Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
This is a one shot that I felt like writing between stories (my other one is facing some writer's block). Please review.

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She sat there in the large chair with her hands resting in her lap and her legs crossed at the ankle, a compassionate look crossed her face as her friend paced and ranted in anger over her most recent fight with him. He's a fool the way he acts, I've made that known to him many times before. When you're lucky enough to be able to hold what's most important to you so closely you should behave better. I will never have the chance to have what I desire most. I'm going to punch him later.

Now she smiles that mischievous smile of hers, as if she has a secret that the world is not privy to. I can't help but to watch her like this, like so many others unfortunate enough to be caught up in her beauty, wondering if maybe she's noticed my staring to her. She is all consuming and my dreams are of nothing but her. I need to have her, to be with her, to touch her, but she is unobtainable by anyone. Simply put, a goddess.

My breath catches as she stands, causing her dress to flutter around her. Her body is flawless and her movements are graceful as she crosses the room to embrace her friend and I can only wonder what it must feel like to have her arms around me. To feel her cheek pressed against my cheek, my hands in her hair.

Her friend takes a deep breath and walks out of the room. The angel's words having soothed her and perhaps spared my friend's life one more day. With a smile she turns and our eyes meet. We exchange pleasantries and I resist the urge to reach out and run my fingers through her hair as she departs, leaving me to mourn the loss of the warmth she gave to the room. Sometime ago we decided that as leaders there was to be nothing between us despite what our colleagues might be doing. Perhaps it was more myself who made that decision for us. I thought my momentary infatuation with her would pass, but I find myself becoming more and more restless as the days go by. She is friendly to all that meet her and maybe a little too friendly at times to her would be suitors. They all fall at her feet offering their lives to be with her but she doesn't take any real notice, just showing the smallest sign of amusement. I refuse to allow myself to be one more of them. At times she would flirt with me in that seductive way of hers, taking care to absently touch my arm or chest before laughing as if there was a joke that only she understood. Did she mean those words and caresses? Or was I to be the next fool?

Today she is sad, and she doesn't think anyone knows this, but I do. Her eyes aren't as bright and her smile feels forced. We speak about business matters and very little else. Normally there is a pleasant banter between us – today she agrees with everything I say and does not meet my eyes. I want to make her smile but the words don't come to me. Is it me? Could I have said something to offend her? Did another man hurt her? My hands start to shake at the thought of another man so close to her, whispering those words in her ear that I long to say. Taking a breath I calm myself and I can feel my resolve strengthening. This doesn't go unnoticed by her and she asks if I'm ok. With a wave of my hand the subject changes back to our discussion. She is being polite and I won't allow myself to be fooled into thinking her gesture was anything more. Finally it is time to part ways with her and I'm sad to know that my time with her has ended.

As customary after our meetings I spend the remainder of my day thinking about her. Her image burned into my mind so that my eyes can see nothing else. Why does she haunt me so? What is it about her that calls to me like a drug? I am stronger than this. I will not be another one of those poor souls left longing in her wake. The sound of rain against the window pulls me from my thoughts. Thankful for any interruption I walk out to the balcony, careful to stand in the doorway as to not get wet when my eyes are drawn to a single object. Am I really seeing her standing there? In the rain – alone and cold? Her eyes watch over the lake in front of her making her appear to be nothing more than a fantasy. A fantasy that I am drawn to.

I approach her ever so slowly as to not startle her. Very faintly I can make out her form shivering from the cold rain falling on her. What a vision she makes even when standing here, her dress clinging to her body like a second skin. I pull off my cloak and wrap it around her shoulders wanting to protect her from the elements. She holds it around herself and says my name and nothing more as if she had been expecting it to be me all along, never once turning her head to confirm. I start to think that maybe she knows of my growing feelings for her and maybe that is what caused her to be unhappy earlier. Perhaps she is afraid that I will be another one of them and that we will not be able to maintain our current status quo. Is that the best way for me to describe us, I wonder to myself, moving to stand next her. She looks down at her feet and I turn to watch her profile. It's then that I notice she is not shivering from the cold, but that she is shaking from her tears.

