I was so nervous for this chapter! I re-read it sooooo many times. I hope it at least meets some expectations. I am still nervous about it lolol

Thank you for the reviews! I was like I better get this chapter done. It was quite the cliffhanger last time.

Chapter 38

I didn't sleep the entirety of the night. Not after the doctors had come and gone, or even when Antonietta stayed until the early light watching over Newt.

I could not sleep. As soon as my eyes started to close, my body would jolt in panic.

If I hadn't left him alone, I could have seen the signs sooner.

Newt was still sleeping. The blue tint of poison was still heavy, his nails and veins intoxicated by the toxin.

It wasn't until midday that I made up my mind. The doctors were hopeless.

Minho was my only hope to find Renata. He left in a rush, foregoing any protocol as he pushed past the heavy line of guards that had been placed outside of the room.

The court was told Newt took a heavy spill and hit his head. They couldn't know it was poison. All food and drink destined for the royal family was now meticulously analyzed by Alby. Not that it mattered for me. I only had tea. My stomach was too heavy with anxiety.

Newt was laid up. The royal doctors would come in 20-minute increments to douse him in some sort of charcoal tonic. Oil for his fingers, smelling salts for his nose and throat but nothing worked.

When we first found him, the doctors were able to get him conscious after they forced a charcoal tincture down his throat, he threw up what looked like all the contents of his stomach. He was coherent for about a minute before he passed out again. Then they tried the charcoal tincture a couple more times. It seemed to be working as long as Newt puked. Once his body had nothing else to give, he lost consciousness again.

It felt like an eternity before Minho returned with Renata.

She didn't seem all surprised to see me.

"Your majesty, I am informed I have been summoned."

I stood from where I had dragged a chair to Newts bedside.

"We must be quick. No one knows you are here. The king has been poisoned and the charcoal isn't working."

Renata approached the bed; she sat down the large wooden box that hung off her shoulder from a leather strap.

I moved out of her way so she could fully examine Newt.

"Blue…and the charcoal did not work?" She asked.

"No, only last night when he was puking but after that it stopped."

Renata looked at me, a startled look in her eyes.

"Then that either means it's a very strong poison or he is still being poisoned."

"Still? How? He hasn't eaten since dinner." I said moving closer to the bed again.

"Not all poison is eaten. Some is touched or smelled. If charcoal is not working, the poison is still here."

I felt the blood drop to my feet "But we are fine. Nothing is wrong with us."

Renata pulled back the sheets abruptly, leaving Newt bare in his clothes.

"What is different? Look closely, your majesty."

Besides the blue tint and sickly color that had taken over Newt, he seemed normal. I ran my eyes up and down his body. His usual breeches he wore before bed…his usual shirt. It all seemed normal.

"I-I don't know, he looks like always. This is how he dresses for bed."

I heard Minho groan in desperation. "For the love of god Roan! You sleep with him every night you must be able to tell!"

I threw my hands in my hair, shaky and disoriented.

"I don't know! It's always dark! And I, I don't really look at his clothes…Wait!"

All my contact with Newt was always in the dark, I knew him by touch alone.

I motioned for Renata to get out of my way. I closed my eyes and began to run my hands past his knees and up. The familiar feeling of his fabric bringing me dread instead of the usual comfort. His shirt felt the same, soft and thick.

I always pulled on his collar when I went to kiss him and that is where I felt it. The laces of his shirt felt too silky and too light. They would rip if I pulled.

I opened my eyes and pulled back. Wiping my hands in my skirts.

"I think its his shirt! I'm not sure but the laces feel different. They're too light."

Renata gave me an incredulous look and I felt the world crumble around me again.

"I doubt it your majesty, but we will try."

Renata opened her box and took out a clear tincture. She squeezed a couple drops on the fabric. The three of us waited impatiently. Just as I was about to give up hope that it was the laces, they started to turn a dark blue.

I gasped but was quickly shoved out of the way by Minho.

"It's the shirt! We need to get it off. Now!"

Minho took the knife from his side and slashed the deadly fabric off pulling it from Newts motionless body. He tossed the ripped fabric on the ground and kicked it far.

I leaned forward again to see Newts chest streaked dark blue where the laces had touched his skin.

The room had a table with charcoal ready for when the doctors came. Silently, Renata scooped the crushed powder and rubbed it all over Newts chest. Once it was completely covered, she turned towards me.

