Once there was Darkness

Chapter 35

Part 1

Kol woke in a dead panic. “Max!” He screamed.

He burst into the room finding Kol kneeling in the floor holding his chest. “My king?” Max knelt with him.

Kol could hardly speak. “Where is she?”

“If you are referring to Kessa, she is in her room. My king.”

Max extended his hands toward Kol in case he needed help getting up. He declined Max’s offer getting up on his own. “Show me.” He tucked his hands under his arms to try to hide the fact that they were shaking. His legs weren’t very steady either.

Outside Kessa’s door, Kol closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He nodded okay. Max knocked; she didn’t answer. Kol got a wild look on his face. Max knocked again.

“Come in.” Max opened the door, closing it behind the king.

“My king, are you okay?” He just stood there. The ability to move had been taken from him. It took great effort for her to get out of the bed. She wrapped her arms around him. He was shaking. “Kol, what’s wrong?” It was as if he didn’t see her. “Max,” she called. He stuck his head in the door, “will you help me?”

He smiled, “of course.”

Max guided his king to the bed getting him to set on the edge. “Thank you.” She smiled a sweet smile.

“If you need me, I’m right outside.”

“I know. Thank you.”

Kessa sat down beside Kol allowing her hurt leg to drape over the side of the bed. She stroked his hair, “Kol.” She kept her voice soft.

He finally turned to look at her, caressing her face. “You are really here?”

She held his hand. He was still shaking. “I’m really here.”

“Kes, I had the worst dream. I woke and couldn’t find you. We searched the island over. You were nowhere. Then everything was dark. A darkness that I’ve never experienced. It overwhelmed me. Took my breath away it was so intense. When I really did wake, that feeling was still inside me. I’m sure Max thinks I’ve lost my mind.”

“Of course he does. But we knew that when we took the job.” She smiled.

He reached around and put his hand on her back. Instead of moving her to him, he moved to her; kissing her with all the passion he could muster. “Was my dream God telling me what my life would be like without you in it?”

“It could be but I don’t know.”

She was still holding his hand. He guided it to her hip but didn’t put enough pressure on it to hurt her. With great care not to rock the bed, he moved to her feet; producing the chain and putting it on her ankle.

“Kol?”

He kissed the top of her foot. Up her leg stopping at her knee. He sat back on the bed, “you are an amazing woman. Everything that God has shown me has been,” he trailed off. “Then this dream. I can’t honestly express to you how it felt not having you in my life. Kes, you know me. You know me better than my own mother. Than anyone.” His hands were still shaking. He laid his head on her shoulder. She hugged him up. “This job is brutal. I love my people and my kingdom. I can’t ask you.”

Kessa noticed that he had stopped breathing. She lifted his head, kissing him on the forehead.

He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “I can’t.” She thought he was going to throw up. With all her strength, she hugged him up again. “I can’t ask you to take this yoke for my sake. God Kessa, I love you.”

“Kol, I love you.” He leaned up with tears streaming down his face. “I’ve loved you for a long time.”

“You’ve never said it before.”

“No, I haven’t.” She continued caressing his face. “You tried to have a conversation with me about some dreams you were having.” She took a deep breath, “All of the things you have forgotten, I’ve remembered. Every kiss. Every time you touched me with a quivering hand. Every time you did, how your heart raced. Emotions in general aren’t easy for me. Saying I love you is very difficult. God and dad are the only two people I’ve ever said it too, before now. It would have ripped my heart out if I would have said it to you and you would have forgotten.”

“Kes, will you be my queen?”