At the sight of Maria the young men beamed and practically knocked one another over to and greet her with a warm hug first. Careful to be easy and not accidently hurt her in the process, both of them continued to smile once the hugs were done. “It was mine!” they said in unison, a look exchanged between the two.<br/><br/>“I actually bribed them into helping me,” Brad said from where he sat on the bench. The crutched before him firmly planted into the ground as he thought for a moment to try and help himself up to his feet but then thought better of it. “I needed to get out of the castle, the walls were stifling,” he paused as he looked her over. Noting how her stomach had gotten larger from the their child growing and wanting nothing more than to lay his hands on it so that he could be as close to a child that he will never be able to claim. “What brings you two out here? It’s a bit chilly out here and the flowers have all but fallen to sleep with the coming frost.”<br/><br/>The hugs were, as always, appreciated and their presence was infectious. The pair always knew how to bring a smile to her face, even on some of her worse days. But Brad, he was the one she wanted a hug from, wanted to just sit with while enjoying his company. "We're out here getting some fresh air while we can," Maria explained before Simprina chimed in quietly. "Yes, her highness needed to get outside for a while, and the garden is one of her favorite places to come. But, with the cold weather on the horizon, we knew opportunities like this would be limited, so we wanted to utilize this while we could." Glancing over at her companion, she nodded. "It is a bit chilly, but I'll be fine. I won't stay out for too long." Glancing around at the clearing they'd set up in, pushing back the memories of their own first rendevous in the same place, she cleared her throat. "Did I interrupt a game? Do you need me to move so you can resume?"<br/><br/>“No game!” the again spoke in unison though it was Edgar that then continued. “We were merely examining the area and Brad was telling us about the different leaves and how the change in weather changed them,” speaking with pride that they were learning anything not related to running a kingdom.<br/><br/>“There are three flowers that continue to bloom even in the cold,” Brad began and immediately the boys tuned in. “They are very beautiful and hard to find…I am sure a certain princess would love them, but I am in no condition to get them for her…”<br/><br/>“What do they look like?” the twins did not even seem to care as they spoke this time together.<br/><br/>“One is white as snow with red splotches along the tips of the leaves. Another is lavender and grows in the dark of fallen logs and the last one, the hardest of the three is yellow like the Sun and can only be found growing beside water, on the north side of a moss covered rock.”<br/><br/>Without another word the duo ran off with promises to bring Maria back flowers. Once they were out of sight, Brad mustered the strength to stand taking his time to limp over to Maria, “That should keep them busy for a bit.” Before he reached for Maria he looked to Simpirina who had already made herself slip further away to give them some more privacy. Now,<span style="font-style: italic">alone</span>, Brad let the crutch rest against of the hedges so that he could pull Maria into a loving embrace, “I missed holding you…” he whispered.<br/><br/><br/>As she listened to what the boys explained, she feigned interested, but all the while kept her attention on Brad and how he looked. The usual look of pain was there, evident and a near-permanent fixture to his features now. But also something else, lurking beneath the surface as he took over the conversation. Unsure of where he was going with it, the truth finally set in that he was sending them on a hunt for flowers that may, or may not, have existed so that they could talk. Simprina had already backed up and had gone around one of the other sections of the maze to give them time, something she'd have to thank the woman for later. It allowed her the chance to hold Brad as close as she dared, the embrace warming her to her soul as she let out a quiet happy sound. "I've missed this..." she whispered back before pulling back a bit, not wanting to press their luck. "I've missed<span style="font-style: italic">you</span>...It's nice to see you standing again, but promise me you're not exerting yourself too much too soon?"<br/><br/>“I can’t promise that, if only because I can’t help that I want to hold you in my arms and that is worth all of the pain in the world,” he answered honestly. Then because he couldn’t control himself any longer, he tilted her face up and leaned down to kiss her. It felt like a life time since they last kissed and Brad could not help the stirring of emotions and feelings. Even if they caused a bit of pain from the racing heart beat and certain other…physical reactions. When it finally ended he rested his forehead against her own, “I love you so much.”