The King returned in the early afternoon, to see Mahnu at the windowsill.

"Have you been resting well?" He asked, after kissing her head.

"I feel fine now."

King Richard felt something strange as he saw that she hadn't even turned to him.

Was she in a bad mood? Did I do something wrong? He wondered.

"Yes! Don't make people call me by a title. I have a name!" Mahnu’s outburst shocked both him and herself!

The King didn't know how to respond. "They call you that because..."

"Yes, I know. Make it stop, please."

But, it's tradition to call a King's woman, Your Highness, he thought.

"I will not answer to it!" Mahnu stated, putting her arms across her chest!

The King found himself a little scared. His woman was really angry, and she still had yet to turn around and look at him.

Including of what she was demanding, King Richard felt like there was something wrong. "Mahnu? What's wrong?"

Mahnu finally turned to him and he saw a bandage around her arm. "Are you hurt?!"

"Stop it!"

The King stopped. Something was desperately wrong. "Mahnu?"

"That's right!" She sniffed, a tear running down her cheek. "That's my name! Please don't take it away from me!"

Sitting down next to her, he sighed to her worries, then he pulled her into his arms and heard her start to cry. He patted her head and rocked her, trying to understand why she was suddenly...Like this…

My sweet, beloved Mahnu, I will never forget your name…Please don’t get upset…

Surely, she couldn’t be upset to this degree just over that…Was there another reason?

 

Mahnu stopped crying as his warmth filled her. Had she always found comfort in his embrace?

Now that he was here, Mahnu felt herself calm down. Had she got mad because she missed him? It seemed so strange to her that she no longer was mad or sad now that he was holding her.

"I'm sorry but I feel better now." Mahnu sat back against the wall of the window again and wiped her eyes. "I've felt strange today. Maybe I'm having withdrawals from being a God...Or too much has happened too fast..."

The King picked up her arm, to investigate her wound, but said, "Did the doctor give you medicine?"

Why is she hurt?

"Don't get mad at anyone. I did that. It looks like I am still mortal…And I told the doctor to not worry about medicine."

Swearing under his breath, he stood up but Mahnu stopped him. "I told you not to get mad."

The King sighed, and said, "Then what am I supposed to do!?"

Mahnu continued to stare at him. "The doctor only found that my temperature was a little higher but that nothing else was wrong. I told him I felt healthy. You know as well as I that getting my memories back would do something! Let it go…"

Closing his eyes, the King slowly breathed out, wishing he had brought along his own personal doctors, "But he is to check you again tomorrow."

Mahnu smiled and nodded.

"And this?" He put her arm gently in front of her, demanding an explanation. "Are you..."

King Richard put his other hand to his mouth, unable to utter another word.

"It was...I was checking, it's not deep and I treated it." Mahnu didn't understand why he was so saddened. She wasn't dead…

"Please, no more checking if you are mortal or not." His voice was thick of emotion and Mahnu found herself nodding because of it.

He hugged her then and Mahnu hugged him back, "I'm sorry."

She realized that she had been apologizing a lot lately!

She heard him let out a breath and say, "It's okay...You really know how to stop my heart though..."

 

Marcus turned, from watching the King and Mahnu, and walked towards William. "Speak!"

Upon hearing the King's and Mahnu's last conversation, Marcus was alarmed.

William openly told his leader everything that had transpired, while they had been away. He knew he was in the wrong completely and did not miss a single bit of information.

Marcus laid out punishment for William, which was failing his duty, and returned back to his Majesty.

The two were laughing and giggling like fools, making Marcus not understand anything! Not only did His Majesty completely get over the two years without her, now he was so completely smitten by her that he rushed his official duties…

He didn’t understand why Mahnu was so special, beyond saving them from the God’s. She was demanding and idiotic. She did things without asking and made His Majesty stress uselessly about her…

Nonetheless, His Majesty…

 

Sighing, Marcus calmed himself down and took that time to re evaluate what William had told him.

First, the doctor…

He decided he will get another, for a second opinion. Then, the demand for her name to be used instead of the title...All he could do was, while he was alone with her, he will do as she pleases but otherwise, he could not. As His Majesty’s subject, and not hers personally, he will do what was best for His Majesty and keep up tradition.

Mahnu asking for food for the first time and her crying...Marcus wondered if her moods were fluctuating, withdrawals or, perhaps, depression?

Marcus decided to speak to the new doctor, prior to Mahnu's next examination.

…Hurting herself was a problem and Marcus could not let that happen again!

Turning, he spoke to the newly returned and slightly hunched over William, "She is not to even be scratched, understand!?"

William got down on a knee, just a bit slower than usual, and put a hand to his heart, "I will guard her with my life!"

Marcus knew he meant it, then added, "Find another doctor and report back to me."

"Yes, Sir!"

Women seemed to be more trouble then he had originally thought! Till this day, he was glad that he had not got himself a wife!

 

***

 

Even though the King became increasingly busy, with memorials from the capital, Mahnu stayed beside him.

They were on the bed and one of his hands were within both of hers. Mahnu had fallen asleep but King Richard still did not pull his hand free from hers as he found that it was really nice that he could be with her, even though he was busy.

Concentrating wasn't even as hard as he had expected it to be!

He thought he wouldn’t be able to do a thing with the most beautiful woman beside him, but he was glad to see that he had been wrong…

In fact, he preferred her presence, then not having it at all…Even if she was sleeping and grasping onto one of his hands…

Moving away the parchment in front of him, the King fixed the wooden holders on a new parchment upon the small table on top of his lap.

Marcus looked at the King and said, "Your Majesty?"

"I will need more ink for this reply."

It was becoming normal to see the King quickly do his memorials now, but when the King had looked up at him in expectation, Marcus was new to the sudden need to have to help him with ink…Normally someone else would help with that…But King Richard didn’t want anyone else in the same room at the moment, Marcus was the only exception.

