Her Stolen Grace Ch. 03

It couldn't be him.

"'Mora!"

But that was Ken's voice. Amora's knees sank to the ground as the little boy broke into a full sprint towards her. Even from a distance, Amora could tell that Ken had grown, even if only a little. His hair was a little longer; his chestnut curls bounced jubilantly as he made his way towards her. In her mind, Amora scolded whoever had been looking after him for letting his mane grow to be so unruly.

As he neared, she could see he was taller now, too. His legs had leaned out a bit from when she'd seen him last. Did children really grow so fast?

A tear betrayed her as Ken closed in on the last remaining feet between them, his arms wide to hug her. Still in shock, at first Amora did not move when the boy embraced her. The image of seeing him dead on the floor still fresh in her mind. Interrupting, Ken laughed.

It was his laugh, still full of purity and innocence. The laugh of a child who, despite whatever had happened to him over the past several months, could still find joy. It was his laugh, she realized. Her arms lifted finally she squeezed him firmly, burying him underneath a barrage of kisses and ignoring the pain in her shoulder.

"You're alive!" she cried softly, holding him tightly. Ken giggled.

"Stop it, 'Mora, I can't breathe!" She let him go, afraid she would break him. Another tear fell. Kenneth was the one to break their embrace. He cupped her face and attempted to wipe her eyes.

"Why are you crying, 'Mora? Are you sad?" Two more tears escaped him and made their way down her cheeks. Amora hugged him again.

"Oh, sweet boy, no. I'm not sad. I'm so happy. I'm happy that I get to see you again." She looked up to see King William approaching on them from across the clearing, his men lowering their weapons as he passed. Quickly, she lowered her voice and scanned over Ken.

"Have they hurt you?" she whispered hurriedly. Checking over him, she noticed a large scar that lined the side of his forehead, covered by his locks. It was old but appeared that it had taken an extensive time to heal. Kenneth shook his head.

"No. Although Brandon hits a little hard sometimes when we spar."

"Brandon? Who's that?"

"He's my friend. He lives at Braewood." Before Amora could respond, William had reached them. He knelt to one knee and ruffled Kenneth's hair playfully.

"How about we get inside? I'm sure the Restor would like to take a look at Amora's shoulder."

"'Mora, you're hurt!" exclaimed Kenneth, just now realizing that she'd been injured. She winced as she was suddenly aware of her injury. Not wanting to alarm Ken, she casually shrugged it off.

"It's not that bad, really—"

"—Why don't you help her inside, Ken?" William interrupted, placing gentle hands on Kenneth's shoulders. "It's a knight's duty to help a lady, is it not?"

Amora watched the interaction between the two. It seemed so...familiar. William winked at Kenneth who nodded and held out his hand for Amora to take. The King only offered her a light smile and turned to head back inside. A dangerous thought suddenly danced in Amora's head. It was only a few feet to the woods. She could grab Ken and they would at least make it to coverage from the archers.

They could make it.

Probably.

From there, she didn't know. Kenneth held out his hand eagerly, waiting for her to take it. She looked to the King, whose size was shrinking in the distance, and then to the knights who'd lowered their weapons but were waiting for her to follow. Reluctantly, she let her hand slip into Kenneth's and allowed him to lead her back inside.

--

Despite Amora's protests and Kenneth's, William had ordered that the boy be taken to another room while Restor Terrick looked over her wound. The King then sat and watched, without a word, as the Restor worked. The worst of the pain had come when it was time to remove the arrowhead from her flesh. The shrill sound of her screams echoed throughout the room as Restor Terrick gave no warning when he ripped the arrowhead from her flesh. After a few moments of piercing pain, the intensity died down and Amora's screams subsided into quiet whimpers.

"You're lucky," commented the Restor, "It seems the wound is mostly superficial. I will sew it closed and apply a numbing salve. It'll heal in a few days."

Amora nodded and sat quietly as the Restor continued his work. She could feel the King's eyes on her but did not dare return a look. She merely bit back a cry as she could feel the Restor's needle pierce her flesh. Trying to distract herself, she closed her eyes and spoke aloud.

