For her part, Summer was surprised as well; it was clear that castle servants had been in her rooms, freshening them up from her long self-imposed confinement. Even the fireplace had been cleaned. Advancing slowly into the space, she rested her hand on the back of one of the chairs, bringing her other hand to her mouth. Turning back to Isaac, her eyes shimmered with tears.
“They’re so kind to me here,” she said, voice shaking.
Isaac stilled then, feeling his stomach plummet with disappointment, knowing that the conversation that he’d been so desperate to shove aside and forget was once again making itself known. For as much as she appeared to hate it here, part of Isaac feared that she liked it too, and no matter the outcome, one of them might end up with their heart getting broken.
“You deserve it,” was all he said in response, his expression growing troubled as he moved to pull her chair out for her, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
Summer put her hand over his, hearing his voice change and seeing his face fall. “What? What is it? Did I do something wrong?”
She tangled her fingers with his, tugging him along the dim hallways. One thing that had happened in her melancholy was a considerable amount of wandering, and she was quite familiar with the whole castle. Rounding a corner, she pulled open a door behind a tapestry, and there was her tower room. A table with two chairs was set up before the fire, complete with cozy blankets and candles.
Allowing her to lead the way, he ran his thumb across the back of her hand, tracing her knuckles as he gazed around him, attempting to somewhat memorise the layout of what could be his future home. But that would be for a later discussion — for now, it was time to eat and just enjoy spending time with his wife-to-be. “This looks wonderful…” he breathed out, taking in the flickering flames and the romantic mood that they provided.
For her part, Summer was surprised as well; it was clear that castle servants had been in her rooms, freshening them up from her long self-imposed confinement. Even the fireplace had been cleaned. Advancing slowly into the space, she rested her hand on the back of one of the chairs, bringing her other hand to her mouth. Turning back to Isaac, her eyes shimmered with tears.
“They’re so kind to me here,” she said, voice shaking.
A pageboy darted up, snatching the torch from the door and beckoning. “Cook says, dinner’s ready so you better come,” he piped, seemingly unconcerned about the informal nature of his words.
Summer looked up at Isaac, eyes dancing. “Father may rule the princedom, but Cook rules the castle. If we are late, dinner will be cold and there will be no recourse.”
Isaac gaped down at the pageboy, a little bewildered at his tone and wording, but seeing as Summer appeared to be fine with it, he immediately dismissed it and nodded. “Alright…”
And he slipped his hand into Summer’s then, pressing a kiss to the very tip of her nose, chuckling lowly. “Oh? Well, lead the way then, My Lady!”
She tangled her fingers with his, tugging him along the dim hallways. One thing that had happened in her melancholy was a considerable amount of wandering, and she was quite familiar with the whole castle. Rounding a corner, she pulled open a door behind a tapestry, and there was her tower room. A table with two chairs was set up before the fire, complete with cozy blankets and candles.
With him bearing her hand, they processed toward the door, pretending to be regal — until she tripped on the hem of her dress and almost fell over. Giggling, she reeled into him, and one of the guards at the door hurried to catch her, only stepping back when it was clear Isaac had her. The guard gave Isaac a grave nod and said, “Take care of our lady, milord.”
Isaac fought the urge to strut with his head held high, knowing that he could trip or make a spectacle of himself by once again pretending to be something that he wasn’t. He was only Royalty through adoption — he wasn’t a blood Royal, but he could certainly act the part when the occasion called for it. But it seemed that Summer was to get there first, stumbling as he grabbed at her, cradling her against his chest as he chuckled fondly. “Of course I will — you don’t even need to ask me to take care of her…”
A pageboy darted up, snatching the torch from the door and beckoning. “Cook says, dinner’s ready so you better come,” he piped, seemingly unconcerned about the informal nature of his words.
Summer looked up at Isaac, eyes dancing. “Father may rule the princedom, but Cook rules the castle. If we are late, dinner will be cold and there will be no recourse.”
She held her head high, pretending to be arrogant, and placed her fingertips in his palm. “Shall we be great nobles?” she murmured, eyes twinkling with a mischievous light long missing.
