Grasping onto Tristan's hand, he pulled her up and onto the white steed. She daintily wrapped her hands around his muscular stomach, as he prodded the horse forward. Her grip tightened when he leaned forward, kicking the horse into a gallop, reigns in one hand, other clasped tightly over Rory's.
Riding towards the woods they were at yesterday, Tristan led his horse to the bridge. Jumping off, he put his hands up on Rory's waist to help her down. As she slid off the horse, her chest brushed down his, and Tristan still held onto her when they reached the ground. Her big blue eyes locked with his and they stood for a moment in silence, completely lost in their own world.
Rory broke the eye-lock, walking a little farther from the horse. Tristan came right behind her, dying to touch her, knowing he can't. She walked onto the bridge, sitting in the middle with her legs dangling over the edge. Standing on the ground on the right side, Tristan watched her as she dipped her hand in the water, creating small ripples.
Looking up, she smiled at him, laughter dancing in her eyes, "You took me to the bridge?" He walked a bit forward, sitting down across from him, his back leaning against the next post, "Yes, your point?"
She laughed at him, shaking her head, then looked to the sky, "Nothing…I just didn't expect you to take me…here." Laughing again, she looked Tristan straight in the eye, "So…what do you want? Because I'm sure there isn't much you could possibly need from me."
Tristan was the first to look away this time, trying to word things right. He looked at the water beneath him, Rory's reflection glimmering back at him. She saw that he was looking over her reflection and smiled softly. He caught that, finally looking back up.
"You…I'm not really sure. It's just, I want to get to know you." he said weakly, trying to word the truth in words she might accept. Telling her that he was determined to make her a princess might not be the best idea just yet. But he'd tell her soon.
Rory raised an eyebrow, looking over the man in the dark-blue suit with the golden tassels and the thick black riding boots minus scuff. He was everything her mother left, he was everything her family told her to avoid, he was everything Lane said was trouble, he was everything Jess tried to keep away from her, he was everything that Luke immediately threatened. He was everything Rory wanted, but knew she could never have. He would never care about some dirty peasant girl…but…why was he trying to know me?
"But…why?" she practically whispered, looking down at her beat-up boots, dirty dress, and worn out apron with the battered book resting gently in the pocket. The dress was so mussed from dirt and grass that you could barely tell it was blue, and the apron had holes from long days of work and play. She blushed when she realized this must be some sort of trick, or trap. No prince would want to spend time with someone so dirty and poor.
Tristan watched as she suddenly became self-conscious of herself, tugging on her skirt and dipping her head so her hair kept her beautiful face from him. Reaching forward, her brushed her hair behind her ear, knowing he shouldn't, but if he tried his hand would most likely spontaneously combust.
Her head slowly raised to meet his eyes, his hand gently tracing her jaw and cupping her cheek. "Because, Rory, your beautiful. I would like to get to know you."
Inching forward just a little, their faces close, but not close enough. Rory bit her lower lip, putting her hand on her cheek over Tristan's hand. "That's it? To get to know me…because I'm beautiful?" she whispered, and when he nodded she scooted in a little bit too. "Not just that," closer, "I can feel something with you," closer, "And I have never felt it before," closer, "I want to get to know you Rory," and they kissed.
Fireworks, Explosions, butterflies, stars, world-shaking, earth-shattering, heart-melting. That was the everything they felt from the one simple kiss. It wasn't anything to forward, just a simple kiss. Lips dancing together. But from the second Tristan's lips touched Rory, the world melted away with the rest of their reality. The only thing left was them, so together and at the same time so apart.
Easing away softly, Tristan ran a hand through Rory's soft hair, twirling a delicate strand around his finger. Rory looked into his eyes, finding nothing wrong with them, but knowing that it was all so wrong anyway. She scooted back, running her sweaty palms over her dress and standing quickly. Tristan leapt to his feet also, holding his hands out as she backed the opposite way.
"I…I…have to go." She walked backwards, quickly getting off the bridge. Tristan followed her, calling after, "Wait! Where…why! When will I see you again?" He turned and ran towards his horse, hopping on. He kicked his horse in the direction Rory left, the last thing he heard from her was, "You won't!"
This caused him to urge his horse faster, but the gangly trees and bushes became too much for his horse. Leaping off, he ran, seeing little flashes of brown hair or blue eyes. Dodging trees and hanging branches, he finally reached an open clearing where a small little house sat on top of the hill.
