Queen's Obsession

Chapter 106

*Suzanna's P.O.V*

King Theron holds out his promise of helping me back to Mama's room. That means I get smothered with kisses by Mama and I have to fight to free myself. I also have to fight not to giggle because her kisses do tickle.

"Mommy," I squeal as I twist out of Mama's hold, running to Mommy who picks me up as soon as I raise my arms. I was getting used to being carried around which was a bad thing. Not for me obviously but for Mama and Mommy since that meant they were going to have to get used to always having me in their arms.

Somehow, don't ask me how, we end up on the balcony of Mama's room with King Theron. I say don't ask me mostly because I was not paying attention to where we were moving to or the conversation. Mostly because I had Mommy's necklace in my hand and I was trying to find the sneakiest way to take it from her. Not forever but just until I get bored of the shininess.

Mommy's hand moves to cover my hand and I huff as I realize that she's catching onto what I am doing. She sits me down on the ground, well not the ground because there is a blanket on a corner of the balcony and she's sitting at the table right next to me but the audacity she had to put me down!

I open my mouth to gripe but I am quickly distracted by a doll that's next to me. It's clearly hand carved and beautiful in a way. It's worn with age, the paint on the doll's face now barely there. However I don't mind that at all because it kind of looks like Mommy. I quickly become distracted with the doll.

I move the doll around, making quiet noises as I get lost in my own little world. A world which is rudely interrupted when Mommy picks me up, plopping me on her lap. I look at her with betrayal, my lower lip trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry little one," Mommy coos as she runs her fingers through my hair, a soothing action most of the time but it didn't help me calm down at all.

"Doll," I whine as I point at the doll that I had left on the blanket when she had picked me up. She sighs as she shifts me on her lap, trying to lean down to get it. King Theron steps in, picking it up with ease and handing it to me. I settle down on Mommy's lap as I rest my head on her chest, moving the doll up and down her arm.

"Parenting is harder than it looks," King Theron chuckles and I hear Mommy sigh as she kisses the top of my head.

"It looked a hell of a lot easier when it was you and Sera having a baby," Mommy confesses, her words quiet as her fingernails gently scratch my back. I completely forget about playing my doll when she does that, cuddling up to her so that she keeps doing it.

"It's always easy when you're not the one who has to be there all day every day," King Theron says wryly. I glance at him, noticing that he is sitting on the edge of the balcony, turned to face Mommy as he lights a cigar.

"You still smoke?" Mommy asks, a touch of surprise in her tone.

"Not often, I think I deserve this one though," he chuckles, the sound deep and rumbling.

"Maybe," Mommy agrees reluctantly as her nails slowly stop scratching my back. I glance up at her to see why but notice that she seems to be steadying herself, watching her throat bob as she swallows. "Speaking of being there all day every day, I assume you want to go back to having your bed with Sera," she says carefully. I glance at King Theron, not sure what was going on but not liking the waver in Mommy's voice.

King Theron's eyes narrow slightly as he takes a puff of his cigar, the smoke curling up in the air. The smell burns my nose in the faintest way, the familiar scent of tobacco wafting in the air.

"'phina and I haven't shared a bed in years, Kam. That won't change just because I miraculously survived a war," King Theron states softly.

"You haven't? ...I just assumed," Mommy murmurs after a moment, trailing off.

"Don't get me wrong, we do love each other. Maybe not in the way that you love her or she loves you. Our love is more...distant. Sometimes we have nights where we need each other's touch, to feel each other...but mostly we do not. We are content to see each other everyday, to hold hands and share whispered words in the library," King Theron explains, his lips quirking up slightly as he tilts his head.

"Why do you ask me this question though?" King Theron ponders, the cigar resting on his lips.

"I have grown tired of being a diplomat, I think. I would like to remove myself from that life," Mommy says hesitantly.

"I will not force you to remain a diplomat if that is what you are worried about...which is not what you are worried about," King Theron says as I watch the two. Mommy glances at me and I see King Theron's eyes soften for a moment.

"You wish to remain in the castle, with 'phina, taking care of Suzanna," he says, the words a statement and not a question.

"You and Sera got to raise Malik, I was jealous back then. I was a part of it but I was not Malik's mother. I know the situation with Suzanna is different, much different, but I would like to be a part of this. Regressed or not, I care for her deeply," Mommy says. Her words are heavy, hanging in the air. I don't understand why she seems so distant but I can feel the way her body tenses, her arms curling around me so I do the only thing I know to do. I offer her the doll in my hands which she takes with a soft smile.

"Kamili, you don't need my permission to do such a thing. Seraphina is my wife but she has been your girlfriend for almost as long. Whatever the two of you decide to do, I will respect it," King Theron says.

"Even if I asked you to not smoke around Suzanna?" Kamili asks, a teasing tone in her voice. King Theron looks at his cigar, a smile tugging at his lips.

"I won't smoke around her again," he agrees. "If you promise to not 'phina that I've still got cigars," he says with a wry smile.

"Too late," Mama's voice makes me jump and I peer over Mommy's shoulder, seeing Mama standing by the open balcony doors. "I know the smell of your cigars, Theron, did you really think you could keep secrets from me?" she asks with a tiny smirk.

"I would never," King Theron says as he looks between her and then over the edge of the balcony. "I think I could survive the fall," he whispers to Kamili, who presses the bottom of her face against my hair to hide her laugh. I just bury my head into her chest, content to just sit there and listen to the bickering between Mama and King Theron.