Chapter 39: 39__Wrapped up in his arms
His voice was rough with sleep, his eyes still closed. She couldn’t form any words, gulping at how frightfully he’d caught her.
He sighed, tightening his grip on her. “Come to bed.”
Every movement in her body stilled. Gaping at him in the dark, Amie wondered if her ears had deceived her. Before she could figure it out, however, he yanked her up onto the bed and into his arms.
She stiffened, a small sound of shock leaving her as he wrapped her against his body.
“Shh,” he grumbled, displeased by her agitation. “Sleep.”
Wide-eyed and pressed against his naked chest, Amie frantically tried to process her current situation. Surely, he wasn’t in his right mind! She was tempted to startle him out of his sleep but found herself hesitating at the thought of explaining just what she was doing there.
It was fine. He would fall back to sleep and then she’d sneak out. She just needed to wait it out.
The good news was that, judging by the soft cotton she could feel against her bare thigh, he had trousers on. She paused. That was good news, wasn’t it?
Of course, it was. This situation would have been a hundred times more dreadful if he’d been completely naked. She would’ve had to lay there, pressed against the hard sinewy muscles of his bare thighs…
She blinked hard, splintering the inappropriate thought into pieces. This was horrible. She prayed he’d fall back to sleep soon.
In the meantime, she’d have to deal with having him plastered against her skin. Horror. Weakly, she shut her eyes. Her cloak had fallen open and she’d worn nothing but her brassier and knickers underneath. This was terrible.
He moved then and she held her breath. Shifting his body on the bed, he lowered himself to press his face into the warm crook of her neck so he could hug her around the middle like she was his own cuddle toy.
The change had a catastrophic effect on her. Swallowing hard, she tried to ignore the soft brush of his hair against her neck and the faint touch of his strong chin on the upper part of her breasts.
Her cloak was hanging off one shoulder, letting his arms wrap around her bare skin on the inside of the garment. She was wrapped up in him, completely enveloped.
There was not a single helpful thought in her mind to steer her through this predicament, every one of her thoughts were focused on the scent of his clean hair and the heat of his hard body against hers.
The feeling was a trigger. In the next moment, she went completely still and experienced the slow recollection of a memory that had been erased by good Barb alcohol.
Her mouth dropped open. Clear as day in her mind, the memory resurfaced: Her back pressed into her bed back at the camp, Thoran on top of her giving her the most bone-melting kiss she had ever gotten.
**********
Natalia fled across the room with rapid sprinting. “Mother!”
She dived behind Raiden and her mother came to a halt before him, huffing as she fanned her face.
“Maybe we should think of a solution together,” Raiden suggested, holding his arms out to protect his wife.
“A solution?” demanded Monica. “A solution?! Amethyst is in the snare of some criminals!” She looked at Natalia. “You come here and explain how you let this happen.”
“Mother,” Natalia said from behind Raiden. “This really isn’t all that bad, I feel like you’re being a tad bit dramatic—”
Monica reached for her.
“Whoa!” Raiden caught the Queen’s wrists. “I’m deeply sorry, your Majesty.”
“Raiden!” squeaked Monica, stunned that he would grasp her hands.
“Calm down, Mother!” Natalia shouted, swiftly ducking and diving behind her husband. “We can’t solve this with anger!”
“Let me go, dear,” Monica requested with a tight smile.
He shook his head. “I can’t, I’m sorry, I cannot risk my Queen’s life.”
“I won’t kill her.”
“Yes, she will, Raiden, don’t let her go!”
“Natalia, you took the girls for a few days of fun! How on earth does that end with your sister ending up missing? What if your father hears about this?!”
Natalia scoffed. “What’s that old fart gonna do about it—”
Her mother swiftly vanished out of Raiden’s grip and, in the next moment, had a hold of Natalia.
Screaming, Natalia fruitlessly tried to escape.
Raiden spun around, holding Natalia against him as he tried to free her. “Your Majesty, please.”
“I’m telling you that your sister is in danger,” Monica tightly muttered as she gripped her daughter’s arm. “You think this is time to make jokes, Talia?!”
