The Lonely Warrior Queen

{Chapter 104}

Catheline's POV:

Last night gave me relief.

But the next morning put me back into the hole of uncertainty and fear I buried myself in.

I woke up earlier than Xander, one hour to be precise. Many times I wanted to wake him up so that he could give me advice. It sounded selfish so I let him sleep. I wore the gown that was discarded on the floor, or whatever was left of it.

Xander struggled with the knots and was so frustrated that he simply ripped the dress off of me.

I brushed and attempted to get all the incidents of whatever we did last night out of my head. I contemplated getting dressed and waiting for my family, even if there were seven hours left for their arrival. In the end, I just sat on the bed, clutching my sword in a painful grasp. I didn't know why but I felt like it.

"Morning, love."

I felt a hand run around my back and sighed before I felt him pressing against me. I moved back and let him kiss my neck before resting his forehead against me. His warm breath tickled down my back, which was left exposed because of what he had done.

"I'm scared," I admitted, leaning onto him.

He looked shocked, his hair in an untidy and yet, beautiful mess of golden brown. "My Queen isn't afraid of anything. Remember how you managed to tackle that envoy from Sulfia all on our own?"

I blushed and then remembered that I hadn't told him the truth about what happened in that council chamber. Over the past few weeks, we have been very busy with our sorrows and ordeals. I placed my sword on the side of the bed and pulled my legs onto the bed.

"I haven't told you something," I untangled myself from him. "The envoy I had a meeting with wasn't just a normal man...the King himself disguised-" 

"What!?" Xander's jaw dropped before he closed it and held his forehead. "No, no. What the hell?"

I bit my lip nervously, looking at my hands. I wished that I had done this sooner but there was never a chance.

"So Samuel Freyk himself came over here and you negotiated with him?" he asked, bewildered. "But you didn't mention anything about that in the letter-"

"It would be too risky," I interrupted. "He said that he wanted to keep it a secret. Except his private guard, no one knew of his identity."

Xander sighed, looking at the half-lit window. The sun must be up now, floating about the horizon.

"You never told me what you told him so he could sign the peace treaty," Xander looked at me with curiosity lighting his eyes.

I bit my lip again before scratching my head softly. "He insinuated that he would open the gates for our enemy. I threatened that I would deploy the army and burn his kingdom down if he didn't choose to help us. He didn't doubt it. In the end, we settled for a trade deal, to be renewed every three years." 

When I finished talking, Xander gave me such an intense gaze that I looked away. He knew about the last part because I put the official document on his desk. And then, in one quick move, he pinned me onto the bed.

"Hey-"

"You are one feisty woman, Catheline," he smiled, a fascinated one. "You didn't just tell me that you told a King that you would burn his kingdom down."

I narrowed my eyes before raising an eyebrow. I placed my hands on his shoulders. "Do you doubt it?"

He smirked, a very amused one. "Not even for a moment. But I hope that you would put off that plan for now,"