NIAMH

!!!AUTHOR'S NOTE COMING UP!!!

Hi, Guys!

I'm back with another book!

So... Anyway, I personally am really excited about this book. I hope you are too, and I wanted to thank you for giving it a chance. It means a fucking lot to me.

I just wanted to make a few things clear before you can start reading - if you're even reading this author's note. I know I skip them a lot, so... No judging here.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Well, the first thing I like to make clear is that English is NOT my native language. I'm Dutch, so I'm 1000% sure that there will be grammar and spelling mistakes. Please let me know if you find them so I can change them. It only makes me better, and I'll really appreciate it.

The second thing, almost all of the characters in this book have a dirty mouth, so, expect to come across some cursing. Like a LOT. Also, at some points in the story, it can get a little... steamy. If you know what I mean. But don't worry. I'll give a warning if we enter such a part.

ALSO! This chapter and the next few are all parts of the prologue. So, through the eyes of Queen Nives. The chapter called "Locked In A Cage" is where the real story starts. This is where you'll be reading through Niamh's eyes.

Well, that's about it!

I hope you enjoy the story, and let's get into it!

Please, if you're up to it, leave as many comments as you want, they usually make my day!!

Zahira_Hatyaara out!

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"You're one of a thousand voices

In my head that all just sound the same.

If I will make a change

It's by my words and not my name"

~ I Am - Hands Like Houses

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A pearl of sweat found its way down my crimson cheek to my chin and disappeared on the floor below us. An annoyed groan escaped my lips when I had to take a step back. The only sounds in the room were our harsh breathing and the clinging sound our swords made every time they collided.

I breathed in the warm, clammy air surrounding us and twisted myself out of our swords holds. I spun myself back around and just managed to dodge Therion's longsword engraved with a whirlwind called Windsong – by throwing myself on one knee. Therion put so much power behind his charge that he stumbled forward when his sword only cleaved the air.

A sly grin found its way on my face, and I tackled my husband to the floor. I spun myself back up and held the tip of my black iron longsword named Heartstriker against my husband's throat. "You're dead," I smirked.

Therion rolled with his beautiful onyx eyes before hitting away my sword with the back of his hand and sitting up. He pulled his messy, night black, shoulder-length hair out of the bun he put them in before training and run his fingers through it while staring right into my eyes and smirking. "Please, I went way easy on you, Nives Darling." Now it was my turn to roll with my eyes— arrogant prick.

I spun myself around to get some water, but before I could even take a step, Therion had gotten ahold of my ankles and pulled. A painful groan left my lips when my body collided with the cold, hard ground. I rolled myself onto my back, but before I could do anything else, Therion had pinned my wrists above my head.

"I think I win this round, Milady," Therion breathed into my ear. The small hairs of his neatly trimmed beard tickled my skin. I closed my eyes and sighed when my husband started making a trail of kisses, starting with my earlobe and going down. Way down. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from making too much noise. My toes curled and uncurled over and over again in my knee-length leather boots. "Are you enjoying this, Nives Darling?" Therion asked, smirking. I nodded quickly. A low chuckle left my husband's soft, pinkish lips before he pressed them on mine again.

We both shot up straight when a loud rumble was audible in the far distance. Like an earthquake but without it's shaking. "What was that?" I asked. "What was that sound?" Therion, who already stood up from the floor, made his way towards the open, glass balcony doors with his sword in his hand. I took my husband's example, picked my sword up from the ground as well, and quickly made my way beside him.

"Where do you think it came from?" I asked softly while I let my gaze scan our surroundings. The streets of Karmina, the Capitol of Rolyra, were almost completely empty. No children were playing in the streets—no adults talking to each other, asking about each other's days. Even the normally crowded market was deserted. They all had rushed inside. The few remaining people were all staring into the distance.

Therion nodded east towards the Malsonee Mountains. In the same direction, the others were gazing. I followed his gaze. The Malsonee Mountains reached as far as the eye could see and way beyond. The mountain passes were endless and, above all, dangerous. If you entered the passes, it was guaranteed that you'd get lost. Most of the passes were now blocked so no one could get lost in them again. It's been that way for years now. Four years to be exact.

