Ezekiel whirled laughing Isabel around. She was clad in a purple graduation gown, her cap hanging loosely in her right hand."I'm dizzy," she forced out between laughs, holding unto him tightly. He set her down on her feet and kissed her loudly."How does it feel?" He asked, beaming."I don't know," she laughed, "you are rubbing your excitement all over me and I don't even know how I feel.""Exactly," Lily intervened, "you are acting like you have never experienced a convocation before. Get off her."His entire family came to celebrate her, his cousin and his beauty wife included, with their baby."She's not your girlfriend, Lily, mind your business," Ezekiel eyed her playfully.They moved off to a little spot they set out for a picnic and they spent the rest of the day being happy for her. The group stayed an extra day before leaving. It was just two of them left now.When their relationship was a year old, they sat down for a serious conversation. They rented a beach house for the w
"I think you have done really well for your first week. You should be able to do things without supervision now... I guess that's the person that's been picking you up since you first arrived. Your boyfriend?"Isabel's lips twitched. "My fiancee," she answered with a smile. "Oh, wow, that's great. When's the wedding?" Isabel opened her mouth to reply just as Ezekiel rounded the car with a big smile in her direction. "What?" She heard Irene gasp but her mind was clouded with too much love for it to register. Her legs carried her across the road to him. "I love you," she mumbled as he enclosed her in a hug. "I think our engagement is making both of us jelly," he laughed, kissing her cheek, "I didn't even realize I was smiling so wide." She kissed him lightly and stepped back a little. Oh heavens, she laughed internally, remembering she abandoned her supervisor. "Irene?" She heard Ezekiel mumble. She turned around, seeing the dazed look on Irene's face. "Don't tell me..." she mu
The next two days, they spent letting the fire burn. No one was satiated yet, no one could stop them, no worries could bother them. On the third day, they finally stepped out to get some cool evening air and some groceries. "Everything feels different, better," she spoke as they walked into a store together, their rented car parked outside. They were in Tanzania. They rented a lone beach house which required a twenty minutes drive to get into town. It was perfect, just what they wanted. "And why is that?" He teased as they perused through shelves, hands locked. "Because we are finally finally together and my expectations of you in bed was superseded..." "Isabella!" He whisper shouted, wide eyes fixed on her. She laughed, pressing a quick kiss to his agape mouth. "What?" She asked with a smile, "do I not get to compliment my husband's bedroom skills?" He shook his head, looking around to make sure no one heard. He looked back at her, "Isabel, seriously?" "We should expect a baby
A soft knock on her door had Lady Aurora looking up."Come in," she called out.A timid maidservant entered and bowed deeply."The king wishes to see you.""My father," Aurora corrected with a sigh, "the king is my father. You say my father wants to see me.""My sincere apologies, my lady. Your father wishes to see you.""You may leave."Aurora shut the leather-bound book she had been reading and rose. Her right hand lazily untied her hair as she walked out of her room. Long tender blonde curls cascaded down her rigid back."Father," she greeted, walking in through the doors held open for her, into her father's private quarters.He was lounging by the pool, his legs in the clear water. She knew instantly that something was wrong. He was only ever in that position when he needed to think about dead important matters."Trouble outside the borders?" She placed a kiss on his cheek and lowered herself down to sit with him.He sighed deeply."I'm afraid not, dearest Aurora, I'm afraid not.
"Here, put this on, darling."Aurora received the piece of jewelry from her godmother."Thank you, Celine."She looked at herself in the silver hemmed mirror as she put the earrings on."The servants could have done a better job for your hair. Look at this tendril," Celine spoke, displeased. Aurora dodged her anxious hands, laughing softly."No need to be so nervous. It's just a casual meeting.""With your to-be husband. Not to mention, the successor to the throne of Jaresh. I wonder what the king was thinking when he made them visit.""Father is father.""Of course."Aurora watched her godmother leave, her gold embroidered gown trailing behind her. She looked back at her image in the mirror. She was nervous.*Loud music and dancing ushered the Jerash royal party in. Their golden horses dazzled in the sunlight and their silver carriages glistened in the late afternoon heat. It was a sight to behold.She stood at the entrance to the palace, along with the emperor, her godmother, and
Her mother was dead and had been for a long time so it was Lady Celine who tied the knot of Hercules around her waist on her wedding morn, over her long white robe. Lady Celine also escorted her to the palace grounds where the wedding was taking place. The people were all present in their numbers to witness not just the wedding of the King Janus's beloved daughter to the great warrior Sebastian of the Jerash empire but to witness the bonding of the two rulers.Sebastian was already at the altar, dressed in all his princely glory."Jupiter's blessings," Lady Celine murmured as she placed her hand in Sebastian's.She took one last long gaze at her godmother, her freedom before facing her to-be husband.The priest of Jupiter arose. Sebastian cut off her locket given to her by her mother and threw it in the purifying fire."When and where you are, I then and there I am; when and where you will be, I then and there I shall be." Sebastian recited slowly, his sharp gaze locked on hers."When
"The rag, get me the clean rag," The little girl fetched the needed item and handed it to Aurora. Sebastian stood to the side, hidden in the shadows. Aurora dabbed the forehead of the emperor gently, her other hand massaging his temples. Fire touches lit up the room and provided the heat needed. "Asclepius, help us. The emperor needs your healing. Oh, Asclepius, help us," she murmured, massaging his hands and feet with the healing ointment.After several minutes, she straightened, handing the used materials to the servant girl."He is stable for now but we'll have to get him proper treatment when we get home," She informed her husband. A knock followed and Sebastian's brothers ventured in."What happened to our father?" Lucius questioned immediately, narrowed suspicious eyes aimed at her."He was poisoned, he said so himself. I've done a bit to…""And I am to trust your spoken word with no proof?" He eyed her and peered down at the emperor."You have eyes. See for yourself." She pi
He looked in the mirror, pressing his face close to hers but his face still appeared blurry compared to hers."What… Your honor, your face…" Aurora gasped, sharply looking at him."I know," he muttered, straightening up and walking away. She watched him sit on the bed and place his head in his hands. Her palms grew sweaty."It might take some time but I'm sure the treatment is working. The poison's almost entirely gone. Better still, we could pay a secret visit to a priest outside our kingdom and we could ask if…""Not necessary. You have to be prepared for my death, Aurora," he cut her off sharply, lifing his head, "I'll set everything in place for you to live a comfortable free life afterwards if you do not wish to engage any of my brothers.""Sebastian!" She shouted furiously, "it's been only a week since our marriage and you dare talk about death so casually. Isn't that a tad shameless!""You…"A sharp knock on the door cut him off abruptly."Your honor, my lady, dinner is ready."