(A/N: This is an all Niles chapter for the most part, but it's still fun to read, and the next posted chapter will be Charloe so there's something to look forward to. Most likely it will be done tonight as well.)
Shortly after Miles retired everyone else claimed loss of appetite, all except Connor who was continued to shovel food into his mouth. Charlie could see he felt remorseful for the damage caused, but not enough to feel the sickening churn in the very pit of his stomach, not like Charlie felt.
Rachel, first to leave, threw a curt nod in Bass' general direction. Following her departure, Danny looked to Charlie conveying all the sorrow he felt, mixed with fatigue. He, like Charlie, was not used to traveling long, exhaustion replaced his usual boyish, youthful face. He sent a reassuring smile to Charlie as he exited along with two of his personal guards, only one of which Charlie knew to be called Ben.
Miles' father had a thing about picking up stray children and taking them under his wing, just as he did with Nora. He provided them a loving, nurturing home and they gave him their undoubting allegiance, not because they felt it owed, but because of his genuine nature.
Miles was the same way, however Ben Morrow was not a child when Miles found him, he was however in need of protection and care. Miles didn't give him the tender love his father was known for, but he gave him a tough love and the kind Ben needed more. They grew to be quite close and while Ben wasn't necessarily the best knight, Miles never doubted Ben would throw himself in front of a spear in sacrifice for either of the children. Miles placed Danny under his care, due to his more solitary and sedentary temperament, putting him with Charlie would've been more of a punishment.
In some ways it looked as though Miles was trying to replace the absence in his heart, once occupied by Bass, with Ben. He grew to love him almost as a brother, that much was obvious to anyone, but it was never quite the same.
As long as Charlie could remember, anytime she and Danny were together it had always been Nora and Ben who would accompany them.
As her thoughts drifted to Nora, she looked up to see she kept looking underneath her lashes at Charlie, silently pleading for them to take their exit as well.
She could tell Nora was uncomfortable so she nodded, "you're dismissed."
Not wanting to keep her hostage any longer, Charlie looked down at her plate until sure she could not take one more bite. She assumed Nora had left, but she was pleasantly surprised upon hearing her certain, but soft voice float across the table, "I'll wait until you're done."
Charlie's eyes shifted to hers as the corner of Nora's mouth formed a smile. It was only the ghost of her usual smile, but Charlie could read her well enough to know she no longer harbored ill feelings.
Nodding, Charlie wiped the corner of her mouth and dropped the napkin on the table, scooting her chair back. Looking towards Bass, all she got a glimpse of was his messy curls as his head stayed pointed downwards.
"If you'll excuse me, I think I'd like to retire to bed as well, I'm feeling a bit tired," she addressed both Bass and Connor. Mostly Bass, he liked when she formally excused herself instead of getting up and leaving unannounced. Tonight however it made no difference, he didn't even acknowledge her request with words, just a primordial grunt she took to mean yes.
With Nora in tow, she said her goodbyes and watched as Nora walked the opposite way, not towards her temporary quarters, but back in the direction of outside.
As long as she knew Charlie was safe inside her room, she felt comfortable going outside the castle for a bit of fresh air. Plus on the way out she noticed extra security in place for the festivities tomorrow, alleviating any further apprehension about Charlie's safety. She didn't fret about the threat coming from Bass, for some reason she gathered he had become protective over her, though his actions seemed to declare otherwise. The feeling of uncertainty came more from his knights, whom she only briefly encountered. Their curious behavior was enough to send up a red flag in her mind.
Circling the keep located within the walls of the inner bailey, Nora sat down on a hilly patch of grass with her back pressed up against the stonewall. The cold stones offered a nice contrast to the muggy, warm air swirling around and ruffling pieces of her hair out of place. Quickly tucking it behind her ear, she hummed in contentment, resting her head against the wall as she peered up into the night sky.
If there was one key thing she and Charlie had in common it was their love of the outdoors, especially during the nighttime when darkness replaced the glaring sun and twinkling stars graced the world with their magnificent presence.
Astronomy was a touchy subject, often leading to heated debates about how the earth came to be and whether or not it was indeed round or flat. Nora didn't care much for speculations, she only cared about things she could see and feel.
