Thomas paces around his room wondering how this could have happened. He is loyal to King Arthur and had not killed the Prince of Amberridge.
Did someone frame me?
The door opens and Thomas looks up quickly, hoping King Arthur has changed his mind. Instead a servant girl comes in carrying a tray of food. She sets it on the table. Thomas turns away. He isn't hungry.
There is a touch on his arm. Thomas whirls, wrenching away from the hand. The servant frowns. "What are you doing?" Her hair is a brilliant gold and her face soft with beautiful curves that look somewhat familiar.
"Do I ...know you?" Thomas asks.
"Are you kidding me?" the servant says, a look of annoyance crossing her face. "Now did you kill the prince or not?"
"Of course I didn't."
"Then why did you say you did?"
"That, is none of your business," Thomas sets his jaw firmly.
"It is unless you want Cobalt in here," the servant replies. "He's beyond furious."
"Why would I care what the Cobalt Knight thinks? I am more concerned that my King thinks I betrayed him. Though I am unhappy with the way you are speaking to me."
"Prince?" the servant is looking at him more closely now.
"Leave, before I get more angry."
"Oh, Tales." The servant says. She turns and hurries to the door.
Thomas moves after her before he realizes he has moved, and pushes closed the half-open door.
The servant turns. "Listen-"
Thomas leans in closer, running a finger over her cheek. The servant closes her mouth immediately, but does not shrink away. She watches him with brilliant blue eyes. There's something about her that feels so familiar. "Who am I to you that you would speak to me like that?" He murmurs.
Her lips leap to his, as if they have been waiting for him a long time. The kiss grows deeper, more desperate as Thomas pulls her closer.
Why does this feel so right?
The servant loops an arm around his neck and pulls him tighter as heat rips through his body. Thomas pulls back from the kiss, unsure of what to do with the raging heat. He rests his forehead against the servant's. Her chest is heaving beneath him.
"Tabitha ..." the servant whispers.
The world shatters and Tabitha stumbles back, gasping for breath. She trips over the table as the room spins around her.
The tale. Oh, by the Fae, the tale.
Thoughts swirl though Tabitha's head. She tries to catch them, but they flit out of reach. She needs them, needs at least one. Any one.
"Focus on me," a voice cuts through the din.
Tabitha blinks. A face hangs in front of her with pinpricks of blue.
"Tabitha, focus on me." A name rises out of the cacophony of her mind.
"Wildrose," she says.
The face solidifies in front of her. Wildrose's blue eyes catch and hold her in the deep, calmness of the darkening sky. She is sitting on the floor, back against the couch, and Wildrose is kneeling in front of her.
"I ...I don't..." she gasps each word.
"Focus on breathing," he encourages. "Long exhales."
Tabitha takes some deep breaths, pushing them out shakily, but slowly. Wildrose holds the side of her neck and the warmth of his skin helps to ground her. Tabitha reaches forward and grips his shoulder as she continues to bring her breathing under control.
"I lost myself," Tabitha manages to say.
Wildrose leans closer. "You need to tell me what happened. Why do they think you killed the Prince of Amberridge?"
"The Morgana. She sent me down with some blankets. I only talked to him but ...I ...kissed the Morgana last night. I thought that's what the Arthur was accusing me of, so I confessed before I realized what was happening. And I couldn't shame her by telling the Arthur."
"Well it's not good news, but it's no worse than what we had."
Tabitha withdraws her hand. "You have to go."
Wildrose frowns. "I will not leave you like this."
"They'll be wondering what's taking you so long." She pushes down the desire to beg him to stay. She had caused this problem and she can get through it on her own. She refuses to acknowledge the feverish kiss. "Go tell Cobalt what happened," Tabitha says firmly.
Wildrose hesitates before he stands and nods, though there is a hard resistance in his eyes that Tabitha does not see. "You will be fine." He leaves.
Tabitha pulls her legs to her chest, buries her face in her knees, and holds herself.