Amina jolted awake from her dream of being devoured by the demon. Its red eyes hypnotizing her, rooting her to the ground like a puppet without strings, its haunting smile as it opened its horrendous mouth opening wide enough to swallow her whole. She shivered as she recalled it, swearing she could feel its breath on her skin as she sat up in bed. She needed air. She tossed on a robe, tying it tightly around her waist, and hurried out of her room to the courtyard below. Sweat poured from every pore as her body relived the terror from the events in the forest to the far too realistic nightmare. She found a quiet corner of the surrounding garden, avoiding the bustling courtyard as servants rushed to ready breakfast for everyone in the palace. Amina watched the sunrise as she tried her best to push away her fears and think about what it meant for a demon to be found in the forest and how it had looked at her as if it was there for the sole purpose of killing her.
Amina gnawed at her fingernails as she thought things through but her thoughts were interrupted by a richly seasoned voice asking her if they could join her. Amina turned to see who would be so impolite to bother a woman who obviously sought not to be bothered but sprung up as soon as she realized the regal voice had come from the King who was currently standing at the entrance to the garden, smiling politely at her.
"Your majesty! Forgive my impertinence. Please, do as you'd like, sire," she replied, bowing deeply and waiting for his answer.
"Please, rise, child. Sit with me a while," he answered, patting the empty space beside him on the elegantly carved stone bench Amina had occupied before he interrupted her solitude. She sat back down as properly and lady-like as she could, but she hadn't been raised like a noble and her nerves were fraying more with each movement she made under the king's watchful eyes.
"The last time I saw you, you were still quite young, too young to remember ever coming here, I would venture to guess." Amina nodded, she had no memory of ever coming to the palace or anywhere close to it. She had always been in the little cottage with her parents in the woods, foraging and selling their homemade remedies to the nearby villagers.
"Your parents were amazing people. Powerful, wise, benevolent. I owe them a great debt." Amina sat silent, clutching her hands as she listened to him recall a past she never even knew existed. She wanted to learn more. Needed to learn more, about her parents, about herself, about who she was, and where she came from.
"You see, child, your parents had served me in secret. I would not possess the throne I currently sit upon if it weren't for them. Your father had been one of the greatest knights of this world. A Holy Knight. And your mother was a child of light, a descendant of the ancient gods." Amina trembled as bomb after bomb was dropped, shattering her image of her past, her parents, and everything she had ever known to be true.
"They fought alongside my soldiers to defeat the demon king and solidify my claim to the throne. At one time, I thought I would marry your mother," he said with a sorrowful smile before continuing, "but she fell hard for your father and fought by his side. We had all grown up together. Thick as thieves." The king fell silent as he relived memories, clearing his throat before he resumed his monologue.
"That day... the last day I saw your parents. They had requested to be released from their duties. They wanted a normal life for you. They loved you with everything they had, with every part of their souls." Amina felt her tears spill over as her heart clenched painfully remembering their love. She had always felt it, how much they loved her. She was their entire world and they were hers. The king rested his hand on hers, squeezing it in a clumsy attempt at comforting her.
"I worried they would be targeted. I tried to convince them to allow me to provide for them, protect them. But they wanted to raise you away from all of this," he said, gesturing at the palace and its chaos as the sun had fully risen now and everyone seemed to be awake and looking for the king. He sighed.
"I'm sorry, Mia," he whispered, calling her the nickname her parents had given her. She choked on her emotions, a sob slipping past her lips before she could shove it down into the deep recesses of her psyche.
"I'm sorry... not only for their deaths but for dishonoring their memory by dragging you into this, but I need your help." Amina looked at him, puzzled by his words. What was he dragging her into?
"I can feel your power. Just like your mother's. It may be dormant now but it will reveal itself in time and bring danger with it. I heard of the incident in the forest from Oro. I also heard how you have been living since Mira and Ciro left this world." His jaw flexed and clenched as he remembered Oro's description of her pathetic shelter if it could even be called that.
