Post by Aric Demarais on Jan 2, 2020 20:09:41 GMT -5
[ARIC]
His arms had been shaking, desperate to hear her speak, to see her eyes open. Her lips moved, her voice faint as she tried to tell him...to tell him something...perhaps the confession both of them had been holding onto for so long. "Alexandria?!" Aric's voice had echoed throughout the castle when she went limp just as the healer rushed into the room.
That had been hours ago. The old man worked feverishly to save their queen while Aric hovered around angry and nervous, snapping at Cassandra any time she tried to pull him away, to get him to rest. He had been worrying himself sick but had been too concerned about Alex to care about himself. It wasn't until Alexandria had been stitched up and transported to her chambers, the worst of it over (according to the healer), did he finally sit. But it was in a chair at her side so that he could be there when she woke up. Because she had to.
Yet, at some point during the night, he must have dozed off, remembering some sort of tea his cousin had brought him. He groaned groggily, his body stiff from the uncomfortable chair. It was morning now because the sun was rising over the horizon and peering through the curtains of Alexandria's room. He flinched before dark eyes found her pale face, nervously dropping to her chest to only let out a sigh of relief to see that she still breathed.
[ALEXANDRIA]
It must have been difficult to see the queen look so fragile and drained of life, as she had always held herself with such strength and stubbornness, her eyes always full of life and compassion, were hidden behind her eyelids that seemed they might never open.
But as the sun-brushed across her face, bathing her in the warmth, she began to stir but moaned in pain from her side. Her eyes still felt heavy and she wasn't sure she could open them just yet.
[ARIC]
He had risen from his seat to pour himself a glass of water. It was the only time in a while that he took his eyes from the queen, afraid that if he looked away she would pass on and leave him. It was such a foolish, desperate idea, even after the healer said that he was certain she would pull through. She would just need to rest and regain her strength. A side wound was no laughing matter, something in which Aric could undoubtedly relate to. Upon his own injury weeks back, he nearly caused more problems for himself by not resting. Now it was just another ugly scar to add to his collection.
Hearing the gentle rustle of sheets and groan of discomfort, the glass was almost dropped from his hand as he turned back around to her. Suddenly very awake now, he fell to his knee at the side of her bed, taking up one of her small hands. "Alexandria?" Was she waking up, or was he truly still half asleep and was simply dreaming this?
[ALEXANDRIA]
She laid there, feeling stiff, sore and her side throbbing in pain. It left her feeling disoriented and confused. Where was she? Then she felt the bed shift slightly as Aric leaned on it, taking her hand. Eyes slowly opened, squinting from the bright sunlight. She could only see his outline as the sun-washed away his features from her sight. But she heard his voice call out her name and she knew it was him. Her fingers moved only slightly within his hand, as if she were trying to grasp his hand but didn't yet have enough strength to do even that. She coughed suddenly, before groaning again in pain, and she tried to curl herself up to try and alleviate whatever pain she could. "Aric..?" Her voice cracked out in nothing more than a whisper.
[ARIC]
He was sighing in relief again when she became a little more alert. He was now cupping her hand in both of his, drawing it to his lips to brush gentle kisses along her knuckles. Aric didn't realize the tears were in his eyes until then, softly obscuring her face. "Yes, I'm here," he told her, his voice groggy from sleep. He reached over with his other hand to urge her to relax and remain laying down before it drifted so that he could brush the dark strands away from her face. "I know it hurts, but you need to remain still. I can go get the healer." Perhaps he would have something to help her with the pain, and yet, the last thing Aric wanted to do was move from that very spot.
[ALEXANDRIA]
With Aric's urging her to lay still, she relaxed back into the bed. Her eyes fully opening as she adjusted to the light. She looked at him, then, somewhat confused at first, but then she saw that she was in her own room. She remembered the night and how it all had unfolded into the nightmare, and she remembered Orin had fallen, wounded. She gasped with slight panic. "Orin...?" She tried to shift to better see him but stopped herself as the pain shot through her torso, causing her to groan again. She nearly started crying from the pain, but she relaxed back into the bed again. "Is everyone alright?"
[ARIC]
"He's fine," he quickly assured her. "He'll have a nice battle scar, but he'll be fine." Aric's smile was a faint one, as though trying to lighten the mood yet knowing that would be impossible. He rose up just enough so that he could sit at the edge of her bed, trying to keep her from shifting too much. "The others are fine as well." Mostly everyone. There were many lives lost last night that he couldn't bring himself to let her know. Deep down, she must have known already. Some guards and servants died for those men to take over the castle. Then his expression grew dark and his voice lowered dangerously again, "He's denied it all, but my brother is in custody." It was one of the last things he wanted to talk about now, but she needed to know...because he needed to know what else he could do to get her to understand that he hadn't betrayed her. That he never would.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Her eyes followed him as he moved to sit on the edge of her bed. She nodded when he assured her that everyone was okay. But when he mentioned his brother, she felt that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. If it had been Edward that did all of this, she wasn't sure what this would mean for them now.
She fell silent for a moment as she processed everything in her own head, remembering the night. The argument, her kingdom being offered up by Aric, and the attack, almost instantly after Edward had questioned about what would happen if she died. Was it coincidental, or had he actually planned this whole thing? She just started crying, tears streaming down her face. "Please... I don't want you to see me like this... "
[ARIC]
Would he welcome here anymore? It was a wonder he had been allowed to be there with her now after everything that had happened. Aric had clearly sided with the Aralorens, but even still. He feared that he would be looked upon with disdain, far worse than he had been when he arrived in Aralore all those months ago.
Her tears startled him, even more so her words. He feared her dismissal of any kind. "No, please don't," he said gently, maybe he was even begging her. "Do not send me away just yet. To see you awake and breathing is the only thing keeping me sane." But he would go if she begged it of him, even if it would tear him apart to do so. Aric wanted to tell her everything, to beg for her forgiveness, but he also did not wish to overwhelm her after such an ordeal.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She turned her gaze from him and buried her face into her pillow, crying more. It all hurt right now. Physically from her wounds, and emotionally as she re-encountered the evening. But he was begging her to stay, and she honestly did not want him to leave her side. She didn't want to be left alone. But she couldn't bear him seeing her this weak and fragile. For him to know that she was capable of being weak. She pulled her face away from the pillow, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so scared, Aric.." Scared of what? She didn't say. Perhaps it was everything at that moment.
[ARIC]
He was torn between comforting her and stepping away. Avoiding her for all of these weeks, for neglecting every feeling that plagued him, he knew he couldn't ignore it anymore. The queen was in desperate need of comfort, of support, and he wanted to be the one to offer it. As selfish of a thought as that may be.
