Reborn To Change My Fate

Chapter 362 - Three Hundred And Sixty One

The royal garden was a beautiful place in the afternoon. The bright spring sun shone down, warming the soft, green grass. Colorful flowers—red roses, white lilies, and yellow daisies—were blooming everywhere. The sweet smell of the flowers filled the fresh air. Butterflies danced lightly from one petal to another.

Marissa was sitting comfortably on a large, thick blanket spread out over the grass. She wore her beautiful light yellow dress. The cool breeze gently played with her dark, curly hair. She looked completely relaxed and at peace.

She was watching Ryan. The young boy was sitting right in front of her, playing with a few blades of grass. He was talking quickly, his small hands moving in the air as he told her stories of his stay in the North.

"Lloyd has a very big house, Mother," Ryan explained, his bright eyes wide with innocent excitement. "But it is not as big as our palace. We played in the deep snow every single day. We built a giant fort made of ice blocks. Sir Alex even helped us pack the snow together so it would not fall down."

Marissa smiled softly, listening to every word. She loved hearing the world described through a child’s eyes. Everything was a grand adventure to him.

"And Lloyd’s mother," Ryan continued, his voice dropping to a serious, hushed tone as if he were sharing a great secret. "She ate so much food! Her tummy got bigger and bigger. Lloyd said she swallowed a whole watermelon, but I did not believe him."

Marissa let out a quiet, melodic laugh. "Is that so?" she asked gently.

A short distance away, Derek walked out of the heavy stone doors of the palace. He stepped onto the garden path. He was still wearing his dark, formal coat from the council meeting. He looked tired from arguing with the old advisors all day, but the moment he saw his family sitting on the blanket, all the exhaustion vanished.

Derek stopped walking. He stood quietly on the stone path and watched them. He saw Marissa laughing. He saw Ryan making funny gestures with his hands. He smiled. It was a deep, genuine smile of a man who finally had everything he ever wanted.

He stepped off the stone path and walked softly across the grass. He moved very quietly, using his training as a soldier to hide the sound of his heavy boots.

He walked up directly behind Marissa. She was so focused on Ryan’s story that she did not hear him approaching.

Ryan looked up and saw Derek walking up behind his mother. The young boy gasped, his eyes going wide with surprise. He opened his mouth to shout a happy greeting.

Derek quickly raised his hand. He looked at Ryan and smiled playfully. He put his index finger over his own lips, signaling Ryan not to say anything. He gave the boy a quick, secret wink.

Ryan understood the game instantly. He clamped his small hands over his mouth to trap his giggles. He nodded his head, keeping the secret.

Derek stepped right behind Marissa. He reached down and gently covered Marissa’s eyes with his large, warm hands.

Marissa gasped softly in surprise. Her world went completely dark. But she did not panic. She immediately recognized the familiar, comforting feeling of his rough hands. She smelled the scent of old paper, leather, and his clean soap.

"Guess who?" Derek whispered playfully, keeping his hands over her eyes.

Before she could even answer, Derek bent over her shoulder. He tilted his head, found her soft lips, and kissed her deeply. It was a warm, sweet, and loving kiss under the bright spring sun

Marissa smiled against his lips. She raised her hands and touched his strong wrists.

Derek slowly pulled back and uncovered her eyes. The bright sunlight returned to her vision. He walked around the edge of the blanket and sat down right beside her on the grass. He did not care if his dark, formal coat got dirty. He reached out, took her hand gently in his, and kissed her knuckles with deep respect and affection.

Marissa looked at him, her eyes shining with happiness.

"I thought you would be busy?" Marissa spoke, feeling pleasantly surprised to see him so soon. "Lily told me you were in the council room. I thought the meeting would last until the stars came out."

Derek kept holding her hand, his thumb drawing slow, soothing circles on her soft skin.

"I finished early," Derek replied smoothly. "We had a lot to discuss, but I made sure we did not waste any time. The new laws will be implemented by tomorrow morning. The town criers are already preparing to announce them to the people."

He shifted his body slightly closer to hers. He leaned his head down, bringing his lips very close to her ear. He wanted to share a private victory with her, a victory just for the two of them.

Derek whispered, his deep voice sending a hot shiver down her neck. "I changed the palace rules. Now, you can grace my bed every night, Your Majesty. No more separate chambers."

Marissa’s eyes widened slightly in pleasant surprise. She turned her head to look at him.

Derek continued his whisper, his dark eyes locking onto hers with intense, burning loyalty.

"And no other woman touches me except you. Ever. By tomorrow, they should employ male valets for my dressing. I can bathe myself and can assist me if you want. The maids will no longer be allowed in my private rooms except to draw me a bath."

