I'm back again! Work has settled down and life is a lot less crazy. Phew! But, that's enough of that, right? How about we get back to the show?

:) Enjoy!

Linny

Two Worlds

Chapter Twenty Eight

"A deaf princess? What kind of lunacy is that?" The question echoed in his mind as did Dimitrius's less than kind reply. He didn't know where the question had come from. When Lucy had come into his life, he'd though he had put those prejudices aside so she could help him embrace the differences of the world. His father's "teachings" were reflected in his insensitive question and he had never felt so enraged at himself in all his life.

Lady Sue was a wonderful human being. She saw his potential straight away and even saw the love he had for the dark beauty that now lay sound asleep on the other side of the small clearing they'd made camp in. He loved Lucy more than anything, but he was terrified that his cruel words had chased her away. The thought of being without her made his heart ache and tears spring to his eyes.

"Myles?" her soft voice penetrated the dark abyss he'd found himself in.

His heart jumped to his throat as his head swiveled in her direction. "I thought you were asleep." He was surprised to see the coffee-colored depths of her eyes gazing up at him at him from her resting place. He'd expected to see some sort of hurt emotion in those depths, but he saw only the calm serenity she revealed to him.

"Who could sleep when you're thinking so loudly?" A gentle smile formed on her lips and her shoulders shook with silent laughter.

It took him a moment to realize that she was teasing him and soon his shoulders shook as well, but just as quickly as it started, it stopped. "You're not angry with me?"

"Should I be?" Sitting up, she ran a hand through her bed-matted hair, stifling a yawn with her other.

"After everything I'd said... I though-"

"I know you better than that, Myles," she cut him off a bit curtly, but with all the love she had for him still shining in her eyes. "And you are nothing like your father. He sent me along with you for spite, but I've just fallen more and more in love with you. I know you didn't mean those things you said."

He felt her gentle hand carefully slip into his and squeeze it full of all the trust and truth she could manage. Myles Leland III was absolutely nothing like his father. Lucy could see that just by looking at him. Phillip Leland was rough and cruel to his servants. In truth, they were like slaves, but the only reason why they remained with the family was because one day they would be working for the Leland heir and they knew that they would not be treated like the dirt his father saw them as.

Myles could remedy this situation with one simple apology to Dimitrius. There was just one little problem. He motioned his head to the man lying on the cool wet ground with his back to the Lord. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, but neither he nor Lucy could tell if Dimitrius was truly asleep or just faking it. "I doubt he would forgive me."

"How do you know if you never try?"

Her optimism always raised his spirits. A smile curled to his lips. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

She shook her head. "I don't think you have and to tell you the truth, I'm feeling a bit deprived." A glimmer of mischief twinkled in her eyes and Myles couldn't resist leaning in and gently claiming her lips.

"I love you, Lucy Dotson."

If Lucy would have allowed herself, she would have swooned right there on the spot. His eyes were the sincerest shade of blue she'd ever seen reflected down upon her. It was more than love emulated in those eyes, but she could describe the other emotions she saw there. Whatever they were, she'd never felt so cherished in all her life. "I love you too, Myles."

Dimitrius's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as he listened in. Sleep was eluding him because of Leland's unkind outrage. A deaf princess was not lunacy, no matter which way you look at it and Lady Sue would make the perfect queen despite her disability.

He hadn't expected to hear Leland's confession to Lucy nor her willingness to forgive him. D supposed he'd jumped to the wrong conclusion as well and let his anger take control over him. For years, he'd defended Lady Sue, constantly putting up with the rumors that she was unfit for royalty. That had been around the time the King and Queen had decided to keep her affliction a secret from the public. Either way they would have little to say on the matter. She will be crowned queen one day and whether they stood beside her or against her was up to them.

D would stand beside her and it seemed Leland would as well, but not as her husband. He would stand beside her as a trusted friend and ally. The real question that plagued his mind was who would stand beside her as king, yet thinking back to the image of Sue and Jack's signed conversation, he concluded that there was no better choice than the heir of Hudson.