King Richard kissed Mahnu's forehead, putting his fingers down her bare back and through her hair. "Are you ok?" He asked.

She was slumped against him, with her hands on his chest, "Mmm..."

He pulled her face up to make sure and let out a chuckle. Her eyes and face looked relaxed, almost like she would fall asleep. Their breathing was calm once again, but they had not moved from their last position. Their bodies were still one, but their trembling had stopped some time ago.

Having been silent all this time, as both in their own thoughts, King Richard had finally broken the silence, wanting to make sure his dearest person was okay.

"Did I tire you out?" He asked, putting her head against him again.

"...I don't ...Really know what to say or do." ‘Cassandra’ really didn’t!

This man had completely taken her soul! She had never known that anyone could act like that! At first, she liked how it felt and just kept going, then something totally amazing took over her and it was so great that she now felt tired and completely satisfied!

What Betty had told her about a man and woman was not like this! She never said it was great! Why didn’t she say it!?

King Richard chuckled again. It was the best feeling in the world. To have her here like this, in his arms, especially naked!

Suddenly, he remembered where they were, "Oh...I guess we should dress."

She put her arms around him then, holding so tight that it reminded him of that last night before she had disappeared. "Mahnu?" His voice showed his worry of the past reoccurring.

"Can we...I mean..." He heard Mahnu sigh. "For some reason, I wanted to..."

Her silence made him angry. He wanted to hear what she wanted to say!

Then, finally, she continued, "I don't remember, but when I left you that note and disappeared. I think it might have been a very hard thing for me to do...Right now, I didn't want to let you go..."

How was it that her words could touch me so much! King Richard pulled her face towards him and kissed her.

Not yet, both of them thinking, as desire rippled through them once again.

How could he let her go now! They had been separated for two years!

Laying her gently upon the small blanket, King Richard plunged himself right back into her wetness and groaned.

Slowly, he made love to her yet again, watching her desire filled eyes, feeling her wrap her legs around him and her hands hold him tight. He wouldn’t be a man if he didn’t do as his lady wanted!

She wanted him to hold her longer, then he will happily do so!

Marcus decided to give the command that the house be off limits till the next day. He advised Betty and Donald to follow a knight to go to an inn, so that they can eat and rest.

Marcus sighed, he thought that it had been time to leave, but when he checked last...It wasn't going to be so.

He did know that His Majesty hadn't touched anyone for the last two years and he wondered if the King was making up for lost time...It was something Marcus admitted to not understand. He had never loved a woman or lain with one. He had decided a long time ago that he wanted to make His Majesty his only priority. It wasn’t rare, as many of the leaders of the Loyal Royal Knights were the most loyal to His Majesty even if they did have wife’s. The problem was, he may not have an heir if he continues like this…But that didn’t matter, William was a nephew and he was already willing to place the next leadership upon his head instead…

Having no other choice, Marcus stayed close and guarded right through the night, knowing he wouldn't be the only one deprived of sleep.

And indeed, it was a long night…And perhaps Marcus had been right, the King really did make up for lost time!

***

It wasn't till mid morning that packing continued and it took till nightfall to set out on their trip back to Conrella.

King Richard had rarely taken his eyes of Mahnu and still kept close enough to touch her, even when she said her goodbyes to the neighbours close by. Betty and Donald blushed many times to the King's continued attentiveness towards Mahnu and they were happy for her. Mahnu had silenced their worries of joining them, by stating that if they didn't mind leaving Brackan, she wanted them to join her.

So, they were all on their way, Betty and Donald taking their full carriage and Mahnu was mounted with King Richard, riding a horse. She was shy around him, staring at him and trying to understand her feelings. The King noticed and would chuckle, watching her in return…

Mahnu hadn't been with anyone sexually since the last time she had been with him, and the King was glad. It was like she had been a virgin all over again, all his for the taking. It even heightened his feeling of possession over her, that he knew he already had.

King Richard smiled. They're love making had hit even another height that he hadn't even thought possible!

Without her, these two years had slipped away so easily, and he hadn't touched her with any kind of anger, as he thought he might have.

It was more of a sweet reminder to him of how much he loved her and loves her still. Seeing her naked, and the desire for him in her eyes, he wasn't able to hold anything in! Throughout the previous night he had wanted her all to himself, wanting her over and over again to remind himself that this wasn't a dream.

That Mahnu was real! And she was beside him once again! And beside him, she will stay!

***

4 days later

"Cassandra." Betty yelled, "Come and eat."

They had all stopped along the road towards Conrella to eat and give the horses a rest.

King Richard grumbled, knowing Betty would hear it.

"Oh, I'm sincerely sorry, Your Majesty! I will try harder." Betty bowed for her wrong doings.

‘Cassandra’ put a hand to his, "It's fine. Let her call me Cassandra."

"No." The King replied stubbornly. He had heard enough of that name lately. Even though he has grown fond of the old couple, he wasn't going to let this continue!

Her name had been Mahnu for over a thousand years, it won't change now! I would prefer a title over Cassandra!

...King Richard finally had an idea, "Is the name Cassandra very dear to you, Betty?"

