Summary: Power. It was the only thing he craved and gazing at the young couple sleeping, he saw the chance to snatch it all again. It was so near and tempting…so delicious. He licked his lower lip. He could taste it.
Disclaimer: I sure didn't miss these. I own nothing but the story plot. Characters of Munto belong to the creator, not me.
Chapter One
By Genavere
Munto jerked awake, gasping.
The dream—No, he shook his head, running a hand through his crimson locks. The nightmare had unnerved him, sending his stomach into tight knots. He tried to grasp onto it, to understand why it affected him so, but it slipped away too quickly for him to comprehend.
Pushing himself up, a groan slipped out. He settled into a somewhat sitting position, feeling the aches and tightness in his muscles slowly begin to diminish. Through his sleep-hazed mind, he realized that his body was no longer used to getting up or staying up at night anymore.
After the death of his parents and the fate of the Magical Kingdom resting on solely on his shoulders, it wasn't uncommon for him to skip several nights of sleep. When he finally succumbed to his exhaustion, night terrors would frequently plague him. Sleep in those days had been a commodity he scarcely got to benefit from.
With the restore of Akuto fixed and a timid peace settled in with the nations of the Heavens and the Lower World, he had actually been able to find his nights restful, especially since he had someone to share his nights with, now.
But…Taking a breath, he mentally shook his head, chiding himself. Dwelling on feelings and thoughts of a dream he could no longer remember would help him little. There was nothing he could do about it; at least, not until something jogged his memory or he dreamed it again. The latter wasn't the top option on his list.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Yumemi, her back facing him. Her lithe body slowly rose and fell with her soft breaths. Silver moonlight poured down from the moon, drenching them in the pure light that made her naked body glimmer.
Looking at her soft, delicate body he sighed, a soft smile coming gracing his lips. He slowly recalled earlier that morning when Yumemi had rushed into the room he had been having a routine meeting with his generals and captains.
"Munto!" She looked around the meeting room, her breathing hard from running, and started again once she found her husband of almost a year among the faces in the room. The skirt of her dress flowed around her feet as she moved. After growing into a woman, grace and elegance had finally permitted her to wear longer dresses without tripping over the fabric, though she did relapse at times. Something he found enduring.
Coming around the table he had been looking at maps on with Rui, the king quickly looked his wife over for signs of injuries. Commands lingered on his lips, ready to give out orders incase another surprise attack had been unleashed against them.
Even with a timid peace, some kingdoms and rouge groups would attack, trying to take what they considered the power of the Magical Kingdom. Due to this, they always had watchers waiting to give news, and possible threats were brought up at their meetings daily. No one was opposed to this since the whole Kingdom knew that it was Yumemi they were after.
Then, he noticed Ryuely following behind his wife at a much slower pace. A smile gracing her ageless features. Relaxing, he stepped towards his wife, admiring the dress she chose to wear today.
Though it was strapless, there were detached arm pieces that wrapped themselves above her biceps on each arm. The sleeves ran down the length of her arms, belling out at the ends to reach her fingertips. Her dress reached down almost touching the floor near the front of the dress, and then leading into a train at the back. It was almost the same color as the first dress that she wore the first time she stayed, though he had made sure it wasn't see-thru this time.
Around her delicate neck, she wore a teardrop shaped gemstone on a silver chain; the color of the gem resembled his eyes almost to perfection, they were just a slight shade off. Under his own clothes, he wore a similar gem, though his was jade in color and matched hers exactly. They had found them at a store their last visit to the Lower World, Yumemi mentioned that they must be fated, due to their colors.
Smiling at the memory, he watched her start up the stairs to get to the landing he was on, he stepped towards her, offering his hand as she neared, expecting her to slow down.
Laughing, Yumemi jumped up into his arms, completely ignoring his hand and wrapped her legs around his waist to help support herself. Stunned, Munto took a few steps back, trying to keep himself upright and not falling flat on his backside in front of all his men. He instinctively wrapped his own arms around her, keeping her from falling as he steadied himself. As he gazed into her luminous face, everyone else around them disappeared.
"Munto! A child," she laughed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "We're going to have a child!" Kissing his slack lips, she giggled, staring deep into his wide golden eyes.
Slowly, he heard the words seep into his ears, his mind taking in her words one by one before he completely registered what she had said, and the meaning behind them. Blinking, his smile came back, larger than before. "You're pregnant?"
Yumemi nodded, smiling.
Everything was still for a second, and then a laugh broke from his lips.
Everyone looked at their king in shock, most of them had never heard their king laugh, those who had, had only heard it when the king was still young and his parents still alive.
