Dalliance

Chapter Thirty Two

For the last four months, Dawson visited the amnesiac Holly and retold stories of their love. He spoke of everything from their first kiss to their last moments and all the little times in between. As he spoke, he found himself to tear up and would then be comforted by Holly. In these small moments, he would be transported into the memories of their love. A painful reminder that would make him pull away from her.

As Christmas was making way towards Seralake, Dawson scoured the city vendors for something perfect for Holly. Scanning everything from rings to scarves, he felt that nothing did her justice. With at least half a day wasted, he began to give up until seeing something in the short distance. Night began to fall overhead as the sight of a beautiful lightning bug could be seen from half a league away. Stealthily, he crept close towards it until capturing it in a jar and covering it with his hand so it would not escape.

He smiled brightly as he remembered when they were children how they would try to catch the "star bugs" as they called them. The name came about when Holly noticed how they shinned as the stars above them. On his way back to the street, he saw a legion of the soldiers he worked alongside, seemingly desperate for answers. Making his way to them, he saw how Jae-an ally he made while joining the cause, was questing for answers of Nicholas.

"What of him?"

"He seemed to have escaped. The King believes he had a rotten guard."

"How did he escape?"

"That is what baffles us. Nothing was moved and his shackles were even taken from the wall. And no other prisoner will talk. Surely if he moved so much as by a sneeze, it would be heard....I feel as though they were paid off."

"I see..." As Dawson tried desperately to think of methods of escaping, Jae saw the gift for Holly.

"A light bug?"

He nodded. "Is it shameful to hope she remembers by this token?"

"Not in the slightest. Since it is only a moon or so until Christmas, why do you not drink with us tonight? It will probably be the last time in a while in such a...calm setting."

"Why is that?"

"They are sending us to war, Dawson. Heath spoke of it in parchment...those he trusts most are off to defend the King and his villagers...I find it a joke, really."

"A joke?"

Jae nodded. "We will all die one day. Some more horrific or historic than others...I see that fighting for a life just for the next day seems useless..."

"Then why do you do it?"

"It isn't about me...my son...I want him to be proud of his blood. To know that his father was an honorable man."

"I vow to stand by it. To allow all to know that you are brave and kind."

"You are a sap!" He teasingly pushed him before continuing on his task ahead.

Dawson took this time to give Holly her gift. Going through the way of the window, he heard voices in up ahead and lingered outside for a moment to eavesdrop.

"Do you really expect me to believe that you do not remember me?!" A voice scolded angrily. By this point, Dawson's gaze was in perfect visibility into her room. He was able to see that it was Nicholas who had spoken to her. He climbed over the outside hurdle and hid near the door, unseen by them both.

"What is it that you think-"

Scuffled sounds were heard just as Dawson made his presence known. For a moment, he was in disgust of Nicholas. The once perfectly groomed man was no vile in each extent of the word. His hair was ratted and greasy, the stains upon his garments were foul, and his teeth had become a sickly flaxen color. In a second of a thought, Dawson humored himself with the thought that karma had destroyed the one thing Nicholas had above all-his looks.

But his amusement was pulled away when he saw the condition of Holly. Nicholas had her bent over the bed with her dress pulled to her waist. Although he was a disgusting mess, he was still stronger than her and was able to overbear her. With his pantaloons untied and the bridge of his manhood peeking through, Dawson raised his sword and pointed it towards Nicholas.

"You will only ever be a commoner stable-boy Dawson. With the family who single-handedly ruined this kingdom."

"This kingdom was full of greed and corruption-my family, and Holly's family had been trying to fix it."

"And yet, it remains corrupted."

"And they are dead...and you claim the corruption was then their doing?"

The sudden clash of metal was heard when Nicholas then brought a sword taken from behind a shield that had hung on a nearby wall. For a set of movements, Dawson solely dodged the attacks attempted by Nicholas and was only scraped by one small slash. Frustrated, Holly had attempted to assist by using a heavy book to hurt Nicholas, but it had only fueled his anger as he then took her hostage.

"You take one step and I open her up like a ham." He said with an evil grimace. Dawson slid his sword to the ground, setting it towards the feet of his enemy. Unknowing to Nicholas, he had slowly walked forward each time he looked away, until he was close enough to help her. By casualty, her neck was marked a small portion but not enough to fatally injure or even permanently scar-just enough to bleed.

By the time Dawson swept his sword off the ground and turned to attack Nicholas, he had jumped to the courtyard below and had disappeared into the night.

"You saved my life." As she spoke, he then turned towards her. Without another word, she ran towards him and wrapped her arms around him. For a moment, he hesitated-knowing to accept this form of affection would be to torture himself. But in that second, he just appreciated the attempt.

"I am so glad you arrived when you had...I am fearful to think what would have happened-"

"Nothing. I will never let him hurt you-even if I must guard and protect you for each day of the rest of my existence."

"You would...wouldn't you?"

He nodded as their eyes locked. But he still saw how deep inside, she was confused and unbelieving of her true identity.

"I actually came to give you your Christmas gift."

"You got me something?"

He nodded as he withdrew the jar from his satchel that sat on against the wall-placed before the altercation with Nicholas. Pulling the jar into view, her expression changed from excited to alarmed.

"What is it?"

"I dreamed of these little guys..." She gently tapped the glass as the light flickered on the insect's back. "Are they not difficult to catch?"

"Nearly impossible. We used to try all the time when we were children...we would chase after the sun until it faded and end up deep in the woods where these critters would flash their illuminations towards us. Eleana used to grow angry at how many times we would be late to dinner by being late." He paused as he still saw the look of disdain on her face. "Is something the matter?"

"I dreamed of it...with someone chasing them with me....Star bugs..."

His eyes went wide. "You remember?"

"I imagine it...but...I do not feel...my thoughts are correct...they feel misplaced or as dreams even..."

He nodded. "I shall not force you to do anything you do not wish to. I just beg you keep an open mind."

She nodded. "It is the least I can do since you have saved my life."

And with that, he left her alone as she was mesmerized by her gift. Their gazes had locked just as the door had closed.