<br/><br/><br/>"But you need to be resting, othe-" Her words cut off as his lips connected with hers, and everything else just seemed to melt away. For a brief moment in time, they may as well have been back in that cave, the only two people in the world, sharing in a quiet, loving embrace. But, that moment came to an end and, with it, a flood of worry that they'd be seen by Simprina, or by the twins, or by someone else entirely. As much as she hated herself for it, she pulled back, taking hold of his crutch and handing it over to offer him some form of support. "I love you too...but we cannot be so bold...what if they see? Edgar and Earl wouldn't be able to keep that to themselves..." Maria whispered, though even in mere breaths, she couldn't hide the need for more contact that peppered her words.<br/><br/>“Siimprina knows, she is too smart to not know,” the crutch again allowed to be fall to the side, Brad kissed her again. This one lasted longer and he could not help the soft moan that left his lips. When it ended, “Plus the boys will be gone for some time and we would hear them coming a mile away,” trying to sooth her concerns. “It’s been too long and I just want to hold you and kiss you for a bit while we are alone…”<br/><br/>This kiss was more than the first, stealing her breath and quieting her thoughts as she relished in the contact. In the sound of his moan. The feel of him holding her. And when that kiss was done, his words seemed to make so much sense...or perhaps it was her need and desire to believe them so they could continue as they were. How long had it been since they'd had any sort of proper affection? A kiss on the hand here or there wasn't enough, and he'd been laid up for so long, that even before that, they hadn't been together consistently. "If you're certain..." she started with a nod, leaning in for another soft, loving kiss. "...Then I trust you." Her hand caressed the side of his face, smiling up at him as she closed the gap for another kiss, this time a moan of her own escaping as her whole being tuned into that kiss. It was like a starving man being given food, someone trapped and dying of thirst in harsh lands being given water. He was what she'd been needing for so long, and now that she had even just a taste of it, she felt a spark of her old self coming through. "I'm sorry I've not stayed longer during my visits..." Maria finally said after the next kiss ended. "I've just been trying to make sure our interactions can't be seen as anything but proper, of one friend looking after another. If I could've stayed, or shared a kiss, I would've in a heartbeat..."<br/><br/>“Seeing you kept me going,” head light from the kiss he almost regretted not have his crutch at the ready though truth be told he did not care. Another kiss and he held her as much against him as he could manage without hurting either himself or their baby. Even still there was a tinge of pain mixed into the pleasure of the kiss and embrace, “I dreamt of you every night and still do…I have to find a way to spend the night with you…I want to fall asleep with you in my arms.”<br/><br/>Each kiss set her heart jumping in her chest and kept her head light. Had she known how he was feeling, she'd have insisted they sit, but as it was she was too lost in the kisses herself to properly gauge it. She held as tight to him as she dared, aware that the embrace could hurt him. But at his desire to sleep with her again, she couldn't entertain the idea. "We can't risk that...There isn't any way that we could share a bed with you in this condition; you're too closely watched."<br/><br/>“When I am better then? Or I will come to you…I just need to hold you and pretend that for one night you aren’t married to another I can hold you whenever I want…” desperate words from a man that felt backed into a corner now from everything. Lost in a world where he could not do what he wanted and not be with whom he loved. “How have you been feeling?” he asked to change the subject. Looking down at the small bump that was her stomach, his hand half reached to touch it but he held off not sure if that was something he was supposed to do without her permission.<br/><br/>"I wish I weren't married to another man, because then I'd be married to you and we'd be far away from here..." she admitted, an edge of desperation peppering her voice, but she bit it back as she took another kiss from him instead. Where they couldn't spend more time together, these kisses would have to do. But when he changed to subject, her hand pressing his hand to the baby bump he'd begun to reach for. "Why did you hesitate?" Maria asked. "You don't have to hesitate when touching me...not unless we're around other people..." A small smile offered, she glanced down at the bump herself. "I've been feeling well." Which wasn't a lie, because she hadn't gotten worse; she merely remained tired and stressed more often than not. "I'd be doing better if we weren't forced to be apart..."