Chapter 1

Chapter

One

S ea Raider King Harald Preston touched his forehead to his wife's. "You are breathing a bit heavily," he teased, cupping her face.

The Fairy Princess of Fae Falls gently pushed him away. "You truly meant it when you said you would kiss me until I had no breath left."

"Are you complaining? I heard no disagreement from you."

Karalyn laughed softly and moved to stand or perhaps fly from where they sat on the edge of the bed, but he claimed her hand.

"I will not lie to you," he said.

"Is that so?" she asked, her tone dubious. She lifted her eyebrows as she stood and stared him down. "Do you mean not again?"

"As if you have kept naught from me," he protested.

"Are we going to quarrel again already?" she murmured, looking down at their joined hands.

He squeezed her hand. "We are not quarreling."

"I would disagree."

Harald glanced up at her face in time to see her lips twitching before settling into a familiar smirk.

"You should not jest with a man who had been so grievously injured," he said.

"Bah, you will live," she said, waving her free hand.

"Indeed, I will. Happily, if I have any say in the matter, and all the happier with you by my side."

Karalyn sat down beside him again. "I am glad you are feeling better?—"

"You do not wish to be happy in the moment?" he asked.

"I am happy," she protested, but something in her tone made him flare his nostrils.

"You are happy but…" he prompted.

She sighed and shook her head, avoiding his gaze.

Harald hooked a finger under her chin and had her face him. "What is on your mind?"

"We are married," she said slowly.

"Yes. A means to help our kingdoms only at first, but now, I thought we are in agreement that our marriage is one we both are happy about?"

"Yes, but…"

"You are concerned about the war?"

"Yes…"

"And what else?" he asked, trying to temper down his frustration. She would not speak plainly, a fact that frustrated him to no end.

He had hoped that his level of frustration with the fairy would come to an end now that they had accepted their feelings for one another. When precisely his feelings had changed for the winged lovely lady, he could not be certain, and he did not know if he should even bother to try to deduce the precise moment.

At first, their feelings had been rather… negative, to say the least. They had not gotten along well as children, and those first impressions had left lasting, lingering feelings of discord that had festered over the years.

In short, feeling frustrated with the fairy princess was an emotion he was well accustomed to, however he had hoped to put that aside now that they had confessed their love to one another.

Enemies, one might have called them at one point in time. Now, they faced true enemies from the other kingdoms. Their alliance was not merely meant to only be for the sake of their kingdoms, but was she beginning to feel regret already?

"Karalyn?"

Her expression shifted, softening. "I'm worried about the future," she said slowly. "The war is only beginning, I fear."

"Or perhaps the other kingdoms will take note of this victory for the sea raiders and the fairies and leave us be," he countered. "Dare to dream and imagine a world in which we have found peace. The other kingdoms might no longer come after us. Your curse has been broken."

"And what of your curse?"

"Bah." He released her hand. "The seers never gave specifics concerning it, so who is to say that it is real? And you did not burn the sky with fire."

"The dragons and wyverns sought to do so," she protested.

"And they failed because of you," he pointed out. "The seers have your curse wrong. They are wrong about my being cursed as well. Take this victory."

Karalyn beamed, her entire face brightening. She truly was a sight to see, a fact that had irked Harald not that long ago. They had been at odds constantly, and then the fake marriage…

She was strong, headstrong as well, fierce, loyal, brave… A fine future queen for the fairies.

And for his sea raiders down below in Tridor.

Now, the sea raiders were not the only ones to live in the Sea of Enchancia. The sirens and the mermaids had their own rulers. The mermaids and sirens clashed on occasion, but the sea raiders had left them to their squabbles. What might they think of his marrying a fairy?

But he knew that at least some of the sirens had voiced the opinion that his wife looked delicious. He had put those sirens in their place, but others might think the same.

What did it matter?

"We should enjoy this victory, yes," she finally said, "by joining the others and returning to the feast."

"Bah." Harald wrapped his arms around her.

"You do not wish to?"

"I do not wish to leave this room, no." He nuzzled her.

She laughed and drew back slightly. "Why is that?" she asked, brushing back a lock of his dark hair from his forehead.

"At least allow me this moment," he begged.

"A moment to.."

He grunted. "I would very much like to pretend that the world is only you and I for a moment longer."

Instantly, she relaxed in his arms. "That would not be such a terrible thing, would it?" she murmured, resting her head upon his chest.

He stroked her back, mindful not to touch her wings. "Not at all," he said.

"Do you have any fear?" she asked.

