by Nicole Hill
***
William left Na-Lisa on the window seat with a kiss as he headed to Tis-Dale's office. There had been quite a few changes since he had been back that was for sure and he had no idea what this meeting was about. He had the distinct feeling that it had to do with Lisa. He knew that Tis-Dale was probably going to talk about the fact that she could not marry him and that Tis-Dale had decided to find a suitable mate for her. One who would overlook the fact that she was no longer a maiden? His hands balled in to fists down his sides at the very thought of another man touching her. He would take her away with him and that’s just what he intended to tell Tis-Dale as he stalked in to office of the boy king. “William.” He greeted. “Sit we have much to discuss.” He finished gesturing to the chair. William did not want to sit but he did. Tis-Dale told him what had happened with his older sister and that he was now six Guards short as well as a head of Guards. “In short.” He finished. “I don’t know if you plan to stay but I have grown to trust your judgment and if you decide to stay, I have need for you as the Head of Guards.”
William sat quietly. He had just been offered a job. No mention of Na-Lisa “What about Lisa?” He asked.
“What about her?” Tis-Dale answered. “You don’t have to sleep with the Guards just because you are their leader.” William thought about this for a moment. He couldn’t do it. He could not continue to live in sin with her. If it were only his soul to worry about then he would not care. But it was her soul as well and any children that they would most definitely have. He needed to take her home where they would be free to marry. He was after all wealthy and could do whatever he wanted.
“I cannot stay.” He answered. Tis-Dale looked disappointed.
“I do understand about missing home. Na-Lisa will not be happy but what can you do about that.” Tis-Dale stated. “It’s not like the situation was either one of your faults and I can’t exactly make you marry her just to save her reputation.” He finished
Williams head snapped up. “Marry her! But, I can’t. The law... and I wasn't going to leave her you idiot! I was going to take her home with me.” He answered angry that Tis-Dale would think so poorly of him.
“You would take my sister away from her home?” He asked with a warning in his tone.
“Of course. How else am I supposed to marry her, have loads of kids and grow old together?” William answered. “I am living in sin against god with her not being married. I cannot risk her soul any longer and I cannot continue to live with her without being able to marry her.” He went on. Tis-Dale rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger thinking.
“So you are saying that you want to take my sister away so that you can be married?” he asked William.
“Yes.” William said emphatically. “Don’t you see? I love her. She loves me. I have to be with her every day for the rest of my life. I want to marry her but we can’t do that here.”
Tis-Dale looked at him with a strange look. “Why can’t you marry her here? Is it because the ceremony would not be legal in your homeland?” William was confused.
“No. Because of the law that a princess can only marry a prince. I am obviously not a prince.” William told him sagging his shoulders in defeat. Tis-Dale would never allow his sister to leave with him. He felt his heart breaking.
“Would you stay if you could marry my sister?” Tis-Dale asked. Williams heart took a leap and then plummeted.
“Yes. I would he said sadly but it is not possible unless you can abolish the law.” He said looking up at Tis-Dale hopefully.
“That I cannot do we have those laws for a reason. What if the heir dies and only leaves sisters. They would need a prince to become king.” Tis-Dale answered and William felt like he would cry. His damn rotten luck had struck again. Tis-Dale walked up to him and put a book in his hand. William looked down at it and saw that it was the law book that he read the law about marriage of a princess in. Tis-Dale had it opened to the right page.
He pointed to the law. “Read that out loud.” He said. “All of it.” William was exasperated. It was the same one he read before.
“In regards to the marriage of any princess, she will be required to join with a prince with equal character and wealth of the aforementioned princess.” William read out loud getting angry hearing the words again.
“Now, Read the smaller print below it.” Tis-Dale ordered. William huffed but read on.
“The above law is strictly intended for the first two daughters of a king any daughters beyond two will fall under the guardian’s right to choose a suitor for her.” William read this twice but was confused. He got that as Lisa is a fourth daughter she does not have to marry a prince. His heart soared but he did not understand about the rest. Was it like back home where the father chooses for the daughter? He looked up at Tis-Dale
“What does this mean? Her father has to choose? He is dead.” William asked.
Tis-Dale smiled. “It means I get to choose.” He answered. William shot to his feet. His heart bouncing around inside his chest at such a rate, he was sure it was on the verge of bursting through and continuing it's dance on the desk that separated the two.
“And.” He asked the “Boy King”
Tis-Dale grinned at him. “I always did want a brother... “ He didn’t have time to finish because William hugged him so hard that he nearly could not breathe. “Does that mean that you will take the job?” Tis-Dale asked laughing and pushing him away.
“Absolutely!” William answered. “Well then, you better go tell my sister that she has a wedding to plan.”
