Reaching her door, he knocked and waited. After a few seconds had passed, it opened inwards and Natalia poked her head around it. Her eyes were sore and red, her cheeks stained with tear tracks. She stepped back and allowed him to enter, closing the door behind him. His gaze followed her as she went to the end of her bed and stood there looking lost.
His heart ached.
Nothing he could do now could make his punishment worse.
He walked to her, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and held her close to his chest. She sobbed against him, her hands pressing into his chest, and her body trembling in his arms. He pressed kisses to her hair and whispered soothing things, not wanting her to cry over her family or him.
“It is over for me, Natalia,” Ixion murmured into her hair and she looked up at him through wet eyelashes. With a slight smile, he wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumbs and cupped her cheeks. “I will likely be executed for the things that I said to your brother and father.”
Her eyes grew wide and then a spark of warmth filled them. “Thank you.”
“They deserved it—”
“No,” she interjected and dropped her gaze to his chest before shyly raising it up to meet his again. “For last night… for giving me a moment of normality and letting me experience love.”
Her voice hitched on that final word and he ached for her, to see the hurt in her eyes and know that she was thinking this was the end for them.
“Do not speak like that,” he said and rested his forehead against hers. Her breath was soft and warm on his lips, so close to his. “I will not leave you here.”
She drew back, shock flittering across her face.
“I will take you away to a place where you can be free.” He held his hand out to her. It shook and he cursed it. Now wasn’t the time to look weak in front of her. He wanted her to see how strong he could be for her, how he would protect her from a life that made her miserable, and would do anything to bring her happiness. “We can go somewhere no one will look for you.”
“No.” It was the answer that he had expected deep in his heart. She wasn’t one to run away. “I can’t leave… I have a duty to my people. They need me now more than ever.”
He touched her face, immense sadness filling his heart. “Then I will watch over you… somehow… we will be parted but I will always watch over you.”
Tears streamed down her face and she hiccupped on her sobs. “I don’t want you to leave.”
But she couldn’t leave with him. To remain here would be a death sentence for him. The pain in her eyes spoke of confusion and fear.
“I don’t want to have to choose between you and my family… am I so bound by my title that I can’t even escape when offered the chance?” She turned away from him and wiped the backs of her hands across her face. “I have a responsibility… but I love you.”
Someone knocked at the door.
Natalia said nothing.
Ixion stepped up behind her and hesitated a moment before placing his hands on her shoulders.
“I love you,” he whispered, knowing that she needed to hear him say it, and that it would comfort her through whatever darkness lay ahead of them. “I have loved you for seven years. I have watched you all that time, watched over you, and nothing will change that.”
He pressed a kiss to her hair and then walked to the door. His hand shook as he opened it, expecting to find her brother and father on the other side.
It was neither of them.
Renie’s face was a picture of deviousness and excitement. She pushed past him, bursting into the room and going straight to Natalia. Ixion raised an eyebrow when a young man followed her in at a more refined pace. White skin and blue hair. His eyes were wrong somehow, with bright blue pupils and black irises. Was this the prince of Vega that Renie was going to marry?
Ixion had never seen such a strange looking male. He appeared nothing like the pictures Ixion had seen of Vegans.
“I have a shuttle in the royal port,” Renie said in a rush of words. “Yellow and silver. It can fold space. We can take you both to Vega and Tres will protect you!”
Tres? Ixion looked at the male. He didn’t look particularly strong but there was a confidence about him that said looks were deceiving.
“I heard about what happened,” Renie continued in a blur. “Rezic is furious.”
“And father?” Natalia said in a solemn and calm tone.
Renie shook her head.
“We cannot flee,” Ixion said and Renie looked at him, her dark eyes large and round, reflecting her confusion. “Natalia refuses to.”
“You’re insane. Rezic will kill Ixion.”
“It would be interesting to see such a fight,” the Vegan said and drew his gaze down the length of Ixion. “This male seems competent at killing.”
“It would go against my creed to raise a hand against one of this family,” Ixion said with a frown.
“I’ll go,” Natalia said and everyone looked at her.
“To Vega?” Renie sounded as surprised as he felt.
Natalia shook her head.
