The Cottage 1

The King is sitting on the ground holding his head. Your horse gallop closer to him and you jump off your horse. You run to his side.

"Sire, are you okay?" He looks slowly up at you as if not registering that you're there. You put your hand on his shoulder and almost immediately his hand is on yours. You feel a gush of heat shooting through your being.

"Sire, can you hear me?"

"Hmm...Lady Winters, is that you?"

"Yes, Sire. Are you okay?"

"I...hmm...I'm fine..." You look at him and notice that he's not looking so good. His face is pale.

"Sire, you don't look so good. What are you doing sitting in the snow?" He tries to stand but then he falls down again. "Oh god, forgive me"

"For what, Sire?" He looks at you again and it's as if he sees you for the first time.

"Lady Winters?"

"Yes, Sire.....you're starting to worry me. Are you okay? Should I call someone??" You want to stand up and get help but he grabs your wrist. "No!"

"Sire?"

"I mean, please don't...could you just stay?" You see a vulnerability in his eyes, pleading. "Of course, Sire" He gives a deep sigh of relief. You sit next to him and his hands go back on his head.

"Sire, I...I can't help but worry. Please tell me what's going on. Did you fall off your horse?"

He chuckles a bit. "I'm glad you find it amusing..."

"No...uhmm....if it only was that, my life would have been so much easier" He takes another deep breath and then look up at you.

"Then I beg you, Sire. Tell me what's going on?" You see the color return and he smiles at you.

"I'm fine, Lady Winters. Just a moment of dizziness" He clears his throat and stands up slowly. You help him up with your hand on his arm. His free hand takes hold of your hand on his arm.

"Thank you for helping me, milady"

"It's what anyone would do, Sire" He stands up and tries to balance. You hold him steady. He looks in your eyes and you're a breath away from each other.

"Can we keep this little incident between us?"

"Of course, Sire. As you wish" You feel your heart going out to him.

(What's going on with the King?)

"I think I'm fine now, thank you" He let go of your hand slowly and brush his fingers for a moment too long. "Are you sure, you're okay now, Sire?"

"Yes, thanks to you, helping me, milady. You're very kind. I'll be fine now" He walks slowly to his horse and you follow him to make sure he's okay.

"I was supposed to be with the hunting party but it seems I won't be joining them today. Would ....would you like to join me on horseback through the forest?" He holds his breath and blush a little.

"It will be an honor, Sire" He sighs and smiles. "Great, then let's go this way. I know a beautiful little cottage that's been abandoned for almost seven years now but it's magnificent?"

"It sounds lovely. Please lead the way, Sire" His horse starts to gallop and you follow him. Your heart is pumping out of your chest and you're struggling to breathe. He looks behind him every few minutes to make sure you're still following him. You go through the thick forest. You go through a small opening in the woods. Until you see it...

"Wow, it's breathtaking, Sire"

"It's beautiful, isn't it? I come here often to think. No one knows about this cottage"

You arrive at the cottage. He gets off his horse and ties him to the tree. You still wanted to get off but his there in a second. He offers his hand for you to take. You take his hand and he helps you off.

"I've joined the hunting party almost for as long as I remember but I've never seen this cottage before"

"That's what I like about it, it's hidden"

"Sire, if I may ask, aren't you suppose to have guards protecting you?" He laughs.

"No, I think I could take care of myself, don't you think?"

"Forgive me, Sire. I didn't mean to-" He steps closer and put his fingers on your mouth. You notice you're holding your breath. He suddenly realizes what he's doing and removes his fingers, blushing.

"I was just making a joke, Lady Winters....I always send the guards away when I go hunting. It's the only time I have to just be alone"

"I'm so sorry, Sire. I came along and in doing so, I disturbed your alone time" He put his hands on the sides of your arm and looks in your eyes with passion.

"You're a most welcome disturbance. Please don't apologize for that. Come, let's go inside" He opens the door and you're in awe. It's beautiful wood finishes and there a fireplace. The inside is completely luxurious.

"Sire, I thought you said it was abandoned? Because of this is abandoned, I would like to abandon some of my rooms too" He chuckles. "Yes, I meant, no one claimed it before, so I made it comfortable for me, so that I have a place to..to...to need to think"

"I think it's magnificently done. You have good taste, Sire" He looks you up and down. Then he pulls his eyes from you. "I hope to think so....Should I start a fire for us?"

"That's a good idea, Sire. The snow is nice but it's very cold" You giggle a bit looking around the cabin. He stares once more at you and then he hurries to make the fire.

"Forgive me for asking but do you know how to make a fire, Sire?" He looks up in shock. "What do you mean? Of course, I do?"

"I'm sorry but I'm just imagining you have servants that have servants that make the fires and you, Sire, don't see even a splinter of wood..." The corner of his mouth turns into a smile. "I do have servants who have servants but I know how to make fire" He busies himself with making the fire.

"My dad and I used to have a similar cottage. He used to take me to the cottage and we would catch fish and then eat it afterward, so he taught me how to make fire..." Then he jumps upright like he just realized what he said to you. "Oh, god....I did mean to share so much-"

"Sire, please don't apologize. I'm glad that you shared something so intimate with me. It means a lot" You try and compose yourself, not giving away how much you enjoyed him confiding like that in you.

"Yeah...I don't know why I said that even" He looks confused but he keeps smiling. He lights the fire and then turns to you. "Would you like something to drink, Lady Winters?"

"I'll not refuse it, Sire" He goes to the kitchen and comes out with two cups of hot cocoa. He hands you a cup. "Thank you, Sire. I've never been served by a King before-....it's cocoa?" He laughs.

"Yes, it is...don't you like hot cocoa?"

"I do, I love it, Sire. I just didn't-"

"....expect a King to drink hot cocoa?"

"Yes, Sire. Forgive me for saying"

"This is what I like about you, Lady Winters. You're not afraid to speak your mind"

He looks at you with pure raw heat lingering in his eyes. His smile falters and he moves closer to you. His lips are an inch away from your lips...