The Hathway Kingdom (Book 2)

Nine.

~Nine. ~

Larissa groaned as she began to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open and slowly before they snapped open as she saw what looked like a person's chest in front of her face. She swallowed heavily before she pulled back enough to look at just who was lying with her. Her eyes widened when she saw who was there.

Romulus laid beside her, his eyes closed, and his face was peaceful as he slept. She swallowed heavily as she looked at him, watching him as he slept before she moved slightly to get into a more comfortable position. When she did, she felt his grip tighten on her ever so slightly before it relaxed when she stopped moving. She looked at him carefully before she reached up towards his face, gently touching his cheek.

She smiled as she ran her fingers over his cheek. She could feel the stubble from his beard beneath her fingers. She traced the outline of his beard along his jaw and cheeks, watching him before she froze when he stirred slightly. He then stilled after he turned his face away from her slightly. She looked at him a moment longer before she slowly moved out from his arms and off the bed. She kicked her shoes off before she lifted the front of her dress and walked over to the balcony doors. She opened the doors ever so slightly and glanced over her shoulder at him as he slept on and she gave a small smile before she slipped out the doors.

Larissa walked over to the railings on the balcony, and she placed her hands on them. The sun was just barely peaking over the mountains in the distance, and she closed her eyes, soaking up the sun. The day after an intense rainstorm was always the best day for Larissa as it made things clearer for her. The ground beneath her feet was still wet from the rain but it didn't bother her. She let out a sigh before she glanced over her shoulder as she heard the doors to the balcony open and she gave Romulus a soft smile when she saw him.

"Good morning," she said to him before she turned back to look in front of her.

"Morning," he said before he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leant back into him as he began to kiss up her neck. She tilted her head some before she chuckled as he placed his chin on her shoulder.

"I woke up and you weren't there..." he said to her in a whisper as he held her and she sighed, closing her eyes as she leant into him.

"I'm sorry. I needed a minute to myself," she said, and he lifted his head from her shoulder before he turned her in his arms so that she was facing him now.

"What's wrong?" he asked her gently as he reached up, moving a stray lock from her face. She shook her head and reached up, gently cupping his cheek.

"It's nothing," she said as she lowered her hand and turned back around in his arms. Romulus frowned before he pulled her close again.

"Tell me," he said in a whisper as he held her and she sighed, glancing down for a moment before she looked back up.

"When I woke up earlier...I was half expecting Elissa to be there telling me that my Uncle was summoning me for breakfast..." she said in a small voice and his grip tightened on her slightly.

"I'm sorry, Larissa. I shouldn't have asked..." he said, and she gave a shake of her head, one of her hands resting on the balcony railing as the other one went up and was placed on his arm gently.

"It's fine. You weren't to know," she said to him softly, patting his hand as she sighed. She felt Romulus sigh as well before he rested his chin on her head lightly.

They remained like that as the sun continued to rise in the sky, neither of them speaking any further as they enjoyed one another's company. Eventually, when the sun was a decent height in the sky, Larissa sighed before she lowered her hand and gently removed herself from Romulus' arms. He gave her a curious look as he stepped back from her and she turned to face him.

"I need to start getting ready..." she said, answering his unasked question as he met her gaze and he smiled, remembering what else was meant to be happening today.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, and Larissa gave a roll of her eyes.

"Ready? No. Prepared for it? Maybe. My Uncle made me go through this ceremony multiple times so that I would be prepared for when I take over," she said with a sigh, shaking her head.

"You will do fine, Larissa. Trust me on that," he said to her as he walked back over to her and took her hand in his before he leant down and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead before she smiled softly as he pulled back.

"You should go now, Romulus," she said as she looked towards her bedroom door as it opened, and Elissa walked in silently. He smiled at her gently before he gave her hand a squeeze.

"I will see you at the ceremony, Larissa," he said before he bowed and left the room. Elissa curtseyed to Romulus as he left the room before she stood up and looked at Larissa.

"Good morning, Your Majesty. Shall I go and run a bath?" Elissa asked as she walked over to Larissa. She looked at her for a moment before she nodded her head.

"Yes please, Elissa. I will come in with you," she said as they both walked back into her bedroom and then to the bathroom, with Larissa reaching behind herself and working on undoing the straps of her dress as she went.

Elissa walked over and began to run the water as Larissa closed the door to the bathroom. As the water filled the bathtub, Elissa came over and helped Larissa undress before she grabbed a bathrobe for her as they waited for the water to fill the bathtub. Larissa tied the rope in place before Elissa helped her remove the circlet from her hair.

"Shall we wash your hair as well?" Elissa asked her and Larissa glanced at her reflection in the mirror nearby.

"No. It still looks fine," she said, and Elissa nodded her head before she turned and shut off the water. Once that was done, Larissa removed her robe and stepped into the hot water.

By the time that Larissa was finished in the bath, the other maids had brought in her dress and shoes for the ceremony. Larissa walked over to it as she tied the rope of her robe around herself and ran her fingers over the fabric of the skirt. She examined it carefully before she looked at Elissa.

"It looks like my mother's coronation dress..." she said with a small smile and Elissa smiled as well, nodding her head.

"It is almost an exact replica of Her Majesty's coronation dress. The Professor and I thought that it would be a way to have her here with you through the ceremony," Elissa said gently, and Larissa's smile widened slightly. She reached over and took her maid's hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Elissa," she said to her and Elissa smiled at her, giving Larissa' hand a squeeze in return.

"Come, Your Majesty. Let's get you dressed and ready," Elissa said before she let go of Larissa's hand and began to help her get dressed and ready for her coronation.