"Of what?" he asked the inevitable question so quietly. It could be anything, but his mind immediately went back to last evening, when he had made that foolish promise to his brother and unfortunately backed Alexandria into a corner. Wiping her tears with his thumb, he couldn't hide the guilt and sadness from his eyes. "I will not let him have Aralore. I will not subject you to this alliance or union. What I said last night..." He didn't wish to repeat it nor did he know where to begin to apologize.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Part of her was relieved that he didn't move to leave. The other part hated that he was seeing her this way. Trapped in bed, weakened and barely able to move. She felt somewhat embarrassed and ashamed of herself. She looked back at him as he wiped away her tears, noticing that guilt and sadness his own eyes held. She listened to him as he attempted to make his apology for what had happened before the attack. How he made her feel as if he used her, tricked her... betrayed her and broke her heart, causing her to crumble in that one moment. She started to cry again. "How could you do that to me? I trusted you...I... " She looked at him questioningly. "How will you fix this now? How are you going to prevent him from taking Aralore?"
[ARIC]
And there it was. Those questions he anticipated. They were enough to have him draw back slowly, shamefully, hurt by the betrayal he saw in her eyes. Tiredly he got to his feet but dare not move another inch. "I had no other choice," he breathed tiredly. "Edward would have withdrawn unless he got what he wanted...I chose the lesser of two evils." Then, he was down on his knee again beside her, more at her level or perhaps even lower. Aric wanted to reach for her hand but was afraid she would pull it away from him. "After all of this, he has no power in this matter, Alexandria. You have the upper hand." All say he should die for this, but to kill a king would bring on a war that Aralore could not handle currently. "Make him change the terms. Send him away, keep him here. Send me away, whatever it takes...just don't accept this new alliance. Do not give him that power again." Dark eyes watched her face, wondering if she would, indeed, send him away. It would be better than losing her home to a tyrant. "You have the authority." Even injured in bed, she had more power over the situation than she thought.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She thought he might walk away from her as he stood. But then he was kneeling down beside her. She turned her face to watch him as he spoke, counseling her on what she should or could do. But Alexandria didn't fully understand. "How?" She looked at him with a puzzled and pained expression. "He wants to overpower me. How do I stop that? How do I change his mind? How do I take control over all this?" She was getting worked up and it caused her to wince in pain, forcing her to lay back down, as she had started to pull herself up as she questioned Aric. "Please tell me this was not your plan the whole time... to make me gain your trust. To make me fall in lo--...." She paused, hesitating to finish her sentence. She wanted so badly to believe him...to trust him. Why was he counseling her on not accepting the alliance if this had been his plan? Deep down she knew Aric's purpose, but he had caught her so off guard...and Edward twisted things around to make it seem that it had been their plan all along. She did not want to believe that.
[ARIC]
Maybe he should walk away. He didn't know what to do to get her to realize that he had nothing to do with his brother's madness. Even with her tears, her words were beginning to upset him in another sense. It was angering him, which only made his frustration with Edward worse. This was all his fault. Aric finally had something of his own, something he could be proud of, a woman who managed to heal a heart he thought was forever broken...and his brother spat on it like it was nothing. To have Alexandria blatantly compare him to Edward in so few words was making him withdraw back into his cold darkness.
"Is that...what you think of me?" he finally asked, after taking another backward step. "Do you think I'm truly capable?" It was a blow to not only his pride but his heart. "Of course it wasn't my plan!" Now he was yelling, both in anger and frustration. "I didn't even plan to care about you!"
Shaking his head, his jaws clenched tightly as he tried to push on from it, struggling with where to direct his emotions. If she wanted to believe he was a heartless monster, then that was her choice. That still didn't mean he wanted to see her crumble beneath Tresteria's boot. Aric looked at her in surprise; surprised that she didn't see the way out of this. "How do you stop it?" he repeated her question. "Alexandria, my brother is locked up. He just tried to kill you. What makes you believe that you should be honoring anything he puts before you? You have the option to spare his life, which you had already done hours ago. You have the high ground."
[ALEXANDRIA]
Aric was backing away from her with that hurt expression on his face. She watched him, tears still streaming down her face. But when he started yelling, she, out of habit, tried to sit up to go and try and calm him. But that pain shot through her, causing her to gasp in pain and fall hard back down onto the bed. She clutched onto her pillow, crying into it for a moment to muffle the scream of pain that came out of her. When she pulled the pillow away from her face, she was sobbing, her breath nearly failing her. She tried several times to speak to him in response, but each time she tried to breathe in, that shock of pain ran through her torso. A stitch had opened up from her quick unthoughtful attempt to sit up, and blood was suddenly soaking up the sheets that covered her, though she had not noticed yet.
"Aric, please!" She managed to yell out. Her face displayed both pain and desperation to say something, but he was yelling at her, and she couldn't breathe.
[ARIC]
He tried to stop and calm down, but it was too much. Everything was becoming too much. It was never-ending, and he didn't know how to fix it any of it. A hand ran down his face as if that would wipe away all the frustration before he heard her call out. It sounded wrong, and it was enough to get him to quickly look over to her and see that she was clearly in pain. Instinct brought him back to her side where he spotted the splotch of red on the sheets. "Alexandria?" he murmured before gently pulling the blanket away. The blood was soaking through her nightdress.
