My King

Chapter Fourteen: Friend or Foe?...

Never. Only Akia can bare my children. Theo truly wanted to say, but he contains himself with a sigh. "Someday," he said before removing himself from the window seal. "For the meantime, do not stress me. I am very busy trying to keep this kingdom intact," he put on his dark red robe. "I do not have time for a nagging wife." He gave the squire boy a nod to open the door before walking out.

Akia stood in front of Princess Fran with Mary beside her. Fran stared at Akia in shock from the sudden news. "Y-you want to leave the castle?" Fran asked.

Akia shook her head. "No, princess Fran. Well, yes. What I am saying is I want to finish Martha; Mary's grandmother duties and take care of her as well. As a guardian until she's old enough to marry."

"That will be on five years," Fran stated. "Well then, I would have to dismiss you from being my lady." Fran stood on her feet and wiped down her dress before looking up at Akia with a sigh. "Akia, you are no longer my lady in waiting."

Akia bowed to her princess, so did Mary. "Thank you Princess, for your understanding."

"I only dismissed you from being my lady, you have to speak with the king in order to work outside the castle."

Mary's grip tighten around Akia's hand in fear of the King disapproval of Akia's decision. "Very well," Akia said.

Fran nod and put her attention on the beautiful blonde girl by Akia's side. Mary was now hiding half of her body from the Princess stare. It made Fran smile. "You are a very beautiful little girl."

"Thank you, princess," Mary squeaked out.

Fran looked at Akia once more. "Goodbye Akia. Not only are you planning to leave the castle, but today is when I leave for France. My future brother in law luckily pushed the date back. You gave me good service, and you are a excellent friend. Hopefully you will send me letters."

Akia smiled. "And hopefully you will do the same." Once again Akia bowed and so did Mary.

"You are dismissed," Fran said before wiping her fallen tears away. Once she said that, the doors opened. Akia gave her friend one last look before walking out into the corridor.

Mary gasped and tugged on Akia's hand once she spotted the handsome king for the first time. The way he walked with confidence told Mary he was the king, not if the prince. Akia noticed Theo from the corner of her eye first. She turned to her husband before bowing. "King Theo." She a knowledges.

Theo stopped in front of Akia and the frightened little girl. "Lady Akia."

"King Theo, I am sorry but I am no lady anymore." Akia said as Theo face went from confusion to shock.

"May I ask why?"

"Yes, actually I wanted to speak to you."

Theo gave Akia a nod. "Only? Or-"

"We can speak here. Mary," Akia pulled Mary in front of her. "Mary's grandmother; Martha passed away. She has no one but me. I wanted to ask for your permission to stay with Mary in her grandmother's cottage until she finds a suitable husband."

Disappointment played on his face. "That's five years at least."

Akia nod. "Yes, I've been told." Akia sighed and looked up at her King- her husband. "Please King Theo, she needs a good guardian that she can trust."

Theo took a deep breath before looking down at Mary with a stern look. "Where is you parents?"

"Dead, my lord." Mary's voice was squeaky and low.

Once again Theo took a deep breath and looked at Akia's pleading face. "So be it. Until Mary finds a suitable husband, the cottage is yours. After Mary gets married, you must leave the cottage to her husband, offsprings and herself, and come back to the castle as a royal servant."

Akia nod. "Thank you, King Theo."

Akia lit the last candle in the window seal to bring light into the dark cottage. From the way the moon was set in the middle of the night sky that was full of shining stars- Akia knew it was midnight. Mary was resting her fragile body in the attic in the cottage. While Akia was wide awake, she couldn't sleep at all.

As Akia looked out the small window, she saw a tall shadow moving behind a tree. At first she thought it was Theo sneaking out the castle, but when the figure moved into the moonlight; Akia saw a unfamiliar face. A stranger.

Her curiosity and protective older sister instincts started to show, as she made her way outside into the cold night with a lighten candle stick in her hand, night gown on and her long hair pinned up.

"Friend or foe," a deep French accent voice said; making Akia stop in front of the tree she saw the shadow behind.

"Friend of Martha. How about you stranger? Friend or foe?"

She can hear the smirk as the stranger stepped from behind the tree and allowing Akia to see him fully. His long black hair covered half of his handsome face and goatee. His eyes was brown if you directly put light in front of them, he was tall of course and slim. His clothes showed no sign of royalty- No! It showed a sign of a pirate as he wore a white saffron shirt it's wide sleeves, and leather pants. "Neither," he said.

Akia took a step back in caution. "Who are you?"

The pirate took a step forward with a smile on his face. He took a bow while putting one hand behind his back and the other placed on his stomach. He stood up straight to look at Akia. "Daniel..."