Chapter 8 (1/2)

CHAPTER 8

Mahnu stared at the King, still angry and said, ”You're an idiot!”

”Yes, I'm an idiot. But now you're free, so it worked! Now come here.”

King Richard put his arms out to her and she stopped in front of them. The King smiled and stepped forward, taking her into his arms. ”Mmm...I've missed you.”

Finally, the King felt normal again. It really hadn't been that long since he saw her last. Now holding her, he finally let go and relaxed, like he'd come home after years of being away.

Mahnu tried to be serious but couldn't hold back and returned his embrace.

He stepped back against a tree, taking her with him, and sat down. ”You are really adorable when you're angry.”

Mahnu lifted her head and looked at him furiously, only for him to pull her head towards him for a kiss. Her anger vanished and she lost herself to him.

They didn't part till they were panting.

Should I tell her I know she's a G.o.d? He asked himself.

Her body went stiff and he remembered she could hear his thoughts. He held her tighter and said, ”It's fine. Marcus told me what he knew. But even though you are a G.o.d, you shouldn't have let them capture you.”

Mahnu put her forehead against his and remembered the past month. ”They didn't capture me. I wanted to try and talk them into peace.”

”So they didn't torture you?”

Mahnu made a face of pain, s.h.i.+vering slightly, and King Richard said in haste, ”They did, didn't they?!”

”It's okay. It's nothing I don't deserve. Besides, I'm free now and we have to get the box ready.”

”Not yet.”

Mahnu looked at him, his voice was strange and his eyes stared at her with longing. ”What's wrong? They won't stop...”

The King, holding her even closer, stopped her. He looked at her with eyes full of desire and pushed her against him. Even through the layers of clothes, she could feel his want for her.

Just a little bit longer, his thoughts penetrated hers and she consented to him. Her body and her heart unable to say no.  Now that she was with him again, she found that all that time without him had built up inside her and she had missed him more then she had realized.

He lifted her clothes and put his to the side and he placed her on top of him. They felt everything else around them disappear, eagerly discovering each other once again and they both continued to think, just a little bit longer.

***

After, when their breathing started to slow, the King looked at her, ”I want to hear about you after this. I want to know everything about you.”

Mahnu sighed, laying against him. ”I've lived a long time...”

King Richard interrupted her, ”Yes, that you have, but you aren't alone now and I want to share your loneliness and all that sadness you felt.”

He put a hand lovingly on her face, looking down at her as though she was the most precious thing on the land. ”Will you share...Will you share yourself with me?” He asked her.

Mahnu stared back at him. Her heart was captivated by him and his words, it was the most beautiful question she'd ever heard. A tear feel down her cheek and the King wiped it away.

He put his other hand on the other side of her face and kissed her eyes. My beautiful Mahnu, please don't cry. His thoughts only made her want to cry more.

”Ah! Your Majesty!...Excuse me.”

Mahnu looked away, wiping at her eyes, while King Richard answered. ”Yes?”

The King didn't even try to hide his naked chest and some of her exposed naked thighs.

”The knights are restless. They have found out about the G.o.d's and are getting scared.”

Mahnu looked at Marcus and said, ”I don't blame them, We should finish this before they open The Chest of the G.o.d's or use the slaves for war or...”

”Okay!” King Richard sighs, ”We will be there, as soon as I am finished here!”

”Yes, Your Majesty.” He bowed and walked away still in shock of their close relations.h.i.+p. He knew King Richard wasn't normally someone that had other women besides the Queen. But, remembering the King's expressions and words when it came to Mahnu, it seemed to all make sense now.

Could it be possible? Not only for the King to love another woman but for a G.o.d to fall in love?

King Richard did not let go of her hand, even when walking up to Marcus and the knights. They had all gathered away from the tents, close to the river that led into Brackan. Only two big torches were used to light up the area. As the King and Mahnu arrive, the knights all went silent and Mahnu heard their confused thoughts. Not only were they thinking about the two G.o.d's inside of Brackan but her as well.

