The First Trials (The Second Queen Sequel)

Chapter 3

Edward

I open the door to our chambers and see the balcony doors open. I close the door behind me and walk across the room. Our chambers are dark, with only a few candles lit on the tables throughout the room. As I look about the room, I notice the doors to the balcony are open. Isabella stands on the balcony, illuminated by the moonlight. I make my way through the balcony doors and stand next to her. "Mere dila, I am sorry. I think that I must not let my selfish desire to keep you safe so prominent. I understand if you are angry."

"I am not angry."

"Then why will you not look at me?"

She turns to face me, "I am not angry at you Edward. I am angry at the world. I am angry at Aral. I am angry at history. I am angry that we haven't even been married for a month and the world wants one or both of us dead."

I take her hands, "We will survive this. We have many allies."

"I know. But facts will not destroy one's fears."

I sigh and wrap my arms around her. The excessive long sleeves of her robe brush the ground as her arms twine around my waist, "I will not let anyone hurt you mere dila."

"And what of yourself?"

"You are my heart Isabella, as long as you live, I live as well."

She cannot keep her smile from her voice, "Edward, I'm being serious."

"I have my guard, I am trained in the art of blades, why should you worry?"

She shrugs out of my embrace. As she speaks she ticks off points on her fingers, "Poison, someone shoots you, someone tries to kill you in your sleep?"

"Oh mere dila, we will survive this. We have powerful allies. God is with us."

"We don't even know if our allies will stand by us."

"They will, we have written letters to all of our allies. Our alliances are strong and well kept, we have nothing to fear from our allies."

"Edward-"

"Isabella, mere dila, forget about the world for the night, take in the night sky and mountains in the distance. I know. I know, it is stressful and painful to think of, but we must find small moments of peace and joy amidst all the pain and darkness."

I wrap my arms back around her and feel her smile against my chest, she turns her head to the side and looks out over the dark world, the rivers in the distance to the mountains. "If you believe that is what we must do, then we shall look at the sky."

"Don't forget to look at the earth too."

"How could I?"

"Well the sky and all her darkest majesty, the stars that are embedded into her, creating colors and the entire universe. Majesty upon majesty lives in the sky. But the earth... the earth has much majesty too, she reaches to the sky with her mountains and hills, she creates large bodies of water and plains for the harvest and enjoyment."

"You may be correct Edward."

I arch my brow, "I may be correct?"

She turns her head up to the moon and laughs. "I am no fool husband, but the sky will ease my mind tonight far more than the earth will."

"As it always does; but we both need to sleep and I have no wish to leave you out in this cold alone."

"It is not that cold out."

"You are shaking and have you looked at the thermometer? It's nearly below freezing and you are only wearing a thin robe over your shift."

"I am fine Edward. It is hard to feel the cold."

"Come to sleep."

"I do not believe that I will be able to sleep after the events of the day."

"My dear Isabella, you must try to sleep."

"I take it that this is a battle that you will never let me win."

"You are correct, now please, come to bed."

She sighs with a hint of a smile on her face, "I'm coming."

A/N: that's all updates for today. there'll either be another update tomorrow or a week from today. thanks for reading. all my love, m