The garden looked beautiful, a place she had rarely come during her first visit to the castle she looked over it now. The flowers so foreign in color and composure, bee like insects flying between them. It had been a hard winter, but spring had come again and brought with it a renewed life. Clean, crisp water flowed through the streams lining the flower beds. The clouds over head were sparse but white and billowy. Nature itself showing a newfound health and vibrancy.
The steps had been cleaned almost too well not only riding them of the battle stains but also years of natures tarnish. They too had recieved a new lease on life. Walking down them slowly she met Thomas on the landing, he stood in the shade of a large column.
"You avoid the sunlight?"
"I don't thing it agrees with me quite yet." His voice was low, containing a weariness that pulled at her heart.
"You should try Thomas, you know what William said, Plenty of fresh air and sunlight."
"Give it time Quinn, I'll get there I promise." He lifted himself heavily away from the column and into the light, flinching slightly as it touched his skin and closing his eyes against to ward off the brightness. He took the steps toward her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm glad you are well." He offered the change of subject and the embrace.
"I am, just worried..." she pulled back slightly and he loosened but did not relinquish his hold on her.
"What could worry you, oh queen of my heart." He placed a hand on her chin lifting her head to meet his strained gaze. "I'm going to be fine, the most grievous wounds have already healed, my whit and charm are not far behind." His smile was broad and the 'waggling' of his eyebrows earned him a lighthearted slap. "You know you love me."
Quinn smiled, and laughed. "You are a fool Thomas, and its true I love you.."
"I know what!" he spoke suddenly. "We'll run away together, live as pirates in the archipelago. We'll call you Captain 'Q'. You will be brazen and mysterious and I will be your ever loyal cabin boy. Come we must away, I have horses saddled and awaiting us in the stables."
Quinn couldn't help but laugh as he nearly spun her around, pulled her into a mad embrace and released her all in a very fluid movement ending in the same loose hug they had started in. Thomas was nothing if not smooth.
"Oh but won't Madame Striska be disappointed? You promised her the same thing just last week although I believe she was going to be 'Helena the Cleaver'."
"And just about broke the old woman's heart when I had to be taken to bed rather than carry her off on a wild stallion."
"You were delirious with fever."
"I prefer burning with the passion of a thousand suns." he tightened his embrace of her once again and feigned leaning in to kiss her.
"Thomas!" she turned, her face flush and his forehead landing on her shoulder.
"Oh Quinn, I love you, I will always love you." He raised his head to meet her eyes. "Even after you marry my brother and raise a brood of royal brats that I am going to have to keep entertained." He sighed exaggeratedly. Smirking at the look of shock that crossed her face. His fingers reaching up and pushing up her dropped jaw. "You'll catch flies." he whispered to her.
He released her and stepped back into the shadow, but still she said nothing.
"Quinn!" he prompted her and her eyes moved to rest on him.
"What? How?" She stammered.
"Still doing that? I'd think the event of the last few months would have cured you of indecision my darling sister." He reached out for her hand an pulled her back into the shadows where he could stand to keep his eyes open.
"I knew you would never be mine. I could see it in you and William the day you arrived."
Her face only giving away that she was completely perplexed. He smiled at her softly. "Call it part of my gift but... I could always see he had already won your heart, and you his.
Even if neither of you would admit it. Hell, even if neither of you will still admit it. You have a choice to make Quinn. Just please remember one thing." He stood back and looked her dead in the eyes and in the only time Quinn ever remembered him using any voice of seriousness, he said "Its never too late to make the right choice."
With that, he left her. Pulling himself slowly up the stairs with the strength of an old man. 'How it must have tired him to brighten my heart' Quinn thought. 'But that's who Thomas is. He always knows what is best for people.'
Quinn finished descending the steps and walked out into the garden, determined not to return to the castle until the myriad of fluttering thoughts racing around her mind had managed some sort of order in the chaos.