Beloved (Part 2) (My King series)
Title: Beloved
Author: skybirdday
Challenge: Challenge: Boysenberry #1 - one step closer/Butter Pecan #2 - sharp
Rating: Teen
Summary: Lord Daisuke visits Lady Athena
Part 2
On the third week, Leto, Gwynn, and Athena were joined one morning by Daisuke as they went through some swordplay. Two hours later, Leto turned
to face Daisuke. "Thank you for your help, Daisuke," said Leto. "I did not know that you could use a sword."
Daisuke grinned. "What warrior does not? You are welcome, my lady. You and the others could use fresh techniques to keep you strong, sharp, and ready to protect the kingdom." Then he turned to Athena and said "Beloved, could we dine in private this evening?"
"Why?" said Athena
"I wish to ask you a question?"
"Cannot you ask me now?"
"No, I wish for it to be just the two of us."
"Do not worry, Lord Daisuke. I have already taken matters into my own hands," said Leto. "Everything is arranged. Go and take your walk, you two."
Daisuke nodded and said "Thank you again, Lady Leto." before he took Athena by the hand as they walked away.
Gwynn stared at Leto. "What has been arranged and why are you smiling?"
"I am merely helping out, Gwynn. As for what I have arranged, you will see. Come, let's try as Daisuke said. Perhaps you can beat me this time," said Leto as she took up her sword again.
Gwynn only sighed and took up his sword to hold off his lady's blows.
*****
That night, Daisuke led Athena into a small room near the banquet hall where a small table sat prepared with two chairs around it as the center was laden with three plates of hot food and two places set with metal plates and goblets filled to the brim with red wine. Daisuke first helped Athena to her seat before going to his. Then they prayed a blessing before filling their plates with food. Daisuke stared at the room before eating. "What was this room used for?"
"King Stephen's old study. His wife, Queen Anne, worried that he would not get enough to eat so he moved his study here when they were first married. They were devoted to each other until her death and even after. King Stephen never remarried or loved another. What question did you want to ask me?"
Daisuke shook his head. "I will tell after dinner." Then they quietly ate. Then after supper, they left their dishes on the table and Daisuke
took her hands in his.
"I do not want what King Stephen did to be for you. If I die, you are free to choose another to love. We have shared with each other about our lives.
I have been trying to summon courage and now I can ask the question to you. Beloved Athena, dear to my heart, will you do me the honor of being my wife? My
heart, body, and soul are yours."
"Yes, my beloved Daisuke! I shall be your wife."
Daisuke smiled as he brought her hands to his lips, gently kissing each hand before letting them go. "I love you, my Athena. The One blesses
me with you." Then his smile turned into a grin. "I wanted to ask you this before, but there never seemed to a right time and I could not propose
in my letters."
Athena laughed. "That is true," she said, reaching out to caress his hands. "However one of my anscestors proposed to his future bride
in letters. His name was Latham and his future bride, Agatha, was quite angry that he would not propose to her face to face and in her reply to
his letter, she demanded that he do so next time he came to visit."
"Did he?" asked Daisuke.
Athena nodded. "He did and gave her father a precious ruby in exchange for her hand. Both father and daughter were very pleased. What happens
between us now
"I want to ask your nearest living relative for your hand."
"I have an aunt, but she has shunned me and I cannot ask her. We could ask the king."
"I shall. I will ask King James for your hand." Then he reached out and held her hand as they left the table, carrying their dishes
to the kitchen.
*******
The next day after King James attended to some duties, Athena and Daisuke came to him for a meeting. (is Father Ian there?")
King James looked up as he rose up out of his seat. "Lady Athena and Lord Daisuke, what can I do for you?"
"King James, you have grown tall since last we met. You noe nearly come to my shoulders where before you came to my chest."
The young king smiled and said "Thank you, my lord. I hope that as I keep growing that I shall be as tall as my father one day. Why
are you two here to see me?"
Daisuke took Athena by the hand and turned to the king "Since you are her king and she reguards you highly, I wish to make a request of you.
I want to ask you for Lady Athena's hand in marriage."
"I give it. She is yours, Lord Daisuke. May your union be a happy one."
"It shall," said Daisuke as he and Athena smiled as they stared at each other.
Then the king turned to Athena and said "Lady Athena, may I talk with you for a moment? Do you mind, Lord Daisuke?"