“No. I’ll go and speak to father.” Determination flashed in her green eyes and Ixion knew that she would give her father another piece of her mind. “If he refuses to let me live my own life… then I will leave… but I can’t leave without fighting for what I want.”
Ixion’s heart thudded against his chest. She was going to fight for him? His beautiful princess loved him that much?
“Then I am going with you,” he said, looking her straight in the eye. “As your personal protector.”
He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
***
Natalia’s palms were sweating as she walked through the wide corridors of the palace, Ixion at her side. She kept trying to find something to say to him, but her thoughts weighed her down. What if she couldn’t convince her father to grant her some freedom? What if by going to see him now, she was condemning Ixion to death? Her father could easily have his personal guards with him. The four of them could overpower Ixion. It was a thought that made her ache inside and want to tell Ixion to leave on the shuttle that waited for them in the royal port. She couldn’t bear the idea of losing him.
Ixion stopped in front of the door to her father’s chambers. She didn’t bother to knock. She barged straight in and relief swept through her when she saw that her father was alone, sitting at his desk, looking straight at her as though he had been waiting for her to arrive.
Her nerve almost failed but the feel of Ixion close by strengthened her resolve to face her father. She had been silent too long. She wouldn’t hide her feelings anymore. It was time that her father knew how hard this life was for her and how much it would hurt her if he made her marry someone that she didn’t love.
She came to stand before him, her gaze unwavering. Ixion closed the door and remained near it, as though guarding her from anyone who might intrude.
“Ixion gave me a lot to think about,” her father said and she was tempted to look at her assassin but kept her eyes fixed on her father’s. “As did your mother when she heard about what had happened.”
Natalia’s heart missed a beat. She smiled inside, pleased that her mother had chosen her side just as she had hoped that she would. She was sure that her mother had mentioned more than just what had happened today. She would have mentioned his whole idea of finding Natalia suitors too.
“I have long let my children run wayward, but I need a firm hand to guide them… one that will be willing to stand up to them.” Her father stood and his gaze shifted to the door. “One like Ixion.”
She heard him move and couldn’t stop herself from looking at him this time. He seemed shocked by her father’s words, as surprised as she felt. Was her father granting Ixion a reprieve?
“I saw Aiden and Ciel in a light I did not like the other day, and saw my daughter’s strength, and I knew that she was fighting with a reason. You.” Her father picked something up off the desk an
d held it out in Ixion’s direction. Ixion moved across the room to her and stared at her father’s hand. It was his insignia. She hadn’t noticed that he had lost it. Had he cast it aside after seeing the way her family had treated her? “You are free to return to us without repercussion… if you will train my sons in combat and help me turn them into men worthy of their titles.”
Ixion didn’t move. He stared at her father, his purple eyes impassive and emotionless.
“What of Natalia?” he said in a calm tone.
Her father looked at her. “My daughter has long done the duty of her brothers as well as her own. From this point forward, she will guide them also, ensuring they take responsibility and behave as expected of their status. Ixion will be assigned to her—”
“Assigned?” Natalia broke in and snatched Ixion’s hand, holding it tight. She was ready to flee with him right now if her father was daring to suggest that they go back to normal, that she give Ixion up. “I don’t want Ixion to be assigned to me, just like I don’t want my husband chosen for me. I love Ixion and I will be with him, even if that means we leave the palace.”
Her father held his hands up. “I have already had one daughter threatening to give up her title in order to marry the man she loved… and one is enough. I had intended to say that Ixion will be assigned to you as whatever you choose him to be—your personal assassin or future husband.”
Natalia blinked, stunned into silence. She was sure that she had heard him wrong. Her father was stubborn, just like his brothers, and it wasn’t like him to back down so easily and give in to someone else. It could only mean one thing. He really did dote on her as much as her mother said. He loved her and wanted her to be happy.
Ixion’s hand tightened against hers. She looked at him, into his warm eyes that smiled at her. He reached out and brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Her eyes slipped shut and she leaned into his touch, savouring the softness and the love behind it.
The galaxy faded away until there was only them, standing so close to each other, joined in a tender caress.
The door slamming snapped her out of the moment. Her gaze darted to it. Renie stood in the doorway, her laser pistol drawn, with Tres beside her.
