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you will.” With those parting words he spins on his heel and heads for the door, leaving me utterly stunned.
     
    ***
    The night air, despite the intermittent summer breeze, is eerily still. Seated at your divan, head upon my raised knee I watch the dance of diaphanous curtains upon the evening breeze, a welcomed distraction from tremors racing through me. I feel you, your restless, rampant energy hangs heavy in the air. You’re pacing, to and fro, to and fro, right at the corner of vision, a caged animal anxious for freedom.

"Do not go." I whisper, my eyes still on the beguiling dance of the curtains.

"I have no choice. The situation requires my immediate attention." I know 
your every move. At this very second your fingers are through your hair, the knit at your brow growing ever deeper, your eyes like storm clouds.

"You always have a choice, and you are choosing to trek miles away from the 
safety of your kingdom to speak with rebels who await your demise.” My voice reveals a calm I do not feel.
     
    "I will not cower from my enemies!" I turn my head to look at you and with no will of my own and I am at your side.
    "You are the furthest thing from cowardice, Marik. But the kingdom 
needs a king now more than ever." I take your large hands within my grasp and bring them to my lips. "You cannot think to leave us to fend for ourselves, my king." The tears come of their own accord. “We would not survive.” I allow the fear combating in chest to come through. Falling into your embrace I cling to you like a child. “I will not survive.”

"Nothing will happen to me." You frame my face." I will return to you, my own." You drop a kiss on my lips your thumbs brush away my tears but not the ache, not this nauseating feeling of dread within my soul.

"Marik, I beg you do not go." I pull away from you, and wrap my arms around 
myself, you make to approach me but I step back. "Trust in what I say, something dark and horrible awaits you beneath the high mountains of Noria. Send your army, half of Noria’s army if you must, but you must stay. Rule the kingdom from your throne." My heartaches, oh how my heartaches.
     
    "I tried ruling my kingdom from a throne and now I will fight if I must to keep it."

"You are not a knight! Just a foolish boy with the stubborn will to get himself 
killed!" In a panic I hurl at you things I do not mean.

"And you, my beautiful whore, are out of place." You’re stalking me now, every bit of you menacing and I retreat.

"Do not touch me!" My order falls on deaf ears as you push me down. The bed breaks my fall and immediately I scramble to escape you.

"You are hardly in any place to order me about." Your hand clamps around my ankle and you brusquely tug to bring me to you. My struggles are put to an instant halt beneath your hulking frame. My arms are drawn above my head, my wrists bound by your unyielding grip as you settle your weight on my thighs.

"Is this how you will take me tonight, Marik?" I pant, meeting your fearsome gaze.

"If I must."
    You deprive me of your tenderness in your ravishment. Your kisses hard, your touch cold, you tear at my clothing and still I fail to respond. My gaze averted, focused on anything but the cruelty in your eyes, I pray that it will be over soon.

"Fuck." So undignified for you to be so crass, the word is whispered angrily against my cheek and in mere seconds I am relieved of your weight. "I will not suffer you my touch. I will seek my pleasure with someone far more willing.” You’re gone before I can protest. The resounding crash of the door behind you leaves me aching. I lay in your bed, my tears silent, only for me and my unborn child.
 
    ***
    I wanted to tell you, give you reason to stay. But you left with the yawning rays of dawn. No whispered goodbyes, no kisses to keep. Simply this gaping emptiness in the wake of your departure. The palace felt it, your wives felt it, even your people felt it and yet none of them felt it more