To Stand Beside Her (21 page)

“Welcome home
,
squirt,”
Nael
said while not putting her down too gracefully.

“Thanks,”
Leila
replied.
As she stood back up, her brother’s expression changed again
at the sight of Nalick
.

“What the heck did you get yourself into?”
Nael
asked pulling up the sleeve on her left arm.
Though her brother ran the family winery, he was the most educated person in their family.
In his free time he loved to read and would read a book about anything.
Nael
knew what the lines on her arm meant.
Part of Leila was disappointed in his seriousness.
She had been hoping that
Nael
would be her one ally in the house when she explained to her parents why she would be staying in Lexia.
Nael finally
acknowledged
the man standing in the doorway.

“Is this his fault?”
Nael
asked Leila
pointing behind her accusingly
.

“No,” Leila quickly replied.
“It’s my fault.
I made the choice.”
Nael looked like he didn’t believe his little sister.
Though Nael had been told Leila was the best courier Roger had ever trained, it
was
hard to believe his little sister was any good at it when she
was
constantly coming home hurt.
Nael knew all about the troubles she had gotten herself into over the years and the many people who had offered bounties on her head to try to force her into marriage.

“Does Roger know about this?” Nael asked.

“Yes,” Leila said
,
not backing down to her angry brother.
Nalick was amazed that the quiet shy girl she had been just moments before when she was with her mother was gone
,
and the spirited, head strong woman he had seen before was back.

Nael proceeded over to Nalick and extended his hand, “I’m Leila’s brother Nael.”

Nalick shook his hand
,
but before he could say anything Nael added, “I know who you are King Nalick.”
Leila held her breathe.
While they were near
ly
the same size
, Nael standing eye to eye with Nalick
, Nalick was in better shape physically and more muscular.
Leila
waited to see if her brother would be foolish enough to pick a fight with a man she doubted he could beat.
Nael
briskly turned and walked back to his seat to go back to his work
.

“Nael,” Leila complained.
“You have more manners than that.”

Nael looked at his sister.
“When is the wedding?” he asked
,
“
o
r rather should I ask when your priests
have
decided when the wedding should be?” Nael asked Nalick sarcastically.

“In three months,” Nalick replied kindly
,
not taking the bait for an argument.

“Three months?” Nael repeated
,
assum
ing
he heard incorrectly.

“Why do you think so many kings wanted to marry her?” Nalick replied.
“Your sister is very special.”
Leila smiled up at Nalick.
She had heard numerous people tell her over the years how special she was, but it meant something else coming from Nalick.
Nael caught the smile on his sister’s face.
It had been four long years since Erich died.
It had been just as long since he last saw her truly smile as she had just now at Nalick.
Nael sat and stared at his little sister.
Though
it was subtle, something about her seemed changed.

“He has offered several times to just let me stay here,” Leila explained to her brother, “
b
ut I am going back with him to Lexia no matter what you or anyone else says to me
.
I was only hoping I could introduce Nalick to everyone, but we seem to keep getting the same reaction.”

“Oh, so you talked to mom first?” Nael laughed as he put down his papers.
“Sorry about that,” he said
as he
walked over and patted Nalick on the shoulder.
Now they were allies.

Nalick was surprised Nael’s attitude changed so quickly. “I could have told you not to meet her quite yet.
S
he just needs some time to adjust to new people after meeting them.
Ah, the firs
t
time I brought Gisela home.
I didn’t think my mother would ever like her, but now they are best friends.
Our mom is just naturally cautious with people.
Trust me
;
it will be much easier meeting our father.”
Leila was relieved to see the change in her brother.
“Just give our mom a little time.
If Leila has decided you are safe enough to bring home, then you can’t be all that bad.”
Leila smiled
,
as Nael had never said he trusted her judgment before.

“We better get going home.
Mom actually sent us to get you for supper.
Kay is cooking,” Leila replied
,
happy that
this meeting was over
.

As they returned to the house, the commotion in the kitchen could be heard outside the door to the house.
Leila walked into the kitchen following her brother.
In the middle of the kitchen four young children were standing in front of
Selma
having their hands inspected.
As
Selma
approved each child
,
she patted them on the head and sent them to the table.
Theo and Macarius were already seated.
Both men slightly bowed their head at Nalick
’s
entrance.

Leila commented under her breath.
“Doesn’t that ever get old?”

Once the children noticed Leila was standing in the room, all four jumped up to greet her with hugs.

“Auntie Leila,” all four called
at once
,
rushing to her
.
“What did you bring us back?” one asked.

