In The Name of The King (#Wattys2016)

The Seamstress

Chapter 9

I clutched the damp towel to my chest, worried.

My cheeks still burned from Arthur's presence. The door creaked open, revealing a mop of brown hair and matching brown eyes. Gavin's apologetic eyes connected with mine.

"I'm so sorry Mary," he stood in the entryway, looking torn between entering or departing. I bobbed my head from side to side.

"It wasn't your fault," Gavin had nothing to do with what happened. He was blaming himself for something we couldn't control. The feeling of humiliation was still prominent. My grip tightened, only one man had ever seen me that vulnerable.

Flashback:
Oliver's eyes smiled back at me from under the silk sheets. His wavy dark brown hair stuck up from all directions. A smile sneaked its way onto my lips.

"Addie," he cooed in a soft voice, making a shiver crawl up my spine. My grin grew wider as I lightly tapped his nose.

"Tsk, tsk, Oliver," I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth, receiving a grin in return. This man was going to be mine forever, I internally thought. My heart swelled with anticipation for tomorrow to arrive already. His grip tightened around my waist, lifting me up onto his lap.

"You know I hate being teased, Darling," he growled, connecting his lips with mine. I chuckled in between his soft kisses, teasing me. My fingers dug into his thick dark hair, pulling him forward. His chest vibrated in laughter, while his hands started roaming my body.

"Yet you love to do all the teasing, Darling," I teased as his intense gaze bore into mine, stealing my breath away. I loved this man, my betrothed, with my whole being. He flipped onto his back, straddling my thighs. The echoes of laughter slowly disappeared with the distant memory.

Present:
A hot tear escaped my brown eyes, gliding down my soft cheek until it plopped onto the dirty floorboards. Gavin cleared his throat, trying to get my attention. Quickly, I swiped the wetness from my face, not wanting anyone to know where my thoughts wandered. Gavin was silent for what felt like hours, I kept intertwining my fingers together and then untwining them. Hunger was gnawing at my insides, making me want to puke. Sounds of gurgling and what sounded like howling vibrated from my stomach. Gavin's head snapped up, his eyes connecting with mine.

"Mary, you should've reminded me!" He frantically clutched my wrist, dragging me out of the doorway. The suns rays blurred my vision momentarily. Arthur was positioned on the edge of the wagon before us. He dragged his long fingers through his thick hair. Gavin urged me forward while nervousness took ahold of me. What if he was upset? Arthur's lips were set in a firm line, his brows knitted together. Crap, he seems upset, I thought worriedly. The gravel crunched beneath me, signaling my approach. I wiped my now sweaty palms against my new gown.

"...Arthur?" I said hesitantly as I reached my hand out. But, Before I could feel his soft golden strands, his head jolted in my direction. A gasp escaped my lips as our eyes connected. My mind instantly went blank, like a light switch was turned off. His green eyes held a spark of...embarrassment?

"I didn't mean,...it wasn't my intention to...," Arthur stuttered, trying to apologize. Sweat beaded across his forehead, a slight blush staining his cheeks. I gripped his shoulder, shaking my head.

"I shouldn't have thrown that bowl at you either," I frowned. The ground begun to sway from side to side. Darkness curled in at the edge of my vision. My breathing became ragged as Arthur's forehead creased in worry. Right when I could feel my knees buckle beneath me, the darkness consumed my consciousness.