Author's Note: the response to this story has been amazing ng! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I hope this new chapter is to your liking.
She had been gone for two weeks and he was beginning to lose hope she would ever return. Though he never voiced his concerns, he worried that something had happened to her.
He regretted his harsh words, more than he regretted most anything in his life. He remembered vividly their fight, and how it had been entirely his fault. He had let jealousy get the better of him and before he had even given her a chance to explain the fear of losing her to another had taken over and he had said things he didn't mean. For the first time he had seen pain in her eyes when looking at him, the tears that welled in her eyes and burned his nose would haunt him for the rest of his days.
He had banished the low- life courtier that had dared to make a move on her from his lands, but he feared it was too little, too late. What claim did he have on her? Yes, he had saved her life multiple times when she was young, let her rejoin him in his travels, let her stay in his fortress, but he had never staked a claim in her future.
He had been careful not to show too much emotion with her, afraid if he did the snakes at his court would take advantage.
This had been the first fight they had ever had, the first time he had seen her anger directed at him (or anyone else for that matter).
His jealousy (an emotion he had never recognized in himself before her) reared its ugly head and he had told her to do as she pleased. He had acted nonchalant, put up his stone wall and made it seem like he didn't care so that she couldn't see his pain at her accepting affection from any other male but him.
He had wanted more from her.
But he also wanted her safe.
He didn't want another male to have her.
But he also wanted her to be... happy.
How could it have come to pass in ten years that he even cared what others wanted? Needed? Cherished?
Protected?
Loved?
He heard a high pitched winney and a chorus of "Mistress Rin is returning!"
His eyes shot wide.
Could it be?
He turned into a ball of light and made it down to the courtyard in time to see her dismount AhUn. At first all he could do was stare. Was she really here? The courtyard was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, his soldiers dared not make a sound.
"Rin?" His voice was hoarse from lack of use. Her head shot up from the dragon's at the unfamiliar sound.
The moment her saw her eyes, he knew she was real, he also knew he had no claim.
It would be her choice.
They stared at each other for a moment until she broke the silence.
"What is your wish my lord?" She said with a bow.
He placed a claw-tipped finger under her chin and simply replied, "What is yours?"
She looked into his eyes with such fire he knew he would feel its burn for centuries.
"You."
His eyes widened further, if possible.
"There are risks," he cautioned.
"I am not afraid."
He words were said with such conviction, such confidence in his that all he could do was crash his lips to hers. Through the drone of his soldiers' whistles and shouts, all he could think was 'Evermore Indeed.'