Saving Prince James: A James and Sofia Love Story
Set in an alternate universe, James is now 20 and usurped his father as king and conquered every kingdom to create an empire, but he has lived his years as a lonely king with only power and wealth to keep him company. When Cedric summons a banished Sofia, 18, to the castle to secretly save the kingdoms and James, something stirs in James's heart the moment he sees a grown and blossomed Sofia. Can a banished princess save the kingdoms and a ruthless prince find his way into the heart of a princess he once lost?
Chapter 28: After Waking Up
Sofia
Sofia stood in front of her grand floor-to-ceiling windows and pulled the small soft knitted quilt tighter around her shoulders to keep the early morning chills away. Her fingers played with the frayed ends of the warm quilt that James had brought in for her last night as she watched the world outside her window.
Winter was dwindling to an end and the last of the snow that remained tried to fight to stay despite the early flowers that were budding free from their long season slumber. The trees were still bare and empty, and Sofia could see bits and pieces of green grass peak through the thin layer of snow on the ground.
The sunlight was just breaking over the horizon, making the snow gleam and sparkle. The warmth of the sun began to shine through her window and Sofia drew closer to it, wanting to soak in as much of the sun's warmth as possible before James and Amber rob it from her.
It has been several days – nearly six or seven, really – since Sofia has awoken from her coma and James and Amber have been nothing but persistent in never letting her out of their sight. Their overprotectiveness has worsened and it has been making Sofia utterly mad. They won't let her outside anymore, not even a foot out of her room. They locked her inside her room and even refused to allow her out of her own bed.
Just a few days ago, the three of them all got into another argument over the same, repetitive subject: Sofia leaving her room! Sofia being ready to go back outside! Sofia regaining her independence!
But did she get it? No.
She had only asked to go for a stroll around the garden and James and Amber just about exploded. They threw excuses after excuses at her to keep her from going outside. The one they threw at her the most was that they didn't believe it was safe enough for her to go back outside. But Sofia knew that their real reason for keeping her inside was because they were too afraid of something happening to her again if they let her back outside. They were so completely terrified of her getting hurt again that it was making them paranoid of just about everything. Her attack and coma only made them think of her as too weak and fragile to even function correctly. Their argument had gotten to the point where Sofia kicked them out of her room and locking herself inside. She didn't talk or see them until the next day.
Sofia knew that they are only like this because of what happened to her. It was their worry and anxiety and panic that was making them act so overprotective. She understood it and appreciated all of their love and care. But hell, it was getting on her nerves at how persistent they were to keep her inside where they believed she was safest. Locks were installed and more guards were placed at her door to keep everyone out and her in.
The worst of it all was all of the attention she was receiving. It was driving her mad! She honestly hated all of it! Especially the catering to her every need. Sofia was never comfortable with that kind of thing. And it was all so infuriating to be treated as if she was helpless. There was even a million blankets and pillows on her bed, enough to drown her in a sea of fluff and cushions.
Just a few days ago, when she was fed up with sitting in her ocean of blankets and pillows, she got up to walk to her chairs by the fire place. James and Amber freaked out so badly that she was sure they were about to have a collective heart attack. Then James just picked her up and carried her over to her chair for her. She doesn't have her casts on anymore, but they all walk on eggshells every time she tries to get out of bed. It was as if they believe she was literally walking on two broken legs.
It was all too over the top.
She has tried to convince them that she was well again and was perfectly fine enough to step outside into the green courtyard. Or go to the castle library. Hell, just the hallway outside her room would suffice! Sofia missed the refreshing air of nature. She missed being independent. She missed standing and walking and running for crying out loud!
But each time, they would flat out refuse her request.
And it was all putting a bump in her plans. She needed to go back out and look for Lucinda, and tell her what Queen Anne had told her. She needed to go search for the second source.
I have been awake for four days now and I have gotten nothing done. I haven't been able to get James to spill his guts because the others have been sticking to me like glue and Hugo keeps popping up at the worst times. I haven't been able to talk to Lucinda since I've woken up because I have been stuck in here. I haven't seen Queen Anne since I've woken, so I can't get help from her. And I still haven't realize whatever the amulet needs me to realize so I can find the second source.
This is all so frustrating…. Sofia outwardly sighed. James knows I need to go out but he still won't let m –
A pair of strong arms circled around her waist, interrupting her upset morning thoughts. She felt a warm body press against her back as a prickly chin tickled at the crook of her neck before a pair of lips kissed at it.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Sofia whispered. She was a bit upset that she didn't get more time to just herself. James was sound asleep when she crept out of bed, she was sure that she would get more minutes than that.
But really, while she did wanted him to sleep a little longer so that she could be out of her damn bed for a few minutes, Sofia was hoping that he could get some more time to sleep and rest. She couldn't help but notice that he's been rather sluggish and tired whenever he does his kingly work (like everything else now, he's chosen to do his work in her room so that he can keep an eye on her and be by her side if she ever needs anything) and she thought maybe it was because of their time together at night.
Like every night since he's taken to sleeping in her room, they would be up late at night. Sometimes just talking and sometimes not. It was always the sometimes not that made them stay up the latest. Well into the night really.
"You didn't," James said. His voice was rough and groggy in a sexy way but with a happy and contented lilt to it. His lips brushed the back of her ear as he gave her a tight squeeze. "Come back to bed. It's too early for you to be up."
Sofia couldn't tell if he meant it was too soon after she's just woken up from her coma or if it was just too early in the morning. Just to keep things peaceful between them right now, she just decided on the latter.
"What are you talking about?" Sofia asked. He placed another kiss on her neck, and it wasn't hard for Sofia to get lost in the familiar shivers that started to run from where his lips touched her skin. Her eyes may have been watching the sunrise, but her mind was consumed by the sensation of James. "It's just a little before four o'clock, the usual time we wake up."
"Yes, we do usually wake up at this time, but we usually stay in bed after we wake up and mess around a little before you have to kick me out," he chuckled as his arms gave her another squeeze. She felt him pull on the small quilt that was keeping her warm against the early morning chill. "Are you cold?"
Sofia absently shook her head in a silent "no". The colors of the sunrise now has her attention. She was lost in the soft, vibrant colors that were dancing across the morning sky. Sofia was contented with where she was right now, just watching the sun rise with James's arms circled around her. She was soaking in the warm mix of sunlight and James's body heat.
But she suddenly felt an absence of heat and realized that James had released her. She looked over her shoulder and saw that he was over by her bed, grabbing at the large and thick blanket off of her bed. She watched in amused confusion as he sprinted back over to her with it draped over his shoulders as if it were a cape.
When she thought he was going to take her into his arms so that they could both be wrapped in a warm blanket cocoon, he stopped a few feet away from her and held his arms out to her with a charming and completely childish smile. He was waiting for her to walk into his arms on her own.
"I said it was fine, James. I'm not even cold," she chuckled.
"One, you didn't say it. You just shook your head. And two, liar. If you're not cold, then you wouldn't have that tiny quilt wrapped around your shoulders. I know that other than that quilt, the only thing keeping you warm right now is my pajama shirt that you're wearing right now. So come, come." He started to shake his arms up and down, impatiently waiting for her to give in.
It was an odd image she was looking at right now. Of course, James looked utterly childish, flapping his arms up and down with a large blanket over his shoulders. And with a pout nonetheless. He looked like some baby bird trying to take flight for the first time.
But he was also in only his underwear.
Nothing but his underwear.
Sofia soon forgot about how childish he was acting and just looked at him. The tempting skin that she was kissing all night long. The strong and muscled arms that held her tightly while she slept. The delicious v-shaped dip where she left a kiss mark just below his naval last night. The toned stomach that she loved to touch and kiss and straddle.
Damn, he looked good with practically nothing on.
His lean and perfect body….
His unearthly perfect body….