"Fear? Why should I be afraid?" he countered warily. Did she mean to speak of the possible war?

"The expectations that come with ruling and now that we are wed…"

He relaxed but only slightly. "My father has been distracted since my mother… It feels as if I have been king much longer than I had the crown."

"That could not have been easy for you."

"When you aren't at war?—"

"I mean with your mother passing and your father… He was selfish and did not allow you time to grieve, did he? I should perhaps not speak so about him, but…"

Harald felt a pang in his chest. Perhaps some of the reason why he had clung to the notion of a fake marriage had been to spare himself the grief he knew came from losing those you love. If he dared to love the Fairy Princess, and if she were to die first… especially with them being at war soon…

"I do not remember much of your father or mother from when they ventured up to Fae Falls when we were children," she said slowly, "but…"

"He was a most disagreeable sort when I introduced you to him as my wife. I apologize for his behavior."

"Did he not wish for us to wed?"

"He wished that I agreed to marry you back when my mother still lived. He… I don't know all of what he thinks or wishes, but I hope he finds peace."

"I hope he does as well and before he dies," Karalyn murmured. "I hope you realize and understand that you are so much stronger than your father. If I die first, you will not?—"

"I do not wish to speak?—"

"You will not succumb to despair as your father did," she continued firmly, her eyes flashing. "You will do what is necessary, and even if I am murdered, you will not risk your people or mine for revenge."

"Ah, but there is a difference between revenge and avenge, is there not?"

"Perhaps a slight distinction, but, Harald…"

He laughed despite himself. "I still do not like this conversation," he protested.

"I want you to know no fear," she said simply.

"Well, then, I wish the same for you. Do you fear your curse?"

"No."

"No?" he repeated, eyeing her curiously.

"It will not come to pass."

They fell silent, and her curse rang in his ears.

On the day Karalyn burns the sky with fire, a curse will come upon her. She is bound to destroy the magic of the fairies. Her curse shall usher forth an age where magic is utterly destroyed and the world will go mad.

Evermore would go mad. Harald could already sense that as possible even with the world containing magic.

And the whole nonsense about his being cursed without them having any notion what his curse actually was…

Karalyn ran a hand over her face. "I am sorry! You wished for some time alone, and why should we dwell on darkness and fear? I am here now."

He seized her hand, lifted it, and kissed her knuckles. "We are both here now, and we are safe. What more do we need?"

She shifted their hands so they rested upon his bandaged chest. Could she feel how swiftly his heart was beating?

"Perhaps less talking," she whispered.

The kiss was sweet and tender, but all too quickly, she drew back.

"You are all right then?"

"My injury is the least of my concerns," he grumbled. "You bandaged me, and I will heal."

"I wish you hadn't been injured in the first place."

"Battles can be bloody affairs," he ventured. "I am quite all right."

"Good, good," she murmured before laughing.

"What is so comical?"

She stood and then hovered in the air, and he had the impression she would have paced or done the fairy equivalent had the room been larger. "I feel so nervous! Why?"

"Because you are not used to being in love with such a strong, capable, and handsome man." He leaned back on the bed, ignoring the shot of pain as his chest expanded.

"Is that right?"

"Do you deny the charges I levied upon myself?" he teased.

"I suppose not, but you seem so…" She bit her lower lip.

"Comfortable?" he supplied.

Karalyn nodded.

"Why would that not be a good thing?" he asked, lifting his chin.

She rubbed her palm against his beard. "Might I convince you to shave?"

"Do you truly hate my beard?"

"It prickles!"

He roared with laughter. "Do you fancy men with faces like boys?"

"I wouldn't say that, but my skin?—"

"The more we kiss, the more your skin will become accustomed to my hair."

"I am not altogether certain that is how it works," she protested.

"You were not complaining about my kisses a moment ago," he argued.

"Maybe not, but…"

"Have you kissed many boyish men?" he asked.

"Harald…"

"I am me." He sat up straighter and spread out his arms. "Take me as I am, or do not take me at all."

Karalyn rolled her eyes and turned away, but he knew she was merely having a jest. Sure enough, when she faced him once more, she was struggling not to laugh.

"I will take you as you are," she declared.

"As I knew you would," he said smugly.

"Despite my better judgment and despite your being a bit pompous and self-serving, and—oh!"

He tugged her down onto his lap. "And I take you as you are even though there are times you can be insufferable, so perhaps we are well suited to each other after all."

She stared up into his eyes and then shifted her gaze to his lips. "I suppose so," she whispered before pressing her lips to his, and there truly was nothing more to say for a good long while.