There was a long silence and Sarah came out from the adjoining room. “Excuse me M’Lord, but I have some new for you.” She said as she looked at Reign. Micah stepped forward, and cleared his throat “M’Lord” he started nervously. Reign looked up at Micah and Sarah standing next to each other.  “Well, what is it?” Reign asked.  Sarah wrung her hand nervously and looked at Micah and then to Elizabeta. Elizabeta nodded and Sarah took a deep breath in “M’Lord, I am with child.” She started nervously. Reign looked at her and then Micah cleared his throat and stepped forward “M’Lord” Micah said. “The child is mine” he said nervously. Reign looked at them and smiled. “Is that so?” Reign said as he stood up and walked over to them to embrace them. “Yes, M’Lord.”  They both said at the same time. “Why this is wonderful news.” Reign said as he walked over a gold cord and pulled on it.  A few seconds later a servant dressed in white entered the room, and bowed. “Yes Your Graces you rang?” the servant asked.  “Yes I did” Reign said. “I want you to go down the chef and tell him that there is going to be a feast tomorrow” Reign continued. The servant gave him a quizzical look, “A fest M’Lord?” the servant asked. “A fest.” He said with a nod. “A feast to celebrate the coming of a child to this wonderful family” Reign said as he kissed Sarah on the knuckles.  Sarah giggled and blushed. The servant bowed deeply and walked out the door. 

Micah and Sarah just look at Reign. “M’Lord you don’t have to do this.” Sarah said. Reign looked at her with a smile “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t do this for you.” He asked. Elizabeta walk up and stood next to Reign. “Yes Sarah I think that doing something like this is a wonderful thing.” She said with a smile. “Why you have been with us since I came to the castle.” She finished.  Elizabeta gave Sarah a hug. Just as she was about to do that there came a sharp rap at the door. “Enter.” Reign said. Another servant dressed in white entered and bowed to them. “Forgive me Your Graces, but there is another messenger at the gate.” The servant said nervously. “He says that he has another message for you and your Lady.” He said bowing to Elizabeta.  

Reign waved his hand in a circular motion and looked at the servant. “Fine, Fine, show him into the waiting room.” He said with an exasperated tone.  “Yes M’Lord.” The servant said as he bowed and walked out of the room.

Reign clapped his hands together and looked at everyone in the room, “Well then.” He started. “It seems Elizabeta and I have an audience to attend to” He said. Elizabeta nodded and then looked at Sarah. “I am so happy for you my friend, you have been my confidant, and you have been my cool head when I have needed.” She said hold Sarah’s hands. Reign grasped Micah’s hand in his and shook it “Well done my friend, well done.” He said with a grand smile.  Elizabeta gave Sarah and Micah a hug and smiled to the both of them. “I am so happy for the both of you.” She said.

Reign clapped his hand together and looked at all of them. “With that said we should make our way to the waiting room.” Reign said as his nostrils flared. “It seems our messenger friend is getting nervous.” He said with a slight chuckle.

Elizabeta smiled and nodded, “Yes I think it would be a good idea.” She said. Then all four walked out the door and down to the waiting room.

Micah went before them to announce their arrival. “The Lord and Lady Vaungervale” he said as he opened the French oaken doors. The messenger scrambled to his feet when he realized that they were about to come into the room. He bowed deeply too them and then looked at them with awe. “For...For...Forgive me your Graces “the messenger stuttered. “I...I...I have another message for you from the Mayor of Sandviken.” The messenger continued to stutter.  Reign and Elizabeta made their way over to two large over stuffed high back chairs and sat down.  “Fine, Fine” Reign said “Let me see it.” he said with a slight irritation in his voice.  The messenger fumbled around in his pouch for the letter. Pulling things out and dropping them on the floor.  As the messenger fumbled and mutter to himself he didn’t realize that the letter had fallen out of the pouch and skidded its way to the feet of Elizabeta. 

Elizabeta reached down and picked up the letter from the floor. “Would this be the letter that you are looking for?” she asked. The messenger gave a slight yip at the sound of Elizabeta voice. “Y…Y…Yes” he stammered “That is the letter I was looking for.” He said as he tried to swallow the large lump in his throat. Elizabeta looked at the wax seal and gave a small sigh and handed the letter to Reign.