He was literally inviting her to walk into a warm embrace of nothing but a nearly naked and godly handsome James and one blanket. That was almost too enticing to refuse.
"Come on, Sofia. I am waiting," James said with another impatient pout. Her body almost betrayed her and nearly took a step towards his open arms.
But Sofia couldn't help but want to tease him a little. She loved seeing what he would do just to get her into his arms again.
Sofia shook her head and took a step back. She smiled at him, challenging him and waiting to see his next move.
James didn't waste a second.
He smiled, taking up her challenge, and took two fast and big step towards her and ripped the small quilt off of her shoulders and tossed it somewhere on the floor. Then he pulled her into his arms and locked her towards his chest.
This time, her body really did betray her and immediately relaxed against him the moment his arms engulfed her. She didn't even bother to put up a fight and let out a comfortable sigh instead as James's blanketed arms tightened around her.
"Are you done teasing me?" he chuckled at the sound of her sigh.
Dammit, so he knew….
"Yes," she admitted.
"Good, now let's go back to bed –"
No!
He started to lead her back towards the bed, but she stopped him. "No. I am tired of lying in bed and doing nothing all day."
I am done! I don't want to lay in bed! I want to get out of this room and do something!
"Sofia…." She could hear the worn out frustration creep in his voice. They've had this conversation a thousand times since she's woken up from her coma and it would always lead to an argument that would never end nicely. "Amber and I have already told you, you're just not –"
"Please don't give me that, James," she begged. She pushed away from him and he didn't try to stop her. "You and I both know that I am more than well enough to leave this room. I already told you that my amulet healed me perfectly. There's not even a single mark on me." She lifted her shirt and pointed at her nonexistent scar for emphasis.
"Sofia –"
"I can do jumping-jacks. I can jog in place for more than a minute. I can even do push-ups. James, the doctor says that I am back to perfect health. I can leave this room."
"I know, Sofia, I know. But I just don't think that you should be out there right now."
"James, I miss the trees and the grass. I miss the fresh air. I miss the garden…. I miss our strolls together." Her voice softened and was barely above a whisper. "You know, the ones where we sneak off into the forest so we can have some time alone?"
"I do, Sof. I miss those too," he said gently. He tried to reach for her, but she stepped back. She wasn't finished with this conversation.
"If you do, then let me out," she tried. "We can go today. Just you and me."
"I can't, Sofia. I can't let you out."
"Why not?"
"Please, Sofia, just drop this. Let's just get you back to bed and –"
Her voice rose, the frustration seeping into her tone. "No, James. I am tired of being locked inside my room. I am tired of being confined to my bed."
"I know, but –"
"But what?"
"Sofia –" His tone was getting strained and Sofia knew she was pushing the limit with James, but she didn't care.
"Give me a good reason why I can't leave my room. And none of this 'you're not ready', 'you're too weak', 'it's not safe' crap either. I've heard them and it's bullcrap."
"Sofia, please –"
"Are you afraid of –"
"Damn right I am afraid!" he exclaimed, his frustration getting the better of him. "The last time you were outside, a freaking demonic dragon attacked you and sent you into a four week coma! Do you know the hell I've been through because of that?!"
"Of course I know! Don't you think I went through something similar? I was scared to death thinking that you were killed by that dragon while I was stuck in that coma! I was afraid that I couldn't save you!"
"That's why you can't go outside! I couldn't save you! I couldn't protect you! But now that I have you back, I intend to not let you get hurt again or worse!"
"But is confining me to my room the way to go?!"
"If it means it keeps you safe, then yes!"
"You can't keep me locked in here for eternity, James!" she glared.
He stormed towards her and stared down at her with steeled green eyes. "Just watch me. If this is the only way of keeping you safe, then you can damn well bet that I will keep you in here."
Sofia was just about to yell back at him when he shocked her at how quickly his angry mask broke in defeat and his eyes crumpled and softened at her. His shoulders dropped in defeat and his expression was so unguarded. His eyes became vulnerable and scared again, just like when she had first seen when she woken up from her coma.
James looked beaten, as if he couldn't bring himself to argue any more.
"I can't risk you getting hurt again." His voice sounded choked and tight, as if he was remembering every detail of it all and it was physically hurting him. "That scared and sick feeling I got when I couldn't save you from that attack… it was nothing compared to waiting for you to wake up. I was so scared that you were never going to open your eyes again…. Those fo-four weeks was complete hell, Sofia." There was a slight crack in his voice, like he was holding back a sob.
The fight in Sofia died and she couldn't find her voice. Her heart was breaking for James and it made her want to reach out and hold onto him, to fix whatever pain he held in his heart and make it go away forever.
She knew that what she went through during her coma was nothing compared to what he must have gone through. Her experience during her coma felt like it was literally just one blink of an eye. It was short and easy, but James went through four weeks of it all. Every hour of every day and every night, just waiting for her to wake up. He saw her bloodied and bruised. Unconscious as if she was dead...
What would she have done if she was in his shoes? Would she have been just like him? Or would she have gone crazy with guilt because she couldn't protect him like she promised?
James dropped one side of the blanket as if his fingers lost the strength to hold it and stroked her cheek with his warm fingers. The evidence of what he went through was still there on his face, in his eyes, in his voice, and in the way he touched her. He was still so afraid for her, as if she was made out of nothing but thin glass and tissue paper. "I promised that I would always protect you. I am supposed to be your prince, your knight in shining armor. But I couldn't save you. You were falling and I couldn't reach you... And you bled so much. I can never get that image of you lying there in bed with so much blood everywhere out of my head, Sofia."
Only one word could describe how he looked at her right now: haunted.
There is so much guilt and pain running through those green eyes.
"James…." Sofia said when she found her voice, but James didn't hear her. He was lost in the nightmare that coursed through his head.
"I thought you were dead, Sofia. I thought I lost you." She felt him cup her cheeks with both of his hands. The blanket's softness rubbed against her left cheeks while the warmth of his other hand seeped into her skin. "I never want to go through that ever again. I never want to see that much of your blood ever again."
"James…." Her voice croaked weakly.
"That's why you can't go outside. This is the only way I can ensure that the man behind your attack can never hurt you again…. I-I can't l-lose you…."
Sofia's heart was really breaking for him now and tears were falling through the cracks in her heart. "I'm sorry, James…. I am so sorry." Her voice broke. "I hate knowing that you went through that kind of thing while I was in a coma…."
"Sofia –"
"But you can't do this. You can't keep me locked in here even if it's for my own safety."
"No, Sofia –" But she placed a hand over his lips and stopped him.
"I appreciate everything you're doing and I love how adorably annoying your overprotectiveness is." He must have liked hearing that because she felt him smile weakly, the first smile since their argument started. "But you can't keep locking me in here, James, because we can't defeat this guy if I am stuck in my room. We have to find Lucinda and find the second source, and both of them are outside of this room."
"I-I-I can't." His voice wavered and broke as he removed her hand from his mouth and shook his head at her. James was clutching tightly on her hand, it felt like he never wanted to let go of her hand ever again. "What if something bad happens? I won't be able to live with myself if –"
Her other hand rose to his hand that was still on her cheek, needing him to understand what she was trying to convince him of. "I know, I know. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you too. But bad things are always happening out there every hour of every day. We have no control over it. That's life, James. And all we can do is try our best to work with it and see the good because there is no point in trying to hide from it. Being paranoid of the bad will make you miss out on the good."
"But I want to keep – I need to keep you safe." James's voice was cracking again. She could tell that this was his one last attempt at trying to convince her to stay in her room. He brought her closer, resting his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes shut as if he was fighting against his own demons inside.
"James, look at me," she said gently. He reluctantly opened his eyes, and she saw deep green swirling pools of so many emotions that it was hard to pinpoint even one. "Don't you get it? I am safest when I am with you. Wherever I am – be it in this room or out in the world – I will always be safest when I am with you."
