Protector of the Crown

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Richard explained the ins and outs of the rebellion. I'd been on the rise since my father was killed. My family's death was tragic, but it was the spark the rebellion needed to set it on fire. For thirteen years people far and wide left the comfort of their homes or fled from persecution from the king to join the rebellion. They were farmers, workers, nobles, and everything in between. They had finally risen to the point they were ready to take back the kingdom. Richard said he was watching and waiting for me to become ready to join, then they would be able to make their move.

Richard explain his plan to begin to take back the kingdom. We would do it slowly by turning the people against the king. Fueling their hate so it far outweighed their fear. When the king had no support left we would strike.

After a very long and exhausting talk, Jax and I made our way to our new assigned tent. All I wanted was to lay in his arms and close my eyes. I received so many reminders of my family's death it took all I had to fight the pain I was feeling.

"Can I ask you something?" Jax muttered as we climbed into the tent. It was small with a few blankets for padding, simple and cozy.

I lay on my back and looked up at Jax, "Always."

"Do you think the plan can work?" Jax asked.

"I think it's a start. You and me getting the crowds to turn against the King and Marcus won't be easy, I mean the fear of being killed means we'll have to make a hell of a speech, but I think you have the hearts of the people so it's possible," I said, "If anyone is capable of swaying their hearts it you."

"There'll be extra Protectors around and I'm worried about actually getting into the city," Jax said, a look of concern crossing his handsome face.

"Hey," I said, sitting up to take his hands and pull him down next to me, "Hey. Whatever we do we do together, right? If one of us isn't comfortable with something we don't do it," I said.

"I want this, Mia. I want to join the resistance. My father is a monster and I want him to stop, but even more I want to be one of the ones who stops him. Then, during the discussions, all I could think of was you getting hurt in front of me and not even my father is worth that," Jax whispered, "Nothing is worth losing you."

"Jax, there is a risk I get hurt walking out of our tent, I could trip on a root and break my neck!"

"Mia..."

"Jax, it's true! My whole life I've been trained to protect and fight for a man who is a monster. The things I've had to do in his name, Jax, they're not easy to live with. Then I met you. The second I laid eyes on you, it was like I saw the world in color for the first time since I was a child. The people of Arlington deserve it too, freedom from your father and the joy of having a life worth living. We can give that to them, Jax. We can fill their world with color like you did mine," I said, pulling his hands to my face and kissing them.

"I'm being selfish, I know," Jax said.

"No, you're not. Don't think for a second the main thought I had during that briefing wasn't the fear of losing you. I finally found you and the thought of losing you takes the wind out of my lungs, but we deserve a life together that's real. We deserve a life where we can be free, be married, and have kids-I mean, maybe, I don't know if you want kids, but the point is I love you and I want to have options with you," I said, blood rushing to my face.

"Kids, huh?" Jax smiled.

"I mean, that's just something people usually just say when marriage is brought up, so that's it," I muttered, "The point is we have each other and the chance of anything getting to us is low when we are both ready to fight for it."

"That's very true. If anyone can come out of this alive it's us, together," he sighed, then snapped his eyes to mine, "By the way, I can see us with a few little ones. Beautiful girls running around outside with sparkling auburn hair," he smiled, brushing my hair behind my ear, "With smiles that light up my whole world."

"Maybe a boy with his father's stormy gray eyes," I whispered, "With a goodness about him that washes away all the dark in this world."

Jax smiled deeply, wrapping his hand behind my head and pulling me near him, "A little farm outside of town."

I sighed against his lips; "I would love to watch you do physical labor all day long, all sweaty and strong."

"Mia Luther, are you daring to dream of a life with me?"

I pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes, "I've always dreamed of it Jax, I was just too scared to say anything, in case it didn't happen. I never imagined how we could live beyond sneaking around, no matter how much I wanted it. And I was always so scared that if the time came you wouldn't want to leave a life of wealth and comfort."

Jax's eyes widened and he grasped either side of my face, gently, but with urgency, "How could you think that? How could you think I wanted to be in that place more than with you?"

"You're in a tent in the woods after living in a castle...and this is the best case scenario," I said, laughing lightly, "You seemed happy."

"My god," Jax gasped, kissing me hard and quick, "You have no idea how miserable I was before you. Being in this tent with you, knowing we don't have to hide how we feel about each other brings me so much joy. Any happiness you saw was only because you found your way into the castle. And don't forget, I was a soldier; I'm perfectly content in tents."

I laughed and climbed onto him so I was straddling his lap, "What did I do to deserve you, Your Highness," I whispered, kissing him deeply and passionately, "You've healed my soul," I gasped as he kissed down my neck.

Jax rolled us so I was lying on my back and he was on top of me, "You will own my heart until my last breath," he whispered, kissing me so deeply the rest of the world disappeared.

I whimpered against his mouth, grasping his hair in my hands to try and pull him closer as I ground against him.

It took me a moment to hear Richard calling my name from outside the tent.

I pulled away from his kiss, moving my head to the side and cleared my throat, "Yes?" I gasped. Jax smirked down at me, then continued kissing down my neck, nipping as he went, and pushing my shirt up until he could pull it over my head and toss it aside.

"Dinner is ready, some of our hunters got a boar. Walk with me, I'd like to introduce you to a few of our higher up members," he called from outside the tent.

"Well..."

"Not yet," Jax whispered, continuing to kiss down my body. He stopped at my leggings and began to slide them down with a devious grin.

"We'll meet you there, if that's alright," I said as best I could as Jax stripped me, "We're...still getting settled."

"Ok then, but hurry, all the good cuts of meat go first," he said.

As the footsteps walked away, Jax muttered, "We better make this quick, don't want to miss out the good cuts of meat."