"Get the wounded to the hall right away!" Christine pointed towards the great corridor, "Hurry, these boys can only hold for so long!"

She saw one of the men limping as he carried in a wounded on one of the fifty thousand stretches they had. Gently she took over and told him to go to the injury room. Carrying the man she rushed down the hallways keeping the person behind her follow her. She entered the room where the agony-ridden men laid, twisted and used. Helping down the soldier she nodded to the one that helped her carry him in.

"Thank you very much." He nodded towards her. She noticed that he was a Borswan man and did not even bat an eyelash at the fact that she was wearing pants. The boy most likely did not know that she was queen. "He's my brother."

"Will his strength return?" Her lips turned into a small smile.

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell came from behind. "You are needed elsewhere."

"Thank you very much for saving my country." She nodded to the boy's, whose eyes were as big as saucers. Backing away, she followed Dr. Mitchell. "What do you need me for? Is there another who needs distraction as you cut off his leg?"

"It's something like that." His words were short and almost scared.

"I hate war." She said quietly. "We were lucky that it only lasted a little less than a week."

"One son comes home," He agreed, "the other doesn't."

"But it is over." Her eyes narrowed as she noticed where she was going. "Dr. Mitchell are you telling me I need rest by leading me to my room?"

"Majesty," They stopped at her door. "We all need rest, especially you, but unfortunately that is not the reason I am leading you here."

"What is it then?" She questioned, fear slowly started to rise up inside her, penetrating to the surface.

"His Majesty," The doctor swallowed. "The king has been injured."

"How badly has he been injured?" Her heart raced and it took all her self-control not to open the door and see for herself how horribly he had been hurt.

"He has lost much blood, but he should live." He nodded. "The king will live to see another day, but he cannot move for a very long time. His injuries consists of a minor wound in the abdominal area, it is not deep at all; quite superficial. Another in his shoulder where he lost most of his blood since it was very deep, but luckily did not hit any major arties or veins."

"Are there any others?" She asked, wanting to just run in and see him.

"Yes, Majesty," His eyes became concerned as he spoke. "His calf muscle was run threw by a sword. It caused much blood loss and it may never fully heal. Actually the chances are that he may use a cane the rest of his life."

"Could it heal?"

"Unlikely, but stranger things have happened." He shrugged, and put his hand on the doorknob. "He is not awake right now; I gave him medication causing the pain to lessen and him to sleep. It is better if he is not awake for this anyway."

"I understand."

Dr. Mitchell nodded and let her in the room, where her husband lay sleeping. Christine walked quietly towards her husband. His eyes were closed and he lay deathly still. The only indication that he was alive was the subtle movement of his chest as it steadily rose and fell with each breath. His face was the only piece of his body that was showing, and she noticed new cuts on his face: shining because of the medication that was put on them. The face, which always held a mask, was bare and for all to see.

She sat in the chair that was next to his bed, and reached her hand under the covers to find his. It was only slightly chilled, but it was no different than from the hand that she touched before the fighting and death. Glancing over her husband once more she turned her head to the doctor, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Why did you not put his mask back on?" She questioned quietly, her voice dry and heavy.

"The wounds there need to heal." He answered.

"He does not like it when others see his face." Her eyes glistened over, but nothing came from them as she turned back to his ravaged face.

"No one will come in here." His voice somewhat soothed her. "I will make sure of it."

"Thank you." She nodded. "I suppose you need me to…"

"We do not need you right now Majesty." He said quietly. "Your husband needs you."

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"How much longer is he going to be absent?"

"Does he not hear the need of his country?"

"It is that wife of his, gentlemen." A voice calmly stated from the ruckus of the great House of Nobles. Lord Benedict sat in his seat as he watched the other men fight continuously over the issue. "She is the one that is controlling his mind."

"Her country is in peril." Lord Carvie stated. "He is doing what he thinks is best."

"He has abandoned his country!" Lord Halverson stated.

