Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Seren continued to rest while Drayce got busy with his work as what Tyra said was in his mind all the time. Sitting inside the study he was busy going through the parchments while Jasper silently accompanied him. 

"Your Majesty, we have discussed the import of goods from Abetha with their ministers," he unrolled one parchment in front of Drayce, "This is what we have agreed on."

Drayce went through it, "Approve it."

Jasper nodded and opened another parchment, "This is the map of the border between Megaris and Thevailes," he pointed towards the particular part and said, "This border territory of Thevailes belongs to Megaris now. It will come in use if they try another attempt of war with us."

"Hmm! Make sure to have more soldiers there so they won't try to invade it like last time and ask them to always be alert," Drayce suggested. 

This continued for the next one hour. Being a good king, he could never ignore his Kingdom for his own issues.

Finally, Jasper thought to stop, "This is for a day, Your Majesty."

Drayce looked at him calmly, "What about the new ships we have asked to build to strengthen the marine force?"

Jasper looked at him, "Dray, just stop for a while and tell me what is wrong with you? Is there something serious about Her majesty?"

Drayce shook his head, "It's about me."

"What is it?" Jasper asked. 

Drayce explained everything that Tyra said. "You know it's not that easy to show her the reality. She might even feel scared."

"But you can't hide it forever. Moreover, you are the only one who finds him dangerous. What he did was always to protect you and the ones you cared about. What Lady Tyra said is right, he is not someone different but just you. Her Majesty should know about it so she won't feel scared of his sudden appearance," Jasper suggested. 

Drayce had the same thought in his mind. "I will think about it."

------

Drayce didn't go to see Seren again the entire day as he believed she must be resting and got the updates about her through the servants. He went to her late in the night when the entire palace had drifted to sleep. With the strong gust of wind, he entered the room where Seren was in a deep sleep. The entire day he was worried for her and finally couldn't help but come to her.

There could be no night when his wife would sleep without him. 

Drayce made sure she was in a deep sleep and climbed the bed. He got inside the same blanket that covered Seren and slept closer to her. Just by spending two nights with her in her bedchamber, by now, Drayce had understood she felt cold even in the thick blanket and fire burning in the fireplace. But she could sleep comfortably only when he was with her. The previous night, she even hugged him on her own and slept comfortably. If not for the incident in the morning, everything between them would have turned even better. 

Drayce moved his hand and contemplated over whether he should put it on her or let her be. 'She will feel better. Last night she liked it when I held her closer,' he thought and surrounded his hand and soon he drifted to sleep. 'She feels so good.'

He forgot to accept, not just Seren but he was used to having her with him and only then he could sleep so comfortably. 

----

The next morning when Seren woke up by dawn. She felt good after a comfortable deep long sleep. Realizing something, she turned to look at her right side but there was no one.

'I felt like he was here. I felt that energy coming from him. It's like in my sleep I was floating in that energy,' she thought and sat in her bed, 'Is he gone or was it my illusion?' she turned sad, 'He didn't come to visit me even once since that moment? Is he angry with me for accusing him of poisoning me? Must be...I said bad things to him when he did nothing. Will he not come to see me now?' Seren felt her heart feeling numb and she felt worried. 'I sure had hurt him. When people in Abetha accused me wrongly, I felt bad and angry too. I need to apologize to him. But how can I when he won't come to me? Should I just go to him later?'

Seren had so many things going in her mind and sat in her bed while holding that thick blanket tightly. 'Why am I feeling so cold suddenly when I felt warm till now? Did the temperature drop suddenly? The weather here is so unpredictable.'

Just then Marie entered the bedchamber. Seeing Seren awake she bowed to her, "Good Morning, Your Majesty."

"Good Morning, Marie," Seren replied. 

Marie came to her, "How are you feeling now, Your Majesty?"

"It's a little better," Seren replied, "But I am feeling cold now."

"I will add some more wood to the fire," Marie went towards the fireplace and started adding more woodblocks to it as she said, "Your Majesty, I hope you are not scared now."

Hearing it, Seren felt embarrassed about the way she acted when she saw the blood in bed. "I caused trouble for you all," Seren mumbled. 

Marie finished adding wood and said, "It's not a trouble for us, Your Majesty. We all are glad that you finally got your monthly cycle and you now understand it."

Seren thought about something, "Isn't there any way to stop it...it just feels so uncomfortable and painful," Seren asked hesitantly. 

Marie went closer to the bed and looked at Seren calmly and said softly, "I understand Your Majesty. It's Your first time and you are not used to it, but later it will feel like nothing. Also, it's important for women to have it."

Seren nodded sadly, "Lady Tyra told me."

"We all have gone through it and it's nothing of a big deal. Later it just becomes a normal part of our lives," Marie explained, "Moreover, we are here to help Your Majesty when you face any trouble."

Seren nodded to it. From morning to evening the entire day passed by, but Drayce didn't come to see Seren. It was the second day when she didn't see him. When he came to see her the previous day, she was sleeping and when he came to her in the night, she was still in the deep sleep to know his presence around.

