May Death Do Us Part

223 Chapter 223 : Stay with me

Ronda pursed her lips in anticipation, the poison she had put in was a very potent one so it wouldn’t take long to take effect. Melissa would lose the baby, and everyone would blame her for not taking better care of herself. An animosity like no other would blossom between not only her and Gareth, but with the queen as well.

Inches before Melissa took the cup in her hand, Gareth pulled it away and brought it to his lips, “maybe I should give it a taste to make sure it’s safe,” he mumbled teasingly, “a future queen shouldnt randomly eat things without making sure they’re up to standard first..”

“Garry stop playing around and give me that cup..”

Gareth brought the cup to his lips about to take a sip but someone hit the cup from his had sending the contents of the cup hurling through the air and splattering all over the floor and on some of it on the occupants of the table.

Ronda stumbled back and drew in a relieved breath, when she saw Gareth about to sip the poisoned drink she felt her very soul leave her body. She flew to his side at a speed she didn’t even think possible and did the only thing she thought logical.

The queen who now had stains of red on her beautiful blue gown rose to her feet and glared at Ronda. “What in the gods’ good name is this?! Guards!”

Ronda took several steps back and shook her head frantically as the guards inched closer to her. “My queen no please! Hear me out!”

“Take her to her old chambers and make sure she doesn’t leave! I’ll deal with her personally!”

The guards grabbed each of Ronda’s hands and led her towards her chambers. She looked back at the table where Gareth was trying to wipe some ichor that had spelt on Melissa’s gown. The elf frowned and cursed inwardly that her plans had been foiled, but she would have her chance again, at the least Ronda was relieved that the man she loved hadn’t drunk the poison, she would have not been able to forgive herself if he had succeeded.

.....

“What in the world was that?” Finwe mumbled while dabbing his soiled collar, “I thought you said you sent Ronda away while Melissa was here mother.”

Queen Tauriel sat back down and cupped her forehead in frustration. “I’m sorry everyone I’ll have this dealt with momentarily.” She had a feeling this might happen, she wouldn’t have given Ronda a go ahead when it came to her obsession with Gareth, now it was coming back to bite her.

“I hope Ronda won’t turn into another Elric that we have to worry about..” Bahram asked. It seemed that whoever that woman was had an obsessive attraction to Gareth, he had seen that look before in Elric’s eyes whenever he looked at Melissa. “Melissa is pregnant and we have to be sure she is going to be in safe hands here!”

“Bahram please..” Emma tried to hush her son.

“Bahram is right Emma,” Kaiser Stefan added on, “our daughter is in a very delicate state right now..” the man dubbed some of the liquid that had splattered near him and sniffed it. “This ichor was poisoned.”

Everyone at the table gasped and Gareth jumped to his feet with a start, “are you saying Ronda was trying to poison my wife?”

“I’m saying the drink was poisoned,” the Kaiser repeated himself, “who is responsible for it is something we have to find out.”

“That’s it! Melissa cannot stay here, clearly she is not safe!” William exclaimed, “what if something like this happens again and she won’t be so lucky?”

“Maybe it would be best to take her to the snowlands until the baby is born,” the twins spoke in unison.

“My wife isn’t going anywhere,” Gareth declared firmly, “if anyone is going to take care of her and my child it’s me. Nothing like this will happen again!”

“Gareth be reasonable,” Vivian urged the elven king, “as long as Ronda and God knows which other women who are obsessed with you are out there roaming freely, Melissa isn’t safe.”

“I will take all the necessary precautions to insure her safety!” Gareth was bow getting angry, “are you trying to insinuate that I cannot care for my own family?!”

“Of course you can but there’s nothing wrong with needing a little help brother,” Finwe urged him. “What are you going to do? You’ve got a kindom to run now you can’t be by Melissa’s side every waking minute.”

“Enough!” Gareth roared with a hard bang of his fist on the table.

He crouched down and picked up his wife in his arms, “I want nothing more to do with this ridiculous conversation, I am Melissa’s husband, I am the father to our child, and I decide what is safe for my family. Please excuse us.”

The king walked out of the room leaving everyone feeling uncomfortable. Just when they had delt with one problem another one came creeping in.

Tauriel rose to her feet and addressed the table with her head down, “I will deal with Ronda, please allow the maidens to help all of you freshen up and tend to your soiled clothing before you depart.” She then pushed her chair back before walking out of the dining area.

As she walked down the hallway to Ronda’s room, the queen couldn’t help but feel guilty about what had happened. Somehow this was her fault. She allowed the young woman to obsess over Gareth almost her whole life, even though she didn’t play an active role cultivating her feelings, but she also didn’t stop them from growing, she had to abate the situation before it escalated.

*

Melissa worriedly watched her husband pace the room in frustration. The thought of almost being poisoned chilled her to the bone, especially now that she was pregnant, what if something had happened to their baby? Both Gareth and her would be devastated, especially her. The past few months of pregnancy had made her so attached to her baby, she worried when she didn’t feel any movement, and got excited when the baby would kick. She was anxiously counting down to the day she would hold her child in her arms and love them endlessly, so if anything were to shatter those dreams, she would probably fall into depression.

Melissa gathered her strength and pushed herself off the bed with a wince, even if her back was still a little sore, she walked to Gareth and took his hand.

The elf turned to Melissa and immediately wrapped one arm around her back to help her stand straight, “Mel what are you doing? You should be resting your back until the physician gets here.”

“I’m fine, can we talk?”

Gods Gareth hated those words, especially when they were accompanied by that look she had in her eyes. “Alright..”

He led her to the bed where she sat down, and he pulled a chair where he sat in front of her, his hands resting on her knees.

“Garry you know I have no doubt in my heart that you would insure no harm ever came to me or our baby..”

Gareth sighed and rubbed his wife’s hands slowly as he waited for the ‘but’. He knew Melissa well, she may not doubt him, but she was not willing to take any chances.

“But don’t you think we’re better off safe than sorry?”

Just like his beautiful wife, Gareth too was stubborn, especially when it came to matters pertaining her. He kept rubbing her knees gently while looking at her baby bump lovingly. “I’m not letting my pregnant wife go off to the snowlands while I stay in Gavaria. I’m not succumbing to the loneliness of waking up each morning alone in my bed without you by my side. Call me selfish but I want to see you walking around the palace with our baby bump, I want to hold up your hair when you throw up each morning, I want to feed you on days you can’t get out of bed, and I want to watch you bring our child into this world.” Gareth stopped rubbing Melissa’s knees and griped them, his eyes catching hers in an intense stare, “we’re finally married now, and we’re about to have a baby, can’t we just enjoy this? Is that too much to ask for?”

Gareth took Melissa’s hands in his and kissed both of them, “I just want my wife home with me, please give me that. If at all you feel unsafe with me from here on out, then I’ll take you to the snowlands myself.”

As usual, her husband tugged Melissa’s heartstrings. She knew that Gareth had been wanting to settle down with her like a normal happy family for a long time now, and now that they were finally together he probably wanted just that. This is the life Melissa had wanted with Gareth as well, what was the harm in living happily and normally even just for a while.

She cupped the man’s face in her hands and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, “alright.”