"I will need some of your blood to give him strength."

Without hesitation, I rolled up my sleeve. The familiar process seemed eternal despite Renata's quick hands.

Time seemed to slow down to a sluggish pace as Newts life hung in the balance.

As soon as my blood turned blue, Renata injected into Newts arm.

"We must do this every hour, if we want to give him hope for recovery. Your court doctors will not like it. "

"I do not care, nothing they did was working. Now at least we know we have a chance." I said, rolling the sleeve on my other arm up. I was ready to give Newt more of my blood, as much as he needed.

Renata was right, when the twenty minutes hit the doctors appeared and where appalled to find her in the room.

It seemed to me most of their indignation came from the fact that a lowly woman was able to figure out what was wrong with the king.

I allowed them to continue with their charcoal tinctures. It could only help but I sent them out as soon as they were done. I did not want them interfering with Renata.

Antonietta had few words to say on the matter when someone when to snitch of my deviancy. She saw the herb vials and simply nodded her head.

She seemed resigned, the prospect of potentially losing her son draining her of her usual bite.

Hours rolled by before there was any change, Renata drew blood from my legs once my arms were too worn out.

Newts fingernails were the first to show any improvement. The blue slowly leaving them, then the blue veins from his extremities started to disappear. It wasn't until the veins in his neck faded and the blue streaks in his chest lost their intensity that he opened his eyes.

I was finally resting my eyes, leaning my head on the side of the bed. I didn't notice he was awake until I felt a hand on my head.

I jolted up to see Newt wide eyed and confused.

"What's happened?" His voice was weak and drowsy.

Despite the exhaustion that clung to my stiff limbs, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around Newts neck.

My tears wet his neck and I felt the charcoal on his chest rasp against my dress.

"Roan…why am I covered in coal dust?"

I pulled back to look in his eyes. They stared at me befuddled and worried.

I knew he would taste like charcoal, but I couldn't help it. I pressed a kiss to his lips. It was firm but quick.

Newt pulled his head back first "Love…what happened?"

I sighed heavily "I have a lot to tell you."

Newt looked infirm as he perched on a rolling chair. He had heavy blankets covering his legs and a steaming cup of tea rested on his lap. He resembled my deceased grandmother and I would have found it amusing was it not for the circumstances.

"Regardless of how the shirt got into the room, we need to find out who put it there. I want all the staff that is allowed in this wing to be investigated and interrogated." Antonietta said, smoothing out her skirts.

"Agnes does not need to be looked at. She would never do such a thing." I spoke up.

Antonietta zoned in on me, her eyes aflame.

"My son was almost assassinated. Everyone and everything will be looked at."

I frowned but I knew better than to push the matter. Antonietta was hyper-sensitive; she had not left Newts side since his recovery yesterday. She would barge in the early morning and berate the maids.

I had handled my panic a different way. My stomach was still tight with knots, so my food intake was limited, and it was a fight to keep it down. I had only slept about three hours the previous night; any little noise jolted me awake. I had them bring a cot into the room so that Newt could sleep comfortably without me taking up space. He had resisted at first, but his weakened state didn't allow him for much fight.

The doctors said that after a couple of days he would be able to stand normally but no activities that required exertion were allowed. Newt had tried standing this morning, but he almost collapsed from the effort.

He was frustrated and snappy.

"I need to see my council; we were in the middle of negotiating an important tax code. I also needed to attend a meeting with a coalition of villagers. They have concerns about the upcoming crops." Newt said, slamming his cup loudly into its saucer.

"Darling you cannot-

Newt interrupted Antonietta "Mother I am tired of hearing how weak I am. Roan, I want you to meet in my stead. I will have my advisors fill you in on the terms of our negotiations. The farmers just want to be heard and felt like they have our support. I trust you can handle this."

His words were not necessarily cutting but his tone was snippy and harsh.

"Newts it's only been a day. I'm flattered that you would trust me, but wouldn't you rather wait?"

Newt stared at me; his lids lowered. "The kingdom does not stop just because I have, if you cannot handle it, I will have someone else do it."

I felt my skin blaze in anger, but I bit my tongue.

"As you wish, your majesty."

Newts temper did not improve the following morning. If anything, it got worse. He wanted to approve what I wore to the meetings. He said my image needed to be regal but not exuberant. Tasteful but not too simple. I tried on five different dresses before he approved.