She had spent her entire day in her bedchamber while resting or sometimes going to the balcony to get fresh air. This sudden weakness and little pain didn't allow her to go out and the discomfort she felt made her agitated. Though her servants kept talking to her and her ladies in waiting tried to refresh her mood by telling her some stories from here and there, she felt happy about nothing and found nothing interesting. Being a curious person to the outside world she was always so excited to know about anything but now she only felt depressed. 

By the evening, she finally asked, "Lady Xena, is His Majesty not in the palace?"

"I did not hear anything about His Majesty leaving the palace," Lady Xena replied, "But I will ask someone and let Your Majesty know."

Seren nodded and Lady Xena left. 

Seren didn't know why she was feeling sad and why not seeing him for long was making her so uncomfortable. 'Why am I like this? Am I missing his presence?'

Soon Lady Xena returned, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is in the palace but seems to be busy."

Seren could only nod and kept quiet. Once it was time to sleep, tucking Seren in her bed, the servants left.

It was late in the night but Seren couldn't fall asleep. Suddenly she felt something that she was waiting for- A strong gust of wind and that energy she always felt from Drayce was getting stronger as she felt he was coming closer to her. 

'He is here,' she concluded, being sure about it but didn't turn to look at him. She knew he would come to her but suddenly felt the energy going away from her. 

'Is he leaving already?' Seren turned anxious. He was there finally but he was leaving without even having a word with her. She turned and saw Drayce in his nightclothes, going away from her bed.

"Your Majesty," she called.

Drayce stopped and turned to look at her and asked softly, "Are you still awake, My Queen?" 

She was so anxious about him leaving her that she ignored the question and sat up in the bed and asked, "Your Majesty, are you leaving? Are you angry with me?" Her sad face turned even sadder and her eyes looked like she had lost something precious. 

Drayce wanted to answer her but said, "First, let me add some woods to the fire. The bedchamber seems colder for you." 

He went towards the fireplace while Seren only stared at him and observed his every movement. She didn't even wish to blink, feeling scared that he might disappear if she blinked and missed seeing him even for a fraction of a second. She didn't care if she felt cold. She just wished him not to be angry with her and not leave her alone. Not seeing him for two days made her realize that she needed him, she missed him.

Once Drayce added enough wood blocks and felt it was the right temperature in the room, he returned to Seren and sat at the edge of the bed as he looked at her with a sight full of care, "Why are you still awake, my Queen?" Drayce lifted the blanket and wrapped it around her.

"I couldn't sleep?" she answered, letting him do what he was doing. 

"Why? he asked and looked back at her. 

She stared at him with her puzzled sight and thought, 'Because I missed his Majesty's presence.'

"Is the bed not comfortable or is it cold?" Drayce asked again, not knowing what was going on in her mind. 

Seren shook her head and said, "I was worried that His Majesty is angry with me."

"Why would I be angry with My Queen?" Drayce asked. 

"Her eyes turned moist as if she would shed tears anytime soon and lowered her head, "I-I accused Your Majesty wrongly. I apologize for that. Your Majesty can punish me."

Drayce smiled lightly and said, "I am not angry at My Queen and I can never punish you for anything then whatever you do."

It surprised her when she was expecting him to act angry with her. "Won't punish me, why?"

"Because if something that will hurt My Queen, it will also hurt me?" Drayce replied. 

"Hurt you too?" she asked. 

"It will hurt me too," he assured. 

"Then, Your Majesty, is your stomach hurting too?"

It puzzled Drayce. "Mine?"

"Your Majesty said, what hurts me will hurt him too."

The young naive Queen always got the literal meaning of everything and ended up asking something that could only make him laugh. Drayce suppressed his laughter and said, "Not like that my Queen."

She looked at him questioningly and drayce explained, "If something hurts my Queen, then it will hurt me here," he put his hand on his chest.

"It must hurt a lot," she said.

"Hmm, that's why my Queen should always be away from getting hurt or it will hurt me too." Drayce was aware that she didn't understand what he meant but nodded to what she said. As long as she kept herself safe, it was enough for him.

"I will be careful, Your majesty," she assured. 

"My Queen, you should sleep now." Saying Drayce stood up. 

It made her sad, "Are you leaving, Your Majesty?"

"You don't want me to leave?" Drayce asked. 

She shook her head, "I feel lonely when I am left alone in this huge bedchamber."

"I stood up to make a space for myself in the bed," Drayce said as he looked at where Seren sat. 

Seren realized she was sitting on his side of the bed and tried to move but before that, she was lifted up in the strong arms and was laid on the bed gently on her side of that huge bed.

The next moment she felt a warm body sleeping next to her inside the blanket. Seren felt nothing strange and instead looked at Drayce as if she was expecting something from him. 

Drayce pulled her closer, "Is it fine, my Queen?"

Seren nodded as she buried her face in his chest and spoke, "Your Majesty won't be gone when I will wake up, right?"

"I won't," Drayce assured but then felt Seren's hand moved at the knot he had tied to his robe in front of his stomach. She had pulled one end of the belt and wrapped it around her palm and clutched it in her fist. 

It surprised Drayce, 'So she doesn't want me gone,' he smiled pleasantly, 'What a unique way to not let me go. But not like I want to go away from her either.' He closed his eyes with a pleasant thought and soon the two fell asleep.