He took the letter from her and began to open the letter. As he did Elizabeta looked at the messenger “Would you like a drink?” she asked. The messenger yet again let out a small yip and looked at Elizabeta and nodded rapidly.  The servant standing in the corner appeared and handed the messenger a plastic tumbler and smiled.  The messenger jumped at the sight of the servant and took the glass with a shaking hand, and smiled and drank the water happily.  Once the messenger finished the water he set the tumbler on a near by table.   “Please sit down.” Elizabeta said to the messenger. The messenger sat down on the small little foot stool and wrung his hand nervously. A few minutes past and Elizabeta heard Micah and Sarah take a couple of sharp breaths. She looked at Reign and noticed that he was not happy about what has been written in the letter. She put her hand on Reigns arms and he calmed down.  Everyone finally was able to breathe better.  Once everyone was able to breathe Reign put the letter down on the arm of the chair and looked at the messenger.  “Micah will you please bring me a quill and ink.” He asked. “Yes M’Lord.” Micah said with a quick bow and walked out the double oak French doors then came in.  Reign looked at Elizabeta, “Well, my dear you were correct, the Mayor is coming up on hard times about trying to find a willing sacrifice.” He said looking at the letter and then to Elizabeta.

Elizabeta nodded and looked at Reign, “It seems that the villagers are starting to become scared of losing one of their family members” Elizabeta said. The messenger held up a shaky hand. “I…I…If I might say a word Your Graces” he said with an equally shaky voice. Reign and Elizabeta looked at him. “What is that?” Reign asked. “The word around the village is that the Mayor is thinking about setting up a militia to come and “Rid the village of the terrors that rob us of your girls”.” The messenger look scared.  Reign leaned back into the chair and looked at the messenger.  “You have nothing to fear from me.” He said.  You are just a messenger.  Just as the messenger was able to relax one of the large oak doors creaked open startling him half to death.  Micah came into the room holding a golden ink well in one hand and a black Raven’s feather in the other. Reigns grabbed the table that was at his left hand and slid it around to the front of him and Micah set the ink well and quill on the table. Reign opened a drawer on the small table and pulled out a couple pieces of paper.  He set them on the table and picked up the quill dipped it into the ink well and began to write.  “You’re Grace?” the messenger said looking at Reign.

Reign looked up from his writing and looked at the messenger. “You have nothing to worry about, messenger, you will not be harmed.” Reign said.  “What you said to me is not going to leave this room.” He finished.  The messenger breathed a sigh of relief and finally relaxed. Reign went back to writing his response to the letter.  The last scratches of the quill let Elizabeta know that Reign had just finished signing his name at the end.  Reign set the quill down and opened up the same drawer that he took the paper out; he reached in and pulled out a black envelope, a red stick of wax, and a small candle.

At this point Elizabeta reached around her neck and unhooked the necklace that hung there. She handed it too Reign and he set it on the table for a moment. Reign lit the candle and stuck the tip of red wax stick in the flame melting it slightly. After about a minute he pulled the wax stick away from the flame and pushed it onto the envelope and then picked up the wax seal and pushed it into the cooling wax leaving he outline of a raven. Once he had finished he handed the stamp back to Elizabeta and she rehooked it around her neck.

Reign stood up and walked over to the messenger and held out the envelope. The messenger stood as well and took the envelope.  He made a shallow bow and put the letter in his pack. He looked at Elizabeta and then back to Reign. “I take my leave of Your Graces, I thank you for the drink and your hospitality” he said this he bowed a little bit lower, and then walked out the door. 

Reign just stood there for a few heart beats and then turned around and looked at Elizabeta. “Well my dear it looks like we are going to have to go and meet with the Mayor personally” he said with a slight sigh.  “What do you mean?” Elizabeta said with a quizzical look on her face.  “Well you were right about one thing” Reign started. “He is having a hard time mustering the support on sending one female virgin a year.” He continued.  Elizabeta just giggled and smiled. “Sounds typical.” She said. “When do we leave?” Elizabeta asked after a few heartbeats. “Well” he hesitated. “The Mayor said that he would like us to be there with in the week.”  He finished. “What’s your hesitation?” she asked.  “I am just thinking about what the messenger said” he said as he walked back to the chair and sat down. “I told the Mayor that we would be there in one week.” he said.  Elizabeta nodded in agreement.   Reign got up and walked over to a table; he picked up a crystal decanter and pours it contents into a small tumbler.

