To Kiss a King

Chapter 5

Fiora swam back into consciousness, her head was resting upon silk pillows and she was tucked under a thin blanket. She couldn’t remember how she had gotten here, but her head ached and she felt exhausted.

 Sleepily she noticed that her hands were captured in a larger pair, glancing up she saw Rafael sleeping next to her. He was so beautiful sleeping there, his hard features seemed smoother, lighter and less threatening. Fiora’s eyes felt heavy again and in her sleepy state she snuggled up to his warm body, once more slipping into a heavy slumber. 

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Early sunrise drew Rafael out of his peaceful sleep. Glancing down he saw that Fiora was pressed up against his side and they were hand in hand still. Emotion swam over him, if only this moment could last forever. He allowed himself to imagine that things were different. That  Fiora really cared for him and it was just any other day waking up beside her. 

She was so beautiful sleeping next to him, her slender body pushed up against his side, hair sprawled out over the silken sheets. He was even drawn to her in his sleep, he seemed to have snuggled up close to her.  Drawing one hand away for a moment he wrapped a brunette curl around his finger.

Her hair was like silk itself, he wanted nothing more than to thrust his hands into her hair and kiss her passionately. His eyes traveled down to her face, there was no pain, no hatred just restfulness. Dark full lashes graced her cheeks and her full lips were slightly parted in her sleep. Rafael reached a tentative hand forwards and traced her soft cheeks with a rough finger. Ever so lightly he brushed her bottom lip and she made a small contented sigh in her sleep. It took every single ounce of strength to resist kissing those full lips then and there. 

Regretfully he pulled himself away from her, knowing that once she awakened, her hatred and sorrow would return. He was the last man on earth she would want to wake up to and she was the only woman on earth he would. 

It was early morning now and Rafael had neglected all his duties for the past three days. He ran a hand through his thick black hair and made his way for his study. 

“My lord.” A guard stepped away from the wall and approached him slowly. 

“Yes? What is it Erickson?” Rafael questioned the sandy haired man before him. 

“The doctor you hired for the girl’s mother is here.” The man inclined his head. “You said you wished to speak to him?” Erickson prompted. 

“Yes, yes of course. Send him to my study.” Rafael patted Erickson on the shoulder in dismissal. 

What Fiora didn’t know is that Rafael had taken her mother into the castle and ordered the best doctor to be summoned to look after her. But Fiora never let him explain anything and now with her dead she would never listen to reason. She would merely think he was lying, trying to gain back her favor. 

“So she thinks I am such an evil man, fine then that is what I will be. She needs someone to blame right now, it’s better she hate me than herself.” Rafael said angrily to himself. 

Reaching his study he pulled the door open trying to swallow his anger. He didn’t want to take out his frustration upon the withered old doctor.  But to his surprise and anger what he found inside his study wasn’t a sweet old man but rather a treacherous, evil old man. 

An old man of considerable bulk stood at Rafael’s desk, his hand were full of documents and he smiled lazily. 

“What are you doing here? I thought I banished you.” Rafael growled, stalking forwards like an angry lion ready to pounce. 

“Oh come now, people say things they don’t really mean all the time.” He lifted a dark eyebrow. 

“Haven’t you done enough damage as it is?” Rafael lunged forwards and took the man by the scruff of his shirt. 

The beak nosed man merely laughed. “Come now, is this anyway to treat your father?”