The king

26

Thunder has striked the night, leaving me in a shuddering mess. The echoes of the cracking pulls a whimper out of me and I am fighting to breath as I keep pushing forward to find Oden. Droplets of water soon pass over me, hitting my skin but I continue on my journey.

He is what I hoped for in a man, he is my happiness, my knight in shining amor, my diamond.

But he will never know that if I do not find him before he is off.

A light. A light is shone far off down the dirt road and the wind picks up again, blowing my hair everywhere. Rain beats down upon my pale skin and I make haste towards the light. The light reflects off the person, a white shirt is all I can bring myself to see and dark hair is revealed.

"Oden!" I yell with all of my might. It was him. It had to be him.

Running is all I can afford at this moment because if I give up, he will be gone forever. The figure stops, turning around and revealing those soft features that I have fallen for over the months I have known him. Once I bring myself to him, I am out of breath, soaked, but relieved I have found my soul.

"Oden." I release his name in a whisper.

Oden's face forms into a concerned look, catching me when I nearly fall into his arms. He cages me with one of his arms, wrapping around my waist and the other holds up a lantern.

"You musn't leave," I breathe out.

He shakes his head. "I must leave, it is my duty. I am needed back at home."

"Why are you leaving me?" My voice breaks, and he softly brushes the tears off my face, erasing my sadness.

"I am not trying to, I plan to come back for you, Bells," he says softly. "There is something I must do before I come back."

"What is it? To make peace with whoever you made angry?" I ask in a hurry, wanting to know what harm he has done to someone. "I shall come with you to make peace."

He shakes his head, dismissing me. "No, I must do this alone."

"Is it because you think I do not wish to marry you?" I cry out. "Ask me to marry you right now and I will say yes. I will say yes a million times over, Oden."

He sighs, closing his eyes in a pained look. Does he not want me to say it?

"I love you, Oden," I whisper. "I will love you forever until my heart no longer beats for you. I cannot love anyone else because my heart belongs to you and only you."

"Bells..."

"No." I shake my head. "I love you-"

"King!" A dark voice yells into the night. I jump in Oden's arms, frightened by the carriage and horse approaching us. Guards are standing on either side of the carriage, holding swords and cold stoned looks. A man leaps from the carriage, blowing out a relief of breath when sparing Oden a look. "My king, it is you! We have been searching all over for you. Your mother has been worried."

Oden freezes beside me, and I am left confused by it all. I am filled with laughter, ready to speak to the guard and tell him that he has Oden mistaken, but Oden ignores the man and turning to me to block my view of the guard.

"Arabella..." Oden starts, licking his lips with fear.

"King!" The man holds an umbrella over his head to keep himself from getting soaked.

"King?" I whisper in distress. I was nearly confused as to why they could be calling him the king when he was simply my servant.

That is why he was always hiding from the guards, seeking shelter whenever they were around. He wasn't a convict. He did not make anyone angry, because he was the king.