“Mother, you know joking is my coping mechanism! Why’re you doing this?”
“You should’ve already found Amie by now! You girls will be the death of me!”
The screaming and shouting went on, Raiden desperately trying to keep the peace. Looking on in a mixture of trepidation and concealed humour, Veronica and Jade stayed in one corner. They would not risk getting dragged in to face the Queen’s wrath.
“All of you should line up!” shouted Queen Monica, wagging a finger as she shook Natalia with one hand. “I’ll deal with each of you!”
“Okay, stop!” Raiden forcefully jerked his wife away.
Stunned at his sudden use of force, Monica gaped at him with wide, green eyes. “Wha… what’s the meaning of that?”
“My apologies, your Majesty.”
“Would you like to just break my hand, King Raiden?” she asked, her voice trembling with outrage and hurt.
His eyes softened. “Of course not, your Majesty, I could never.”
“Well, you nearly did!” she cried. “My daughter is missing, have I no right to be upset?! It’s been days and none of you said a word about it! We could’ve found her by now.”
He lowered his gaze, exchanging glances with Natalia who was already hiding behind him.
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. The girls are under my protection when they come to Zaire, Amie going missing is fully my fault. I should’ve insisted on their use of guards when leaving the royal grounds.”
“Oh, don’t try to take the blame off of Talia, let her take responsibility!”
Natalia sunk lower behind her husband and heard him sigh.
“I’m afraid I cannot do that, your Majesty,” he said. “If her taking responsibility means she’ll be facing the brunt of your wrath, then I can’t allow it. I’m at fault so you can just pour your anger out on me until you’re appeased. No harm must come to Natalia.”
Monica sighed exasperatedly, waving a hand. “Oh, please. You think Talia is some weak daisy? She’s stronger than fifteen soldiers combined, the girl doesn’t feel a thing even when I shake her.”
“That may not be the case right now,” Raiden said. “You see… she’s pregnant.”
“What?!” Monica stood in shock, eyes and mouth wide open.
Even Jade and Veronica were completely shook. Still, nobody was as shocked as Natalia herself.
Gaping up at Raiden, she had her jaw so wide open, it nearly touched her chest. “I… I’m what?!”
He looked at her, tense all over. This was a tricky situation. He and Natalia had agreed to wait at least ten years before having any children. Him, because he was occupied with the kingdom and, her, because she was incredibly busy with running the army and her Queen duties. Any time they had left over, they wanted to give to each other. But Manasa, their chief priestess, had just confirmed to Raiden last night that the symptoms Natalia had been having were of pregnancy and the spirits had conveyed to her that they were expecting a son. He didn’t know how she would take it, he was incredibly worried.
Even now, her eyes were filled with shock.
“I…” He cleared his throat in the silent room. “I found out last night, I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you.”
She blinked. “Manasa told you so?”
He nodded.
Natalia let out a soft exhale, still shaken. “So, we’re… we’re going to have a baby?”
“I know, Talia. I know it’s much earlier than you wanted but…” He paused, watching her reaction. When a slow film of moisture covered her eyes, his heart melted with affection. Tears and joy simultaneously filled her eyes and Raiden sighed with relief. “Yes, my love. We are.”
“We are?” Her voice was soft with emotion.
He nodded firmly, pulling her into his arms. “Yes, my Queen. Are you okay? Are you happy?”
She scoffed in disbelief, but her mouth spread into a smile. “I’m… yeah, I’m…” She laughed. “Oh, my goodness. I’m terrified.”
“Terrified?” His heart lurched with alarm.
“Yes, it’s so sudden but I’m happy! I’m so happy.” She hugged him tightly, her eyes shining with joy.
Monica had no trace of anger left in her, standing aside with her jewelled fingers pressed to her mouth.
When Natalia looked at her mother, it was to see her green eyes filled with tears. She pouted. “Mother?”
Suddenly, Monica threw her arms in the air and let out the happiest scream. “We’re having a baby!!”
In response, Natalia let out a scream of her own and ran into her mother’s arms. Together, they screamed and cried and laughed, jumping about the room.