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iamthefirechild:

“Yes, my lord,” she said, but her voice was light and teasing. Tucking her skirts underneath, she knelt, brushing a hand lightly over the various offerings. “You don’t do things by halves, do you?” Tugging his hand, Summer pulled Henry down with her, tucking herself against his side. She couldn’t stop smiling.

He smiled at her as he pulled her close, beyond them the lights of the city began to light up and they could see the small fires burning like stars upon the ground, and Henry began to eat the berries on the floor before them.

“I hope it does please you.”

“Very much so.” Picking up a piece of cheese, Summer broke off a small piece and held it up to Henry. “Will you tell me about your day, or shall I babble some nonsense to distract you with?” She put the rest of the cheese into her mouth and began to toy with a piece of bread, watching Henry.

the-warrior-king:

iamthefirechild:

They spiraled into the highest tower, and immediately Summer went to the window, gazing out in amazement. She could see the water, far in the distance, and the city lay spread before her eyes. “God has given us /such/ a world, Henry,” she breathed, turning back to him, smiling. Only then did she notice the feast spread for them. “Oh, Henry!” She clasped her hands together.

Crossing back to him, Summer tucked one hand behind his neck and reached up to kiss him.

He was surprised by her kiss, but did not pull away as she held him, and he pulled down to deepen the kiss even more, the wind that blew around them made him hold against her for warmth.

And he pulled away from her.

“Come, the food will grow cold if we do not eat it quickly.”

“Yes, my lord,” she said, but her voice was light and teasing. Tucking her skirts underneath, she knelt, brushing a hand lightly over the various offerings. “You don’t do things by halves, do you?” Tugging his hand, Summer pulled Henry down with her, tucking herself against his side. She couldn’t stop smiling.

the-warrior-king:

iamthefirechild:

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iamthefirechild:

Returning his smile, Summer said, “Yes, of course.” She laid the book aside, rising to give a quick curtsey before approaching Henry. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but hesitated, instead clasping her hands before her and simply smiling up at him. “Whither you lead, I’ll follow.”

Henry smiled at her and then held out his hand to her, so that they could walk together. All things were prepared in the highest tower, where there was a view of not only the sea but of London town.

He smiled as he brought her closer to him, and he looked at her, “Perhaps you should dress warmly.”

Drawing away, she teased, “Will you not keep me warm … Henry?” Summer hesitated a little before saying his name, and tried to mask it by drawing a furred cloak about her shoulders. She turned back, smiling, and this time flung herself into a hug against him. “Where shall we go?”

He looked at her as she spoke and smiled, “I can only do so much to keep you warm where we do go this night.”

And then he felt her in his arms and he chuckled lightly, leading her out of the room, and as they walked through the hallways he found himself leading her to the tower, and there was the food he had organised ready for them.

They spiraled into the highest tower, and immediately Summer went to the window, gazing out in amazement. She could see the water, far in the distance, and the city lay spread before her eyes. “God has given us /such/ a world, Henry,” she breathed, turning back to him, smiling. Only then did she notice the feast spread for them. “Oh, Henry!” She clasped her hands together.

Crossing back to him, Summer tucked one hand behind his neck and reached up to kiss him.

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iamthefirechild:

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iamthefirechild:

“My lord,” Summer touched his hand, leaning down from the saddle, “Henry, don’t worry about me.” She gave him a joyful smile and nudged Petal into a trot. In what short time could a whole world change. It was as if the sun had come out from behind the clouds of her mind, dazzling her with brilliance.

She wondered how Henry would choose to pursue their relationship. Would he be secretive, guarding her from the world in some wild attempt to protect her? Would he court her after the manner of kings, with gifts and public attention? She hoped neither. She hoped it could be quieter, casual touches of hands in the corridors, stolen kisses in the mornings, heartfelt and thoughtful gifts. A continuation of the simple kindnesses that had led her heart to him in the first place.

Henry smiled as she rode away and he turned back to the fields, taking Pointers – who had his fill of water – he mounted once more and made his way to the castle.

It was empty now at this hour of the day so he made his way to the kitchens to take some food, and to tell the chefs to prepare a meal for him, but nothing too elaborate – he planned to take Summer to his favorite place in all the castle, and there they could not take large feasts of food.

Summer tried to clear her mind of bemusement, making sure Petal was well tended, offering careful apologies to Bertha and the maidservant, supervising the clear-up of her night’s drinking and illness. A pulse of impatience beat in her veins, wondering when and how she could see Henry again, as opposed to the King in all his rulership. Henry the man was all she wanted.

But if they were to be together, she would have to accept the existence of Henry the King as well, and the way his duties would intervene between them periodically. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Summer picked up the book he had read to her from, turning it over in her hands. She’d finish her tale and wait for him to send for her.

Henry walked to her room and knocked on the door, he opened it at her word and then stepped inside and saw her sitting on the edge of her bed. He looked at her with a smile.

“Will you join me this night?”

Returning his smile, Summer said, “Yes, of course.” She laid the book aside, rising to give a quick curtsey before approaching Henry. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but hesitated, instead clasping her hands before her and simply smiling up at him. “Whither you lead, I’ll follow.”

the-warrior-king:

iamthefirechild:

the-warrior-king:

iamthefirechild:

Henry’s arms encircled her, enclosing her in safety. Summer smiled into the kiss, relief and happiness suffusing her. His desire tasted of honey and wine, intoxicating to her senses. She pressed against him, trying to communicate her own want, fingers curling against his chest. But she refused to break the kiss even for a second, chasing his mouth if he tried to pull away, biting softly at his lips.

