The Lost Heiress Of Hyperion

Chapter 4 - What if I'm not him?

Flying with Mavis felt magical. Unreal. Sparks flew every time we touched, but I’m sure I’m the only one who felt them. He felt so unsure at every one, cautious and so reserved. I wanted to tell him how I felt about him, but I was not sure if he had a girlfriend or not. 

Fingers brushed my neck and I turn, to see Mavis there, a blanket in his arms. “Are you cold?” He asks me, holding the blanket like an offering to the gods. I nod, and he wraps it around me, his arm around my shoulders. I fidget with the ring Grammy left for me, spinning it around. Mavis reaches over and puts his hand on it. 

“That’s a date ring. You give it to your partner, and they give you theirs, and you can't cheat on them after you bond them."

The ring was a polished silver, with names engraved on the side. "Who's Ezykiel Monray?"

He flinched slightly, even though we were just barely over a whisper. "That was your. . . Friend. Both of you wanted the other to not have the other cheat on the other as. . . Friends, of course."

"How do you know all of this?" I ask him, looking away from the ring.

He shrugged. Just common knowledge apparently, that my life was in a glass case for others to see. “ I watched you a lot. You know, being the center of attention all the time, I wanted to see what everyone else was making such a big fuss about.”

I crossed my arms and pouted slightly. “So my entire life is in a glass box?”

He nodded and looked at me. “There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you, Sye. Um—I—I really—.”

“Oh good, I’ve been looking for you two forever. Princess, how much longer are you staying here? I don't know how much longer I can tolerate your friends."

I nodded and shrugged the blanket off, leaving Mavis sitting on the ground holding his knees, staring off into the distance.

"Mavis, can you tell Lillith, Prometheus, and Dolion to pack up everything? I think we can leave at dawn."

He nodded and stood up, his dark eyes glittering in the fading light. "You'll help Bast pack food and medicine?"

Now it was my turn to nod. "There is another pegasus, right? I'm not sure we'll be able to fit on two."

He chuckled, off-topic, and moved his hands to his hips. "Yeah. Sol and Midnight wouldn't be able to hold everyone. Frost's just waiting. It's amazing how many animal languages there are."

He drifted off-topic, staring at the dimly lit horizon. As the day faded to night, my worries grew brighter and brighter by the minute. What if I wasn't accepted as the Heir? Did Mavis like me? Does he have a girlfriend?

Troubles were not only a thing of the mind, but the body. The more I worry, the more it would affect my body. I breathe deeply, trying to calm myself down. 

Mavis looked away hurriedly, indicating he was looking at me. I wave to him, and start heading away. "See you later."

He waved back, a sad expression on his face. His head was bent down, as if he'd done something shameful. Turning around to follow Bast, I change my mind and turn back to face Mavis. 

I run up to him and wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss his cheek. "Thank you for. . . Everything, Mavis." 

His cheeks turn red, and he lifts one of his hands to brush where I had kissed him. Then, he lowered it and wrapped his arms around my waist. "There was something I wanted to tell you, Sye. Before Bast interrupted me. I—I really like you. . . Sye. I think you're really pretty."