When the Sun Fell |✔|

Short Story - PART 6

"He's here."

Willa looked up from the bed, staring at Rowan.

"Who's here?"

"Kestrel."

Her mind went blank. All rational thought seemed to leave and her reaction was to immediately smile with excitement- before she realized where she was and what situation she was in.

She shoved down all the emotions that had sprung up from just that one word.

"Okay."

She and Rowan started at each other.

A frustrated sound suddenly left him as he went to grab his hair, "so what do we do!"

"Greet him. Give him dinner. Let his horse rest. He's probably on his way to Summer or something."

"He asked for you."

Willa sat up then. "Me?"

Rowan stepped in the room, closing the door behind him. He began to pace, his hands fidgeting at his side.

"He's going to kill me. I told you this would happen. He's going to take my hands and rip them off and kill my brother by shoving them down his throat."

"He won't do that," Willa protested.

"Be quiet! You're the reason for this!"

"Maybe he's just here to say congratulations?" Willa suggested.

"His face did not look like it wanted to congratulate me," Rowan said.

"Well just...just tell him to leave!"

"My hands Willa!" Rowan held them up, shaking them in front of her. "My goddam beautiful hands!"

"I'll be your hands when they're gone- just tell him to go away!"

"You can't just walk up to the dark prince and kick him out! I don't even know how he got in the palace in the first place! And to make it worse, Queen Lumi is here!"

"Queen Lumi is here?" Willa felt shock run through her from that. Queen Lumi often stayed in either the Summer or Galexious lands- she had never heard of her presence at the fall court.

"I think she came to make sure he doesn't kill anyone. Willa, his face when he asked for you..."

Willa stood up then, pacing with Rowan.

"Well...well there's nothing we can do. Tell him I'm sick."

"Are you kidding me?" Rowan stopped her, grabbing her shoulders, "woman up and go down there."

"I can't," she whispered, "I'm going to get hypnotized and throw myself at his feet. I don't even know why he would be here!"

Rowan snorted, "you really are daft if you can't figure it out Willa. He came here for you."

"Don't," she shook her head, feeling her chest clinch as she tried to push down that small hope that had blossomed. "Don't say that. He doesn't want me. I'm...I'm..."

"You're what?" Rowan asked.

Willa sighed, "I'm embarrassing. Immature. A brat."

"So you decided to be my Queen instead of his?" He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, "wow, thanks."

"I don't lose my head with you," she said, "I'm rational. And I haven't screwed anything up with you. I haven't...."

Rowan surprised her by gently taking her hand and leading her to the bed. He sat down next to her, his gaze drilling into her.