She was always feeding him. Not that he objected. It was just strange to have someone invested in his wellbeing. It wasn’t that his aides weren’t, but with them it wasn’t about him, but his role as King. Guinevere, though, saw past his crown to the man he was behind it, and some part of him took deep satisfaction in that.
‘This looks delicious,’ he said as he sat down on the cushioned chair at the head of the table.
It was a long table, meant for more than two people, but instead of sitting opposite him, Guinevere sat beside him.
‘I hope so.’ She got a plate and began to serve him, as she always did at these meetings. ‘I had the kitchen make all your favourites.’
Tiberius watched her. ‘You know my favourites?’
‘Of course.’ She gave him a grin. ‘I asked the staff what you liked and they told me.’
She has made an effort to know you, but what do you know of her?
What did he know?
He knew she was curious and passionate. That she was empathic and intelligent. That her childhood had been awful and yet it hadn’t turned her into a terrible person. She’d been quiet and terrified when he’d first met her, but she’d blossomed since, revealing the warm, generous and caring woman she was beneath the fear. Clearly she was thriving in her new role.
There were many things he knew about her…more than he’d realised.
‘I should be doing this for you,’ he said as she handed him the plate. ‘You are spoiling me, lioness.’
She lifted a shoulder as she began getting food for herself. ‘I enjoy spoiling you,’ she said, flashing him a smile. ‘You deserve to be spoiled.’
Do you?
The thought came out of nowhere, and he felt as if a chill breeze had moved over his skin. He ignored it. It didn’t matter what he did or didn’t deserve. She’d chosen to do these little things for him, and he wouldn’t hurt her by rejecting them.
What about what she deserves?
She deserved much—which he’d give her when he had time for it. Besides, it wasn’t as if he didn’t do anything for her. Every night he made her scream with the pleasure he gave her, and that wasn’t nothing.
‘Tell me about your day,’ she said, as she did every time they met.
So while they ate he told her about what he and his aides had discussed that day, and about the current issues they were facing, as well as the ones they’d have to deal with in the near future.
‘I’m going to get my events team to organise a national tour,’ he said after they’d eaten. ‘But before that we have an international meeting to attend in Geneva.’
Guinevere put an elbow on the table and leaned her chin in her hand. ‘“We”?’
‘Of course, “we”. You will naturally be by my side.’
Her cheeks went pink, and she gave him another of her heartbreaking smiles. ‘Oh, that sounds amazing. Have you been there before?’
He had, and told her so, and they discussed travelling for a bit before he asked her how her day had gone. He always asked, and he always found it interesting. In fact, he was starting to find everything about her interesting.
After they’d watched the sunset on the balcony, Guinevere took his hand and led him inside, telling him she had a surprise for him.
It was full dark by the time they stepped outside the palace, following the path to the orchard once more. There, Guinevere put a rug down on the grass and pulled him down to sit beside her.
‘What is this all about?’ he asked, as she lay on her back on the rug.
She was smiling as she patted the rug beside her. ‘Lie down and I’ll tell you.’
So he did, lying on his back, watching the stars wheeling above their heads.
‘I want you to tell me about the stars, Tiberius,’ she said.
He realised what she’d done then. She’d taken him back to his boyhood, to those stolen moments of quiet and peace when he hadn’t been the saviour of a country, but only a boy. A boy who was part of something greater…the entire living universe.