Aric was swiftly turning around and rushing towards the door, flinging it open to frantically speak to the guards, "Her Majesty needs the healer! Now!" The man nodded and was instantly running off, allowing Aric to return to Alexandria with that guilt all over his face again.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She cried in pain, in frustration and hurt as Aric rushed off to call for a healer. When he was back at her side, she reached out for his hand and tried to speak through her sobs. It was clear to her that Aric was not like his brother, simply by the way he was acting now as she questioned him. She was not trying to accuse him, she just wanted answers. Wanted clarification. "Aric... I..." She fought through her pain to talk. "I don't think that of you... Not at all..." She squeezed his hand tightly, as if the tighter she squeezed, her pain would ease up. But it did not. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way... I did not mean to. I am just so scared... So confused... Everything just spun out of control so quickly…”
[ARIC]
Gritting his teeth, he was silently reprimanding himself for losing control. Perhaps it was warranted, but he shouldn't have done it. Not right now, not right after she had woken up, whether she had unintentionally hurt him or not. His mind was all a jumbled mess, but when she reached out for his hand, he was instantly at her side without question, seating himself at the edge of the bed. "Just relax," he tried to tell her while she struggled to explain. He was shaking his head because she wasn't the only one that needed to apologize. "Please, just relax." Leaning forward, he was brushing the hair from her face again. "I messed up," he whispered in reply. "But I feel like it was the only chance I had to keep you all safe, at least for a while." One step at a time. All this political crap was never solved in a single night. She should know this. "I've never wanted Aralore; you know I've never wanted any of this." He paused, brow furrowing as he contemplated his next words, not as afraid to admit anything as much anymore. "But there is nowhere else I want to be. I will gladly give up this crown if it means I can stand beside you. Just a man, completely devoted."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She tried to relax at Aric's plea, but she shook her head. She just couldn't. Her eyes searched his as he spoke to her now. Each time he admitted to her that he never wanted Aralore or any of this, it tugged at her heart. She wanted him to be happy here, to want to be her husband. And she wasn't sure if he still felt that way or not. But then he spoke, admitting to her that he would give up the crown and stand beside herm completely devoted. She laid there in silence, staring at him, then. Her fingers weaved their way into his own, and she lightly squeezed his hand. "Aric... I..." She hesitated, the pain still causing her to struggle to speak, but she forced her way through it. "I... tried so hard..." She started to choke up tears again, afraid to say what she really wanted to say. But she forced herself to, no longer wanting to hide or hold secrets. He needed to know. He needed to know how she felt. So he would know she did not think of him as a tyrant. "...Not to fall in love with you... But you have made it so incredibly difficult..." She looked away from him, embarrassed then to have admitted. Afraid that he did not feel the same and would see her as a foolish girl.
[ARIC]
Perhaps she was only foolish because she was completely oblivious to how he felt. Or maybe he hadn't been obvious enough. He watched her face as she struggled to speak, admiring the strength he still saw in those eyes, a strength she couldn't see herself. His thumb was there to catch every tear again, listening patiently to her tell him what he- somehow deep down- already knew.
She confessed how difficult it was to avoid her feelings...and he was about to prove just how truly and incredibly difficult it would remain. Fingers were grasping her chin to turn her face back towards him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. For Tresteria, for this alliance, for the pain she had to endure both physically and emotionally through it all. For the discomfort he might cause her as he leaned forward to finally claim her lips in a kiss that was long overdue. A kiss that was both passionate and yet gentle, daring to take her breath away.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Perhaps she had been oblivious, or maybe it was just that she was afraid to know the truth, so she lied to herself, not believing what she wanted to. It perhaps needed to be spelled out to her. She felt his fingers on her face again, wiping away her tears. He pulled her glance towards his, and she was suddenly afraid to look at him. Would he have a look of disgust? A look of amusement as she had just made herself look like a complete fool? But instead, she was greeted with those soft, caring eyes that as he looked at her that way, it caused her heart to skip a few beats. But he was apologizing. And she looked at him questioning his apology. But before she could say anything, he was leaning in, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss that dared twice before but never succeeded. She instantly brought one of her hands to his face, holding it there as she kissed him back, passionately, instantly forgetting of her wound. She clutched to him with her other hand, pulling him closer as she allowed that kiss to linger. But as she moved, that shock of pain filled her body and she winced under his lips, though she did not pull away.
It was then that the door of her chambers opened, quickly, the healer rushing in to see what he was being called in for. But when he saw Aric leaned over the queen, kissing her, he stopped suddenly, clearing his throat to try and get their attention. "Uhh... Excuse me?"
[ARIC]
He sighed in relief against her lips, feeling her return it with as much adoration and intensity that he shared. Aric had wondered if it had been fate toying with him those last couple of attempts; those times neither had planned for it to ever get that close. Whatever the case, he no longer cared. He no longer cared about anything else besides her at that very moment. Fingers trailed up to filter into ebon strands of hair as she dared to pull him closer, fighting through the pain that wound at her side gave. It was almost enough to get him to stop and draw back...yet the thing that did was the voice somewhere behind him.
This must be a world record, but at least the interruption came a few seconds too late this time. Hesitantly now, Aric broke the kiss to draw back just enough to see her face; amusement glinting in his dark eyes at this strange, horrible luck they seemed to have. At least there was no longer this tightness around his heart anymore.
It was his turn to clear his throat after he stood up straight, and regarded the healer. "She- Her Majesty- tore her stitches." Wow, this was awkward, because the man was probably assuming the wrong thing now.
[ALEXANDRIA]
When his lips parted from hers, she was trying to catch her breath. Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest and her once pale face was filled with reddened cheeks. Her eyes opened to catch Aric's looking down at her with that amusement. Once again, they were interrupted, though at least this time it did not prevent their kiss. She regretfully let go of his hand as he stood and explained to the healer what had happened. The healer regarded Aric, wondering if he had caused the stitches to break. He moved towards the bed, nearly pushing Aric out of the way before he sat beside the queen, lifting the fabrics of her gown to expose her wound. He cleaned the blood up and quickly stitched the wound up before rebandaging her. He was silent the whole time, in an awkwardness that he was perhaps uncomfortable for disrupting. Once he was done, he slowly stood and cleared his throat. "Your majesty. You need to rest... Stay as still as possible." He bowed, cleaning his things up before he turned to Aric and gave him a look of warning. Without another word, he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Alexandria, too, felt awkward then as the silence lingered around the room. She laid there silently, shutting her eyes as she waited for this moment to end. She could still feel Aric's kiss on her lips.
When the healer left and they were alone again, Alexandria burst into laughter, but suddenly stopped, wincing in pain.
[ARIC]
The healer wasn't the only silent one. As the man took care of the queen, Aric stood aside out of the way, his back ramrod straight with his hands clasped behind his back. Those eyes were downcast, and he was struggling to hide an array of emotions from his face. Of course, he didn't like to see her in pain, but his amusement won out when the healer gave him that very pointed stare of warning. He managed to keep the laughter at bay until the queen herself lost it. Hers was a bit more short-lived, though, and it brought him back to her side. The wound would be sore for a while, he knew, but at least she was smiling. "Alright, I feel like I have done enough damage for one day," he said, trying to make light of everything. "You should get some rest." He'd help her figure out everything else when she was better.
[ALEXANDRIA]
When he was back at her side, she smiled softly. But it sounded like he was about to leave her alone. She looked at him, he was still in the same clothes he wore to the banquet, presumably her blood staining him. He looked exhausted himself. She reached for his hand again. "Have you gotten any sleep, Aric?" Her eyes showed concern for him. She tried to shift herself but found herself unable and she groaned again. "Can you help me?" She hated laying on her back, it was uncomfortable and made her sorer. She kept trying to shift onto her good side, but then pain prevented her from moving at all. "I'm so uncomfortable on my back right now..." she explained.
