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Chapter 25
"This feels so strange…but I guess this is what it's going to feel like…to sleep in this bed without him," thought Meggie her eyes trained on the ceiling as she waited for her husband in their bed in their final hours together. Today had been their last day together that was why they spent it mostly together. Walking hand in hand or sitting together in the throne room. Tomorrow, she would read him into Inkheart, and they would be apart for only god knows how long. And she couldn't even picture what this place would feel like without him. Meggie had never lived in their castle alone, she was the queen, but she had never had to live without her king. And she didn't want to. As much as she knew he would be successful in his endeavor, she still wanted to keep him there with her, but she couldn't. He had to do this or else he would regret it later or worse, he would come to resent her for keeping him from going, and she didn't want that either. So, she had to let him go, she would have to learn to live without him for a time, and wait for him to return to her. That was how she found herself lying there. Alone in their bed. Meggie would have to sleep in their bed alone and lying there in that moment she was beginning to get used to him not being there. Though the longer she did the sooner she realized that she wasn't going to. That realization made her wish she hadn't come to wait for him. She should have stayed in the throne room and walked with him, but she hadn't. She thought she needed this; she thought this was what she wanted to do. But what she wanted and needed wasn't going to happen.
"I'm not going to get used to not having him here safe with me," thought Meggie letting her eyes wonder from the ceiling to the door; she was not going to get used to this.
To lying in this bed all by herself, she had never been without him even in their bed even when they were fighting. It felt strange, but Meggie tried not to dwell on that especially when she heard him arrive closing the door behind him. In that moment, she found her eyes lingering on him as he looked at her too. Neither of them looked away, after all they didn't know how long they would be apart, and sharing a smile she sat up. Capricorn just stood there looking at her and she wondered if he was going to come any closer. He was thinking the same thing she was that he was going to have to learn to live without her again. Capricorn didn't hesitate then, he approached the bed sitting down by her side, and that's when Meggie sat up more. She didn't give him time to react or say anything, she simply grabbed his face in her hands, and she kissed him. All she could think was that tomorrow he would be leaving her and she wouldn't get to kiss him for such a long time. That was why she kissed him as if her life depended on it her lips smothering him until he couldn't breathe. Meggie didn't hold back and neither did Capricorn kissing her fiercely right back.
Capricorn took a huge breath when she finally let him breathe again. Their faces had barely parted and leaning forward he touched his forehead to hers. They looked into each other's eyes and Capricorn felt himself getting choked up. But he held it back. Instead he had one thought that dominated his entire mind in that moment. Capricorn would miss her, so very much. She was more important to him than anything and before he met her going back might not have been so hard. But now, she complicated everything. Meggie brought a light to his life he didn't have before and he had changed since falling in love with her. Now, he didn't just think of himself, now, he thought of her, and in the Inkworld he wouldn't be doing that. It would feel strange at first and it would be hard. He was going to miss her. And then he let himself focus just on her lying on the bed in that moment. His Meggie always looked beautiful, always looked sexy, but looking at her then he knew she had tried to dress more so for him. It made him smile as his eyes ran over her part of him thinking it all for not, after all, to him she always looked more beautiful than any woman he had ever met in his world. She was his, his goddess, his love, but most of all his queen. Meggie had always been that, since the moment he began to see her as more than Silvertongues daughter, more than a girl; he soon realized she was a woman. A very beautiful woman and since that time she had changed his life. She sat before him in a nearly transparent red nightgown with a low collar that revealed her cleavage.
Her shoulders and long slender arms were bare letting him see her skin. The same was true for her legs, her long legs that he still remembered from the first moment when he first admired them. But like that moment when he realized her beauty her hair was the first thing that caught his attention. Her long golden hair that still shined like freshly spun straw into gold. It lay across her shoulders the way he liked and in that moment, he actually wound a strand through his fingers. It made her smile as they gazed into each other's eyes. Running his hand up her leg then, Capricorn quickly moved it to her neck doing the same before taking her hand.
"What are you doing, my love? Why didn't you wait for me?" said Capricorn gently kissing her hand silently thinking that tomorrow he would leave her.
"Getting used to our bed…waiting for you here, I don't know. You're going to be gone, I'm going to have to get used to sleeping in this big bed alone," whispered Meggie wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without you…this castle will feel so empty, but that's not what I want you to remember. I want you to never forget that while you're gone that I love you. I love you, so very much, and while you're gone I'll be right here waiting for you. No matter how long it takes you to get back to me, I'll always be here waiting for you to come home to me," exclaimed Meggie a few tears slipping past her eyes in that moment.
