Although she was a dead weight in his arms, Theo realized that Fleur weighed little more than a feather. He cradled her in his arms, hovering high above the palace as her head lolled against his shoulder. She had passed out so suddenly as he gripped hold of her that for a moment he was unsure of what to do.
She was so small and fragile in his arms, so unmoving and innocent that he couldn't bring himself to try and wake her. His keen ears heard her breathing and for the moment that was enough for him, at least until he landed.
One glance down at the courtyard below told him all he needed to know. He couldn't bring himself to return to the palace yet, not even the tower room where he had kept her locked away for the last few days.
This was the first time they had been utterly alone since that night beside the lake and he wasn't yet ready to give that up.
Twisting in midair, holding her tightly to his chest, he beat his wings in the direction of the coast and nearby cliffs. The sun was still blazing orange on the horizon, turning the ocean to fire as he flew ever closer. At moments it was so dazzling that he had to hold her with one arm just so that he could shield his eyes with one hand.
Then he was descending, fluttering down to the sandy beach below that was shielded by cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other. The small cove was quiet and peaceful, a place much like the pool beside the lake, his own private place to sit and think. And yet here he was, bringing her to his private place once more.
What is she doing to me? he thought with a deep sigh even as he landed on the sand and gently lowered her down onto her back. Adjusting her slightly, he settled down on the sand and lay her head upon his lap so she would not be uncomfortable when she awoke.
The warm orange of sunset lent her pale skin its glow and Theo found he was unable to look away. His hands gently stroked her cheeks, brushing her hair away from her face so that his view was unobstructed.
He could have watched her for hours more but the moment he saw her lashes flickering upon her cheeks, he quickly looked away, forcing his fingers to cease their stroking of her cheeks.
At first she made no sound. Nor did she move but Theo could feel her gazing up at him even as he gazed out to sea, watching the sun finally go down as the sky turned dark and the ocean tranquil.
Then she groaned and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her hand moved to the back of her head and she rubbed her skull as though she were in pain.
"W...what happened?" she grumbled and Theo struggled not to hold back laughter. She couldn't possibly have forgotten, even if she had blacked out.
"We were arguing and you decided to take a dive from the balcony." He shrugged, still not able to bring himself to look at her. He knew that the moment he did, he would be lost in the chocolate pools of her eyes.
"How did we get here?" she asked and out of the corner of her eye he saw her gazing around them.
"After you had your little tantrum, you passed out in my arms and I flew us here," he explained, still staring out to sea.
He didn't need to look at her to know that she was pouting. He could hear it in her voice when she protested, "I did not have a tantrum."
Unable to help himself any longer, he gave in and turned to look at her with an amused smile. "You are so easy to wind up."
Her pout only grew deeper and she crossed her arms over her chest, glowering at him angrily. "Anyone who had been held captive for days and starved would be easily wound up."
"Hey, don't blame your starving on me!" he insisted, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "That part was all you."
Yet even as he spoke he felt an odd sensation in his gut, the likes of which he had never felt before. It was a dark and empty yawning sensation one minute that began to twist and convulse in the next, threatening to make him sick.
What is that? Am I...am I feeling guilty? Even as he thought it he realized that yes, he was indeed feeling guilty. How could he not after she had blacked out in his arms?
"I admit," he said, sucking in a deep breath, "that I could have handled things differently."
"You mean like not locking me up as if I am a criminal?" Fleur put in and Theo nodded, averting his gaze.
He looked down at his hands and sighed deeply again.
"It isn't always easy being King," he admitted grimly. "I can't always get what I want."
Was that choked laughter he heard then?
Chapter 10 - Fleur
You're kidding me, right? Fleur thought, struggling to hold back laughter. Of all the stupid things she had heard over the years, this had to be the stupidest. Theo was a king, the most powerful man on the Summer Isle and yet he believed he couldn't have whatever he wanted. If that is true then what hope do I have?
Yet even as she thought how funny it was, she could see by the grim expression on his face that he truly believed his own words. He stared down at his empty hands as if sand were slipping between his fingers, watching all he wanted slipping through too.
"I know what you are thinking," he spoke suddenly, making her jump as he turned to look at her. "A king can have anything he wants with a click of his fingers, right?"