Reign of the Neverseen

Chapter Nine

Unedited.

"Fitz is here." Sandor said through Sophie's closed door. Looking up from finishing tugging her pajama shirt down. Only a moment later a light knock echoed on the front door. "Send him in." Sophie said as she let her hair down, and sat back at her desk. Staring at the last report she had for the day.  Sophie heard Sandor open the front door. Fitz greeted him.

"Sophie?" Fitz asked as he knocked on her bedroom door. "Come on in Fitz." She said deciding she'd deal with the report later. Fitz opened the door a crack and stuck his head in smiling. "So guess what." He said. "What?" Sophie asked, he stepped all the way in her room, closing the door with his foot. "Aw." Sophie cooed in surprise, standing up she walked out from behind her desk, as Fitz set the baby panda bear on the floor.

"Grady and Edaline thought you might like to see it." He said, as the cub sniffed around the room. "It's so cute." Sophie said kneeling on the floor, holding her hand out for the cub to sniff. Fitz kneeled next to her. "They wondered what you would name it." He said as the cub waddled up to Sophie. "Bamboo." Sophie said immediately as she let the cub climb in her lap. Fitz laughed, "Really?" He asked as Sophie
"Yes." Sophie said, Bamboo waddled around her room. Iggy growled at it from his cage. "Okay." Fitz said as he sat down on the floor. Sophie watched as Bamboo investigated her room. "How have you been?" He asked, his finger brushing Sophie's.

Sophie sighed. She was exhausted, she had been over worked. Again. And the red seal letters kept appearing, leading her to secret meetings. From what she gathered Emery, Noland, and Liora had made a deal with Fintan. If he would stay out of the lost cities they'd try to save some of his reputation. Which also explained why Brant had been in Eternalia, without really explaining anything. "That bad huh?" Fitz asked. "It's.... Yeah." Sophie nodded.

"You can just resign." Fitz said ad the cub waddled up to him. Reaching in his pocket Fitz threw what looked to be some kind a treat. The cub chased after it, tripping over itself. Sophie laughed at it's clumsiness which was just to cute to not laugh at.
"I can't resign Fitz....not yet at least. I will, one day but not yet." Sophie said. "I was afraid you'd say that." Fitz said as he stood up to pick Bamboo up off of her bed where the cub was about to topple off of the edge.

Setting the cub back down on the floor, Fitz gave it another treat. Sophie went to stand next to him. "I don't like you being gone...when you're out of my sight..." Fitz looked up at the ceiling as if hoping the right words were painted there. "I miss you." He said bluntly. "I miss you a lot." He said. Sophie felt her cheek warm. The thought of Fitz missing her made warmth explode in her chest.

As butterflies woke up in her stomach. "I miss you too." Sophie blushed as she looked at her socked feet. Fitz sighed as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, placing his forehead against hers. "I miss this." He said softly, he had never really shown this big of a display of affection for her. Yes he confessed to her, he rivaled with Alvar, and he had even kissed her, but this seemed different. It wasn't the careless emotion of having a crush, this was something much deeper...and they both felt it, deep inside of them. Sophie placed her hands on his chest. She felt his heart skip a beat beneath her hand, making them both smile. There was no blushing for once, there was no shyness, it was just Sophie, and Fitz. Closing her eyes Sophie lifted her head a little higher to press against Fitz's own, just a small gentle nudge.

Being in that moment made Sophie forget her anger, it made her forget all about the council, the Neverseen and even the Black Swan. No words were needed, holding each other close, was...it was completion. For once the chill in Sophie spine vanished, and was replaced with a warm tingling. Sophie just wanted to stay there forever. The blissful warmth of not being able to think a coherent thought, and not feeling the constant worry in the back of her mind. "I miss this too." Her voice barely above a whisper as she wrapped her arms around Fitz.