Betty looked down, "It was my mother's name, Your Majesty."

He smiled, "I see. Well then, I have a proposition for you. If you call Mahnu by her real name, from now on, we will call our daughter Cassandra."

There were quite a few different reactions to the King's words. Betty seemed thrilled, "Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I will stop and call her Mahnu from now on!"

Donald was speechless. So was Marcus and William…

The King turned to Mahnu, to see nothing on her face. She's turned into a statue, he thought, recalling a similar memory.

He took her hands and said, "Talk to me, my dear."

He watched as colour entered to her cheeks and she looked away, only making him think that she was adorable.

Then she sighed. "I don't know if I'd make a very good mother."

He grabbed her face and chuckled, "Well, there's always Betty, Donald, Marcus and me to help."

"Uh!" Marcus said, but wasn't heard.

"Yes! I'll help you Mahnu!" Betty's enthusiasm made the King laugh but Mahnu still looked worried.

How can I help with this problem? He wondered. He didn't want her to think of bad things when it came to motherhood, as he was so delighted with the idea of Mahnu bearing his children, that he was already looking forward to it!

He put his hands around her and whispered into her ears, "You became good friends with my daughter before, back when you were last at the palace."

"I did?"

Ah, her voice sounds curious. Better, he thought. "You used to play hide and seek with her. And you used to make her smile a lot."

"Really?"

Good, King Richard thought. At least she doesn't hate it. "Yes!"

As they traveled closer to Conrella, King Richard remembered the Queen and wondered how to tell her about Mahnu.

He sighed, she won't be happy. He tried to remember how the Queen has been lately but couldn't remember.

Has she been away or just ignoring me?

"Marcus, what has been going on with the Queen?"

Marcus wasn't sure how to respond to the King's question.

"What is it? Is she ignoring me?"

Marcus cringed, of course he forgot, he had been drunk at the time. "Your Majesty did not want to see anyone, but the Queen ignored your command and entered your bed chambers."

"What? When?"

Marcus replied, "When Gregory was beheaded, Your Majesty."

Instantly, the King remembered what Gregory was beheaded for...

Finding out that his own father had been killed by that man had shaken him up inside...King Richard couldn't even remember going to bed that night because of how much he had drunk in loathing.

The King stared at Marcus and when he shook his head, the King widened his eyes in bewilderment. What happened that it can't even be said here! Did I...I must have done something to her!

"Richard?"

Suddenly, Mahnu's voice vanished any bad thoughts and he looked at her. She looked uncomfortable, turned like that on horseback, but she was searching his face. King Richard smiled. He loved that she had started to call him Richard again.

"It's okay. I think I've made a mistake, but I'll apologize, that's all."

She turned around but put her hand tighter on his arm, that was around her waist.

King Richard breathed out, it'll all work out now, nothing could ever be so bad that Mahnu disappears again. Now that my beloved is by my side...

***

When they reached Conrella, the King dropped Mahnu, Betty and Donald off at a residence, close by to the palace, that had been prepared for them at the King's orders before he had left Conrella. To be more precise, this accommodation was already prepared close to two years ago but had been somewhat abandoned since…What the King had informed, was to clean the residence out so that it was ready to take in the person that it was meant for all that time ago…

William was told to guard Mahnu as his new duty from now on and he started to help unload the belongings that came from Brackan.

Marcus stayed for a quick briefing with William, before he rushed to go back to His Majesty’s side, as the King had to leave nearly straight away and was most likely already getting ready to go to a meeting.

Of course, now that William was going to become a guard, he was to start his training once again, but…To William’s displeasure, it was quite an astronomical amount of training, that had made him cringe. For a week, he was to only have four hours sleep a night, train before Mahnu awakes and train after she goes to rest at night.

He was to run, spar and read about tactics…

None of this made William happy, but what was he to do?

In the second week, he was allocated five hours sleep but that was the only change to his new agenda…It just simply wasn’t fair! But…He had no power and no courage to state his thoughts about not wanting to become the next leader of the Loyal Royal Knights…Especially when he had been away travelling all this time!

He desperately wished that having found Mahnu could have been rewarded with something in return! But no…Not the King, or his leader, had suggested anything!

Was it because they knew that what he would ask for was to no longer be a part of the Loyal Royal Army?

There was one good thing about this, that helped William accept his fate, and that was that he was still by Mahnu’s side and could interact with her…Even if it wasn’t for very long!

Surely, he should be able to learn something from her, even if she doesn’t remember anything!

He was quite observant and did feel that Mahnu acted and spoke slightly different, so he started to wonder if perhaps even speech had changed throughout the years…

One thing that started to appear once again, was that stubbornness and determination that he had seen in her, back when he had first met Mahnu.

With the King, he had seen a more gentle, bashful side of her that he never knew existed…But after he left, Mahnu would be grumpy to have to sit and eat and didn’t want to sleep!

Watching Betty and Donald take what seems to be a normal role of coaxing over the young lady, William couldn’t help but smile and shake his head…

Woman like this were troublesome and he hoped to get a very normal girl one day that would be a lot more easier to handle!