Oblivious of the surprise around them, he lifted Yumemi higher against him, spinning them around as he continued to laugh along with her. Settling her back on the floor, he brought his hands up to cup her face bringing her lips up to meet his. His fingers buried themselves into her hair as the kiss deepened.
Pulling away slowly, feeling their warm, uneven breathes mingle, Munto couldn't help but laugh again, hugging her tight against him, relishing in the feel of her against his body. He gradually let up from their embrace to move her to his side, unwilling to let her go. Giving her one last kiss on the lips, he turned to acknowledge the others in the room again. Rui was the first to react, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I believe congratulations would be best suited," he smiled, seeing the joy in the young couples' eyes. "I also call for this meeting to be adjourned for the remainder of the day. Anything but celebration would ruin this wondrous news for our Kingdom."
The king nodded his thanks to his general, calling out for the news to be spread to all the subjects of the Magical Kingdom. Celebration was soon unavoidable.
A soft groan brought him back from the memory; he stared in wonder at his wife, watching her shift to her back and sigh in her sleep. Leaning gently over her, he slowly let his gaze roam over her alluring body, moving from her neck, her chest…
Taking the thin blanket that covered her in his fist, he drew it further down her body; letting it reveal everything he had already memorized, but loved learning all over again in slow, amorous movements. It reminded him of the first night they had become one, her shy nervousness made him patient and he waited for her to move things at her pace, never regretting his choice once to take their time.
Desire swept over him, a now familiar burning spread through his body, his heart racing. Underneath her, her long, dark blonde hair streamed around her and the bed, her face was pale in the moonlight. His breath caught, her beauty entrancing him once again. Then he let his eyes set on her stomach, the desire turned to stone immediately, the nightmare came to mind again, though nothing remained to tell him why.
"Munto?"
Looking up, he suddenly found himself drowning in a sea of glossy green; the waves were full of worry as they crashed with golden hues. "Yumemi," he breathed, smiling as she stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. "Did I wake you?"
"No," she blinked, yawning again and motioned to the moon with a wave of her hand. "Sometimes, when the moon is bright, I wake up to it, thinking it is morning. When I realize it isn't, I sometimes stay up and watch you sleep." A blush crept up to her cheeks and she avoided his eyes, embarrassed at being caught. "It's brighter up here than it was when I lived with my parents."
He nodded, his hands rested on her body and slowly started to move along the soft skin naturally on their own until they reached to her stomach, his heart clenched and his own stomach sank. Sucking in a breath of air, he tried to understand his sudden reactions to this part of her body. In all sense, it should make him joyful!
"Munto?" Yumemi reached out for his hands, worry creased her forehead. "What's wrong?"
Instead of answering, he focused on her stomach, moving both of his hands to the smooth skin and pressing down delicately, his eyes set in determination. Akuto swirled around them, brought from the Heavens, himself, and the woman below him, all moving together into a golden light stretching around her midsection. It glowed brightly for a moment, the warmth spreading around them until it forged itself with her skin, sinking into her until it disappeared completely. A light sheen of sweat coated Munto's face, cooling him, reminding him how difficult protective spells were.
Even with the light of the spell gone, Yumemi felt the warmth of it through her midsection. It calmed her, though her heart fluttered rapidly in her chest. "Munto…"
"Don't worry, Yumemi," he slowly moved over her, pulling the blanket off her body completely. He leaned in, capturing her lips with his as he settled himself against her hips, his fingers trailing up her body, tickling sensitive areas.
Pulling away, he saw her face flush and her chest rose faster. "It's a protective barrier of Akuto, nothing dangerous that would harm our child." He bent down and kissed her neck, feeling her head tip back to give him more room. "I wish," his lips brushed against her skin as he talked, "I wish I could create one that could protect you all over, but not even I have that much strength or control to do that."
Yumemi sighed, feeling his warmth across her body, feeling the burning in the pit of her stomach. Arms wrapped themselves around his lean, muscular body on their own accord, her back arching towards him for more contact, wanting to feel him. A breath left her lips. "I know you would, but having you here is enough protection for me." A moan escaped her lips as his fingers moved along the back of her thigh. "Ah, I love you, Munto."
Smiling, he brought his lips up to linger over hers and whispered before claiming her as his, all hints of his nightmare finally gone from his mind, "I love you, Yumemi."
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Sunrise was quickly approaching, scouts would be able to see better after the sun was up, but that was not his main concern. His only concern was getting back the power that, that brat had stolen from him.
Power. It was the only thing he craved now, after the Union fell with the rise of the Magical Kingdom. He had lost it all, but now, gazing at the young couple sleeping, he saw the chance to snatch it all again.
It was so near and tempting; he almost went against logic and moved for it now. No, he must wait for the right moment, when it would all fall into his hands. So delicious. He licked his lower lip. He could taste it.
