Oof. . .this story just gets more complicated by the chapter! Thanks for
all your support again, everyone, it's been a real boost to me when I read
all those encouraging reviews, also considering that this is my first
fanfic ever =)
-
An indignant burst of annoyed words was on the tip of his tongue, but they crumbled and dropped into his throat when he saw Ayame, her face lacking its haughty expression. "I head the news," she murmured, avoiding his gaze. "Do you have any ideas?"
He shook his head numbly, taking a few steps back and gesturing for her to come in. She did, settling her slight frame into the rickety chair in the corner. He seated himself on the bed, watching her intently, wondering what she'd come for. Clearly she had more to say than just to find out if he had any plans in mind.
He was right. Twisting her hands in her lap, she spoke in a nervous, nearly inaudible voice. "I. . .just wanted to apologize. . ." she mumbled. Liam allowed a small, tired smile to linger on his face. "I had no right to be angry with you. I'm sorry."
Ayame raised her gaze, startled, when she found her hand taken gently into his. "I'm sorry as well," he murmured quietly. "I forgive you easily, if you'll forgive me." Her head nodded fervently as she unconsciously rose, crossing the small space between them to perch on the bed beside him. They found themselves frozen, unable to tear their eyes away from the other's, blood pounding in their ears.
But this time, it was Ayame who pulled back. "We can't," she whispered, wrenching herself from the embrace that called to her so longingly. "We can't, Liam. . .the rest of the clan would know, and it would be too dangerous. If we were separated, we could be used against each other. It won't work, Liam. . .I'm sorry. . ."
And he knew she was right, though his heart would not accept it, aching just to hold her in his arms and lose himself in a simple kiss. . .but it could not, and would not, be. Hot tears pressing behind his eyelids, tears he would never let her see, he stood and turned his back. "We'll wait for one more day for word from Madi, and if we receive nothing, then I'm going to the palace-higher security or not." His choked words were curt, dismissive.
Ayame bowed her head. "So be it," she whispered, departing while his back was turned. It was a suicide mission, and she knew that he knew that as well as she did, but their forbidden love had only strengthened his angry determination to fulfill their destined missions. By now she knew him well enough to be sure that nothing would change his mind this time.
But she was wrong.
There was one thing that could alter his decision. She didn't know it was coming, even when she saw the familiar cloaked figure in the corner of the pub. Sighing silently, she took a seat opposite from him, trying to make out any details under the shadow of the hood. "Liam isn't going to come talk to you now, so don't ask me to go get him."
"I don't want him here. I need to talk to you, alone." Madi's voice was low and urgent. "Come outside for a moment; I can't say this in here, there's too many people around." Cautiously Ayame stood, following him through the rusty door of the pub and out into the bitingly cold winter air.
"Ayame, look at me." She turned and was startled into forgetting what she'd been about to say, because the prince had removed his hood and was staring her straight in the eye. He was a few years younger than her, approximately, but handsome in a very royal way. Steel-gray eyes under sharp, slender brows were framed by a strand of silky black hair on either side of the face, the rest pulled back in a thin braid; a strongly arched nose above full-lipped mouth completed the picture. His chin was held high with a regality that had likely been bred into him from birth, part of being royalty.
Captivated, she didn't see until too late the tall shadow that loomed from behind her. Her vision was obscured by the weighted cloth that was looped swiftly over her head, then all her senses muddled as she began to reel from lack of air. A swift but painful rap on her head knocked her into complete oblivion.
-
An indignant burst of annoyed words was on the tip of his tongue, but they crumbled and dropped into his throat when he saw Ayame, her face lacking its haughty expression. "I head the news," she murmured, avoiding his gaze. "Do you have any ideas?"
He shook his head numbly, taking a few steps back and gesturing for her to come in. She did, settling her slight frame into the rickety chair in the corner. He seated himself on the bed, watching her intently, wondering what she'd come for. Clearly she had more to say than just to find out if he had any plans in mind.
He was right. Twisting her hands in her lap, she spoke in a nervous, nearly inaudible voice. "I. . .just wanted to apologize. . ." she mumbled. Liam allowed a small, tired smile to linger on his face. "I had no right to be angry with you. I'm sorry."
Ayame raised her gaze, startled, when she found her hand taken gently into his. "I'm sorry as well," he murmured quietly. "I forgive you easily, if you'll forgive me." Her head nodded fervently as she unconsciously rose, crossing the small space between them to perch on the bed beside him. They found themselves frozen, unable to tear their eyes away from the other's, blood pounding in their ears.
But this time, it was Ayame who pulled back. "We can't," she whispered, wrenching herself from the embrace that called to her so longingly. "We can't, Liam. . .the rest of the clan would know, and it would be too dangerous. If we were separated, we could be used against each other. It won't work, Liam. . .I'm sorry. . ."
And he knew she was right, though his heart would not accept it, aching just to hold her in his arms and lose himself in a simple kiss. . .but it could not, and would not, be. Hot tears pressing behind his eyelids, tears he would never let her see, he stood and turned his back. "We'll wait for one more day for word from Madi, and if we receive nothing, then I'm going to the palace-higher security or not." His choked words were curt, dismissive.
Ayame bowed her head. "So be it," she whispered, departing while his back was turned. It was a suicide mission, and she knew that he knew that as well as she did, but their forbidden love had only strengthened his angry determination to fulfill their destined missions. By now she knew him well enough to be sure that nothing would change his mind this time.
But she was wrong.
There was one thing that could alter his decision. She didn't know it was coming, even when she saw the familiar cloaked figure in the corner of the pub. Sighing silently, she took a seat opposite from him, trying to make out any details under the shadow of the hood. "Liam isn't going to come talk to you now, so don't ask me to go get him."
"I don't want him here. I need to talk to you, alone." Madi's voice was low and urgent. "Come outside for a moment; I can't say this in here, there's too many people around." Cautiously Ayame stood, following him through the rusty door of the pub and out into the bitingly cold winter air.
"Ayame, look at me." She turned and was startled into forgetting what she'd been about to say, because the prince had removed his hood and was staring her straight in the eye. He was a few years younger than her, approximately, but handsome in a very royal way. Steel-gray eyes under sharp, slender brows were framed by a strand of silky black hair on either side of the face, the rest pulled back in a thin braid; a strongly arched nose above full-lipped mouth completed the picture. His chin was held high with a regality that had likely been bred into him from birth, part of being royalty.
Captivated, she didn't see until too late the tall shadow that loomed from behind her. Her vision was obscured by the weighted cloth that was looped swiftly over her head, then all her senses muddled as she began to reel from lack of air. A swift but painful rap on her head knocked her into complete oblivion.