James didn't speak for some time, but Sofia could see the conflicting emotions fight in his eyes. His brows were furrowed and his jaw was clenching and releasing. She could tell that he was fighting with himself on this issue. For a while, she was afraid that he might reject her again, but after a while, he spoke again. "…Okay," he said with a small nod.
"Okay?"
"Okay, you can go back outside. I'll even promise to talk to Amber later at breakfast and convince her that you're well enough to leave this room and go back out."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he said, giving her a tiny smile. He seemed amused at her happily surprised expression. He pulled her closer into his arms and kissed the side of her head.
"You promise that I can go and not throw a fit about it?"
"I promise," he said as he rolled her eyes at her choice of words.
"Thank you," she sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head against his chest. She listened to the steady sound of his heart beat and focused on how warm his skin was against her cheek.
There they were, just standing in the glow of the morning sun in each other's arms as half a blanket wrapped around them. Sofia wanted to preserve this moment and the sound of his heart. To never let it go. To never let it die. To hold it in her hands and clutch it close to her own heart.
"Now… can we get back to bed?" She smiled at his sudden change in tone. Sofia was glad to have the heavy tension gone and lightened. He sounded like he was back to being the cocky, hormonal twenty-year-old she loved.
But James didn't wait for her to reply. Sofia didn't even get a chance to let out a small laugh before he just picked her up and brought her back to bed.
He quickly wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck, and kissed her fully, deeply, and longingly. James devoured her and burned her.
Goosebumps rose and passions ignited.
Sofia was losing all of her senses except for what she was feeling and tasting. She could sense the impatience on his lips and his tongue, as if he had waited too long to have her where he wanted her even though they were like this just last night. Nothing but the simple pajama shirt was pressed between them as their tongues moved to find each other. Their hands roamed as if they couldn't get enough of the feeling of their skin. The way he kissed her made everything feel as if there was so much fire and heat and ice and chills moving about in every direction possible.
"I can't imagine my life without you anymore, Sofia," he said when they broke for air. He was looking directly into her eyes with his intense, burning green eyes. They were both panting heavily, the sound of her heart rang in her ears. "Not for a single day. Not for a single hour."
James's eyes were glossy, as if a tear might fall down his cheeks at any moment.
Sofia couldn't find it in her to say anything back. Nothing felt good enough to reply back to what he just said. Nothing felt like it could match the meaning and depth of his words.
Except for three words.
The three words that held so much for the both of them.
"I love you. I love you so much," she whispered. She drew him back down and kissed him hard and fully, as if she could push all of her love into this one kiss. Her senses filled with his sweet taste.
But there was a hint of something salty too…. Salty, like a tear...
When the time came for James to leave, he still persisted on getting another kiss from her even as she was getting dressed into a simple velvety olive green winter dress. She gave in like always and then pushed him out.
And at breakfast – which has been held in her room since Sofia has been locked away in there and everyone wanted hasn't left her alone since she's woken from her coma - James was true to his word.
James had made the announcement while everyone was eating and Amber didn't take it well. At first, they were all talking calmly and civilly, but it soon escalated out of control when James said he supported Sofia's request to go outside.
Amber looked like she was just about ready to throw the small round table everyone was eating on outside of the room's floor-to-ceiling windows. Amber threw insults at him, calling him a traitor and a worthless brother for going behind her back and supporting Sofia's "impulsive and dangerous" need to leave her room.
Sofia was shocked at Amber's rage at James, this was almost over dramatic. She didn't understand how Amber could be so hurt... but the look in her eyes told her that there was more to it. That it was something personal between him and her...
Her rage was monumental and downright destructive. Food and scolding tea was tossed and thrown. Plates and cups were shattered.
Edward and Hugo had to hold her back while Sofia hid behind James. Tears fell down Amber's face and Sofia tried to talk to her but she wouldn't hear any of Sofia's words. Her temper was getting the best of her and refused to let her think rationally.
But Sofia could see the pain and hurt and guilt and fear in her eyes. The look in her eyes was just like James. She didn't want Sofia to go out because she was afraid of something happening to her and she wouldn't be able to bear it if it did. And Sofia realized that she had to talk to her alone, just the two of them as sisters.
They did, after angry and hurt tears were shed and shouts were yelled. The boys were forced to wait outside her room for nearly all day as Sofia and Amber tried to work things out. The moment the boys were out, Amber crumpled to the floor and cried some more, and Sofia held onto her just like she did after her fall. She whispered soothingly to her and cradled her, trying to support her like Amber has done for Sofia the moment they became sisters – well, the moment they became good sisters.
After that and after Amber regained her ability to talk coherently without breaking into sobs, Amber just basically repeated everything that James said earlier this morning. Their conversation went about similar to how hers went with James, only more sibling-like and less angry. Only, Amber's was worse because she sounded as if she was drowning in her guilt and fear for Sofia. Sofia could see the dark haze and the tired thinness in her eyes and face as she talked.
And it was crushing Sofia's soul.
A need to fix it for her family, for James, and for everyone in this kingdom began to bubble in her stomach. It made her want to avenge their tears and cries. To get justice for Queen Anne and her father.
Sofia wanted to make it all better. To make everything better.
And she is going to.
She is going to find that second source and destroy the man who has caused this destruction on her family and make him pay for it all.
He is going to regret everything he's done. He is going to rue the day he has ever tempted the true depths of my power, Sofia thought. She felt her amulet grow hotter and hotter with each thought. It was burning on her chest, as if it was acknowledging her will to fight. To win. The darkness that hid this man will learn my name and fear me. I will use the light and win this war.
For James.
For Amber.
For Mom.
For Queen Anne.
For Dad.
For everyone.
Eventually, after the tears and reasoning and a lot more promising, Amber gave in to Sofia's request on the condition that she can't go outside alone. Sofia agreed to it because she knew that James wasn't going to leave her alone even for a second. So there was no point in trying to fight against that condition.
Yet, the talking didn't end there. Sofia was confused to see a remaining hurt in Amber's eyes, but it wasn't directed at her. It was for James.
She was even more confused to hear her scream for James, "James get your ass in here!" He came back into the room and Sofia could see the tension between them rise to nuclear proportions. She was astonished that Amber didn't lunge for him and rip at his throat.
Then she asked for Sofia to wait in the hall while she and James discuss something important. Sofia didn't want to go, she wanted to stay and be the mediator and keep them from killing each other. But the urgent tug on her sleeves from Edward told her that it would be best if she left them to work it out on their own.
Out in the hall, Sofia waited patiently just like she was told. She could hear the screams and shouts from inside her room, and she was starting to become afraid for James and Amber. Mostly for James because Amber is a dirty fighter, she bites and scratches and she has heels on...
Hugo must have seen her panic or maybe Sofia just didn't hide it well enough because he asked, "do you want to go to the library?" Sofia refused his offer, she knew that no book wouldn't help her right now. Her mind was too busy with James and Amber that she wouldn't be able to comprehend any words from a book.
Then he asked, "how about the kitchen? Just to get something to eat?" That wouldn't help either since her stomach was doing flip-flops every time she heard James or Amber shout at each other. She wouldn't be able to keep anything down with that kind of stomach.
"The garden?" he proposed. This one, Sofia was actually hesitant to refuse. She wasn't sure if she should go outside with the two of them fighting in her room right now, but she knew that the fresh cool air would do her better than anything in the castle right now. Amber and James did both agree that she can go back outside, but she was sure that they were fighting about that right now….
After some more convincing from Hugo – he basically read her mind about what she needed to occupy herself right now – Sofia reluctantly said, "yes."
Edward was wary to let her go because he was sure that this was in some way going against Amber's wishes, but Hugo convinced him to stay and inform them once they were out. She was just going to the garden and Hugo was accompanying her, so it wasn't breaking any of Amber's rules. After that, he just rushed her down the hall and out the large glass castle doors.