"Please, let me protect you. Stay here to help Oro and I. I ask you this out of my own selfishness but I hope you will yield to my selfish desires. I must go now before my secretary and wife lose their heads searching for me. I hope you will consider my offer. And please, if it's not too much to ask, call me Uncle like you did when you were young," he finished, standing and offering his hand to help her up and walk her back. She took his hand and he wrapped her arm around his, patting her hand that now rested on his forearm. They walked slowly and solemnly, immersed in their own thoughts and drowning in memories of their deceased loved ones.
They reached Amina's room and the king leaned in and hugged her like he would his own daughter. His eyes wrinkled as he smiled down at her and said, "You really do look just like her." Amina paused before smiling, her heartwarming to his kindness. The king turned to find Nero staring discontentedly at them. Nero bowed as the king walked past him. Amina shouted after him, "Your majesty!" He turned back, and asked, "Yes, Mia?" Nero ground his teeth together as he heard him call her by the nickname he only learned of last night. Why was the king acting so familiar with her?
"I gratefully accept your offer, your majesty." She wanted to be stronger. Braver. More like her parents.
"Thank you," the king replied before turning away once again and disappearing behind a hoard of servants, knights, and maids all clamoring to serve him. Nero stalked over to Amina, his anger growing with each step.
"What did you just agree to?" he demanded, leaning in so close, Amina could see his slight stubble and a scar near his eyebrow she hadn't noticed before. She found herself wanting to run his fingers over it and ask him if its origins. She resisted the urge, answering his question instead.
"To stay here and help his majesty. If you'd excuse me, I should get dressed before our morning meeting with Prince Oro," she replied, turning to open her door and finding it held shut by Nero whose arms were caging her in, forcing her to turn her attention back to him.
"Nero?" He reached one hand down to cup her face gently.
"Amina, please, reject his majesty's order. You don't know what you're getting yourself into... it's dangerous." His eyes bore into hers, his warm, calloused hand against her cheek making her feel cared for just like the king's kindness had.
"I can't, Nero. I need to see this through. Find out what's happening and what it has to do with me and my parents. And it wasn't an order from him, just a request." Even with her firm reassurance Nero still look deeply troubled. She reached her hand to stroke his that was still holding her face so gingerly.
"Mia, please," he pleaded gruffly, his husky voice penetrating her heart and pulling up memories of the dream she had between her nightmares. He had been so loving, so gentle, so... passionate. Her face warmed as she recalled the dream when suddenly his thumb grazed her lips and she swore he could read her filthy thoughts.
"Nero..." she trailed off, her eyes locking on his lips as she looked up at him. She swore she could recall how it felt to have him kiss her. His slick tongue, the hard planes of his body against hers, his deft hands. Nero flashed a smile, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"Mia... I can't concentrate on our talk if you're doing everything in your power to look so beautiful and alluring while reminding me of last night," he teased, tangling his fingers in her wild curls. Amina's heart pounded in her chest. Was he reading her mind or... was last night not a dream? Her sudden realization had her shoving Nero back with both her hands on his broad chest, panicking to hide her face as it hit a new shade of red.
"Oh my god... oh my god. Last night wasn't a dream?" She almost shrieks as she turned away from Nero, unable to look at him and desperately wanting to hide in her room for the rest of the day. She heard a sexy chuckle behind her as Nero replied in a hushed tone, saying, "I'm flattered you would think it was a dream, but no, it wasn't a dream. I really did kiss you. I was a little drunk at the time but... I... really like you. I feel so... attracted to you in more than just a purely... physical way. I-I mean. You know what I mean," he stammered, sounding even cuter and more charming than usual. Amina was about to explode.
"I-I really should get dressed. I'll see you in the morning meeting!" She pulled her door open, quickly slipping in and closing it as Nero shouted, "Wait—!" Amina couldn't wait. She couldn't even breathe. She and Nero... oh god, her and Nero!