Until The Clock Stikes (NACS Remake)

Chapter 17

King Illiad immediately enveloped me in a hug as my second foot dragged against the carpet inside. William and Papa Will stand chatting animatedly with Una, who hands them both a midnight blue rose.
"For protection, and I hope you're appetite is large my dears." Her voice is a feminine timber, light a light ringing bell. I blink, a little overwhelmed. King Illiad pulls back, an easy smile displayed on his lips, crooked and so familiar. "Welcome." His voice booms, a vast contrast to his beloved. I curtsy and nod, smiling back at him. But my head swivels for him.
Una turns toward me, tilting her head. "Thomas is waiting for us in our dining room. He terribly wanted to greet you at the door with us, but our guest needed a host and he's such a natural with our people we didn't want to drag him away from their company."
Papa Will's eyes study me. "No matter, I hope we're not too late to dinner." Will nods to this, stomach growling.
Illiad wraps his massive arms around our shoulders and steers us toward the dining hall. The halls are a mosaic of colors, like watching light distort through glass. A rainbow of colors so bright and cheery, I instantly feel less frayed from our ride.
Una leans in toward my ear. "Each color helps with a different need of sorts." Her petite face scrunches as she smiles at the walls. "Yellow, calm, Blue, protection, red, anger."
Illiad nods. "So we don't use red often."
Will's blue eyes drink up the décor. "Purple is intelligence, right?" He asks.
Una nods, "correct, dear."
"You'll learn more at our Prism fete." She says, but doesn't explain because we're here, at the dining hall. Thomas is the first thing I notice, his hair is neatly gelled back and his dark eyes are filled with sparling joy. The second thing I noticed is the dark haired beauty leaning into his ear, making him laugh outwardly. I don't know what she said but he shoots back a reply, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeky smile present. The parts of Thomas that he only was when he was Jay blend perfectly now and I feel like I'm seeing him in a new light. Brunette leans in and presses her lips to his cheek. Illiad gestured widely to the many people at the table and I force my eyes to look at them, their hands are rough and they smile appreciatively at the king with adoring eyes.
King Illiad speaks "My people, I hope you don't mind sharing your night with some special guests who came all the way from Idruthen to see Thomas' coronation tomorrow and enjoy our Prism fête for the remaining week."
The audience animatedly welcomes us and I let myself glance at Thomas, who now sits forward intensely staring at me.
My hand goes to my neck which is adorned with a new necklace, from the chain dangles the ring he left for me, I slowly shift my glance to the girl beside him and stuff the necklace behind the fabric of my dress.
I am seated next to her, Will across from me and Papa Will next to King Illiad.
The brunette is prettier up close and she turns, smiling at me. "Long way from home huh, lady?" She says, flashing grey eyes at me.
I nod, waiting for dinner to be served. She doesn't seem very deterred by my silence.
"I'm Juliana. And you are?" I lick my bottom lip.
"Demia." I answer, tilting my head at her.
"Demia." She tests out the name on her tongue. "You're the girl who captured the princes heart at a masked event right?"
My eyebrows pull together in confusion. "All we do is farm around here lady, gossip is how we pass the time." She smiles at me.
At that moment waiters flourish out of the kitchen carrying various dishes.
Thomas leans forward to lock eyes with me. "The diet here is a bit different, but there's still ice cream, well sort of." He chuckles, his chocolate eyes are as warm as I remember them and just as effective on my skin.
He wasn't joking. The vegetables were a large portion of every course and meat seemed unimportant. Conversation flowed effortlessly at the table and Juliana talked animatedly at Thomas, who glanced at my drowsy framed and leaned toward his father. "Would you mind terribly if I showed Miss Demia her sleeping quarters?"
King Illiad glanced at me and his laugh oozed out easily, warming up the room. "Of course. She's in the yellow hall, two doors down from the piano."
Thomas nodded and stood up from the table, bowing at the guests, he rested a hand on my back, helping me up.
I did feel tired but the moment his hand touched me, my skin came alive.
Before we leave the room there's a chorus of voices. "Blessing of roses."
Thomas smiles, turning to the room. "Presents of daisies." He answers. When as he closes the door I glance back and see a matching expression of quiet rage on Will's and Juliana's face.
Thomas wastes no time, brushing fingers against my collarbone, retrieving the chain.
He studies the ring, eyes intense.
"You know. It's crazy the way things have turned out." He says quietly. He grabs my hand and leads me farther down the hall.
"Thomas." I start, pulling my fingers from his. "What if someone sees us? Your girlfriend wouldn't be happy."
Thomas shakes his head, but he doesn't take my hand back.
"You know, that's hypocritical of you, since you're engaged." He say quietly, pulling ahead. My head swivels, the colored paper on the walls turning into gradients instead of splashes of color.
"I told you I loved you, Thomas. And you lied to me. You pretended to not remember me still and buried the ring you were going to give me for me to dig up later." I say, feeling angry and stripped bare. "So excuse me. But I thought the love of my life would never recognize my face ever again."
He stays quiet, and slows, spinning. He grabs my waist, pulling me into him. He still smells like tea and old books, his breath is hot against my cheek.
"All I've ever wanted for you is what's best for you. I wasn't it."
I push away, scoffing at me. "That's not your choice!" I tell him, eyes stinging. "What was best for me is being with the one I really love."
"Is that me? Are you sure?" He asks, his tone sounds doubtful that it jars me silent.
Do I love Will?
He takes my silence as his cue to keep walking. I grab his shoulder, pulling him back.
"Don't you dare act like you don't care. I can handle you going off and marrying that pretty little miss, and I can handle you being a prince. But I can't deal with your indifference anymore."
He grabs me by the waist, pulling me against the hallway wall.
"How am I supposed to act indifferent when I know he's touched you and kissed you and loved you the way I do?" He growls, gently brushing my hair out of my face. "Knowing he very well could've been with you exactly as I have."
"He hasn't." My breath is ragged and needy. "I'm yours."
He moans against my skin, kissing me. "Say it again."
"I'm all yours." I whisper, running my hands through his hair. "I'm yours."
His lips are hot and familiar on mine and I can't help but pull away to ask. "Are you mine?"
His breath is hard and so is his body against mine. "I was yours before I even knew you." He tells me.
He rocks against me and I know what he wants but panic rises in my throat. "What about guards?" I ask.
"We don't have any." He answers me and I gasp as his body connects with mine.