The Lion Guard: King of Outremer

Chapter 13: Dedication

Kion's eyes shot open, and he panted heavily, covered in sweat. The King frantically looked around but exhaled in relief upon realizing he was still in his bed-chamber. He feared more than anything that he'd wake up back in Shetani's dungeon, that everything in the last few days was but a dream.

Yet, instead of the cold, damp floor, he felt Rani's warm body wrapped tightly around him. The Queen's head lay on his chest while Saka slept soundly in his arms. Kion stared at his infant son for what felt like hours while the baby breathed peacefully onto his skin.

According to their royal physician, Makini, Saka was the healthiest baby she'd ever seen. Still, after Shetani convinced him that Rani and Saka both died, it was hard not to think about such things.

Kion heard a rooster cry out in the distance and sat up a little to see the morning sun. However, the moment he made even this slight movement, he immediately felt Rani's grip tighten and her naked body press harder against his.

"Where do you think you're going?" She growled.

Kion opened his mouth but didn't have the opportunity to speak before Rani pushed him back down with a nearly feral expression.

"No!!! I'm never letting you out of my sight again! You hear me!" Rani snarled with tears in her eyes, a mixture of rage, fear, and passionate emotion in the Queen's face. She then kissed her King, and he laid back down. Rani stared at the scars across Kion's body from Shetani's torture and almost covered her mouth.

"I'm alright," he said quietly.

"No, you're not!" Rani almost sobbed while moving her hands tenderly over the marks.

"Kion, he tortured you, he-"

"Rani, I'm here, and you two are alive. That's all that matters." Kion wrapped his free arm around Rani's head and pulled her in for another kiss.

Later that morning, Kion and Rani sat together in the council chamber. The King's return distracted the council from the fact that Rani was nursing Saka, having refused to let a wet nurse near him, even though it meant she'd be less likely to get pregnant during that time.

"God has answered our prayers, your majesty. Are you sure you're well? Emir Shetani is a known sadist." Patriarch George said with utmost sincerity.

"Was a known sadist." Baron Advik chuckled while looking at Baliyo.

"I'm fine. Makini looked over me and said, there's nothing to worry about."

"That's good. We've lost enough already." Kion's heart grew heavier, and he turned to Seneschal Dakari.

"Dakari-" Kion started, but the Templar officer raised his hand.

"Grandmaster Kopa and the others died as martyrs. They're in God's arms now." The council all crossed themselves. It wasn't until he got back that Kion learned just how bad things turned out for the Templars. Most of their turcopoles managed to escape to safety with the Guard, but only a handful of Templars made it away. This sapped a considerable portion of their military strength, not to mention their Grandmaster.

More Templars would eventually arrive from Europe to replace them, but not for some time. Additionally, they'd need to elect a new grandmaster, with Dakari acting as commander in Outremer until then.

"At the very least, we can take comfort in the fact that you succeeded." Grandmaster Talib said with a deep breath.

"What?" Kion asked, earning a smirk from Rani.

"We received word from our agents in Persia just the other day. Hasira has crowned himself Shah."

"What? He's retaken his capital!!?" Count Vegter almost shouted.