~Life's not fair when love could start a war~
A timeless tale of forbidden love emerges in the 1650s. And their love not only affects them, but the future of their warring nations. How is there time for love when the fate of a country rests in one's...
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Here ya go, folks!! Hope you're enjoying this! Big things coming! <3 Special thanks to Jay for all the encouragement and for discussing this story with me.
Zayn's POV
What constituted love? Was it a choice? Did it spring upon one unawares? Was it determined by someone else? He'd meant it when he had said things were different with her, but it didn't bear discussing vocally. However, he couldn't ignore it at the moment, not with the warmth he basked in while in her presence. Her skin was smooth beneath his fingers, her breathing was soft, and he wished she didn't need to leave.
It would be easy to blame this on a post-coital haze, but he'd felt this before that night on the Partheos. The urge to protect her was indicative of something on its own and now he had to add a bitter jealousy to it. The very thought of Niall coming near her was enough to make him want to hide her away. She feared marrying Niall, but she didn't have nearly the fear she should. It was a terrible thing to think of one's brother, but Niall wasn't the young boy he'd grown up with. Everyone changed with time, but some changed for the worst. He didn't want Niall within a mile of her, yet here he was arranging to put her in the worst possible situation with the man.
She shifted against him, distracting him from his somber mind. He would do anything to protect her. Perhaps he could go to the rulers again, with news of the betrothal this time. That could sway their opinions in Kalysta's favor and show them just how dedicated she was to saving her people and resisting Murdoch. But then some, particularly Thomas, would see it as further proof of Elysium's alliance with Mullingar. Anyone who knew Kalysta even a little bit wouldn't ever consider that she was in league with Murdoch. She wore that innate sense of justice on her sleeve and, however idealistic it was, that crusader inside her made him love her more.
That was what he'd been trying to determine wasn't it? What constituted love? For him, it was that overwhelming need to protect her coupled with the knowledge that she was her own person outside of him; it was the way they lent each other the will to continue in a world where so few joys were allotted to them; it was the way they didn't need to know the other's every thought to be able to comfort them; and it was the way that, through the pain and apprehension of what was to come, she still made him so incredibly happy.
He pulled her in closer to his body at the thought: love. It was a weighty realization that he would have to keep to himself. No good could come from dragging her in deeper. He had this. She cared some for him, of that he was sure. And it would have to suffice.
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Kalysta's POV
She knew she would have to leave soon, but she wanted to enjoy the peaceful feeling he brought her. They were cuddled together under the blanket, his arms around her were warm and there was no way that leaving would ever be easy. It was made worse by the fact that he wasn't falling asleep either. She would actually have to say a parting and she didn't think she could deal with that. She needn't have worried, though.