"What's with the hurry?" Sofia was out of breath. He sped her out to the garden so fast that she didn't even get a chance to borrow one of Amber's thick jackets.
"Sorry, Sofia," Hugo shyly smiled, he rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed manner. They were standing just outside the palace doors. "I knew that you wanted to come out here so badly for days now, so I just figured to get you out here before anyone could stop us."
"Oh, well thank you," Sofia smiled appreciatively at him while rubbing her arms to keep them warm. While she was wearing a thick winter dress, it was still too chilly outside for her to not be wearing a jacket. Sofia wasn't even wearing any gloves or a scarf to keep her fingers and neck warm. She was lucky that a maid had passed by and she was able to ask if she could get her a jacket from Amber's closet.
"You're welcome," Hugo said with a happy pitch in his voice. He seemed pleased with himself just because Sofia smiled and thanked him. There was even a blush on his cheeks from him smiling to himself.
Before, Sofia would have that was sweet. But now, with how much things have changed, she couldn't help but be uncomfortable with it.
Since she's awoken, Hugo has been clinging around to her a lot more than normal. Not as much as James and Amber, but still enough to make her annoyed and uncomfortable. While his actions as of late have been calm and normal even, he hasn't attempted anything or even tried to use her attack as a way to convince her to leave like she thought he would, it still has been unnerving and annoying to have him cling to her even more desperately since her attack.
On some days, he seems to understand her need for some space from everyone and everything, and just disappears to go use the agility course out in the garden. He had joked with her once that it just kept him in shape while he waited for her to run away with him.
"Here," he said, handing her his jacket. "Use this instead."
"No, thank you. You need it and one of the maids is already coming back with a jacket for me."
"But –"
"It's fine. And see, there is the maid now," Sofia pointed behind him to the tiny middle aged woman scurrying over with a simple beige and gold jacket from Amber's closet. She thanked the maid and put it on herself.
He shrugged with an amused smile and held out his arm for her to take. "Shall we, then?"
Sofia knew better than to take his arm, that would only encourage him more and she didn't need that. She just smiled politely at him and folded her hands in front of her and began to walk towards the garden.
They took their time strolling through the garden. Sofia was upset that it was only a small portion of the garden – Hugo requested that they stay close to palace just in case something happened – but either than that, they had simple and nice time just walking through the garden and making small talk. They talked of simple things like events happening around in the empire. Engagements, parties, baby showers, etc.
Sofia could see that there was something else he wanted to say, something that he was just dying to set free, but he never said it. She didn't think much into it since he just continued on to smile at her. Maybe it wasn't something not that important for him to say aloud….
The sun was warming her and the winter air was cold against her cheeks. The light danced on the melting ice, making the water-drops on the flowers shine like diamonds. It was wonderful being able to sniff at the flowers again and stretching her arms out to the endless sky once more. The sunlight shined through her fingers and warmed her palm.
After being shut in for so long and being deprived of the sunlight since her attack, it was liberating being outside again, even if it was just at the front of the garden.
But of course, it didn't last long.
James and Amber came running out of the doors and right towards Sofia and Hugo. They looked like enraged rhinos ready to charge at Hugo. Edward was right behind them, giving Sofia a sympathetic look that said, "sorry, I tried to calm them down, but nothing helped."
"Sofia!" they both shouted. They both sounded as though she was back in the field, laying right where she was attacked and not just at the rose bush closest to the castle doors. Hell, she was at the bottom steps of the damn castle garden for crying out loud.
"Hugo! I can't believe you!" Amber began. "You knew that Sofia –"
"What the hell were you thinking letting her out here?!" James shouted over Amber. He grabbed at the lapels of Hugo's uniform.
"James!" Sofia shouted. Her raised voice was enough to stop him from doing any harm to Hugo, but it wasn't enough to get him to release Hugo. "You guys already said that I can be out here! So don't yell at Hugo for this!"
"That's not we're upset about, Sofia," Amber glared at Hugo. "We're upset that he didn't tell us that he was taking you out here."
"Well, you two were arguing in there, so he couldn't really just pop his head in and tell you two," Sofia defended him. Sofia couldn't let Hugo get all of the blame for this. She agreed to it too, so she had to do something and take some of the blame onto herself. "Any way, I –"
"That's not it, Sofia," James growled. "This piece of shit knew damn well that –"
"I was just doing what you two haven't," Hugo said deadly calm tone, cutting James short. "She's been begging you two to let her out of that damn room for some fresh air and give her some space, but all you do is argue with her and lock her away. How do you think that makes her feel? I was just giving her what she's been asking of you two this entire time."
"What do you know about what she feels?" James hissed.
"I've been listening to her." Hugo spat. "I've heard this entire time that she just wanted to be out in the sun and be able to breathe without all of us crowding her."
"And you don't think we hear that?" James seethed. He was gripping at Hugo's lapels so hard that his knuckles were turning white.
"I think we would know our own sister, Hugo." The anger and disdain was dripping in Amber's voice.
"Stop it, you guys!" Sofia said, but no one heard.
"If you've heard it this entire time, why wait until now? Nearly six days after she's woken up? Six days of her begging to leave her room," Hugo shot back at James.
Everything was getting out of control. Sofia wanted to stop it all, but no one seemed to even realize she was there anymore. "Stop it. Stop it." Sofia tried to intervene between the two of them, but they ignored her.
"Because she wasn't well enough to go back outside!" James yelled.
"Bullcrap! The doctor said she is in perfect health!"
"Did you honestly expect us to just let her walk back out right after she's woken up, Hugo?" Amber scolded. Sofia saw Edward try to calm her down with a hand on her shoulder, but she just brushed it off.
"Stop it! I'm right here! Don't talk about me as if I'm not!" Sofia tried again, but no one heard her. They were all talking too loud to even hear her shouts.
The first day out of her room and she's in the middle of a fight that no one can hear her. Her voice was lost to them as they continued to argue and shot at one another about her. No one was listening to her. No one even notice her anymore. It was like she was some child whose opinion didn't matter to them.
And she's had enough.
Sofia looked up at the still bright sun that was shining down on Sofia and making her shadow long and slanted. It was still light out in the day, maybe about three or four o'clock right now, but this fight just about depleted her of all her energy and is making feel so exhausted as if it was midnight. She wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep this all away. There was no point in getting angry at them all if no one was going to listen to what she had to say.
I barely got any sunlight on me and this happens! Sofia thought, her temper ready to flare.
She must have not hid her angry temper very well because she noticed Edward look at her with a concerned expression that read, "are you okay?" Sofia just shook her head and turned around and walked back up to her room.
No one stopped her.
The echoes of their argument followed her all the way to her room. Even beyond the door after she's shut and locked it. Even when she's changed back into her nightgown, and buried herself under her blankets and pillows. She closed her eyes tightly, but she could still hear the yelling and shouting. She tried to make her mind wander and drift, but nothing, not even the darkness behind her eyelids, helped her get closer to sleep.
Sofia was just lying there in bed as the sound of their fighting was making her anger rise and rise and rise.
She wanted to throw something like how Amber did, to watch something shatter into a thousand pieces, but she didn't have it in her to do something like that. Anyway, Amber already destroyed all of the plates and cups during her rampage. So, Sofia had nothing but her furniture to work with and she didn't want to destroy that stuff. She wanted something simple and replaceable to destroy. To take comfort in seeing something break just to release some of her annoyance and temper.
So, Sofia sat back up and grabbed one of the many pillows James and Amber had ordered put into her room, and began to punch it. She hit and smacked until her arms began to grow sore. Then she screamed into it, letting it absorb all of her frustration.
She released it all. An entire week's worth of annoyed, angry, frustrated, and downright pissed-off screams and punches.
Sofia understood that it was irrational to behave like this, but they pushed her to this and she needed to let all of her pent-up feelings to go somewhere before she exploded. And it just felt better to do this alone, to just freely scream and punch and rampage without judgement or the fear of hurting someone else.
