Without love no man is a king

22.

"What took you so long!" The king complained "they are approaching...with a wagon apparently. I hope they are not moving in."
"Forgive me father. We got carried away"
"Did you now" the king looked him up and down
"Not that carried away father. You said help educate her, to make her happy."
"That is not what I meant but well played son."
"I told you...I am not playing games anymore.....father....I love her."
"I know you do" the king smirked "just took you a while to realise what was staring you in the face."
"That it did" he pulled Inara back into him, wrapping his arms around her, placing a kiss on her temple
"No kiss" she scolded him "father." She pointed at the gates
"Oh right. Forgive me. It is not allowed or it will just confuse him? Beric?"
"It is not part of their custom. I think affection of the romantic kind is kept private. Between married couples. Like I say they are big on respect. Perhaps just hold her hand. Forehead connection and eye gazing is their form of display of affection. Be on the safe side."

"Mother!" Inara ran forward when the Drecontonians entered the castles walls "mother!"
"Inara!" Her mother jumped down from her horse running to meet her, the pair speaking at speed to each other in Drecontonian.
"I am feeling things again father." Prince Roland smiled at the sight "I do not know what it is."
"Love. You fool. You have only ever felt lust before. Now....now you have opened up your heart to her. You have been falling for her ever since she stepped in front of you and saved you from her brother. She surprised you, intrigued you, she is like nothing you have ever seen before and you my boy have always been intrigued by the different. A curious mind not satisfied with the mundane. Who goes against the grain. Your closest friend is and has always been Digory. Hardly a royal prince's average confidant. Her happiness increases your own, that is love my boy."

"I am feeling lust too father" prince Roland smirked "since that first kiss, she is beautiful, but that first kiss sparked something in me, both lust and love. When she sleeps in my arms and I fiddle with her wild hair to try and untangle it a little, to bring out those alluring curls of hers....I feel....home. At peace. It is better than any lustful encounter I have had. It is a strange feeling."
"Love always is. For me it took three weeks. Your mother and I had been friendly, civil. Had been lustful however not romantic. She was dancing in the grand hall, her eyes firmly fixed on mine across the room as she danced, it was like the only thing I saw was her, I wished the music would never stop. She would often dance for me, I would lay in our bed and watch her unashamedly. She would dance with you, our little miracle prince, I would often find the pair of you dancing away, merrily laughing. The castle was always filled with music and dance while she was alive. I miss it."
"Then we should do something about that." The prince rubbed his fathers back to comfort him, he had taken the loss of his wife hard. For a year after her death he would not leave his room, he didn't even speak to his son and refused to see him. He spoke to no one, not a word. Refused visitors, shut the castle down. Only brought out of his grief by his son falling gravely ill, the king left his room to take up vigil by his young son's bedside. He prayed to god to spare his son, he prayed to his beloved wife to watch over him and promised he would not leave his side again.

"My Roland" Inara dragged her mother by the hand to introduce prince Roland properly "mother. Eris." She presented her mother proudly. "My Roland." She smiled rubbing the prince's chest tenderly, with a smile as wide as a river.
"I believe we have briefly met before your highness. It is my pleasure" Roland bowed politely "my home is yours, welcome to the kingdom of Erathern."
"Daughter" the booming voice of Cedmond greeted, opening his arms to embrace his daughter "king Osris. We come. Winter solstice. Erathern, Dreconton, together" he demonstrated clapping his hands together in a firm grip. "Bring!" The king waved his arm at his men "gifts for you. For princess Inara."
"Thank you" Roland nodded accepting a large log, looking at it confused
"Yule log" Inara explained "fire. Dreconton tree. Fire big! Errrr many good suns"
"Good weather? Bring the sun back after winter. Thank you." He bowed thankfully at the queen.
"Tree! Tree go.... castle" she pointed between the large fir tree and the castle door excitedly
"A tree inside?" Roland laughed "why not" he smiled with her, placing his forehead on hers laughing joyfully with her.

"Welcome king Cedmond." King Osris stepped forward "careful son, don't offend him with your affectionate actions." He whispered at Roland as he did "you must be tired. Come inside and warm up."
"Inara happy?" Cedmond asked his daughter, who shyly nodded, the king saying something in Dreconton, she shook her head blushing
"You no like?" He asked Prince Roland
"Inara? Yes I like Inara. I love her. Very much. Very happy." he smiled down at his wife
"No child!" Cedmond grabbed inana's belly, feeling it roughly "empty. No good."
"Oh I errr no. Not yet."
"You no like daughter?"
"I do" he nodded eagerly

"Son no swive daughter?" Cedmond asked the king "no like Inara?"
Inara hurriedly stepped forward speaking Drecontonian at speed with animated arms, this went on for some time until Cedmond suddenly struck her across the face sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Inara!" Prince Roland rushed to her aid "no!" He held up his hand "no! Stop!"
The queen flustered forward pleading with her husband, shielding her daughter protectively
"Inara no behave! I make good."
"You promised me she would wed my son and be pure when she did. All agreements were upheld. Do you understand? We have no qualms or complaints about the princess and her time with us so far. She has been well behaved all things considering. Their marriage has been consummated. We really need to find a new linguist." The king shook his head

"Daughter come!" Cedmond demanded, the Queen taking her gently from prince Roland
"Father I...." he protested refusing to let go of her
"Let them go. Trust her. She has given you no reason not to....I suspect she has taken the blame for your lack of intimacy in the bedroom. Like I say she is a fiercely loyal girl and I suspect will do anything to protect her Roland. Including upset her volatile father."
"Then I should go with them! To protect her! I do trust her, I do not trust him!"
"If you wish that then you need to study and learn Drecontonian" Bellford laughed
"Well perhaps I will!" The prince retaliated shortly "Bring all the books you have on Dreconton to my marital quarters forth with."

"Slow down son, it is a good idea. I will send a guard to stand by Cedmond's quarters. If he hears anything he does not like the sound of he will let us know. Beric, send Terrin, he has a soft spot for the princess."
"He'd better not have" the prince grumbled
"Finally we have a jealous Prince in love" Bellford rough housed the prince playfully "at a boy. I knew you had it in you."