Leila picked up each child
hugging
them.
As she picked up the last child, the young boy asked by whispering in Leila’s ear, “Who’s that?” with pointing at Nalick.

“That is Nalick,”
Leila
said before setting him back down on the ground.

From the doorway to the right of the kitchen table in walked a woman carrying a small girl.
Smiling
,
she also greeted Leila with a hug.

“This is my sister-in law Sabine,” Leila said introducing the woman hugging her.
“Sabine, this is Nalick. And Theo and Macarius,”
Leila
said indicating to the men sitting at the table.
Sabine sat down at the table and joined in with the conversation the men were having.

“That one right there,” Leila pointed at a young girl with golden ponytails, “Is Sabine’s oldest Gabi and the child with
Sabine
is Karin.
The young boy there is Luca.
He is Kay’s son. And the two older children are Dierk and Cara.
They are Nael’s oldest children.”

Leila seated herself next to her niece
,
Gabi
,
and Nalick sat between Theo and Macarius.
After everyone was seated, Kay brought the food to the table.
Nalick noticed an empty seat and tried to figure out who was missing.
Nalick quickly found out as a young
er, loud
man entered the house.

“Where have you been?” Sabine scolded the man, Leon, Leila’s other brother.
“You’re late again.”

Leon
grinned as he ignored his wife and noticed his sister was home. “Sis,” he called as he bent and hugged her around the neck.
“Long time, no see.”

“Yes,” Leila replied
,
prying his arms off her neck so that she could breath.
Leon
continued to ignore his wife who was giving him a stern stare.

“And you brought friends,”
Leon
added as he walked to the other side of the table.
“Let me introduce myself.
I’m Leon, Leila’s favorite brother.”
Nalick stood
to shake
Leon
’s extended hand
and was surprised to find himself a whole head shorter than the young man.

Dinner was louder than Nalick was used to but very entertaining. With all the conversations he learned more about Leila than he did from all his notes.
After dinner had finished,
Selma
insisted
that
Leila’s group head to bed.
Leila tried to help out with the chores, but no one would let her.
She finally gave up and took the men upstairs to the bedrooms.
Leila showed Theo and Macarius each to their own rooms.

“You guys are really going to need to stop that,” she
complained at Theo and Macarius as they bowed to her before going into their rooms. Leila walked
Nalick
to the next room
.
As they entered, Nalick could tell it was Leila’s room.
The room was small but cozy.
The bed was pushed against the wall and two chair sat next to the three windows on the wall across from the door.
Leila quickly picked up the clothes that were lying on the floor.

“You can have my room,”
Leila
said to him.
“Just don’t go snooping through my stuff
.
”

“But where will you sleep then
?
”
Nalick
asked.

“I’ll be down
stairs on the couch,” she replied turn
ing
back to the door.
Nalick gently grabbed her hand
and pulled her close
.

“I don’t want to take your room away from you.
I’ll sleep downstairs,” he said going to the door himself.

“No,” she said.
“You are a guest in our house.
I will not let
a king
sleep on
our
couch.”

Nalick could see she was not about to let him have his way.
He continued to hold her hand and pulled her closer to him.
“Well
,
if I don’t want you to sleep on the couch and you don’t want me to sleep on the couch, how can we find a compromise?”
Leila shook her head no to a compromise.
“How much trouble would you get in with your mother if we both slept here?”
Nalick
indicat
ed
to her bed.
Leila’s mind began to rush through several questions,
what does this mean, what is he asking me to do, is he actually serious?
“I mean no disrespect to your mother and father and have no plans to compromise your integrity
,
I promise, but since neither of us wants the other to sleep on the couch
…
” Nalick trailed off.
His
hand found its way around her waist as he talked.

“I suppose,” Leila began but stopped
,
as she could not believe she was actually considering his compromise.
Nalick waited for her to finish, “We are going to be married in a few months, so my parents won’t take it as a sign of disrespect, but
…
” she didn’t find the words to argue with Nalick.
Nalick gently lean
ed
over and kissed her forehead.

“
Good.
Then it is settled.
Goodnight,” he said as he walked over to the opposite side of the bed, removed his shirt, and climbed under the covers.
Leila was too tired to argue and too shocked to respond with normal banter, so she also climbed into the bed.
Leila shivered and pulled the covers around her body. Nalick moved slightly so that his body was close enough to keep her warm. Leila
’s
shiver was not just from the cold
.
She
felt her eyes get heavy and thankfully sleep came before her heart had a chance to begin beating uncontrollably.

Chapter 1
3