Kingdom

It was official. They were moved in. A fresh start ahead.

Anna issued a happy sigh as she stood in the empty lobby, taking in the full effect of their new surroundings. One day they would be as familiar and comforting as home, but for now they were exciting. Fresh. The concrete realisation of all of their dreams.

John's footsteps echoed a little against the shiny floorboards. His voice resounded as he spoke.

"Well, this is it. No turning back now."

"I don't want to turn back," she said fervently. "Our little dream is coming true."

"That it is," he agreed, voice husky with emotion.

She smiled wider than ever, so wide her cheeks hurt with the strain of it, moving forward to inspect what was finally theirs. Their little cottage was nestled behind this establishment, but this was where they'd be spending most of their working day, dealing with guests and working hard to ensure that their business was a success. It was vastly different from the comfortable lifestyle they'd had with the Crawleys, but Anna couldn't be happier for the change. Hard work was not a strange concept to her, and it would be so much better spending more than a few snatched minutes every day in her husband's company. It shouldn't have to be a luxury to see him for a couple of hours in the evening. They deserved quality time and privacy, exactly what every other married couple took for granted.

Anna could feel John's eyes on her as she roamed the room, running her hands along the polished wooden surfaces. Dark oak looked smart against the pale cream walls, and she could well imagine vases of flowers blooming on the reception desk, adding a burst of colour and cheer. When they'd taken the next couple of weeks to spruce the place up, it would look the picture of professionalism.

That would come after they'd taken a couple of days to sort out their cottage, of course. When they'd lived at Downton, it had seemed impossible that they could have that many possessions crowded into their small living space. And yet, when they had been packing up, their furniture had been overwhelming. Anna had never realised just how many tables they owned until they'd sorted them for cabling. She wasn't sure what on earth she would do with them all here. John had suggested putting a couple to use in the hotel itself, which seemed their best option for now. She felt rather too sentimental of the things that had made their first married home to sell them.

"God," John breathed quite suddenly behind her, "you're beautiful, you know."

"All right, charmer," she grumbled, secretly pleased at the intensity of his voice.

Her husband remained undeterred. "No, I mean it. You're glowing. Even more so than when we first moved into the cottage. Do you remember that day?"

"How could I forget?" she laughed. "At least this is less rundown than that was."

"You were so optimistic. Nothing could spoil your enthusiasm."

"We were finally happy. How could I be anything but?"

John took a step towards her. His eyes were kindling embers. A spark promised to ignite them into hazelnut fire. His voice was a low, rasping growl, the kind that made every hair on her body stand on end. "I felt as if I would burst with how much I wanted you. Memories of our wedding night had had to sustain me, and there you were in front of me, in the privacy of our own home."

"There wasn't anywhere for us to go," she reminded him playfully.

"It didn't stop us from making the most of a bad situation though, did it?" John's voice was like silk over her naked body, growing richer by the moment.

Anna giggled even as her cheeks flushed red. He was standing in front of her now, towered above her. His left hand found the curve of her waist and her own fell against the breadth of his chest as he snugged her closer. No more words were exchanged as he dipped his head down to her level, catching her mouth in a long, searing kiss. She clung to him, responding with even greater enthusiasm. The first kiss in their new home. The first of many.

When John pulled away from her, he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

"I love you, Anna May Bates," he whispered, the sound a reverent prayer falling from his lips. She tightened her hold on his middle, basking in the look he was giving her, somewhere caught between barely concealed desire and pure, open love. She nudged her nose against his, lips curving into a smile as he found her mouth again.

"You're distracting me," she murmured when he pulled away again. "We're supposed to be looking round."

"We have seen it all before," he pointed out teasingly.

She wrinkled her nose in mock-exasperation. "Well, that was before it was ours. It's different now. It's our little kingdom."

"One that we're going to build up."

The words hung promisingly in the air between them as he slipped a hand lower to cup her belly. She pressed her hand over his, keeping it flush to her. "I certainly hope so."

"No time like the present then, is there?" said John, cocking a playful eyebrow at her. She giggled, slipping her fingers through the backs of his, marvelling at how small hers looked in comparison. Strong hands that had cradled her in the worst times, tender beyond belief. Hands that were delicate now as they nestled against her.

"I think we've already done that," she smiled. Her stomach had barely expanded yet, a soft swell that was only noticeable when she was naked, but it was there all the same. The little miracle they had both longed for for so long. Their kingdom would never be as grand as the one that Lady Mary and Mr. Matthew had built for little Master George, but it would be theirs to nurture and grow and give to their children as a starting point in life.

"Who says I was talking about that?" John murmured, dipping his head to kiss her again. Anna relished the way he lingered, pulling slowly at her bottom lip as he drew back.

"Because I know you, John Bates," she retorted.

He shot her a lazy grin, putting his hands in the air as he stepped away to signal his defeat. But he continued to gaze at her with the same smoky longing, searing straight through to her very soul as she pointedly turned away from him to peruse the rest of the room. Even so, she was beaming like a fool.

"Stop it," she murmured.

"Stop what?"

"You know very well what. If you keep looking at me like that we won't make it to a bed."

John laughed out loud at that, deep and full. There had been little cause for laughter over the last few years, but Anna was determined that that would change now. She heard him step forward again, crossing the room to her side. His cane clattered to the floor as he wrapped both of his arms around her waist and tugged her back against him.

"If I recall correctly, there are plenty of beds just above our heads. I'm sure there's little danger of us not getting to one of them."

"And if I recall correctly, there were plenty of times we didn't make it that far in the cottage, even when we did have a proper bed," she retorted tartly, then squealed when he span her round, his mouth descending on hers once more.

There was no denying it: she loved it when John was as open and affectionate as he was being now. At Downton it had been more suppressed, the ever-stoic valet mask always lurking just below the surface. Now they were truly free. Giving in, she wrapped her arms around his neck and threw herself into the enthusiastic kiss.

Anna was rarely wrong. They never did make it to one of the many beds above their heads. Thankfully, the desk in their little office was more than sturdy enough to accommodate their needs.

And, she supposed as John kissed a path down her throat, they needed to start shaping their kingdom somewhere.