Here ya go, folks!! Hope you're enjoying this! Big things coming! <3 Special thanks to Jay for all the encouragement and for discussing this story with me.
Zayn's POV
What constituted love? Was it a choice? Did it spring upon one unawares? Was it determined by someone else? He'd meant it when he had said things were different with her, but it didn't bear discussing vocally. However, he couldn't ignore it at the moment, not with the warmth he basked in while in her presence. Her skin was smooth beneath his fingers, her breathing was soft, and he wished she didn't need to leave.
It would be easy to blame this on a post-coital haze, but he'd felt this before that night on the Partheos. The urge to protect her was indicative of something on its own and now he had to add a bitter jealousy to it. The very thought of Niall coming near her was enough to make him want to hide her away. She feared marrying Niall, but she didn't have nearly the fear she should. It was a terrible thing to think of one's brother, but Niall wasn't the young boy he'd grown up with. Everyone changed with time, but some changed for the worst. He didn't want Niall within a mile of her, yet here he was arranging to put her in the worst possible situation with the man.
She shifted against him, distracting him from his somber mind. He would do anything to protect her. Perhaps he could go to the rulers again, with news of the betrothal this time. That could sway their opinions in Kalysta's favor and show them just how dedicated she was to saving her people and resisting Murdoch. But then some, particularly Thomas, would see it as further proof of Elysium's alliance with Mullingar. Anyone who knew Kalysta even a little bit wouldn't ever consider that she was in league with Murdoch. She wore that innate sense of justice on her sleeve and, however idealistic it was, that crusader inside her made him love her more.
That was what he'd been trying to determine wasn't it? What constituted love? For him, it was that overwhelming need to protect her coupled with the knowledge that she was her own person outside of him; it was the way they lent each other the will to continue in a world where so few joys were allotted to them; it was the way they didn't need to know the other's every thought to be able to comfort them; and it was the way that, through the pain and apprehension of what was to come, she still made him so incredibly happy.
He pulled her in closer to his body at the thought: love. It was a weighty realization that he would have to keep to himself. No good could come from dragging her in deeper. He had this. She cared some for him, of that he was sure. And it would have to suffice.
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Kalysta's POV
She knew she would have to leave soon, but she wanted to enjoy the peaceful feeling he brought her. They were cuddled together under the blanket, his arms around her were warm and there was no way that leaving would ever be easy. It was made worse by the fact that he wasn't falling asleep either. She would actually have to say a parting and she didn't think she could deal with that. She needn't have worried, though.
Zayn was humming in her ear and running a fingertip along her arm when the door was unlocked and Delia stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.
"W-I-Did you need to come in?" Kalysta hissed, sitting up and holding the blanket against her. Zayn was much calmer in his response. He simply sat up straight and placed a hand against her back, physically showing his support.
"Oh, calm yourself, Milady; it's nothing I haven't seen before," Delia replied softly, her tone snarky. "Get up. It's time we leave. We've been here too long as it is."
Kalysta sighed and nodded. She turned to look at Zayn, who simply stared back, his expression calm and strong. They were going to write a marriage treaty tomorrow and they were going to have to be okay with it. She reached over and ran a hand along his cheek before leaning in to kiss him. It could very well be the last time she touched him and the weight of that realization sat heavy with her. He seemed to have come to the same conclusion, for he wrapped his arms around her tightly and deepened the kiss.
Only an impolite cough from Delia separated them. "I'm not saying this in jest, Milady," she added. "We need to leave."
"You're right," Kalysta sighed, throwing back the covers and standing. She refused to look at Zayn while she gathered her clothes. Either she would be embarrassed by the intensity of his gaze while Delia was standing there or she would start crying. Neither option was appealing, so she waited until she'd slipped her hair back up under her cap before she finally looked at him again.
He was still sitting where she'd left him, but the look on his face made her spirit hurt. His eyes were narrowed, his chest rose and fell heavily with guarded emotion, and his hands were tightly balled into fists.
She couldn't stand it, so she turned away toward the door. Goodbyes would have to remain unsaid.