His chest felt tight as if there was something trying to escape at him, as he held her and kissed her, pulling her closer to him as he moved against her. Suddenly he felt something push him in his back and he let go of her, and broke the kiss to see Poiters nudging him in the back.

And the world came back to them, his breathing was heavy and he turned to her, “It is late…”

He was breathless and he looked at her, there was still hope in his eyes.

“And you are still injured, you should return to the castle.”

Summer’s face was flushed, her eyes sparkling. While Henry held her, she had forgotten about her ankle, about the bruise on her wrist, about everything. It was jarring to be recalled to the sense of the world. “Yes, my lord … Henry,” she murmured. She laid a hand to his chest lightly, over his heart. “I am at your service, your grace,” Summer told him, looking up into his blue eyes. “I’ll try to abide your wishes in this, only give us this chance as you said.”

He looked down at her and nodded at her words, and he led her back to her horse and helped her mount. Even the small gestures and how he held her seemed to pull him towards her, he gravitated towards her as she was with him.

Henry would court her now, and he did fear that perhaps the ladies of the court would not do so well upon the news. There were many there for the hunt and for Henry to leave Summer alone with them while he roamed the fields for hours…

“Go to the castle, I will follow anon.”

“My lord,” Summer touched his hand, leaning down from the saddle, “Henry, don’t worry about me.” She gave him a joyful smile and nudged Petal into a trot. In what short time could a whole world change. It was as if the sun had come out from behind the clouds of her mind, dazzling her with brilliance.

She wondered how Henry would choose to pursue their relationship. Would he be secretive, guarding her from the world in some wild attempt to protect her? Would he court her after the manner of kings, with gifts and public attention? She hoped neither. She hoped it could be quieter, casual touches of hands in the corridors, stolen kisses in the mornings, heartfelt and thoughtful gifts. A continuation of the simple kindnesses that had led her heart to him in the first place.

the-warrior-king:

iamthefirechild:

Henry’s arms encircled her, enclosing her in safety. Summer smiled into the kiss, relief and happiness suffusing her. His desire tasted of honey and wine, intoxicating to her senses. She pressed against him, trying to communicate her own want, fingers curling against his chest. But she refused to break the kiss even for a second, chasing his mouth if he tried to pull away, biting softly at his lips.

His chest felt tight as if there was something trying to escape at him, as he held her and kissed her, pulling her closer to him as he moved against her. Suddenly he felt something push him in his back and he let go of her, and broke the kiss to see Poiters nudging him in the back.

And the world came back to them, his breathing was heavy and he turned to her, “It is late…”

He was breathless and he looked at her, there was still hope in his eyes.

“And you are still injured, you should return to the castle.”

Summer’s face was flushed, her eyes sparkling. While Henry held her, she had forgotten about her ankle, about the bruise on her wrist, about everything. It was jarring to be recalled to the sense of the world. “Yes, my lord … Henry,” she murmured. She laid a hand to his chest lightly, over his heart. “I am at your service, your grace,” Summer told him, looking up into his blue eyes. “I’ll try to abide your wishes in this, only give us this chance as you said.”

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iamthefirechild:

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iamthefirechild:

“Your every action belies your speech.” Despite her tears, anger emboldened Summer; she clasped his hand with one of her own, and reached up to brush his face with her fingertips. “Henry. Answer me. Why, last night? I thought it a dream. But you tell me ‘twas reality. /Why/?”

Henry sighed.

“I… in truth I do not know why I kissed you,” he said, “Perhaps it was an impulse I could not fight, to kiss you… because I wanted to… since that day when I missed you at the library.”

“You — /you/ chose. Do you not see, Henry? You say you do not know your own heart, and yet — do you truly not see? Even before you heard me expose my heart, here, already you encouraged my emotion, and yet deny your own.” She stopped, looking earnestly up at Henry. “If in the end, in the end, Henry, it is not to be, I would wish to know that we took the chance. That you allowed yourself the chance.”

He looked at her and touched her face.

“I do not wish to break your heart if it is not meant to be… I would never wish that upon you but…” he stopped and looked at her again, and he leaned in closer, his lips almost touching hers again.

“I do not think I would deny you…”

Slowly, Summer closed the space between them, pressing her lips to his. Offering. Asking. After a moment, she pulled away, whispering, “For my own, if my heart be broken, it will ache the less for that I loved thee. Let me choose this, Henry. Mine heart is thine already, wilt not accept it?”

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iamthefirechild:

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iamthefirechild:

“Perhaps you should have thought of that before you treated me with such kindness. Certainly before you kissed me. Why, then? I will know why.” In her anger and frustration, tears spilled down her cheeks. “My lord, I asked not even a chance, and yet you offered one, and now take it away.”

He looked at her and put his hand on her face, concerned and upset at how she was reacting to his words, “This is why I wished to say nothing, and my mind did tell me to not kiss you… to not touch you… and to not wish you within my arms, but… I could not listen to it, I could not hear upon those words.”

“Your every action belies your speech.” Despite her tears, anger emboldened Summer; she clasped his hand with one of her own, and reached up to brush his face with her fingertips. “Henry. Answer me. Why, last night? I thought it a dream. But you tell me ‘twas reality. /Why/?”

Henry sighed.

“I… in truth I do not know why I kissed you,” he said, “Perhaps it was an impulse I could not fight, to kiss you… because I wanted to… since that day when I missed you at the library.”

“You — /you/ chose. Do you not see, Henry? You say you do not know your own heart, and yet — do you truly not see? Even before you heard me expose my heart, here, already you encouraged my emotion, and yet deny your own.” She stopped, looking earnestly up at Henry. “If in the end, in the end, Henry, it is not to be, I would wish to know that we took the chance. That you allowed yourself the chance.”