When she was done, she tore the pillow in two pieces. Four pieces. Eight pieces. Until it was nothing more than a cluttered mess of feathers and cloth.
Satisfied and exhausted from it all, Sofia just pushed the mess off of her bed and fell back. She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to capture her.
Sofia didn't know when she finally fell asleep or how long she was asleep for. When she opened her eyes, she found that the sky had darkened with specks of flickering stars outside her windows.
She groggily sat up and brushed her messy bed hair away from her eyes and saw that the shattered pieces of plates and cups and the torn pillow was still where it was before she fell asleep.
No one came in? Sofia thought, looking at her door with her still sleepy eyes. Oh wait, I locked it. Of course no one would have come in. I'm surprised James didn't try to beat the door down….
Flopping back down, Sofia looked over at her clock and saw that it was just about eight thirty at night. Past dinnertime. While Sofia wasn't hungry, she was rather parched and wanted some hot tea to warm herself.
But she still didn't want to see everyone. Her irritation at them all – well, except for Edward – was still bubbling. She knew that if she saw them right now, what would come out of her mouth wouldn't be princess or ladylike in the least bit.
Wait. It's eight thirty, Sofia thought as she quickly hopped out of bed. A plan to sneak down into the kitchen and grab a try of tea for herself was already forming in her head. She briskly walked towards her closet to pull out her robe and slippers.
Maybe they might be in the family room – Sofia abruptly stopped halfway towards the door, just as she was putting on her robe and tying it closed. No. Amber and the others wouldn't sit down with James for that if I'm not there….
But... The two of them have been nicer towards each other since I woke up, so…. Maybe…? Sofia shook her head and walked to her door. Let's just hope that they're all in their rooms at least.
But when she opened her door, she found James sitting against her door on the floor and reading a book. There was even a tray of an empty bowl and cup beside him, which was being picked up by a nearby butler.
Dammit. There goes my plan.
"Sofia!" He looked up at her with a half worried and half afraid expression. James dropped his book and hastily stood up, his gaze never breaking with hers. His expression was so unguarded that she could literally read it as if it was an open book. It told her that he just wanted to explain himself to her and hoped that she would give him the chance to do so.
Her heart betrayed her and jumped happily at the sight of James despite the fact that she was still irritated at him and the others. James's vulnerable expression and sincere tone almost even made her let him in.
And she would have if it wasn't for the butler.
"Princess Sofia," said the butler. Sofia could tell by his surprised tone that he was ordered to immediately tell the others that she opened her door.
Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.
To save herself, Sofia immediately tried to lock her door shut, but James shoved his foot in the doorway.
Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.
"Sofia, please," he begged, wedging his foot in further. She hated how desperate he sounded, it was making her want to just open the door and hold him. "I know you're mad, but just hear me out."
On the other side of the door, she could hear the butler scurry away to no doubt find the others.
Shit. Dammit. Crap. Sofia cursed every word known to man.
"No." She pushed hard at her door, but she couldn't get it to budge because of James's stupid foot and the fact that he was pushing back at the door too. Sofia was using all her might to shut and lock the door, but James is physically stronger than her. And after her four week coma, Sofia had the strength of a one month old kitten right now.
It is nearly impossible for her to beat James's physical strength.
If this was a match of mental strength, she would have him beat in no time. But physical strength…?
James wins.
Every.
Damn.
Time.
"Please, Sofia." He was pushing harder now and her fuzzy slippers that matched her fuzzy robe wasn't helping her keep traction on her hard marble floors. She was literally slidding back because of how much force he was using to pushing at her door.
Just when Sofia kicked off her useless slippers, she heard, "Sofia!"
It was Amber.
Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.
"Sofia, open up," Amber begged. "Look we're all sorry about that fight earlier."
Shit. Dammit. Crap, she cursed, knowing that her odds of ever locking her door now was zero to none since she was sure that Amber is going to have the boys push at the door until it opened. It would be one girl against three guys.
So what can she do? She doesn't want to talk or see them right now. So…. What?
She looked behind her and analyzed her room. Sofia knew that even if she were to let go of the door right now and make a mad dash for her either her closet or her bathroom, she still wouldn't be able to make it because James is too fast and would have his arms clamped on her in less than a blink of an eye.
But her bed…. It was just a little to her right and closer that the other two. It was her only last resort.
Thinking fast, Sofia released the door and ran for her bed. Behind her she heard James fall into her room with an "oof", but she didn't bother to turn around to see if he was okay. She just hopped back into her bed and under her covers and curled into herself.
Sofia understood that she was being rather childish, but who cares. For about six or seven days now, they locked her in her room and treated her like she was a helpless child and they even ignored her when she was right there in front of them, so who cares. In some odd way, her stubbornness is telling her this is how she is going to save her dignity against them.
Odd and weird, but again, who cares. She just wanted a moment to be stubborn and childish, to wallow in her frustration for a while before talking to them.
"Sofia…." It was James that spoke first. His voice was soft and gentle, as if he was approaching a scared and injured baby bird.
And that tone wasn't helping him right now. It actually made her more annoyed at him.
"Whoa, what happened in here?" she heard Amber say in the background.
Your and my temper tantrums, Amber, Sofia sarcastically thought.
It was starting to get stuffy under her blankets and the fact that she was still in her fuzzy robe wasn't helping her right now, but Sofia's stubbornness refused to let her out. It felt like if she did poke her head out for cooler air, it would be almost as equivalent to waving the white flag of defeat. So she continued to suffer through it all.
She felt her bed shift as if someone was sitting at the edge of her bed, and she didn't want that. So she shimmied over to whoever was sitting there and kicked at their butt.
"Okay, okay. I guess I deserved that." She was happy that they immediately got off and even happier to hear that it was James she kicked at.
"Sofia…. Look, I know that you're upset that James and I broke our promise to you. You have every right to be, but can't you at least come out of the covers and look at us?" Hugo tried. He sounded just like James, sweet and gentle, and that only made her temper worsen right now.
Why can't they ever try and talk to her like the adult she was? Why did they always resort to using the kind of tone an adult uses with children?
Amber spoke next. "Sofia, please. You're kind of being unreasonable hiding under the co –"
That did it. That broke her temper.
Sofia immediately sat up, glaring flaming daggers at the three idiots before her (Edward was standing over in the corner, waiting on Amber). "I'm being unreasonable?! I am?!"
She was happy to see the fear quickly crawl into their eyes. The three of them even took a collective step back at her outburst. They knew they all screwed up, Amber especially.
"Okay, okay. Let's talk about unreasonable then," she said, her tone and expression turning cold and calculating. "You say that I'm the one being unreasonable? But what about you guys? Locking me in here for six days? The insane amount of pillows and blankets you're all drowning me in? Keeping me confined to bed? I can't even get out of bed just to use my own damn bathroom without someone throwing a fit about it! Since my attack and coma, everything has been a damn battle with you guys! You all act like I might break at any moment!"
Her temper was getting the best of her now. She was furiously yelling at them all at the tops of her lungs now. "And what's worse was that you two," she pointed an angry finger at James and Amber, "said that I could go outside! But what happens when I do? You two throw another damn fit! You promised me that it was okay for me to go and that you wouldn't get upset about it! But you broke it! I didn't break my promise to you, Amber. Hugo was with me the entire time and we weren't even that far! We were in the damn front of the garden for crying out loud! At the bottom of the damn steps! And!" Sofia was really getting into it now, letting it all burst out of her like lightning. "You all just ignored me when I tried to stop the fight! You just kept on yelling at each other and talking about me as if I wasn't there!"
"So," she huffed, her nose flaring and her cheeks burning from her rage. She was proud to hear that the edge in her voice was sharp enough to cut an iron sword. "Who's being more unreasonable here? Hmm? The person hiding under the covers because she doesn't want to talk for a while or the people locking her in her room as if she was a helpless child for six damn days?"