"Wait," he croaked. He threw the blanket from him and stepped off the bed to stoop, rifling through his clothes on the floor. When he found the object he desired he stood, still bare but unembarrassed, and walked over to her.
"This is for you," he murmured, holding out the flask he'd let her borrow on the ship. "I-It was my mother's. I want you to have it."
Kalysta gasped. "I can't accept this!"
He shook his head and forced it into her hands. "Just take it. The next few weeks are going to be difficult and... when you look at it I want you to remember that you're not alone in this. However it may seem, you're not alone." He finished and looked down at his empty hands.
Kalysta almost cried. They weren't saying goodbye, but they might as well have been. She grabbed him and pulled him to her for another kiss. No words could articulate how she felt about his gesture. She knew how important this was to him and she tried to express that in the kiss.
"Milady," Delia hissed.
Kalysta pulled away and fled out the door. Maybe if she moved quickly enough she could leave the tears and pain behind.
"Wait!" Delia called softly as they ascended the hill in the remaining darkness. "Stop running."
Kalysta only slowed a bit.
Delia hurried and kept pace with her, sighing. "I'm sorry, Milady."
"For what?"
"Slow down."
Kalysta did, giving up on fleeing her emotions.
"I'm sorry for what I insinuated about the man," Delia confessed. "I didn't realize the depth of... or the way..." Her voice drifted for a moment. "I almost can't be angry with you for jumping in bed with him the minute we left you alone. And I am sincere when I say how sorry I am. Perhaps in another time you could be together."
"And what good does that do us right now?" Kalysta snorted, her pain morphing into anger.
"Nothing; I know that." Delia was quiet then until they reached the rooms. "Just know that I understand and I'm sorry for your pain."
Kalysta sighed, getting back into her bed clothes. She could get a few more hours of sleep before she had to be up. Though, she wasn't sure how much sleep she would get.
"Good night, Milady," Delia whispered. "Try to rest."
Kalysta couldn't answer past the lump in her throat, so she simply turned over and let her pillow soak in the tears that had finally caught up with her.
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The morning came too soon. Everything in her was tempted to simply stay in bed and post-pone the meeting. Her heart hurt and she wanted to be alone.
Somehow, Delia was functional despite having as little sleep as Kalysta had. "It's time, Milady," she announced, moving about and setting Kalysta's clothing up. "It'd reflect poorly on you if you overslept today."
Kalysta scoffed derisively, but got out of bed to ready herself. There was no point in prolonging the inevitability of this meeting and what would be accomplished. She was saving her people from a sure destruction; she had to keep reminding herself of that.
When she sat in the council chambers she was soon joined by five of her advisors and her father. Studiously, she avoided looking at him. Her anger was in rare form that morning and speaking with him would only create more problems.
He sat down next to her and cleared his throat. "Kalysta, I want to take a moment to apologize," he said quietly. "I have not always done what is right in your eyes. But I want to thank you and commend you for your dedication to this country and our people. I regret that I haven't served them as well as I had hoped."
"Now is not the time, Father," she responded quietly. "We'll talk about it later." She couldn't manage anything else. His apology was coming much too late.
The doors opened and Zayn entered, joined by five people in his retinue, of which Louis was conspicuously absent. His face was harsh and angry. He took a minute to look at them all scornfully before sitting directly across from Kalysta.
She took his example and looked at him with all the hate she could muster. With the foul mood she was in, it wasn't much of a stretch.
"Ambassador, it's time we finalized this treaty," she opened. "I have fully recovered from my illness and I see nothing to hinder our negotiations from coming to a close today.
"Elysium is prepared to offer a diplomatic solution that benefits us both," she continued. "Upon my marrying your Prince Niall, he will become both my husband and the next in line to rule this country. However, I have some stipulations if you are agreeable to compromise."
Zayn scoffed and shook his head. "What need have I for compromise? The way your family has run this country is laughable. You need direction, which my brother and father can provide. What else needs discussing?"
