Dalliance

Chapter Twenty Five

The late hours of the night were present as Holly awaited Dawson near the stables. Hidden by the wooden walls and lack of guards, she paced back and forth before hearing footsteps nearby. Upon seeing him, he wrapped her in his embrace before placing one hand on either cheek and looking deep into her eyes. Seeing the sadness in his gaze, she pulled back.

"Are you prepared to break my heart?" She asked as tears formed in her eyes. "Have we not done that enough to one another?"

"I fear I have no choice."

"There is always a choice, Dawson!"

"Not when she threatened to tell Nicholas everything between us. She expressed how she would tell him of how many times we have been in each others arms...It would mean certain torture for you...as well as unimaginable pain...that I cannot bear..."

"You still plan to marry her?"

"My love, I have no choice. She will go to Nicholas if I do not..."

"Does she not care that you do not love her?"

"She told me how love can grow...it can shift."

"Do you believe those words?"

"I believe I can admire another....but I will never love another...not as I love you..."

"I cannot be angry as I know my marriage has hurt you...but...the thought of not being with you...to not see you...it would be torture worse than anything he can dare conjure..."

"I will not put you in the path of danger..."

"When are you to be married?"

"A week's time."

"A week! That is too rushed-"

"There are stipulations she requested...to keep quiet..."

Holly nodded, listening closely.

"We cannot be together any longer...as lovers...or friends-"

"We cannot even speak?"

"So much as a glance and she would tell him..."

"I cannot help if my eyes wander to you...you are a servant...-"

"That is another...she requested to Nicholas that I become a proper warrior-"

"You will be knighted?"

He nodded.

"He is taking me to the King in the morning."

"How did I lose control of it all? You and I were just...slaves to our desires and now..."

"Now I fear we are paying for them..."

"We will be torn apart..."

"I will find some way back-'

"It is not possible..." She said upon wiping a tear away. He followed her from the stables before they moved to the small lake-a further distance from the castle.

"Possibilities are only so if one is willing to risk and understand-"

"It is not possible as you will always be away at war...and when you are not, you will be with her...and when you have children...if we are torn apart once more...we will never see each other again..."

"I will not let that be the truth."

"In a week's time, it will be. Unless we run..."

"We cannot..."

"Even if they hunt us as if we were vermin or dogs...it is better that then acting to love those, we loathe."

"It is not a fair example, but it does not have to stay that way...I have an idea in order to occupy their attention from us...but we must stay apart for some time...."

She nodded. "I trust you."

"I was hoping you would say that." He kissed her forehead before leaving her in the dark, watching him go back to his loft as she moved to her own room.