Out of the Forest and Into the Castle

A Suprise?

"What did you think?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Hmm... Dinner parties are stressful."

He actually laughed at that. "Wait until you go to ones with royalty. It is much worse. They are more stuffy and judgemental. Though you handled both of them just fine without arousing suspicion that you are who you are."

"A healer?"

He nodded. Though I noticed he hadn't let go of my arm. "But more than that. You are the secret weapon."

I laughed. "You cannot be serious. Idres how can a healer be a weapon?"

He tipped his head curiously and just looked me up and down for a moment. We slowed down as we walked. "I thought you knew the plan."

"Not that plan. The dinner plan, where I am your weak wife-to-be."

He stopped walking and laughed. "Oh. Here I was hoping you were just glad to see me."

I blushed. "I was pretending. Idres..." He had no idea. "Eve told me and I thought.

"Now. Now It's fine." We started walking rounding the corner closest to our rooms. "I didn't mind really. I'm just glad to see you less mad at me."

He didn't let go of my arm as he pushed the doors open to his room. "Idres." I stood firmly at the door.

"What?" He glanced at me. "I have a surprise. Come on."

"This isn't because...." I made a motion to our locked arms.

He let go of my arm. "No, I had this planned before you decided to jump on me at dinner. When I still believed you were mad at me for some reason."

"I was mad at you." I walked in.

He looked worriedly at me. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Eve cleared everything up. Though I believe she did call you stupidly soft hearted."

"That did not answer my question," his voice changed to more serious.

I looked at his icy eyes for the first time they lacked the bright light in them. "Don't use your King intimidation face on me. It won't work." I am glad they warned me he had this mask.

He immediately softened the light returned and so did his smile. "Please?"

"I thought you were holding me here against my will." He immediately looked hurt by the prospect. I tapped the ring. "It's a little suspicious."

"It is for protection," he looked defeated.

"Eve cleared everything up. Really." I cupped his face. His soft red eyes watched me as he leaned into my hands. "I know I can leave and I decided to stay for the country."

"Good."

I released him. "Now this surprise is it what's under that." I pointed at a table covered precariously in a sheet with things clearly under it.

"Yes." He looked like a child in a candy shop as he grabbed my hand and started dragging me to the table. I could feel my heart start to race as I scanned the bumby sheets for any sign of the surprise. I had to know. I hadn't felt this way, well ever before. Gently, he sat me on a chair. "Do you trust me?" Then he sat across from me.

"I do, mostly." Not that I had a choice. I had to know.

"Then close your eyes." I closed my eyes. I felt him wrap something around my eyes.

"What is this?"

"A blindfold, so you don't cheat." I felt his hand on my jaw, he pulled my mouth open, and I followed. My eyes began to open in response, but the only thing I could see was the dark blindfold. I snapped my eyes closed again. My heart pounded nearly out of my chest. It had to be something food-related right? Then something was put in my mouth. Food? Food. He closed my mouth.

Sweets. The best tasting sweet I have ever tasted in my entire life. It was sweet, sugary, and chewy. For the seconds it was in my mouth, I was in heaven. "What in Goddess's name was that? Heaven?" I pulled down the blindfold to see Idres grinning from ear to ear while eating a white round thing. "Is that it?"

"Yes. It is a sugar cookie." He offered me another bite of his cookie. I took it without hesitation. "There's more."

"Cookies?" I asked with my mouth full.

"Well yes, but surprises. Close your eyes again."

I happily pulled the blindfold back up and opened my mouth. He just laughed. His fingers traced my jawline. "Are you teasing me?"

"Yes."

Before I could say more, he put something in my mouth and closed my jaw. Unlike the last thing this was gooey and it was sweet with a tart flavor. Lemon? Definitely lemon. I didn't love it as much, but I still liked it. I opened my eyes. He was eating a bar that was yellow and white.

"Lemon Bar."

"I liked sugar cookies more."

He nodded. "Noted. More lemon bars for me," he teased. "There's more."

I bounced in my seat. My heart raced with excitement and my hands shook. "There is?" I probably looked like an excited child. At this point I had long forgotten Idres was a king and accepted the game we were playing.

"Close your eyes." I happily raised the blindfold again. His fingers traced down my cheek and over my lips. I nipped at him. "Excuse you."

"Stop teasing, meany."

He placed something in my mouth, which I happily took. Chewy like the sugar cookies but there were chocolate bits that exploded and a sweet part that was different. I dropped the blindfold to see him eating a cookie that was brown and black.

"Chocolate chip cookie."

"This is my favorite so far."

"So far?" He offered me some of the one he was eating. I took it eagerly. I ate it nearly in one bite.

"Oh was that it?" I could hear the childlike disappointment in my own voice.

He laughed. "No. Two more."

I smiled "I was hoping you'd say there was more."

"Eyes."

I covered them. I knew he was going to tease me first. Sure enough, he brushed my hair behind my ear and traced my cheek, then my lips. I licked him. "Is this it?"

He laughed. "Not quite."

"Good. Too salty."

He died laughing. For a second I thought I made him laugh too hard to feed me, but right before I reached for the blindfold he placed something in my mouth. Very chocolaty. Soft and chewy with chocolate chunks. So much chocolate. I was in love. I opened my eyes. He was snacking on a brown bar.

"Triple chocolate brownie."

"My favorite so far." He offered me his. It took it. I realized I hadn't touched the food because had fed me everything. I blushed at the absurdity. THe rising heat in my face mixed with heart racing was making me light-headed. This whole surprise was silly. However, it was the most fun I have ever had. "One more?"

"Yeah."

I closed my eyes. Teasing first. He closed my mouth this time. I giggled waiting for whatever strange thing he was going to give me. Then his lips pressed against mine. I leaned into it. His lips were warm, inviting, and... sweet. His hands pulled me closer to him as the kiss turned more aggressive. He wanted me and for the moment all I wanted was him.

Our lips parted for a brief moment. "Id–" I couldn't even say his name before his lips found mine again. His lips opened and I followed. Our tongues found one another. I was breathless. The lightheadedness was taking over.