The tidy house's door was swinging slightly from Rory's sudden entrance, and he tenderly walked up the stairs to the door, knocking on the frame. No answer. Pushing the door slightly open, he peaked inside, hoping to get a glimpse of her. No one. Walking into the main room, he rounded the bend in the hallway, ending up in a small kitchen.
On the right of the kitchen was door, slightly open. He swung it open a little more to find Rory curled up on a small bed with a checkered comforter on top. He stepped forward slowly, sat on the bed softly, and began rubbing her back gently.
"Why did you run away?" he whispered. She sat up quickly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "What are you doing here!" she said, almost yelling, almost whispering. Tristan smiled at her, cupping her face in his hand and brushing away a tear.
"Why are you crying? Let me help." She looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears, and she backed against her headboard, shaking her head. "No, no, you can't help. You…should….you need to…you should go." she whispered it, not looking him in the eye. Tristan shook his own head, scooting in again. "Why?"
"Because…you are…and I am…and you don't…and I shouldn't and, and…" Her eyes flew around the room, landing on the door. Raising to her feet slowly, she turned and walked backwards towards the door. Tristan leapt to his feet when he realized what she was doing, closing the door before Rory reached it.
"No. Tell my why you want me to leave," he said sternly, walking away from the door and toward the window by Rory's bed. Rory walked forward, defeated, and sat on the bed. "You don't even know me! Why do you care?" He looked at her, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know."
Rory began to stand, but, panicked, Tristan stood quickly grabbing her hand and spinning her into his strong torso. Rory's hands flew up, landing on his chest and he clasped his tightly over hers, leaving them to feel his steady heart-beat.
"Do you feel that? You make my heart quicker. No one has ever done that. Now tell me, maybe that's why I care?" He asked, bending so he can catch her eyes and hold them. Rory looked up at him, biting her lip.
"But... You are to be a great King very soon, and I will never become anything more than a peasant girl. I could never be suitable for you." She looked down in embarrassment. Tristan let go one of her hands to bring his to Rory's face and lift her chin up softly. He brushed her cheek with the pad of his thumb, shaking his head.
"No, that doesn't matter. I will make you my princess, Rory, you can be my princess." Smiling softly he waited for her answer.
"But, what if it doesn't work. We couldn't do it. Why does it matter anyway? You only just met me!" She bit her lower lip, fighting tears, as Tristan chuckled.
"You feel it too. That's where the tears are from. Please, it does not matter who your parents are or where you live. You are beautiful and you make me feel, and I may not know you, but I know that I want to know you. Please. I will make you out to look and act like a princess. We can even take your family, and extend them to be your Royal Family as well. Please Rory."
She bit her lip, nodding softly. Tristan beamed, then leaned down and caught Rory's lips in his own. The shock that went off was…electrifying, and they both knew that they could lie until they figured everything out.
The kiss ended slowly, Tristan's lips lingering a little longer than they should. Rory held Tristan's gaze, smiling softly, remembering the beautiful words he spoke to her.
Almost as quickly as it started, Rory dropped Tristan's arms, backing up. "Princess? What! You want to make me your princess! I don't think that's going to work. I have nothing that looks remotely like something a princess would wear and I don't know how to act or talk or walk and we don't even know each other and oh boy, what are we going to do!" Tristan chuckled, reaching his arms out and pulling Rory into him again.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he held her close as she lay her head against his chest. Kissing her soft brown hair, a shushed her and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, we'll figure it out. Your friends could be your court, and I could tell Jeff the truth, we could get you a patience of nobility, find some far off country for you to come from, and change your name to Mary." He felt Rory go ridged underneath him, then rubbed her back soothingly, stopping her bombard of questions with his own explanation. "I told Jeffery yesterday that I met you, and you didn't have a name…well you did…but I didn't know what it was…so I told him your name was Mary. But you don't really have to change your name…I wasn't serious."
She took a deep breath before stepping away. He kept hold of her hand, but let her move about the room. Rory walked over to the window, sat on the edge and looked out to the woods. "How are you going to teach me Tristan? What do you know about Ladies etiquette? Doesn't it take years to teach someone these things?" He knelt in front of her, sighing, and looked straight into her eyes, "I don't care. I just want you to be with me. I'll do whatever it takes, I'll tell Jeffery the truth…and he can teach you, and I can help I'm sure. Just, please?"
Rory stood up, walked out of the room(Tristan still held her hand), to the kitchen, and out the backdoor. They walked together towards town, hand in hand, and Tristan led his horse holding onto the reigns. He brought their joined hands up to his lips, kissing her ivory knuckles delicately.
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