The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 10 : When Sparks Fly

I almost laughed out of sheer nervousness, but managed to clamp down on the urge in time.

We sat together for quite a while after that; sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about anything we happened to desire.

In the short amount of time, I actually learnt a lot about Agnarr, a lot more than I'd learnt from Halima and Arianna put together, which I supposed I shouldn't be surprised about considering I was hearing the information first hand this time.

I learnt how close he had been to his mother and his other best friend Destin Mattias, I learnt he had a thing for the small things in life just like I did, I even learnt wacky snippets of information like his favourite pair of socks!

But I always had to be careful not to let anything slip about me and where I came from - especially as he was on to me - but that didn't always go to plan as I made comments about reindeers and how much I loved forests. I even let slip that the sensation of flying had made up for the time I lost my favourite doll in the river!

It was just too easy talking to the King; he was comfortable to be around and just as I wanted to know everything about him, I wanted him to know everything about me.

But I couldn't let him.

If he knew, he'd surely throw me out, he wouldn't want anything more to do with me; why should he? My people, as much as I loved them and hated to admit it, killed his father; the only other family he had left, the only parent he had left.

Plus the fact the war had also trapped his best friend, and Halima's lover, Lieutenant Mattias inside the Forest.

However, having said that, I did enjoy the time we spent together and wanted to spend more time with him, if it wasn't for the butler, apparently named Gunnar, arriving on the balcony with the air of someone looking for something.

Agnarr seemed to have noticed him too, and began clambouring down to the ledge where he swung down onto the balcony railing. I was surprised he'd only come up here once before as he showed the agility of one who climbed often and didn't show any trace of fear.

"Sorry Gunnar. Looking for me?"

The old butler was alarmed at the sudden voice and turned to his King.

"Oh Your Majesty. You gave me a right scare you did. What in Arendelle were you doing up there?"

Agnarr chuckled, "Just getting away from the hullabaloo."

"Well come back inside now, everyone's waiting for you. And where's your blazer? That was made by one of the finest tailermans in the Kingdom!" he began fussing around Agnarr as the latter heartily laughed.

Just before he disappeared, he glanced up at me and I was sure I saw him wink.

I took my time in jumping down from the ledge after that and entered the ballroom to find Agnarr was back on the small stage at the front of the crowd, proposing a toast to all the people who had come and saying what a time he had had.

His eyes rested on me for a lingering moment before he drank the wine in his glass and ended the ball.

I was absolutely knackered by the time I made it back home.

Halima hadn't returned with me, but I decided not to wait for her. I didn't think she'd expect me too and I flopped into bed, without changing my clothes, and fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next morning I woke to a fistful of dark hair and rich, purple velvet against my face.

For a while I simply smiled, dazed, at the memory of the previous night, and stretched out, not registering at first the significance of that fabric.