Star-crossed Lovers
One-shot. Not my characters/world, but my scene. Zachary and Karigan have to much hurt, I hope K.B. gets things worked out for them…
King Zachary paced like a caged beast before Karigan. "I cannot. I cannot do it." He stopped suddenly before her, holding her gaze with an intensity she had never seen before. "I cannot go through with this. I cannot marry Lady Estora. Not when I…"
"Sire…" Karigan attempted an interruption, but Zachary crossed the small room in two long stride, placing one long fingertip over her lips.
"Not when I love you as I do." The burning intensity of his eyes from a few seconds before had calmed to a smoldering, plaintive stare. Her wrapped Karigan in his arms, holding her head against his strong shoulder. Her palms tingled with pleasure at the proximity, and her cheeks flushed crimson. For a moment, her head became cloudy at the surreal bliss of it all. Then, she remembered herself.
"No," her voice came out barely a whisper. She pulled her hands up to meet his chest and gave it a gentle pressure. In a steadier voice, she said again, "Sire, no."
His hands slid from around her shoulders, and he stepped back with a sorrowful look of rejection.
Karigan drew a shaky breath, and before she lost her resistance to the melancholy gaze of his almond eyes, she said, "It cannot be. Not only because you are betrothed to Lady Estora, one of the truest friends I never deserved, nor because of anything I might endure from succumbing to this temptation. No, but because in all of the time I have known you, you have always done the what is right. You have made every sacrifice for the good of your people. We both know what could come of your breaking the engagement to Estora, and effectively breaking the alliance with the Coutre Province, and that you cannot bring such undue hardship to your people. I know you, and I know that given the choice, you will choose the path that will bring joy and safety to many, and pain to only one."
"Pain to only one…" The king murmured to himself. Sorrow creased his brow as he thought, It is, then, my pain alone.
Karigan flinched. Though he'd only repeated her own words, they gave her already the pain she foretold. Pain in anticipation of the wrenching anguish to come when she was separated from the one she loved.
"Yes," Karigan managed. "The pain of one Green Rider means little to the world."
Zachary looked up sharp at what he heard. "Of a… Rider? Do you… do you love me then? You would have me?"
Karigan suddenly realized her king thought before of his own pain from their parting. She raised her eyes to meet his and crossed the short distance that separated them. Hesitantly, she touched her fingertips to his cheek. Softly, she said, "Who would have ever thought that I would wish for noble birth?"
Without another word, she turned and half ran from the room.