The Spoils Of War {Tbs}

Part 18

"well?" I asked
"I wasn't born in the south. Like the rest of the lord's and commanders." He began
"So... You where born In the north?"
"I was born here. At widows peak." He explained "my mother was sold off to the high lord commander of eastlen when she found out she was pregnant she knew the life I'd have there as a bastard son of the lord commander so she ran off climbed the north south wall at seven months pregnant. I was born here under a wooden canopy for the stables in the courtyard. Your family found her hiding there with me and took pity gave her a small house in the keep along with a job." He explained "she was as I recall your father's scullery maid for a good while"
"What was she like?"
"Much like you. Beautiful. And smart enough to run the world if having been born into the right place to" he explained "when I was a little older I worked in the palace too. Mostly in the kitchens but I helped out wherever my little hands where needed" he explained "and... That is when I first saw you. The first time I saw you I remember... The queen had asked for some strawberries from the kitchens so I was running then up and I saw you sat on the floor in that little pink dress playing dollies.... I don't know why but I was speechless when I saw you. I- I'd never been like that with a girl before. I didn't think much about it I was young and I didn't really understand it but everytime you came back to widows peak I just... I melted. I wanted to be close to you, to play with you, to speak with you but. I never could. I used to bring you up your little tea before bed."
"Every night?" I asked trying to force this memory away but I knew it. Truly I did the little blonde kitchen boy who used to bring my tea, he'd bring my toast in the morning, he used to put flowers in my trays everyday
"Every night. Don't you remember?"
"Did you... Use to bring me flowers?"
"Whenever I could" he blushed "I always tried to get them before breakfast for you, I use to steal them off the cooks window he used to have a pot of lavender, rosemary and peppermint on the window so I'd always grab some if I could get away with it"
"But why?"
"Because... I really liked you. I knew nothing could have ever come of it you being the princess and all but couldn't help it.... I. I loved you. I really did."
"You stopped coming to see me?"
"I did. My mother was murdered. My father found out about me. And that she had taken me away so he sent one of his men to kill her and bring me home. He couldn't find me so returned without me. I knew he'd be back and he'd do whatever he had to in order t find me. I wanted to stay here in widows peak with you honest I did. But I knew it wouldn't be safe. Besides I was kidding myself anyway thinking you and I could ever be anything like what I wanted." He explained "so I left. When home to my father. He was ... Oddly happy. After an situation with one of his whore girls... He was left. Unable to have children so I was his only son. He took me in, trained me to fight, to command, to lead. And when he died I took over as lord commander, I built up the armies and the commanders and ended up being the strongest and most feared region in the south so when that dick came around begging on the doorstep to have people help fight his war against the north with him. He came to us first. I didn't want to go to war with the north but... Weather I was going or not he still was. They wouldn't win without us and then the north would attack us and we wouldn't have the strength for that. But even if they I'd win they'd destroy everything in the north. And... My mind though of you. I knew you where now the queen and I couldn't bare to think what would happen to you." He explained "so I made him a deal. I would go and win his war if he gave me widows peak the place I grew up and the place I wanted to save. And that he would give me you. So I knew you'd be safe. And that.... Maybe something like what I once dreamed off could be a reality"