There were no more teenagers who wanted to prove themselves brave and ventured into the mountain passes just to get lost and never return. There were no more mothers who had to mourn for the loss of a son or daughter who no longer returned home because they had been stupid enough to try and prove that the mountain passes everyone warned them for were just passable.

They were not.

Even the best navigators got lost in that maze. The only known survivors to ever cross the mountain passes are the Gufla. A tribe of Wildlings who're actually living in the passes. They're the guardians of the Iron cave. A cave deep in the Mountains that buried a great evil.

Therion kept on staring into the distance, trying to figure out what that loud rumble from before was. Knowing him, he even let out a glimpse of his power to get a better taste. A power with which he could control air. He couldn't just control it. He could make it do whatever he pleases. He could make hurricanes as big and small as he liked. He could suck the air out of people's lungs and let them fall dead on the floor with just a slick movement of his hand. He could even feel any sort of disturbance in the air. That's how he always knew when the weather would be bad – or really good for that matter. He could do all just that, and my guessing, he was doing exactly that. Trying to detect a disturbance in the air to figure out what in the name of the Mother who birthed the nine Gods, that loud rumble was.

"Therion, do you think we're under attack?" I asked. My voice trembling slightly. After a few minutes of silence. My husband finally lifted his concentrated gaze from the Malsonee Mountains in the east and towards me. His beautiful onyx eyes stood soft as he cupped my face with his hands and pressed his soft pinkish lips on my forehead before pulling back and smiling reassuringly.

"No, My Love," he finally answered. "I don't believe we are."

I sigh of relief escaped my lips. Thank the Mother for that. "But what do you think it was? It couldn't be an earthquake, and thunder is also excluded. So, if it wasn't an earthquake, thunder, or an attack, what was it? "

Therion smiled softly at me and grabbed my hand. "Don't stress about it, My Nives Darling. It's getting late, and you're tired of your duties. Let's just rest tonight. Then we can look more into it tomorrow." Therion brushed a strand of my long, red hair behind my ear and kissed my brow.

I closed my eyes, enjoying this moment, wishing it could last forever.

I opened my eyes again by the sound of muttering in the distance. I walked further onto the balcony we were standing on and smiled down at our people who cautiously made their way out of their houses. When they concluded that there was no threat, they went back in to get their children. Children immediately started playing in the streets of Karmina. My lips curled into a sincere smile when hearing the sounds of joy. I sighed and closed my eyes, concentrating on those beautiful sounds.

"Let's go on where we left off," Therion broke the silence in a voice that was sensually darkened. His hot breath tickled my ear. I slowly opened my eyes and turned around to face my King.

"How bad do you want that?" I smirked while looking up to my husband, who was one full head taller than I am.

"Oh, so fucking bad," he murmured before burying his face into the crook of my neck and pulling me close to him. A giggle left my lips since his beard tickled my skin.

"Then take me," I breathed. I cupped my husband's face with my hands and had to stand on my tippy toes to press my lips on his. Therion grabbed my buttocks and gave them a little squeeze. I giggled and jumped, wrapping my legs around my husband's waist while he kept me from falling. He pressed a quick kiss on my lips before walking out of the training room towards our bedroom.

Therion gently laid me down on our bed before kissing my face all over. I giggled and started playing with his soft hair. "I love you," I smiled. Therion brushed my long hair out of my face and kissed the tip of my nose while smiling.

"I love you more, Nives Darling."

"Impossible," I grinned. Therion chuckled and started nibbling my earlobe. I pushed Therion off me when soft cries sounded through the room, which resulted in an offended grunt. I jumped out of our bed, chuckling, and made my way with swaying hips to tease my mate towards the little crib in the corner of the room.

"Hi, baby," I said, smiling before taking Elin out of her little crib. Elin immediately stopped crying and cocked her little head sideways so she could look at me. "Hi, baby," I repeated myself and pressed a kiss on her chubby little cheek. Elin smiled up at me and brought her little hands towards my face. I chuckled and kissed her again. "You're hungry, isn't it, Princess? Or are you just enjoying teasing Daddy?" Therion mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath, while Elin's smile grew wider. I chuckled again and made my way back towards our bed with our six-week-old daughter.

