hand, with our Entourage behind us, we made our way to the royal nursery. Every maid working at the nursery bowed at us respectfully as we entered the large chamber decorated with pink tapestries and many paintings suitable for a toddler. At one side of the room was a queen-sized soft bed covered in expensive silk. There was a small table and a loveseat on the rugged floor.
” Papa!”. A Young child around three or four screamed immediately after she saw us. She was dressed in a blue silk gown and her long hair flowed freely behind her. She looked exactly like Treven except for his eyes, hers were hazel brown probably from her mother but every other part of her was like another copy of Treven.
” Aww, my sweet Aria. Come here” Opening his arms wide, the little girl jumped right into his arms and he hugged her tightly. He cooed at her and made cute faces which made the girl giggle. He was good with children.
” Meet my first daughter Aria. Aria this is the Queen” He said bringing the girl to face, I smiled as I pinched her rosy cheeks. The girl giggled spreading her arms at me to carry her. I carried her with a smile. ” You are really pretty,” The child said to me and I complimented her back. She was such a sweet little girl and I really want my own child too.
I followed Treven to a baby’s cot while carrying Aria who was busy playing with my hairpins while giggling out loud. He carried the baby gently, I was amazed at how good he was at carrying babies. He was even better than me. When my friends back home gave birth, I was too afraid to carry them scared that I would drop them or something.
” Here is the new baby, She is three weeks old. She doesn’t have a name yet, can you do me the honor?” He said handling the baby to me. I dropped Aria and I tried to relax as I stretched my arms to carry the fragile little one. I wished she was mine. Her big brown eyes stared back at me and I felt my eyes getting wet.
” Estella” I muttered slowly.