The sunlight came through the windows, radiant in glory. Foretelling it was well into the mid morning, far past the hour of breakfast. Adrien's eyes remained closed and squinted tighter in desire for the darkness to return. He tightened his embrace around Rosalyn, nestling his face into the crook of her neck in attempt to hide from the sunlight.
He knew such was a hopeless folly. Just as foolish as it was to think he could run away. He didn't like it, but he did have a duty to fulfill. A duty he would have to fulfill until he passed his throne onto a steward. Which meant he needed to be more than just a ruler of his kingdom. It was time to form a counsel and come spring when times of travel was best, he would need to venture to neighboring kingdoms. Establish rapport and someday, step down as King and pass it onto another in his steed.
Then he would be able to live that life of peace. Away from his past, with Rose, as he had hoped for them.
Rosalyn fell asleep fast, but she did not sleep easy.
The blackness behind her eyes lit up and she was back in the cabin. The sun had risen and the fire had long since died. A cold wind howled and echoed throughout the cabin. She expected to wake up next to Adrien, but he was gone. Panic overcame her as she darted up out of bed and searched the cabin for the missing king. He wasn't there. He just left her? No... He wouldn't have.
Rosalyn rushed to the door, unbelieving that he was gone. Maybe he had just gone to tend for the horse or get some air? When she threw the door open, Gustave stood in the doorway, a large grin on his face. "It's so nice of my darling wife to greet me upon my return," he said. He took Rose by the waist and spun her around to lead her back into the cabin, which was now decorated with furs and his hunting trophies. "I missed you,my dear," he whispered. His arms tightened around her waist and he nuzzled her neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he went.
Rosalyn awoke with a start, her heart feeling like it was about to jump out of her chest. The mid-morning sun blinded her. Where was she? Where was Adrien?
Adrien stopped moving when he felt Rose flinch in his arms. His eyes opened and he loosened his arm from her waist.
"Rose, are you all right?" He asked in a gentle tone of voice.
He slept better than he had expected. The few times he had dozed off in her company was next to always a peaceful slumber. He figured much was the same for her. This was the first time though they had retired to a bed, even if it was just for a few hours of nights rest. Under normal conditions it was improper but given the circumstances it was permissible. But perhaps a bed, with him, was not comfortable to her due to her past.
Guilt clawed at his stomach and causing her any discomfort, despite her instisting she would not sleep without him. Or maybe that was hunger clawing. It was hard to decipher between the two.
Rosalyn's vision cleared and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She was still in the cabin, and Adrien was still here. It had been him that held her closer and nestled into her neck. After a few deep breaths, her breathing returned to normal, but her heart still pounded vigorously.
"I am fine," she said with a nod. "Just a bad dream..." A dream she wished she would never have to endure again. What had brought on such a nightmare? She brought her hand up and carefully ran her fingers through the king's hair. Adrien was here, he was real, and Gustave was not. She had nothing to worry about anymore.
Adrien's eyes closed and a content hum passed through his chest when Rose carefully ran her fingers through his hair. It was pleasant. It was a sensation he was certain he would never tire of experiencing, so long as it was her fingers doing so.
He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. He felt a lock of her hair fall against his hand. He carefully tucked it behind her ear out of the way. "What can do to give you solace?" He asked her kindly.
Rosalyn opened her eyes and looked at the king, still playing with his hair. "Promise me you won't ever leave me," she requested. The thought alone frightened her to death. The days they spent apart pulled at her heartstrings, and she already knew what it felt like to think she'd never see him again. It was a lot of emotions she did not want to experience ever again.
Adrien did not like to make promises he could not keep. The very thought of leaving her almost crippled him. It had been hard to do once. He had managed to accept when he thought he would never see her again, only because he knew she had been free to choose her own happiness. When she came back of her own accord . . . His heart was full.
"Yesterday, I wanted to run away from everthing. Today, I woke unready but willing to return from whence I came to face everything. All because of you. What if a time of war came and I needed to lead an army? A battlefield is no place for a loved one, a wife, or a queen. If my body must go, know my heart and soul will never leave you. I would want you safe. So that my mind and body have reason to return." He spoke, his summer sky blue eyes finding her own. He could see her worried soul in her blue eyes. The color of them shades darker than his own. It was like peeking into a deep blue sea.
Rosalyn shook her head. "It has been many decades since Amouria was at war. I believe it is something you will never have to deal with during your reign." She knew that even if there was war, and Adrien was made to fight, she would still be beside him. She would take up a sword or any other means to keep him safe. After all, she already had a man's death on her hands.
Her hand dropped from his hair to his jaw and her thumb gently grazed his bottom lip. "The only battle you will ever have to face is finding me while playing hide and seek," she said lightheartedly.
