The King's Possession -- Book Two: Water

Chapter Eighteen

        I stood by his side, the wind howling and kissing my skin as his words lingered in the air. My heart fell into the pit of my stomach, and a strange sensation of worry and concern washed over me. Kratos didn't speak, only looked off into the distance, the waves crashing onto the beach at our feet. His eyes were dark now, the deep blue haunting and lonely. A shiver when through my body then, the cold seeping in of the truth that teased the air, seeming to lure my thoughts from the depths of my mind.

        Off in the distance, I could see the mainland, along with the shadow of a smaller mountain. It's peak curved like that of a beak on a flacon or phoenix, pointed and sharp. Yet, even though it was shrouded in darkness, I could see the potential of something that was once there, or could be there once again.

         "What is that?" I asked, my feet carrying me into the water, the cool sensation calming my frantic heart. Kratos looked at me with a raised brow. I pointed to the mountain in the distance. "Just there. What is that place? I don't believe that I have ever seen it before." He rose a brow, only to lift his head and look in the direction that my finger was pointing towards. As his eyes landed on the peak, I could see the crystal start to glisten deep in the dark blue of his eyes, flashing recognition for the mountain. "What does it mean to you?" I whispered, turning to face him completely. His hands were by his side, his eyebrows slightly raised, and his lips parted as he took slow and even breaths.

       "That is where my Father raised me. That is where Marinas once had been, many cycles ago." Tilting my head to the side, I watched and waited for him to continue. But, when he turned away, closing his eyes for a brief moment -as if he was in pain- I could feel the knife in my heart at the sight of his pain. Taking a step towards him, I offered my hand, seeing him reach back towards me. He never looked at me, just kept his eyes closed.

         The wind then picked up, the sounds of the waves crashing lulling us into a state of peace and memory. I could understand his heartbreak, knew it far more than I wished that I did. But, the truth of the matter was that he was now my home. I accepted that, perhaps a long time ago, and I was just now accepting the truth of my future.

          My life's path had been changed into something that I had never intended for myself. Yet now, when I looked back at the potential of what could have been, I see nothing but darkness and fire.

         "What happened there?" I whispered, causing him to open his eyes and look at me. Raising a brow at me, I offered a soft smile, knowing fully well that I seemed more concerned than happy. Taking a breath, Kratos pulled me close. Wrapping our arms around each other, I could feel the heat of his skin, smell the salt that lingered in his hair, the natural musk that teased my nostrils with each breath that I took. Kratos didn't speak, only placed his chin on the top of my head, sighing into my hold.

          Resting my cheek on his chest, I simply listened as his heart skipped a beat for a few minutes, thumping softly and constantly. Time crawled by, the night teasing the air, and the falling stars that littered the air caused me to look into the distance. Something happened at that island, and I wished to know what it was. Perhaps it was enough for now that he had just taken me to the surface, shown me Him... and allowed me to spread my wings and fly for a little while. Kratos had seen the skills that my people had taught me over the course of teachings, and he had shown me that he was still a King that had been pampered and spoiled. So different, yet similar. I could see that -now more than ever- that we were one and the same. We came from different worlds entirely, yet we had one thing in common: we wished for our people to strive and live on.

          And now, his people were my people. Yet, even though I admit of what I feel for him, and wish to stand by him, why did I feel like there was something that was holding me back? The last thread that needed to be tied to complete the tapestry was still missing. And until I could see what that was, I feared that Kratos and his people would die. I feared that if he died, I would die with him.