 

Marcus helped straight away, taking a glance in Mahnu's direction, he asked, "Should I perhaps move her?"

"What?" King Richard looked at Marcus in surprise. "No. She is no bother to me."

Marcus sighed but became silent again.

He had not had to grind ink for months! He only needed to do so when he had his own reports in Havlish, but they had not gone to Havlish for quite a number of weeks now…

Hoping that this won’t become too often, Marcus continued to silently endure…

"She will accompany us tomorrow, when we are to see Governor Sedric." The King said, dipping the brush into some more freshly made ink.

"Your Majesty!?"

The King put his free hand angrily up to his lips. "Shh!"

Marcus bowed and apologized in a lower voice, silently grumbling over why he permitted her so close, while doing something important. Not once had he seen a King have a woman present when he was busy with official matters!

It was…Abnormal…

 

Silence filled the room and Marcus could feel himself getting angrier and angrier. It was scary to him on how much power this one woman had!

To change a King so easily was unnerving and Marcus wondered if her being beside him would hinder the future of Kralaide.

"Marcus."

Looking up at the King's voice, he replied, "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"...If I were to disappear, what would you do?"

His question astonished Marcus into silence.

King Richard looked up at him and continued, "Would you perhaps stay as the leader of the Loyal Royal Knights?"

"I...Don't...Why are you speaking of such things, Your Majesty?"

The King looked down at Mahnu, and then sighed. "My beloved had a long day. But she made some decisions...Even though I wish she would include me more." He looked at Marcus again. "What I asked you, I wanted you to understand something."

Marcus was only more confused.

How could he understand anything from that!? His job was to keep His Majesty safe and sound! On his watch, something like this would never happen!

 

The King continued, "She knows things have changed now. She knows that she is no longer a God that doesn't die but wants to make sure that everything will come to an end. Mahnu asked for my assistance, to aid her with the tablet, and wanted to know the box containing the two God's will be well buried forever."

Thinking about the box, Marcus answered, "Tomorrow I will send someone for the news about the box."

The box would have made it to Havlish by now, but the orders to trap it deep underground may have just started…

"Please do." The King said. "And once we retrieve the tablet...It will be destroyed into unreadable pieces."
Marcus stared wide eyed, at the King. "Your Majesty?"

"It was Mahnu's idea and I agree with her."

"But the history..."

"Mahnu has consented to talk about her past and have it written down. But the locations of both, The Chest of the God's and the box will not be written down, nor will information be given about whether they exist or not. People may eventually come to think of it as just a story, which is what I would prefer. We will also not put this history in the library for quite some time, just in case."

Marcus took a moment to think and then nodded, "It is a wise plan, Your Majesty."

"You can thank Mahnu for that."

Marcus looked at the woman on the bed beside His Majesty and admitted that she had thought that out well.

"So, you will assist in her protection, as she finishes her journey as a God…I can't deny her of my help...Just like you, I'd assume you would continue being the leader of the Loyal Royal Knights, if something happened to me."

…Marcus finally understood.

The King wanted him to know that Mahnu had unfinished business.

 

***

 

The next day, they traveled to Governor Sedric's home. It was more grand then the King's home that they were currently staying in, while in Bena, but something was missing from the house as Mahnu looked around. Sullen, quiet, soulless guards and workers looked at her and she heard their thoughts on their master. Some had been punished over small things, some had families that Governor Sedric contained and some had seen death happen in front of them, making them too scared to do anything.

Out of the people that worked in the household, Mahnu had an idea that near eighty percent of them weren’t happy and were forced into situations that they couldn’t handle…

How was it that this man’s deeds had not been detected till this day?

Seeing flashes of some of the people, Mahnu saw families crying and then a flash took her by surprise, as Zachary had recently conceded to Sedric…

So…The skirmishes that happened between them…

It was because Zachary knew of the treacherous ways of Sedric but was never able to gain enough evidence to support his claim!

Between the two of them…It seemed that there was quite a lot of history!

 

Mahnu looked around but stayed silent as the Governor welcomed His Majesty.

Clenching her fists, Mahnu could hardly tolerate this man that would make her last job harder…

It was people like this that always made her suffer! People that had no care for others, that didn’t think that other’s had feelings and could suffer loss and pain!

People like this made her thousand years of existence extremely difficult!

But…She was no longer a God that was feeling the sufferings anymore…And she asked herself why she cared so much.

Was it because it became a habit to worry over the humans?

Silently trying to breath normal, Mahnu looked down and tried not to think more of it, as even if she did worry over the human’s, right now they were here for the tablet…

 

Having a robe with a large hood, on Richard's commands, was to help keep attention away from her but she already knew that it hadn't worked. Sedric was very observant, he was also sly and wanted to make a lot of things his and his only. He was not one to keeps his mitts out of other people’s business!

"And who is your companion, Your Majesty?" Sedric came to stand in front of her.

William stepped forward, from Mahnu's right side, stating, "She is His Majesty's consort."

Sedric looked at William, then back to Mahnu. "Why is a consort here and not in the palace?"

"That isn't of your..."

The King interrupted William, "Sedric! Please, let us enjoy some of your fine tea."

Looking to the King, Sedric smiled, "Of course. I am much obliged!"

Before he went to lead the way, he looked at Mahnu once more, making her feel sick to his inner voice…

I dare say, she is prettier then the Queen.

His thoughts didn't betray on Mahnu's face and she could tell straight away that she didn't like this man. No, she didn’t just dislike him…She hated him!

People like him, who knew what they were doing in harming or giving others pain was wrong and yet still didn’t care, should not have the power like he has! He would be better being in isolation or locked up…Or given the death penalty!!