Wrist

The King tries to finish his dinner quickly. He never stops looking at the doors to see if you might walk through them but, you never do. Lord Walton looks at him.

"Sire?"

"Uhm...yes?"

"Are you doing okay, Sire?"

"Yes, why?"

"I called you almost three times now, Sire?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I have a lot on my mind...with....this treaty"

"Of course, Sire"

"What did you want to ask, Lord Walton?"

"I was just enquiring, if you're enjoying your dinner is tonight?"

"Oh, yes. It's a fine dinner, very good. Now, if you'll please excuse me"

"Of course, Sire"

He stands up and everyone stands up bowing to him. He goes to his compartment. He opens the door, goes inside, and then locks the door behind him. He paces up and down his room.

(Where are you? This is killing me...I must be able to do something. I can't stand it anymore)

He busies himself with some paperwork and before long, someone knocks on the door. He stands up and unlocks the door. The princess stands before him.

"Your Highness" She bows before him and he frowns.

"What do you need, princess?"

"May I come in?"

"If you must" She walks inside and stands close to the door. "Sire, we must stand as a united front"

"Yes well, who's to blame for us not being one?"

"Sire, you've always been the only-" He holds up a hand at her. "Just stop, just stop with the lies. Maybe there was a time but you know what you did!"

"Sire, I've never-"

"Stop! I'll be a united front when it's needed. Now, please leave me as I've got business to attend to" She bows and leaves the room. He closes the door and sighs loudly.

(God...I miss you, angel)

He goes back to his desk and does some more admin. After a few hours, he opens his door. Almost everyone is in their compartments. Only the guards are outside in the corridors. He looks around him as far as he goes, making sure no one sees him. He makes his way to your compartment.

(What's going on? Why weren't you at any of the events? God, I really hope you're okay? Goddamn, this distance thing)

He takes a deep breath to calm his beating heart and knock on your door.

LADY WINTER'S POV

Suddenly there's a knock on the door. You jump at the knock and hope it's only another note under the door. You watch the floor intensely but nothing happens. You look at the clock, it's almost midnight. Another soft knock. You stand up and slowly walk to the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me..." You open the door immediately. He stands in front of you with his face creased into a frown and concern weigh heavily in his eyes.

"May, I come in?" You bow low and gesture that he could come in.

"Your Highness, you're most welcome"

"Thank you, Lady Winters. Could we possibly close the door? I don't want anyone to know I'm here?"

"Yes, yes, of course, Sire" You close the door and by accident use the hand with the sore wrist. You've completely forgot about your wrist when you saw the King standing in your room. You cry out in pain.

"Aaahhhh, god!"

"Milady!" He turns around and he wants to reach out to touch you but his hands turn to fists, trying to control his emotions.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sire. Thank you. If I may ask, what are you doing here? I thought we were to keep our distance?" He steps closer and looks deep in your eyes.

"I...I...didn't see you at the events today and I got worried, so I had to come to see for myself if you're doing okay"

"But Sire, couldn't this jeopardize the plan? If..if someone might have seen you?" He reaches for your hand and you pull away as a reflex.

"W-what happened to you?"

He steps away slowly as he sees the fear in your eyes. You can't seem to control the slight tremor in your hand. You feel tears threatening at his soft words and caring nature. You know you can trust him, you want to trust him but the raw memory is still fresh in your mind of Lord Dobson forcing himself on you. You want to speak but you know you'll burst into tears.

"Angel....what happened? Did someone hurt you?" You see the sting of rage and hurt in his eyes. He keeps his hands open in surrender and take another step back. He never loses eye contact with you.

"No.....yes....."

You can see his eyes burning with burning rage and you see his fists clenching but his voice remains calm.

"Who...who...angel? Who did this?" You stare for a long while in his eyes as if you're searching for safety in him. Then you speak.

"Lord Dobson"

He looks at you in unbelief and then he starts to breathe heavily his hands turn to fists. Then he rushes for the door. You put your hands against his chest to stop him and then you cry out in pain. It feels as if your wrist is broken. You grab your wrist with your free hand and sit on the chair.

"Fuck! I'm..I'm...so so sorry, angel"

He bends down and tries to comfort you but he doesn't know if he's allowed to touch you. He slowly raises his hand to touch your shoulder and you nod. He puts his hand so soft and gentle on you, rubbing his thumb up and down. He looks at you with severe concern.

"What happened? What did he do? Tell me, please"

"You can't go after him. Then the plan won't work and everyone will know about it, Sire"

You can't seem to get the words out to tell him what happened. You know he's going to do something he's going to regret.

"I don't care about that now, I only care about you, milady. I beg you, tell me, please?"

"It's not even such a big thing...I...I just hurt my wrist. It was just a misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about"

"God! Angel!"

He stands up and paces around the room as if he's thinking really hard. Then he bends down and stares at you, eyes soft. His voice almost a whisper.

"Don't you understand my feelings for you?...You can't say things like, don't worry about it because I can't help to worry about you. It's not a small thing to me when I come to check on you and find that you got hurt and I wasn't there? It's not a small thing to me when Lord Walton asks Lord Dobson in front of me, about something that happened in the corridor with you. You can't expect me to not worry?"

You see the raw concern in his eyes and how he's hurt to see you like this. You realize that his feeling for you runs deeper than you thought.

(He can't know about what Lord Dobson did....he'll do something that would jeopardize he's plan and then we'll never be able to be together. I can't tell him)

"Sire, I'm sorry that I put you through such anguish, but there's truly nothing to worry about. I just got my wrist caught on the door and then Lord Dobson bumped into it by accident but it's all fine now"

You see hurt flashes through his eyes but he accepts your answer.

"Could I at least send the physician to have a look at your wrist?"

"No! I mean...its not that bad, just a scratch, Sire" He stands up. "Milady, are you sure everything is alright with you?"

You swallow hard. "Yes, thank you, Sire"

He looks at you one last time.

"I must return now before anyone knows I'm gone but before I go, you must know.....I'll be here for you if you need me, for anything, anything at all?"

Your heart jumps out of its cage at the soft, caring words he speaks to you.

"Thank you, Sire"

You smile at him. He smiles at you sadly. Then he turns and closes the door. You take a deep breath.

(I wish I can tell him....)