Daisuke bowed. "No, she is your guard. I will wait outside for you, beloved." Then he left the room, leaving the two together.
"My king, what is it you wish to ask of me?"
The king sighed. "I want to reveal your secret."
Athena's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I will reveal my heir soon. Your secret shall come to light as well."
"Your majesty, about the vision. . .could you be wrong?"
The king shook his head. "No. It remains the same."
"What?"
"I keep having the same dream over and over. That happened to my father. I merely wished to tell what I will do. Now go and celebrate with Lord Daisuke."
Athena nodded and went out to join Daisuke, closing the door behind her.
After leaving the king, they turned and bumped into someone. "Athena, Daisuke, what are you doing here? Did the king summon you as well?"
Athena looked up. "Gwynn, Leto, what are you doing here?"
"Have you heard about the king's vision?" asked Leto. Athena and Daisuke nodded. "He said he wanted
to ask us about his heir. Is that what you wished to ask him about as well?"
"That, and our marriage," said Daisuke.
"You proposed?" asked Gwynn. "Many Happiness to you, Lord Daisuke and Lady Athena."
"So you have made a man out of him?" said Leto.
Athena smiled impishly. "Not yet."
"We will have a long courtship," said Daisuke.
"I trust so. Now, we must be going and see the king. Good night to both of you," said Leto as she and Gwynn turned to walk to the king's study.
Daisuke smiled. "I shall walk you to your quarters. I hope this is the first night of many days and years to come." Then they slowly walked as the moon rose into the clear night sky.
******
After that, the couple spent days together after that. Occasionally, they would talk or eat with Leto and Gwynn. Then the last day came, they were both silent as they walked to the stables. Daisuke prepared his horse and then led his horse out into the vast courtyard before he turned to Athena. "You need not look so sad, beloved. I will be back," he said as he took her into his arms and kissed her softly. A few minutes later, they parted as Daisuke mounted his horse. Then they shared a glance before Daisuke turned his horse and began to gallop away down the path past the castle. Athena watched both her man and horse until they were a speck upon the horizon. After that, she turned to head towards the gardens and the castle nearby.
END
Author: skybirdday
Challenge: Challenge: Boysenberry #1 - one step closer/Butter Pecan #2 - sharp
Rating: Teen
Summary: Lord Daisuke visits Lady Athena
Part 2
On the third week, Leto, Gwynn, and Athena were joined one morning by Daisuke as they went through some swordplay. Two hours later, Leto turned
to face Daisuke. "Thank you for your help, Daisuke," said Leto. "I did not know that you could use a sword."
Daisuke grinned. "What warrior does not? You are welcome, my lady. You and the others could use fresh techniques to keep you strong, sharp, and ready to protect the kingdom." Then he turned to Athena and said "Beloved, could we dine in private this evening?"
"Why?" said Athena
"I wish to ask you a question?"
"Cannot you ask me now?"
"No, I wish for it to be just the two of us."
"Do not worry, Lord Daisuke. I have already taken matters into my own hands," said Leto. "Everything is arranged. Go and take your walk, you two."
Daisuke nodded and said "Thank you again, Lady Leto." before he took Athena by the hand as they walked away.
Gwynn stared at Leto. "What has been arranged and why are you smiling?"
"I am merely helping out, Gwynn. As for what I have arranged, you will see. Come, let's try as Daisuke said. Perhaps you can beat me this time," said Leto as she took up her sword again.
Gwynn only sighed and took up his sword to hold off his lady's blows.
*****
That night, Daisuke led Athena into a small room near the banquet hall where a small table sat prepared with two chairs around it as the center was laden with three plates of hot food and two places set with metal plates and goblets filled to the brim with red wine. Daisuke first helped Athena to her seat before going to his. Then they prayed a blessing before filling their plates with food. Daisuke stared at the room before eating. "What was this room used for?"
"King Stephen's old study. His wife, Queen Anne, worried that he would not get enough to eat so he moved his study here when they were first married. They were devoted to each other until her death and even after. King Stephen never remarried or loved another. What question did you want to ask me?"
Daisuke shook his head. "I will tell after dinner." Then they quietly ate. Then after supper, they left their dishes on the table and Daisuke
took her hands in his.
