Star Crossed

Chapter Sixty One- Good fortune to you.

Some time had passed since I had been let out of the hospital wing it was now into the last month of the school year July and I was finely feeling back to my full strength. Tom had completely avoided me since he had visited me in hospital now a full month ago... my chest tightened every time that I thought of him... we had never gone this long without speaking before. Wiglaf and Lazarus had also been quick to point out they he had been avoiding them too he had failed to turn up to any of the meetings that we had tried to arrange. I felt as if Wiglaf had spoken to him but he did not want to share the outcome... My heart ached as I feared that we would never talk again but I would not go to him... I had saved his life was that not enough?
I would be strong. 
  I stood stroking Junipers soft grey feathers atop the owlery she hooted at me softly making me giggle under my breath. 
"What is it?" I coaxed her tickling her under her beak, again no letter. I had been making weekly trips to the owlery hoping to hear from my Father... although we were certainly not regular pen pals I usually could expect some correspondence from him but... I had thought that today at least... my birthday... but no. I would be lying if I said that I was not growing worried.
Suddenly a fluffy of wind blew my hair away from my face breaking my train of thought. I looked over to my right to see a magistic black owl perched proudly upon the pedestal beside me. 
"Why hello there," I breathed with a smile as I cocked my head to the side appreciating its dark beauty. The regal creature bowed its head with a melodic hoot before gracefully extending its leg towards me, I looked down at it curiously there tied upon its small leg in emerald green twine was a rolled up piece of parchment. I carefully reached out my hand and gently untied the twine relieving the messenger of their burden. 
"Thank you," I whispered, I went to stroke him but he flinched away from me and flew elegantly out of the nearest window I watched transfixed for a while until it was a small black spec amongst the clouds. I turned my attention back to the parchment within my hand, I turned it over a few times hesitant to untie the unexpected delivery. Ouch. I flinched as I looked down to see that Jupiter had nipped me impatiently and was now pushing her head into my hand I had never seen her like this. 
"Okay, Okay I'm opening it, I'm opening it!" I laughed before slowly pulling away the twine and unrolling the thick parchment paper. 
'Grisha, 
Meet me beside the large oak at sundown tonight. 
Tom.' 
I read the small note again and again and again somehow wondering if I would eventually see the true message but no... this was real. My breath hitched in my thought as I looked towards Juniper who was looked up at me wide eyed.
"What do you think Juniper should I go? You're one of the few friends I trust right now."
Juniper squealed loudly at me before pushing her head gently against my arm as if in reassurance. 
"I guess that settles it then... you know if this goes badly it will be you I blame don't you?" I smirked. 

I pulled my thin sweater further down my arms to block out the summer night breeze that was floating on the air. The sun was just beginning to lower itself from its vantage point above us casting a soft almost dream like glow upon the world below. I breathed in the fresh air which smelt distinctly of blossoming trees and the cold water lake beyond. 
I stopped as I reached the large oak tree which stood just a few meters away from the border of the Forbidden Forest. I reached out and stroked the cool bark taking in its immense presence towering above its surroundings, ancient and strong. Just then I felt another strong presence I turned around to see Tom stood behind me watching me intently his head tilted slightly to the side, I stared at him for a moment. Although I had only gone a few weeks without seeing him face to face it felt as if it had been an eternity since I had stared into those deadly blue eyes for which one could so easily find themselves drowning, the soft glow of the setting sun fell upon his pale skin, causing his dark neatly parted hair to gleam like a dark halo. 
Neither of us spoke as we stood before each other, Tom was the first to avert his eyes before he slowly extended his hand towards me. I paused looking down at his long fingered hand unsure of its intentions. 
"Don't you trust me?" He breathed a smirk playing at his lips, I frowned at him tilting up my chin and looking down my nose at him. Did I trust him? Something in me decided to take a leap of faith as I gingerly slipped my own hand into his. My whole body felt like it wanted to explode the contact between us seemed to explode deep within me, beyond my skin, beyond my flesh and bone... no it went straight to my soul. The feeling was both exhilarating and frightening all at the same time, had Tom felt anything or nothing at all? I looked up at him to see him slowly turn his eyes from me as he began to guide me into the forbidden forest. 
As we walked hand in hand the only sounds was that of the breeze rustling between the leaves and the songs of birds preparing for the slumber as the glow from the setting sun become a deeper shade of orange it was as if the whole forest was a light with fire. 
"Did you bring me here to die?" I smirked towards him striding by my side. 
"Obviously." he replied simply with a serious expression upon his face causing me to scoff at him. 
"Funny I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not." I caught his lip twitch upwards but he did not respond as he led us further and further into the forest. I did not feel afraid, it was strange I never did feel afraid when I was with him he had this infectious aura of power and confidence which pulstated around him. If anything at all I felt curious. 
Eventually he stopped walking as we faced a clearing in the trees, what was left of the sun was glistening on the mist floating above the ground creating an erie and yet also strangely serene atmosphere. 
"Close your eyes." Tom whispered quietly, "And don't move." 
Frowning I looked at him, "Why? What are you-" 
"Shhh, just do as I say." he interrupted his voice still as quiet as the rustle of the trees upon the breeze. Against my better judgement I shot him one last look of suspicion before sighing and closing my eyes, it took all my self control not to creak my eyes open as I heard the leaves and twigs crack underfoot before me. 
 "You can open your eyes now." his breath tickled my ear making my whole body shiver. Hesitantly I opened my eyes, I froze my mouth falling open as I stared at the beautiful creature before me, it's pure white coat glowing in the dying sunlight, it's long flowing main glistening like strands of silver. My breathing hollowed I took a cautious step forwards, it turned its strong head towards me but did not flee. 
I looked towards Tom, he had strange expression on his face one that I had never recalled seeing before it was as if he was entranced but yet he was not looking at the magical creature he was looking at me. He nodded at me and then nodded his head in the direction of the fabled beast as if encouraging me to approach it. 
"Gently." He whispered, nodded back to him I walked slowly towards the creature the closer I drew the more strongly I could feel its power, its innocence and purity. It was like nothing I had ever experienced it was like everything good in the world combined into one being. 
I was now close enough to touch it... carefully I reached out my hand, instead of backing away as I had anticipated the creature remained quite still. Biting my lower lip lightly I brushed my hand down its mayne, its hair felt softer than feathers and smoother than silk. 
"Good fortune to you." I froze my hand falling back to my side, 
"My birthday..." I whispered as I turned to face Tom, it was as if I was seeing him for the very first time as memories of Tom's own birthday came rushing back to me.... 

