What if...

Chapter Forty-Six~

I woke up and rubbed my eyes. It was night, now, and the deer had left. I sat up, pulling my blanket around me as I heard footsteps come up behind me. I turned to see England, wearing his old medieval attire, complete with the bow and arrow. I smiled as he came over to me and sat.

"Hello, Anahi," he smiled, leaning back on an arm, the arrows in his quiver rustling slightly.

I smiled in return. "Hello, Arthur. Seems like I'm constantly finding you in the woods. Or, I guess I should say, you find me."

He chuckled, propping his other arm on his knee. "Aye. I tend to be doin' that, huh?"

I nodded, hugging my knees. "Yeah..."

Comfortable silence settled as I remembered what happened earlier in the day, and then what happened last time he found me.

"Arthur..." I started.

"Hm?" he asked, turning.

I stared at the grass below me. "Last time... What point were you trying to prove? I thought I knew... But I don't anymore."

He looked up at the stars. "Do you know the story of Corona Borealis?"

I nodded. "The King Minos had a labyrinth built to confine the Minotaur and every year he had twelve of the most hansome or beautiful people to go into the labyrinth as food for the Minotaur. When King Theseus of Athens was chosen, Ariadne promised to help him if he would take her away once he got out. She gave him a magical ball of yarn for his guide once he had slain the Minotaur. He came out and took Ariadne away like promised, but deserted her on the island of Naxos.

"Ariadne was heartbroken until Bocchus--God of wine and parties--came to her aid. He treated her kindly and fell in love with her. He married her and made her a crown with seven of the most beautiful jewels displayed on it. When she died, Zeus took the crown and put it into the sky, changing the seven jewels into seven stars."

England looked over at me. "Now if you were Ariadne, who would King Theseus and Bocchus be?"

It was my turn to look up. "If I was Ariadne... I guess Gilbert would be Theseus. But... I don't know who Bocchus would be."

He kept his piercing gaze on me before joining me in gazing towards the stars.

A breeze came and I shivered, snuggling deep into my blanket, trying to stay warm. It was alright for nights on my desert, but down here I needed something warmer. I heard England shuffle before feeling warmth run through me. I looked over at him as he settled back down, now without his cloak. I pulled the dark brown cloth closer to my chin, reveling in how warm it was.

"Won't you be cold...?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "I'll be fine. I'm use to this weather. You just stay warm, okay?"

I nodded, feeling my eyes droop. England must have noticed it, too, because he pulled me to him so I could use him as a pillow.

~*~

England smiled as Anahi fell asleep against him and he started stroking her hair, careful to avoid Lanternfish.

"I don't know who Bocchus will be for you," he murmured, returning his gaze to the constellation. "but I hope that he treats you as kindly as Bocchus did for Ariadne."

Yawning, he blinked a few times before looking down at the sleeping redhead beside him and smiled, gently lowering her to the ground before taking the spot next to her.

"Even though you're an ancient... I still say that you're the only sovereign of the Persian gulf," he murmured, kissing the top of her head before settling down to sleep next to her.