[ARIC]
At her question, he glanced down at himself and realized he hadn't changed out of those banquet clothes. His jacket had been left behind, but the white shirt he still currently wore was stained red, and he wasn't sure if it was more than just the queen's blood. Dark eyes drifted towards the end table where a cup rested and he chuckled lowly, "Cassandra drugged me at some point, so I must have very briefly." But, it may have been clear, that he hadn't left this room for most of the night.
With her request, Aric was quick to aid her in shifting onto her uninjured side. "Is that alright? Can I get you anything?" All of a sudden, he wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to remain there if it meant that she wouldn't rest, even if he would still be slightly worried to part from her.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She slowly and painfully moved onto her side with Aric's help before she settled back down, one hand tucking underneath her pillow. She nodded, offering Aric a brief smile. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling a little awkward now, not knowing what to say to him. "Can I have some water?" She finally asked, breaking the brief silence between them, though she was not sure how she would be able to drink it lying down. But her throat hurt and felt so dry. She was undoubtedly dehydrated. She could tell he was at a loss of what to do, so she questioned him, "Do you need to leave?" She selfishly hoped he would say no, but she was sure he would need to get some rest, too. Had he been with her all night?
[ARIC]
A frown set onto his lips, because he knew what she was going through. One didn't realize how many muscles you used, how many nerves resided in your side until you were trying to move. It would take a while, but the healer assured the worst was over. Other problems were awaiting her for later.
He probably should go and rest. Now that she was alert, now that he knew his heart wasn't insane or would be in constant denial, he might be able to sleep. Even if it was for a short while. However, after getting her some water, her next question brought him up short. "No," he answered. "I don't have to." So, he settled back down in that chair he had been in before.
[ALEXANDRIA]
It wouldn't take long before the queen would become restless. She was not used to being stuck in a bed and unable to move. Though for now, she felt exhausted and in pain. She watched as Aric settled back into the chair and she reached her hand out to him. "You don't have to stay... if you don't want to." She was certain he was probably getting sick of being in her room by now, after staying with her all night. "You have been here all night, haven't you?"
[ARIC]
It wasn't the most comfortable chair, but it was worth it. He had worried she would never wish to see him again. Now that he was proven wrong, he didn't care if he had to sleep another whole day in that chair. So, he smiled tiredly but genuinely at her, leaning his head back. "I have," he answered her. "And I'll be here for as long as you need me to."
[ALEXANDRIA]
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sure you have been bored out of your mind, watching me sleep..." She smiled at him, taking hold of his hand and squeezing it. "Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" A question she had asked him previously that nearly led to a kiss. She sighed softly, her mind suddenly turning to the attack again. She wondered if Edward had planned this, why didn’t his men listen to him when he demanded them to step down. Perhaps he was acting? She did not know. But she realized she had a whole mess to deal with, and she wasn't sure how much she would be able to do while lying in bed. "Thank you for saving my life..." She remembered how he had attacked the man who held the knife to her throat. The sound of Aric cracking the man's skull against the floor resonated in her mind still. He not only saved her life but probably all of Aralore's, too.
[ARIC]
"You have nothing to apologize for," Aric replied almost immediately, his head still back with his eyes towards the ceiling. Although the room had brightened with the morning sun, his body was still too exhausted to take on the day. When she took his hand, he was turning his head to look at her. "Of course." Yes, he remembered the last time she had asked that question, but things were a little different now, weren't they? His expression sobered from her gratitude because he was suddenly remembering the horror of just hours ago. "I was afraid I was too late," he confessed quietly.
[ALEXANDRIA]
"That must have been horribly frightening." She could only imagine how she would have felt if it had been Aric in her place. "It's my fault... Why Orin was hurt. And I was trying to help him...and thought the man on the floor was dead... I was caught off guard." She was starting to get upset again as she continued to think about the night. All those men who died trying to save them. How horribly outnumbered they were. She wished she had answers already. She didn't want to be lying in this bed. As all the thoughts ran through her mind, she couldn't help but start crying again. "I feel I will always have someone after me, wanting to kill me... Are you sure you want to stay with me?"
[ARIC]
She really needed to sleep. Her thoughts were running rampant and it wasn't helping her. Alexandria kept going on and on, and he found himself drifting closer again before rounding to the other side of the bed. He wasn't worrying about priority, because it didn't involve any of that right now. He slid into the bed behind her, gently cradling her back against him. "It won't always be like this. It won't," he tried to soothe. "And nothing is your fault, Alexandria. You are the queen, and everyone loves you enough to protect you with their lives."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She felt Aric climb into the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax against him. The warmth of his body against her was soothing. She listened to his voice and reached to take his hand into hers, pulling it closer around her and against her chest. "But it has been this way, since I was a young girl, Aric. There is so much destruction that surrounds me... I cannot rid of it. I did not want to love you because I don't want to lose you, too..." She choked back her tears and squeezed his hand again. "It's not fair for people to have to lose their lives to save mine..."
[ARIC]
When she allowed his presence behind her, he relaxed and rested his head upon the pillow. He could feel how she tried not to cry or sob, and he sighed gently. "It is the life of royalty," he explained. "And it's never easy, but it can get better. You just can't give up. It's a heavy burden- a crown." He lightly nuzzled his face into her hair. "But I'm right here, Alex, and I'm not leaving unless you tell me to. Orin is fine. Your people are strong and believe in you. We'll get through this."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She wished she could turn around to face him, then, to look into his eyes. But the wound on her side prevented her. So she, instead, gave his hand another squeeze, pulling it closer against her. She nodded against her pillow. "Thank you for being here... For believing in me... For not giving up on me." She thought about all the times they avoided each other, worried he wanted nothing to do with her. But she had been wrong. All this time they had wasted in their fear... "Sleep here with me?" She knew Aric needed to rest, as did she.
[ARIC]
Now that he was lying down, the exhaustion he was feeling seemed to double, and he worried he might fall asleep before she did. "I'll never give up on you," he murmured. Aric didn't want to leave her alone to her worrisome thoughts, so he fought sleep off for a little longer. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, it was his turn to give her hand a squeeze. "Gladly," he told her.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She fell silent then, focusing on the sound of his breath against her ear, the warmth of his body next to hers. It brought her peace and relief for the first time in a long time. Her own exhaustion began to set in, then, and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
His arms had been shaking, desperate to hear her speak, to see her eyes open. Her lips moved, her voice faint as she tried to tell him...to tell him something...perhaps the confession both of them had been holding onto for so long. "Alexandria?!" Aric's voice had echoed throughout the castle when she went limp just as the healer rushed into the room.