"Elysium retains its sovereignty," Kalysta snapped unapologetically. "Prince Niall and King Murdoch may have input and sway in our political movements, but I will have the final word. Officially, Elysium will become a city-state, much as Bradford has. Provided that I have two sons, the first will be Prince Niall's heir to rule Mullingar and the second will be my heir, to rule Elysium. We all get what we want."
Zayn's eyes narrowed as he considered her words. She hadn't told him any of this beforehand because she wanted his reaction to be as genuine as possible. "And in the event your defective familial line comes through and you fail to produce two heirs? What then?"
It was blatantly rude. Never before had he said something cruel. It was Mullingar in his speech, but it drove her crazy regardless.
"In that case, I believe Elysium could be annexed into Mullingar. However, that would only be in the event of my death from natural causes, having failed to bear two sons." Saying that prevented their gaining Elysium through her death by questionable circumstances.
Zayn leaned back and smiled. It wasn't a grin of pleasure, but more a baring of his teeth. With these stipulations, Mullingar couldn't simply take over. Kalysta would have time to develop another plan while everyone waited to see if she was able to keep her side of the bargain. He wasn't pleased, at least his persona of the Ambassador wasn't pleased. She couldn't be sure how he felt personally.
"You are on shaky ground, Princess, but I think I can agree with these terms," he said. "Call in your scribes and we'll draft it. Remember, though, that none of this is valid until it has been signed by both my father and my brother. If they disagree upon the presentation of the treaty then new rules will have to be agreed upon."
"I sincerely hope they don't have issue with it, but in that event a new treaty can be drafted. I will personally travel to Mullingar with our ambassador, Duke Crothers, and we will extend this treaty." The Duke nodded, agreeing to the journey without being asked. "Any objections can be addressed at that time. Are you amenable to this?"
Again, Zayn narrowed his eyes and scrutinized them all. "It will do for now. When will you be leaving?"
"I will need several days to gather supplies and the proper retinue," she answered. "If you can agree to take us aboard your ships, the trip will be much faster. Otherwise, we will be traveling by land and we will arrive much later."
He was silent for some time as if considering the benefits of a speedy resolution with the idea of having a group of Elysians aboard his ship.
Kalysta hoped he would leave them to traveling on land. It would be dangerous to have her around his crew again. Any slip, any man acknowledging prior acquaintance with her and there would be too much suspicion to brush off.
"I need to consider some of these points further. I will bring you my decision tomorrow." He didn't ask questions or ask permission, he simply told her what would happen.
"Very well." Kalysta motioned to one of the guards standing by the door. "Please send for the scribes."
It was a simple matter to draft the proposal. They were a few tense moments caused by the points she had included in her stipulations, but overall the experience was relatively painless.
"I believe that concludes our negotiations for today," Kalysta expressed.
"Yes, indeed." Zayn stood. "I'll give you my decision tomorrow." With that, he turned and left, snubbing them by failing to bow or acknowledge their authority before his parting. When the last of his men had exited, Kalysta breathed a sigh of relief. That part was over at least.
"Milady, that was inspired!" one council member breathed. "If Murdoch agrees then we're in a much better position than we expected."
"Thank you," Kalysta acknowledge before turning to one of the council women. "Lady Elizabeth, I hope I have not offended you by stating Duke Crothers as our Ambassador. You rightfully hold that office and at any other time I would gladly recognize you, but in Mullingar they will be looking for things to hold against us. I felt it better to have Duke Crothers step in, but I failed to extend this to you prior to this meeting."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I understand completely. We are the ones at a disadvantage here, so anything that can help us I stand behind."
"We are finished for now, then, council. I believe we should meet again tonight, without the Mullingan troop, to discuss options for lessening Murdoch's authority after the marriage. Good day, and I will see you all this evening, around the eighteenth hour." She bowed stood and bowed.
Instead of waiting for their leave, she left first herself. She needed to be alone and she didn't want to speak with her father at the moment. Though she was saving her country, she couldn't help thinking that she'd just signed her life away.
A/N: Alright, how do you guys feel?? Let me know! Comment, vote, send me a message, anything you want!!
Love you all and all the love,
~Kari~