My heart skips a beat as I take in the sight and I vow to make her smile again. I stand in front of her and reach out to cup her chin, bringing her eyes to meet mine. A mistake as I found myself caught in the depths. These eyes haunt me and now I am trapped and unable to say anything. For several minutes we stand there like this with the rain falling around us as I mentally struggle against pulling her into my arms. Could she sense my inner struggle? With a sigh she brought her hand to mine and pulled it from her face, but did not release it. My heart began to beat faster at the contact but I would not allow myself to show it. She looked back to the palace and moved as if to walk back inside. This can't end here I tell myself. I pull back on her hand and bring her into my arms, embracing her. She is stunned for a moment before stepping away from me, my hands still holding her arms.

'Is this a joke to you?' she asks me with those sad eyes. They seem to be endless, their normal color washed out by her sullen appearance.

A joke, I wonder. How could this be a joke?

'Why did you come here?' she asks expecting a response.

'I saw you standing in the rain and I wanted to know that you were ok.'

'Is that all you wanted?'

'You looked cold standing here alone.'

'I see. Then I shall go inside where it is dry.'

'Is it me that you are running from? Did I do something to upset you?' I asked pitifully, chastising myself for my voice sounding weak in her presence.

She smiled that same sad smile at me from earlier and it hurts me that I can't get more from her. 'It was never you.'

'Then tell me who has made you so sad so that I can go deal with them.'

'You wouldn't understand.'

'I want to understand.'

'Do you feel no love for me?'

'In what sense?'

'That's what I thought you might say.'

She tried to pull away but my hands would not let her go. 'Why would this be a joke?'

'Everyone in this kingdom has tried to pursue me but you. Am I not enough for you?'

Her words leave me speechless and all I can do is stare further into those beautiful eyes. Does she mean it or is she trying to lure me in so that I will be one more of her hapless victims. 'We've discussed where we stand with each other.'

'And that's all that you want?'

'Is that not what you want?' The next thing I knew her lips were suddenly pressed to mine and I could feel her body so tantalizingly close against my own. I barely had time to react before she pulled away, my mind unable to stop my hands from releasing her as she took a step further back.

'I won't bother you again with this,' she whispered sadly. And then she was gone and I was left to stand in the rain watching her retreating form. My fingers moved to my lips where I could still feel the tingle from her touch. Should I go after her? What would I say after this happened? I'm not sure that her feelings for me are true or if I am merely a challenge to her. I do know that I want the feeling of her touch again, and now I hunger for her even more than before. One slip, one indiscretion – that is all that I can hope for from her and maybe I will take it.

Another couple of days have gone by and I haven't seen her. Has she been hiding from me? Maybe she wishes to take back her kiss and is afraid to tell me. My thoughts are filled with images of her with those sad eyes and of our kiss. More images come to mind of kissing her again and everything that would follow. My hands running across her skin, kissing that soft neck of hers, eliciting groans of pleasure from her. So involved am I that I do not notice someone approaching me until a twig snaps only a couple feet away. Years of training have honed my skills and reflexes and I turn with my hand on my sword, ready to unsheathe it if need be. While most would be startled by my reaction she stands firm and unflinching. I admire the warrior in her for this and remove my hand from my sword.

'What are you doing out here in the woods?' I ask her.

'Looking for you.' Is her soft reply.

I close the distance between us. 'What is it that you need?'

'I wanted to return your cloak.' She slowly extended her arms to reveal my cloak from the other day in her small delicate hands.

'You came all the way out here for this? A servant could have delivered it.' I wonder if it still smells of her and as I reach out to grab it our hands touch briefly and it is enough to send a shock through my body.

'I will leave you then if you wish to be alone.'

'I don't wish to be alone.' I can see her eyes starting to brighten with my statement and I can't help but to feel elated by this action. She steps closer to me and again I want to reach out and touch her. 'Why did you kiss me yesterday?' And like that the words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

'I did not mean to offend you.'