That had been hours ago. The old man worked feverishly to save their queen while Aric hovered around angry and nervous, snapping at Cassandra any time she tried to pull him away, to get him to rest. He had been worrying himself sick but had been too concerned about Alex to care about himself. It wasn't until Alexandria had been stitched up and transported to her chambers, the worst of it over (according to the healer), did he finally sit. But it was in a chair at her side so that he could be there when she woke up. Because she had to.
Yet, at some point during the night, he must have dozed off, remembering some sort of tea his cousin had brought him. He groaned groggily, his body stiff from the uncomfortable chair. It was morning now because the sun was rising over the horizon and peering through the curtains of Alexandria's room. He flinched before dark eyes found her pale face, nervously dropping to her chest to only let out a sigh of relief to see that she still breathed.
[ALEXANDRIA]
It must have been difficult to see the queen look so fragile and drained of life, as she had always held herself with such strength and stubbornness, her eyes always full of life and compassion, were hidden behind her eyelids that seemed they might never open.
But as the sun-brushed across her face, bathing her in the warmth, she began to stir but moaned in pain from her side. Her eyes still felt heavy and she wasn't sure she could open them just yet.
[ARIC]
He had risen from his seat to pour himself a glass of water. It was the only time in a while that he took his eyes from the queen, afraid that if he looked away she would pass on and leave him. It was such a foolish, desperate idea, even after the healer said that he was certain she would pull through. She would just need to rest and regain her strength. A side wound was no laughing matter, something in which Aric could undoubtedly relate to. Upon his own injury weeks back, he nearly caused more problems for himself by not resting. Now it was just another ugly scar to add to his collection.
Hearing the gentle rustle of sheets and groan of discomfort, the glass was almost dropped from his hand as he turned back around to her. Suddenly very awake now, he fell to his knee at the side of her bed, taking up one of her small hands. "Alexandria?" Was she waking up, or was he truly still half asleep and was simply dreaming this?
[ALEXANDRIA]
She laid there, feeling stiff, sore and her side throbbing in pain. It left her feeling disoriented and confused. Where was she? Then she felt the bed shift slightly as Aric leaned on it, taking her hand. Eyes slowly opened, squinting from the bright sunlight. She could only see his outline as the sun-washed away his features from her sight. But she heard his voice call out her name and she knew it was him. Her fingers moved only slightly within his hand, as if she were trying to grasp his hand but didn't yet have enough strength to do even that. She coughed suddenly, before groaning again in pain, and she tried to curl herself up to try and alleviate whatever pain she could. "Aric..?" Her voice cracked out in nothing more than a whisper.
[ARIC]
He was sighing in relief again when she became a little more alert. He was now cupping her hand in both of his, drawing it to his lips to brush gentle kisses along her knuckles. Aric didn't realize the tears were in his eyes until then, softly obscuring her face. "Yes, I'm here," he told her, his voice groggy from sleep. He reached over with his other hand to urge her to relax and remain laying down before it drifted so that he could brush the dark strands away from her face. "I know it hurts, but you need to remain still. I can go get the healer." Perhaps he would have something to help her with the pain, and yet, the last thing Aric wanted to do was move from that very spot.
[ALEXANDRIA]
With Aric's urging her to lay still, she relaxed back into the bed. Her eyes fully opening as she adjusted to the light. She looked at him, then, somewhat confused at first, but then she saw that she was in her own room. She remembered the night and how it all had unfolded into the nightmare, and she remembered Orin had fallen, wounded. She gasped with slight panic. "Orin...?" She tried to shift to better see him but stopped herself as the pain shot through her torso, causing her to groan again. She nearly started crying from the pain, but she relaxed back into the bed again. "Is everyone alright?"
[ARIC]
"He's fine," he quickly assured her. "He'll have a nice battle scar, but he'll be fine." Aric's smile was a faint one, as though trying to lighten the mood yet knowing that would be impossible. He rose up just enough so that he could sit at the edge of her bed, trying to keep her from shifting too much. "The others are fine as well." Mostly everyone. There were many lives lost last night that he couldn't bring himself to let her know. Deep down, she must have known already. Some guards and servants died for those men to take over the castle. Then his expression grew dark and his voice lowered dangerously again, "He's denied it all, but my brother is in custody." It was one of the last things he wanted to talk about now, but she needed to know...because he needed to know what else he could do to get her to understand that he hadn't betrayed her. That he never would.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Her eyes followed him as he moved to sit on the edge of her bed. She nodded when he assured her that everyone was okay. But when he mentioned his brother, she felt that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. If it had been Edward that did all of this, she wasn't sure what this would mean for them now.
She fell silent for a moment as she processed everything in her own head, remembering the night. The argument, her kingdom being offered up by Aric, and the attack, almost instantly after Edward had questioned about what would happen if she died. Was it coincidental, or had he actually planned this whole thing? She just started crying, tears streaming down her face. "Please... I don't want you to see me like this... "
[ARIC]
Would he welcome here anymore? It was a wonder he had been allowed to be there with her now after everything that had happened. Aric had clearly sided with the Aralorens, but even still. He feared that he would be looked upon with disdain, far worse than he had been when he arrived in Aralore all those months ago.
Her tears startled him, even more so her words. He feared her dismissal of any kind. "No, please don't," he said gently, maybe he was even begging her. "Do not send me away just yet. To see you awake and breathing is the only thing keeping me sane." But he would go if she begged it of him, even if it would tear him apart to do so. Aric wanted to tell her everything, to beg for her forgiveness, but he also did not wish to overwhelm her after such an ordeal.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She turned her gaze from him and buried her face into her pillow, crying more. It all hurt right now. Physically from her wounds, and emotionally as she re-encountered the evening. But he was begging her to stay, and she honestly did not want him to leave her side. She didn't want to be left alone. But she couldn't bear him seeing her this weak and fragile. For him to know that she was capable of being weak. She pulled her face away from the pillow, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so scared, Aric.." Scared of what? She didn't say. Perhaps it was everything at that moment.
[ARIC]
He was torn between comforting her and stepping away. Avoiding her for all of these weeks, for neglecting every feeling that plagued him, he knew he couldn't ignore it anymore. The queen was in desperate need of comfort, of support, and he wanted to be the one to offer it. As selfish of a thought as that may be.