"I do not want what King Stephen did to be for you. If I die, you are free to choose another to love. We have shared with each other about our lives.
I have been trying to summon courage and now I can ask the question to you. Beloved Athena, dear to my heart, will you do me the honor of being my wife? My
heart, body, and soul are yours."
"Yes, my beloved Daisuke! I shall be your wife."
Daisuke smiled as he brought her hands to his lips, gently kissing each hand before letting them go. "I love you, my Athena. The One blesses
me with you." Then his smile turned into a grin. "I wanted to ask you this before, but there never seemed to a right time and I could not propose
in my letters."
Athena laughed. "That is true," she said, reaching out to caress his hands. "However one of my anscestors proposed to his future bride
in letters. His name was Latham and his future bride, Agatha, was quite angry that he would not propose to her face to face and in her reply to
his letter, she demanded that he do so next time he came to visit."
"Did he?" asked Daisuke.
Athena nodded. "He did and gave her father a precious ruby in exchange for her hand. Both father and daughter were very pleased. What happens
between us now
"I want to ask your nearest living relative for your hand."
"I have an aunt, but she has shunned me and I cannot ask her. We could ask the king."
"I shall. I will ask King James for your hand." Then he reached out and held her hand as they left the table, carrying their dishes
to the kitchen.
*******
The next day after King James attended to some duties, Athena and Daisuke came to him for a meeting. (is Father Ian there?")
King James looked up as he rose up out of his seat. "Lady Athena and Lord Daisuke, what can I do for you?"
"King James, you have grown tall since last we met. You noe nearly come to my shoulders where before you came to my chest."
The young king smiled and said "Thank you, my lord. I hope that as I keep growing that I shall be as tall as my father one day. Why
are you two here to see me?"
Daisuke took Athena by the hand and turned to the king "Since you are her king and she reguards you highly, I wish to make a request of you.
I want to ask you for Lady Athena's hand in marriage."
"I give it. She is yours, Lord Daisuke. May your union be a happy one."
"It shall," said Daisuke as he and Athena smiled as they stared at each other.
Then the king turned to Athena and said "Lady Athena, may I talk with you for a moment? Do you mind, Lord Daisuke?"
Daisuke bowed. "No, she is your guard. I will wait outside for you, beloved." Then he left the room, leaving the two together.
"My king, what is it you wish to ask of me?"
The king sighed. "I want to reveal your secret."
Athena's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I will reveal my heir soon. Your secret shall come to light as well."
"Your majesty, about the vision. . .could you be wrong?"
The king shook his head. "No. It remains the same."
"What?"
"I keep having the same dream over and over. That happened to my father. I merely wished to tell what I will do. Now go and celebrate with Lord Daisuke."
Athena nodded and went out to join Daisuke, closing the door behind her.
After leaving the king, they turned and bumped into someone. "Athena, Daisuke, what are you doing here? Did the king summon you as well?"
Athena looked up. "Gwynn, Leto, what are you doing here?"
"Have you heard about the king's vision?" asked Leto. Athena and Daisuke nodded. "He said he wanted
to ask us about his heir. Is that what you wished to ask him about as well?"
"That, and our marriage," said Daisuke.
"You proposed?" asked Gwynn. "Many Happiness to you, Lord Daisuke and Lady Athena."
"So you have made a man out of him?" said Leto.
Athena smiled impishly. "Not yet."
"We will have a long courtship," said Daisuke.
"I trust so. Now, we must be going and see the king. Good night to both of you," said Leto as she and Gwynn turned to walk to the king's study.
Daisuke smiled. "I shall walk you to your quarters. I hope this is the first night of many days and years to come." Then they slowly walked as the moon rose into the clear night sky.
******
After that, the couple spent days together after that. Occasionally, they would talk or eat with Leto and Gwynn. Then the last day came, they were both silent as they walked to the stables. Daisuke prepared his horse and then led his horse out into the vast courtyard before he turned to Athena. "You need not look so sad, beloved. I will be back," he said as he took her into his arms and kissed her softly. A few minutes later, they parted as Daisuke mounted his horse. Then they shared a glance before Daisuke turned his horse and began to gallop away down the path past the castle. Athena watched both her man and horse until they were a speck upon the horizon. After that, she turned to head towards the gardens and the castle nearby.
END