Chapter 79: Forever

The sky bluer than any water Izaya had ever seen reflected in a pond glittering like the first flakes of fresh snow. A few birds chirped along the way and a couple weeping willows standing nearby turned their usual green into hues of purple and pink as they blossomed all over.

"And what do you say? Anything off?" Shizuo asked and Izaya couldn't help but snort at the silly question.

"Stop acting like you didn't want to show me this place," he whispered and moved along the grassy ground painted with flowers. "You already knew there was nothing off, didn't you?" he asked as he turned and a breeze lifted his hair in time with the long vines of trees.

It was an image far too gorgeous and Shizuo found himself smiling uncontrollably about the bliss that filled his chest.

"I wouldn't have brought you along if I had expected to find the culprit," he whispered as he stepped closer. One of Izaya's hands was grabbed and a soft kiss pressed against its knuckles as he smiled assuring. "I've been having the knights check our lands daily ever since I first heard of the disappearances."

Averting his gaze for a second Izaya tried to ignore the heat the action brought to his face and quickly spoke louder than intended. "So that's why Crispin and Karazam were the only ones at the castle," he concluded and Shizuo chuckled in light amusement.

"I'm suspecting Crispin is nearby." The perplexion must have shown on Izaya's face, because Shizuo only seemed that much more amused when he spoke.

"No, he gave Karazam permission to accompany me." Only when the words left Izaya's lips did he realize how improbable Crispin's choice seemed.

"And I am sure he just turned around and left his cherished brother and queen to a possibly unknown fate." It wasn't often that he was outwitted, but this time, with no need for second thoughts or any ulterior motives Izaya noticed he had actually acted quite gullible for once.

"He sneaked along?" he sighed and Shizuo pulled his sword from his belt before shoving it into the ground.

"I would bet my weapon on it."

The faint hint of embarrassment resurfaced from the back of his mind as Izaya recalled his conversation with Karazam. How they heard them during the morning hours, but also how worried Karazam had been about his contributions to the knights.

Had Crispin followed close enough to hear them? Probably not. Izaya would have noticed a second horse if it were close enough to listen in.

"They are so awkward. Karazam worries over his brother and Crispin worries over him," Izaya sighed as he moved towards a particularly large and beautiful weeping willow tree. "Why can't they just talk?"

A long streak of flower buds was grasped carefully as Izaya brought it to his face. The soft scent of pollen lingered in the air and he smiled upon the pleasant sensations surrounding him whole.

"Crispin has always been a bit too stoic in his approaches. Just as Karazam is a bit too soft overall. But together they make up for what the other can and I think that's beautiful," Shizuo said as he reached for a particularly large example of a flower bud. Purplish pink its petals seemed unable to decide which color to settle for. But despite the beauty presented all around the two Shizuo somehow only seemed to have eyes for Izaya.

Carefully grasping the delicate flower Shizuo brought it over to Izaya's ear.

"Like you," he added, finishing his words with a compliment and Izaya felt his face grow warm at the faint touch of Shizuo's hand.

"Looks like you came from it. Like a nymph," Shizuo whispered and somehow suddenly they just seemed to be cut off from the world. It might have been the willow tree and its branches hiding them from any glances, or maybe just the silence of nature surrounding them, but they were and Izaya found himself craving the king more than he should.

"But nymphs are female. A satyr would be more fitting," he whispered, but the content of his words couldn't have been any more irrelevant as Shizuo smiled and leaned in.

"Nymph suits you better," he whispered, with his lips brushing loosely across Izaya's. Love, heat, desire and many more emotions seemed to suddenly bubble over as Izaya's gaze focused on Shizuo's lips.

"Because of the clothes?" he breathed, but his question sounded like it requested much more than an answer, and Shizuo smiled as he leaned in.

"Maybe."

The kiss was beautiful. Perfect. In every way. And somehow neither of them wished for it to end as it grew hotter and hotter by the second.

A breeze of air comped through Izaya's strands and after a few breaths of necessary air, Izaya glanced at Shizuo with clear intentions.

"Shizuo-" but the king was smart enough to understand the question on the verge of Izaya's lips without having to wait for it.

Lips merged once more, and suddenly there were hands sliding up Izaya's thigh and dress.

Glances filled with questions and answers met each other and before Izaya knew it his back hit the tree and his head tilted to the side allowing for Shizuo to trail kisses up his neck.

"You drive me crazy-" the king whispered against his skin and Izaya felt his body shudder in anticipation.

"Everytime I see you-" Bracing his palm against his lips, Izaya tried to suppress any obscene noises as the king's palm moved south.