'"Looking for unicorns." I smirked as I reached his side, he turned to me a slight flash of surprise on his face before it returned to blankness.
"Unicorns?" he repeated raising his eyebrow at me.
"Yes Father always told me as a child that seeing a unicorn on your birthday was good fortune, I never did manage to spot one myself." I smiled, remembering the memories of many a birthday out searching for unicorns.
"I've never heard of anything so ridiculous." Tom scoffed shaking his head.'

Without thinking I walked towards him our bodies mere inches away from each other as I looked up at him, his blue eyes staring down into my own as the last of the sunset gleamed around us. 
"Tom I..."
But Tom reached out his soft index finger causing my cheeks to burn as it brushed against my lips. 
"You see Grisha you just never looked hard enough. If you want something in this life you have to seek it, seek it with everything you have." 
"What if it's impossible?" I whispered knowing that what I wanted more than anything right now was... was ridiculous. 
Tom smirked, "Nothing is impossible if you want it enough." 
"And what do you want?" I asked my voice shaking a little, Tom smirked again averting his eyes to the ground. 
"I want a lot of things." he replied finely raising his eyes back up to meet my own.
"But what do you want right now?" I prompted, there was a pause as we looked at one another a fire hid beneath his blue eyes but it was hidden by a tall impenetrable wall his eyes traveled down to my lips and lingered there a while.
Suddenly there was a loud crack which echoed through the clearing causing us to jump a little, I turned around to see that the Unicorn was striding elegantly across the clearing. 
"It's time to go." I looked back around at Tom who's face had returned to its usually steely expression. 
"Beauty is only skin deep, like everything the forest is an ugly place to be beneath the surface."
I nodded reluctantly taking one last glance at the beautiful creature before it disappeared into the darkness of the trees beyond. 
I reached for Tom's hand which tensed a little now at my touch but did not pull away as we made our way back out and into the grounds. 
"Here." Tom withdrew his wand and tapped it upon my head causing the familiar tingling cold sensation to spread from my head to my toes. 
"We can not be seen out of our dormitories at this hour." he whispered, we walked back to the castle in silence, my mind racing... Tom had done this for me... I did not think he was capable of something so... so thoughtful... so... I looked at him again from the corner of my eye I could not deny that in that moment back in the forest I thought that I may... that I might have... that we might have... I shook my head it was kindness that's all, probably fueled only by guilt after me sacrificing myself for him but yet I did not truly believe that...
"Goodnight Grisha." Tom smirked as we reached the passing point at which we would depart from each other to return to our rightful dorms, his words bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Tom?" I called after him as he had turned around ready to leave, he paused and reached his head over his shoulder to show me that he was listening. 
"Thank you." I whispered. 
"Happy Birthday Grisha." he replied before turning his head back around and walking off down the corridor his black cloak billowing out behind him until he rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight. 
I sighed running a hand through my hair as I stared at the place where he had been stood, I wanted nothing more than to feel nothing but at the same time this feeling was all I ever wanted to feel again.