The King nodded to a few of them, looking totally oblivious to the aura of doubts surrounding him at that moment.

”I will not harm you.” Mahnu said.

”Yes, please men. Be rest a.s.sured Mahnu is and has always been on our side.” Marcus said loud and proud.

”But isn't she a G.o.d?”

”We saw it!”

”The G.o.d's really don't die!”

Mumbles of scared soldiers went around their gathering and Mahnu was at a loss for words. To speak to so many to declare her innocence seemed to be such a big step for her. She was still getting used to talking to one person...

”Enough!” King Richard said firmly. ”Mahnu is our saviour. Without her, we wouldn't even be here today! If that is not enough, then I can tell you that in my time, I have only seen her help me, this land and the people. In my eyes...she is the heart of Kralaide!”

Everyone went silent. Mahnu looked at the King and heard what wasn't said, while he turned and looked at her. That's right Mahnu, you hold my heart too.

He squeezed her hand, in which were now hiding behind him and turned back to the knights. ”And now we depend on her again for the future of mankind. Put your trust in her, as I do, and we can contain the threat that those two G.o.d's have...Marcus, did you bring what Mahnu asked for?”

Marcus unwrapped something in William's hands that revealed a box. Mahnu nodded to William in acknowledgement at his smile.

”Is this sufficient enough for our needs Mahnu?” Marcus asked picking up the box and giving it to her.

Mahnu only quickly examined it, seeing it had all the ingredients needed and nodded, ”Yes, good job. A lockable, contained box with gold and silver. Thank you.”

”What happens now?” King Richard asks her.

”In the previous chest, to contain approximately one hundred G.o.d's, it took the future sight from all three prophets, about five hundred lives from Havlish, dreams of any King and drained my G.o.d powers for about a month.”

The hush that went over the gathering still seemed loud to Mahnu as the humans heard the price of their freedom.

She looked at the King to see his questioned look back at her. ”Yes, Your Majesty, you have dreams of The Siege even though you weren't even there.”

King Richard stared back at her and finally nodded. ”I know I had dreams, but, it was hard to ever recollect what they were about.”

The soldiers were stunned to the truth.

”I realized after the first time you fell asleep and I was close enough to read your thoughts. King Maximus wanted any future King to remember what had happened and that is how you remember it. It really stunned me, seeing my own past through you...”

The King squeezed her hand again, understanding a few more things about her and himself.

Silence filled the gathering and Mahnu listened to their thoughts. A question lingered on many of their minds and that was sacrificing lives to entrap the G.o.d's inside.

”I do not think it will be the same this time.” Mahnu said, seeing everyone look at her. She had enough time while being tortured to think of a solution.

”I will be the only one to sacrifice this time.” She said not daring to look at the King.

”Mahnu?” Both King Richard and Marcus said.

”I will sacrifice my immortality instead. So human lives should be spared.”

Again, there was silence.

King Richard wondered a question she was unsure of how to reply to. Does that mean you will die?

Marcus concluded to the same question also.

”No!” They both said to her.

”You know everything that happened, you could teach the people...”

King Richard interrupted Marcus, ”How is it right that the Saviour of Mankind become sacrificed? That isn't fair!”

I want you to be with me! The Kings pleading thoughts made Mahnu finally look at him.

”Then you want to kill people, Your Majesty?”

She knew her words would hurt him. But, realistically, that is what would happen. Sacrificing one life for many...A King should know which to pick, she thought.

King Richard gave her a pained look and turned away from her. Just when I get you back...you escape my grasp every time...If there was a way to have no sacrifices, I would choose that!

His thoughts hurt her in return as she knew that would be a better solution but knew that this outcome was forced upon them. Through this though, she realized he was still holding tightly onto her hand.

”It's settled then.”

”Wait! What about the other sacrifices?” Marcus asked.

Mahnu breathed in again. ”I will also fulfil those too.”