"I thought he was dead. This whole time...I thought I would never see him again." She wasn't really speaking to the King, but the accusation in her tone was evident.

"Levan made sure that he was procured. He's been staying in the elder Lord Vander's keep at Braewood." Another sharp pain and the feeling of tight tugging in her back indicated that the Restor was still stitching up her wound.

"Is he being treated well?" Ken hadn't appeared to be injured or malnourished, but she wanted to hear an answer.

"He is," was William's only reply. Amora was unable to read his dark expression. She settled for assuming he was angry. They both remained silent. The king never taking his eyes off her while she looked anxiously at the floor, occasionally wincing as she felt the Restor work over her wound.

When he was done, she felt the coolness the salve application, alleviating the pain almost immediately. The Restor then stood, as did William, and both went to the other side of the room to speak. They exchanged a series of hushed whispers which Amora knew was not meant for her ears. Both the King and Restor Terrick looked at her, the Restor shaking his head in what seemed like exasperation. The King nodded, a curious gaze still upon her. The Restor bowed to William and promptly left the room.

Amora prepared herself for his wrath.

William was beside her within in a moment. She was surprised considering the great distance between them in the room. She recoiled as he reached out a hand.

She didn't know what she expected, but she knew she expected pain. None came. Instead she felt a tender caressing of her shoulder. The King was kneeling behind her, examining her wound. He held out a hand. Confused, she turned to look at him. He simply shook his hand. Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his.

Oh. Amora blushed at their proximity. His hand was much larger than hers but fit snugly around it. Though calloused, they maintained a tenderness to them. He took her hand and held out her arm. She watched curiously as he experimented with slight movements.

"Does it hurt?" he mumbled, his attention still focused on her wound.

"A little. Not really." The salve that Restor Terrick applied had helped to dull the pain. It felt more like a memory.

The King moved on, extending her arm completely and rotating it in small circles. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder and Amora bit back a small cry.

"Sorry," the King offered. He refrained from exaggerating her movements but instead continued to survey range of her mobility, observing her face for any reactions of pain. Once he was satisfied with his experiment, he rested her hand back in her lap. Turning his back to her, William walked over to stand in front of the fireplace. Neither one of them saying a word. Finally, Amora broke the silence.

"You are angry..." she wasn't entirely sure, but it seemed a very fair presumption.

"Yes, very." the King replied curtly.

"I will be punished?"

"Without a doubt."

Amora's voice lowered to just beyond a whisper.

"How?"

The King was quiet for a moment, then turned back to look at her. His expression unreadable.

"I am still debating that." He waited for her response, reading her face for a reaction. Instead she looked down, not willing to concede her thoughts. The King spoke to her again.

"There are some who feel that my generosity towards you is unfounded. That you are spoiled and a troublemaker." One of those words struck Amora the wrong way.

"I am a prisoner! A slave."

"Would your defensiveness qualify as an acknowledgement of your behavior? In your time here, would you truly consider yourself a slave?" The King sat down across from her.

"I was taken from my country and brought to an enemy stronghold. I am forbidden to leave. Locked away and made to do work without pay."

A small smile came to William's lips.

"I did not take you from your country. You are a citizen of my empire. And this 'work' you say you are forced to do is nothing that is unfamiliar to you. Instead, you are compensated with daily meals, much better than those you are used to. A bed to sleep in, and general assurance of your safety. If anything, I have provided you with more than your former monarch. In the least, you should thank me."

Amora wanted to argue but a certain look from William convinced her otherwise. He continued,

"As for being forbidden to leave, I'll admit to some truth in that. However, I am keeping you here for reasons that do not concern you. I would have been open to allowing you supervised time about the grounds, but you have long since relinquished that privilege. Regarding Kenneth—"

Amora's heart dropped. Deep down she had known. The moment she'd realized he was alive she realized the King's game. Kenneth was to be leverage. Kept alive only to keep her in line. Heatedly, she interrupted.

"You stole him. Had me believe he was dead. It's foul." William said nothing, he simply stared at her impassively as she continued her rant. She felt the tears come to her eyes but continued strong in her resolve.

