To Save a Kingdom

Chapter 15

(Picture of Eve)

After a lot of whining and persuasion I finally convinced mother and Jared to allow me out of my room. They had become like prison guards locking me in for my own safety. Jared was terrified to let me out of his sight.

When I finally eased out of bed and stood up he was there prepared to catch me if I should stumble. I held in the hiss that threatened to escape my lips as I jostled my sore ribs. I knew that if I let it out Jared wouldn't let me come down.

"For breakfast." I had begged. "Just let me come down and eat with you."

"That's not necessary. I eat with you everyday." Jared claimed. He didn't understand the difference between eating in bed and eating in a dining room. I was tired of my bed and would be content to never return to it. I knew Jared would force me back up after I had finished eating.

"Jared please." I pleaded. "We need to announce the news to mother."

He had become visibly pale at that statement. He looked at me with his terror evident in his eyes.

"Must we?" he asked. Obviously nervous.

"Yes." I said firmly and he nodded finally accepting that I was right. Mother needed to know that we were going to get married.

And now we were here. The time had finally come. Jared smiled at me nervously and tugged on his collar. His arm was around my waist in case I needed him to support me. I took a step away and placed his hand in mine. He visibly gulped and sucked in a deep breath. Then he opened the doors.

Sitting down at the table Jared piled food on his plate. Like he was afraid this meal might be his last. I looked at him slightly amused at his discomfort. Jared always seemed like the strong warrior. Dependable and powerful in everything that he did. To see him in such a terrified and vulnerable state was a new experience for me.

Across the table Joseph had also noticed Jared's display. Joseph looked at me and I merely shrugged and returned to the egg on my plate. Liddy who had become a regular visitor cocked her head to the side with a confused look on her face.

When I looked up and made eye contact with Joseph I knew that I had made a mistake. His eyes widened and a huge smile spread across his face.

He knew.

I shook my head ever so slightly at him to tell him to keep quiet. His smile grew impossibly larger and he returned his attention to his breakfast glancing up every now and then to look at Jared and I.

"You all seem awfully quiet this morning." Mother said while adding butter to her toast. "Is there something I should know about?"

Joseph shook his head and I did the same. Liddy shrugged and mother's attention was turned to Jared. He looked up with wide eyes and pale skin. He looked positively terrified. I could practically hear his heart beat and feel the anxiety rolling off of him.

"Is there something Jared?"

He shook his head and I turned to glare at him. Then he nodded slightly.

Mother raised one eyebrow obviously confused at the exchange taking place between Jared and I.

I sighed and took his hand in mine on top of the table. Then I looked at mother.

"Jared has asked me to marry him." I stated simply.

Mother gasped and Jared cringed. Then mother did the unexpected and smiled. A laugh bubbled up and she was actually chuckling.

"It's about time!" she practically shouted causing all of us to jump. "Finally!" she said.

I heard Jared gulp and let out a deep breath that he had been holding.

Joseph was smiling across the table from us nodding. Jared nodded back and reached for his cup to get a drink.

"You're a coward." I whispered to him and he nodded in agreement. "Is she that frightening?"

"Yes." he managed to croak.

"What's so scary about her she's tiny?"

"She may be small but I wouldn't doubt her." He said and I laughed at him as he returned to normal. Eventually we were having regular conversation.

He took my hand in his and held it beneath the table where it couldn't be seen. In that moment I knew that I didn't regret my decision to say yes to his proposal.

After being confined to the bed for so long my body was aching from the breakfast chair. But I refused to say anything. Any mention of my discomfort and Jared would march me straight up to bed again. I was determined to stay out of it.

After breakfast was over Jared gave me a stern look that practically dared me to argue with him. He wanted to take me back to my room and tuck me into bed so I couldn't hurt myself. He just didn't understand that I didn't want to go back to bed just yet.

In return I gave him my saddest face.

"Please." I begged leaning against his arm and looking up at him. I placed a hand against his chest and looked into his eyes. I was using unfair tactics but it didn't matter. Whatever it took to keep me out of that bed I would do. "Don't make me go back just yet."

Jared cleared his throat and shook his head at me. He knew exactly what I was doing. He wrapped his arm around my back to steady me as I held onto the back of my chair.

"Lets just go for a little walk out in the gardens then you can take me back to prison."

He chuckled then led me outside. It was wonderful to finally be out in the sunshine. I sucked in a deep breath of the fresh clean air and instantly regretted it when my ribs ached.

"Why did you ask me to marry you?" I asked him.

He looked at me confused. "Do you not want to marry me?"

"No, of course I do!" I insisted. "I was just curious what made you propose when you did."

He looked down at the grass as we walked for a few seconds. "After seeing you in chains and shackled to the wall. After seeing you beaten and bruised I knew. I knew that I couldn't ever see you like that again. It felt like my soul was being torn out. And then when you were asleep for so long and all I wanted to do was see your eyes again and hear your voice I knew that I wanted to be with you forever." He shrugged. "I knew that I wanted you to be mine and I wanted to be yours."

I stopped to face him then went on my tip toes leaned forward and kissed him. He kissed me back with passion and wrapped his arms around me pulling me closer. I winced as my ribs ached and he pulled away. Instantly I frowned and Jared laughed then allowed me one kiss that was much to gentle for my taste.

We walked for awhile before I noticed how quiet it was. Before I had left to find Joseph the fields had been buzzing with the quiet conversations of the workers. Now there was silence.

I took Jared's hand and pulled him to the edge of the gardens. From this spot we could see the fields that were full of sprouting plants and the workers that had been tending to them.

The fields were completely empty.