The Beauty of Courage

~Eighteen~

"Sophia." She turns, her fingers buried into her skirts, clutching the fabric tightly. His familiar and concerned face helps her to relax ever so slightly.

"Henry," she says his name with a small smile, "you travelled all this way to assist my father. I cannot be more grateful to you and to Eric for getting him here safely. I am," her voice catches but she pushes through, "pleased he was here to see me get married. Once in a lifetime event." A unnatural laugh spills from her mouth.

"I was, I am, happy to help your father and you. It is just coincides quite well with my own escape." After a slight pause, he continues, "Not that I am usually an expert on what you are thinking but I have absolutely no clue when I can barely see your face. Could you explain that for me?"

"Could you explain what you have escaped from?"

"Temporarily."

"Temporarily escaped from?" Her smile shrinks and she reaches out and barely touches his arm. The moment she does she feels many more eyes than before focusing on her. The tiny hairs on her arms lift as she senses some moving in on them. Her hand retracts quickly and she can breathe again. "You must be engaged."

"Perceptive as always. Not the girl I am in love with. In fact I have never met my future wife and I do not wish to. She could not possibly live up to the girl I have admired for years. I have not even decided how to tell her yet that I cannot live up to the promises I made her. How do I marry a stranger in a matter of months? How have you?"

"I have...I do not know how to respond. I have married a King, something I have been told time and time again that I should be overjoyed about."

Henry steps closer to her but his gut tells him not to touch her. "Do you need to escape?"

"No. It would only be temporary, like yours. I will be a good Queen."

"You will be an outstanding Queen. But you should be one if you choose to be."

"I have. I said my vows; I bound my life to his and this kingdom. I knew what that meant. You will have to make this same choice. You will either have to marry this woman you have never met, or you will have to break the rules and marry the girl you love. I am sticking to the rules, you choose what you do and let me live what I have chosen."

"Forgive me for interrupting." Isaiah bows his head sharply to Henry. "Could you step apart?" Sophia responds quicker than Henry and moves back. Isaiah gives her a small approving smile before turning his attention to Henry. "The King understandably is a jealous man."

Henry glances at Sophia and nods. "I wish you a happy marriage."

"Thank you Henry. I wish you the same, whichever decision you make."

He walks away and Sophia exhales softly. Isaiah watches him go before turning to Sophia, his expression grim. "You should not allow another man to touch you now."

"He is an old friend," Sophia defends.

"You think that matters?"

"No. Will he be able to return home safely?"

"I will make sure of it. Navi will track you father and your friends until they are safely sailing home."

Isaiah places his hand on her back and steers her through the crowd. "Do you that you are being wise?" she asks.

"I have been assigned, despite my trepidation, to be your protector. As such I have some freedom to make sure you are kept safe and untouched by others."

"You have been chosen purely because you have seen my face. Remove your hand from my back," she says through a careful smile with gritted teeth. The warmth of his palm fades from her. "Thank you."