Adrien could only hope their kingdom would never be in the rage of war. War was just as harmful on a battlefield as it was off.
"That is not a battle. Hide and and seek is a game of discovery. Shall we play right now?" Adrien spoke his tone of voice turning playful. He peppered soft kisses upon her. Starting with her thumb, working his way up her arm, over her shoulder, on her neck, her jaw and stopped when he he reached her ear.
"Order me to stop any time, I will do so, if anything becomes less than pleasant for you." He whispered softly into her ear. His mouth returned to her neck and placed a kiss upon it once more, this time his tongue catching a taste of her skin.
Rosalyn's breath caught in her throat as the king gently kissed her neck. "Your majesty, this game seems like less hide and more seek," she said. She ran her fingers through his hair once again, her other hand pressed against his chest. "But you don't have to stop," she urged.
Upon her consent he continued his game of "seek". He was seeking to find what pleased her. Words weren't necessary in this game to figure out the means to an end. The way her breath hitched or how her fingers ran through his hair. He was certain the hand she had against his chest could feel his heart beating in his chest as the excitement of the situation increased. His lips left her neck and softly feel on her cheek, his eyes meeting hers a moment before he kissed her lips.
Their kissing before under the stars when they were alone had been captivating when she had laid over him. There was something about this situation know that urged him to do so to her. Be it just waking up next to her laying down on a bed, or the idea that they were truly alone again here, or both. Regardless, it was something primal that he was unfamiliar with, but enjoyed none the less. He willed himself to stop before the urge to move his body took over.
"We should go . . . " He said in quiet tone as he strained to catch his breath.
Adrien's kisses left small patches of warmth wherever he placed them. Her heart skipped and her breath stuttered. Everything escaped her mind except him, until he stopped and broke the silence between them.
"But we don't have to," Rosalyn whispered, keeping him close to her. They were alone and the chances of someone finding them were very slim. She knew the king was a man of honor and that he respected her greatly, but she did not want to stop. She did not want to leave. If they stayed here forever, in one another's embrace, she would be happy.
Her answer made him chuckle. A good nights sleep with her in his arms made him willing to face everything he wanted to run away from. While a restless night made her want to stay longer.
"No, we do not. At some point nature will call us from this bed. Duty will call me back to the castle. But, until then we can stay." Adrien agreed, his head clearer after regaining breath. He settled in her embrace, his eyes open admiring her. If only they could stay this way forever embraced, he felt no greater happiness.
Rosalyn curled up besides the kind, savoring his warm embrace. There was no place else she would rather be. She gave the king a short, light peck on the lips. "I love you, Adrien," she said softly.
Her night had been restless and it was not long before she dozed off once again in his arms. This time her rest was not plagued by Gustave or anything else from her past. It was a peaceful sleep.
She awoke a couple hours later, the sun still shining through the windows in the cabin. She groaned quietly in protest, knowing that once she was fully awake, the two would head back to the palace. She wouldn't be surprised if Colin had not sent a search party out to look for them. It had been almost a full day, after all.
Peaceful sleep came to Rosalyn. Adrien didn't feel the need to sleep. He did rest still savoring the minutes that passed. Being able to see her serene face. He knew not when he would have another opportunity like this. A couple later she awoke and they made their return to the palace.
It was a couple hours past the normal hour of lunch, but Adrien commmanded a meal to be made immediately for the two of them to partake of. Chef Boone made a quick meal of soup and sandwiches. It was one of Adrien's favorites, despite its simplicity.
"Welcome back Master and Miss Rosalyn! I told Colin you would be back I had no doubt. He was ready to go searching for you himself on the morrow. How about a nice warm cup of tea?" Mrs. Pom said in cheerful greeting as she served them their meal with tea.
"Always an optimist Mrs. Pom. Thank you." Adrien said to her as the motherly woman served them.
"Thank you, Mrs. Pom. His majesty and I went on a ride last night and got lost in the woods, but we are alright," Rosalyn explained. It was a lie, but she was not going to tell anyone the truth in this situation. Nobody was to know about the king's mother. Once Mrs. Pom had served their late lunch, she left, leaving the two alone once again. Here they were not truly alone though. There were servants, guards, and probably little mice running through the walls.
Rose took a sip of her warm tea. The liquid warmed her stomach, banishing the chill that had crept back to her during their ride back. Winter would be upon them soon and she knew traveling through snow would be hard for them both, so she wanted to cherish every moment she got with Adrien before the ground was blanketed in the white powder.
The weeks that followed the winds of change brought the season of Autumn to a close. Bringing in winters chill and sleep across the land as it fell under a blanket of snow. Gone where the days when Adrien and Rose could visit each other on a daily basis. Prolonged exposure to the bitter cold would bring unwanted sickness. Traveling in the snowfall was just as much dangerous for a human as it was a horse. One slip and the riding beast could twist a leg and have to be put to death.
