A Tale of Crowns and Stars

Moves & Players

 "Stop!"

Cyra jolted awake at the outburst, looking around her room frantically for the source. Another sharp cry made her ease out of her bed, and she snatched her robe from a bedpost before flinging open her door to the hallway.

"Who's there?" Nothing but air greeted her as she tied the robe around her waist with a few quick snatches. Her call went unanswered. Maybe she had imagined it all... As Cyra turned to go back into her room, the door to Halewijn's chambers swung open, producing a sweaty and frightened High Prince. "Halewijn!" She rushed to him, searching his golden eyes with care before examining the rest of him.

"I had a nightmare that..." Halewijn cut himself off as he panted heavily - like he had been running for miles - and then brought Cyra to his chest, holding her close. "But it's okay... You're okay." Cyra could hear the stuttering of his heart underneath his soaked nightshirt and timidly wrapped her arms around him in return. "You're okay," Halewijn repeated, exhaling deeply.

"I feel like I should be telling you that; you were the one shouting in your dreams."

"I'm sorry to have startled you." Halewijn breathed, leaning back to look at her face. Cyra gave him a small smile then dropped her hands from his back.

"If you're going to be okay...then I'll go back to sleep. We probably shouldn't stand out here for much longer."

"Would you care to keep me company and sleep in here? Just for tonight." Cyra blinked, considering her options. So much had passed between them without the ability for them to reconcile. Perhaps this was what she needed: a private moment to air out their concerns. Cyra nodded twice, and without words, Halewijn took her hand and swiftly pulled her into his room, letting her close the door.

In the dim moonlight, Cyra could make out the features of the room, but it was all forgotten as soon as Halewijn placed a hand against the closed door and leaned in to capture her lips in a kiss. She almost forgot her entire purpose for accepting his request as Halewijn kissed her again, taking his other hand and cupping her chin.

"Wait, Halewijn—" Cyra breathed against his lips, trying not to lose herself in the moment. Hal pushed back a little, and she could feel his eyes roaming over her face in the darkness. "We need to talk."

If the room had been any darker, she wouldn't have been able to make out the shift in Halewijn's stance - his spine straightening and chin tilting up ever so slightly.

"Let me light a fire." He mumbled, letting his hand slip down the door as he turned away. Cyra padded over to a chair in front of the hearth, tucking her left leg underneath her as Halewijn struck a match and tossed it in, lighting the entire log. The flames slowly stretched up to the top of the hearth, and it was then that he stepped back to let the flames warm the room.

"What's on your mind, my love?" Halewijn took the seat across from her, settling into the warm suede with a sigh.

"We need to talk about..." Where to start? "About the ride I took." The crease in Hal's brow deepened, but he stayed silent as she launched into her tale. "I was attacked. I don't know who my assailant was. But I didn't get out on my own." Halewijn leaned forward, his golden eyes full of curiosity, urging her to say more. "Armantha helped me. She saved me from the person who attacked me and assisted me in making it back here." The look on Halewijn's face was nothing short of confused and astonished, but he waited a moment to speak despite his facial expression.

"How did she find you out there? Had she been following you?"

"She said she had been watching my attacker for a little while before he rode off." Cyra looked down at her hands, tracing the lines on her palms.