Hi Guys! sorry for the wait for the second part to this! Ap exams have rolled around so blah. I hope you enjoy ! its been great to write. Please leave a review if you'd like :) !
**Don't own arrow!**
Fallen For Your Eyes, But They Don't Know Me Yet
~Part II~
The wind blew lightly through the airs of the dock, it carried the salt enlaced with the seas in its rustle that tingled lightly on her lips. She felt the wooden structure her feet were grounded on wobble, momentarily unstable to the restless sea. The waves fell over themselves as if joyous to see her, or tortured to watch her go. Her golden hair stirred around her deep burgundy cloak to whip towards the waters, she felt the airs pulling her towards their depths and she smiled kindly at their begging. Soon she would be in the north where she hoped the pines and oaks would be as inviting but feared, along with their prince, that they would be indifferent.
In her dreams he was cold. His royal eyes held no humor or kindness, his touches were staged, fabricated, mocking.
In her nightmares he was cruel. She saw herself, in her visions, confined to a castle- used only as an accessory on his arm, smiling a smile that never quite touched her eyes, saying words that she never wholly meant.
She did not fear the creatures that were said to lurk within the dark forests of the north- she feared a cold heart, a heart that did not resound in her chest, a heart that merely beat to pump blood through her veins.
Her mother always told her she had a vivid imagination, one that was usually a blessing during boring balls and dinners, but now, only frightened her.
"Felicity" her mother called behind her, silently approaching the spot on the dock where she had been watching her ship arriving in the distance
"Mother" she nodded to the Queen bowing her head slightly
"I will miss you, my dear"
Felicity merely nodded, not quite sure what to say to that 'then do not send me away?' 'Then call off the wedding?' she knew better than to think her mother was gladly turning her over to the north but there still remained a twinge of hurt in her heart knowing she was doing it none the less
"I will miss you Mother, take care of yourself" the Queen's delicate hands found her daughter's and she squeezed lightly in a gesture of affection
"You are strong Felicity, you will make a fine Queen" at this she said nothing, lost in her thoughts
"I will try, mother" and that is really all she could say to her mother, she knew not what would happen, or even what to expect but she would try, for her own kingdom and for the new one she would rule alongside her husband. She was never one to give up
"Will you write?" the Queen asked hopefully
Felicity smiled and nodded eagerly "Any chance I get" she reassured
there was a moment of silence before a knight appeared behind her mother in full coast armor. He was tall and serious as he stood there looking out at the ocean.
"Felicity, this is John Diggle, he will accompany you on your journey" the knight tore his eyes from the sea at hearing his name, his eyes locked with hers and he gave her a sharp nod. She knew not to protest something that looked to be already decided and she couldn't deny the gladness she felt at having some protection on her journey. She smiled kindly at John Diggle, looking at his stony expression she could tell he was an adept warrior, he had seen many battles- the worn look of his eyes revealed as much.
The royal bells rang loudly through the dock announcing the departure of the princess. She gave her mother one last look before she walked, head held high, towards the ship with John Diggle following close behind.
It was time
"We will not submerge, you know" She walked beside her hardened protector and followed his gaze to the clear blue ocean "The seas are kind, Ser John. Not to be feared" Her dark azure gown flowed with the light wind of the open seas making it flow as a wave would in the waters as she spoke, a gentle sound, John decided.
"There are tales, your grace, told to slumberous children, of the power you hold over the seas." he looked over at the princess, she was quiet, awaiting his continuation. Her eyes, an identical ocean blue, betrayed her royal character, they were noble, hinting at the immense kindness she was known for.
"It is said that whatever you feel, they feel- that they were created serve you- as I do. They call you the mermaid princess"
She surprised him by letting out a melodious laugh that danced through the air around him "I am no mermaid, John Diggle" she turned her eyes upon him and smiled "The seas are my home, I am the princess of the coast" her chin lifted involuntarily, a prideful gesture at the mention of her kingdom
"and if it gives you any comfort, John Diggle, I am not feeling murderous, or hungry for royal ships" the edges of her lips upturned in a soft smile and he wondered what she was feeling. The seas were calm but he saw something hidden well in her deep pools of blue
"A mermaid!" Felicity exclaimed suddenly, her voice colored with laughter "I quite like that, actually" she told him with amusement in her eyes
"I might grow a fin and gills, yes? and swim away?" she giggled and looked up at her knight
John Diggle, the stony warrior, could not help the slim grin that overtook his features as he watched the princess laugh
"I might do just that, Ser John." she said, in a much more serious tone "I might just"
and at the small hint of sadness in her voice, he wished she would
"Your grace, we should not be here"
"John Diggle, I have been crammed up in a ship for nearly three days, my legs will surely fall off if I do not use them soon!"
"Yes of corse, your grace, but could it be somewhere other than this northern forest?" he asked, his eyes roaming the tree tops cautiously
"we should return to the carriage"
"are you afraid, Ser?" She asked, a small hint of teasing in her voice
His eyes snapped away from the trees immediately at her question
"No" he said sternly "I am responsible for you, the prince will be waiting" she rolled her eyes slightly and sighed, he couldn't help but notice how young she looked just then
"oh, the prince!" she exclaimed in feigned longing "the prince can wait" she said under her breath as she continued to trek over the roots and rocks that were scattered over the ground of the forest
"your dress will ruin" he tried
"the prince will marry me no matter my dress, Ser John, a certain advantage to this whole arranged marriage thing"
he smiled at that, attempting to hold in a chuckle at the clever princess
"Who's there?" She asked, her eyebrows knit together in angst, her voice cracking slightly on the last word
"show yourself!" She ordered, forgetting she held little authority here in the north and hoping John to return soon
the bushes rustled slightly before a man walked through them to stand before her. He was tall and broad, his hair was a sandy blonde color and was cropped short. His eyes were a dark blue, like the sky when it straddles night and day. His cheeks were roughened by the dark stubble of an incoming beard- a handsome man, she would say. He observed her dirty gown and the smudge of dirt on her cheek, her golden locks were wildly falling out of a braid that was once neatly tied on her back.
