New Dawn

Cal

It didn't take long to find Ptolemus and send him Evangelines way. He was quick to meet her, and quick to get out of Mare's presence. I don't blame him. If I were him I wouldn't want to spend any more time around her than I possibly had to.

Dinner was uneventful, all of us quietly speaking, many members of parliament scheming. Evangeline and Ptolemus were not in attendance. Not that I could blame them. I sit next to Mare, reminded of the last time we had dinner with Davidson. What a different place we are all in now. I chuckle slightly to myself at the memory of the uncomfortable dinner conversation that ensued.

Dinner comes to an end and I am suddenly hyper aware of the fact that I haven't really spoken to Mare. She gets up with Farley and I see she is about to leave. I am torn between making a scene and letting her leave. I opt to follow the two of them out of the dining hall, and into the adjacent corridor.

"Do you mind if I escort her to her chambers, General?" I ask, feeling my cheeks flush slightly and my body temperature heat up.

Diana raises an eyebrow "Already going for round two?" she chuckles "You guys are like rabbits". She smirks at the two of us.

My bright silver cheeks are nothing in comparison to the burning scarlet that has covered Mare's entire face and ears.

"Farley" she growls through gritted teeth.

The general just smiles easily, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and winking at us. Then before Mare can chastise her further she jaunts away towards her rooms where Sara has been evaluating Clara.

I watch her go, not sure whether to laugh or cry. I am most certainly embarrassed, but the fact that mare looks more so than I feel reassures me.

"May I see you to your room?"

"You may"

Her smile is all the sign I need to fall into step beside her. We walk in silence for a time. Neither of us sure what to say.

"I'm glad to see you kept the earring" I say truthfully. I had worried after my mistakes a year ago she had thrown it away.

"Of course I did" she said "I-" she hesitates, not sure what to say.

I look down at her, into her large brown eyes. My eyes fall to her lips without even thinking about it. I quickly draw them back up to her eyes, my ears flushing silver. She smiles softly and I feel myself heating up.

We walk in silence the rest of the way to her rooms. I wish I could figure out what to say. But I can't. How I wish I had been taught something in my years of school that could help me now. But alas I just walk, like a fool, next to her in silence. Just bring near her is more than enough in this moment though. I missed everything about her.

We arrive at her door and I try without success to think of something smooth to say. Then anything to say. But I cannot. I decide to open the door for her, it's the least I can do. Then I feel a hand in my pocket.

I grab onto her small wrist, pulling her hand holding the coin out, spinning around to face her. I can't help but smile widely as I remember that day two years ago when I first caught her like this.

"Thief?"

"Obviously."

And suddenly I cannot resist the urge anymore and I pull her up and into my arms, my mouth on hers. It is hard to kiss her properly when all I can do is smile, but I try my best. I feel her burrow into my arms, into my warmth and suddenly I feel whole again.

"Come in" She whispers, pulling away from my kiss.

I nod. Without a thought I follow her, letting her pull me into her room bathed in moonlight from the skylight.

And suddenly all I can do is look at her. I watch as she pulls her hair out of the right braid it has been tied in from the days travel. Watch the soft waves cascade to her collar bone. I have never seen her with fully brown hair. I didn't think she could get more beautiful. As the moonlight gleams on her hair and her cheeks I feel as if I am frozen, transfixed by a moment I have dreamed of for so very long. Not wanting to move for fear I'll wake from another dream.

It is only when she speaks that the spell is broken, that I once again am ready to move to her side. I lie next to her on the large bed, intertwining my fingers with hers.

"How is Montfort, and your family?" I ask.