The Early Chronicles Book Four: The Queen and the General

Chapter 10

"How is he?"  Swanwhite rushed to see Hathornia the moment she woke up (much to Genevieve's protesting).  Hathornia had just stepped out of Goran's chambers carrying some old linens.

"He progresses well.  As long as the wound doesn't fester, he will make a full recovery; that is, if he will keep still."  She rolled her eyes and started walking away.

"May I see him?"  Swanwhite begged.  Hathornia looked at Goran's room then back at Swanwhite.

"If he is awake.  But if he grows tired, it's best to let him rest."  She said.  

"Thank you for all you've done for him."  Swanwhite said gratefully.  

"Your majesty."  Hathornia curtsied and then hurried away.  Swanwhite turned and prepared to walk inside, but somehow she felt her stomach churning with nerves.  She had talked with Goran hundreds of times before, why did this feel different?  Something had changed between them and she hoped he had noticed as well.  Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open farther and stepped inside.  Goran lay on his cot gazing out the window.  When he turned and saw her, he smiled the largest smile she'd seen him smile in a very long time.  He started to sit up but then winced and changed his mind.

"Don't get up, Hathornia says you'll make a full recovery if you hold still."  Swanwhite said and sank down beside him.

"Sitting still isn't usually in my nature."  He said with a tense voice that signaled he was in pain.  Her heart wretched and she grabbed his hand instinctively, but blushed when he stared at it suddenly.

"Forgive me."  She started to pull her hand away, but he grasped it tightly before she could.  His eyes met hers.

"Swanwhite, can you ever forgive me for what I almost did?  I just couldn't let them hurt you."  Swanwhite's heart clenched at the emotion in his voice. 

"It's all right."  She soothed.  "You were doing what you had to do."

"I tried to alter the message but they found out--"

"I'm proud of you, Goran.  You kept fighting."

"I almost failed and then they would have gone after you."

"But it's over now.  Aslan protected us."  She smiled at him.  

"He answered my prayer."  Goran smiled up at her.  "I want to thank you for taking such good care of me.  Hathornia informs me you never left my side."

"I'm just glad to see you are faring well."  Swanwhite smiled.  "You gave me quite a scare."

"I owe you my life."  Goran's face became intense.  "You fought beautifully."

Swanwhite felt a surge of pride at his words.  "I have a great teacher."

Goran raised an eyebrow with humor in his eyes.  "A teacher who can still beat you."

"Not now."  She laughed.  "I wouldn't pose such threats when you're lying here practically crippled."

"I have one good arm."  He chuckled and gripped her hand with it.  Swanwhite felt such joy sitting here with him, talking and laughing as they had always done.  It was hard to believe she once thought him harsh and serious.  She now saw him as kind and loyal, as good to her as Cygnus had been and much more.  His eyes seemed to be searching hers for something.  A question that needed answering.  She looked down, unable to hold his gaze.

"When I saw you lying on the ground the other night... I got so frightened."  She brought her gaze back up to his and saw his soft eyes boring into hers.  "I was afraid..."  She swallowed hard.  "I was afraid I might lose you."

"I was afraid for the same reason."  He said.  Swanwhite looked up at him and saw that sideways smile she had grown to love.  She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it gently before holding it against her cheek.  

Swanwhite spent almost all her time talking with Goran in the next few days.  She read to him, talked with him, laughed with him, and once she even brought up a chess set to use with him.  Being around him made her feel perfectly safe and happy, more than she ever would have imagined.  He seemed as peaceful and at-ease as she felt, and soon Hathornia said his wound had healed enough for him to stand and walk about a bit.  The morning he was allowed to leave the room, Swanwhite knew exactly where to take him.

"You concern me."  He said as she helped him slowly walk down the corridor.  

"You needn't be concerned.  You'll like where I'm taking you."  She smiled with her arm linked in his.  She felt a mix of grand excitement and knots of nervousness as they climbed the stairs.  Should she be showing him this?  Did she trust him this much?  She looked up at his peaceful face and knew in her heart this was the right decision.  She led him down the hallway to her chambers and to the secret door that led to her most favorite place in the world.  She stopped just before she pushed the door forward.

"Very few people know this place exists."  She said biting her lip.  "It was a gift from my parents.  The only ones allowed here besides me were Cygnus and Rufus."

"You needn't show it to me if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, I want to.  I trust you."  She pushed the door open.  The sun was beginning to set and the gardens was illuminated with a beautiful red-orange glow.  Goran gasped beside her and Swanwhite gazed proudly upon her paradise of greenery embracing the tunnel, the vines spilling over the railing and some of the ground, the flowers with their vibrant colors and tantalizing aromas, and the ferns that filled up any leftover space so that you felt as if you were standing in the middle of one large flower.

"It's... magical."  Goran whispered.  Swanwhite smiled and looked sideways at him.

"I don't believe I've ever heard you use that word before."  She chuckled.  He walked out a little more and admired the plants around him. 

"There's no other way to describe it.  It's exquisite."

"I'm pleased you like it."

"I don't feel I should be here."  His forehead wrinkled slightly.  Abandoning all fear, Swanwhite rushed up to him and took his hand in hers and looked up at him.

"I want you to be here."  She said earnestly with her heart beating fast at the way he looked at her.  "Don't you see?  This is my way of showing you that I... trust you a great deal."  His eyes gained a new depth to them.  "I... care about you."  She felt her voice growing softer and now she felt as if she was swimming in those deep blue eyes.  "I...love you."  Her cheeks heated as she said it, but a slow smile spread across Goran's face.  He kissed her hand.

"I've waited and hoped for those words for quite some time."  He said as he caressed her hand in his.  "I love you, my dear Queen Swanwhite."  Swanwhite felt her heart fluttering and her breath becoming shallow, but it was the most beautiful feeling in the world.  "But you deserve someone  who can give you what I can't.  You deserve a powerful duke or a prince."  His forehead wrinkled and sadness filled his eyes.

"I don't need a prince."  Swanwhite raised an eyebrow at him.  "I need a general."

His smile warmed her heart and she noticed his head was angled towards hers and very close.  She closed her eyes and felt him kiss her lips so lightly it was almost like a whisper.  He kissed her a second time slightly more firmly, then pulled her into his embrace and kissed her strongly.  There they stood in the beautiful orange glow of sunset, forgetting everything around them as if they were the only two people in the world.