The night sky was forever changing, no two nights could one look up and see the exact same picture as they did the night before. Without realizing it, little things changed, even if were not visible at the moment. The change was not subtle all the time, one night you could go out and see thousands of starts lighting up the midnight sky, and other nights there would only be traces of specks of light. The one constant thing Nora enjoyed seeing was the moon. Although it changed shape, sizes, and sometimes colors, it let off a guiding light that seemed to always shine intensely.
For her, the night sky represented herself, dim, dull, and lifeless unless decorated with stars and the moon. Charlie was the stars, constantly shifting and changing, but always something to marvel at no matter how big the cluster. Some days you had to squint hard to see their presence, much like some days Nora had to devote extra attention to Charlie's performance, while other days she shined on her own so bright Nora had to shield her eyes.
If Charlie were the stars that could only leave one person to represent the moon in the equation…Miles. He changed less frequently than Charlie, but his emotions had been known to alter colors so to say. He could be white with innocence one day, and drenched in blood red guilt another day. No matter, for Nora what he felt on the inside never changed the beauty produced on the outside for the rest of the world to see. Even when he was at his most terrifying, he was still a sight to see.
"You're going to get a crick in your neck if you stare up there any longer," came a deep chuckling voice at her side.
She knew it was him from the minute she heard his boots squishing against the grass, there was a distinct way in which Miles walked, Nora grew accustomed to that.
"What are you looking for anyway? I'm quite sure it hasn't changed since the first five minutes you've been staring at it."
She shook her head, "that's not true, it always changes, even if it's so minute we can't see it with the human eye."
Miles chuckled, settling next to her in the grass, "sounds like something your father would say. He always tried to stress to my father the importance of navigating by the stars and how to be aware of even the slightest changes. He firmly believed one could tell a great deal by the stars."
A smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes, picturing the memory in her head, "he always tried to instill the same in us, though it only ever stuck with me I suppose."
She never said her name, but he always knew whom she was talking about.
Opening her eyes, she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, "I told Charlie."
When his brows scrunched together she turned to look directly at him, "everything. About what happened, well, some of what happened. And about," she took a deep breath, "about Mia. She was curious about how I knew Bass, and you know Charlie, couldn't be satisfied by the abridged version, she demanded the full report."
Miles smiled, that was something they shared in common.
His smile vanished as the rest of her words sunk in, "did you tell her about…"
Trailing off, he got his answer from the look in her eyes.
Running a hand through his disheveled hair, he vocally groaned, "Jesus Nora, don't you think you could've given me some warning before divulging all those skeletons. No wonder she looked at me the way she did, she's hurt and confused. What would possess you to do that?"
In efforts to control her temper, she bit the inside of her cheek as fury washed over her, "I didn't tell her the role you played Miles, but I wasn't going to lie to her, not like everyone else."
"That's not fair, I've never lied to her—"
"No you just omit certain parts of the truth."
"Because I don't want her to look at me the way she looks at Bass, like I'm some sort of malevolent monster for all that I've done. I know that I've made mistakes, which is why I don't hold them against Bass, but I couldn't take it if Charlie looked at me that way too…the way you look at me."
Nora's mouth flew open as she struggled for words, "what do you mean the way I look at you? I treat you no differently than I ever have."
He chuckled a humorless laugh, "don't do me the disservice of lying to my face Nora. I know you still hold me accountable for the role I played in your torture, and you should. There is no reason you should see me as anything other than cruel and merciless."
She said nothing, sitting perfectly still, Miles was the one who sought out her hand, squeezing it gently, "I could spend a lifetime apologizing and it would never be enough."
"Miles you shouldn't have to apologize, you're the king and I'm—"
He cut her off before she could belittle herself to just a title, she was much more than that, "you're Nora, the same Nora who took me by the face and kissed me to shut me up when we were 10. The same Nora who took the fall for Bass and me more than once. The one who has always been on my side, not because you felt this loyalty to me, but because you saw something redeemable in me. The one person who would never give up and would've drug me by my toes from even the deepest depths of hell."
