The King & His Queen (Pict King Series Book 3) Read online

  Talon cringed. “It was not exactly a cordial meeting.”

  Hemera laughed softly. “Grandmother has more of a caring heart than she shows.”

  “Her heart cared not at all for me.”

  “Now that you are my husband it will be different,” Hemera assured him.

  He shook his head. “I do not believe that.”

  Hemera poked at his chest playfully. “You will see. Grandmother will grow to care for you.”

  Talon shook his head again.

  “She will,” Hemera insisted and her hand went to rest on her stomach, “especially when our bairn is born. You want Pict blood to forever run deep in this land and my grandmother wants this land to forever flourish with her roots that have fed this soil long before man laid claim to it. And I would not be surprised if my grandmother had a hand in bringing us together.”

  “If that is true I am grateful, for I do not know what I would do without you by my side,” Talon said and kissed her softly. “You are mine. Now and always.”

  Chapter 35

  Winter

  Hemera looked up at the heavens and smiled as the delicate snowflakes kissed her face. The snow would turn heavy soon and coat the land with its pristine beauty.

  “A few moments more and we return to the stronghold,” Talon said concerned with the snow that had begun to cover the ground and how rounded his wife was with their child. Any day now their bairn would be born and he wanted Hemera tucked in the warmth and safety of their home.

  Hemera breathed deeply of the cold air as she stroked her large stomach. “It will be a heavy snowfall.”

  “All the more reason for us to return now,” he said, stepping in front of her and resting his hand on her stomach and being reminded of the nights she slept in his arms and he would feel his child kick inside her. They had created a life together, a future that would live on far beyond them.

  Hemera took another deep breath.

  “Your sister and Anin will be expecting you at Anin’s dwelling for your midday visit. You know how much your sister’s son, Shand enjoys seeing you. And how Areana, Anin and Paine’s daughter, favors you.

  “And I know how you find reasons to cut my visits to the forest short,” Hemera said with a delicate laugh.

  “You grow close to your time and I worry,” Talon admitted, patting her stomach, “over the both of you.”

  “Why do you have my granddaughter in the forest while it snows when she is near ready to give birth?”

  Talon turned to glare at the Giantess, annoyed how she suddenly appeared anytime she wished, and he let her know it. “You cannot just suddenly appear on my land without notice.”

  “You attempt to command me, you fool? This land belongs to me and always will. You make a home here because I allow you to live here.”

  Hemera laid a hand on her husband’s arm and gave it a squeeze, then turned a smile on her grandmother. “And we appreciate your generosity, Grandmother. I am here with the snow falling on me because Talon indulges me. I wanted to spend time here, so our bairn would connect with the earth.”

  “He can connect later,” the Giantess snapped. “You need to be inside where I can tend you.”

  “I have a healer,” Talon argued.

  The Giantess jabbed Talon in the arm. “I will deliver my grandson and the six that will follow in the future.”

  “Six?” Talon’s glare was one of shock. “Hemera will give me seven sons?”

  “And a daughter, though she will spend much time with me.”

  Hemera smiled, watching the two argue as another pain washed over her. She was glad she was here in the forest. It comforted her, welcomed her, and let her know that all would be well.

  “If I give permission,” Talon said.

  “I need no permission from you, you fool,” the Giantess said.

  “Watch who you call fool, crone.” Talon warned with a sharp tongue.

  “Crone?” the Giantess said, her face scrunched in anger.

  Hemera suddenly gasped in pain, her hand rushing to her stomach.

  Talon scooped his wife up in his arms. “I know it would please Hemera that you tend her birth, but you will keep your harping tongue silent or I will turn it silent.”

  “You dare threaten the Giantess?”

  Talon kept walking, cradling his wife close against him. “I threaten Hemera’s grandmother who feels she can demand me, the King.”

  Hemera let out a soft groan and Talon’s eyes immediately filled with pain.

  The Giantess kept step with Talon as she said, “You suffer with her.”