"Liren has won!" Lord Emerson waved it off. "And soon we will get our due in time."

"How much time, gentlemen?" Halverson questioned. "Ten, twenty years? Will we all be dead by the time this said due comes around?"

"Gentlemen," Benedict stood and took the floor. "I think the king has gone too far with his princess from Liren. We must act on it before it is too late."

"And what do you suppose we do?" Carvie looked at treasonous man before him. "Overthrow the king? That will not do us any good. The people love him and feel safe. Our prosperity has exceeded our expectations."

"I did not say overthrow the king." He shook his head. "We must fix the problem that is making the king turn away from his own people, not some other country's population."

"Kidnap a queen?" Lord Kingsly scoffed. "That is ridiculous."

"No, no, no." Benedict narrowed his eyes, seeming to be at the absurdity of it. "I was merely suggesting, perhaps we should take matters into our own hands, privately."

"I don't like the sound of this, Benedict." Lord Carvie shook his head. "As far as I am concerned the king has done nothing wrong…"

"Except leave his country to follow a woman!"

"He has done nothing wrong!" He shouted. "Our king is not ignoring his country! He left his country in the hands of us, trusting us with his country while he was away. You voted to go to war with Plantne! You cannot go back on your word!"

"Not all of us voted in favor of war!" Halverson reminded him.

"No, but the majority did!" Carvie looked at the men sitting around him. "He is our king, and he has chosen a queen, we must respect him for the decisions he makes and support him! And if I hear that any of you are planning treason against my king, then I will happily sit at your hanging!"

He left, leaving the rest behind him watching the door.

"The king deserves better than this." Lord Kingsly stood and followed the path of Carvie.

Many also stood and left. There were a few left when Benedict smiled as he looked around the room.

"These are your new comrades, gentlemen." He spoke to those who were left. "Know them well."

----------------------------

Christine sat by her husband's side. Her head felt heavy and all she wanted to do was lay there with him, just to feel the warmth of his body, to know that everything would eventually be all right. Alas, she knew there was not any warmth of his body to be had for his hand was cold and almost unbearable to the touch. It warmed a little since she took it in hers, but she feared for what the rest of his body would be like. Perchance it could be cold and unfeeling, or maybe too hot and unwelcoming. Whatever the temperature of his body, she only hoped that it would return to normal soon.

She laughed to herself, realizing that she was concerned that her husband's body temperature was not correct. When he was lying there with his beautiful eyes closed and only breathing was the reason she knew he was alive. Sobering a bit she smoothed a hair that had gotten loose away from his face and watching it intently. Her eyes gazed over his face. She studied both sides, becoming familiar with the one that she barely ever saw.

The side of the face that was always open for the world to see was, in a way, perfect, and yet the typical, handsome face one would find on most men. Then she examined the hidden side. It was the side that only she could love. The side that was barely ever shown to any one for fear that it would disappoint and make others turn in disgust.

It was the ravaged side that she fell in love with. The side was imperfect, it was ruined in a way and yet it reflected so much of he was. The king hid his face so no one could fully understand him. He hid his face so that no one would see the crevices where he kept his secrets. Only few would understand anyway, and yet she did. She understood the hardships, even though he rarely spoke of them. Her knowledge was limited about his thoughts because sometimes either they were too far-gone, or because she knew that she would never fully understand anyone. But it was him, she loved it.

Quietly, as if not to disturb him, she climbed into the bed and carefully lay down beside him. Her hand curled around his and her petite body moved to just touch his enough where she could be pleased. She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, knowing all the while that he was right there beside her.


Wow, its been a while! I have been extremely busy and I am so sorry that it took this long. I would have updated on friday but I could not upload this chapter so luckily I found a way to get through. Anyway thank you to those who have stayed with me and any new people, welcome. Next time you will not have to wait this long so don't worry. But again thank you and sorry it took this long! Please review!

EV