"So-Sofia –" Amber tried. She looked scared beyond her wits.
Sofia has never yelled at Amber at this kind of level before, their arguments has always been simple and mature. It's never risen to yelling. So, for Sofia to yell at her like this, it must be worse than scary.
"No, answer the question," Sofia said tersely, reigning in on her temper just a bit. She felt slightly bad that she was making Amber feel so afraid, but only a little. It still felt good to make them all scared.
James took a step towards her and spoke. "Okay, yes we are the ones being unreasonable, but you have to understand –"
"Oh, I understand alright. I know that you're all doing this because you're scared and worried that I might get hurt again, and I appreciate it. I really do. But you guys have to understand this. You can't control when bad things happen. They just happen out of our control. The best thing we can do is just work with it. That's all. And if I get hurt, then so be it. I'll survive."
"But what if you don't? What if one day you get so badly hurt like that attack and you die?" Amber said, her voice breaking.
This was the third time she's had to say this today and she was tired of it. Her voice and her mind was exhausted. But maybe, third's time the charm. Hopefully, they'll understand her this time.
"That's life," she said, her voice softening. "You guys have to let this go. You can't always protect me and I can't promise that I won't get hurt every now and then. But to lock me away and keep me from the world is depriving me of experiencing my life."
"But –" Amber tried again, but Hugo stopped her.
"Okay, okay, okay." He sat on the edge of her bed and smiled at her as he gently touched her hand and gave it a squeeze. His touch was gentle, as if he was understanding what she was feeling and where she was coming from. "Let's tackle one thing at a time. From what I can take, it seems that you're upset that they broke their promise to you."
Sofia saw James immediately stiffen and his jaw clenched at the sight of Hugo's hand on hers.
Hugo's smile faltered when she pulled her hand away and scooted several inches away from him. But he seemed to catch himself and his sympathetic smile returned in a flash. "So is that what you're upset about? That they broke their promise to you?"
While she was still irritated at James and Amber, she didn't like how Hugo was implying that it was all their fault she was upset and her temper returned in a flash. She didn't care how sweet he was trying to be, implying that he had no fault in this entire situation was pissing her off again.
"No." She kicked him off her bed and he fell down with a hard thud, throwing the feathers and cloth into the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw James smirk at Hugo's fall. "Don't smile at this, James. Or I swear, I will come over there and kick your ass too."
By the deadly tone of her voice and the serious glare of her eyes, he stopped smiling and the color drained from his cheeks.
"I'm not just upset about that, Hugo," she said, returning her attention to the prince on the floor. Feathers and torn cloth settled on his shoulders and the top of his head. "I am also upset that you two idiots fought again, and what's worse is that Amber was a part of that fight too!"
"Wait. I had every right to get angry back there, Sofia," Amber said defensively. "He took you out there without ever telling us. Do you how worried James and I were when we saw you out there in the garden? I nearly had a heart attack thinking that another dragon was going to come out and kill you!"
"I get it, Amber. I honestly do. But please, you need to let that go. I can't live my life locked away in this room," Sofia tried. When Amber didn't look like she was going to say anything else, she turned her attention back to Hugo and James. "You two. How many times have I told you to be civil and how many times have you actually tried to be nice towards each other? Hmm? I just want you two to not kill each other."
"That's what you're upset about?" Hugo said. He was still sitting on the floor.
She didn't like his tone. He sounded as if her issue at hand was something absurd and foolish to be upset over. As if she was getting too emotional over something inconsequential.
"Yes!" she yelled. "You two let your stupid tempers get the best of you again and fought. You promised me that you would try and not fight with him, Hugo. You did too, James. But you broke it."
"I'm sorry, Sofia, but –" James tried to take a step closer to her, but stopped. He looked as though he was finally understanding what she was saying. He looked down instead and ran a hand through his hair.
James was finally getting it.
He was finally understanding that she takes all promises seriously because a person's word is a person's honor. It binds them and holds them accountable for what they say and do. It connects them to consequences, good or bad, when a promise is fulfilled or broken.
"...I'm sorry," he said again, and it looked like he really meant it. Really, truly meant it.
"Thank you," she said, appreciating the sincerity in his apology.
A silence fell in the room. No one talked or maybe it was just hard for them to talk. It was as if the weight of the heavy tension and the meaning of James's apology made it hard for anyone to even utter a single word.
Sofia looked down at her hands in her lap, unsure of where else to look at. Her hair fell in front of her face like a curtain.
The silence was unbearable but needed at the same time, as if they were all in their own heads trying to figure things out for themselves. Maybe they were finally understanding her like James did. Or maybe they were trying to think of the right words to say. Who knows. Sofia just hoped that this silence did them some good.
"I'm sorry too, Sofia…. For everything. For locking you away in here and getting caught up in that argument," Amber said. She looked just as sorry as James. Maybe even more so.
Hugo was the last to speak, "same. I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you. I should have known better and try to control myself for your sake."
"Thank you," she said again. Her shoulders sagged in exhaustion.
Another silence befell them. When Sofia couldn't take it anymore, she broke it with a tried sigh. "Can you all leave now?"
"Sofia, if you're still upset –" Amber began.
She shook her head, but continued to stare at her lap. Sofia didn't understand why she couldn't bring herself to look at them, but she didn't try to understand it. She just wanted to be alone right now. Being around them and having to talk was wearing her down. "I'm just tired and I want to sleep some more. Today has been hellish and all of that yelling has worn me out."
"Are you sure?" James asked.
"Yes," she said. She fell back onto the bed and turn away from them.
"Okay…." The sound of their footsteps were slow and hesitant as they made their way to the door. She knew they didn't want to leave, but they had no other choice.
But right before the last of the footsteps were out of her door, Sofia said, "I'm sorry too. For yelling. For getting mad. And for being stubborn."
She knew that she couldn't let them leave without her own apology. It wouldn't have been right if she let them leave like that, afraid and unsure if she hated them.
"It's okay." It was Amber who said it. "You're human, Sofia. You get mad like everyone else."
Then she heard the sound of her door clicking shut and she immediately fell asleep once more.
Sofia didn't wake again until later that night to the sound of a kindling fire. It took Sofia a moment for her vision to adjust to the lack of light in her room. The first thing she saw after her vision cleared was her closed curtains.
Someone must have shut it when I was asleep….
Then she heard a popping and snapping sound that only came from firewood burning and something metal scraping at it.
When she flipped onto her other side, she saw a familiar figure crouching beside her fireplace. His back was to her, but she knew who it was. She could tell by his familiar figure and his lack of a pajama shirt, which she noticed was left on top of one her chairs near the fireplace. It looked like he was adding some more wood into her fireplace and there was a poking rod in his hand. The glow from the fire painted her room and her late night visitor in a warm color.
Why is he building a fire without his shirt on?
"James?" Sofia asked as she sat up. Her voice was groggy but it didn't hide the amusement in her tone. Despite how things went earlier, it was still good to see him shirtless.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" he said, turning around. Through the nightly shadows, she could see that James was dressed in only his pajama bottoms and had on a pair of his own fuzzy slippers.
"Sort of. What time is it?" she yawned.
"It's just past ten."
"Why are you messing with the fireplace?"
"Your room was a bit cold, so I just started to relight the fireplace to warm it up. I didn't want you to shiver or anything."
"That's sweet of you," she chuckled.
James broke out into a nervous smile and dropped the poking rod back on its stand, but he didn't make any move to come closer towards her. "You laughed…. Does that mean you're not mad anymore?"
Sofia couldn't stop the smile that broke on her lips even if she tried. James looked like a nervous little puppy, her nervous little puppy. He was so unsure of what to do, as if he was so scared that any little thing might set her off like earlier. This was the least composed she's ever seen him. And it was adorable.