His eyes flickered to the seal on her carriage then to the tiara propped sloppily on her head and they widened in understanding
"Princess" he said, bowing his head in her direction "I did not mean to frighten you, your grace"
"It's alright" she looked around the empty road and suddenly felt vulnerable. The man eyed her carefully, his eyes lingering on her crown
"are you going to steal it?" She inquired bluntly
"steal it?" he asked, looking away from the tiara
"my crown, are you going to steal it?" She repeated with an exasperated tone, if he was going to take it, he might as well just take it and leave her be
"Do you want me to?"
she looked at him and for a second she was speechless at the foolish question
"why would I want you to steal it?" She asked the bothersome man, who wouldn't just rob her and leave her alone in her own anxiety to wait for John
"why would you implant the idea?"
"What are you talking about, Ser?"
"what if I didn't even think of stealing it? But then you said that and I decided 'wow yes, that might be a great idea' and then I stole it, just because you asked?"
She glared at the man, too irritated to remember her royal manners. Here she was in the middle of nowhere with a carriage that sunk into the stupid northern mud talking to an equally stupid northern man- actually she would say he was stupider
"how do you know I'm from around here?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"you called me a stupid northern man, how do you know I'm northern?"
She stared at him and couldn't help the blush that colored her pale cheeks, curse her imprudent mouth.
"will you just steal whatever you will and go on your way?" she snapped
"and leave the princess here out in the open? what if some real thieves showed up?" his northern accent was probably the most annoying thing Felicity had heard in her life
"Isn't that a crime punishable by death?" he teased, glints of humor dancing in his infuriatingly charming blue eyes
"I'll tell you what's punishable for death" she muttered under her breath
"What was that?" he asked, a wide smile on his face that told her he had heard every word. His smile was- nice, she noticed and she found herself staring at the pink tongue that peeked out from behind his teeth when he smiled
"your highness?"
"What?" she asked, distracted
"I asked you why you are here all alone?" his tone was less teasing and his eyes held a look of genuine concern
"Your mud" she said without thinking. His eyebrow lifted and the humor returned to his gaze
"I mean not your mud-the mud. It's obviously not your mud, you can't own mud. I mean maybe you could but why would you want mud?" he was looking at her as if giving everything he had in an attempt to not burst out in laughter
"The carriage got stuck in the mud" she finished lamely
"I can see that" he said slowly, as if speaking to a child- which she certainly was not
"Really? is that why you asked?" she quipped
"I meant, why are you traveling alone?"
"I'm not" she defended "John is looking for help"
"There are no towns for miles" he stated walking around the carriage to inspect the offending wheel
"Did he try to remove it from the mud?"
"Of corse he tried to re-" she whirled around to see the man successfully pull the wheel from the clinging mud
she looked from the wheel to his face, which obviously held a self satisfied smile
obviously
"What did you say his name was, your grace?"
she looked at the knight thoughtfully
"I can't say that I asked. There was a strange trumpet sound that sent him in a frenzy to leave- and then he was gone" she explained, her eyebrows knit together in confusion at her own story
"And you say he took this wheel out of the mud all on his own?"
His breath came in sharp pants and his hair was windblown from the horse ride when he arrived at the castle gates
"your grace, your mother is looking for you" the guard informed him as he dismounted his horse and fixed his crooked vest
"Of corse she is" he muttered, smiling briefly at the guard
When he found his mother she was pacing in the throne room with Walter standing calmly at her side and Thea lounging lazily on a fluffy looking piece of furniture
"Oliver! where in the heavens have you been?"
"Me?" he asked, pointing a finger quizzically at his face
"Yes you, the Princess will be here any minute-"
Before his mother was done chastising his absence, the royal trumpets blared from the gates of the castle announcing the arrival of Princess Felicity Smoak. His lips stretched into a secretive smile on their own accord recalling their earlier encounter- she was quite clever he would say, and quite beautiful a small voice in his head reminded him.
"Thats the sound!" he heard her soft voice inform the knight that was at her side quietly as she walked through the arched door of the castle.
Thea rose from the chair to stand by the Queen and he stood on her other side waiting for the Princess to gaze in his direction. Her eyes were admiring the room's elegant paintings and he took the opportunity to study her face. It had been cleaned up, she no longer wore smudges of dirt across her cheeks but she wore the same gown she had on before- the royal blue one who's fabric had been thoroughly patted to remove the dirt of the roads though the hem, he noticed, was still marred by a thin line of mud- his mud
He chuckled quietly, Thea looked over at him as if he had gone completely mad, he looked back at her and shrugged. When he peered back at the Princess her eyes were fixed on him and there was confusion in her bright eyes
"Princess Felicity" her mother greeted gracefully "We are delighted to have you with us" she continued, intertwining her arm through the Princess'
"I would like you to meet our Prince, Oliver Queen"
Oliver took a step forward and bowed, quite like he had a few hours ago
"Your grace"
"My prince" she said, almost through a clenched jaw
"Please, call me Oliver" he said flashing her his best charming smile
"If you believe, Oliver, that you may now speak to me as if you knew me, you are mistaken" she replied stubbornly
Thea let out a giggle and his mother gasped. The humor in Oliver's eyes returned as did the amused lift of his eyebrow, she was a feisty little thing that was for sure
"I wouldn't dream of it, your grace" he bowed his head again and noticed the annoyance flicker back into her clear blue eyes
"Though I do believe we should get to know each other, seeing that we will be married in a weeks time"