“Are we leaving?” Renie said in a hurried tone.
Natalia wondered if her older sister was actually prepared to hold their own father at gun point.
“We’re staying.” Natalia smiled at Ixion. He placed his arm around her shoulder and drew her close.
“I believe you must congratulate your little sister,” her father said and Renie’s eyes went wide.
“He agreed?”
“It was his idea,” Natalia said, still not quite able to believe it. Her father wanted her to marry Ixion. She looked at her father, wondering if he was going to burst out laughing any moment now and tell her it was all a joke.
Her father smiled. “I wouldn’t have parted with you for a lesser male. I have no fear of your happiness or safety when Ixion is with you.”
Natalia blushed and then grinned at her sister when it finally sunk in. “I’m getting married!”
Her father laughed. Tres said something which she didn’t understand but hoped was congratulations.
“Double wedding!” Renie grinned right back at her.
Natalia hesitated and looked at Ixion. He towered over her, the tendrils of his black hair obscuring his eyes. His gaze slid down to meet hers and she waited with bated breath to hear what he would say.
“You haven’t asked me yet,” she said, feeling a little awkward about how carried away she had been. Ixion might not want to marry her.
His arm left her shoulders, making her feel cold, and then he took hold of both of her hands, standing before her. His eyes held hers, steady and confident, but something lurked in their clear purple depths.
“Natalia… my princess… I am not worthy—” He pressed his finger to her lips to silence her when she went to speak. “Will you ever learn not to interrupt?”
Her father laughed again. The suspense was killing her. She didn’t want him to outline just how unworthy he felt of her love and what she wanted to share with him. She wanted him to marry her.
“I am not worthy of a royal wedding. My status is not that of a prince or even a noble. I am merely an assassin, a servant of your family.” He hesitated and then sighed. “I want to marry you more than anything and make you happy, but I cannot stand before the population and bring dishonour to your family by marrying you at a royal wedding.”
Natalia’s heart sunk. The thought of having such a grand wedding and sharing it with her sister had been like a dream, but it wasn’t everything. She would be happy to marry Ixion here in this room in front of the few gathered. She was about to say so when her father spoke.
“I have a solution. Come here.”
Ixion released her hands and did as her father had ordered, walking around the large desk to stand before him. Her father took down one of the swords that hung above the grand marble fireplace behind him and turned to Ixion.
“Kneel.”
Natalia raced forwards, afraid that her father was going to hurt Ixion. She stopped in her tracks when he said a few words in Lyran and placed the tip of the sword on one of Ixion’s shoulders and then the other.
“Rise, Lord Ixion. Knight of Lyra Five. Commander of the royal assassins.”
Ixion stood, looking confused.
“What does it mean?” Ixion said.
“It is something from my mother’s species’ past.” Natalia went to Ixion and smiled up at him when he looked at her. “A lord was a noble title of the Terran species. A knight is a protector of the realm.”
“A noble?” he said and a smile slowly curved his lips.
“Will you consent to the wedding my daughter deserves now?” her father said.
Ixion nodded. “If she will have me, I will marry her in front of the whole galaxy.”
Natalia grinned, threw her arms around Ixion’s neck, and kissed him breathless.
If she would have him?
She would be a fool not to accept his offer and have him.
“Yes,” she whispered against his lips, giddy with excitement and love. Ixion held her close, his lips barely grazing hers.
He was everything that she wanted.
Her Lover.
Her Lord.
Her Knight.
But above all else…
Her Assassin.
The End
###
About the author
Felicity Heaton is a great believer in love at first sight and the romantic ideal. Having grown up reading extensively, she developed a deep love of classical literature, ranking Jane Eyre, North & South, and Persuasion amongst her all time favourite reads. The most romantic moment of her life was when her husband got down on bended knee on the steps of Sacré Coeur, Paris, at night in front of several hundred spectators and proposed. She was too drunk on love, and subsequently champagne, to care about the audience. All she could see was the man that she loved. A writer of emotion and life, she always strives to touch a chord of familiarity in her readers and give them characters they can love and a read to remember.
Daughters of Lyra: Heart of an Assassin Page 9