They deserve it all.

Chapter 56

"Okay." I look at my hair one last time in the mirror Larien holds for me before I stop patting it, stop styling it and instead hold the arm of Alistair. "Okay. Let them come in."

We sit down on our big chairs and watch as each and every single one of them comes in and sit on their designated seats.

I welcome them, they look at me, they clap as Alistair starts, they follow him. And I talk, about our plans in the future. Ever since I was small I wished to do something revolutionary, I wished to do something great, like Alistair's mom had done, something that would stick. I don't care about legacies, I don't, it's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see, I care about changing things now, for the future, my future. I want to watch the world change, not start it, I want to be the reason and I want to see it happen, I want to be thanked, I want to be known as a woman who did something. I don't care about being a hero, I don't care for heroes, I care for us, for me, for my Kingdom.

"Well, is there anything to add?" I look to Alistair. He's bored, I know, but still, he smiles when I look at him and stands up as he knows he has to. He holds my hand still, holding it by his side, not publicly, this isn't so people see, this is for us, for comfort, for support.

"I suppose nothing really, you're quite good, my Queen." I smile, maybe blush a little, I don't know, but it makes the council members melt with me. "Although we could get some more comfortable chairs."

He looks at the council members who all agree with him. I laugh a little as they do and there ends my first council meeting. We say goodbye to each of the members as they leave. And we are left over. When they're gone and the door is closed so I plop back down.

I put my hands in front of me, they're shaking. Have I been shaking this whole time? Did anyone ... notice. Goodness- no please, don't let anyone have notice!

"Hey, are you okay?" He says as he sees me put my shaking hands back.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I sit on them and just wait for a bit to let my hands rest. "You were bored?"

He shrugs. "It was boring." He comes to sit next to me. "But you were great."

My head drops a bit, my shoulders raised. "You think. They seemed to be bored too."

He looks at me for a bit. Softly sighs, his warm breath falling upon my cheek. And he's close, he's always close, always so very close to me. And before I can stand up to get away from how close he is, he touches my shoulder. At the feel of it I tense up. If he noticed or cared, he doesn't show it. Instead he takes my elbows and has me raise my hands away from under me. And he lifts them so he can hold them, his hands traveling from my elbows to my wrists. And he holds them.

"You're cold." He says with a worried face. "Why are they cold?"

I try not to show how flustered I am right now. Instead I try to take my hands away, but I physically can't. I am cold. They are cold. I'm not shivering, but the feeling of his warm hands, his sudden comforting warm breath, it feels good. Too good to let go.

"I ... I just need to lay down, that's all."

He shakes his head, takes his big robe off and drapes over me. And he makes me stand up, like I'm sick and he has to care for me, or else I'll fall down. And he holds me, his hands still holding mine. His hands so very close to his stomach, his warm stomach. He has a blouse on, but from such sheer fabric that his warmth radiates right out from it. And I can't help but melt, actually melt.

He takes me to our bedroom, I try to stop him, but he's persistent.

"I can't- I have to get ready— I have a meeting within 30 minutes and I have to receive those new High Nobles as to show the start to my Reign— I simply can't be late, Alistair!"