"Of what?" he asked the inevitable question so quietly. It could be anything, but his mind immediately went back to last evening, when he had made that foolish promise to his brother and unfortunately backed Alexandria into a corner. Wiping her tears with his thumb, he couldn't hide the guilt and sadness from his eyes. "I will not let him have Aralore. I will not subject you to this alliance or union. What I said last night..." He didn't wish to repeat it nor did he know where to begin to apologize.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Part of her was relieved that he didn't move to leave. The other part hated that he was seeing her this way. Trapped in bed, weakened and barely able to move. She felt somewhat embarrassed and ashamed of herself. She looked back at him as he wiped away her tears, noticing that guilt and sadness his own eyes held. She listened to him as he attempted to make his apology for what had happened before the attack. How he made her feel as if he used her, tricked her... betrayed her and broke her heart, causing her to crumble in that one moment. She started to cry again. "How could you do that to me? I trusted you...I... " She looked at him questioningly. "How will you fix this now? How are you going to prevent him from taking Aralore?"
[ARIC]
And there it was. Those questions he anticipated. They were enough to have him draw back slowly, shamefully, hurt by the betrayal he saw in her eyes. Tiredly he got to his feet but dare not move another inch. "I had no other choice," he breathed tiredly. "Edward would have withdrawn unless he got what he wanted...I chose the lesser of two evils." Then, he was down on his knee again beside her, more at her level or perhaps even lower. Aric wanted to reach for her hand but was afraid she would pull it away from him. "After all of this, he has no power in this matter, Alexandria. You have the upper hand." All say he should die for this, but to kill a king would bring on a war that Aralore could not handle currently. "Make him change the terms. Send him away, keep him here. Send me away, whatever it takes...just don't accept this new alliance. Do not give him that power again." Dark eyes watched her face, wondering if she would, indeed, send him away. It would be better than losing her home to a tyrant. "You have the authority." Even injured in bed, she had more power over the situation than she thought.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She thought he might walk away from her as he stood. But then he was kneeling down beside her. She turned her face to watch him as he spoke, counseling her on what she should or could do. But Alexandria didn't fully understand. "How?" She looked at him with a puzzled and pained expression. "He wants to overpower me. How do I stop that? How do I change his mind? How do I take control over all this?" She was getting worked up and it caused her to wince in pain, forcing her to lay back down, as she had started to pull herself up as she questioned Aric. "Please tell me this was not your plan the whole time... to make me gain your trust. To make me fall in lo--...." She paused, hesitating to finish her sentence. She wanted so badly to believe him...to trust him. Why was he counseling her on not accepting the alliance if this had been his plan? Deep down she knew Aric's purpose, but he had caught her so off guard...and Edward twisted things around to make it seem that it had been their plan all along. She did not want to believe that.
[ARIC]
Maybe he should walk away. He didn't know what to do to get her to realize that he had nothing to do with his brother's madness. Even with her tears, her words were beginning to upset him in another sense. It was angering him, which only made his frustration with Edward worse. This was all his fault. Aric finally had something of his own, something he could be proud of, a woman who managed to heal a heart he thought was forever broken...and his brother spat on it like it was nothing. To have Alexandria blatantly compare him to Edward in so few words was making him withdraw back into his cold darkness.
"Is that...what you think of me?" he finally asked, after taking another backward step. "Do you think I'm truly capable?" It was a blow to not only his pride but his heart. "Of course it wasn't my plan!" Now he was yelling, both in anger and frustration. "I didn't even plan to care about you!"
Shaking his head, his jaws clenched tightly as he tried to push on from it, struggling with where to direct his emotions. If she wanted to believe he was a heartless monster, then that was her choice. That still didn't mean he wanted to see her crumble beneath Tresteria's boot. Aric looked at her in surprise; surprised that she didn't see the way out of this. "How do you stop it?" he repeated her question. "Alexandria, my brother is locked up. He just tried to kill you. What makes you believe that you should be honoring anything he puts before you? You have the option to spare his life, which you had already done hours ago. You have the high ground."
[ALEXANDRIA]
Aric was backing away from her with that hurt expression on his face. She watched him, tears still streaming down her face. But when he started yelling, she, out of habit, tried to sit up to go and try and calm him. But that pain shot through her, causing her to gasp in pain and fall hard back down onto the bed. She clutched onto her pillow, crying into it for a moment to muffle the scream of pain that came out of her. When she pulled the pillow away from her face, she was sobbing, her breath nearly failing her. She tried several times to speak to him in response, but each time she tried to breathe in, that shock of pain ran through her torso. A stitch had opened up from her quick unthoughtful attempt to sit up, and blood was suddenly soaking up the sheets that covered her, though she had not noticed yet.
"Aric, please!" She managed to yell out. Her face displayed both pain and desperation to say something, but he was yelling at her, and she couldn't breathe.
[ARIC]
He tried to stop and calm down, but it was too much. Everything was becoming too much. It was never-ending, and he didn't know how to fix it any of it. A hand ran down his face as if that would wipe away all the frustration before he heard her call out. It sounded wrong, and it was enough to get him to quickly look over to her and see that she was clearly in pain. Instinct brought him back to her side where he spotted the splotch of red on the sheets. "Alexandria?" he murmured before gently pulling the blanket away. The blood was soaking through her nightdress.
