The Coup

Page 10

I tied my breeches. They weren't tied as tight but still fit thankfully. Another few weeks and I would have to find bigger pants and shirts. I had gone to bed only two hours ago but I couldn't sleep. A walk seemed like a good idea. I headed up the stairs to the top floor. I always started at the top on my walks. I rounded a corner on the top level and found the general sitting in a chair staring out the window.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who can't sleep." He darted to his feet. I'd caught him off guard and he was trying to school his face. "I blame it on the baby, what's your excuse?" Eric looked at me for several long moments. "Okay, so your still not talking to me huh." I started to turn.

"Wait." I faced him again wondering if he was actually going to talk to me or just turn the subject to messages again. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked genuinely confused.

"For what I said. I had no right. You are not mine and I have no right to dictate to you especially when I am just your general." I chuckled.

"You have never been 'just my general'. Even had my father lived you would have been more. Since his death you've been my general, my adviser, my savior, and even my friend. I count on you more than I have anyone other than my father. We've never had more than an aggressive friendship but not having you here to talk to has made things hard. I need you by my side." As I looked up at him I realized something, I not only needed him, I wanted him. Even as my fathers guard and general I'd never looked at him in a subservient fashion. He'd always just been, General Dawes. I had never thought to have him serve me. He was just who he was. No man had ever tempted me to draw closer to them but he did. He had been a fascination to me. Sure most of interactions for years was arguing and such. We still disagreed a lot but it was different now. He wasn't my fathers guard anymore. He was mine, and if I was honest I wanted more of him to be mine. Perhaps the thought had first taken root when I was young. It had been sparked to life when he saved me, and had been growing since I heard my father had wanted me to marry him. I wanted that, I wanted him to be mine.

"Michael, I can't do this." Eric said taking a step back.

"Can't do what?" I asked, like normal he'd jumped before I could keep up.

"I can't protect you like I need to if I'm too close to you. You saw how I reacted when you told me about the child. If I'm dictating your movements you can't rule as you need to. You can't win this like you need to. If I'm closer to you than I already am I will want to dictate, to closet and protect. That's who I am."

"I don't want you to change, I don't ask you too. You had a valid concern. One I had thought of before I told you. To be honest I don't want to leave here and put this child in harms way but I don't know how else to do it. I've known all my life I'd need a strong man by my side when I became king. I thought Luka would be that man but even if I could go back and marry him I wouldn't. It's not him I want to help me rule it's you. I know I need someone who can balance my weakness with their strength. That man is you. I wouldn't want it any other way." He shook his head and tried to step back but I grabbed his shirt front and pulled him closer. I rose up and kissed him. I'd never initiated a kiss, never wanted to. I prayed he'd not push me away. His hands went to mine and tensed. I felt him ready to push me away but he didn't. His mouth tilted against mine and returned the kiss. His arms snaked around me and pulled me closer. When the kiss finally broke Eric leaned his forehead to mine and groaned.

"I should take you to your room and leave you there. Never speak of this again, but, I can't. God help me I can't." He sighed and rubbed his hands up my back to cup my head. His eyes met mine. "You were always like this, wandering around doing what you were told until you knew what you wanted then rolled over everyone to gt it. Drove me insane when I saw you being reckless. I'd try to protect you and you'd fight me and end up doing what you wanted, usually scaring me out of a years life."