"No, I'm not," she said softly. "I just needed to sleep it off."
And with that, he broke out into the biggest, happiest, and most relieved smile she's ever seen. His shoulders fell as if a weight was lifted.
Sofia held her arms out to him just like he did to her this morning, silently inviting him into her arms. After a long day like this, she needed to hold him, to feel his warmth sink into her skin. She wanted to feel the solid strength of his arms around her and the gentle roughness of his hands laced through hers. "Come here."
Surprise flashed before his eyes for a moment before his smile widened. He took a hesitant step towards Sofia. Then another. Then another. Then another.
She thought that it was cute how the smile on his face grew with each step he took towards her, but James was going so slow that Sofia was losing her patience and her arms were beginning to ache from waiting for so long.
"If you don't come here in –" Sofia never got to finish that sentence because James fastened his pace and jumped into her bed. They fell back together in a bundle of laughs.
He really is a puppy, Sofia thought as she airily laughed at how he snuggled close to her under her covers and let her cradle his head against her chest. He even let out a contented sigh as her hands slowly started to rake its fingers through his hair.
The big scary king is a little puppy to her touch….
"But you know, I don't really need a fire. I still have my robe on, so I'm not cold even in the slightest," she whispered as he pressed closer into her. The hairs on the top of his head ticked her chin as she gently stroked at it, brushing it away from his eyes.
"Then take your robe off so my hard efforts to build that fire wasn't for nothing," he joked. Without looking up at her, he started to undo the tie on her robe.
But she smacked his hand away. "Okay, okay."
Sofia took her robe off herself before James's hands could get too playful. While she did usually enjoy him like this, she just wasn't in the mood for it right now; she just wanted to hold him until they fell asleep together.
"Happy?" she teased as she tossed her robe onto the floor.
"Very," he smiled lazily at her as she settled back to cradling him against her.
They laid together, letting the quietness of the night gather around them and lure them into sleep. The sounds of the critters outside her window could still be heard beyond her closed curtains. It was a sweet melody to her ears, almost as sweet and serene as the sound of James's even breathing.
After a long and emotionally taxing day like today, it was simply nice and relaxing to just be like this with the love of her life. The man who was her other half, who held her heart and treasured it like it was a gift from the stars.
Her eyelids began to grow heavy and droop. Sofia has never felt so drained. All of that yelling had physically emptied her of her energy…. It was as if she let out years and years of frustration and irritation and plain rage on everyone instead of a week's worth.
When she was close to sleep again, she heard James start to speak. "I've never seen you lose it like that before…. I mean, you've been mad and angry, but never on that kind of level."
"That's because you all pissed me off," Sofia teased in her drowsy state.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
His tone brought her back a little. James didn't sound like he heard her joking tone, it was as if he thought she was serious when she said that they pissed her off. "No, no, no. James, I was joking."
He looked up at her with the most vulnerable and honest eyes she has ever seen. Sofia knew before he even opened his mouth that he was going to apologize again. "Sofia, I –"
"You can stop apologizing, James. I heard how sorry you were earlier. It's okay."
"But you were so mad. Madder than I've ever –"
"Yes, I was mad. I was beyond mad. But I'm over it now. I just needed to sleep it off."
He looked at her as if he was trying to read her expression, to see if she was being honest with him as he was with her. After a while, he sighed something between relief and exhaustion. The day had worn him out like it did her.
"Okay…" he said. "But can I still explain myself?"
She didn't understand why his little request surprised her, but it did.
It shouldn't have because James has always been like that, needing to finish all unresolved issues even if it was an hour or a day later. That was another thing his annoying persistence on.
Whenever she was upset with him when they were growing up, he would continue to beg and plead and try to explain himself or tell his side of the story to her so that she wouldn't be mad at him anymore. He could quiet literally go at it for days until she would finally hear him out. She never could stay mad at him for long though after she heard what he had to say, but she would act like she was still upset with him just for a little while longer because she liked how hard he worked at trying to right every wrong with her.
Because it was only with her did he work his hardest…. It made her feel special.
"Is that why you came in tonight? To explain yourself?"
"I mean," James said. "I didn't… um… get a chance to say anything…. what with the whole yelling and screaming and –"
Sofia smile at how cute his babbling made him look. "Okay. I'm listening."
She bit back her laugh at how taken aback James looked. Usually, it would have taken her a few more days before she would hear him out.
"Right. Okay. Um…." James took a deep breath like he was about to start a long and prepared speech, but what came out instead was a sped and hasty version of… something…. "The reason I lost it earlier when you were outside wasn't because I was trying to break my promise to you. I swear it. I got mad because you were outside with Hugo. I was jealous. I mean, I was really, really, really jealous when I saw you with him. I don't like seeing you around him because I know how in love with you he is. I mean, no one can't help but fall in love with you. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire Enchancian army is in love with you."
James was talking so fast that she was having a hard time understanding even half of what he was saying. It was like he wanted to get it all out before he even had a chance to breathe because once he did, he might forget what he was going to say.
"And-and I know, I know, that you're mine and I'm yours," he continued, still not having taken the time to breathe yet. He was getting flustered with what he was trying to say. "But I can't help it when I get jealous. I can't help it when I get afraid of losing you to someone or something because-because… you're too good for me, Sofia. You're everything I could ever want and more. That doesn't mean I am going to just let some jackass like Hugo have you. I want to be the kind of man you deserve. I want to be worth your time and your heart. And I'm working on it, but sometimes I'm afraid that I can't be. I'm afraid that I don't deserve you because of everything I've done."
He stopped and took a large breath, finally using up every bit of air in his lungs. His voice was no higher than a meek whisper now. It was so tiny, he almost sounded like a small, young boy again. "So, seeing you with Hugo out there in the garden made me so afraid because... because Hugo hasn't done what I've done. No one hates him like they hate me. Some even root for him to get together with you. So, I got mad at him... and at myself and I lost it. I broke my promise to you. I-I-I just don't like seeing you with someone who thinks he deserves you because he hasn't done the horrible things I've done." James seemed like he didn't know now to finish his big speech and just said, "I'm sorry."
Sofia didn't know what to say. Her mind was blank and her heart was in the back of her throat now. James had literally made her speechless by his fast and incoherent speech. And it didn't help that he was looking up at her with his piercing green eyes beneath those long blonde lashes of his and his face was about an inch away from her. The look on his face was enough to tug at all of the heartstrings in her body.
But when she opened her mouth to try and say something back, a laugh came out instead. She laughed and laughed and laughed until her stomach and cheeks began to ache. There were even tears falling down the corner of her eyes. Her laugh was starting to get too loud, so she had to bury her face into her pillow to muffle the sound and keep it from possibly waking anyone.
"Sofia?" She felt the bed shift as he leaned up onto his side, propping himself on his elbow, and wiped the tear from her cheek that wasn't hidden by her pillow.
"I'm fine. I'm fine," she said into the pillow, still laughing into her pillow. Sofia couldn't stop herself from laugh.
"But you're laughing right now." There was a smile in his voice.
"I'm sorry," she gasped. It was hard for her to even breathe right now. "I know I'm being rude, but that was funny. That was really, really funny."
"Good to know that you found my honest and heartfelt speech funny."
"I'm sorry." Her laughter was finally dying. But when she looked back at him, another giggle rang out of her and made her sound not as apologetic as she felt for laughing at him. She didn't know how or when, but she was on her back and looking up at James. James rolled forward until their bodies were pressed together and an excited thrill ran through her.
"You don't sound like you're sorry." He smiled down at her as he rested his hand on her cheek. His thumb began to move back and forth, and he didn't even seem to realize what his fingers were doing. It was as if his body was unconsciously moving on its own now.
Her laugh fully died into a chuckle and she placed her hand over his, feeling how big and warm his hand was. "I'm sorry, but the way you made your speech was just hilarious. Don't get me wrong, I understand what you're saying and I get why you were mad, but… I don't know… it was just funny. You were saying it so fast and you looked really flustered, it was all so adorable."