Capricorn only held her closer in that moment, it was Meggie who pulled him down to the bed, but they moved to kiss each other in the same moment.
"I won't be gone that long…I promise, my love. I'll return to you as soon as I can. I love you far too much…I couldn't bear to be apart from you too long," said Capricorn holding in his own emotions as he kept his voice from cracking. In that moment, he only held her before looking at her he touched her cheek. At first, it was just to wipe the tears away, but then it was because he needed to feel her skin under his fingertips. That was what made Meggie lean closer. Meggie smiled in that moment touching his cheek.
"I know and I love you. I plan to tell you that many, many more times," said Meggie before Capricorn captured her lips in a passionate kiss. At first, he just kissed her because he didn't know when he was going to get to again, but then it was for other reasons. Reasons like that he needed her. That was why he started to move those lips slowly down her throat leaving his final marks on her. He continued onto her cleavage tracing her breasts through the outline of her collar. He gently palmed one of her breasts then making her moan before Meggie's hands descended on him too.
"Capricorn…god I'm going to miss feeling your hands on me," gasped Meggie making him grin as his hands gripped her hips holding her in place as her hips bucked her own hands scratching along the nape of his neck.
"Will you really, my love? Because you are all mine," whispered Capricorn running his hand up her legs again firmly tapping her thigh. That made her part her legs for him wrapping them around his body. This brought them even closer their bodies sharing heat as he continued his ministrations.
"If anyone so much as touches you in any way while I'm away," began Capricorn before Meggie stopped him.
"I would kill anyone who tried before you did. I don't want anyone else's hands on me…you know that, Capricorn," exclaimed Meggie using his shirt to bring his lips back to hers. As they shared their second passionate kiss Capricorn kept his hands up her gown. He continued up her thigh until he felt the soft silk of her panties making Meggie moan as he touched her. Suddenly he found himself pulling them down her legs trying to hold control and not rip them away. Though in that moment he really wanted to.
"Capricorn," whispered Meggie her voice like a breath as he threw them to the floor not seconds later grabbing his shoulders making him lay on his back as she straddled him.
They both groaned in that moment as he felt her wetness and she felt him too. Gripping her ass, Capricorn sat up taking her lips with his as she started to grind down on his clothed erection.
"My nights will be sorely lacking without you, Meggie," whispered Capricorn his eyes watching her fingers in that moment as she opened his shirt clearly wanting it off.
"And mine will be very lonely…as will my days," said Meggie gently sharing a smile with him then as she stopped before laying her hands on him moving his shirt down his arms their eyes locked. She didn't give him time to react to that before her lips were descending upon his again. Her arms wound themselves around his neck pulling him only closer and as his dived into her hair she just enjoyed the moment. Having him right there with her while she still did.
"I'm going to miss you, so much," gasped Meggie as their lips parted in that moment his face still in her hands as their eyes met.
"I know, so will I, but don't think of that. Just think of that moment when we'll see each other again. After we're king and queen of both world's our separation will be worth it, I promise you that," whispered Capricorn touching her cheek to pull her into another deep kiss feeling as her hands went down to the opening of his pants wrenching them open. Once he was released, she took him into her hand, and then she broke the kiss.
"I love you, never forget that…no matter what should happen…keep that in your mind," said Meggie part of her needing him to remember that feeling as he pulled her closer with a groan letting her know he knew.
"I'm going to miss you too, my queen, but memories of you will always be with me. They will fuel me," whispered Capricorn his hands gripping the small of her back as they kissed. Meggie found herself on her back again then feeling him at her entrance as he kissed her still.
He could feel she was already ready for him that's why he slowly started to sink inside of her.
"Capricorn…I…Oh god," breathed Meggie her hands bracing themselves on the back of her shoulders gasping as he gently bit at her throat only stopping when he completely filled her. And then he was moving, his pace slow in an almost sensual way. Meggie let her nails scratch along the nape of his neck the way he liked as he moved deeply inside of her. She moaned loudly hooking her legs around his waist and finally gripping his shoulders Meggie made him look at her just as she got him on his back once more.
