The Royal Private Rooms

[Alcander]

"They took you captive, what did they do to you?"Alcander asked further as he did not understand, what she said was something he hadn't heard anything about as only Adrian got the news during the war. Close he laid to his wife, as gentle her hands lingered in his. It worried him that he hadn't heard anything about what she told, he thought everything had gone well even it seemed it had not. The look of his wife was nice but not comforting, he could see not everything was good as something probably troubled her. Carefully he moved his hand across her cheek, touching it with every smooth and delight. He did not want his wife to be sad and upset about things that had happened, but to be happy for what she still had, even horrible things might had appeared on the travels she had gone.

With his other free arm around her, he pulled her close to his body as close they were to each other. In every way she looked, he still could see how beautiful she were. Having her close was something he always loved, but as they had been separated it all was difficult to get used too. He just hoped his wife had not lost any feelings for him, thought wanted it to stand strong as long they lived.

[Daphne]

"Well..." Daphne went on after the short pause, having gathered her thoughts again. "They threatened all of us there so that Lucius and Marius could not do anything, we were trapped. The Etruscans then took me and Felicita as captives, as an exchange to the Etruscan King's sister who was trapped on Roman land." She explained on, letting Alcander only know step by step what happened.

The one thing she feared to tell him was what Leonius had done to her and Felicita, and what he had caused. Alcander knew nothing yet of her pregnancy and the child she lost, and as the father she feared his reaction on these news.

[Alcander]

When Daphne said she was captured by the Etruscans, he could only imagen what had happened to her, even he did not like the thought of it. His wife were great, but knowing she was caused pain by the travel she had been on hurted him deeply. If only he knew, then he would had stopped it before anything happened. Curious and worried he watched Daphne, wondering what she tried to tell. Still as close they laid, he held her hands in his one hand while his other free hand were around her. "You and your cousin were captured?"Alcander spoke, wanting to know every detailed she could tell.

"Why wasn't I told about this, what more happened. Tell me, what did the Etruscans do to you and Felicita?"He asked more worried, holding her hands close and tight. His eyes showed easily what he was afraid of, but hoped that it didn't make his wife lose the voice to speak. She was everything to him and more then anything he looked upon her as the most beautiful and wisest being in the whole world, if something had happened, he would be willing to forgive.

[Daphne]

Now at last Daphne had the impression that Alcander began to understand what had happened to her and Felicita, what they had been through. However, it still was to become worse. She did not know how to put it in words that Leonius had robbed them both of their child, of whom Alcander did not yet even know. All to the worse, Daphne now discovered a hidden desire for Stratos to be here now, to give her the strength to tell her husband. He was the only one with whom she would feel safe and really understood now, for he was there, he freed her from this prison in Etrusca and had taken care of her from then on. He had given her his heart, as she had returned hers, even although she loved Alcander as well, just a little different. Alcander Daphne had known for her whole life, he had been there whenever she had needed him, just not this once in Etrusca, and still they had shared a special love in their marriage. However, it was not true love, this Daphne had found out on this journey.

"I've... I have been with child before this captivity." She now went on speaking, hoping that these words were enough for him to understand the true horror of her and Felicita's captivity. She did not want to go on in words, she wanted him to know now what Leonius had done to them both.

[Alcander]

"A child?"He asked with a small whispering voice, however understood what she now tried to tell. She had been pregnant with her and his child, although lost it during captivity. There only was one reason how that could happen, the Etruscans must had made love with her. Risking the child to die within her, it was sad news but still calm Alcander tried to be. With his hands tight around her, he pulled her closer and wanted to know what else she could tell."You lost our child, the Etruscans raped you and your cousin? Is that what your trying to tell..."He asked worried, deeply in pain by everything he got to know.

The way she looked at him gave him a weird feeling inside, a feeling that he had lost more then he already knew. Perhaps it was just the cause of the child or maybe it was something else, either way he hoped nothing more serious had happened. She was everything to him, losing her was something he did not wish to happen as deeply he loved his wife. A long time had they stayed together, sharing the life as married they were. At least they now where together, never again would they need to split apart.

[Daphne]

Daphne now was not able to speak much more, grief took her at the memory and when thinking that now she would be able to tell Alcander happily that he would be father soon, if all this back in Rome and Etrusca never had happened. For the few days that she had been sure she soon was to become a mother, she must had been the happiest woman on Earth. She had wished with all her heart for this pregnancy going well, for she had heard of many women who had died in childbirth, and surely did not want to end the same. She wanted to see her child, or children grow up, growing old, starting their own life.

However, she never truly had let out her grief yet, and now it seemed to storm up within her all of a sudden. She only managed to give Alcander a nod as an answer. She moved closer to his chest now, with tears welling up in her eyes, and she held close to him.

[Alcander]

When Daphne nodded to what he had asked, he knew what he thought was true. She had lost the child as raped she had been, horrible news it was that bothered him deeply. Only if he had gone with her in start, then nothing of it would had happened at all. However so easy it was not, being a royal was difficult as always the people needed someone to take important decisions of what to do. Greatly he loved his wife, but knowing bad things had happened to her made him feel horrible. Close he held her as tears started to tremble down her cheeks, the warmth of her body was comforting but still the news hurted him. The thought of her being with another man made him angry, even more his anger rose that he had not heard anything about it before.

"I am sorry my love, if I only knew."He said, but did not start crying as strong he tried to keep himself. However a few tears still started to travel down his cheek, wishing revenge although it probably were not needed anymore. Madly Alcander loved Daphne, hoping that they always would be together, even troubles would now probably appear by what had happened. If she was raped, it also was a good chance Daphne was pregnant. Alcander wanted everything back to normal, but impossible the past was to turn.

[Daphne]

Daphne now did not care to answer, far more she was in her deep and sad feelings, in deep depression. She wanted these past weeks all to change, and yet, she did not. Because of Stratos. Without this past journey, or if anything would have changed during this past journey, she never would have found out about his love for her, and she probably never would have got to know her own innermost feelings.

With some more minutes passing, or was it longer, she could not say, they both had remained silent in their grief, suffering together, supporting each other. However, it was Daphne now who at last broke the silence. "I believe I need rest now. I feel so tired." she spoke, wishing nothing more than sleeping now.

[Alcander]

Alcander who held his wife close, listened to what she said as she spoke. He understood she needed rest as a horrible journey it must had been, losing a child, being raped and trapped between to nations under constant war. Now he wished he never had sent her out on a journey without him, if he had been there nothing of it would had happened. At least she where now home, safe and protected by many who loved her. With a slight kiss upon Daphnes head he allowed her to sleep, but still he did not wish to release his grip on her. With eyes filled in tears and exhaustion, they both easily fell asleep.

Alcander did not know what else had happened on the journey she had been on, the only thing he knew was that she was captured and raped, which caused their child to die. However there was more, on the journey she had also made love with one of her guards and best friend. Still it was kept secret, hidden from the Athenian king to know.

[Daphne]

(I believe this scene we can leave here?)

Daphne smiled a little when he gave her free to rest, and especially at his kiss on her forehead. But then, she turned around, turning her back towards him. She did not much think about it, but actually there was an underconscious reason to it. Deep down below, she was turning for she was thinking of someone else than her husband.

[Alcander]

(Yes, I believe we can end it here. We could continue in another thread where she wakes up and meets Stratos in secret?)