Elizabeta walked over to Reign and slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.  Reign wrapped his arms are her shoulders and put his chin on the top of her head.  Reigns took a deep breath and rubbed Elizabeta back and then pulled her back and looked into her eyes. “Let’s go and take a walk in the garden.” He said with a smile on his face.  Elizabeta smiles and nodded.  Reign took her and led her out the doors that lead to the garden.

They walked into the garden and started wandering down the marble path.  As they walked they past many exotic plants that would only grow in certain parts of world, but grew perfectly in their garden.  They past Birds of Paradise, Bamboo, Orchids, and there is a large patch of the Kiria berries.  “Ahhh the wonders of Magick, being able to have a climate control area to be able to grow these wonderful plants.” He said as he bent down and touched the petals of the Orchids. He straightens up and takes her hand again and they begin walking down the large bush of roses.  They stop again so that Elizabeta can stop and smell the roses.  She reaches out to touch the delicate petals of one of the roses and smiles.” These are so beautiful” she says as she reaches down and plucks one from the bush.  She shortens the stem of the rose and walks over to Reign and slides the rose into his jacket pocket and then stands on her toes and kisses him.

She takes his hand and they continue down the path and they come to a gazebo and they sat down next to each other and just sat there watching the waterfall and listening to it rushing into the pond.  Elizabeta scooted in towards Reign and laid her head on his shoulder and watched the waterfall.

Reign gently leaned Elizabeta head back and kisses her. Moved his hand down away from her chin and running his fingers lightly down her neck and down to her shoulders. Hesitating there for a few heartbeats and then moved his hand down to her lower back and pulled her closer.  She moved willingly closer and she raised her hand and rested it on his neck.  Reign gently slid his hand around to her hips and started to caress them gently, moving them more deliberately lower past her hips. With a sharp intake of breath Elizabeta let Reign caress her gently.  His fingers moved expertly over her and it sent her to a climax. After a few heartbeats Reign moved his hand to her waist again and let them rest there. Elizabeta broke the kiss and looked at him with a smile on her lips.  “You have not done that too me in sometime.” She said. “I truly enjoyed that” she giggled. Reign just smiled and stood up take both her hands he led her to a stand and led her back down the path to the castle. “I want to do more than that.” He whispered in her ear. Elizabeta giggled and picked up the pace. “I can’t wait.” She said as she skipped down the walk way.  

Once they reached the door, Reign stopped and looked at Elizabeta. “This time I want to do it right.” He said. Elizabeta looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.  Reign just smiles and then sweeps her off her feet. “The last time I had done this was when I found you.”  He said. Elizabeta giggled and put her hands around his neck and he carried her through the door.  Once through the door Reign set her down on the floor and took her by the hand and led her through the hall and into their bedroom where Reign started to kiss her.

While he was kissing her his hands slid around to her back and started to untie the bow. He worked his way up her back loosing the laces. Once he reached the top of the dress he slide his hands up around her shoulders and slide the dress down her shoulders and let it slide down to the floor.  Once again he slides his hands around her back again and started to untie the corset that was under the dress. Once he got the bow untied he again worked his way up her back loosening the laces and letting that fall to the floor finally freeing her supple breast.  After her corset fell to the floor Elizabeta started to loosen the belt that held up Reign’s leather pants and let them fall to the floor.  Releasing him into the open air.

Without skipping a beat or breaking the kiss Reign lifted Elizabeta up by the hips and laid her down on the bed. Laying her down on her back and started kissing her neck and then down between the mounds of her breast teasing her nipple with his fingers.   Eventually he starts to slide his hands down her sides and to her hips again where he gently caresses them and then slides his hand between her thighs and again starts to caress her sending shivers through her body.  While expertly caressing her he kisses up her breast and starts flicking his tongue over her nipple.  He takes her nipple into his mouth and starts to suck on it still rolling his tongue over her nipple.  Just as soon as soon as she started to climax Reign slid himself between her thighs and pulled her on top of him and she rode him to a climax that made her toss her head back and a tore a loud moan from her lips.

