♜
flakes of thin snowflakes were melting on my red cheeks as we finally found some cover from the falling snow beneath some trees.
as he walked around the tree, i used the split second i had blocked from his views due to the tree to pick up a handful of snow. it didn't take me long to form a ball, pressing on its sides to harden it, before aiming at his nose and throwing when he showed up on the other side.
i froze, my mouth forming a shocked o, as i watched the snowball landing perfectly, coming into direct contact with his face. he wiped the remaining snow away with his glove, his eyes closed as he chuckled slowly.
"oh, mars," he says, and i can hear the authority ringing off his tone. i can feel my nerves rise as a reaction to his two words. he was powerful, could control me, even if it wasn't on purpose.
i took in a sharp breath as he made eye contact; "did you not listen to my story? i began my life here in the winter. i have the benefit out here,"
and suddenly, without even having to look in the direction of where he was directing his kick, he used his foot to hit the tree at his side, before taking a quick step forward. he grabbed the branch that jumped down as a follow from his kick, pulling it down as far as it would go before letting go.
it swiped up faster than my eyes could have followed if he had let my stare go, but he kept me locked and before i could react, snow fell from every level of the tree and covered me from top to toe. i barely had time to close my eyes before darkness swallowed me whole.
"you're kidding," i mumbled, accidentally eating some snow while speaking.
a muffled laughter could be heard on the outside, before he replied; "winter will always be my favourite season,"
"i prefer summer,"
"too bad you're stuck up here, then. winter never leaves, it just gets colder in the actual winter months."
my eyes widen, as i move as much as possible, breaking the snow walls keeping me in one place. i face mercer whom have walked up behind me while i was covered up, only able to speak the first thing that came to mind; "what?"
he simply shrugs, before suddenly raising his head, as if listening to the birds chirping. i raise my eyebrows, wondering what he is doing, before he seems glance around, this time searching for the birds.
"just handle it." he speaks out into the empty air.
i cock my head to the side; "i'm sorry?" i reply, despite being unsure if he was even speaking to me or not.
he looks back, holding out his hand for me to take. i frown, about to ask another question as he simply nods upwards; "take it, and be quiet." he lays an order, and i obey.
i take two steps towards him, placing my hand in his, and instantly, i hear it.
...moving it forward. we see storms like this every year, but most of our new recruits have never.
a voice speaks inside my head, and i am almost entirely sure i can clock it as belonging to one of mercer's nobles.
"just like the storms, we also see this issue every year, harry." mercer replies, as we both just stand there.
holding hands.
never collided with the festival of light, however. people are frightened, but losing our celebrations due to storms we are familiar with, most of us, anyway, is not an option, harry replies.
i could not understand what exactly this conversation was about, but quite obviously an issue involving the festival of lights and the storms that had kept foreigners trapped up here for days. wasn't the solution to wait it out and let them go home when it was safer?
"so, pushing forward the last day that was lost is seen as safe or even just smart amongst the people?" mercer replies, obviously against what they wanted.
had the last day been cancelled because of the storm? mercer, the king, should have been there on the last day, but as far as i could remember he had spend his days in the castle. but what did i know? i had lost the count of my days a while back.
riots are already beginning on some of the lowest towns, north. what do you need me to do?
the frustration is clear in harry's voice, and i almost feel bad listening to him. riots were starting? it sounded horrible.
"nothing. i'll be back in a few minutes." mercer sounded even more annoyed than he would get at me sometimes back in our old hometown. i had a guilty pleasure for biting his nose, mostly because it obviously annoyed him, but also because it hurt and was an easy solution to shutting him up. making him believe i was going in to kiss him, and before he could resist, i could hear him wimping.
i pulled at my hand to let go as my mind was filled back up with my own thoughts, harry's voice gone, but mercer kept it locked.
i looked up at him; "what was that?"
"mind-link," he widened his eyes as if he spoke of a secret that would determine the fate of the future, and it didn't take me long to recognise this certain mood of his. annoyed and stressed, and therefor; sarcastic and mean.
"do not treat me that way," i tell him harshly, not exactly missing that side of him from back then.
"in what way?" he asks, before pulling me forward, as we begin the walk back to the castle. this road is easier however, since we are following the tracks we made the other way, the first stretch the easiest since the tracks are wide from all the places where i gave up and laid down.
"that way where you get annoyed and stressed, so you become sarcastic and mean as a way to deal with it," i reply simply, as was it common knowledge.
"you remember too much," mercer sighs, and i smile, enjoying how defeated he currently looked.
back inside the castle, mercer hands his extra layers to a servant standing in the entry hall. the server turns towards me, taking the wet jacket and mittens i hand him with a smile. he bows to the both of us before leaving, probably to have the clothes washed and dried.
my hand is suddenly grabbed once again, and i frown at the sight of our hands entwined. inside the castle. for every curious eye to see.
i look at mercer, but he seems distracted. he pulls at my hand, and we walk down the halls, heading for the staircase.
"the dress you wore earlier," he begins, as we walk up the stairs. "did you choose it?"
"yes, i did." i tell him. "it is beautiful. almost worth all the complaining you are going to hear when i actually wear it to the ball."
"complaining is better than choking my servants," he says, still focused on leading the way.
my mouth opens, and i stare at him for a minute, almost loosing my footing on the stairs. he knew.
"how did you find out?" i ask, dumbfounded. did that little man go straight to the boss to tell on me?
suddenly, the king stops in his tracks. we barely reach the floor which stands between the two staircases, one leading down and one leading up before he comes to a halt. i have to stand on my tippy toes to pause at the speed he was pulling me before.
he turns around, looking at me. his hand slowly runs up the side of my body, making a slight shiver go up my spine. his fingers removes the hair i have resting on one of my shoulders before his fingers carefully caress the mark on the back of my neck.
"do you feel that?" he asks.
my mark heats up by his touch. it doesn't tickle, it feels soothing almost. a relaxing sensation spreads throughout my body, giving me a sense of false peace for a moment.
"you can do that do me as well. our marks, our bond, it connects us. i feel your pain, i feel your anger." he pauses. "i feel you."
it almost seems as if his eyes are melting into mine as they start to change colour into a light grey. i blink as my vision seems to sharp suddenly. a fold appears in my forehead as i wonder what is happening.
"in a sense, i can feed you my power. but just for a moment." he pulls his hand away instantly and i feel the release. almost like had i been suddenly left alone.
"oh." my tongue stumbles over the word.
i have no words. i am amazed by the invisible power we share. i feel it running through my veins, igniting my nervers, but it almost feels hidden. maybe that would be what washes over me in moments of anger like with the servant yesterday.
"so, i do feel it when you choke my servants, yes," he finishes off, eyes still focused deeply on me.
i nod along, a few steps behind in swallowing all of this.
once again, he grabs my hand but this time it feels different. my walls are down, only momentarily, but it allows me to truly feel what i have been trying to deny. i have been so focused on playing queen to make mercer believe i wished to stay and wasn't planning my escape, to see our bond.
his fingers in between my own, it creates a peace between us. my mind rests, my thoughts slow and i feel lighter. he has that affect on me, and i hope i have the same on him.