Chapter 39

" I thought I lost you"

" What...?" I thought I heard him wrongly

" I don't know what I would do without you" he continued

At this point I thought he was talking to himself. How could any of the nonsense he was saying be related to me in any way.

" Your majesty.." I started

" Call me by my name Nalani. From today onwards , I want you to call me by my name" he said

" That is not proper , your majesty "

" I don't care for etiquette" he growled

Why was he behaving like this? Did something happen to him. He seemed like a different person. And why wasn't he letting me go? I don't mind being in his arms. In fact I wouldn't have loved anything more but we were not in that type of relationship.

A knock on the door gave me the opportunity I needed to wiggle my way out of his arms.

" Your majesty the medicine woman is here" someone announced.

" Let her in"

He moved away . He wasn't too far and he wasn't too close. The medicine woman walked in and placed her bag on a chair next to the bed.

" I will check on her wounds" she announced.

As she removed the bandages and replaced them with new ones the King kept his eyes on me. His gaze was so intense that I started blushing. Why was he looking at me like that. I was dying to know what he was thinking while he looked at me.

Once the medicine woman was done with the wounds she turned to the King.

" I will have to wipe her your majesty. Kindly wait outside"

" Ooh, sure "

The King reluctantly woke from the bed and stormed outside. He clearly didn't want to leave my side. It was so weird . When the King locked the door behind him, the medicine woman sighed.

" I am overjoyed that you are awake"

" Thank you for treating me"

" If you didn't recover, I would have lost my head. I should be the one thanking you" she continued

" Lost your head?"

" The King is scary when he is angry " she said.

" What does this have to do with the King?"

" The King was the one who brought you from the dungeons. He carried you all the way here and refused to let anyone else touch you apart from me" she explained

" So that is what happened ,huh!"

" He told me to keep you alive otherwise I would die with you"

" He threatened you ... I'm so sorry for that. I wish to apologize on his behalf "

"No child. You don't have to. He was anxious, worried and scared. That is why he behaved like that. It was perfectly normal, anybody in his position would have reacted the same way"

" I didn't think anyone would be so worried " I whispered

" The King might be a hard , cold and unfeeling man on the surface but underneath he is kind and caring "

The qualities she mentioned were ones I have never seen before from the King. Who was she describing right now because it didn't sound like the King I knew.

" The King?" I asked

" Mmmh, if you could see him when I came to treat you, he couldn't let you go. He kept pacing around the room and watching my every move. I was so nervous"

" That doesn't sound like him at all"

" Well, it happens when you have something or someone you want to protect"

" What do you mean?"

" Nalani, by some twisted fate the King fell for you. It might not have been intentional but his actions and feelings cannot be faked"

" I'm sure your joking..." I tried laughing it off

The king was in love with me? That's some bullshit right there. It wasn't possible. Yet she was saying it was.

" Open your eyes Nalani and you'll see the truth"

She finished wiping me down and helped me wear a loose night gown.

" When will I be moved back to my quarters?" I asked

" I don't know. You should ask the King" she said

She packed up her things and started walking towards the door. She grabbed the handle and stopped

" Give him a chance. Open your heart to him. You never know what would happen" she said before she left.

Barely a minute later the King strode back in. He rushed to my side and sat next to me.

" Are you feeling better?" He asked.

" Yea. So much better than in the dungeon" I said without thinking.

He froze .

" Nalani...." He started

" Yes"

He went down on his knees.

" Your majesty you...."

" I'm sorry "

Was I hearing this correctly? Did he just apologize? The King apologized to me. I must be hallucinating.

" This must be a dream" I said out loud

He grabbed my hands in his.

" This is real. I have never been on my knees before in my life. But I want to do it for you. I'm sorry that you almost died because of me"

" Your highness please stand up" I begged.

I was panicking. Seeing him like this filled me with alot of anxiety.

" No, I have to apologize to you. I almost cost you  your life. How could I take this so lightly " he growled

" I understand and I forgive you because it wasn't your fault. You were a victim as well" I tried reasoning with him.

I touched his cheek gently as I looked him in the eye. This close I could see what the medicine woman was trying to say. He felt something for me and it wasn't fake. I didn't know what it was though. I couldn't put a label on it. I refused to put a label on it.

" I don't deserve your apologies" he started rumbling.

" My King" I tried getting his attention

" Your highness..."

He was too far gone in his head. He was filled with guilt. He kept repeating he was sorry and it broke my heart seeing him like this. Calling him wasn't helping. So I did the only thing I could think of . I kissed him.