The Courtier

40

THE COURTIER
♡ Josephine ♡

From the moment I started working for Arabella's family and now at the palace, my mind was not set on the thought of falling in love. Love chooses you. It hits you so hard, it has you so off balance and your partner comes to the rescue and you are now both in love with another.

My mother was slowly getting better by the treatments Ugene had sent a doctor to provide for her. Beth had visited Nolan and mother whom almost fainted at the sight of her, and they all cried. You could say forgiveness was shared between all of them.

Our family was healing.

I still resided in the palace with Arabella and Jaxson, my room still in front of Ugene's whom did not leave me alone even just for a moment.

Serena and Bridger left for their honeymoon, and I would not be surprised if they came bearing the news of them expecting.

I do think Arabella is going insane without seeing her sister for at least a day, but Ruth made her company, and me.

And for the news of Ugene and I... We are more than happy that we finally have each other again, and nothing was coming in between that.

Upon this evening, we hid in his bedroom- he had collected all of my drawings and placed them in a folder neatly on my wishes. He unfortunately fussed over it, wishing to keep them all around so he could always see me.

A white sheet laid around my body as I lean back in Ugene's chair- naked underneath the sheet as Ugene's eyes stare into mine. His black shirt is unbuttoned, unraveled from his trousers and he has his tongue sticking out of his mouth as he concentrates on portraying me through the paper in his hands.

"How long does it normally take for you to create a drawing?"

He pauses his work, lifting his soft eyes to me. "Not long, but you, it takes a while because I do not wish to make any flaws within the pages of my books. You are flawless, Josie baby."

A blush creeps up my neck. "So, how many days?"

"A few days," he hums, heading back to his pencil and letting his talent fall through his fingers and onto the page.

"I have to sit here for a few days?!" I exclaim, clutching the sheet.

A smirk takes over his features as he looks back up at me. "More time to spend with you. Does that not sound so sweet?"

"Get to drawing, mister." Lifting my chin, I ordered him to get back to drawing because I was not coming back for another. As he stays quiet, in his own world as his hand slips over the page, trying to get every little about me onto the paper, I cannot help but wonder. "What made you start drawing? How did you know you had this talent?"

"It helped me escape the lashings from my father." His jaw ticks when he keeps himself busy with drawing as I listen. I was happy he was finally allowing me to know his story. "He thought they were silly drawings, but it was always something I was feeling at the time."

"And what was that?" I frown.

He looks up, hesitant, but the moment he finds my eyes, all his nightmares seem to fade away. "Sadness, I wished for death at one point." I try to move to comfort him, but he points his finger in warning. "Don't you dare move, Josie."

"I am almost finished," he swiftly adds, and it has me perking up.

After a few minutes longer with myself growing bored of waiting around, he finally drops his pencil and his eyes gleam down at the paper.

"What?" I sit up in my seat wishing to see. "Allow me."

He flips the paper and I am in awe. I have seen his drawings before, but being in the moment of the process was much more magical. He did not miss my moles on my skin, and the curves of my body. I was beautiful.

"It is not as perfect as seeing the real you in person, but hopefully someday in life when we are all gone and the new generation of people forms they will know whom the most heavenly woman there was. They will know whom my wife shall look like." My hands falter at his words, letting loose a bit of my sheet that covers my most prized possessions. My temple.

Tears formed in my eyes at his words and at what he had just called me. His wife.

"W-What?" I stutter like the fool I am.

"Heirate mich, Josie, Baby," he mumbles, his eyes holding a set of his own tears but he holds them so passionately, not afraid of allowing me to see such emotions escape from him.

Marry me.

He wishes for me to be his wife?

I cry out, wiping my eyes that tears have spilt. Taking a stand, my body falls onto his lap and I wrap my arms around his neck as his arms fall upon my waist.

"Ich tue," I mutter against his lips and a boyish filter his lips, and we both lean in for a passionate kiss. I feel his hand move from around me, and he takes my hand in his and I feel him slide a ring over my finger that I gladly accept.

I do.

Looking down between us, he holds my hand, sharing the ring to my eyes.

A gold band with a diamond shining brightly into my eyes and has me welling up with tears once again.

"I love you," whispering against his lips, I let out.

"You have my heart." He places my hand over his chest, letting me feel how fast paced his heart was beating. For me. "I will love you till my last breath."

"As I will."

"That is my promise to you, that we will both be each other's rock. We will never have to apologize for our mistakes because we will never make any as long as we keep loving each other till our last breaths. I never wish to make you cry, I will be the perfect husband you deserve." He holds me so close, so that I no longer have to hold the top of my sheet and my breasts squeeze together against his chest.

My hand reaches for his face, he leans against my touch. "You are already perfect, Ugene. There is nothing to change. Nothing."

It was true. It was like he had jumped straight out of a novel and into my arms.

"You are flawless to me as I am to you," I whimper against his lips when his fingers lightly trace over my naked thigh that meets his. "I could never wish for anything more than being here with you, in your arms."

"Forever," he replies, kissing me deeply.

Forever. Who knew Courtiers could fall in love?

THE END.