Between Wolves & Doves

Chapter 30 Duels

When her tears stopped, she gathered up her envelope, tucked the dried flowers they'd carefully sent her inside safely. And clutched them close.

She hadn't even read the two little inserts of parchment from her sisters yet either. They'd both written her a short missive. She knows that would only make the sadness greater if she read them now. She'll keep them somewhere treasured and safe, and read them later at her leisure.

Draegan sees her back to the castle. Of course he does. His chivalry knows no bounds; he helps her pick down over the rocky ridge she'd climbed to get up to the abandoned chapel to take to her solitude.

Somehow, she feels strengthened when she delicately holds his offered hand. Clutching around the pale stones of his numerous silver rings. His touch is warm and gentle. He handles her like she's the most precious artefact on this earth.

They walk back under the spread of the trees, and into the overgrown wild of the garden by the lake. In the amity of nature. They both know it is required of neither of them to break the silence. Listening to the shore lap and slap against the banks. The willow tree branches dragging like a comb through the water. Swaying with the current. The wind chipping through the trees. She knows Draegan understands the soothe of nature. The consoling vale of its presence.

She knows she feels comfortable in his company. He's soothing. He makes her feel familiar to him somehow. Like she's known him all her life. She keeps this to herself. A comforting little idle thought.

They stop when by the Grecian temple and admire the lake for a moment. The way it lies under the cloudy sky like a foggy mirror shard. Severing the wilderness of the landscape. There's something calming about watching a body of water. Iris noticed more of the shy blush pink pond lilies decorate the murky bottle-green surface. She's learnt that everything blooms when Draegan is near. Flushed with a bursting influx of life.

He takes a look across at her as she stands and admired the small lake. The way the ripples crease its surface. Watches the wind ruffle her hair and tug at the train of her lilac dress. He still sees how raw and red the skin around her eyes is. Stained by her sadness and her salty tears. She clutched that envelope so tightly in her hands. Protecting its contents.

"You um- won't tell Kylo about my being upset will you?" She turns back to him. A pinched brow crowning her expression of worry.

"Of course not." He answers with a lot of heart behind his words. She notices his piercing eyes are as calming to gaze into as a frothing blue ocean.

"But if you'll allow me the liberty to say so, I think you should tell him yourself of the reasons for your sadness." He bargains gently.

His hands loosely tucked behind his straight back. Chest set straight and upright. Stance echoing faintly of his time in military command. The fighting that lingered far back in his life, many years ago now. But if she knows anything about soldiers, it's that a life in the army leaves its mark.

Iris's frown deepens. "How could I? It would hurt him to know-"

"It will hurt him more if you keep it concealed from his knowledge." He points out softly.

"Iris, he values and loves you and your happiness and safety more than that of his very own life. I've seen it. He atleast deserves to know if something has caused you hurt."

Iris lowers her eyes to the letter and swallows. She drags her fingertips along the dried cow parsley flower. Out of the corner of her eye. She sees Draegan step closer.

"I'm so used to keeping quiet. It's all I've ever done. Containing things to myself." She says idly. It's what she's done her whole life. She's been privy to forever being her own person.