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The gladiator and the princess

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The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye curled closer to him and closed her eyes, "I like your reasoning."

It all lifted some weight off her shoulders as she had been worrying about how her and Robert were going to last. After all, surely someone would notice the two going to sleep in the same bed at night. She smiled softly, "I love you."

She said quietly before she fell asleep as her fatigue washed over her and took her away.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauraye's eyes fluttered open when Robert said that he would take the throne as King. She felt his chin rest upon her head and smiled. She wrapped an arm around him, "You don't have to take up the duties of King... I can do that... After all, that is what the people expect me to do... But the King and Queen as deal with the military which I think you can more than handle. I'll deal with the politics if you deal with the army."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye was surprised when Robert held out the ring to her. She tentatively took it and slid it on one of her fingers, "Thank you," She said quietly.

She kissed his cheek before walking into the bathroom. Sometime later, she emerged clean in a white night gown. She moved to the bed where Robert still sat and curled up against him. All her worries from last night about them spreading apart for the moment disappeared. She closed her eyes but did not sleep as she sat there with him. When she spoke again, her voice was soft, "Do... You think we can really be together? Like we wish to be?"

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye returned late that night with dirt of her face clothes. She smiled at Robert and placed his helmet and small box on the bed. She climbed on the bed and placed a hand on his chest, shaking him a little, "Robert," She said quietly, waking him.

When he saw what she had done, she smiled, "Apparently, it isn't that hard to track down a little boy and his things...." She picked up his helmet, "Especially, when they are so unique."

She hopped off the bed and removed her hat and looked at her clothes, "Goodness me, I need a bath..."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye sighed and rested her head upon his shoulder, "I'm sorry, Robert," A moment later though she giggled, "If only he had known he was in the Princess's room. There are far more things here that are worth more in value than sentiment."

She stood and kissed his temple before she walked to her wardrobe, she didn't bother to close the door. She stripped down and pulled on a plain shirt and brown pants. When she stepped out, she placed her crown on her vanity. She pulled her hair up into a hat and smiled at Robert, "Why don't you stay here for a while, dear... I'm sure the former slaves can find someone else to drill them... I have some work that I should attend to, otherwise, I'd stay with you."

She kissed his cheek and then his lips, "I will see you later... Tonight, no inviting anyone into our room...I wish to sleep with you."

Then she straightened and gave him a soft smile before leaving the room.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye woke up sore from lying on the couch. She rubbed her eyes and looked out the window of the tower. The sun had risen, which most likely meant that Robert and, in turn, Joseph had left her room. She slipped back into her petticoat and retied her corset as she knew that she would have to appear prim and proper at all times outside of her room now. She brushed her hair a little and replaced her crown on her head and hoped that no one would notice she still wore the same clothes she had the day before.

She left the tower she had spent the night in and headed back to her room. When she got to her door, she poked her head in. If Joseph were still in the room, she was sure that she could come up with some excuse about why she was there. She didn't see Joseph though, she just saw a very upset Robert. She quickly stepped in the room, closing the door behind her, and walked over to Robert. She sat down next to him and gingerly placed her hands on his shoulders, "Robert..." She said quietly, "What's wrong?"

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye watched as Robert left the room before she leaned back against the table and sighed. She brushed some of her hair out of her face before she also made her way out of the secret passage. The halls were empty as she wandered to her father's study. She found it in a very large mess, papers scattered all over the room. If there was any kind of organization to it all, she couldn't see it. She gathered a few papers off the ground before she took her seat behind the desk. She grabbed a few books as well that she hoped would help her understand all that was in front of her.

She worked through it all without stopping, other than to light a few candles. She looked over her shoulder sometime later to see that it was very dark and leaned back in her chair, yawning. She didn't think she had made took much progress in her father's paperwork but she had some, which was better than before. She stood blew out the candles she had lit and made her way to her room. She was ready for bed and to curl up in Robert's arms.

However, when she opened the door to her room, she found that Robert wasn't alone. From the door, as the light from the hall cast a dim light, she could see like Joseph curled up in her spot. She bit her lip and stepped back into the hall, closing the door. She rested her head against the wood and sighed. She couldn't sleep in there now without Joseph questioning her and Robert's relationship and if people found out... He would be nearly forced to be King and she knew that he didn't want that.

She turned away from her door and headed down the hall. She wiped under her eyes and found them to be slightly damp. She supposed she could feel the separation between her and Robert more than ever. Before they at least had the night together, even if he didn't sleep in her bed again until last night. They spoke at night and had a chance to be in love with each other.... Today, all they had were those few moments they had stolen alone...

She wandered up a flight of stairs into the tower. She pulled out her petticoat from under her dress and loosened her corset. She placed her crown upon the table in the middle of the small room and curled up on the couch. She fell asleep with tears in her eyes.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye looked up at him and gave him a soft smile, "I don't care what you choose... So long as you are beside me."

She released his hands and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek upon his chest. She closed her eyes and just stood there. She couldn't hear his heart beat through his armor. However, she did enjoy the cool feeling of the metal against her cheek. After sometime, she stepped back, "I suppose you have work to get to with the former slaves... I should probably head to my father's study and try to fix some of the messes he made..."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye watched Robert as he suddenly started to pace, clearly nervous. She hopped off the table and stopped him in his tracks. She took both of his hands and smiled at him, "I'm not saying you should become king... I'm just saying that you would be a good one... You care about these people in ways that David and my father didn't and... that means the world to me... Just to have you there," She shook her head, "I mean... I know you are going to be there. But I just wish we didn't have to keep up appearances..."