BOOK 4: Closed Doors

The queen looks out of the window and lets out a frustrated sigh.

"Feeling tensed, Maru?" the famed knight looked at her with worry.

"I can massage your head," he volunteered. He smiled, he can finally act freely with her now that they were behind closed doors.

He hugged her from behind, in his embrace the queen felt like a child. His towering frame of 6'2 encapsulates the queen's body who barely stands at 5 feet.

"That sounds like heaven," the queen smiled softly in response to his offer.

"You look so cute when you smile", he slowly massaged her head and kissed her forehead adoringly.

"What will the royal knights say if they see their captain doing sweet things like this?" she teased him, enjoying the way his fingers knead her forehead gently.

She finds it an irony to find someone so brave and strong and so strict in the face of his duty, to be behaving this romantic when it was just them left behind.

"Well, they would make fun of me, and I would have to get them in line", he said in a serious tone. He plays with her hair now, as if taken aback by the vision of her staring up at him, keeping still in his arms.

"Poor you," she giggled, imagining him with his men. "Everyone of your men admires you, you know."

Andrew nods, "Well, they admire me because of my strength and leadership which is all because of you my lovely Mary. You shaped me into the man I am right now with you." He looked at her with such longing and admiration that her heart leaped.

"How? How did I shape you?" she asked, blushing. Not knowing if she should readily believe that she has a great part in what he has become.

She has always been just a weakling by his side, the queen who needed protection. She can't believe someone she had inconvenienced all their lives is taking her for it.

"I wanted to protect you, so I worked hard to be the best. It is the only way I know, the only way I can protect your smile," he kissed the back of her hand and looked at her with tenderness.

"Your smile is the most beautiful and most precious thing in the world for me. Protecting it is the reason why I have become the man I am now. It is all because of you Mary. I love you," he placed her hand on his cheek, his eyes looking at her with such a penetrating gaze that her heart quickened.

"More of these sweet words and I'll melt," she blushes as she smiled at her knight.

"Well, I am charming and you love me for it," he places his finger on her soft lips and feels her breathe.

"You are the most charming man I have ever met indeed. And I do love you for it, among other things" she parted her lips for him and playfully bites on his thumb.

"You are quite naughty this evening," he wiggled his thumb as she bit him.

"You know I'm only like this with you," she said in her defense, blushing profusely. It can't be helped that she feels so embarrassed, it has just been of late since they confessed their feelings and finally bridged the gap between friends to lovers.

"I love you, Mary," seemingly unable to control himself any longer, he leaned down and kissed her lips passionately.

"I love you too, Andrew," she let out a soft moan as he deepened the kiss.