The King's Possession -- Book Two: Water

Chapter Nineteen

Enjoy my loves. :)

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          Kratos simply watched me, sitting and staring from the bed as I paced around the room. My mind was swimming, my heart was racing, and I felt cold and distant. Yet, there was a sensation of warmth and kindness in the air, just enough to keep me from unraveling at the loose ends. Time crawled by, and the late hours of the night had sunk into the kingdom. The palace was quiet, the only sounds coming from the hallways as the guards made their rounds. A droplet of sweat rolled over my upper lip, and I captured the salted water on my tongue. Yet, all the while I was screaming in my mind to run, I was calm and collected. He was ready to hear my feelings, and I was ready to hear his. Though, it seemed that his intentions had been made clear long ago.

         Stopping before the bed, I allowed a final moment of silence as I looked into the black and blue eyes. My heart seemed to stop beating once our gazes connected. The air stilled, the lights seemed to dim, and all that mattered was the here and now. This feeling... oh this feeling that I wish to wrap around and never release, I wish for it to last an eternity.

        "I should... apologize for making the assumptions that I have." The words left my lips, and I realized that my heart was now speaking for me. "But, for several cycles, male intentions towards me have always been one thing: to lay with me. And, my mind seems to just jump to conclusions that have always been there. No man..." I let out a shaking breath, looking down at my hands that were now knitted together. "No man has ever treated me as you have in this past year. For some time, I didn't allow myself to see if, merely from hatred and spit, but you have always shown compassion towards me. And for that, I am truly grateful." I whispered.

         "It would seem that we both have jumped to conclusions in the long run, my Little Warrior." He said as he stood, descending the few steps, his eyes locked with mine. "And though I can't change the past, I can promise that I will make our future bright." Kratos gave me a small as he looked down at me, reaching for my knotted fingers. Our hands connected, and the cold that was on the surface of my skin, a frost that had settled into every crevice and hair, now thawed and I was filled with a sense of warmth and joy. But, though I knew that it was time to accept, there was still the last piece of the tapestry. It just wasn't completely finished.

        Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I contemplated the positives and the negatives.

        My father had taught me to evaluate the situation before taking action. When one is on a hunt, you simply don't stand in the open and wait for the beast, deer, or wolf to show. No, you must hide and wait, look around you, see what your next move shall be. This was similar to that in so many ways. Though I was not carrying a weapon, my words could harm him. Even without the brush to keep me away from sight, he could still not see my emotions from a blank expression. And now, as he looked at me, trying to make of what was running through my mind, I knew that the opportunity to strike had now come.

        But, though the bow and arrow are ready to shoot, it doesn't mean that you must take action. In some cases, it is better to just watch, look around, take everything in at once, and breath. I held no knife, but I could pierce his heart. And I refused to do that. We had hurt the other far too many times, and though we both had agreed to see from the others eyes, it seemed that only now -in this very moment- were we truly ready for that.

         "And it seems that you are not comfortable talking about..." Kratos let out a sigh as he motioned towards the crystal cuffs on my wrists and ankles. "We do not have to rush into things. We can warm into the idea of talking about the cuffs and your feelings. Right now, all I care is your comfort." My eyes widened at the sincerity in his voice, and the air seemed to be filled with a sweet scent. Taking a calming breath of my own, I nodded my head as a smile dared to dance on my lips. He returned the look, offering me his hand.