Her Fear, His Obsession

This was perfect, this was how it should always be...

While Alia was praying for strength to defeat his obsession, Luca let his anger rage as he went to find the slaves. They had failed him. TWICE. He had taken mercy because of Alia and he would never make that mistake again. These fools were not worthy of the breaths they were taking, and he would be sure to make an example of them all.

As he walked towards the room he had ordered Liam to gather everyone in, he began to think of all the ways he could punish them. As he reached the door, he heard feet scurrying behind him. He whipped around as the young boy halted to a still, dropping into a deep bow, kneeling down. 

"My King." Luca looked at him, confused. As far as he knew, all the slaves were adults. No children had ever been victims of the darkness and the outside world only knew him as a billionaire.

"Rise. Who are you, boy?" Luca demanded, harshly. He didn't trust anyone he didn't know personally. That's why so many of the victims were killed or sent away to work in the other realm. 

"Your Highness, I am a child of two of your slaves, my life is destined to be that like my father's before me. I was born 10 years ago." Luca continued to stare, realization creeping onto his face, as he remembered when the boy's father had asked for permission to marry and have relations with one of the fellow slaves. Luca had allowed it because he knew what was happening behind closed doors anyways and this man had been the first to fight for his love.

"Boy, why are you here? Children are not permitted to work here." Luca had shot down every suggestion of child labor in his kingdom. He refused to allow anyone under the age of 21 to work, unless they were 18 and were the only providers for the family. He wanted everyone, including his slaves, to be well-educated. It was revolutionary for the Night King to behave in such a way, but these were laws Luca had managed to establish before the darkness completely consumed him. Even in his current regime, he was careful to uphold all laws he made back then. He was a man of his word.

"Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness. I was called by my mother to come to your Highness's quarters. When I approached, she instructed me to tell you that the Queen is seated on the floor in silence, and she doesn't understand why she is doing this. The Queen is not responding to her pleas. There were no guards outside your door, and both my mother and the other woman were not to leave her Majesty's side." The boy quickly explained. He didn't want his mother to be in trouble, and he hoped that his mother's actions would save them both from a punishment or death.

Luca stormed past the young boy, motioning for him to follow. If the boy was lying, he would be killed. But if he was telling the truth, he and his mother would be rewarded for caring for their Queen so well. All thoughts of Luca's regarding the incompetent slaves were forgotten as he raced down the hallway. Seriously, his love was giving him heart attacks constantly with her behavior. As much as he didn't want to, he would have to be a little stern with her, he resolved. This was the only way to get her to stop doing such things.

Throwing his door open, he stopped to a still when he saw her. Seated cross-legged on the floor near the window, in a sky blue nightgown with her hair in long curls across her back, the top of her hair covered in a white scarf, she looked heavenly, even without looking at her face. The women standing behind her, who had been pleading to the Queen to get off the floor and eat something, turned to bow to the King. Indicating for them to remain silent, Luca slowly slinked around the room to get a better look at his Queen's face. 

As he began to see her side profile, he saw her hands folded in front of her chest, her arms hugged to her sides pushing her breasts together. Her eyes were closed and her lips were moving but no noise was coming out. He stood there, lost in her beauty, as the sunlight hit her caramel skin, reflecting a perfect angle of light that only radiated her beauty to him. If he wasn't lost before this, he was now.

They must have stood like this for 20 minutes, with Luca tenderly watching her from a distance, not daring to distract her, as the women and boy cowered in fear in the corner. They had not been dismissed but none of them wanted to distract the King or Queen.

Feeling much calmer, Alia opened her eyes and looked out the window, her eyes falling on a garden she hadn't noticed earlier. She silently stood and moved closer to the window, her eyes remaining fixed on the garden and a bunny that was hopping around. A shy smile crept on her lips as she saw it nibbling on a leaf.

Luca, still entranced by her beauty, shifted himself so that he could see her face even better as she walked up to the window. He couldn't help himself as he moved behind her and saw her smile, he wanted to know what made her smile so. When he noticed the garden, his face lit up. This was making her smile! Something in the castle was to her liking. 

Little did she know, Luca had the whole garden installed the morning she arrived in the castle, wanting her to have a beautiful view. He had no care for these things, but a woman as delicate and precious as his flower, surely would. 

"Would you like to go to the garden, my delicate little flower?" Alia jumped as she heard a soft voice behind her. Knowing it was Luca, she silently turned and kept her eyes fixed on her feet. Sighing, he grabbed her hand, and held it gingerly. "Yes or no, my angel?" She gently squeezed his hand.

"Would you like to eat there?" Another squeeze.

"You two, organize food for us in the garden below. Instruct Liam to send 20 guards to patrol the grounds." The women bowed and left the room. 

The young boy remained still, knowing that he was not dismissed. His mother had left him, but the gentle squeeze she gave his shoulder as she was leaving told him all he needed to hear. 

"Boy, you were right. What would you like in return for your service to your Queen?" Luca called out. Alia stood there, curious about what he did, but remained silent, grateful that someone had finally not gotten punished because of her.

"My King, I am an unworthy slave. I live to serve you and the Queen, even if my duties have not began in the castle. I seek no reward, only your health and happiness." The boy stated, trembling. His father had taught him well, but this was the King. No one knew what he thought, other than the King himself.

"Boy, I don't like asking twice." Luca growled out, as he felt Alia tap his hand. Turning to her, he placed his other hand tenderly on her cheek. She flinched just slightly, but allowed the hand to remain. "Yes, my love?"

"Give his family their freedom, please," she whispered.

"My heart?"

"He's a child. He should not be destined to a specific life. He has so much potential. And if you free him, he will feel guilt that his parents are not free." She continued to whisper. With every word, Luca fell more and more in love. She was amazing, she was.

Not caring about the boy, but wanting to make his Queen happy, Luca called out to the boy. "As your Queen commands, you and your family are now forever free. Your father and mother shall continue to work in the castle as is their destiny, but no longer as slaves. They will be given new roles to serve in. And you will continue school until you are old enough to decide what you wish to do in your life. You will never serve in this castle." Luca spoke firmly as he continued to stare at his angel's eyes. Was she happy, he wondered. The smile that began to come on her face, indicated to him that he was doing well.

Happy that she had smiled twice today, Luca also broke out into a smile. He dismissed the boy, and moved to grab his love. She froze as he grabbed her, still not used to his rather abrupt displays of intimacy, but did not fight him as she had in the past. Alia was tired and wanted to see the garden. 

Luca began to walk down to the garden, with her comfortably in his arms. This was perfect, this was how it should always be...