Aric was swiftly turning around and rushing towards the door, flinging it open to frantically speak to the guards, "Her Majesty needs the healer! Now!" The man nodded and was instantly running off, allowing Aric to return to Alexandria with that guilt all over his face again.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She cried in pain, in frustration and hurt as Aric rushed off to call for a healer. When he was back at her side, she reached out for his hand and tried to speak through her sobs. It was clear to her that Aric was not like his brother, simply by the way he was acting now as she questioned him. She was not trying to accuse him, she just wanted answers. Wanted clarification. "Aric... I..." She fought through her pain to talk. "I don't think that of you... Not at all..." She squeezed his hand tightly, as if the tighter she squeezed, her pain would ease up. But it did not. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way... I did not mean to. I am just so scared... So confused... Everything just spun out of control so quickly…”
[ARIC]
Gritting his teeth, he was silently reprimanding himself for losing control. Perhaps it was warranted, but he shouldn't have done it. Not right now, not right after she had woken up, whether she had unintentionally hurt him or not. His mind was all a jumbled mess, but when she reached out for his hand, he was instantly at her side without question, seating himself at the edge of the bed. "Just relax," he tried to tell her while she struggled to explain. He was shaking his head because she wasn't the only one that needed to apologize. "Please, just relax." Leaning forward, he was brushing the hair from her face again. "I messed up," he whispered in reply. "But I feel like it was the only chance I had to keep you all safe, at least for a while." One step at a time. All this political crap was never solved in a single night. She should know this. "I've never wanted Aralore; you know I've never wanted any of this." He paused, brow furrowing as he contemplated his next words, not as afraid to admit anything as much anymore. "But there is nowhere else I want to be. I will gladly give up this crown if it means I can stand beside you. Just a man, completely devoted."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She tried to relax at Aric's plea, but she shook her head. She just couldn't. Her eyes searched his as he spoke to her now. Each time he admitted to her that he never wanted Aralore or any of this, it tugged at her heart. She wanted him to be happy here, to want to be her husband. And she wasn't sure if he still felt that way or not. But then he spoke, admitting to her that he would give up the crown and stand beside herm completely devoted. She laid there in silence, staring at him, then. Her fingers weaved their way into his own, and she lightly squeezed his hand. "Aric... I..." She hesitated, the pain still causing her to struggle to speak, but she forced her way through it. "I... tried so hard..." She started to choke up tears again, afraid to say what she really wanted to say. But she forced herself to, no longer wanting to hide or hold secrets. He needed to know. He needed to know how she felt. So he would know she did not think of him as a tyrant. "...Not to fall in love with you... But you have made it so incredibly difficult..." She looked away from him, embarrassed then to have admitted. Afraid that he did not feel the same and would see her as a foolish girl.
[ARIC]
Perhaps she was only foolish because she was completely oblivious to how he felt. Or maybe he hadn't been obvious enough. He watched her face as she struggled to speak, admiring the strength he still saw in those eyes, a strength she couldn't see herself. His thumb was there to catch every tear again, listening patiently to her tell him what he- somehow deep down- already knew.
She confessed how difficult it was to avoid her feelings...and he was about to prove just how truly and incredibly difficult it would remain. Fingers were grasping her chin to turn her face back towards him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. For Tresteria, for this alliance, for the pain she had to endure both physically and emotionally through it all. For the discomfort he might cause her as he leaned forward to finally claim her lips in a kiss that was long overdue. A kiss that was both passionate and yet gentle, daring to take her breath away.
[ALEXANDRIA]
Perhaps she had been oblivious, or maybe it was just that she was afraid to know the truth, so she lied to herself, not believing what she wanted to. It perhaps needed to be spelled out to her. She felt his fingers on her face again, wiping away her tears. He pulled her glance towards his, and she was suddenly afraid to look at him. Would he have a look of disgust? A look of amusement as she had just made herself look like a complete fool? But instead, she was greeted with those soft, caring eyes that as he looked at her that way, it caused her heart to skip a few beats. But he was apologizing. And she looked at him questioning his apology. But before she could say anything, he was leaning in, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss that dared twice before but never succeeded. She instantly brought one of her hands to his face, holding it there as she kissed him back, passionately, instantly forgetting of her wound. She clutched to him with her other hand, pulling him closer as she allowed that kiss to linger. But as she moved, that shock of pain filled her body and she winced under his lips, though she did not pull away.
It was then that the door of her chambers opened, quickly, the healer rushing in to see what he was being called in for. But when he saw Aric leaned over the queen, kissing her, he stopped suddenly, clearing his throat to try and get their attention. "Uhh... Excuse me?"
[ARIC]
He sighed in relief against her lips, feeling her return it with as much adoration and intensity that he shared. Aric had wondered if it had been fate toying with him those last couple of attempts; those times neither had planned for it to ever get that close. Whatever the case, he no longer cared. He no longer cared about anything else besides her at that very moment. Fingers trailed up to filter into ebon strands of hair as she dared to pull him closer, fighting through the pain that wound at her side gave. It was almost enough to get him to stop and draw back...yet the thing that did was the voice somewhere behind him.
This must be a world record, but at least the interruption came a few seconds too late this time. Hesitantly now, Aric broke the kiss to draw back just enough to see her face; amusement glinting in his dark eyes at this strange, horrible luck they seemed to have. At least there was no longer this tightness around his heart anymore.
It was his turn to clear his throat after he stood up straight, and regarded the healer. "She- Her Majesty- tore her stitches." Wow, this was awkward, because the man was probably assuming the wrong thing now.
[ALEXANDRIA]
When his lips parted from hers, she was trying to catch her breath. Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest and her once pale face was filled with reddened cheeks. Her eyes opened to catch Aric's looking down at her with that amusement. Once again, they were interrupted, though at least this time it did not prevent their kiss. She regretfully let go of his hand as he stood and explained to the healer what had happened. The healer regarded Aric, wondering if he had caused the stitches to break. He moved towards the bed, nearly pushing Aric out of the way before he sat beside the queen, lifting the fabrics of her gown to expose her wound. He cleaned the blood up and quickly stitched the wound up before rebandaging her. He was silent the whole time, in an awkwardness that he was perhaps uncomfortable for disrupting. Once he was done, he slowly stood and cleared his throat. "Your majesty. You need to rest... Stay as still as possible." He bowed, cleaning his things up before he turned to Aric and gave him a look of warning. Without another word, he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Alexandria, too, felt awkward then as the silence lingered around the room. She laid there silently, shutting her eyes as she waited for this moment to end. She could still feel Aric's kiss on her lips.
When the healer left and they were alone again, Alexandria burst into laughter, but suddenly stopped, wincing in pain.
[ARIC]
The healer wasn't the only silent one. As the man took care of the queen, Aric stood aside out of the way, his back ramrod straight with his hands clasped behind his back. Those eyes were downcast, and he was struggling to hide an array of emotions from his face. Of course, he didn't like to see her in pain, but his amusement won out when the healer gave him that very pointed stare of warning. He managed to keep the laughter at bay until the queen herself lost it. Hers was a bit more short-lived, though, and it brought him back to her side. The wound would be sore for a while, he knew, but at least she was smiling. "Alright, I feel like I have done enough damage for one day," he said, trying to make light of everything. "You should get some rest." He'd help her figure out everything else when she was better.
[ALEXANDRIA]
When he was back at her side, she smiled softly. But it sounded like he was about to leave her alone. She looked at him, he was still in the same clothes he wore to the banquet, presumably her blood staining him. He looked exhausted himself. She reached for his hand again. "Have you gotten any sleep, Aric?" Her eyes showed concern for him. She tried to shift herself but found herself unable and she groaned again. "Can you help me?" She hated laying on her back, it was uncomfortable and made her sorer. She kept trying to shift onto her good side, but then pain prevented her from moving at all. "I'm so uncomfortable on my back right now..." she explained.