In that moment, Meggie gently felt Capricorn stroke her hips as she sunk fully down on him. She rode him than just the way he had taught her with her hands placed firmly on his chest. As she did, Capricorn watched her, memorizing her, loving the way she moved her head tilted back, and her eyes wide open as she faced him all the way with a snap of her head. Their eyes met and unspoken words were said. Leaning down, she kissed his lips before just looking at him as her face hovered over his.
"Meggie?" breathed Capricorn seeing there was something she needed to say.
"If you don't come back to me, don't think I won't find my way over there, and track you down. Because I will…I love you, I won't lose you," whispered Meggie before his lips cut her off. Meggie wrapped her arms around him as he did the same letting him lay her down making love to her.
They were both so close, but they wanted this moment to last. And then she felt Capricorns lips at her ear gently talking to her.
"I love you, Meggie, so much. You have nothing to worry about, I will be coming back to you," breathed Capricorn making her come as he finished. Capricorn watched her fall apart in his arms. He moved inside her still and trailed kisses down her body groaning in unison with her moans as her nails dug into his skin. He smiled despite the momentary pain because he knew it was her way of leaving her mark on him. The pleasure pain sensation had always done things for him, but with her he felt his boiling point come zooming through his body. As her nails finally stopped descending down his back, Capricorn let her name escape his lips as he came. It took everything he had in that moment to keep from collapsing on top of her in that moment.
"Kiss me," whispered Meggie just before Capricorn touched his lips to her kissing her senseless that kiss not ending until their pleasure started to end. Both found themselves breathing heavy. They didn't say anything as they tried to organize their thoughts until finally looking at each other, Meggie wrapped her whole body around him. In that moment, she wanted to glue herself to him because she knew their time was still ticking away with every breath they took.
"I love you, more than life itself…I hope you know that and never forget it," exclaimed Meggie into his chest.
"I have always known that, Meggie, and I will continue to. I love you too, so much. I hope you never forget that either…it would pain me greatly if you did," said Capricorn gently moving sticky pieces of hair out of her face. Meggie found herself leaning into his touch in that moment both were transfixed by the other. Capricorn left her body after a moment of nothing, but looking at her. In that moment, he didn't leave her though, he still held her as close as he could their reality still right there in the forefront of his mind. Neither of them wanted to say anything or even knew what to say. They only knew that as the night went by their time together was coming to an end and it scared them both. Nothing they did had prepared them for this moment that was their thought as they laid there in their silence.
Capricorn finally looked down at his wife that gentle smile only she saw on his face when he realized that she was still clinging to him, her eyes wide open. She wasn't even trying to sleep, but then again neither was he. She was just lying there holding him until suddenly Meggie caught him looking at her. But their eyes met for only a moment before she hugged him close burying her face in his neck. He didn't say anything though, he only held her knowing that for her the idea of being without him was as hard as the idea of being without her was for him. They fell asleep that way their time ticking away until it was gone with the rising of the sun.
"Don't go," whispered Meggie as soon as her eyes opened the next morning landing on him before clinging to him once more. When she looked at him, he touched her face just as she snuggled into his arms.
"You're leaving me today. This is the last time I'll be like this with you for a long time," whispered Meggie feeling as his hands ran along her spine. Capricorn didn't know how to respond. He didn't say a word as he simply held her the same thought echoing in his mind. He would miss her, miss this, and that was why he just kissed the top of her head pulling her closer. But then she was looking at him again fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. He got rid of them as quickly as he could before leaning down meaning to kiss her, but stopping suddenly. He found himself getting choked up as well. The words just weren't there in that moment, they both knew it. All they could do was lay together for as long as they could before Meggie disentangled herself leaving the bed. She gave him a single kiss before she did. But her departure wasn't permanent. Meggie was next to him again soon and pressing a small box into his hand. He looked at her in that moment silently asking her what was inside, but she only shook her head.
"It's a surprise…something I found it necessary for you to have," whispered Meggie taking his face in her hands. For a moment, she just looked at him as if imprinting him on her brain, but then she captured his lips. The kiss was slow and sensual and when their lips parted she once again pressed the box into his hand.
"Just open it…I thought it was just something that you needed…it's also the only thing I can buy you that you don't already have, so I just hope you like it," exclaimed Meggie her tears coming again. Meggie wiped the away as quickly as they came smiling through them as he finally did as she asked. Gingerly he lifted the lid setting it aside and when he saw her gift he smiled taking it out to admire it before looking at her once more. It was a gold pocket watch that was already ticking away, but then he opened it.