  “Always,” Talon said. “We are one and always will be.”

  The Giantess nodded, a grin spreading across her face. “I knew you would be the one for my granddaughter. You did not fear me. You challenged me and though you did not win—”

  “I won, Hemera is mine,” Talon said, as if declaring it law.

  The Giantess smiled. “That she is, you foo—”

  Talon turned a warning glare on her.

  “Hurry, Talon, and get her to your sleeping chamber where she can be comfortable and deliver your first of many sons.”

  “As you say, Grandmother,” Talon said and hurried along.

  The snow covered the ground several times over before Hemera finally delivered Talon’s son, heir to the Pict Kingdom. His was a large bairn with a sprinkle of dark hair, and his cries were heard throughout the feasting hall while vessels were raised to toast the new heir to the throne. A worthy name would be chosen for him, though the Giantess had already bestowed a name on him—Bram—and claimed it would not be changed. It was meant for him.

  Talon sat beside his sleeping pallet, watching his wife and newborn son, cradled in her arm, sleeping. Hemera had delivered their son easily with mostly moans and groans and barely a scream or two, which had torn through him and caused him excruciating pain. He hated to see her suffer but she had been courageous and talk would spread about the Queen’s bravery.

  A shiver stirred Hemera and Talon hurried to the fire pit to add more wood. He turned to find Hemera easing herself off the sleeping pallet, leaving their son to sleep. She walked over to him and his arms went around her as they always did. When he closed them around her, he could feel her body sigh with relief and he, himself, felt whole again.

  Talon did not want to let her go. There in his arms was where she belonged, but she had only delivered their son. “You should rest.”

  Hemera met her husband’s eyes filled with fatigue and she ran a gentle finger beneath each of them. “The birth tired you.”

  He took hold of her hand and hugged it, bringing it to rest against his chest. “Not as much as you.”

  “You are pleased with your son?”

  “More pleased then I could ever make it known.”

  “Grandmother?” she inquired cautiously.

  “She is in the feasting hall bragging about her grandson and out drinking my warriors,” Talon said, shaking his head.

  Hemera was left with a smile after her soft laughter faded and a yawn quickly followed.

  Talon lifted her gently in his arms and commanded, “You will rest.”

  “Only with you beside me,” she said and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

  “Alongside me is where you will always be. I will have it no other way. You have my heart forever.” He brushed his lips over hers and whispered, “Tuahna, wife, tuahna.”

  THE END

  Also by Donna Fletcher

  The Pict King Series

  The King’s Executioner

  The King’s Warrior

  The King and His Queen

  Macinnes Sisters Trilogy

  The Highlander’s Stolen Heart

  Highlander’s Rebellious Love

  Highlander: The Dark Dragon

  Highlander Trilogy

  Highlander Unchained

  Forbidden Highlander

  Highlander’s Captive

  For more titles by Donna visit her website.

>   About the Author

  It was her love of reading and daydreaming that started USA Today bestselling author Donna Fletcher’s writing career. Besides gobbling up books, her mom generously bought for her, she spent a good portion of her time lost in daydreams that took her on grand adventures. She met heroes and villains, and heroines that, while usually in danger, always found the strength and courage to prevail. She traveled all over the world and through time in her dreams. Some places and times fascinated her more than others and she would rush to the library (no Internet at that time) and read all she could about that particular period and place. After a while, she simply could not ignore all the adventures swirling around in her head, she had no choice but to bring them more vividly to life, and so she started writing.

  Donna continues to daydream, characters popping in and out of her head wherever she goes and filling her with tales that keeps her writing schedule on overload.

  Donna enjoys living on the beautiful Jersey shore surrounded by family and friends and a cat who thinks she’s a princess, but what cat doesn’t, and a dog who bows to the princess’s demands.

  Follow Donna at:

  @Dfletcherauthor

  donna.fletcher.author

  www.donnafletcher.com