Against the Crown

Chapter Twenty-Two

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2 months later...

Queen Dhara sat on her throne as her court and familyargued about a royal consort for her. The events of 2 months ago still left alot of people shaken, but Sansia was on the road to healing, and everyone washopeful for better years to come. The pall of darkness that had hung over thekingdom, becoming even darker following the death of the king, had lifted: itfelt like the sun, after a long eclipse, was finally shining as it ought.

Queen Dhara had restructured the royal guards and variouscabinets, putting Malachi, Brynn, and Samson in charge of the reforms. Brynnand Samson were angry with her for some reason, always mumbling about a damnedbet, but that was their problem, not hers.

Edna Daan and Lucius Zegemule had been tried andconvicted of regicide, consorting with Darkness, and several other charges thathad no problem sticking. Forlorn, now Dhara's Royal Jailer, had them secured inthe In-Between: Edna was in prison, while Lucius was in a reformation program.His sisters visited him once in a while; Edna wasn't allowed visitors, and theynever asked to see her either.

Aunt Lynda made a full recovery and took up the mantle ofHigh Seer; the previous one was also locked up in the In-Between. The Tornersgloated over the fact that they were now the royal family, and some had gottenpower-drunk and did things that almost led to a public riot, but Forlorn andher team put them in their place.

Dhara looked out at the court, marveling about the thingsthey decided to occupy themselves with. She wished Malachi were here.

After she had fainted following her claim to the throne,Malachi had taken her to one of the royal bed chambers in the palace. She hadused up too much power, causing her to burn out. She was unconscious for five days,the longest for any mage since Gule Nya the Great (a sorcerer who expendedhimself fighting the Light and fell into a 4-day coma. He died on the eveningof the fourth day). In that entire time, Malachi was in full warrior mode,staying by her bedside and monitoring everyone who came in and out.

She woke up in the evening of the fifth day; Malachicalled Brynn, and left immediately she sat on the bed.

No one had heard from or seen him since.

So Queen Dhara sat on her throne, shutting out thesquabbling, and thought of her Fated.

Ours, herawakened power whispered. She had to find Malachi.

Sure, he had hurt her, and there was the possibility thatit would happen again, but love believes and hopes all things. Dhara washopeful.

She got up and left the hall, doubtful that anyone inthere noticed her absence. One of the problems that came with the throne:everyone thought they knew what was best for you, and didn't expect, or want,your input.

Dhara walked into the gardens she had remodeled with thehelp of the dryads no one had ever known lived on the palace grounds. The profusionof pink was tamed; blues, greens, yellows, whites, and hybrids sprung upovernight, and the king's garden was turned into an orchard.

The pink tree with the bench underneath was leftuntouched, and that was where Dhara went. She wore an elaborate dress of goldand brown hues, and a gold crown sat on her head. Aunt Lynda (it was stilltaking a while for her to think of her as 'Mother') insisted that as queen, shehad to look the part.

She noted the 7-strong guard following her, led by onecalled Damien, who was Captain of Queen Edna's guard, and now hers. Apparently,he refused to be a part of anything Edna was doing and was locked up in thesub-level dungeons of the palace. The princesses vouched for his loyalty anddedication, so she kept him on.

Dhara sat on the bench, and the guards fanned out,knowing not to be obvious about protecting her. She leaned back against the treetrunk and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, she heard voices, indistinct,but they stopped, and no one disturbed her, so she kept her peace.

"I knew you would like this place."

Dhara opened her eyes, slowly turning her head. Malachistood to her right, looking as healthy as ever, nary a blemish on him that shecould see.

"Looking for signs of ill health? No, I wasn't sick.Tired, for a couple of weeks, but the soldier in me didn't allow for protractedperiods of unconsciousness."

"You've got jokes," Dhara turned, closing her eyes.

She felt Malachi shift. He was closer, but not sitting.

"I had a lot of time to think, about us."

"Mmhm."

"And I thought about what you said."

"I've said a lot, Malachi."

He huffed, muttering under his breath.

"We're Fated, and while that isn't a guarantee for asuccessful marriage, and you have said you wouldn't marry me just because ofthat, I am hoping you would reconsider."

Dhara arched a brow, staying silent.

"What I'm saying is, we make a good team..."

"Try again, Mal."

Malachi sighed.

"We could make this work, you and I, if we just focusedon being better..."

Dhara opened her eyes and got up to face Malachi. Hewatched her, arms crossed, tense and wary; she went closer to him and strokedhis face.

"I love you, Mal. But sometimes, you are just hopeless.Now, try again."

Malachi grinned, unfolded his arms, and wrapped themaround her.

"I love you, Dhara. I love you with all my being."

"That's better." Dhara smiled a wicked, mischievoussmile. "I hear my court wants to marry me off, and quickly, by the sounds ofit. Are you interested?"

Malachi bent down and kissed her.

"I would kill anyone who vied for your hand that wasn'tme." Dhara looked at him, and feelings of doubt started creeping in.

Trust, thepower whispered. Dhara sighed

"I love you."

"I love you," Malachi replied, holding her close. "Anddon't worry. I know what that means."