My steps were hurried as I walked, despite my usual eagerness to be around Newt, I was happy to leave the enclave of bitterness.

I had been so irritated that I didn't have any chance to feel nervous about meeting with parliament over tax negotiations. However, as soon as the doors opened the group of 50 men stared down at me, I felt my insides drop to my feet.

I knew better than to react. I kept my face still and approached the large throne in the middle of the room. My dark blue dress dragged slightly against the floor, and it was the only noise in the room.

I recognized Lord Bass and Councilor Ava. They had both told me I was not to budge on the import tax for Bohemia and to make sure the tax for staple crops did not get too high.

For as long as I could remember, this is what I had wanted, a chance to show everyone I could rule.

I sat on the throne, my heart pounding like a horse and my knees wobbly.

Lord Bass was the first to approach.

"Your majesty, do I have your permission to start this session of parliament?"

I nodded my head. I was coached to speak as little as possible.

Lord Bass bowed and turned.

"My lords we may begin."

"Your majesty, you will also need to sign these documents…"

"Your majesty, General Gally has requested for an inspection of the gates…"

"Your majesty, we need someone to go over the balance of tithes in the southern region…"

Your majesty, Your majesty, Your majesty….

It had been a week since Newts poisoning and every day since, Newt had a list of things for me to do. It never ended and each day the lists grew. He was walking now but his skin still had a greyish tint.

His temper had evened out but there was still some bite to it.

"This soup is cold, have them bring me another one and this time make sure they actually cook it." Newt spewed, throwing his napkin on top of his plate.

I couldn't help but fist my hands and rest my head on them. Pre- poisoning, Newt would have never acted like that.

I waited for the frightened maid to leave before I spoke.

"Newt…you know…you don't seem like yourself. I know you're still not feeling well but if you're feeling discomfort I am sure we can try something else."

Newt didn't even look at me as he spoke, his face turned away in derision.

"I am perfectly fine and will be well soon. Thank You for your concern."

The bruises I had from all the needle poking and bloodletting yelled at me to make a retort.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Newt…you don't seem like yourself. You're angry and irritated, you snap. That's not like you"

Newt pressed his lips tightly together, finally looking at me. "I appreciate all you have done for the crown lately; it has not gone unnoticed. However, my personal affairs are not a concern of yours."

I felt the wave of rejection hit me, the last straw of patience snapping in my chest.

I stood and slammed my fist on the table. Cutlery crashing and accidently falling to the floor.

"Look…I've had enough. This" I waved towards Newt " Whatever this is, needs to stop. Your personal affairs, your emotional state, your soup, even, is my concern. It will be for as long as I with you."

Newt stared at me his eyes a bright with indignation.

"How would you like me to be then Roan?! Would you like me to be soft? Or perhaps maybe you would like me just to roll over and die?"

My hands went to my hair. "Newt…I understand that being poisoned had an impact but-"

"An impact?! An impact…and you understand? How could you possibly understand?" Newt began to lean forward, his voice raising with intensity. "How could you understand what I've done? In a matter of months, I've wasted my birthright…put an entire kingdom at risk, I've slaughtered innocent boys!" Newts face was a bright red, his eyes brimming.

"How could you possibly understand any of that?"

He was right, I couldn't.

I took a deep breath and pushed my chair back. I rolled my sleeves up to show the green and yellow bruises that stained my skin. Some were bigger than others.

"Do you see this?" I pushed my arms forward, "All of these bruises are a physical demonstration of my devotion to you. And if that's not enough." I stepped to the side, so he could fully see.

I lifted my skirts, my legs were the worst for some reason, purple and blue marred my skin.

"I sat there for hours while they took blood from my body to make a cure for you. I do not care if you wasted your birthright or if you burn the palace to the ground. I will be with you Newt."

I stared intensely at Newt, begging him to understand that all I wanted for him was to be alive.

Newts eyes raked up my legs and to my arms. He hadn't seen the bruises. I doubted he recalled much of how he got better.

His mouth went to form words, but he stopped. He didn't know what to say.

Quietly terse moments passed before Newt was able to muster it up.

"I deeply appreciate what you did for me and Roan, I carry you in my heart, always, but you need to see that I have failed tremendously in my role as king and I need to fix it."

