The Darke King

My Queen

The faint vibration in Daniel's fingers and toes moved swiftly through his body until the click-click of horse hooves on the cobblestone path and the Sentry's alarm reached his ears. "Her Majesty's approaching."

A flutter in Daniel's chest wiggled its way up to his throat, and no matter how he tried to swallow it down, the nervous rush overwhelmed him. Six long months passed since he'd taken his kingdom, and the castle was finally worthy enough for his family to join him.

Daniel rushed to the doors, throwing the dark wool cloak off his shoulders as his black leather boots slapped against the castle's stone floors. With a flick of his wrist, he willed them open as if they'd been itching to bow to him.

The wagon pulled to a stop before him, and he slapped his hand to his heart when he saw his daughter on Rosemary's lap. "Is that my Sigrid? She's gotten so big."

When Rosemary's soft hand met Daniel's, it was like the first static charged spark the day they met, and he pulled her in his arms for more. Squished between them, the little princess slapped at Daniel with her chubby little hands as he kissed them with each swat against his lips.

"Yes, well, children do that, Daniel." His eyes snapping back to hers, Rosemary twisted her lips and lifted her brows into an expression that reminded him how much he had to make up for. "It's been six months."

Her hair slid between his fingers as he closed them at the back of her head. Not a time for kindness or pleasantries, Daniel yanked her to his lips and nearly swallowed her bottom one whole while he took back every kiss he missed since he'd been away.

The rest of the world lost to them, it was Sigrid's belly giggles that broke them from their trance. Her knees were weak and her senses scrambled from the first taste of him she had in months as Rosemary panted against Daniel's chest and balled his shirt into her hands.

Still drunk on the scent of wildflowers on her hair, Daniel rubbed his soft lips against her forehead and begged for mercy. "Forgive me."

An amused blast of air huffed from her nose as she smirked and rolled her eyes, then she poked her finger into his shoulder. "This time, Daniel."

Inclined to finally release her from his grasp, Daniel brought his fingers to her chin and pushed it up, so she looked into his eyes. "Never again. Never."

Knowing he was a man of his word, Rosemary grinned and nodded. "I know. It's alright. We're together now, and that is all that matters."

He slid his hand down her arm until their fingers interlaced, then he brought her hands to his lips. "Come, let me show you your castle."

Her kinfolk bowed to her as she climbed the stairs, and she chuckled to herself. "I saw this once in my dreams."

When she passed over the threshold, the glimpses of another life rushed before her eyes and took her breath away. "I've been here before."

Bouncing Sigrid in his arms and patting her little back, Daniel's lips curled up when Rosemary's eyes met his again. "Yes. I told you this is not our first time, my love." Lifting his eyes to the intricately painted ceiling above them, Daniel nodded his chin to her to follow. "Look, Rosemary."

Almost afraid to see it, Rosemary took a deep breath before her eyes fluttered up above her. The familiar faces she could never place from her dreams stared back at her, and her fingertips covered her quivering lips. "It's them. I know them."

He gazed at her while she inched toward him and reached for his hand as she kept her eyes on the masterpiece they had commissioned millenniums prior. "Of course you do. They are us."