The Knife's Case

The Cold Kiss

"If there was just some way. I just need to see him once. Only once." I pour my thoughts onto a platter in front of Micheal, who is no less dazed than me. If not more so. "I'm sorry." I say. He looks at me with a gaze so unnerving I begin to tear up. "Micheal, please. I really..." I take his hand in mine and trace his fingers. His hands are callused, rough and worn. They are no hands of a prince. His expressions deepens, and I find some hope in it. 

He leans into me, every muscle in his body tensed. I can hear him breathe. I sit down on the moss covered ground. My heart heavy with an empty soul. Wrapping his arms around me, I am still. I feel like a doll who's been ripped apart and this is the only mending. Brushing my black hair back, he leans his head over my shoulder. Cool, smooth lips kiss my shoulder. I blink. He stops, and caresses his head on my shoulder. Wet eyelashes kiss my neck, he's crying. Micheal turns his face into the crease of my neck, and breathes. I am frozen. He is the only thing keeping me warm. Koran disappeared. Prince Koran disappeared. 

And only when Micheal kisses my neck do I realize I am crying, too. How can the emptiness in me feel so whole. I breathe, but inside I am screaming for something to hear me. Micheal begins to thaw my cold skin. The winter doesn't seem so cold. I feel like a glass vase about to fall off the edge of hope, ready to shatter open at any moment. Micheal's hands are rough but his lips are soft. He kisses up my neck, then right behind my ear. Tracing kisses along my jaw, and stops at my cheek. His lips set there, waiting for my silent reply. 

My heart is pounding but I'm still frozen from something. I turn my face to his, looking him right in the eyes. my lips move on their own accord. His cool lips press into mine. And our fingers intertwine as tears roll down our faces. We sit there, still pressed together like penguins huddling for warmth against the cold storm. He is the only warmth I can find. 

I pause, for a moment, waiting to see if reality is there waiting for me. But as I look at the sky only night is waiting. We breathe in sink to one another.

I woke up next to Michael. The singing birds wake me as I open my eyes. As they open I felt like a child, opening her eyes for the first time. It is The cool warmth of the frosty spring air greets me. I walk thought the garden of the castle, a breeze off the coast reaches my face. I breath it in, magnificent. Alone. Once more. Ties of guilt string me along the line of pain.

Tears stroll down my face like love holds my heart far away. Where is he? Who took him? Then the events from last night come back running into my mind. Michael and I kissed. My head spins with thoughts I cannot even discern. "Ingred?" Michael says from behind me, startling me. "Michael, we, we kissed last night and I, I..."  "Ingred, I, last night that kiss, did it mean anything?" One look into his eyes and we read the same feelings, "I'm sorry, last night's kiss, it probably didn't mean the same as what it meant for you. Michael, please I really am sorry." Michael didn't look shocked, but hurt. I could see tears filling up in his eyes, he turned away from me, and his voice chocked up,  "I have to learn the duties of the prince.

As he begins to leave I call to him out of the glass cutting into my heart, "Wait." He turns around, tears streaking his chiseled face. "There may have been something, I don't know how much and I don't know how long it will last, but what if, what if the Koran never comes back?" I begin to tear up at the thought of this, and Michael wipes my cheeks clean. "What if Koran never comes back? What if he is dead or will be soon, we have rescued him once but I do not know how to..."

"Ingred, Ingred..." Michael continues to try to get my attention but my thoughts ramble on. Then I feel soft lips press against mine, rough as if to shut me up. Only to look behind Michael's shoulder, Koran. I am breathless. Michael is kissing me, but Koran is right there. The prince stands there petrified, frozen. I push Michael away. "Koran."

"Ingred." He began to walk towards us. Michael turned around, he wasn't surprised to see Koran. The prince says softly, "Never doubt that I will leave you. I could never leave you alone. Though if you do not feel the same for me I will leave. "Koran, you were gone you disappeared. Where were you. All these fears and terrible thoughts came into my head and I just." I begin to tear up. I was broken and now I am not. My heart was far away but now it is here. I cry, and cry and cry. Koran is holding me in his arms before I fall to my knees. "You have made me realize how weak I am."  I whisper. Michael watches us, tears flooding down his face. I mouth the words I am sorry to him but he doesn't reply only walks away.

"I was so afraid," I cryed, in Koran's arms, and we just stayed there for a while, we just stayed like that and did not move. I feel as though we were afraid to move in fear of losing one another. "I need to go see the king." he spoke. "Yes, you should."

As I leave, Michael comes to speak to me.  "Ingred, I am caught." The color in my face leaves, "What? Michael...How? Why?!?!" I am panicked. "I was not the one to take the prince's place, but I stole the king's seal and wrote that I was." He then pulled his lips to mine we both breathing in and out. He kissed. Holding me one last time, "Goodbye Ingred, this is no doubt the last time I will hold you. No matter what happens to me, I will not tell them that you are involved with any of this. I love you."