I nodded my head, letting my skirts go. "And we will fix it, there is still time. Your poisoning is a sign they are getting desperate. Whoever they are."

I knew better than to bring up Lord Benjamin, it unnerved Newt.

"Will you join me in bed tonight? I miss having you next to me."

"Of course, a week on the cot has done a number on me."

Newt gave me a half smile but didn't say much else.

I sat there giddy at the prospect of Newt finally returning to himself.

How wrong I was.

I leaned on my elbows as Newt settled in bed. The room was warm, and the fire permeated a slight glow making the space feel sweet and inviting.

"Roan you've been staring at me for the past five minutes."

I rolled my eyes "I have not. It was a simple glance."

It was a lie, I had been staring, basking in Newts newfound strength. The relief I felt after almost losing him was incomparable.

"Ask me for something, anything." I said, sitting on my haunches.

Newt gave me a confused looked before softening.

"You know, you haven't given me a kiss in almost an entire week. I'm starting to think you might not want me anymore, love."

I could have thrown myself at him then and there. He had teased me. Newt had finally mended.

Eagerly, I pushed forward and pressed a soft kiss, I was smiling too widely to give him a proper one.

Newt grabbed behind my knee and hooked me around him, so I was straddling him.

He pulled back from the kiss, his lips a simple breath away.

"Roan…I want you to know two things."

I looked up at him, his eyes were intense, the brown in them full of emotions I could not decipher.

Newt took a deep breath and pushed my hair out of my face.

"You have…you are…you know that you are very special to me, and I am eternally grateful that we are where we are now and that you-…What I am trying to say is…"

A part of me wanted to rush him along but I was being gentler with him ever since his assassination attempt.

"Roan you need to know that I love you. I've loved you for a while now. I've made it very clear that I want for us-"

I put a finger to his mouth, stopping his rambling "I love you too."

Newt let out a breath before cupping my face, he kissed me, deeply, his mouth warmed my whole face, the heat spreading and nestling in my chest.

When we finally pulled away, I pressed him for the second part of his revelation.

Newt took an even deeper breath than before.

"I changed my mind on the heir business. You were right about all that."

I didn't miss the way he squeezed my thighs as he spoke.

Pre- assassination attempt Roan would have bolted; post- assassination Roan realized the urgency of it all. Newt's imminent death had eclipsed most things, even our disastrous argument about heirs.

"I agree, how should we go about it then?" I asked, it was very clear to everyone in involved that I had little to no experience in the matter.

Newt looked away and up at the ceiling. "Well, I was thinking we drift there slowly. Build up to it."

A slight panic began to pulse, and I could feel my body began to stiffen. The buildup would do me in.

"If that is what you are comfortable with, we can build up to it but I think we will only draw it out longer. The sooner the better."

Newt gave a small chuckle "If I didn't know any better Roan, I'd almost say you are dying to jump my bones."

I couldn't help but grip Newts shirt, sliding myself forward. He had joked twice in the conversation where before a small smile was a miracle.

"Your majesty must understand," I brought a finger to the corner of Newts mouth, "that I would do just about anything to keep him alive."

I woke with a deep sense of contentment and wholesomeness. It was enough to finally feel the hunger pangs that had eluded me the past week.

Newt was alive and recovering, albeit not in the room. Lord Benjamin's plan had been foiled, and I had not completely run the kingdom to the ground in my short week in charge.

New had said he loved me, which if I was honest, did not come as a surprise, he had about shown it and said it in many different ways before. I was relieved that he had finally seen sense on the heir business. It would be scary but there was no point on me dwelling on my fear over it. It would simply have to man up to the task.

It would have to happen tonight. While I still had the nerve for it.

That would require ample preparation. I threw my legs over the bed and stood.

I would need to go to the library and find a book on the matter. A bath would also be in order…

When I reached for my robe however, that's when I realized…Agnes should have showed up an hours ago.

The sun had already climbed too high. Had they let me sleep in after my week as ruler? But Newt had not said anything about ending his resting period.

I decided to head for the door and have the guards send for Agnes.

When I pulled on it however, it didn't open.

I pulled harder, only to realize it was locked. I pounded on the door with my fist. The guards better have a perfect excuse as to why they decided to lock me in.

"Your majesty!" It was the startled voice of the morning guard. "I must apologize but the king has given us direct instructions not to let you leave. He said to tell you it's for your own safety. "

Newt had caged me up.