Chapter Twelve

By Genavere

Night had fallen over the Magical Kingdom. Lights flickered in the windows of some of the homes, patrols monitored the streets, but most were in bed to prepare for a new day.

In the palace, guards monitored the hallways, some of the night staff prepared what needed to be ready for the morning, and some were sneaking off to private rooms for intimacy.

In the eastern wing of the palace, a fire crackled in the royal bedroom which caused shadows to dance along the walls and on the sleeping face of Yumemi. An IV connected a bag of fluids to her hand and bandages covered most of her exposed skin. Her other hand was held carefully by the red-headed king as he laid on the bed next to her, leaning against the headboard. In his other hand was the report that had been placed on his desk a couple days ago regarding the disappearing islands.

A thorough investigation on the rest of them had been ordered immediately after they had returned to the palace and he had ensured Yumemi was safe in the healing wing. As much as he wanted to be in the medical room with her, he knew his presence would take from her attention and…she needed all of it.

Thankfully, when he knew she would be living with him, he had ordered two things to be done before she did. The first thing had he ordered was the renovation of the palace. It had to be done either way since most of it had been damaged during the Akuto Crisis and the wars. With her in mind, he had wanted it to be made with comfort and elegance in mind.

Their bedroom had been designed to be large with a fireplace, large windows, rugs, a balcony, and a bathroom that was attached. It even had secret passageways that only they knew of that led to each of their offices. That had been something he had designed himself with very few knowing of it.

The other order had been for Shuza to learn how to properly treat a human. Heavenly Beings were one thing, but he had learned quickly that humans needed to be tended to and treated differently in a medical sense. At the time, the thought of anything coming to harm her had been just a concern.

Now…he sighed, dropping the tablet on the bed and rubbed his eyes.

Thankfully, Shuza had been a quick study of the human medical field, and a nurse who he had worked with had decided to take the offered position in the palace to continue training the healer, and to help if anything were to happen.

To have two able healers here to care for her gave him some relief. It had meant to be a precaution, but nothing in life ever went how it was supposed to.

He brought her hand up to his lips and nuzzled it gently. When she woke, there would be more trauma to go through and heal. The time she spent in captivity would need to be addressed…and the repercussions of their conduct.

His eyes darkened.

Many times over the previous few days since he had brought her home he wished the punishment he had delivered had been harsher. The Lower World had a saying of 'An eye for an eye.' It is what should have been dealt.

A week of torture, starved of Akuto, and his life revoked. Yet, Gntarl was dead, the rest of his subordinates were held in the prison and being interrogated. There was no changing the past now, he sighed. If it could have been, none of this would have happened.

On the bedside table next to her side, bright blue lights read 1:53AM. Her phone laid charging by the clock. That had been part of the renovations to ensure her technology could be used in the palace. It had taken his engineers only a couple days to utilize a system to conduct a form of electricity through similar outlets that she needed.

Shuza or the nurse would be by soon to check on their patient, and to demand that he rest. It was hard to sleep, not knowing when she would wake. He just knew he needed to be there and alert when she did. If it took a month, he would remain awake to ensure he was the one she saw when her eyes opened.

When morning came, a representative would need to be sent to her family and two friends to let them know she had been found. Rui had ensured Ichiko had stayed in the Lower World during the time they had been searching, but now that Yumemi was home, he would have to deal with the headache.

"If you don't wake soon, I fear your friend will ensure I disappear," he whispered against the soft skin of her hand. Every night with the nurse and Shuza, he helped change her bandages, checked how her injuries were healing, and rubbed lotion on her hands as she had begun after being in the higher altitude. It was one thing he felt he could manage and control while he waited for her to recover.

He glanced at her serene face and frowned at the white cloth on her cheek. The cut there had been infected and would scar, marring her perfect features. A reminder of his failure to protect her…his eyes drifted to her stomach.

The stone that never had disappeared since that nightmare dropped again and left a taste of bile in the back of his throat.

There were many reminders of his failure. His only hoped that she would find enough forgiveness in her healing to trust him again.

Numbers flashed 2:00AM and a knock came at the door like clockwork. He kissed the back of her hand again and called for the person to enter.

Things would change, he vowed silently. Any enemy they had out there would learn quickly that they were not the Kingdom or the couple to ever push to the edge. And if they tried, they would be destroyed.


A/N - Sorry for the delay in this. Started a new medication a bit ago and the side effect of not being able to sleep wore off. Now I am back to being exhausted and sleeping all the time when I am able. Will try to bring updates once a week to push myself through it!