After they had finished Elizabeta fell to her side on the bed and giggled between breaths.  She rolled over and laid her head on Reign’s chest and rubbed her hand over the muscles of his chest. Reign wrapped one arm around her and pulled her a little closer “I wish you would that more often my love” she said softly as she lay there cuddling the man she loved.  Reign looks down at her “Your wish is my command, my love” He said as he caressed her shoulder.  

Reign’s hand went still on her shoulder and she knew that the sun was coming up and she prepared herself for the same. She pulls the covers over them and got comfortable by laying her head on his shoulder and his hand on his chest over his heart, and she fell asleep.

As they asleep the castle bustled with the usual cleaning and dusting and preparing.  

Once everyone has done there job and the castle is clean the sun is starting to set and Micah and Sarah have taken their place on their sides of the room to help their masters get ready for their night. The usual crystal glasses sat on the small table at the foot of the bed.  As the sun sank below the ocean the couple started to stir.

Micah and Sarah took their places at the large armoires and took out the clothes for that evening.   The couple stirred again and then eventually they rose from their eternal sleep.

“Well I guess.” Reign said looking at Micah. “Today is the day that we celebrate.” He said again and got up and started to get dressed. “Micah will you please go out and gather all the servants and have them wait in the meeting room.” He said as he cinched his belt. “Yes M’Lord.” Micah said and ran out the door, and Reign followed.

Elizabeta got out of bed and walked over to the large armoire and looked at the dresses. “Is my silver dress back from the cleaners?” Elizabeta asked. “I’m sorry M’Lady it is not.” Sarah said. “Your gold one is though.” She said as she walked over to the armoire. “Oh great, I think I will wear that one tonight.” Elizabeta said as she pulled up some black knee socks.

Sarah walked over to where Elizabeta sat and held out the dress. “M’Lady.” She said with a smile. Elizabeta nodded and stood up and slid into the dress, and Sarah started to lace the dress in the back. “How would you like your hair tonight M’Lady?” Sarah asked looking at Elizabeta through the full length mirror. “I’m not sure.” Elizabeta said as she looked at herself in the same mirror. “Perhaps just a simple braid.” She said and she reached for a brush and began brushing her hair.  Sarah finished lacing Elizabeta’s dress. “How does that feel M’Lady?” Sarah asked. Elizabeta ran her hand over her abdomen and her sides. “Perfect.” Elizabeta said. Sarah nodded and tied off the lacing and smiled.

Elizabeta sat down at her vanity and began putting makeup on as Sarah finished brushing her hair and began braiding it.

Sarah finished the braid at the same time Elizabeta finished her make up. Both of them nodded and Elizabeta stood up. “Shall we go down to the waiting room?” Elizabeta asked looking at Sarah. Sarah nodded and the two ladies walked out the door and made their way into the waiting room where they found Reign and Micah talking with some of the servants. Elizabeta walked over to Reign and but her arm around his waist.

Reign clapped his hand and smiles “Great now that everyone is here.” He said looking around. “I have an announcement to make.”  He said rubbing his hand together. “Today is everyone day off, I want you all to go back to your houses and get changed, and today we have a party.” He said over the clapping and murmuring of the servants. “Today we celebrate for Micah and Sarah.” He said smiling at them.  Now be off with you all, and be back here in two hours.” He finished giving a shooing motion with his arms.  As soon as he finished the servant just about ran out the door. Reign laugh and turned to look at Micah and Sarah. “I was talking to you as well.” He said. “Go, and get dressed today is your day.” Reign said as he took Micah by the shoulder.   “Yes M’Lord.” Micah said and took Sarah’s hand and they walked up the near by stairs. “Two hours?” Elizabeta asked. “Two hours should be plenty for them to get ready and do what they want to do.” Reign said with a wink.  Elizabeta giggled and nodded.

To Chapter 3