Message In A Bottle

Nov 23

He sounded sad, and Alex wondered if a romance (or a romance with her specifically) wasn't part of Arthur's "predestined path". Her heart sank, but Arthur's grin raised her spirits again.

"Don't worry, I like hanging out with you. And pestering you."

Alex snorted. "Pestering me? Why?"

"Because you're awfully cute when you try to change the topic." Arthur's eyes twinkled in the dim midnight. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

Alex's heart fluttered like a baby bird eager to spread its wings. "Can't say they have," Alex replied with a giggle. "Thank you—I'm glad I amuse you so much."

"You amuse me and amaze me," he murmured, his voice low and velvety. "There are a lot of things you make me feel...."

Arthur became quiet. The air was still, too still, and yet Alex felt suffocated by the unbearable tension. A few days later, they would return home, and would their ambiguous, pseudo-romance be over? Alex didn't want what happened in Scotland to stay in Scotland, but did Arthur feel the same?

Alex shifted on her feet and thought about all that she'd told Arthur. Sure, her activism last year had won her places in headlines and local newspapers, and she definitely felt better after the leadership camp, but there was still a lot she was unsure about.

"Can I ask you a question, from someone who's not sure of their destiny?"

"Of course."

"If you're feeling so stressed about living up to expectations, why stay on the path destiny has paved for you? Why not venture off and try creating a life for yourself that will be more enjoyable?"

Arthur didn't have to think long. The answer was ingrained in his heart. He turned to Alex, a cheerful yet strangely vulnerable smile on his face.

"I'd like to think the choice falls under our pact of true greatness," he said. "They all believe I'll be a great man and a great leader. And if I'm meant to be that man—a man whom all the important adults in my life trust, someone to live up to the Pendragon name— then it's worth every sacrifice. So ultimately, it's also my choice to follow my destiny."

Alex was so moved and impressed by his answer, it sent chills through her whole body and it wasn't bechade of the wind. Her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed, her rosy lips parted— she was the image of a swooning maiden who'd found her knight in shining armour.

"I thought I knew a lot about you, Arthur, but you keep surprising me."

Not only was Arthur attractive and kind and flirty, but he was also mature. He wasn't a little boy, goofy and silly, he was a man. Arthur turned his head to her and they stared into each other's eyes, their chemistry practically igniting the air between them. Arthur's eyes were a pure, bright blue, like two cut sapphires that shone with certainty and reassurance. And Alex, breathless, couldn't tear her eyes away from those gorgeous eyes.

"Besides, who really knows what the future holds?" Arthur's voice was a tender murmur. "As I learned a week ago, you never know when someone might drop in and change your world forever."

As she continued to stare into Arthur's blue eyes, captivated, Alex felt her mind yield control of her body, her inhibitions melting away bit by bit—but this time it was taken over by her heart. She leaned over, touched Arthur's cheek with a trembling hand—

And kissed Arthur more passionately than she had ever kissed anyone. Her boldness surprised her as much as it surprised him. This wasn't like Rook, a clumsy, giggly highschool romance in which holding hands felt too much at times. Alex had grown up more now and was experiencing more of the spectrum of romantic feelings. Arthur eagerly kissed her back, matching her passion, and Alex felt fire overcome her mind and her soul. This was love, a love that was burning red and hot and passion and love. It was sparks and electricity blazing through the darkest night like a bonfire. They finally parted for breath, Alex's lips tingling.