He reached over and handed her her flute.''Start the night for us''
Grabbing some ale he sat back and waited. He enjoyed her music, it was soothing and always able to change the mood, usually for the better.

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She took her flute and played a happy, slow tune. It lifted her spirits. She kept her eyes closed as she played, keeping time to the music in her head. She loved this. Her husband and her, the music, the gorgeous night.

Niko sat with her, listening to her music, not missing a single tone or note. She truly has skill with a flute. He smiled at her, encouraging her to play on as he got some more ale and drank, looking out to the balcony.
Dark was not too far off, soon they would be gazing up at the heavens, in pure bliss.

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She kept playing, and watched him look out over the balcony. He did look very much like a king. She knew he would rule well. She had asked him because she had no doubt, if she had known he would not be able to deal with it she would not have asked him to be king. She smiled as she played, this would be a good life.

Before long the sun had set and the stars were beginning to come out.
He nodded towards the balcony and walked towards the chair and sat out looking at the view. Reaching out for Nienna, silently asking her to join him.

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She stopped playing, flute still in hand, then walked over and sat in his lap. She knew they needed no words. They only needed their closeness to convey anything they wished to say. Her one arm went around him and she started playing with his hair as she looked at the velvet night sky.

He leaned towards her and kissed her neck, his lips remained there, enjoying her warmth.
His arms wrapped around her waist, there were on words to convey his emotion. Only actions. The closeness they had as she sat on his lap, his arms wrapped around her was truly magical.
''It will always be you'' he whispered.

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"As it will also always be you." she leaned back and closed her eyes. She lived for him. She smiled a smile that only could be portrayed through true joy and happiness. She had that with him. No matter what happened, no matter where they went, she would always be happy with him.

He smiled, before playfully poking her in the side.
''Who asked you to stop playing? Play us something to compliment the night sky.''
He felt completely relaxed, his back was fine, his wife was safe and happy. He could ask for nothing more.

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She grinned then played a slow melody. Happy, slow, and relaxing. Her thoughts remained on him though, and as she thought of them together, the tune picked up speed, then slowed again.

He listened to the melody, his muscles beginning to relax. Until what he had been dreading occurred. Pain shot up his back, not as bad as before yet still considerable. He twitched under her, scared he may black out and before he could do anything he did.
His eyes turned cold as he looked to Nienna. He shoved her off him and raised his hand to strike her, ignoring her words.

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"Niko!" she cried out in alarm and horror. He raised his hand and her elbow instinctively went into his gut. She ran then, back through the house, down the stairs, and out onto the veranda. She stared up at the balcony, shaking. She hated what she had to do. She struck him. She covered her face and turned away, tears falling. It had been a wonderful night. What they had shared of it. Her shoulders shook.

He fell as she struck him but he did not stay down long. He stood up and pursued her, a wild look in his eye.
''You will die'' he said menacingly to her as he moved closer, his fists clenched.

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She backed away, knowing that she couldn't fight him off. He was too strong. "Why do you want to kill me?" maybe she could stall him. She looked at her hands, at the only weapon she carried. Her flute. She looked back up and he got closer, she held the flute out, she didn't want to use it for fear of breaking it, but she had nothing else. She was too small to fight him. She swung out, hitting his arm as hard as she could. She heard a splintering crack and knew with a saddened heart that her flute had broken. She turned and ran through the streets, knowing he was in persuit.

He laughed as she broke her flute on him. Running after her he lunged towards her and ripped off a fraction of her dress before crashing down to the floor hard, unmoving and unconscious.

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She stopped when she heard him fall, and looked back at his unmoving body. She surveyed her ruined dress then leaned against a stone wall, sliding down it into a sitting position. She trembled as tears still coursed down her face. Yet, she approached him, crawling towards him cautiously. She reached out trembling hands and pulled him face up then placed him in her lap. She sat like that, giving him her warmth while trembling from fear in case he should wake up still in his mood. She looked back and saw her beautiful flute laying broken in two on the ground, and cried even more.