"I know what you're doing," she accused, ignoring the King raising an innocent eyebrow, "you are going to use him against me. To make me do what you want. To make me obey." Her heart sunk at the thought of it.

"Would you?" The King asked curiously.

"Would I what?"

He drew closer to her then, looking intently into her eyes.

"Would you obey me, then?" He studied her, waiting for her response. She didn't know how to respond. Of course, she would. It would make her hate him even more than she believed she did already, but she would have done anything for Ken.

"Yes." Amora confessed. William seemed to ponder the weight of that statement, as if contemplating just doing it.

"Will you not obey me now?" he asked thickly, inching his way closer to her. She could feel heat emanating from his body, it almost felt as if she couldn't breathe. Or was it her? Why was she so affected by his closeness?

He stood now, standing beside her and taking her good arm to coax her into joining him. As Amora began lifting herself to stand, she was suddenly swooped forward and found herself in a snug embrace. He was careful not to agitate her injury, but held her tightly against him and lifted her chin so he could peer into her eyes.

"Will you obey me now?" The King repeated quietly. His eyes were expectant of an answer. Nervously, she looked down, trying to gather her thoughts.

"I..."

"Think carefully, Amora." It was only the second time, that she could recall, that he'd called her by name. At times she was unsure that he even knew her name. Hearing it come from his lips melted her skin, a deep feeling stirring within her belly.

"Yes." She conceded hazily. She could have sworn that a devious smile was escaping the corner of his lips. Eyes focused on his lips, she suddenly had a strong desire to caress his face, wondering what it would be like to have his mouth on hers. As if he'd read her mind, he leaned in closer, drawing her chin upwards for his lips to meet hers when suddenly the door flung open.

Levan Vander strolled joyfully in the room with Kenneth clutching his hand. Amora, upon seeing him, broke their intimate embrace and fell to her knees as the child ran to her. William shot an annoyed look at Levan, who only shrugged.

"My apologies, your grace. The boy insisted that you said 'ten minutes'. He is very adept at keeping time."

William ignored him and watched as Amora embraced and laughed with Kenneth. Her concern for him seemed genuine and there was no denying the bond between them. He gave them a moment and pulled Levan aside. Knowing exactly what he wanted, Levan lowered his voice to report.

"It was an old entrance. Used long ago by the servants for drying linens. It's not even on any of the maps of the castle. I doubt even your father knew about it."

"How did she find it?" William narrowed his eyes at his Confidence, not lowering his expectations for his friend. Jovial smile gone, Levan's face showed the King he was serious.

"I do not know," he confessed, "but I don't think she has known about it long. I doubt anyone knew of it."

"Are you sure?"

Levan crossed his arms and sighed in frustration. He was not used to not having answers for his King.

"Honestly, I am not. It is possible that someone could have been using it without anyone noticing. It is very discreet." He looked over to Amora, who was laughing and talking with the young boy, "Had she not been foolish enough to run in front of the whole of the staff, I am sure she could have made a successful escape. And none of us would have known how. That portion of Nightswood leads out to the Billows. If she didn't fall to her death, she could have made her way down to the river and her trail would surely be lost." William did not like the insinuation.

"If that part of the Billows has an accessible route to climb down, someone could have easily climbed up."

"Exactly."

"Did you..."

"I already did. Everyone is accounted for and I am having the castle and grounds searched. I also have men out searching within a couple miles of that direction. While I doubt there has been any comings and goings, I do suspect it is very possible that if someone knew about the entrance, they could have easily came and went as they pleased. There is no one stationed there and with the number of people we have on staff, vendors that come in and out, anyone could have breached."

William was concerned, had there really been such a thing that his father did not know? He moved to request one of thing of Levan.

"I need you to check for—"

"Already being done, your grace," Levan said with pride, his sly smile returning. "Discreetly. I have ten trusted men undertaking the task of making sure there are no more hidden doors we don't already know about. By the end of the week, I will have a summary."

Placing a hand on Lord Vander's shoulder, William nodded.