<br/><br/>“I don’t know…this is my child…I know this but…I don’t know…” at a loss for words he just smiled as he ran his hand along her stomach. “Any kicking yet?” he asked looking up. “When I am better I will get us out of here…I don’t know how yet but I will…” the words were hopeful but one could not be sure how this plan would manage. With the King knowing and Brad now weaker than before it would be much harder for the couple and their child to escape safely.<br/><br/>‘No hard kicking yet..." she replied with a shake of her head. "I've felt some discomfort, so I expect that to start soon, and when it does, I'll find a reason to come to your room so you can feel it. But if you keep your hand there for a bit longer, you may feel them shift..." Then came the words she wanted to hear and believe in, but knew would be near impossible. "I'm the princess of two kingdoms...I can't just disappear...I do trust you, but cannot fathom an escape for me. The moment they suspected, the kings guard would descend on us both."<br/><br/>“I will find a way,” he said looking back down at her stomach. “I can’t have our child born and not letting it know who I am and how much I love the both of you,” looking back up at her he smiled. “We will be free to be together,” leaning in for another kiss a sharp movement from her stomach stalled him. “Was that?” then another movement and he smiled so wide he thought his face might slip in two. “THE BABY! THEY KICKED!”<br/><br/>“I’d like th-“<br/><br/>Her words cut off as she felt the sudden movement in her stomach. A hand came down to press into it, but when it realized what the motion was, and when his reaction registered, excitement swelled within her. “They know you’re here,” she breathed excitedly, pressing another kiss to his lips lovingly. “I knew you wouldn’t miss this!”<br/><br/>Brad kissed her again and just kept his hands on her stomach, “This is something….there are no words that I can express with how happy I am right now…” For a while he just stood there feeling his baby kicking and it just renewed his desire to get them out of there so that they could be a proper family together. “We will go within two months, I want to go before you have them so that I can have us safe before they arrive.” There was a hard determination in his voice, his face losing the happiness to be replaced with grim determination.<br/><br/>The moment was almost perfect. They were able feel the baby kick as they enjoyed each other’s company in the garden in secret. And for that moment, she could pretend there were no problems, no people or status standing in the way of their union. They were just Maria and Brad.<br/><br/>But that moment came to a halt as his next sentiment registered. Within the next two months, he wanted to get them away. It was risky, dangerous, reckless even. Two kingdoms would be out for blood when this all came to a head, with them in the middle of their ire.<br/><br/>“We can’t rush something like this...I don’t want you getting hurt any worse than you are. With how relations are now, is this a risk that either of us should take? This will force King Randal’s hand...”<br/><br/>The moment was almost perfect. They were able feel the baby kick as they enjoyed each other’s company in the garden in secret. And for that moment, she could pretend there were no problems, no people or status standing in the way of their union. They were just Maria and Brad.<br/><br/>But that moment came to a halt as his next sentiment registered. Within the next two months, he wanted to get them away. It was risky, dangerous, reckless even. Two kingdoms would be out for blood when this all came to a head, with them in the middle of their ire.<br/><br/>“We can’t rush something like this...I don’t want you getting hurt any worse than you are. With how relations are now, is this a risk that either of us should take? This will force King Randal’s hand...”<br/><br/>“But if we wait too long then we won’t ever get the chance to go,” Brad tried to explain. “I will rest and get strong again, but we have to go before the baby is born. Once they’re born do you think there will ever be a moment that you won’t be guarded and protected? This is supposed to be the heir to the throne and what will unite the kingdoms completely. The child is the most important person in this world right now and we have to get away before its born.”<br/><br/>Everything he said made sense, but all it did was make her more concerned they’d never get away. Their window of opportunity was small, and with their baby to be the heir to the throne, they had to be even more careful.<br/><br/>“You’re right...” she finally admitted. “This will be our only chance...” Letting out a breath, she continued, “When you’ve come up with something, let me know what you need from me and I’ll do it. Whatever you need, I’ll do it. ...We deserve to be happy.”<br/><br/>“I love you,” he said and kissed her once again holding her against him for as long as he dared then reluctantly pulled away. “I will get to you tonight…I just can’t spend another night without you…” he whispered against her ear. The Twins could be heard returning, so Brad stepped away, reclaimed his crutch and waited for the young men to come into view. In their hands each were the three floors and they eagerly presented them to Maria.