Maggie's parents planned the wedding for weeks. I spent my days training with Lucivar and Maggie spent hers with the coven but we spent each night in each other's arms. We shared walks in the garden, days out on the town shopping for clothes, furniture, cutlery, dishes and other things to fill our house. I kept my eyes peeled for more threats and she kept an eye on me. I knew I was being followed. I knew that Josephine and Cleo were waiting for a report from me but I really didn't care. They could go shove a pole up their asses and leave me the hell alone. All I wanted was to spend a nice quiet life with the woman of my dreams. But I knew that until Josephine and Cleo died, I would never have that.
We were walking through the town of Dharo when Maggie stopped to look in a shop window and I realized I was in love with her, as a person. Not her power or her family, not her as a queen but as a person. At first all I could think of was, she's just another queen I'd have to grow up with and pretend to care about. One more heart I'd have to break, nothing special, but then everything changed after I saved her and helped her put herself back together after the rape. I grew close to her family and they treated me like one of their own. The more time I spent with her the more I realized how special she truly was. How unique and strong and independent she was. The more I listened to her talk, the way she walked and commanded a room just by entering it from birth. I saw the queen she was going to become but I also saw her for what she truly was and what she was, was Maggie.
She was graceful, smooth, elegant but not afraid to get dirty in the garden. She was surrounded by darkness but she had an inner light that made it impossible to ignore her. She became everything to me. For once I didn't care about the power she held or who her ancestors were. None of that mattered. It didn't define her, growing up she spent time with landens and Blood alike. She was Maggie. Nothing was going to change that. She wouldn't let it. When I asked her to marry me, I wasn't thinking about what Josephine and Cleo had assigned me. I was thinking of her and me together for the rest of our lives.
I realized I was staring when she snapped her finger in front of my face.
"Julius!" she shouted and I stumbled back a step almost getting hit by a carriage.
She yanked me forward and I wrapped my arms around her, steadying both of us as I tripped almost flattening her.
"Why were you staring at me?"
"Just thinking about something, my imagination ran away with me. I'm sorry, my Queen. It won't happen again. I should have been more vigilant." I said chuckling.
She scoffed and pulled me into a store and started piling books in my arms. I dutifully followed her, grinning. She had a way of drawing people to her I thought chuckling as shopkeepers from the surrounding stores flocked to the book store. Just like her grandmother, Jaenelle. The shopkeepers were eager to please her as they tried to anticipate her needs. I got shuffled to the back of the crowd as more and more shopkeepers flooded into the store. Maggie just looked back at me apologetically and carefully extracted herself from the crowd.
"I'm sorry. You can leave if you want. I have Krucible close at hand." She says putting a hand on my cheek looking into my terror filled eyes as I struggle to breathe in the mass of bodies surrounding me.
*As always* a voice rumble behind me as a white tiger that comes to my hip and weighs 800 pounds cuts a path through the crowd.
I look at him then nod, pass my packages to a man standing beside me then make a quick exit. I stand outside the door and put my hands on my knees bending over to catch my breath. I had a huge fear of crowds. I wouldn't have gone shopping if I knew that Maggie was going to attract such a large crowd of people. I felt a soft touch on my psychic barriers and quickly swept the area with my eyes and sent out a pulse of energy. When I detected no threat I made contact with the touch.
*Julius*
*Josephine*
*You were supposed to report 3 days ago.*
*I know. I apologize. I just got swept up in all of the little queen's plans.*
*There is much to talk about. Report at sundown. No arguments. No excuses.*
Feeling the touch retreat I shuddered and looked around. No one was on the street. They were all crowded in the bookstore with Maggie. I quickly contacted Krucible and keeping it brief told him I was needed elsewhere. He just grumbled his attention focusing on a hand that was getting too close to Maggie for comfort. I chuckled and broke contact, taking to the sky. I flew over the city of Dharo then landed in the courtyard of a large cottage with a well tended garden. Nodding to the man who opened the door for me I slipped inside and down a hall to a study. Tucking my wings in tight I stepped into the room. Josephine sat in a tall wing backed chair tapping her nails impatiently as Cleo stood by the window holding a glass of yarbarah.
"Julius. It's about damn time." Cleo snaps turning to face me.
"Now Cleo give the boy time to explain himself. Julius, report. Please." Josephine purred.
Shuddering I sat in the chair in front of the desk and focused my eyes on the dark wood. Tangling my fingers together I took a deep breath, looked Josephine in the eyes and opened my mouth, already knowing I was going to regret this.
"I quit." I said low and even.
Cleo snorted, quite unladylike. Josephine's nail dug gouges in the top of the desk. I just sat there, face impassive.
"I quit. I'm in love with Magdalene. I can't play these games anymore. She's nothing like what you've trained me to destroy. I quit." I said again low and even.
"You can't just quit. We've worked so hard to train you for this. You can't just back out because you've suddenly developed a heart." Cleo snaps.
"I agree with your aunt, Julius." Josephine said.
"She's not my aunt. And you aren't my mother. Not anymore. You are just two spoiled ass queens who are used to getting your way. Well I'm done being your pawn. I quit." I stood up as both of them seethed with rage.
"Julius Samael! You come back here! Don't you turn your back on me. You will regret this! I can always get someone else to take your place in destroying that little bitch!" Josephine shrieked as I kept walking.
I stepped out the front door and took a deep breath then launched myself into the sky. I spiral up faster and faster until my lungs get tight and my head breaks through the lowest level of clouds. Screaming an Eyrien war cry I flip in midair and spiral downwards towards the ground, pulling up at the last second. I fly across the land fast and hard, not caring where I was going. The only thing I thought about was Magdalene and protecting her. I eventually made it back to Dharo, with scratches along my bare arms from all the trees I whipped through and a nasty gash in my leg where I had cut it too close on a corner in a canyon.
I limped up the street, people slipping in doorways of shops or turning to look in shop windows to avoid my gaze which was hard. Cold radiated off of my limbs as I searched for Maggie. I peered into the book store which was empty except the clerk. I looked in every tavern, inn, and café. Finally frustrated I dropped my barriers and shouted for her mentally.
*Maggie!*
I felt every single Blood man woman and child within a hundred mile radius flinch and one flare of anger.
*Julius. Look behind you.*
I spun and upon seeing her safe, my cold rage slowly ebbed. Just looking into her eyes which were like two small pools of peace and comfort took the edge off of my temper. I flinch as she wraps her arms around me and strokes my back.
"Shh shh sweetheart I'm here. Nothing's wrong. I'm safe, you're safe. Relax my love. Relax." She murmurs as I shake in her arms.
"Maggie, there's something I need to tell you." I whisper my voice trembling.
"Not now darling. Not now."
"Yes now." I shiver as her fingers trail down my arms.
She sighs and tugs me into an empty tavern then up a set of stairs to a private room. She tosses a double shield around the room then crosses her arms.
"Fine, explain."