Ravenna sat in the quiet comfort of her guest chamber. The warm fire crackled loudly in the stone hearth. She spent the entire afternoon and evening reading the dark journal of Lord Malakor. The old pages were filled with terrible blood magic and cruel secrets. The dead advisor had hated the royal family. He used a very dark spell to twist the bloodline of Valerius. The curse was anchored to a physical object hidden somewhere deep inside the castle walls. If Ravenna could find that specific object she could break the spell and finally free King Draven from his heavy burden.
The sun went down outside her tall window. The castle grew very silent as the lords and ladies went to sleep. A soft knock at her heavy wooden door broke her deep concentration. She knew exactly who was standing outside before she even turned the handle.
Draven stood in the dark hallway. He wore a simple black tunic and dark leather trousers. His dark gray eyes looked exhausted from dealing with the endless demands of his greedy court. He stepped inside the room and locked the door securely behind him. He let out a long breath of pure relief.
"Did you find any answers in that old book?" Draven asked in a very low voice. He walked closer to the warmth of the roaring fire.
Ravenna placed the old journal carefully on the wooden table. "The curse is tied to a physical object Draven. Malakor buried something cursed deep inside the foundation of your home. I need more time to locate it using my magic. It is hidden very well."
Draven nodded slowly. He did not look at the old book. He only looked at her. He took another step forward. The air in the room grew very thick with sudden tension. The safe distance between them completely vanished.
"I spent the entire day sitting on my cold iron throne listening to lords argue over grain taxes," Draven whispered. His voice was a deep rumble that sent shivers down her spine. "But all I could think about was you."
Ravenna felt her heart racing rapidly against her ribs. She looked up at his handsome face. "You are the King of Valerius. You should be thinking about the survival of your kingdom."
"I am tired of fighting for a kingdom that only wants to bleed me dry,"
Draven replied softly. He reached out and gently touched her cheek. His rough thumb brushed across her soft skin. "You are the only real thing in this entire castle."
He did not wait for her to answer. Draven pulled her gently against his broad chest. His strong arms wrapped securely around her waist. Ravenna let out a soft gasp of surprise. The intense heat radiating from his body was completely overwhelming. She looked up into his dark gray eyes. The fierce and ruthless warlord was completely gone. In his place stood a lonely man hungry for true affection and honesty.
He leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against hers.
The kiss was rough and desperate at first. Years of heavy burdens toxic marriages and lonely nights poured into the exact way he held her tight.
Ravenna responded with equal fire. She had spent her entire life alone in the wild woods hiding from the mortal world. She never thought she would find a home in the arms of her sworn enemy. She tangled her fingers into his thick dark hair pulling him even closer.
The magical disguise covering her body flickered wildly under the intense wave of emotion. The spell broke and faded away completely. Her chestnut hair shifted back to its natural wild dark shadows. Her hazel eyes sparked with bright and dangerous purple light. She did not want to hide her true self from him anymore. She wanted the King to touch the real Queen of the Obsidian Court.
Draven deepened the kiss. He did not care that her true witch form was revealed. He worshipped her wild magic. He lifted her effortlessly into his strong arms. Ravenna wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her toward the large bed.
He laid her down gently against the soft pillows. The firelight cast warm dancing shadows across their bodies. Draven looked down at her with pure adoration. He traced the curve of her jaw and kissed the soft skin of her neck. Every single touch sent a new wave of electric heat rushing through her veins.
They shed their heavy clothes in the quiet dark. There were no royal titles in this room. There were no jealous queens plotting in the corridors and no hidden curses waiting in the walls. There was only Draven and Ravenna finding solace in each other.
Their union was a powerful collision of two very different worlds. The King of Valerius and the banished Queen of the woods gave in completely to their forbidden desires. They spent the entire night tangled together in the warm sheets sharing passionate kisses and whispered promises. For the very first time in his difficult life Draven felt truly at peace. And for the very first time Ravenna finally understood why her mother had risked everything for love.
Draven held Ravenna tightly against his chest. The room was quiet except for the fading crackle of the fire. He rested his chin on the top of her dark hair. He listened to her steady breathing. He never wanted to leave this bed. He never wanted to face the toxic court again.
"What happens when you find the cursed object?" Draven asked quietly into the dark.
Ravenna traced a small circle on his bare chest with her finger. "I will destroy it. The dark magic suffocating your bloodline will burn away. Your legacy will be safe."
"And what happens to you?" he asked. His grip around her waist tightened just a fraction. "Will you return to your woods?"
Ravenna hesitated. A few days ago her only goal was to get revenge and return to her lonely throne. Now the thought of leaving Draven behind made her chest ache with real pain. She had tasted the forbidden fruit and she could never go back to being the cold banished queen.
"I do not know," Ravenna answered honestly. She looked up at his face in the dim light. "The Obsidian Court is my home Draven. My magic is tied to the roots of those ancient trees. But my heart is no longer there."
Draven leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Then stay here with me. When the curse is broken I will banish Isolde Lysandra and Genevieve. I will cast them out of Valerius for their endless treason. I will make you my one true Queen. We can unite our two worlds."
Ravenna smiled sadly. "Your lords will never accept a witch sitting on the iron throne. They will start a war."
"Then let them start a war," Draven said fiercely. His dark eyes flashed with dangerous determination. "I am the King. I have fought countless battles to build this kingdom and I will fight a hundred more to keep you by my side. I do not care about the lords or their greedy demands. I only care about you."
Ravenna felt a warm tear slide down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly. She had always been so strong and independent. She never needed anyone to protect her. But hearing Draven promise to fight the entire mortal world just to keep her safe filled her soul with a bright blinding light.
"We have a very difficult road ahead of us little king," Ravenna whispered playfully touching his nose.
Draven smiled a rare and beautiful smile. He pulled her back under the warm blankets. "We will face it together my wild queen. But for tonight let the rest of the world burn."
They fell asleep wrapped safely in each other's arms ignoring the dangerous enemies waiting for them outside the heavy wooden door.