"You thought I was adorable?" One corner of his mouth curled into a half smile and mischief flashed in his eyes.
"Yes," she said, mimicking his half smile while biting on her bottom lip. "But I have some things to say about your 'epic' speech."
"Which is?"
"I get it. I get that sometimes you can't help but be jealous, it took me burning your mattress to really understand that. But try to control your jealousy because you really don't have anything to worry about."
"Sofia –" he interrupted.
"Ah. No. Let me finish," she said, putting her finger over his lips to keep him from talking. It seems that this was turning into her own little speech as well. "You said it so yourself. Hugo doesn't deserve me even if he hasn't killed anyone or done what you have. Hugo is a good man and I'm sure he'll make some other princess really happy, but he's not the man for me. You are."
"Sofia –" he interrupted again.
"Didn't I say to let me finish?" She pinched his lips closed with her fingers now. "Yes, he hasn't done what you have, but that's because you two are two different people. You're nothing like him and he's nothing like you. And I don't love him. I love you and all of your crazy faults. You're annoying and understanding, temperamental and kind, possessive and generous, jealous and protective, and adorably cute. I love absolutely everything about you, horrible past and all. Not the girls, though. I will always hate that part of your past."
James chuckled and his eyes softened towards her as she continued on with her speech. Her lips felt like they weren't moving fast enough to keep up with all that she wanted to say. "I've seen the way Hugo looks at me and its nothing like how you look at me. Didn't I tell you already? He thinks I'm a princess that needs saving, but when you look at me, I feel like I am this amazing warrior goddess here to save the day. So, he doesn't deserve me because he doesn't make me feel like I can be something more, something great."
Her heart was beating so fast while her lips were moving too slow. She understood why James was speaking so fast now, it was because the mind was trying to keep up with the heart and everything that it was trying to push out of the mouth. And it didn't help that the lungs were lagging behind and making it hard to even breath correctly.
"Anyway," she said after she slowed down and took a breath, "even if my amulet told me that we're meant to be, I wouldn't need it to know it's true. I feel it. I feel it in the way you touch me and look at me and kiss me. So, really James, you have nothing to worry about. I can't and won't ever choose Hugo over you. It's not possible for me to love him in the way I love you."
When she was finished with her speech, she slowly released his lips and looked up at him. Her speech had left him just as speechless as his made her. She waited for him to say something, anything.
And just like her own response to his speech, James let out the happiest and giddiest and goofiest laugh she has ever heard. His face broke out into a smile and brightened his face like the sun was shining on only him, even his cheeks were starting to turn pink from all of his smiling and laughing.
He must have been laughing too hard because his arms seemed to have given out and he collapsed onto her. That didn't stop him from laughing though because she could feel the heat of his breath tickle her skin as he laughed into the crook of her neck.
Sofia's arms instinctively circled around him and held onto him as his body shook with laughter. Her own small chuckles echoed with him into the night
When both of their laughs and giggles died down and his body stopped shaking, James lifted himself up and looked down at her with a smile so loving that she was certain there was no way magic wasn't involve in the creation of that smile. She brushed his hair away from his eyes, the fire's glow made it burn an intense evergreen.
He turned his head and kissed the inside of her wrist. "You were right. The whole speech thing was hilarious."
"Don't forget adorable."
"And adorable," he said, his voice softening into a gentle tone. "So, you're not mad anymore?"
"I'm not mad." Sofia drew him back down and kissed him tenderly, smiling into the kiss as it began to deepen with a simple nudge from her lip. But just before their tongues met, she pulled back and said, "wait."
"Hmm?" James already looked dazed from the kiss.
"Why were you shirtless while building the fire?"
"I like being shirtless remember?" She gave him a humorless look. "Okay. I was really close to a fire and it got too warm over there."
"There you go, that explains it."
"Good, now can we go back to kissing?" James said, leaning into her again.
"One more thing," she said as she move her lips away from his impending kiss. He stopped midway and looked impatiently down at her. "Did someone close my curtains while I was asleep?"
"Yeah, the maids did while they were cleaning up the plates and cups Amber shattered and that pillow you demolished." James leaned back down and was less than a centimeter away from her lips when he raised his brows at her in impatience. He even pouted for effect.
Sofia rolled her eyes at him. "Oka –"
She didn't get to finish that word because he immediately crashed his lips to hers, but he wasn't rough in the slightest bit. No… James was gentle and careful with his kiss. She could still taste the hunger and need on his lips and his tongue, but it was more as if he was savoring her lips and taking his time with her.
His simple and soft kisses was so passionate. It wasn't the kind of passion that they would usually create together, where Sofia would immediately jump on top of him and they would kiss in a frenzy of lips and tongue and their hands would itch with the need to touch every part of their bodies.
No. It was the kind of passion that was slow-building and filled with so much love that it could fill the ocean with the moon and stars tenfold.
It was as if they were kissing for the first time again, but in the right kind of way.
His hands didn't even roam like they normally do, instead they remained by the side of her face. The only time they moved was when they broke apart and James asked with a look in his eyes for her permission to lift her nightgown off.
Sofia nodded, understanding that he wasn't taking things too far. It was just his need – their need – to have their skins touch. To press against each other and feel every part just simply touch.
James kissed his way up her body as he slowly removed the nightgown.
One kiss below her naval, one kiss above. Her body burned where he kissed her, where he seared her. She couldn't help but squirm as his hands touched her.
One kiss on the center of her stomach, one kiss on the center of her chest. Her face was flushed and her vision hazed as his skillfully removed her nightgown without having to lift her up. Her body arched towards his hands like a magnet.
One kiss on her collarbones, one kiss on her neck. Her eyes fell fluttered closed. All she could feel was his hands and his lips. All she could think about was his hands and his lips. His name escape her lips in a moan.
One final kiss on her lips and she was in nothing but her underwear, her nightgown tossed somewhere with her robe.
Now it was her turn.
She pushed James off of her and laid him down. Before he could say anything, she settled between his legs and began her own trail down his torso, slowly removing him of his pajama bottoms.
One kiss above his heart, one kiss below. His pulse beating faster and faster under her lips as her fingers hooked at the elastic waistband of his pajama pants. He gasped.
One kiss down his stomach, one kiss across his hips. He lifted his hips to make it easier for her to pull his pants down passed his waist. She looked up at him and saw that his green eyes were storming and raging. His hands gripped the bed.
One kiss on his right thigh, one kiss on his left thigh. His breathing became more and more ragged as she took her time. She was slow, savoring her time as she made sure that he was in nothing but his underwear. He moaned her name.
Passed his waist, passed his knees.
They were off on the floor.
He pulled her to him. Crushed her into his arms.
Bare skin to bare skin.
Limbs tangled. Fingers laced.
Lips touching, sealed together, until their lungs begged for air.
They kissed well into the night and fell asleep in each other's embrace.
Chapter twenty-eight! Woo!
Sorry it took me so long to release this chapter. I just got too busy and writer's block. Thank you for being so patient.
Anyway, here you go! How did you like this chapter? I tried to stuff in as much as I can and it came out to be my longest chapter yet. It's just more of a filler chapter, really, because I had to set some things before I get into the meat of the story. Next chapter will have more stuff dealing with the second source and whatnot. I hope this will suffice for you guys right now because I have three terms papers due soon and I need to work on them, so that means I will be gone for about three or four weeks again.
Don't worry though, I will be in and out once in a while just posting random snippets of future chapters and giving away hints at what is to come. Tell me if you guys want this during my hiatus and I'll do it. Or just put your questions for me in your reviews and I'll answer them all in one massive release.
No challenge this week because I don't have the time for it right now. So, just read and review and pray for me because I need it. I really need to get an A on my term papers.
Read, review, etc.
Thanks :)
