Chapter 9

He returned my kiss with his passionate one. We pushed our bodies closer to each other. We became passionate for each other. I had actually fallen in love with this Prince. I broke apart from him and we were both breathing hard. He smiled at me,

"I love you and I always will. No matter what." He said.

"I l-love you to," I managed. "Now I must go wash for the journey back." I winked at him as I sauntered to the wash room.

I stepped into the warm bathroom and slipped out of my clothes. I felt dirty. Really dirty. Maybe it was because I was actually dirty but I doubt that. I think it may have been because I was so intimate with Seth. I don't know what to do. Usually queens and princess' marry because of diplomacy, but this was different. I've never felt like this before. Not even with Alex and I had really liked Alex besides the fact that I hadn't really known him well.

I sank down into the hot water. It relaxed my tense muscles and soothed my emotions. I felt calm and serene as if I didn't have a care in the world. Man was that wrong… I had to go back to a broken city, where I was taken from and brought here. The city has been without a queen to lead them for a little too long. I am glad we are going back today; I'm really excited to sleep in my own bed and see my palace and my people.

I lathered myself in the beautiful smelling soap, cleaning myself of the day's worries. Cleaning myself became an automatic thing, my thoughts went elsewhere. Seth was waiting for me in the other room. I smiled to myself, I really liked him. He was like no other man I have ever met. He truly loved me, but I don't know if I truly love him back yet. He didn't have lust and want in his eyes; he had love and affection which softened his green eyes. His eyes were as green as grass and as soothing as water was to me. He made me feel loved and soothed me when my emotions were raging. He held me like I saw my father hold my mother. My parents had loved each other no matter what. I hope to have a marriage full of love with Seth. I didn't want it to be just because Persia and Allamut wanted an alliance with my people.

I stepped out of the bath and the cool air rushed at me. I looked around for a towel, but found none. I gave a little squeak of annoyance and heard Seth stir from his sitting position on the bed. Out of nowhere the curtain to the room opened and Seth emerged.

I yelped with embarrassment and leaped back into the water.

"Oh. Oh my gods, I am so sorry Athanasia!" he laughed leaving me his used towel on the floor by the edge of the pool while averting his eyes. My eyes were barely visible above the water, his face was red which made me giggle, sending bubbles up from the water. He left the room smiling to himself.

Oh my gods, I thought to myself, that was the first time he's seen me nakedwell I hope he likes what he saw! I thought confidently as I stepped out of the bath a second time. I grabbed his old towel from the floor and wrapped my body with it. Flipping my head upside down and then flipping it back up as I left the warm bathroom.

I stepped into our room and was met by a smiling Seth. I smiled awkwardly back at him.

"That little mishap in there was quite unexpected," I said, "It got me laughing and happy though."

He laughed, "Yes, I was pretty surprised to see your little butt jumping back in to the bath."

"Hey!" I said laughing jumping on him, while still holding my towel intact. I laughed as he pushed me off him.

"I think you should put some clothes on before we fool around," he said.

"Ok," I said, grabbing my armor from the floor, "I'll be right back." I walked behind the screen and quickly pulled on my celestial bronze Greek armor. I brushed my hair and put it up in a high pony tail, tying it with my gold ribbon. I stepped from behind the screen and smiled at my soon to be husband.

He whistled, looking me up and down. "That's my warrior queen," he said smiling his dashing half smile that I loved so much.

"Why thank you very much," I said giggling while I twirled across the room. I landed in his arms and we rolled across the bed. I landed on top of him, putting my hands on his chest and resting my chin on them. I looked into his green eyes as he looked into my blue ones. Oh Gods I loved his eyes… They were so handsome…

I kissed him and rolled off of him. I got up from the bed and walked over to where my sword was hanging out. I grabbed it, securing it to my waist band on my armor. I looked up as Seth handed me my usually blue tinted dagger. I put that on my waist band also. He pulled off his breast plate to examine it. Thing is, he didn't have shirt on under it. His bronzed chest was amazing. I can't believe he's actually mine… he had abs every guy would only dream of. He had a couple of scars here and there but other than that he looked perfect without a shirt on. He had nice broad shoulders and well-toned muscles in general.

He caught me staring at him and he winked at me.

"Like what you see?" he asked, joking.

"Hmm… not sure how to answer that," I said, giggling.

"Oh I see how it is," he said smiling. I'm so happy that we had a joking relationship and also a lot of love because I never wanted a relationship where we fought all the time.