"My queen," breathed Capricorn smiling at her image as it rested on the inside of the watch. Looking at it a moment, Capricorn vowed to cherish it before looking at Meggie setting the watch on the bed before touching her face drawing her closer.
"I love you," said Capricorn his voice openly cracking for the first time. He kissed her in that moment his lips overpowering hers as he caressed her sides. This was the last thing he was expecting, but in that moment, he didn't care. He loved it and he loved her.
"This way you won't forget what I look like," whispered Meggie their lips barely parting. Capricorn laughed in that moment gently caressing her hip.
"How could I ever forget this beautiful face, I'd be a fool?" breathed Capricorn touching her face before kissing her once more their foreheads touching. That was how their morning was spent. They laid in bed, they shared sweet kisses, and loving touches. They made love once more before lying in bed they both knew they needed to get up, but they hesitate. They let the moment get drawn out neither of them wanting to leave the bed because it would bring their moment of parting all that closer. But finally, they did, dressing in absolute silence. Once again, neither of them knew what to say.
"I know you have to go…that you have to do this, but I still can't help hating it," whispered Meggie as they walked down the hall then hand in hand his armor shining as his favorite red dress swished around her legs before they entered the room finding everyone ready.
Basta and the guards, they stood around her father, and when he saw Meggie he immediately started screaming at her.
"Shut him up," snapped Capricorn immediately seeing that Meggie just wanted to kill him, but was holding herself back. And after what he had done he was doing the same. He pulled Meggie aside in that moment his arms tight around her. They peered into each other's eyes their foreheads touching and smiling gently at her he waited for her to smile back. In that moment, they just looked at each other not knowing how to say goodbye. As duct tape echoed through the room as his order was carried out, Meggie broke her eyes away from his, and looking at the diesis she started to cry even though she tried to hide it. This moment was finally here and she hated it. Her eyes then fell on the book itself as it rested in her hands and clutching it she swallowed. She didn't know how to let him go even for what she hoped would be a short time. It was in that moment that the Magpie entered joining the guards. That was their cue, he had to go, and in that moment Meggie found herself holding him closer. Meggie and Capricorn simply looked at each other than both knowing that it was time, but neither stepping away from the other. This was the moment; the moment when he would be leaving her.
"I love you," whispered Capricorn the same thought entering his mind before he attacked her lips feeling her arms wind around him picking her up off her feet for just a moment before setting her back down again.
"I love you, so much, my queen. There won't be a moment when you won't be in my thoughts," exclaimed Capricorn pecking her swiftly on the lips several times as she clung to him still.
"I love you," whispered Meggie not letting herself cry.
"Remember, if you don't come back I will come after you," whispered Meggie wrapping her arms around him only tighter kissing him with all the passion she had for him.
"We're not going to say goodbye…not today…not ever. We're going to be together again before we know it. You're leaving today, but tomorrow…many tomorrows away you'll be back again," exclaimed Meggie trying to smile. But when Capricorn kissed her in that moment she couldn't hold it in. As they shared that kiss Meggie broke down crying feeling as he got rid of them as soon as they fell from her eyes. And then their lips parted. It was time and locking eyes together they nodded. It was time.
They knew in that moment that it was time for her to read, but neither of them moved. Neither of them wanted to let the other go.
"Until that tomorrow, my love," whispered Capricorn before they finally started to part ways, but just as he was starting to walk to join the others Meggie dragged him back. She spun him around so fast even Capricorn found himself dizzy. He looked at her not understanding until her lips claimed him for one last passionate heated kiss that made him want to make love to her right there and then one last time. She gripped his armor refusing to let him go until she was ready and when she did she continued to look up at him.
"Make that tomorrow come as soon as you can," whispered Meggie giving him one last peck of a kiss. Slowly they stepped away from each other their eyes still lingering. When they turned away from each other it was in the same moment.
An eerie silence fell as Meggie stepped up to her podium opening the book. Looking at him one last time, Meggie started to read feeling slowly as the magic started to swirl around them. When that silence seemed to deepen that's when she knew. Meggie just stood there in that moment not wanting to look up to where he had been. She knew he wouldn't be there anymore. But finally looking up she gasped because just like she knew he would be, he was gone. Meggie found herself alone, Capricorn was really gone, back in the Inkworld, and as the remaining guards entered the throne room she held that book to her chest. Then she left the room, she would not cry in front of them. She was their queen after all.