***
Lisa strolled to the gardens lost in thought. It had been six weeks since William was supposed to leave. They were happy. William worked during the day with Tis-Dale and the other Guards and loved her all through the night. She was positively glowing and she knew it. She was headed to the maze to find Na-Kara and the baby. Na-Kara was her older sister. She was forced into being a baby factory also by her uncle. She did not get as lucky as Lisa. She was raped by six different Guards who took what they wanted and left her in pain to suffer. The only good part about her uncle’s law was that she could chose weather or not the same Guard came back and eventually it was Ne-Kelvins turn. Na-Lisa thought with a smile.
Na-Lisa had known for years that he watched her sister. He never spoke to her, just watched. When he got there and found her broken and beaten, he took care of her, Like William did for Lisa. Eventually her sister loved him back and now they have little Ne-Kelvin. Na-Lisa was very happy for her. She walked into the middle of the maze and saw her sister sitting on a bench with the baby in her arms. He was so beautiful and Na-Lisa immediately took him from his mother as she sat beside her. “You look totally happy today.” Na-Lisa observed when she sat. Na-Kara looked at her.
“Guess what.” she said emphatically.
“What!” Lisa asked dramatically. “ Na-Kelvin spoke to Tis-Dale today and we are going to be married next month!” She said all at once.
“Really. That’s so great. A Month! We have to plan a wedding in a month!” Na-Lisa stated.
“I know.” Na-Kara said swooning. Lisa laughed. “What about you?” Her sister asked.
“We are great!” Lisa answered. “Plus I have a surprise for him tonight.” She said placing her free hand under the baby to her stomach. “No!” Na-Kara said with her mouth hanging open.
“Yes.” Lisa stated and they both broke out into a frenzy of female giggles. Life was starting to look good again. She just hoped that William would be happy. She had been too afraid to find out if he would have been happy the first time.
***
William was sure he had everything set. He had the ring. Massive thing that it was but he did not care. He wanted her to have the best. He wanted her to know how much he loved her. How she made his life better. How he wanted her every day for the rest of their lives. He had seen her earlier walking through the grounds holding her sisters baby the two laughing happily together. She had looked so beautiful a
nd so at home with a child in her arms. He could not wait until she carried his around and laughed over it like that. He heard from Ne-Kelvin earlier that her sister had accepted his marriage proposal. Thanks to the small bit of information on fine print in laws that William had given him. He was happy for them but was dying to get to tonight so that he could get his plans started. He found her that afternoon dusting and cleaning up. “Why is it?” He began as he stood behind her and folded her in his arms. “That you have maids yet you still clean everything yourself?” He finished kissing the top of her head.
She leaned her head backward to rest on his chest. “Because, My love. I am not lazy and besides there are some things that are none of their business.” She said with a wicked laugh. William closed his eyes and smiled. They ate dinner, as usual and made love after, as usual. William lay after with Lisa in his arms. It was now or never. He thought as he reached under the edge of the mattress with his free hand. He sat up a little with her still leaning on him. She looked up at him.
“What’s wrong?” She asked. “Nothing is wrong. I just have a question for you.” He told her, Suddenly feeling nervous. What if she said no? What if he misread what she wanted?
“What.” She asked with a guarded expression he was curious about. But he'd ask her about that later.
Here goes. He though as he swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “Well. I was thinking, I mean I know that this situation has not been ideal, what I mean to say is, is...well hell.” He said frustrated with not being to come up with any words and just opened his hand. She looked down at his hand and sucked in a breath.
“Is that. I mean, do you....” She started but he could see she was not sure what was going on.
“I want you to marry me” He said. “I want us to have babies and grow old together.” He would have rushed on but she threw her arms around him and kissed him long and hard before pulling back to look at him.
“Is that a yes?” He asked her. “Absolutely!” she answered leaning in and raining kisses all over his face. She leaned back and looked into his eyes. “Now I have a question for you.” She said looking at him with that same guarded expression.
Here it comes he thought. “Ask anything.” He told her.
“What about going home?” He thought for a moment. “This is my home now. With you.” He answered “Besides Tis-Dale needs me.”
“One more question?” She asked.
“Go on Lisa Darlin.” He coaxed seeing that she was nervous. She took a deep breath and he could tell whatever it was she wasn't sure if she wanted the answer. “How would you feel about becoming a father sooner rather than later?”
He looked at her stunned and looked down at her stomach. “Yes?” He asked tears already forming.
“Yes.” She answered placing her hand on her stomach. “About three weeks.”
William was stunned but his heart was near exploding. He was going to have the most beautiful wife in the world. He was going to be a father. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. Maybe his rotten luck had finally turned around. He leaned down and kissed her while at the same time covering her body with his. He would show her just how he would feel about being a father. He would show her today and every day for the rest of her life.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine