Mahnu had not thought about Marcus since that day…That day, she had tried not to think of anything related to what happened at all...But that didn’t stop a different type of nightmare that would interrupt her sleep on the occasion. Instead of a nightmare, of being alone in the dark and the never-ending sufferings plaguing her, this nightmare was about loss. Mahnu would hear Marcus talk and then stop talking and know full well what he had done, then she would wake up with tears in her eyes…

But now…The memories of Marcus all streamed into her, and tears started to fall down her cheeks and she closed her eyes.

Marcus being angry and attacking her, bowing, being excited when he found out who she was. He protected her, he wanted her to stay alive before Eliza and Thelmos were gone. He had slowly warmed up to her again after the two years that she had gone missing. He listened to her, protected her again, acknowledged her ideas…

She knew that he had been thankful of what she had done to her own kin, but she also knew that he also was questioning why she had to be close to His Majesty. Previously, she had not gone too much into it as she was too busy trying to remember who she was and dealing with her new human ways. But now…She felt like she should have done more to gain his trust. She should have shown that she did not want to pose any type of threat towards His Majesty or to Kralaide…She should have…

…In the end, he still hadn’t killed her, or the child that was still safe inside her.

He had given her mercy and for that…Mahnu felt completely grateful. His last wish came to her once again and another tear escaped.

‘Look after His Majesty…And all his children’

Yes Marcus, I will! I will do my best and make sure that I won’t be a burden, that I won’t do as you were worried for!

I promise to not take the throne and cause harm to Kralaide, I promise to watch over the Crowned Prince and Princess like they are my own children…

Mahnu took a deep breath, hoping that she could do a good enough job to make Marcus proud…She had never been a mother before and didn’t understand much about family, but she wanted to fulfill this last wish from Marcus!

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. She was thankful that she was alone, to the side and behind a curtain.

Trying to calm herself, she tried to smile. “Thank you, Marcus.”

Mahnu bowed to nothing and no one, just the image of the Loyal Royal Knight inside her mind. She was not only thankful to have had him as a friend and that he hadn't killed her and the child within her, but she was also promising to do as he had asked of her. She was also…Accepting that he was now gone and that she will try to get better soon so that she could then help Richard overcome the loss of his friend.

Now that she had finally started to think more clearly, Mahnu was eager to help Richard overcome this sad situation and be there for him!

She had been selfish lately and had not spoken about Marcus to Richard at all…It made her frown, as she wanted to do all she could for Richard as he has done for her!

It was his turn now, his turn to cry and for her to make him smile again!

Standing up again, she put her hand to her womb. She would never forget Marcus! They were here today because of his mercy!

“Mahnu?”

Mahnu looked around, the sun had moved across the sky, making her gasp. Her thoughts had made time slip away while thinking of Marcus and the reasons why she felt she had to watch the beheading of Sedric.

King Richard moved to his beloved’s back, placing his arms around her.

Mahnu closed her eyes, feeling his warmth flow into her. “Will it be alright…To use ‘Marcus’ as a boy’s name?”

He smiled and turned her around to face him, “Yes! Our first son will have the name of Marcus!”

It was so easily done that Mahnu was shocked and didn’t know how to respond.

King Richard smiled at her lovingly, “I would have expected that you hated Marcus but…I’m very glad that you don’t.”

“…No. I don’t hate him. I didn’t want him to…” Mahnu looked away.

Her feelings were still raw, still new…

“I didn’t hate why he came after me either. In a sense, maybe he was right. But the person who took me away, it wasn’t the Marcus we all knew…It took so much to get him back. Only for him to…”

Hearing some of Mahnu’s details, King Richard started to understand, and he closed his eyes tight for a moment. There were still so many questions he wanted to ask but he continued to hold back.

They were both silent for a time, till Mahnu spoke, very quietly, “What was done? With his…”

“Nothing, I wanted to leave it to you to decide.” The King hugged her tighter.

“He’s a hero that saved lives, let him rest in peace.” Her voice shook a little, but her determination made King Richard sigh in relief. Mahnu was coming back to normal, talking again and showing emotions. Already he felt like he was getting too much, “Are you sure?”

Mahnu pulled away to look at him, and nodded, “He deserves that, he did save our lives too…And I want he, who helped me finish my task on saving the humans from the God’s, to be a hero.”

This was Mahnu’s second reason to watch the end of Sedric. It was the completion of her task. The box had been reported as hidden deep underground and under constant watch of the Loyal Royal Knights, the tablet was smashed to be unreadable and Sedric, who knew of The Chest of the God’s, was now gone. Her task of over a thousand years…Was now complete…

“I will leave the guarding of both the box and The Chest of the God’s in your hands, my King.”

