AN: This is just a quick one-shot that I had to jot down.
She wasn't sure when he took off his ring. Was it a recent thing? Or had it been gone a while and she just hadn't realized. The worst of it was that she was in the middle of a long meeting with OZ officials from all over the country and this was when she noticed. He was so far from her right now, at the other end of the table, not even looking her direction. Her sister was at his side, taking notes and sometimes asking for his thoughts on the matters that were being discussed.
Was there something there? The sound of talking men and women fell away as everything in the room became more clear, almost vivid. She noticed now that her mother was also glancing subtly at the two of them. Her father took her mother's hand and gave it a squeeze, bringing the Queen back to the meeting without even meaning to.
Everything was moving in slow motion, all the details distinct and exaggerated. Every look, every touch, everything going on in the room, she was noticing. Two officials next to her parents caught gazes and turned, the woman's face a pale red and the man with a small smile; two men were so obviously not looking at each other, she wasn't sure how the others did not see the apparent dislike between them. It became too much for her and she shook her head and cleared her throat sharply.
The trance stopped and the sound came roaring back. Her father was the only one to turn his head to her, a small line between his eyes. Before she could smile to show that she was okay, his attention was back on the meeting.
Her eyes flew back to her sister and the man beside her. His hand was no longer on the table, so she was not sure if she had even been right about his ring. As though he could sense her, his head began turning slowly, his eyes catching her stare before she could look away. A warm smile spread across his face, sending her heart into her throat and fire to her cheeks.
That smile lingered in her mind long after he had turned back to the meeting. Was it wrong of her to feel so flushed because of something he may or may not have done? Without the ring, a smile could mean so much more than with one.
As the meeting closed, she stood with the others, saying farewell. The council filed out after her parents, and her sister looked at her before heading out as well, relief evident in her eyes at the ended meeting.
She made to follow her sister when a hand took her own. It was his left hand, and she noted that she had in fact been right. There was no ring. She was taken aback for a moment as he lifted her hand to his lips. "Princess" he said formally.
"Mr. Cain" she replied in the same tone as he released her hand.
The smile was back on his face and he motioned toward the door. His hand found the small of her back as they walked. She knew the blush was back, but this time she didn't care.
What do you think? R&R!