Lowering his voice, Nora hadn't notice his hand made it's way up her body to cradle her face, "the only woman, the only person who never lied and made me out to be more of a saint than I am. You've always acknowledged my past mistakes and sins, while still seeing some shred of hope left in me. You never faulted Bass long for the blood on his hands because you knew deep down he never wanted any of it to happen, and if anyone's to blame it would be me."
"I lied earlier when I said you look at me differently. I want you too, I feel as though you should hate me for all I've said and done, but each time I look at you I never see that in your eyes. It would be much easier on me if you could start acting like you hate me a little," he chuckled.
Nora smiled, "well by all means almighty King Matheson," she rolled her eyes playfully, "please tell me how I could be of assistance in making your life easier."
Her teasing tone caused them both to join in on the contagious laughter, neither of them paying Miles' hand upon Nora's face any attention.
Her laughter subsided, "sometimes I wish I could hate you and be angry with you, but that's not who I am Miles. You know this, so I'm sorry to say, I'm going to have to ignore your request. I'm incapable of looking at you any other way, to me you'll always be the broody, pouty, bossy, troublesome Miles I've known my entire life."
His lips pressed against hers in a soft, gentle kiss immediately swallowing her chuckle. Placing her hand on his wrist, gravity pulled her into his warm embrace, as she moved her lips against his without any further thought. It lasted only minutes before Nora broke away, turning her head.
Noticing the change in her, Miles' eyes shot open, and his hand dropped from her face, "I'm so sorry Nora."
"You can't keep doing this to me, it isn't fair Miles. I'm not asking you to leave Rachel, God knows I would never ask you to jeopardize yourself and your title, but I am asking that you distance yourself from me. I am your royal knight and would like to be treated as such."
Standing up from her spot, she began walking, only halting when Miles hand shot up and gripped her elbow, "I can't just treat you like any other knight Nora, come on, we've been friends since childhood."
"Yes Miles, friends, that's all and now I am YOUR knight. It's not unfair to ask to be treated with as much respect as the others. I didn't need you jumping to my defense earlier, I am more than proficient at fighting my own battles."
His grip on her elbow tightened as she enunciated the word friend, "I do know, but if it had been any other knight I would've done the same. Plus I was merely trying to avoid the all out war sure to explode after you were finished with Rachel."
Sighing, he sought out her eyes, "we were never just friends Nora, you and I both know that, only I was too young and stupid to go after what I wanted. I cared too much about the consequences when I shouldn't have given a damn, I'm the king, I make the rules."
Adamantly she shook her head, pulling at her arm, "you entered into a binding contract with God upon your marriage to Rachel and I will not be apart of any plot to break that. Besides you are right, you are the king and it would look bad if your subjects found out you were sneaking around with me."
Miles drew her in closer, "I don't give a damn, I'm much too old to care about politics anymore Nora. The people love me, and I highly doubt they would care to know I'm in love with my own knight."
Love, she had never heard those words come out of his mouth, evident by the shock rippling through her body and causing her to tense up.
Miles loosened his hold, "you had to have known this was coming, I've loved you all my life Nora. Of course I will always love Rachel, she's the mother of my children and at one time she was everything I wanted, but at no point was she ever you."
This changed everything, Nora initiated the kiss, pouring every ounce of emotion she was feeling into it.
She could feel him happily responding with urgency until for the second time that night she broke away, placing one final kiss upon his lips.
Stepping back, she effectively dodged his attempt to reach out for her again as she turned her back, shutting out his pleads, "don't do this, you're running away and that's not like you."
Sadly she turned around and offered a small smile, "I'm not running Miles, I'm doing what you should do, the right thing. Things got out of control tonight and passions flew, it's funny how the night gives us a chance to hide everything away in darkness, but tomorrow when the sun rises it'll be a new day. All of the past is best left in the past."
Turning back around, she froze for a moment when Miles' voice rang out, "tomorrow may be a new day, but it won't change my feelings towards you and it certainly won't deter me from convincing you it's worth the risk."
For a moment Miles thought she was going to say something because she stood still, shoulders visibly moving up and down with every intake of breath. Finally she took one last inhale and began going back inside.
Anyone else would've considered it defeat, but Miles knew Nora and the fact she was contemplating it in her mind gave him a sliver of hope. It would not be easy nor sudden, but nothing about love ever is.