[ARIC]
At her question, he glanced down at himself and realized he hadn't changed out of those banquet clothes. His jacket had been left behind, but the white shirt he still currently wore was stained red, and he wasn't sure if it was more than just the queen's blood. Dark eyes drifted towards the end table where a cup rested and he chuckled lowly, "Cassandra drugged me at some point, so I must have very briefly." But, it may have been clear, that he hadn't left this room for most of the night.
With her request, Aric was quick to aid her in shifting onto her uninjured side. "Is that alright? Can I get you anything?" All of a sudden, he wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to remain there if it meant that she wouldn't rest, even if he would still be slightly worried to part from her.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She slowly and painfully moved onto her side with Aric's help before she settled back down, one hand tucking underneath her pillow. She nodded, offering Aric a brief smile. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling a little awkward now, not knowing what to say to him. "Can I have some water?" She finally asked, breaking the brief silence between them, though she was not sure how she would be able to drink it lying down. But her throat hurt and felt so dry. She was undoubtedly dehydrated. She could tell he was at a loss of what to do, so she questioned him, "Do you need to leave?" She selfishly hoped he would say no, but she was sure he would need to get some rest, too. Had he been with her all night?
[ARIC]
A frown set onto his lips, because he knew what she was going through. One didn't realize how many muscles you used, how many nerves resided in your side until you were trying to move. It would take a while, but the healer assured the worst was over. Other problems were awaiting her for later.
He probably should go and rest. Now that she was alert, now that he knew his heart wasn't insane or would be in constant denial, he might be able to sleep. Even if it was for a short while. However, after getting her some water, her next question brought him up short. "No," he answered. "I don't have to." So, he settled back down in that chair he had been in before.
[ALEXANDRIA]
It wouldn't take long before the queen would become restless. She was not used to being stuck in a bed and unable to move. Though for now, she felt exhausted and in pain. She watched as Aric settled back into the chair and she reached her hand out to him. "You don't have to stay... if you don't want to." She was certain he was probably getting sick of being in her room by now, after staying with her all night. "You have been here all night, haven't you?"
[ARIC]
It wasn't the most comfortable chair, but it was worth it. He had worried she would never wish to see him again. Now that he was proven wrong, he didn't care if he had to sleep another whole day in that chair. So, he smiled tiredly but genuinely at her, leaning his head back. "I have," he answered her. "And I'll be here for as long as you need me to."
[ALEXANDRIA]
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sure you have been bored out of your mind, watching me sleep..." She smiled at him, taking hold of his hand and squeezing it. "Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" A question she had asked him previously that nearly led to a kiss. She sighed softly, her mind suddenly turning to the attack again. She wondered if Edward had planned this, why didn’t his men listen to him when he demanded them to step down. Perhaps he was acting? She did not know. But she realized she had a whole mess to deal with, and she wasn't sure how much she would be able to do while lying in bed. "Thank you for saving my life..." She remembered how he had attacked the man who held the knife to her throat. The sound of Aric cracking the man's skull against the floor resonated in her mind still. He not only saved her life but probably all of Aralore's, too.
[ARIC]
"You have nothing to apologize for," Aric replied almost immediately, his head still back with his eyes towards the ceiling. Although the room had brightened with the morning sun, his body was still too exhausted to take on the day. When she took his hand, he was turning his head to look at her. "Of course." Yes, he remembered the last time she had asked that question, but things were a little different now, weren't they? His expression sobered from her gratitude because he was suddenly remembering the horror of just hours ago. "I was afraid I was too late," he confessed quietly.
[ALEXANDRIA]
"That must have been horribly frightening." She could only imagine how she would have felt if it had been Aric in her place. "It's my fault... Why Orin was hurt. And I was trying to help him...and thought the man on the floor was dead... I was caught off guard." She was starting to get upset again as she continued to think about the night. All those men who died trying to save them. How horribly outnumbered they were. She wished she had answers already. She didn't want to be lying in this bed. As all the thoughts ran through her mind, she couldn't help but start crying again. "I feel I will always have someone after me, wanting to kill me... Are you sure you want to stay with me?"
[ARIC]
She really needed to sleep. Her thoughts were running rampant and it wasn't helping her. Alexandria kept going on and on, and he found himself drifting closer again before rounding to the other side of the bed. He wasn't worrying about priority, because it didn't involve any of that right now. He slid into the bed behind her, gently cradling her back against him. "It won't always be like this. It won't," he tried to soothe. "And nothing is your fault, Alexandria. You are the queen, and everyone loves you enough to protect you with their lives."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She felt Aric climb into the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax against him. The warmth of his body against her was soothing. She listened to his voice and reached to take his hand into hers, pulling it closer around her and against her chest. "But it has been this way, since I was a young girl, Aric. There is so much destruction that surrounds me... I cannot rid of it. I did not want to love you because I don't want to lose you, too..." She choked back her tears and squeezed his hand again. "It's not fair for people to have to lose their lives to save mine..."
[ARIC]
When she allowed his presence behind her, he relaxed and rested his head upon the pillow. He could feel how she tried not to cry or sob, and he sighed gently. "It is the life of royalty," he explained. "And it's never easy, but it can get better. You just can't give up. It's a heavy burden- a crown." He lightly nuzzled his face into her hair. "But I'm right here, Alex, and I'm not leaving unless you tell me to. Orin is fine. Your people are strong and believe in you. We'll get through this."
[ALEXANDRIA]
She wished she could turn around to face him, then, to look into his eyes. But the wound on her side prevented her. So she, instead, gave his hand another squeeze, pulling it closer against her. She nodded against her pillow. "Thank you for being here... For believing in me... For not giving up on me." She thought about all the times they avoided each other, worried he wanted nothing to do with her. But she had been wrong. All this time they had wasted in their fear... "Sleep here with me?" She knew Aric needed to rest, as did she.
[ARIC]
Now that he was lying down, the exhaustion he was feeling seemed to double, and he worried he might fall asleep before she did. "I'll never give up on you," he murmured. Aric didn't want to leave her alone to her worrisome thoughts, so he fought sleep off for a little longer. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, it was his turn to give her hand a squeeze. "Gladly," he told her.
[ALEXANDRIA]
She fell silent then, focusing on the sound of his breath against her ear, the warmth of his body next to hers. It brought her peace and relief for the first time in a long time. Her own exhaustion began to set in, then, and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
