The Sovereign's Sacrifice ☆ EDITING ☆

Chapter Twenty Eight: Ivan

Months went by and seasons changed. But there was no change in Eliana's condition. We had moved her to our chambers, where she had 24 hour care.

Each night I lay in bed beside her, begging for her to open her eyes. I yearned for her to return to me. I held her in my arms as I told her about the advances our people had made, how her sacrifice had protected them.

If it wasn't for the stupid vow I had made her to protect and serve our people, I would have abdicated the throne long ago. We were meant to rule together, not apart.

Feeling my heart fall apart day by day, I needed to know she was still with us. I rested my head on her chest and listened to her faint heartbeat. Her skin was colder than usual. It felt as though she was slipping away from me.

As a tear slid down my cheek, I kissed her forehead as I always did. I thought back to all of the dark artifact specialists and witches we had brought in to try and relieve her condition, but none of them knew what to do.

I stared at her face, stroking her cheek. "I need you to come back to me Ellie, I can't do this on my own," I wept. For the first time in these nine months, I pressed my lips to hers, hoping she would show me some sign of life, something to give me hope.

I opened my eyes, just as she gasped for air, the color returning to her face. I wiped my tears as I pulled her into my arms. "You're alive," I wept into her neck, placing kisses along it and pulling her closer as if she'd escape if I let go.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me Ellie," she teased, patting my head reassuringly.

"You knew all along what was going to happen, didn't you?" I accused.

"I did, but I couldn't risk you giving it away," she spoke sadly. "Your emotions betray you, my husband."

She kissed me tenderly. "I would've kept this secret," I argued.

"You waited nine months to kiss me, so I think we are even."

"In my defense, I kissed you on the forehead alot," I smiled. "I need to get you checked out, I cannot risk anything else happening to you."

"May I bathe first?"

"If course, I'll join you. I'm not letting you out of my site now that I have you back," I spoke lovingly. I buried my face in her neck again, kissing her and teasing her. She moaned softly and it took everything in me to break away gently.

She gripped my shirt and pulled me closer, kissing me passionately on the lips. "I love you, my love, my husband, and my king," she whispered.

"You were my queen long before we were married," I told her. "All of this threw me back into the past. It was like losing you all over again. I never want to feel that again."

"It was the only way, when the healer comes, I think you'll understand a bit better," she whispered kissing me. I scooped her up and set her down on the edge of the counter.

"From the time that you fell under the curse, many improvements have been made. Using aqueducts, a water treatment facility and a few things we can go over later, we now have running water in our kingdom. Without the dark lord ambushing our trade routes and seizing our goods, this was the first of many advancements for our people," I smiled proudly.

I turned the knob at our large tub, and warm water spilled from the spout. I quickly removed my clothes, she watched me with dark, cloudy eyes. She took her lip between her teeth as she stared at me.

"Not yet wife, I need to ensure your safety first. Then I will take you, tenderly and lovingly," I spoke. "Then when you can't bear it anymore, I'll fuck you into oblivion, making it so you can't walk," I added with a growl.

Her eyes continued to glow with desire as I spoke. A soft sigh fell from her lips as I kissed her and removed her clothes. For months, I had changed her clothing using a magic spell taught to me by one of the healing mages, it was also how I bathed her. This was so much more satisfying, touching her, removing her clothing with my hands.

As I removed the last bit of her clothing, a sweet aroma met me from between her legs. It was intoxicating, I'd almost forgotten her addicting smell. I pulled her toward the bath with me.