Therion pulled me onto his lap and pressed a kiss on my cheek. "Let me help you," he breathed into my ear, and with that being said, he took off my top, so I was now sitting half-naked in his embrace. Elin immediately reached towards my now exposed breasts what caused Therion and me to chuckle. I attached Elin and pressed myself deeper into Therion's chest. He was leaning with his chin on my bare shoulder and looking mesmerized at our beautiful little girl. Smiled tiredly, my heavy eyelids closed, and I let myself get pulled into the darkness.

***

A gentle knock on the bedroom door let me look away from Therion, who was still sound asleep with our little girl sleeping on his bare chest. He had an arm gently wrapped around her little frame. "Who is it?" I asked just loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear, but not loud enough to wake up my two precious angels.

"It's me, Your Majesty," the gentle and soft voice of my maid and friend Siraye sounded.

"Come on in, Siraye," I chuckled before stepping out of my bed and staring at the two figures who were still in it. "Aren't they just adorable?" I asked, smirking at the beautiful little faun. Her dark brown, almost blackish natural curling hairs shone in the soft morning light streaming into the room through the large windows. Her two cute little horns were hard to notice between her wild curls. Siraye, her skin only a few shades lighter than her dark hair, got accentuated by the beautiful lacy cream dress she was wearing.

"They really are," Siraye smiled while she came standing beside me. "But Therion would kill us if he found out we called him adorable."

"Well, I guess he has to deal with that because he is one big cutie pie. Also, what he doesn't know, doesn't kill him," I shrugged what caused my friend to chuckle. "By the way, you look beautiful, Ray," I said, eying her again. The cheeks of the little faun immediately turned a few shades darker what caused me to chuckle again. Siraye cleared her throat somewhat awkwardly. "Awh, don't be embarrassed, Ray!" I laughed while giving her a quick hug.

"S-sorry, Your Majesty," she mumbled quickly.

"Siraye, how many times do I have to say that just calling me Nives is fine. I'm only twenty. All that formal shit makes me feel old."

"Oh, shit, sorry, My- I mean, Nives." I chuckled and made my way towards the bathroom with my maid following me on my heels. Siraye helped me clean myself and get dressed.

Since I was expected at some formal gathering, I was wearing a dress. It was a beautiful light dress. One that allowed me to move easily. It was truly one of my favorites. The dress was made of baby blue silk with a low cut back, and it was kept in its place by various strings of white pearls.

Currently, Siraye was brushing my long, red hair while we were talking about, well, everything and anything. I chuckled over Siraye's ramble about her many annoying siblings when the door swung open, and Therion walked into the bathroom. He was fully dressed in his leather fighting attire and had our little girl in his arms. She seemed to be awake as well, just as she seemed to be a little fussy. Therion smiled at Siraye before turning his attention towards me. "Good morning, Ladies. Sorry, I'm interrupting, but I think the Princess is hungry."

I chuckled. Therion walked up to us and handed Elin over to me. I took her better in my arms and kissed her cheek. "Are you hungry, Princess?" I asked before attaching her to my breast and feeding her. I looked down at my baby.

Elin, her dark hair started to get long, and her beautiful emerald green eyes stared right into mine as she was drinking. "So, why exactly are you in your fighting attire, My love?" I asked without looking away from those two mesmerizing green eyes. I smiled down at her, which caused her to smile as well.

"Because I'm planning to look further into that rumble from last night." I looked up from my little girl into the onyx eyes belonging to my husband. "Don't worry. I'll be back before the social gathering." I nodded, frowning, and watched him walk out the door.

"Please be careful, Therion!" I yelled after him.

"You know me!" he yelled back from down the hall.

"That's why I say it," I grumbled before looking back at my little angel. "Your Daddy is a reckless idiot," I said. "But he is my idiot, and I love him just as much as I love you," I added. Elin smiled up at me while continuing to drink.

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