Once there was Darkness

Chapter 49

It had been a week since the disturbing dream. He was standing in THE doorway. It was no longer a sleeping chamber; it was an amazing bath. Kessa had taken this room that had been full of painful memories and transformed it into an exotic space; airy, clean, and inviting. Why hadn’t he paid attention to it before. The bath itself was near the window. Light poured in from the great open space. Plants filled the corners. A flowering vine outlined the window. How he loved her.

He wondered outside leaning against the railings of the balcony lost in how the dream had made him feel. Pain shouldn’t feel good. Desire for his wife was always part of his thoughts. Genesis 2:24 He wanted her when and where she would give herself freely to him. This was new and frightfuly so.      

Kol jumped when Kessa touched his shoulder. “You need rest.” She gently encouraged, laying her head on his back.

He held her hands. “I can’t.”

“You are going to collapse if you don’t.”

“Kes please.” He pleaded.

“You are in a horrible mood and you’re taking it out on everyone else. What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t try to help?”

He turned to face her. There was no fight left. He allowed her to lead him to the big pile of cushions. She sat down guiding him to lay his head on her lap. With gentle fingers, she caressed his face. Traced the outline of his features, massaged his scalp.

Kessa was almost asleep when a faint clank brought her around. Max appeared from behind one of the great curtains. “Forgive me, when I saw the king was asleep, I tried to leave without a sound. I failed. My queen.” He whispered.

“Come sit,” she whispered pointing at the floor beside her. “What did you learn?”

“Teo is good. Sadly, we have reason to believe this person might be from the forest. Brum’s people come and go. He has no real concept of overall loss. But stories have been circulating through different clans about missing children.”

“That’s not good.”

Kol set up, “for my overall mental stability, you can’t go alone.” He took Kessa’s hand in his, playing with her fingers. With a deep breath, he continued. “God showed me in a dream that we and Brum come to the brink of war over this. You leave me for 2 years and find our new enemy. That’s why you are drawn to the balcony searching the wilderness. You can’t go alone. Promise me you will not go alone.” He lowered his head to her side, putting his arms around her waist, “Kes you can’t go alone.”

She caressed his back.

“I’ll go with you.” Max volunteered.

Kol leaned up with tears streaming down his face. “No, in my dream you were by my side on the battlefield.” He put his head in his hand. “We need to speak with Frego. He has military training and Rajaf has been teaching him well. There might be need for his knowledge.”

Kol was done. He had nothing left in him.

Max left.

Kessa hugged Kol up as he fell apart.

Frego was beside Kessa as they stood in front of the king. Kessa didn’t know if Frego could see it but Kol was trembling as he spoke, “you had both better return.”