More-He wanted more-

Legs were spread and Shizuo settled between Izaya's thighs as the last barrier of pants were dropped to the ground.

Lifting Izaya's thigh a short moment of love settled between the two as Shizuo searched for any hints of discomfort in Izaya's eyes.

"Can I?" he whispered, seductively low and Izaya swallowed as he pulled the king closer by the rim of his shirt with a teasing smile on his lips.

"You really have to ask?"

No more words were lost. The gap between their bodies closed and a moan stifled in heat coaxed from Izaya's throat.

Heavy grunts mixed with the rustling sounds of leaves and birds as Shizuo's name became part of the symphony.

The purple and pink perfectly hid any sight from afar as Izaya succumbed to pleasure.

More-

Everything around him was Shizuo, all that mattered was his voice, his glance and his touch. The softest vibrations brought to the tree caused a rain of purple petals to descend upon them.

But Izaya didn't even notice. All he knew were Shizuo's hands on his body, Shizuo's voice in his ears and Shizuo inside his body.

"Izaya-" Shizuo called his name, quietly and full of pleasure.

Izaya didn't know how much time had passed, but he wished for it to stop right here, under the weeping willows until the end of time as he shook with Shizuo's name on his lips.

True bliss was nothing Izaya ever thought he would attain, but at this moment he thought he did.

Slow breaths evened out by both of them and for a second Izaya just let his forehead rest against Shizuo's shoulder. The secure hold on his body, the warmth and care Shizuo handled him with just made him feel so incredibly safe.

It took only a few seconds for their breaths to catch and for Shizuo to move.

Before Izaya knew it, his dress fell back down to cover what was not to be seen and he found himself sitting in Shizuo's lap.

Back and head testing against the tree Shizuo sighed deeply and Izaya couldn't help but chuckle as he nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Satisfied?" he asked curiously and Shizuo laughed.

"Very." Leaning forward he placed a soft kiss onto Izaya's forehead and somehow Izaya felt as though the action told him how much Shizuo loved him all over again.

For a brief second Izaya couldn't believe how lucky he was. To be here. To be alive. To be with Shizuo.

Hand slipping into his own the king played with his palm, playfully comparing the difference in size.

Izaya wished he could have just remained here forever, but that wasn't what he came for.

Clairence, Karazam and many others were waiting for something that was never going to happen.

Swallowing the lump that slowly started to form in his throat, Izaya softly raised his voice.

"They heard us."

Of course Shizuo had no idea what Izaya was talking about.

"Who?" he asked, and Izaya closed his eyes.

"Karazam and Crispin." Wider and broader did the cold lump in his stomach grow as he brought the unavoidable topic up. "They think I might already be carrying your heir."

Unsettling silence followed.

Izaya wasn't sure what to expect. Words of comfort? Words of distraction? Or a plan crafted long ago that would tell Izaya how to end this farce?

But none of those options seemed to hold true as Shizuo snorted and his hand moved to stomach, playfully poking the surface of his dress's fabric.

"Are you?"

It was such a silly action that it broke the seriosity of the topic for a moment and Izaya shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle.

"Don't be stupid," he whispered,but the smile fell as quickly as it came. "Sooner or later people will start asking questions," he pointed out, but either Shizuo truly didn't understand his point or he was avoiding the topic on purpose as he merely shrugged.

"It's not uncommon for women to not bear a child at all."

He was right.

And yet- that was not the issue. And Shizuo should be aware. What did he mean to say when he ignored the obvious question in the air?

There was obviously a limit to how much time they could spend together.

Or was there not?

There was only one way to know for sure, but Izaya's lips felt too heavy to speak.

He was afraid of the answer.

But being fearful would not avert the unavoidable.

"Shizuo-"

The cracking of twigs quickly forced Izaya's question back down his throat and his head turned-

Pictures of the night Craigh almost got killed flooded his mind, and he half expected to see another wolf lunging at them for their blood.

But there was no wolf, only Crispin as he brushed a few strands of flower aside.

"My king, I have reasons to suspect that Craigh has returned to the castle," Crispin announced with close to no expression on his face.

"So soon?" Shizuo asked and Izaya quickly looked down at their bodies searching for any hints giving away his identity- but his dress was down and Shizuo's pants long back in place.

"Some farmers have spoken of a bearded ginger knight having helped them on his way back. I do believe that was him," Crispin explained and Izaya agreed with his judgement. There was hardly any other ginger knight going around with a streak of altruism.

"Definitely," Shizuo agreed and looked at his queen before addressing Crispin once more. "Fetch my horse."