“I think we could be whatever we wanted to be.” He grinned, trying to keep up the presence of being someone he wasn’t, but the smiles just kept on coming with ease now that he was with her once more.
With him bearing her hand, they processed toward the door, pretending to be regal — until she tripped on the hem of her dress and almost fell over. Giggling, she reeled into him, and one of the guards at the door hurried to catch her, only stepping back when it was clear Isaac had her. The guard gave Isaac a grave nod and said, “Take care of our lady, milord.”
The shadows shifting through the glass eventually brought her head up, seeking out his eyes in the falling dusk. At the edge of the glass room, a servant fixed a torch to the wall by the entrance. “Will you dine with me, my lord?” Summer asked softly, a slight smile on her mouth, remembering their first meeting. She was sure he would object, as usual, to the term she insisted on using.
“Of course I will, My Lady.” Isaac chuckled softly, although the slight twitch to his nose betrayed his discomfort over that term, but he would eagerly play along with her if it made her smile. He held out his hand for her to take, palm upturned as he teasingly wriggled his fingers, back straight as he cast her an encouraging smile, head tilting just a little bit to the side.
She held her head high, pretending to be arrogant, and placed her fingertips in his palm. “Shall we be great nobles?” she murmured, eyes twinkling with a mischievous light long missing.
She blushed hotly. “That’s the sweetest thing you have ever said to me.” She felt as though she could stay there forever, listening to his heartbeat and being held, or as if no time was passing while they sat there.
“Yeah? I’ll make sure to say things like that more often then, especially if you blush like that,” he teased her and ran his thumb across her scarlet cheeks, rocking her gently in his arms. He wanted to hold her like this forever, and while he was painfully aware of all the planning they had to do, he was quite content to linger here with her for as long as was possible.
The shadows shifting through the glass eventually brought her head up, seeking out his eyes in the falling dusk. At the edge of the glass room, a servant fixed a torch to the wall by the entrance. “Will you dine with me, my lord?” Summer asked softly, a slight smile on her mouth, remembering their first meeting. She was sure he would object, as usual, to the term she insisted on using.
“I-I haven’t been — no one here touches me except m-my maid. I didn’t expect it.” Disdaining the beauty of the dress, she slipped off the bench and into his arms more fully. “I had forgotten what it feels like, having your arms around me. How safe I feel.” With a little sigh, she laid her head on his chest.
His eyes widened and immediately filled with sympathy and pity, and he cradled her right against his chest, unable to believe that they were finally here and together once more. “My arms had felt so empty until now — they were made to hold you, I think.”
She blushed hotly. “That’s the sweetest thing you have ever said to me.” She felt as though she could stay there forever, listening to his heartbeat and being held, or as if no time was passing while they sat there.
She squeaked slightly, in surprise. Looking up at him, she coloured more deeply, left a little breathless by his intent declaration. “I love you, too,” she whispered finally.
“Always.” He grinned and nuzzled their noses together, smiling against her reddened cheeks as he rocked her gently in his arms. “Did I surprise you or something there? You look quite shocked.”
“I-I haven’t been — no one here touches me except m-my maid. I didn’t expect it.” Disdaining the beauty of the dress, she slipped off the bench and into his arms more fully. “I had forgotten what it feels like, having your arms around me. How safe I feel.” With a little sigh, she laid her head on his chest.
She ducked her head, faint colour rising in her face. “I — missed you so much. I was so lonely … at least when you t-took me away with you to Hale Castle you were still there. You watched over me all the time. Here, there was no one. After my twin left, there was no one.”
Very quietly, she confessed, hiding her face, “I fell into despair.”
His breath hitched and he pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. “I’m so sorry, Summer…I never meant for things to end up like this, but I promise that it’ll all be better soon. We’re to be married, you and I, and I’ll always love you and take care of you,” he breathed out and cupped her chin gently, angling her head up so that he could look her in the eye. “I love you, Summer.”
She squeaked slightly, in surprise. Looking up at him, she coloured more deeply, left a little breathless by his intent declaration. “I love you, too,” she whispered finally.