Breakdown One Shots

Stars

(A girl is given as a gift from a neighboring kingdom to a new king. Not as a bride, but as a servant. Rather than insulting the kingdom, the young king doesn't send her home. However, after he learns of the horrible treatment of slaves in that country, he is determined to make her feel welcome and safe in his kingdom.)

Heike was lost. She just wanted to find a window... and now, she was stuck in some kind of basement labyrinth with nothing but stone walls, and sure as hell no window. Worst of all, she had no idea how to get back to the room that the king so graciously offered her.

As someone passed by her she froze and dipped her head low, earning a weird look as they kept walking. Sure, as they walked around the corner and dissapeared from view she wondered if asking for help was a good idea. Instead, worried to bother another person with her plight, she decided against it and continued wandering the corridors aimlessly.

Just as she realized she recognized one of the corridors someone rounded a corner in her direction. She slid against the wall once again. Her head dipped down so she stared at the floor and she hunched over, her long wavy hair shielding her face. The footsteps walked toward her, not too fast, but clearly with purpose. She clasped her hands just as the footsteps stopped in front of her.

She didn't look up, only curtsied, believing that was the response they were waiting for.

It wasn't.

"Hei?"

She knew it was the king. After all, Master Merlin and him were the only two people to call her that.

Heike didn't look up. She felt him lightly rest a hand on her shoulder. She tried not to flinch. True he never seemed to have intention to hurt her, but old habits die hard. She curtsied lower.

"My liege."

"Arthur, please."

She nodded, although didn't have much intention of calling him that, after all it would be most improper. Back home, people could be executed for such things.

She could see the king hold his hand out for her's politely, even through her hair. She froze. Heike wasn't entirely sure what to do. She ended up hesitantly touching his hand. He slowly raised her to her feet.

"Are you lost? Most people don't wander down here after nightfall."

Hei cursed herself in her mind. Of all the people to notice her helplessness.

"I'm alright my liege. My apologies if I've disturbed you."

Hei dipped her head even lower. The king sighed. Hei felt her heart rate pick up, now worried she'd insulted the king somehow. As her eyes went wide in fear. Next, she felt the king put his hand close to her face and slowly lift up. Even though he wasn't touching her face she moved to follow his hand till she was looking up at him through her hair.

His face was kind. His electric blue eyes, gentle, without a hint of anger. He looked at her, deeper than most people bothered to look.

"Hei. Arthur will do fine," he smiled and laughed a bit, "everyone else calls me that anyway."

Hei pulled her face back, away from his hand. She reached up and pushed her hair out of her eyes, pulling it to one side and over her shoulder. Though she wasn't used to looking ANYONE directly in the eyes, she didn't look away from the king. Not out of fear, but because it was nice to look at someone and not be afraid.

"I might be... just a tad lost," she finally muttered.

The young king's eyes seemed to glow with amusement. He was right of course, but he was glad she didn't seem so scared of him.