A quick bow was all that followed before Crispin disappeared as quickly as he had left.

"Told you he followed," Shizuo chuckled as he picked himself off the ground. Izaya offered a smile to his reply, but it didn't reach all the way up to his eyes.

His question. He didn't get to ask. There was enough time to do so right now- but somehow every fiber in Izaya's body struggled against it.

He didn't want this time to end.

But what was going to happen once they found his sisters?

The path that had taken them to the willow trees was a short one, and reversed as quick as advanced.

All too soon Shizuo let go of Izaya's hand and sped up his steps as he spotted a certain ginger next to his horse.

"Commander," Craigh smiled as he stepped back onto the road. Karatam was still working in the fields in order to help the farmer out and it seemed Craigh had started to involve himself with that as well. "I was told I would find you here," he announced with a smile rivaling the sun's morning rays.

"I trust you had a smooth ride back?" Shizuo asked and the ginger's expression showed one of playful distraught.

"Not so much, the bridge to Lord Karch's state is still down and more and more people are taking extensive routes around their usual paths." Sighing softly Craigh shook his head, "You won't believe how many broken carts I saw on my way back."

Crispin rose an eyebrow at that and crossed his arms. "I'm guessing you helped them fix them?"

"How could I just leave them on their own?" Craigh whined, "They would only end up as wolf fodder as soon as night falls." A teasing smile played along the corner of his lips as he looked towards his queen. "Not like I don't know what that feels like."

Izaya snorted at that and suddenly the ginger knight's eyes lit up as he reached into his vest.

"Ah, before I forget-" he quickly uttered and before Izaya knew it he was offered a piece of paper. Yellowed and folded, Izaya grasped the sheet with light confusion.

"One of the kids wanted to thank you personally. The boy even bought paper and asked someone else to write for him," Craigh announced, and Izaya's hand froze.

Thank him?

Face falling and eyes dropping ho the letter he quickly unfolded the piece with enough speed to tear the corner.

No.

Don't get up false hopes.

Because hope was bad, hope was soul crushing- but in this case-

The softest smile of disbelief made its way to Izaya's face and it blossomed into a full flower.

"Shizuo-" he whispered and the king didn't need Izaya to spell out what it was that this letter contained.

Stepping forth a quick glance was enough to spot the place they wished to meet and faced his ginger knight once more.

"Would you accompany me? There is something important I need to check."

Confusion ruled Craigh's face for a short moment as he visibly wondered why a simple letter would force the king to act. Much less the queen. But he seemed to have reached his own conclusion as he smiled at Izaya for a second before groaning playfully. "And to think I only just returned." But the complaint was missing any substance and Shizuo smiled, "Forgive me, but I promise once we return you will get the feast of your life."

The horse that had brought Craigh to the village was quickly brought over and its reins grabbed.

"No need, I can't deny my commander's wish anyway, can I?" the ginger knight announced, faithful as always and Crispin approached his king.

"Do you need another hand?" But Shizuo shook his head.

"No, you stay. Someone has to guard the queen after all." A smile was cast towards said queen and Izaya felt his heart flutter in more ways than one.

Shizuo was going to fetch them. His sisters. The letter had contained their location, a few villages over and stated how they would await the queen's visit at any time.

It had to be them. Izaya was sure. And somehow looking at Shizuo getting ready to finally bring them back caused an array of mixed feelings.

Coming closer Shizuo leaned in as he whispered quietly.

"I will find them. It takes only half a day to ride there."

Only half a day-

"I will come with you," Izaya declared immediately, but Shizuo shook his head before he could even start to complain.

"No, you stay," he whispered, and gently nudged Izaya's chin forth as he locked eyes with his queen. "Forever, okay?" And somehow at that moment Izaya knew that this was the answer to the question he hadn't dared to ask.

Shizuo wasn't going to throw him out of the castle. He wasn't going to clear the misunderstanding of him not being the true queen. Not now and not after he found his sisters. No matter whether he could bear a child and heir or not.

Turning around Shizuo steered towards his horse, but a frail grasp to his wrist stopped him midway.

"Shizuo-" Izaya called, and Shizuo turned as his beautiful wife kissed him on the lips. Care, worry and anticipation of their life lingered in Izaya's eyes as he whispered. "Be careful."

"Don't worry," he announced, and smiled at the way every day had turned into one to look forward to ever since he met this man. "I will be back in a day."

to be continued~

.

..

…

C: See you next friday~ C:

PS.: After killing my brain by writing the last Sotd update I didn't get to finish any other updates apart from this xD So no SD, GtH and AS update today sadly C': But next friday I will have them ready again I promise 3 :3