"Love"
Night had fallen over the capital of Mongo.
Krotan sat slouching in his shady throne room. One of his hands clung to an empty goblet. The other was propped on his sagging head.
As usual, the king was completely alone. He'd been this way for several months, and planned to stay this way for several more. The affairs of state were left to others.
A mystical cloud began appearing before him, brightening the room — brightening the dark.
Krotan glanced up with a raised eyebrow. His first assumption was that he'd drank too much. Upon realizing that he hadn't, he stiffened with fright.
Seconds later, the light faded away, and a woman appeared with her back to the king. A simple nightgown was covering her body, and a sparkling necklace hung around her neck.
Krotan's eyes widened as he slowly rose.
The woman stood in place, holding still and silent. She appeared to realize that she wasn't alone.
He approached her quietly, then paused to stare. "Jedda?" he said, as he studied her frame.
After a moment of hesitation, she slowly turned and looked her husband in the eye. Her lips quivered as they faced one another.
Krotan's gaze began to brighten a bit. After a second, his stare drifted down from the beauty of her face, to the bump in her stomach.
His smile faded. The awe returned.
"I didn't realize I was pregnant until after I left." Jedda ran a hand over her belly. "And in case you're wondering, the answer is no: I haven't made love to anyone else." She took a step forward. "It's yours." Her eyes softened as they settled on his. "It's ours."
Krotan's face became a portrait of conflict, a slow battle between delight and despair. "Why didn't you return sooner?" His eyes shook. "These recent months have been horrible for me."
"And do you assume that they've been easy for me?"
"We could've been there for each other." His own gaze softened now. "We could've comforted each other."
Jedda looked off. "There were some things that I needed to sort out on my own. It was the only way to follow my head instead of my heart.
"I came back because it seemed like the best thing to do for the baby."
A hint of disappointment appeared on Krotan's face. He'd hoped that she'd had another reason as well.
Jedda's voice lowered, softening. "But I was thinking about you too."
He lifted an eyebrow.
"I couldn't deny you the right to raise your child."
Krotan smiled, but couldn't do so for very long. What she'd said had struck a chord, but it still wasn't quite what he wanted to hear. Jedda kept speaking of what was right for the child, and of what was right for him. However, she'd said nothing about her own desires.
He wanted to be a bigger part of the reason that she'd returned. He wanted to know that she still loved him as much as he loved her.
She tensed a little as her gaze lowered. "And there was one other reason..."
Krotan listened with anticipation.
"I came back because I couldn't..." Jedda began to mutter. "I couldn't..."
Something dark and personal had entered her expression now — something that Krotan quickly recognized. He immediately stopped thinking about himself, and started thinking about her. "You couldn't bear the thought of letting our child grow up as you did — with only one parent present."
Jedda looked up, a flash of vulnerability shining in her eyes. No one knew her quite like her husband did.
Krotan let his own gaze lower. "I was hoping that you had another reason," he finally muttered. "I was hoping that you'd realized we belong together."
Jedda nodded. "I did believe that once..." She touched the jewel at her chest. "Until this came between us."
"Jedda..." he said, shaking his head while facing her. "For nearly a year now, I've wanted to tell you how wrong I was, how sorry I am. I don't care about power. I don't care about conquest. All I care about is you." He eyed her stomach. "The both of you."
Her lips shook again as she stared. More than anything right now, Jedda wanted to believe what she'd just been told.
Before long, she removed the necklace, letting it hover in the air. As Jedda concentrated, a mystical, transparent globe appeared around the jewel, carrying it toward the ceiling.
Seconds later, the globe and the necklace had disappeared — neither could be seen or accessed by anyone but Jedda. She no longer had its power, but she could still summon it.
"The Necklace of Oros is safe," she said. "And as of this moment, it's out of our lives." A sense of relief washed over her. She didn't ever want to wear that jewel again.
Approaching her, Krotan rested his hands on Jedda's shoulders. "I'll never miss it. All I desire now is to be with you."
Her eyes shone with longing, with affection — and yet she continued to hold both feelings back.
"I'll prove it," said Krotan. "Just give me time."
The next morning, a huge crowd of commoners gathered outside the palace. None of the citizens knew why they'd been summoned.
Flanked by several well-dressed nobles, King Krotan addressed the gathering from a balcony. "People of Mongo, I have great news to report. Share it with your families, share it with your friends..." He looked over his shoulder, extending an arm backwards. "Our queen has returned."
Donned in a red cape and a glittering tiara, Jedda took a deep breath and stepped onto the balcony.
A huge burst of cheers erupted from the crowd. Faces brightened and hearts filled with joy.
Jedda blushed, the tears coming quickly as she looked down at her people.
A noblewoman opened Jedda's cape, revealing her pregnancy for all to see.
Another rouse of cheers arrived.
The noblewoman smiled. "Welcome home, highness."
Jedda grinned back. Moments afterward, she looked over at Krotan, seeing nothing but affection as he returned her stare.
One month later, Jedda lay in bed covered with sweat. As her blurry vision began to clear, a doctor appeared above her head, continually asking if she was all right.
Jedda managed a slow nod...but soon found her attention drawn to another voice in the room — the one that was making soft, constant wails.
"Shh," said Krotan, smiling at his newborn daughter, Vera. "Let's go say hello to your mother."
Several nights later, Jedda stared into a crib while watching her daughter sleep.
The young mother wore a constant grin. In all her life, she'd never felt the kind of love that she did at present.
Krotan entered the bedroom quietly.
Jedda turned to him, staring in silence.
Krotan appeared perplexed. "Is everything all right?"
Jedda slowly nodded. The two of them were donned in twin robes — but there was one other thing that didn't match. While eyeing her husband, and listening to her heart, a slow smile crossed Jedda's face. "Where is it?" She wriggled her fingers.
"Where is what?"
Looking him in the eye, Jedda extended her left hand.
Krotan froze, a thrill sweeping through him. Moments later, he retrieved her ring — the very same one that she'd previously left behind.
Kneeling, Krotan placed it back on Jedda's finger, then looked up at his wife's face.
Jedda stroked his hair.
As Krotan stood, the lovers embraced in a slow and affectionate kiss. Seconds afterward, their robes hit the floor.
Later in the night, Krotan cuddled Jedda as she slept peacefully. His biceps hugged her own muscular frame. The young king sighed with a contented smile. His wife, his daughter, and his kingdom were together.
Krotan kissed Jedda's forehead. This time forever.
Scene Commentary
"Shh," said Krotan, smiling at his newborn daughter, Vera. "Let's go say hello to your mother."
I think that this is the most radical step the story has taken thus far. The TV show had already raised the possibility of a Jedda/Krotan marriage, but now they actually have a baby. This sort of marks a point of no return for them.
Out of a weird 'respect' for the source material, there are times when I'm reluctant to let a fanfic mess with the status quo, so part of me was hesitant to do this when the chapter was written.
Now, however, I can't imagine having not gone through with it.