Wildfire

Eight

His collapse is sudden as the rest of Rayne's body loses its strength, the hand that had been tracing his bottom lip with such deep fascination leaving his stunning face in favor of joining the other arm around his waist in our effort to keep him upright as his eyes start trying to roll back, his only whimper being, "It-Its ever so w-warm, Your H-Highness...I cannot breathe.." as I rearrange us as carefully as I can, one arm sliding from his waist only to settle behind his knees as I lift him while meeting the eyes of my Father as he stares down at the two of us, his face even redder than when I left him there.

I pay no mind to him, instead giving all my attention to the wilted beauty in my arms as he trembles and struggles to draw breath, getting him outside my only responsibility at the moment as the quiet murmurs that had started to fill the room when we had taken the floor growing louder as I whisk Rayne outside through the nearest terrace, this one leading to one of my favorite rose gardens here within the Palace walls, benches are strewn all throughout it to turn it into a place of leisure and rest. 

Once I've managed to excuse us from the ball without causing too much of a scene in front of the guests that had come here with so much hope in each of their hearts I am glad to be bathed in the balmy night air, Rayne even more so than myself as he finally manages to draw the first of several deep breaths the sight and feel of which puts my heart more at ease as he starts to come back to himself. 

...

Rayne

...

I hadn't expected the Prince to take it upon himself to carry me outside, and yet here we are, his gentle hold on me being released only when we come to a bench that he can set me down upon, his face filled with concern when he straightens up, his hand coming to rest on my cheek for a few brief moments before he finally speaks, "I am so sorry to have overwhelmed you, Darling... Can you forgive me?"

The words seem so genuine when bathed in moonlight... So easy to believe as his thumb strokes the sensitive flesh just under my eye that I find myself nodding into the feel of his palm, my anxieties slipping away now that we aren't being observed by all twelve of the branch families and what castle staff had been in the room clearing away dishes and bringing out long jugs of the rice wine I had heard so much about from Mama and Papa, its sweetness apparently unmatched.

Prince Emrys seems to be trying to soften himself as he eases himself down onto the bench next to me, the hand that leaves my face moving to grasp the hand nearest to him as he perches in order to bring it into his lap to hold, "I had noticed that you had not eaten... I should have been more gentle in my approach. Are you feeling any better now that we've come out-"

Before he can finish his thought one of the butlers that had been flitting about inside appears before us, an apologetic look on his face as he cuts Prince Emrys off with, "Your Highness, Your Father the King insists on your return. He says that if you've chosen already you are obligated to inform the other brides so that they may start accepting dances from the other males in attendance."

...

Emrys

...

The sigh that breaks past my lips surprises all three of us, my reluctance to leave Rayne out here by himself all too real as I ease myself back off the bench keeping hold of his soft palm as I rise, "Rayne...Would you be alright waiting for me here? You can clear your head while I take care of this and I'll have returned to your side before you even realize I am gone."

Instead of finding a look of despair on his face at the thought of my departure he actually seems to be breathing even easier, taking comfort in the thought of being left all alone, his response not one that thrills me, "Please take your time, Your Highness... And please think over what you are about to announce...There are candidates in that room more suitable for you than I."

When will he understand, "Not a single person in that room holds a candle to you... I have chosen the finest of Clouds as my bride and I shall keep it that way... Neither I nor my beast will be satisfied with anyone else after having the privilege of holding you so closely."

Maybe it is due to coming so close to fainting from nerves after our dance, or maybe he truly isn't happy at the thought of being chosen as the one that I would like most to wed... The one that I find myself so pulled towards...Either way, his reactions to me leave me confused and out of sorts as he brushes my hand away from his cheek as my words cause a new set of shivers to roll down his spine, "Your Highness... I... I do not understand why you've seen fit to set your sights on me.. Until today I've never even made it this far inside the castle walls!"

...

Rayne

...

"If I had the time to explain myself in this moment, I would, My little Moonbeam... But I'm afraid that I must go announce my decision first, and then I'll return to you... Please, stay here and catch your breath while you wait for me, and then we can discuss my attraction to you at length... Would that be acceptable to you?" The Prince is so earnest as he crouches in order to regain eye contact with me when I tuck my chin down into my shoulder, "Will my proposal be accepted if I can explain myself to you?"

It seems as though without my own permission my head bobs up and down in a nod forced out of me by the beast resting deep inside of me... The part of my soul that can still feel the reverberations of the mating call that had brought us to our knees with its sincere force, the smile working its way onto the Prince's face when I agree to his compromise having much the same effect on my body as my knees start to feel as though they've melted into the consistency of tree sap on a hot summer's day. 

Satisfied with my answer he stands, a fond pet to my hair being gifted to me before he turns to take his leave with a brightness in his step that I think may not have wormed its way into his solid gait if I had refused him. 

I let myself watch until he disappears back through the doors we had just emerged from, the butler hot on his heels as the return inside to announce to the court and to my own family that Prince Emrys has set his sights on me and me alone instead of one of the legitimate children of the branch families... The Fathers of two of said families sharing a menacing look with each other as they slip from the door that my apparent betrothed had just used for what appears to be an innocent walk until they find themselves in front of me, their smiles turning into something more frightening as the word, "Mongrel..." gets growled at me, the hand that finds my face so quick and unexpected that I do not flinch away from the blow in time, the next one sending me to the ground with a gasp that steals my breath away before a heavy silk-slipper clad foot finds itself crashing into my ribs.