His Little Heir

How it Should be

     He had walked these halls for hours, and the gold was unrelenting.

      Every possibility of what could happen to Daya grinded upon his concious in its shimmer.

Would she wake up?

Would she be in pain?

Was she in pain?

     At all his worries' epicenter sat Leon with foggy green eyes. Once Daya had been evaluated and bathed, he had closed off anyone in the world that wasn't himself or the princess. The king loomed over her as a dragon would its treasure; he refused to leave Daya's side, or let anyone else join it.

     Austin, in all of this, found himself at the infirmary door. Leon had placed a paper covering over it's window, but had failed to evaluate its transparency effectively. And in its thinness was a distorted scene:

    He sat in a velvet chair next to her, his hands making frequent trips to his hair. The king took a deep breath and paused to release it. Austin could see his jaw draw back like an archer's bow, carefully formulating his words:

     "I need you, you know." Leon cupped her silk hand with his, "I know this whole thing is downright crazy, but I-I love you. There, I said it. It's out there and you... you can maybe hear me, right?"

     Austin's face contorted at his proclamation. Love her? How could he?

Had he lied awake at night, worrying for her?

Had he held her when she couldn't uphold herself?

Had he felt the agonizing absensce of her touch?

     No.
     But Austin had.

    Leon halted, stopping again to calculate his words. His right foot began to bob. It rose, then resolved itself to falling with each new possibility. And with a sigh, it froze.

     "You've got me wrapped around your perfect little finger. No one's ever done that before, Daya." Leon raised her palm's reverse to his lips, "But yet, here we are."

But yet, two people here should be in Aspin right now.

    The monarch relented, relaxing his grip. "And you're here... because of me."

     Darn right! If he had just kept his grubby little fingers off of her, it would have been Daya and himself at the altar.

Not Leon.

Just him and her... like it should be.

     "Please wake up. I mean, I know you will. Doctor Raye said you would in a few hours." He stood up, sighing from the strain, "Could you hurry, though? Prince Austin's a real pain in the neck, but, ah, I'm sure you knew that already."

     A pain in the neck? Hah!

Austin could surely break it if he wanted to see true pain.

     "I hate leaving you, trust me, love, I wanna stay, but, I'd hate for you to see me like this too."

     Thank God. Even with the door's reliance, wafts of crusting mud slid underneath Austin's nose. Everyone else had given up on seeing Daya and resorted to showering. Perhaps...

This was his chance.

    Leon lingered over her, reluctant to go. "When you wake up, I promise.. just you and me."

Austin had other plans, but interjecting would be suicide.

     He turned to leave, but something called him back. The king smoothed stray hairs out of her face, and planted a kiss on her forehead...