Much to Adrien's displeasure, he did limit his contact with Rose to once a week. Either he would visit her or she would visit him. In the mean time they wrote back and forth on a near daily basis using a falcon that Adrien had named Merlin. Adrien was almost giddy as he awoke to know Rose would be arriving soon. They intended to spend a few hours out on the grounds with Chandler in a game of throwing snow at one another. Perhaps take time to build a snow fort or snow man. Maddy was ever so excited to make outerwear for the occasion. At the rate Maddy designed and crafted, the East wing chamber room designated for Rosalyn had a full wardrobe of clothing that was custom for Rosalyn but seldom ever worn.
Something had been weighing on Adrien's mind. The Christmas holiday was approaching. The castle was in full decoration, mistletoe hung in doorways. Garland on banisters and railways. Decorated Christmas trees in the main hall, the dining room, and the ballroom. But he knew not what to get for Rosalyn for such an special occasion. They had agreed to gift giving only on special occasions. And this counted as one of them.
The winter brought an unwelcome chill into Rosalyn's home. Though she kept a fire lit in the fireplace, she was having a rather difficult time keeping the whole house warm. This meant she spent more of her days, and nights, sleeping in the living room underneath a pile of blankets. The market had died after the first snowfall. Several vendors ventured out into the cold to sell eggs and meat, but the baker retired to his kitchens and the farmers hung up their hats for the season.
The letters from Adrien kept her spirits high. They arrived almost every day and were delivered by a falcon. The bird was surprisingly patient, as it waited for her to write a return letter, which sometimes took hours. But today they had decided that it was safe enough for Rose to travel to the palace. She dressed warmly, in a cream colored winter gown and a long red velvet cloak.
It took longer than usual to arrive at the palace, as she wanted Philippe to take his time trudging through the snow. She didn't want the horse to get injured. Once she finally arrived, she took him to the stables were he could rest and keep out of the cold. Then she went inside the castle.
"Wow," she said under her breath. She could not count all the times she had come here, but not once had it been decorated like this. It was beautiful. Everyone seemed to be more cheerful and excited for the upcoming holiday, Christmas.
A knock came to Adrien's chamber door, "Master, Miss Beaumont has arrived." Colin announced. "Thank you, Colin." He replied and a moment later departed to go to the main hall entrance.
"Miss Rosalyn! You've come to visit! I am so happy to see you." Chandler shouted as he rushed to give the woman a hug. Upon releasing her he asked, "You like the decorations? I helped put them up! It's been a long time since the Master allowed Christmas decorations to be all over the castle. Normally mama and papa just let me decorate our cottage home. Want me to show you around? I know where all the mistletoe is hung."
Adrien arrived overhearing Chandler's excited voice about showing Rosalyn around the castle and mistletoe. The boy was smitten with Rosalyn, but not a threat by any means that Adrien needed to be harsh with him. "Don't go getting any outlandish ideas with mistletoe, Chandler. I thought we were going to go outside and enjoy the snow when Rosalyn arrived. She may need a midday meal and a break before venturing out once more. Welcome back Rose, as always. What do you say, Rose?" Adrien asked as he approached the two and greeted her with a smile and a polite bow. He noted her color choice of dress and overcoat, creme and red. Very festive.
"They're lovely, Chip. You did a wonderful job. But I'm afraid you won't be receiving any kisses from me underneath the mistletoe," she said, then dropped her voice to a whisper. "But if you're not careful, you might catch the king and I stealing a kiss."
Not long after the King entered the room. She offered a deep curtsey in response to his bow. "Good afternoon, your majesty. A break won't be necessary. I would hate to get warm and cozy just to go out and get cold once again." She bent down to Chandler's height and smiled at him. "Why don't you go grab your coat and mittens and meet us back here. I wouldn't want you to catch a cold," she said and ruffled his hair before straightening back up.
"Perhaps this is one game you will beat me at, your majesty. I have a horrible aim and probably won't hit you with a single snowball."
The boy looked a tad disappoint that he wouldn't receive a kiss from Miss Rosalyn of he lured her under some mistletoe. But his disappointment quickly dissipated and was replaced with a childish giggle when she whispered something to him. The lad perked right up when she said they would be headed outside momentarily and he rushed in haste to go grab his coat and mittens and return.
"Maddy, bring out the winter wardrobe foelr Rosalyn and I." Adrien called out certain she would get the message. Plenty of staff was bustling about and sure to rely the message to her wherever she may be.
"I do recall that I won when it came to throwing you into the leaf pile, Miss Rosalyn. You won our game of Hide and Seek. This snowy adventure could tip the winning balance to either of us." He reminded her in a playful manner. Maddy showed up her arms full.
