After three days, Astri was allowed to start walking. They bring her to the backyard and she walks around slowly, looking at the trees and fruits.
Beau spots her while he is walking back, then he walks to her.
"I’m happy that you’re walking again." Beau says.
"I’m the happiest here. I was going crazy in that room all the ti." Her answer made him smile.
"I imagine."
He accompanies her for so monts.
"What happened to the Queen.. will it really never happen again?" He asks her.
"No. It might happen to soone else, but not with her or her Kings. Even not knowing, they learned to sense the evil in others after this experience. That will prevent this from happening again."
Astri spots sothing familiar next to the water entrance.
"What’s that..?" She asks.
Then an Aquaterran soldier pulls a string and water starts to fall on him like a shower.
"It’s a shower!" Astri reacts excitedly.
"Do you have this in your castle?" Beau asks her.
"No. I wish we did but the engineer behind is more complex. Let see this closer."
She walks limping to the shower to analyze the plumbing and chanisms of the shower.
"I can help build it for you, if you want.." Beau says.
"Where we live the river is near but it feeds the whole tribe. We can’t risk dirting the river where the others use. First we need to know where and how to direct the water and not reused it sohow."
"Why is that? There will always be water, right?"
"Rember? I don’t die if I’m not killed or get sick. Sa for Nature. If we don’t take care of it, it will die. We can use Nature to our advantage and have a better life, but we must care for it. We always need to replace what we got sohow. If we take down a tree, we must replace it sowhere else. Believe when I say that it’s possible to kill Nature. That’s why Monsters exist."
Beau silently nods, deep in thought.
"That thing called itself Prince of Darkness. Who is him?" Beau asks.
"Son of the King Of Monsters. It wasn’t only him who talked to . The King also talked to ."
He’s shocked.
"Really? But that... Now he knows you exist and how to find you." He asks, worried.
"That’s why unfortunately I can’t stay long. To prevent any kind of visit from them." Astri answers.
Beau wants to say many things:
"Let them co. I’ll protect you. Stay here."
But nothings really cos out. His heart was released from many pain, but he still has the habit of hiding his own desires.
"This is amazing. The hard part would be making the plumbing, but I think I already have an idea of how to make it work." Astri says, thinking deeply.
Claud and Zin arrive, and she starts to point out things for them to show how they can try building it. Beau was sad to feel he was put aside even after he offered himself to build it for her, and also feels selfish for knowing he has no right to feel this way.
Beau was lost in his own thoughts as he works. Everyone noticed that he’s not concentrated as usual. And at night, he was called to the Queen’s chambers. King Balt and three other Kings were there, and the Queen too.
"Is there sothing you need, your highness?" Beau asks politely and bowing.
"We all talked and agreed that you have been doing the greatest work as Captain of Aquaterra, Beau. And when the Elder had the vision of the Daughter of Nature, yourself went to look after her and convinced her to co save your Queen. The Kingdom is in debt with you." King Balt says.
King Balt knows Beau for a long ti and he always trusted Beau. He’s proud that he chose soone that great to be Captain and feel ashad for doubting him when Beau was trying to hold the Kings to let Astri do her job.
"I was doing my job, My King. It’s my honor to serve you." Beau says, but his voice shows no pride or happiness.
"Well, all of us decided that you deserve to be one of us."
Beau raises his head confused.
"We all agreed, including your Queen, that you can be King. You can beco Deanora’s spouse."
Beau is shocked with the offer. It’s the greatest offer in Aquaterra. There’s no higher patent there than being the Queen’s spouse because it will make him King of Aquaterra.
However, Astri’s face appeared in Beau’s mind, and that offer felt like nothing in his heart.
"It’s an honor... but.." Beau says looking down.
The Kings are confused by Beau’s hesitance. Deanora smiles, already knowing all answers.
"You don’t want to be King? Why are you hesitant?" Another king asks.
"His heart already has a place sowhere else. Don’t judge him. It’s all right, Captain Beau. You’re in love with the Goddess, right?" Deanora speaks.
The Kings are impressed when Beau finally nods. Finally, Beau admits even to himself.
"I could see the way you look at her. Your eyes are similar to her spouses’. Her part in the world is greater than any of us here. It would be a great honor being her spouse. I support your decision." Deanora says.
"Our Queen is right." King Balt smiles too.
Beau takes deep breaths, gathering the courage to form the words in his mouth.
"I apologize, my Queen and Kings, but I would like to inform that I want to quit of my position as Captain of Aquaterra. I wish to follow Astri. Even if she doesn’t want as her spouse, I want to follow and protect her." Beau says, very sure of his feelings now.
They nod.
"We’re going to lose the greatest warrior, but I’m proud that you will be getting the greatest role too." King Balt says.
Beau smiles and nods.
"I appreciate, my Kings and Queen. Hawa, Ferd and Shan are good candidates to be Captains. They’re loyal and good." Beau says.
"We will think about it. Let them know about your decision and that we will be choosing a new captain on the next few days."
Beau nods and bows again, excusing himself.
He rushes to Astri’s chambers, then knocks at the door. Cyprian opens it and let him co inside.
"Astri.. I would like to talk to you in private. Please." Beau says.
"Why not in front of us? It is ti to sleep too." Lee asks.
"Oh.. I didn’t notice. I’m sorry."
"Sure. It will be nice to have a night strolling. I won’t take long, loves." Astri says standing up and patting Lee’s chest to calm him down.
"Careful with that leg." Wayde points.
"Sure." She answers taking her sketchbook and pencil.
Seeing that she took that made her spouses think she wanted to draw sothing she saw outside. When she leaves with Beau, Claud sighs and looks outside the window.
"I think we will have another male between us soon." Claud says.
"WHAT?!"
——
Astri and Beau walk to the outside deck. She finds a nice place to sit and he sits on her side.
"So, what is it? You looked excited." She says opening the sketchbook.
"Yes... I wanted you to be the first to know. I had quit of being Captain."
She got startled and looks at him, but he didn’t look sad so it looked like sothing that made him really happy.
"It feels like you wanted this. I’m happy to see you happy." She smiles at him.
"I didn’t know I wanted this much. I feel light now."
"What made you have this decision?" She asks, curious.
"The Great King and Queen called and told that they agreed on making King."
She’s shocked.
"Oh.. So you will be Queen Deanora’s spouse? You will be King now?"
"No. I didn’t accept."
"Really? You would be a powerful King."
"I don’t want to be King. When they offered the position I didn’t feel happy like any other would. The first thing that ca into my mind was... You."
Her breath got stuck in her throat, and her heart jumped. He moves and kneels in front of her, looking at her with decided eyes.
"I’m in love with you.. For a long ti I am, but I didn’t want to admit. I might be strong in a physical way, but I’m weak and insecure in the matters of the heart and mind. I tried to hide and simply not look at the facts. Not believing I’m worthy enough. Just imagining being the spouse of so other female and to know you would leave my life soday I beca desperate. I want to be with you. If I can’t be your spouse, I understand because I have to be stronger to deserve you, but please let be one of your guardians. I’m not a land beastman, and even if my beast form is not useful on land I’ll do my best to protect you. Just give a chance to prove that."
She smiles, and leans forward.
"You have your chance now." She softly says.
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