Without love no man is a king

21.

"Your majesty!" A guard ran into breakfast a few weeks later "Drecontonians have been spotted near by, heading this way."
"Trouble?" The king wiped his mouth clean
"No. They are riding with a white flag of peace."
"Prepare for their arrival. Quickly. Son...."
"I am ready" he held Inara's hand on the table "what's wrong Inara?"
"Father?"
"I don't know" Roland held her face softly "perhaps....I mean.....Drecontonians yes, father I don't know. Scared?" He asked her looking in her eyes, something he'd picked up on that she responded well to, when he held her face gently, placing his own close to hers, keeping eye contact.
"Go home now?" She asked
"No. Stay here, with me. Inara stays with Roland for all her days."
"Promises?" She asked using her new favourite word of the week
"Yes I promise" he smiled happily "I promises my Inara"

"you don't want to go home to Dreconton?"
"No. No safe. No peace. Danger. No...no Roland in Dreconton. Inara want stay my Roland."
"Of course, this is your home now, with me" he nodded, smiling up at his pleased father and Bellford
"My Roland?"
"Yes Inara?"
"Kiss?"
"Yes of course" he smirked kissing her softly "feeling better?" She nodded giggling at him "good."
"Never been prouder my boy." The king slapped his son's back. "You've turned this around and redeemed yourself. Well done."

"Well played your highness" Bellford nodded proudly
"I am not playing. Not anymore." He shyly blushed
"We know. We knew before you knew" the king whispered, winking at him "games not over yet though boy. Just because you're getting kisses and cuddles."
"I know. But it is a start and we have had a good two weeks. Haven't we Inara." He kissed her again, lingering a little longer "understand?" He asked her "Inara safe with me. Safe with Roland."
"No safe" she worriedly shook her head. Chewing her fingers nervously "father want....father want.....no word"
"take your time" Roland gestured with his hands "what does he want?"
"No peace"
"He signed the agreement. All stipulations have been met. I know you are not completely settled and you are not truly happy here yet, but that comes with time. Roland is not due to take you back to Dreconton for a visit for many months. At the end of summer." The king sat next to her "that is too complicated for you to understand. Too many complex words and long sentences. She is getting better by the day, I think she understands more than she can communicate."

"Inara, tell me....tell Roland" he patted himself. "Your father not happy? Why?"
"No happy" she shook her head "father no happy Inara....." she tried, patting her chest then pointing at Roland.
"Ahhhh" the king smiled "I see, do not worry. You are my daughter now. Inara makes me very happy. father now, my daughter." he patted his chest, the king smiled when she beamed at his words, hugging him.
"What am I missing?" The prince stood up, holding his hand for Inara to join him
"I think your wife was not meant to fall in love with her fathers enemy. Merely report back to him want he wants to know. An unwilling pawn in his little game. Do not forget he did his best to stop this marriage before it started." The king smirked at his son. The prince pausing his strides. "Roland? Everything alright?"
"She loves me? You love me?" He asked Inara in a state of shock

"Maybe falling in love is more accurate, son. Heart" he patted his chest, copying Inara's earlier gesturing "you have her heart and she is worried her father will be angry with her. Dreconton is supposed to be superior to us. She is supposed to be miserable here and look at her smile. These past few weeks, you have both had wide smiles on your faces more than you have not. We have all heard your laughter and hers travelling down the castle corridors, playfully chasing her for more kisses."
"I suppose that is true, I told you she had a playful side."
"You are sleeping in the same bed, in your marital quarters."
"Well she still prefers sleeping in the stables but...." prince Roland smiled "I retreat her back and hold her close and she does not try to leave again or push me away. She likes to check on Netta. We just sleep father. Nothing else."

"I think your Drecontonian Princess may have stolen your heart too son. Despite the disastrous start you had. You know it's alright if she has. I would approve. You know that I am fond of her. It is not her fault, any of it, what happened, her father, where she came from, in my opinion son she has proved herself loyal to you and in turn myself and our kingdom, despite still being treated poorly. I would imagine her father expects her to remain loyal to him not us. As soon as you are in the ground he will be taking her back son."

"You think he may try an assassination, to get out of the agreement? It still means peace?"
"If she reports back any ill treatment or what occurred on your wedding day it means war. Before or after you are no longer with us. I am not naive, he has a longer plan, I just do not know what it is yet. I can not ask your wife. I think if she knew she'd try and tell us. I think he's kept her in the dark. Perhaps she is supposed to give him information on our army numbers or personal information on you and me he can use. Find our weak spots. I just don't know, he had to change his tactics at the last minute, perhaps he is coming to assign her a new task, let's be careful."
"Agreed" Roland kissed the top of Irana's head "stay close to me. I will keep you safe."

They readied themselves to look presentable, the prince watched his wife fussing over the room, tidying it, arranging the small wooden carved animals she had bought with her, smoothing out blankets and animal skins, hiding his socks and shoes that he respectfully removed and carried in each time, a fair amount belonging to her that he tried daily to get her to wear and had thus far failed miserably.

"Inara? Are you alright?" He came up behind her, looking out the window with her
"Cold" she pointed at the snow flurry that had started up
"Yes it is cold, the white things are snowflakes....snow. It is the height of winter now. A strange time to visit. You do not celebrate Yuletide do you?"
"Yule" Inara turned nodding excitedly "solstice. Father Come Yule." She nodded
"Oh. Yuletide is celebrated in the church at the end of the week.....let us go inform...." he was cut off by Inara tip toeing up to kiss him. "Well hello my happy little Drecontonian princess." He laughed against her lips giving her a deeper kiss.
"Roland like Inara now?" She asked like she did often, he wasn't sure if it was because she still needed the reassurance or because she wanted to ask something else but it was the only words she had.
"Yes" he kissed her passionately, picking her up and carrying her to the bed, laying her down "I like you very much. We have become close these past few weeks, haven't we. Well, closer." He stroked her hair smiling "I did not think I could ever fall for a....for a girl like you. For you. But here we are. With your father on his way and my heart beating in its chest at the thought that he might take you away from me. Just as things are going well for us, when I have only just started our love story."

"New word. Love?"
"More than like. Love" he placed his hand on his heart then pointing to her. "Love. You love Netta." He giggled rubbing his nose on hers playfully "and I.....I love you. My little curious princess."
"Love" she smiled happily "Inara love my Roland." She stroked his face with her palm "Inara no words. Tell Roland... here" she held her heart. "No words tell my Roland."
"You do not need them. I understand. My feelings are reciprocated." He kissed her neck teasingly "I will not let him take you back. Inara?" He asked looking down at her. He trailed his palm down her body slipping it inside her undergarments, watching her gasp out loud "Roland kiss? Here?" He rubbed his palm against her "that alright?"
"No words. No understand" she shook her head
"May I show you?" He smiled when she nodded, dipping down between her thighs, smirking at the pleasure groans that erupted from her mouth. "Yes?" He checked
"Yes!"