The Summer Court

Chapter Thirty-Three

"Truce! Truce!" Elsine laughed breathlessly, water dripping from her eyelashes because she was completely soaked after being dunked. Sections of her braid had loosed from it and she held up her hands to shield herself from the waves of water Kannon had sent her way.

He paused as his bare chest heaved with laughter and grinned, his wet ringlets hanging over his eyes. "You surrender, little mouse?"

The princess hesitated to answer that. It felt like a trick. But then, everything felt like a surprise or a trick with Kannon. Blinking water from her eyes she rested her hands on her hips. "I feel like surrender is the wrong word. I would not have you think that you are winning."

"Even if I am?" He smirked. She fixed him with an incredulous stare to which he laughed. 

"You can think whatever you would like to if it makes you feel better, Sir Kannon. But we are calling a truce." She pointed at him accusingly. "Agreed?"

Running a hand back through his hair, the ringlets fell in uneven proportions away from his forehead. He looked to be considering Elsine's words carefully, and then he smiled― his jade eyes sparkling. "Alright, truce." 

The princess wondered how long he would hold to that. By the look on his face, she didn't know that it would deter him for long. But she nodded approvingly, trying to wipe away the wet strands of her golden hair that stuck to her face.

Shivering now that she was soaked in the freezing water, even the warmth of the sun on her skin wasn't enough to smooth the goosebumps on her bare arms. Laughing under her breath she fixed one of her sleeves that had fallen over her shoulder in the middle of their water war.

She crossed her arms over herself, wading toward the shore to hopefully ward off some of the shivers. "I have officially cooled down," she said, glancing at Kannon as he came toward the shore as well. He smiled as she lowered herself to sit in a patch of grass near the edge of the water. Elsine motioned for him to sit but was still shivering. Making a face, he glanced back at the picnic. Without a word, he walked away and grabbed up the blanket and his shirt before coming back. The princess watched him, curious what he was thinking, but when he draped the blanket around her shoulders, she pulled a corner up to cover her smile. She hadn't expected that.

Trying not to watch as he slipped the shirt over his head but failing as her eyes kept bouncing from him to the ground. She gripped the edges of the blanket tightly to keep them from reaching to fix the one side that was rolled up against his torso. Sitting down next to her, Kannon's gaze swept over her, and she averted her eyes.

"Thanks." She plucked a flower from the grass and twirled it around before smiling over at him. Now that they had eaten their picnic and had a successful water fight Elsine felt the heaviness settling back in her heart. She needed to ask him questions. But with the way he was looking at her from under his long lashes, she better ask them quickly if she didn't want him to kiss her until her head spun. "Kannon?" As soon as she said his name her cheeks heated, remembering what happened the last time she had spoken it.

He shifted beside her; their arms brushed up against each other. And even under the fabric of the blanket and his shirt the contact still lit up her nerves with heat. "Hm?" The simple sound he hummed, deep and smooth like the wine they had finished earlier, set the points of her ears on fire. At least he hadn't said anything more scandalous― or kissed her. At least, Elsine thought she was relieved about that.

"What do you truly think about this― the Summer Court, I mean."

He leaned back on his hands; his legs stretched out in front of him. If her question had evoked any emotion in him the princess wouldn't have been able to tell. "What do I think?" He echoed, as his head tilted, and his jade eyes squinted up at the gently swaying branches above them. She nodded when he glanced at her. His face was unreadable to the princess. "What if I told you I thought it was a joke?"

Fidgeting with the flower as she ripped the petals off and scattered them in the wind, she avoided his cutting gaze. Elsine could understand if he thought that at first, but a part of her felt defensive about the comment. Was the entire thing a joke? Including her? She stilled. What if he thought she would never make a good queen? If that was true, I could never choose him at the end of this. Elsine didn't like the way her stomach twisted at that thought. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised if you did. Everything is a joke to you." She hadn't meant for it to come out so accusatory and bit her bottom lip to keep from saying anything else until he countered her words. His gaze was burning as she felt him watching her. She wished she could pull the blanket over her head. Kannon could pull things out of her she was otherwise good at hiding. And things she shouldn't be voicing. It was infuriating and disconcerting.

"Not everything. Not you― Never you." His voice was so sincere and quiet that it seemed to pull her gaze to him like it had its own will. Her crystal blue eyes studied his face. The sharp lines of his jaw and his strong brow, the boyish mound of half-dry curls that caught in his eyebrows. His eyes were usually so sharp and cutting but had softened as he spoke. Elsine couldn't make herself speak, so surprised by his words that she just stared at him with a mix of wonder and confusion warring in her eyes. She had been so frozen in her shock that she did not see him leaning toward her, even though it had been slow, and as he brushed his nose with hers the princess's eyelashes fluttered.

His lips brushed over the corner of her mouth, and she let out the breath she had been holding like it was painful. Mustering all the strength she possessed, she drew back to put a breath of space between them. His lashes swept down, his eyes catching on her lips again. She inwardly cursed him for somehow being able to fog up her brain with his mere proximity. "I wasn't done talking."

His brows rose, looking amused as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Is that so?" He asked. Elsine nodded, trying not to look at his lips. His eyes moved over her face and down her neck, bringing his thumb to trace the soft skin over her pulse. "I'm listening," He assured softly. His touch might as well have been stronger than faerie wine because Mab help her, the princess lost every thought she had carefully collected for the conversation.

"I have things I need to ask you." It was all she could say. But Elsine thought that if she could at least say this then maybe, he would give her a chance to remember what those things were.

"Yes?" The word was drawn out and he was smiling now. Elsine could imagine that he was enjoying this.

Her nervous energy pushed words from her without as much thought as she would like, "You just seem so carefree, and you never seem to have inhibitions. I just wonder if you would truly like to be king and if you do then why? I mean, you would be a great asset to court with your affinity for getting what you want, but would you be happy? I don't wish to trap anyone under a crown they are not prepared to wear or serve. And it's okay if―"

His mouth had found hers before she could spew the rest and his fingers curled behind her neck. She blinked, her heart jumping, but before she could decide if she would kiss him back or shove him away, he was pulling back. "Sounds like you've been busy in your head, princess," He laughed lightly. Even though his eyes were hard to read, at least he was smiling.

She bit her lips together and then sighed, "Yes, but I'm serious, Kannon. These things are important to me." She paused, the kiss somehow clearing her head. There was no time to be shy and timid in the Summer Court, so she was honest. "I think about you the most. Because of that, I― well I need to know. Because I care." Her cheeks were on fire, but she made herself hold his gaze.

Something in his demeanor changed. If Elsine could guess, he looked almost as shocked as she had felt at his earlier words. There was a sliver of satisfaction in her chest for catching him off guard as he had done to her so many times before. But she also worried that her boldness would scare him off. And what scared her was that she couldn't deny that if he left, she would be heartbroken. Because she had grown fond of him.

"This whole thing feels so fast. But― I didn't expect you to be the way you are," He spoke so slowly. It was like he was picking his words carefully. "I care too. So, let's worry about the rest as it comes." The princess could live with that for now, so she smiled.

"Fair enough, Cat."

**Edited Kylie R. Trask 2022**