Marissa felt a massive wave of satisfaction and pride wash over her heart. He had actually taken her feelings into consideration. He had shut down a centuries-old royal tradition just to make sure she felt secure and respected. He was truly devoted only to her.

Marissa leaned forward. She pecked him quickly and firmly on the lips.

"That’s more like it," Marissa said, a confident, highly pleased smirk appearing on her beautiful face. " Thank you."

Derek chuckled. It was a rich, happy sound. "I’m glad you approve, my Queen."

Suddenly, a small body pushed its way between them.

Ryan scrambled across the blanket and sat right between Derek and Marissa. He did not want to be left out of the hugging and the talking. He crossed his small legs and looked up at them eagerly.

"I was telling mother about Lloyd!" Ryan announced, wanting to finish his story.

"Were you now?" Derek asked, wrapping his strong arm casually around Ryan’s small shoulders. "What about your cousin?"

"Lloyd told his mother to give him a sister," Ryan explained seriously, his small face full of intense concentration. "He asked her every day. And she did! His sister is so tiny and beautiful. She has very little fingers and she sleeps all the time."

Ryan looked up at Marissa. His bright, innocent eyes were full of pure, honest longing.

"Mother," Ryan said, his voice completely clear and direct. "I want a sister."

The garden became very quiet for a brief moment. Only the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves could be heard.

Derek and Marissa slowly turned their heads. They looked at each other over the top of Ryan’s head.

A silent, deeply intimate conversation passed between them in that single look. They both remembered the intense, passionate events of the previous night in the royal bedchamber.

They remembered Marissa pulling him close, her hushed whisper in his ear: Give me a child, Derek. I’m ready to have your child.

A soft, knowing blush appeared on Marissa’s cheeks. Derek’s dark eyes softened with an overwhelming love. The seed of their future might already be planted.

Ryan did not notice the silent look passing between his parents. He was busy explaining how the world worked from his innocent, child-like perspective.

"I know I cannot have her today," Ryan continued reasonably, waving his small hand in the air. "I can wait. Lloyd’s sister came very late. Lloyd and I waited for months and months before we could see her. So, I will wait patiently."

Derek smiled at the boy’s sweet innocence. He reached over and gently ruffled Ryan’s messy brown hair.

Derek asked Ryan, his voice full of gentle curiosity. "If you get a baby sister, what name would you give her when she arrives?"

Ryan stopped talking. He tapped his small chin with his finger. He scrunched up his face, thinking very hard about this important question. He looked at the grass, then he looked up at the blue sky.

Finally, his eyes lit up. He nodded his head firmly.

"Alora," Ryan replied proudly.

Marissa smiled. It was a beautiful, soft-sounding name. She tilted her head to the side.

"Alora," Marissa repeated, testing the sound of the word on her tongue. "Where did you hear that name from, my sweet boy?"

Ryan turned to her and explained eagerly. "One of Aunt’s friends came to see Lloyd’s sister when she was born. Her name is Alora. She was very nice and she gave me a sweet candy. I love that name. I want my sister to be called Alora."

Marissa felt her heart swell with an emotion so large she thought her chest might burst. She looked at this beautiful, innocent boy who called her Mother. He was so full of love and hope for their growing family.

Marissa smiled her brightest, most beautiful smile. She reached her arms out and pulled Ryan into a tight, warm hug.

"Oh, Ryan," Marissa whispered softly, burying her face in his hair.

She kissed his warm cheek loudly. Ryan giggled, hugging her back tightly around the neck.

Derek moved closer. He shifted his large body on the blanket until he was right beside them. He reached out and wrapped his massive, strong arms around both Marissa and Ryan. He pulled them both securely against his broad chest, enclosing his entire world in one safe, unbreakable embrace.

Derek leaned his head down. He gently kissed the top of Marissa’s dark, curly hair. He breathed in the sweet scent of lavender and fresh spring air.

He looked down at the young boy trapped happily between them.

"Don’t worry, Ryan," Derek said. His deep voice was incredibly gentle, filled with a quiet, solid promise for the future. "You just have to wait a little bit. Alora would join us soon."

Marissa closed her eyes. She rested her head against Derek’s strong shoulder, holding Ryan tightly in her arms. She felt the warm spring sun shining down on her face. She felt the steady, powerful beat of Derek’s heart against her back.

She smiled peacefully in the warm embrace. She took a deep breath of the sweet spring air.

"I won, mother," Marissa thought to herself. A tear escaped from her eye. " I won."

THE END....