"Thank you, my friend." Levan returned with a playful bow.

"Ah. No need for thanks, Will. If anything, thank her." He gestured towards Amora with a crafty smirk. "No offense, but before she arrived, things were starting to get quite boring." The king chuckled.

"Was war and the conquering of lesser nations not game enough for you?"

"Oh, quite. But that pales in comparison. She makes things a bit more...interesting." William raised an eyebrow at his oldest friend.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well," Levan leaned lazily against the wall, "In all our years together, I've never seen you let a woman have her way as much as you allow her." William responded with feigned surprise.

"I let her have her way?" Levan offered an indignant look, unconvinced that the King was unaware.

"Just an observation. She's playing a game, trying to test how far you'll let her go. She might even be aware she won't win."

"And?"

Levan wrapped an indolent arm around the King's shoulder and chuckled.

"You're allowing it." He whispered matter-of-factly. William shrugged, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Patting the King on his shoulder, Levan moved from his perch against the wall and began to make his way towards the door. William followed and opened the door. Levan offered his King an overexaggerated bow and began whistling as he walked down the corridor. William closed the door and turned back to Amora and Kenneth who were laughing and playing on floor. He allowed them a few more moments of reconciliation before he informed Amora that it was time for Kenneth to go to bed. He allowed Amora to escort the boy to his room and even put him to bed, instructing her to bathe and return to his chambers when she was finished. Amora nodded reluctantly as a guard waited for her and Ken to leave.

Ken easily went to sleep despite his firm protests that he was not tired. She watched as his chest lifted slightly during each breath. She stroked her hand through his curls, pausing faintly on the scar on his forehead. Regretfully, she kissed the scar and tucked the blanket in around his shoulders. As she rose to leave, Amora looked at Ken one last time, his boyish smile resting peacefully across his face as he slept. She sighed and followed the guard back to her rooms to bathe.

Vareena was nowhere to be found and Amora had been thankful it was just Isabel to attend to her. Although she insisted on bathing herself. Isabel, was too afraid to let Amora out of her sight and stood right at the side of her bath the entire time. She even helped her dress for her return to the King's chambers.

Amora was nervous as she entered the room. The King was standing at the edge of the dining room table, as if he had been waiting for her the entire time. William nodded to the knight who had escorted her, and waited as he bowed and left the room. They were alone now.

Suddenly, her stomach panged loudly and she remembered that she had not eaten supper. She looked at the table expecting a meal to be there and was disappointed when she found none. The King smiled.

"Are you hungry?"

Amora contemplated lying, but another pang of her stomach informed her that it would be useless to even try. Meekly, she responded.

"Yes. I haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Then we shall eat." He called for someone outside the room and two servants appeared with two silver trays. Gesturing, William had him place both trays down on his end of the table. The servants uncovered them and Amora's mouth watered.

It was the most fanciful meal she'd ever seen. There were fruits, some she recognized and some she'd never seen before, and cheeses that adorned each plate. In the middle was the most delectable smelling meatpie. She almost groaned aloud as the scent of the meal danced across the room. William sat down and signaled for her to come to him.

As she approached, he cleared the area in front of him by pushing both platters to the side. Confused, she stopped just short of one of the trays.

"Come. Stand here." He pointed to the area directly in front between him and the table. Slowly, she approached and stood before him. A long moment passed and the King said nothing. He simply stared at her, his eyes slowly making his way down from the top of her dress down to her hips. The silence was deafening and having him look at her so intensely had Amora suddenly aware of her need to breathe again. As William leaned forward in his chair, Amora attempted to take a step back but was prevented by the dining table. She leaned against it for support as William stood.

Standing dangerously close to her now, William leaned into her, reminding her of their earlier embrace. Amora closed her eyes and inhaled. He smelled so good. The scent of him burned intensely in her nostrils as she felt his facial hair against her cheek. She opened her eyes in surprise as the King spoke quietly into her ear.

"Turn around."

Perplexed, she looked at him as he leaned back, waiting for her to comply. When he offered no other instruction, she slowly did as she was told. Being unable to see him made her even more anxious than before.