I wrote this instead of sleeping. It's 3am where I am.
Story inspired by this ↓ by the way.
Avery sat atop his throne. He was meant to hold court that morning but he had received word that his soldiers would be returning home soon so between sending people to retrieve spouses and family and make sure that palace was ready for his soldiers he was worn thin. He wore nothing more than a simple white long sleeve, a older pair of worn pants, and his crown. He was in no way presentable for court, nor had the energy to run the meeting.
But still they'd showed up. A group of 30 nobles from across his kingdom that'd come together once every 2 months for a 3 day period to speak of things that needed to happen and how to get shit done. When everyone had arrived over the last few days Avery told them that he would not be holding court this time and that they could stay if they wished but were more than welcome to go back home.
They stayed though. They saw how worn out their king was. And, after talking amongst themselves, agreed to stay and help with things around the palace until their king could rest easy once more.
Avery sat, twisting his grown out hair between his fingers. Sha had always liked long hair, Avery did as well when it wasn't on his own head, but as a knight he'd have to cut off his red locks before they left years ago when the war had started. He had saved a small portion of Sha's hair and had found someone to attach it to a clip for him so now it was not uncommon to see Avery walking around with Sha's hair attached to the clip and braided pulled back into Avery's Browning ponytail. Avery had promised that he'd grow his hair out until Sha returned home to him and the war was over and he had yet to break a single promise he made and he would not start with this one.
He watched as his court settled into their usual seats around the throne room as they all found a small but of time to sit in the hecticness of the morning. They'd received many letters and messengers saying that his soldiers where entering the kingdoms the night before so everyone was busy trying to get the palace ready for the soldiers who's be meeting their family here since they lived on the others side of the kingdom from where they were coming in and for the injured. They were ready now though. All they had to do was wait.
A very sat up stiffly when he heard loud voices outside in the court yard which was followed quickly by a member of his staff running into the room and telling him that the soldiers were back. He wanted to run out there, to see if he could find his knight, his Sha. But he know where he needed to be was on his throne where he'd be found easily and wouldn't get in the way of the medics and families. He didn't say anything though as many members of his court ran out to find their children.
He didn't have to wait long before the doors the the throne room were being pushed open again and a small flood of his generals and their families came in. He stood, not to get anyone's attention, though he saw a few look over but looked away when they saw him frantically searching the crowd, but to better see into the crowd to find a familiar face. A familiar face that was walking straight towards him.
He watched as his knight moved towards the dais. For a moment he was frozen. How he had longed for his love to come back to him. And there he was. His knight. His Sha. Battle scared and armor dented.
Avery quickly moved down the steps of the dais that his throne rest on and made his way to his knight and meet him in the middle of the space between the small crowd and the throne. Without a care that a portion of his court and almost all of his generals and their families were watching the cup his knight's cheeks with both hands and pulled him in for a kiss.
One that was long over due and years in the waiting. It was slow. It was fast. It was desperate and full of all the unsaid things they needed to speak but didn't have the words for. They kissed like they were relearning what the other tasted like. It was a mess of tongues and teeth and gripping hands.
Everything felt right now as his knight's arm wrapped over his shoulder and around his waist to pull him in close. He stare into his knights gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to regain just a little more life to them once they pulled apart for a moment to catch their breaths.
His queen was home and safe now and that's all that mattered. (His people mattered too of course but they were only a small part of what he was thinking about right then.