Garden Of Poison

An hour before Raylen and Lauren found Emily on the stairs.

In a kingdom surrounded by vast expanses of sand and a newly flourishing forest, a young woman patiently waited for her husband to return after a day of work. Standing on a balcony, just a couple of steps away from the railing, she gazed out at the kingdom she had once longed to leave that had now turned into the place she called home.

Anastasia was enjoying the cool breeze that had started to chill the air in contrast to the earlier warmth of the afternoon. The sky was still bright, and as she stood on the balcony, she heard the sound of footsteps drawing near. She turned around and saw Dante.

His black hair tousled in the breeze, and he was wearing a blue coat adorned with golden embellishments along the sides. While he typically maintained a brooding demeanour that could be intimidating to strangers who didn’t know him, it had softened since he and Anastasia got to know each other. It was a profound pleasure for her to know that this strong and handsome man’s heart belonged to her.

Dante’s face bore a frown as he addressed Anastasia. "One of the guards informed me you were sick this afternoon," he stated, concern evident in his voice. He asked her, "Why aren’t you resting in the room? What did the physician say?" Being away from the palace, where he was fully engrossed in his duties, he had delegated the task of keeping a watchful eye on his wife and family to the guards.

Anastasia smiled as she observed Dante’s concerned frown transform into genuine worry when he reached her and leaned in to kiss her. "The physician said I am doing more than fine. How was your visit to the town?" she asked him, wanting to know about his day.

Despite Anastasia’s reassurance, the frown on Dante’s face didn’t disappear. He answered, "The allocation of work assignments has been completed, and we’ve set fair wages for the people to benefit from the kingdom’s growth. They are happy."

Anastasia knew that Dante would make an exceptional king. Everyone recognised it. He was fair and kind when necessary, while his words and power were formidable enough to keep everyone in line.

"Are you sure you are fine? You look tired, as if you haven’t had enough sleep," Dante remarked with concern, gently placing his hand on Anastasia’s face. He saw her close her eyes, basking in his caring gesture, a warm smile gracing her lips. He said, "You know, you are starting to worry me now, rabbit."

"I didn’t mean to," Anastasia murmured softly, and her green eyes opened to meet his red ones. She wanted to give Dante a moment to relax before she shared the news, knowing that the first thing he always did upon returning to the palace was seek her out.

Anastasia had attempted to conceal the smile that had formed on her lips, but it was hard to do after the confirmation she had received. She had given strict orders for everyone not to speak about it until she had the chance to deliver the news to Dante personally. She gently lifted Dante’s other hand and placed it on her stomach before looking up at him.