"I do remember seeing the back of you," he said, "When you had no shirt on, but never the front. So I wouldn't know if you had abs like mine," he smirked mischievously and I threw a towel at him. We walked, hand in hand, out of the room and down the hall to the throne room. Still the castle here seemed like a maze that took years to master the entire map of it all. Random halls would lead off the one we were heading down and lead to closed doors not too far from the beginning of the hall way. Although the castle was amazingly detailed and beautiful it held secrets that took centuries to learn. We entered the throne room and were met by Dastan and Tamina, both wearing white robes.

"We will not be accompanying you, but some Greek guards will be. They came 2 days ago, I'm surprised neither of you noticed them." I looked at Cleitus who was standing next to Dastan and smiled warmly at him. Aw I had missed my guards.

"We will now see you off," Tamina said. Seth and I nodded at the guards for them to follow us. We moved as one as we made our way to the stables for horses. I climbed upon a chestnut mare and Seth chose a black stallion. Of course he did, he likes masculine stuff, I thought to myself, although it makes him even more appealing to women. We rode our horses into the courtyard where Dastan, Tamina, and Kain were waiting for us.

Seth looked disgustedly at his younger brother, Kain, but looked at his parents with love.

"We will let you know about the wedding ahead of time," Seth told them, I smiled at them.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, if only your brothers were more like you, Dastan," I said smirking.

"No thank you," Dastan said, "You have accepted my son's marriage proposal and our alliance with your people is to come very soon."

Seth gave his parents one last smile before we turned our horses and trotted out of the courtyard. My black cloak shielded my eyes from the hot sun but also attracted the heat. I got hot under it very quickly. I began to swoon as we got a couple miles from Allamut.

"Love, are you alright?" Seth directed a question at me from his conversation with Cleitus. I began to swoon more and more and soon enough I couldn't exactly stay on my horse… so I kind of fell off and rolled down the sand dune.

"Athanasia!" Seth shouted as he saw me fall.

SETH

She took a bad tumble. She rolled down the sand dune as I hopped off my horse to aid her. As I got to her she was lying flat on her chest with her cloak blowing all around her. I knelt beside her and shook her shoulder.

"Athanasia? Athanasia? Are you alright?" I asked her

"Water," she moaned. "Cleitus!" I shouted back to the guards, "Get her some water!" Cleitus rushed down with a canteen filled to the brim, as I took Athanasia in my arms. Her skin felt so right, touching mine. I loved her, I did when I first laid eyes on her and I do now. I touched her cheek and she felt warm. Cleitus handed me the canteen and I put it up to her lips. She drank greedily and leaned back against my chest.

"Seth," she asked, "Can I ride with you for a bit?"

"Of course," I answered without hesitation. I helped her to her feet and Cleitus walked on her other side. We made our way back up to our horses on the sand dune. I climbed onto my black stallion and reached down my hand for Athanasia to grab ahold of. She grabbed it and I pulled her up behind me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder, shrouding herself from the sun.

I grabbed her horse's reins and tied them to my saddle. Cleitus was already scouting the route as we resumed our trek.

Night was falling when we slowed our horses to a walk. They were breathing hard and the beautiful girl leaning on my back was fast asleep. We came to a little alcove in a cliff,

"We should spend the night here," I told the guards, "Your queen is exhausted, as am I." the guards nodded their heads wearily. I grabbed Athanasia as I dismounted. She landed in my arms and her head fell back to expose her face from behind her hood. She was stunning. I kissed her forehead as I leaned her against the wall of the alcove and spread out a sheet for us to sleep on.

"Seth," she whispered, "I love you." I looked up at her and realized she was just talking in her sleep but smiled at her anyways. I took her in my arms again and brought her back to the sheet. I lay her down and I lay down beside her. She snuggled up to me and curled into a ball. I wrapped my arms around her to keep the cool desert wind away. I looked up at the stars and thanked the gods for giving her to me. I touched her cheek with the back of my hand and felt that she wasn't hot anymore. The water must have cooled her off, I thought, she drank a whole canteen on the way here.

I gazed at the stars for the longest time. Athanasia never moved a muscle. Only the muscles in her face moved. She had smiled in her sleep. I looked down at her and kissed her forehead. She shuddered before her breathing became normal and deep once again.

"Good night, Love," I said before I closed my eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. What I didn't know was that the next morning everything would change.