"Here we are your Majesty. A red hooded coat with mink fur trim and matching mittens. And for Miss Rosalyn a gorgeous red peacoat with mink fur trim and matching mittens."
Just then Chandler returned and Maddy beamed, "And for you lad a fox trim hat. We dont want your ears to fall off now do we?" She said and presented it to him and placed it on top of his head. "Thank you Miss Maddy. Can my ears really fall off if they get too cold?" He asked and Maddy suppressed a chuckle and kept a straight face and answered, "Best not find out. I'll tie the strings just under your chin so you don't have to find that out."
With everyone appropriately dressed the three departed form the castle and onto the snow covered grounds. Chandler tried his best to be sneaky as he gathered a snowball in each hand then in a moment threw one at Miss Rosalyn and the other at the Master.
Rosalyn slid her cloak off and replaced it with the red peacoat. "It is lovely, Maddy. I'd have expected nothing less from such a tallented seamstress." Then the three funneled outside into the snow.
Rose squealed as a snowball hit her in the chest, spreading cold over her skin. She looked between the two gentlemen with her and noticed the grin on Chip's face.
A playful smirk formed on her lips as she gathered up a handful of snow and packed it into a ball. "You know, Chandler...You and I have teamed up against the king and you and him have teamed up against me." Rose turned to the king. "I propose that we forge an alliance to defeat the young lad," she said playfully.
A snowball hit Adrien's shoulder and for a moment he thought Rose had done so while she was still close at hand to negate her poor aim skills. Then he noticed the remains of snowball on her torso. It had been the lad throwing two at once. Clever boy.
"What a splendid proposition. Consider it forged, ladies first." Adrien insisted, as she had a ready in hand snowball. He gathered a larger one in his hands.
Chandler laughed, "I think I can best you both. With all due respect, Master." The lad added indicating respect for Adrien's title, before he continued, "I have played in many a long winter seasons. Snow games is what I am best at." The lad boasted as he threw another snowball at Miss Rosalyn. Adrien had a large one ready and throw it right the boy, landing on target.
Rosalyn managed to dodge the second ball that had been thrown at her. It landed sever yards behind her, leaving an indentation in the show. She threw her snowball and was surprise when it soared directly at Chip, hitting the boy in the shoulder. The king threw one right after her, also hitting the lad, but the King's snowball was much, much larger than hers.
Laughter echoed through the air as snowballs were thrown and Chandler was ultimately defeated in this game of two against one. "I surrender!" he eventually announced, falling to the ground in defeat. The area about the three was indented beyond recognition as they had thrown balls and tumbled about, disturbing the once perfectly fallen snow. The boy wen to the edge with undisturbed snow and laid down. He began to wave his arms and shouted, "Miss Rosalyn, look! I am making a snow angel! Who wants to build a snowman after? Oh what about a snow fort? Can we please?"
Adrien thought on the lads request and said, "I am fairly certain you were just made into a snowman, lad. A fort would take and great lot of time. Time more than I think any of us have before we are in need of nourishment." The king joined him and laid down on the ground to make his own snow angel. Such a childish thing but it felt right to do in the moment.
Rosalyn followed suit, falling down in the snow on the other side of Chandler to make an angel. Though she only had to move her arms, as her dress had already formed the skirt. "I'm afraid that you may need to go inside soon, Chip. We have been out here for quite some time and I would feel very guilty if you got sick." She sat up in the snow, revealing the top half of her snow angel.
She watched as Adrien and the boy continued waving their arms and legs, creating indents in the snow. Her mind began to wander and she though about how Adrien would behave with a child of his own. He had mentioned that his father did not spend much time with him, but she was sure he would not act the same with one of his own. Then another thought crept into her mind right behind the first: she had proven unable to bare a child when she was married to Gustave. Would her luck change if she and the king wed?
A broad smile stretched across her face as hope filled her chest and she brought her attention back to the two boys playing in the snow.
"My lady is correct." Adrien agreed and got up from his snow angel than held out a hand to help Chandler up from his. The king admired the three angels a moment then reached to take Rose's hand in his and declared. "Let us depart. I bet your mom has drinking chocolate awaiting for us." He enticed and the lad looked absolutely giddy at the idea. He began to hurry in a run toward the castle, leaving the two a few paces behind to come at a walking leisure.
As promised Mrs. Pom did make up a hot cup of drinking chocolate for each of them. Such a thing was a rare delicacy even for a king. For it was imported and made with a lot of sugar. A commodity that only wealthy could afford. Adrien requested it to be brought to the library. While she ordered Chandler to drink his elsewhere and leave the King and Rosalyn be to themselves. Adrien hadn't ventured into the library for several weeks. Not since that day of hide and seek with Rose. He had ordered a servant to get him any book he desired to read. But with Rosalyn's limited visits he had been able to avoid it until now.