King Richard chuckled at her bow. Pulling her back into his arms, he said, “I will look after them, and now, you can just live normally…As my woman and mother of my children.”

Mahnu sighed, glad to hear Richard’s chuckle.

She was also feeling very relaxed now, knowing her task was complete.

Can letting such a task be removed from oneself, make you feel this way?

For no reason, she found herself smiling very easily. It felt so good to be alive and feeling free from such a burden…

Suddenly, she felt the most freedom that she had ever felt before. That some invisible shackles that had been tying her down all this time, had now disappeared!

To a strange extend, she even felt at a loss…

Losing such a reason of living for so long, Mahnu suddenly felt worried. What am I to do now?

It was that moment that the King got on his knees before her and he touched her slow, growing tummy. Nothing could be felt down there, and her tiny bump wasn’t even seen with the clothes she had on. But…Both of them knew of the precious little bundle hidden away…

He kissed it, and smiled, “Little one…You have the most remarkable mother!”

Mahnu stared at the King. Right…How could I forget that we wanted to have a happy family!?

Of course…I haven’t lost anything! I’ve gained so much, how could I think like I had no reason!?

It was also something that she had thought of earlier but had forgotten, due to her emotional time in the last couple of days.

She wanted to be part of a family!

“…Richard?”

“Mmm?” His ear was against her tummy now. To his want to feel or hear anything, he was a bit upset that nothing was happening…

My child! Wake up and nudge me!

“Let’s be a happy family…I want that!” Mahnu lost the nerve to look at Richard then. Having asked something that to her was somewhat a big favour, she was suddenly perplexed and worried if he were to say ‘no’, or for any other answer that he might have.

Richard laughed and looked up at her, “Of course! Actually, aren’t we already a happy family?”

The King stood up and gathered Mahnu into his arms and kissed her.

Moving her hands around his neck, she returned his tender kiss.

Just like the first time of being swept of her feet by this man, she still felt very taken by him even now. She still felt extremely special, she still wanted to experience this feeling, this fate…

“It may not be easy, Mahnu, but I love you and our child. I will do my best to make sure we are happy!”

He kissed her again and Mahnu sighed to his words, as well as his touch.

He was right, living isn’t easy. But she knew that she wanted to be by his side forever.

I will overcome the hardships, I will be strong!

She didn’t feel like an unfinished puzzle anymore…Now, at this moment, her puzzle was finished. She felt like she was finally where she was supposed to be, that she was exactly where she belonged!

***

Within a week, the capital changed yet again.

This time it was to welcome the return of the rest of the royal family. Since the King did not go to Harval, the Queen, the Crowned Prince and Princess were now returning, as they had not seen their father for a while.

Since the children were so eager and the Queen was getting late into her pregnancy, she had willingly left her father to come back as well.

So, just over two weeks of news that the King was returning back to Conrella, the Queen’s entourage walked through the capital’s gates and made their way through the happy crowd towards the palace.

On the other hand, back inside the palace, the King breathed in and out slowly, thinking that now was just the beginning...

He will teach the Crowned Prince, starting from today, taking him everywhere, to learn how to become a ruler!

The Queen was another matter though, and due to her, the King was rendered utterly speechless!

It was some time before he knew why the Queen had not come together with the Crowned Prince and Princess, directly to the palace…

The Queen had indeed, visited Mahnu instead!

To see the new ‘consort’, was indeed another reason the Queen had traveled back to Conrella!

Being in Harval had been pleasant and a lot easier to bear with her pregnancy, but just a couple of days before their departure, she had heard news of this new ‘consort’.

How was it that a ‘consort’ had come to pass, when she, the Queen, had not given permission!?

How was it that the King was able to get close enough to a woman that she would even become a consort!?

Still to this day, the Queen had made sure that rarely any woman stayed close to His Majesty at any time! So, how had this happened!?

Her father was clearly upset when he heard the news and his condition took a turn for the worse!

Seeing her father, already said to be on his death bed, the Queen could not help but get angry at this so called, new ‘consort’!

If the rumor didn’t come to pass, her father might be able to live longer!

Just a few hours upon leaving Harval, to return to Conrella, the Queen resented the new ‘consort’ further as she saw her father go into a coma…

This wasn’t very good news…

The doctors that treated her father all concluded that her father will most likely pass away soon and that this news was to reach His Majesty as soon as possible…

But, before she could get to the King, anger overruled the Queen’s emotions and she went directly to where her news said that this new ‘consort’ was currently staying…

It was good, the Queen thought, that this consort has not entered into the palace.

It looked like the King was being respectful to me and that I should be the one to welcome her!

Sneering inside, as she had already parted ways with her two children, the Queen started to plan about how to conquer this so called ‘consort’!