'You didn't. I just want to know what your purpose was.'

'I needed to know.'

I waited for a further explanation but she offered no more. 'What did you need to know that you couldn't ask me?'

'Sometimes words are not so easy to come by.'

'Surely you're not afraid of me.'

'No, of course not. I wanted to know if you felt anything for me is all. But when you did not return my kiss I assumed that you did not.'

Could she be saying what I think she is? Without further thought I pull her into my arms and kiss her lips. She wraps her arms around my neck, wrapping her fingers in my hair and kisses me back with a passion that I could have only dreamed of. I can feel my desire for her coursing through my veins and I wonder if I will be able to restrain myself. My hands find their way into her hair and it is as soft as I imagined as I ran my hands through the length. Slowly my hands moved from her hair and back to her body as they took in all of her curves. Maybe I am being too forward and I think that maybe I should break the kiss when I hear a soft moan from her. That single sound was my undoing as I pushed the sleeve of her dress off of one shoulder. Somehow her fingers made their way to my chest unnoticed until the last button had been undone. She pulled at my jacket and it was quickly discarded on the ground, forgotten by us. I could feel a groan escaping from my own lips as she ran her hands over my chest. Without further thought I pushed her remaining sleeve from her shoulder and her dress seems to dance away from her body as it falls to the ground. She presses her nude form against mine and I take in the scent of her. Again I want to ask her if this is what she wants, but her lips press harder against mine as if she senses my apprehension. Her hands pull at my belt I realize that there will be no stopping this now as I hear my sword clatter to the ground. I pull her further in to my arms and lift her up as she wraps her long legs around me. Her hands start to work at removing my pants as my kisses move down to her neck before moving back up to capture her lips. Once my pants have joined our other discarded garments I slowly lower her to the ground laying on top of her. Her kisses move down my throat and I can feel the gentle teasing of her teeth nibbling at my skin and I need to have her now as every bit of self control escapes me. Without further thought I pull her waist to mine and plunge deep within her. She cries out from the motion and I can feel her nails digging into my back, her body arching in response as she pushes back with the same desire, mimicking each of my motions. The ecstasy of being inside her is more than I imagined as I fall deeper into her spell, wanting to succumb to her every will.

She somehow overpowers me as I'm lost in her touch and we roll so that she is on top of me. I can vaguely feel something sharp digging into my back but I can't bring my body to do anything about it being so completely overwhelmed by the sight of her shaking out her hair and moving ever so tantalizingly above me. Her movements are slow and deliberate as she teases me making my desire grow with each twitch of her hips. With a smile she fully impales herself on me and it's almost too much as her movements become faster and harder until I can feel my control slipping away. I pull her body to mine and roll her back over wanting her to be satisfied before I can satiate myself. With a final strong thrust I can feel her being pushed over the edge as she calls out my name and I know that I can now finish as well. For several moments we laid there together, sweating and exhausted. I whisper to her how beautiful she is and I am rewarded with another kiss. That single kiss stirs up my desire again but I push it to the back of my mind not wanting to be greedy. For a moment longer this angel is still mine before we realize where we are. I want to cover her up from any prying eyes, wanting to declare her as my own so that no one else shall ever see her body again. Reluctantly I pull away from her and notice the look of disappointment on her face, trying to mask my own. I can still feel her touch as if I've been burned by her fingers. I hand her the discarded gown and she slowly begins to dress, watching me as I do the same. Once we are presentable and all the debris had been removed from her hair, I took her back into my arms and kissed her. It was time for us to go our own ways but what of the moment we just shared? I must have more of her.

She is the first to speak. 'Tell me, will we meet like this again?'

'Why have you chosen me?' I realize that I've said this out loud and I worry how she will respond. She laughs and I relish in the sound. My question goes unanswered but maybe that's because the reason isn't important. Today we both share a secret.

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The End.