Chapter 2
1238 Words
He rubbed his thumb gently over the back of her hand. He shifted on his feet, took a deep breath, and let it out shakily. But he remained silent; his anxiety and uncertainty hung in the air. To be so discomposed was unlike the proud and assertive king.
"What is it?" Charlotte took his other hand in her own. "If there is any way that I can lend you my power, I will be happy to."
These words of encouragement appeared to give him the push that he needed and he began slowly. "Charlotte, you are a very important person to me. Without your power, this current future that we live in could not have been opened. You have a strong spirit that shines brightly."
Her breath caught in her throat, leaving her a little lightheaded. Surely even the man before her could hear the rapid beat of her heart and feel the heat spreading through her fingers.
Elijah looked down at their entwined hands before raising his head and locking his gaze with hers. "There are troubling times ahead as our countries, as our worlds learn to live together once again. I will need your light to help guide me as I guide my country and all of the Heavens out of the darkness."
His grip on her hands grew tighter as the rest of the words tumbled out. "Charlotte, come to my palace. Be by my side."
Frozen in shock, she was unable to form a reply.
He had just proposed, hadn't he? Granted, the Heavens probably had differences when it came to the institution of marriage, so she couldn't be sure. But if this was a proposal, did that mean that he wanted to marry her and for both of them to live together at the palace?
Maybe she was jumping to conclusions and he didn't mean it that way.
"Do you mean as an advisor?" She asked, feeling silly almost as soon as the words left her mouth, for she already knew the answer.
His expression didn't change. "No, Charlotte. I want you to be my life partner."
Thousands of questions and concerns bubbled in her mind, creating a cacophony in her heart. Yet, her answer rang out clear and true.
"Elijah, I can't."
The confusion and disappointment showed in his eyes and she carefully explained. "I have many things that I need to do here. I need to go to school and take my entrance exams. I need to go to high school and figure out what I want to do with my life. I want to spend time getting to know my classmates and do the things that other children my age do. I cannot leave that behind... not yet."
She remembered her mother's words about children and responsibility. "Whether I like it or not, I am still a child. I have only just learned how to protect my own spirit and to have confidence in my own strength. I am not ready to bear the responsibility of protecting and supporting another."
Elijah released a great exasperated sigh, but looked down at her fondly, his smile was somewhat melancholy. "I had a feeling you might say that."
He led her over to the sofa and they both sunk into the soft, white cushions. Letting go of her hands, he asked, "Do you have the ring I gave you a few months ago?"
Alarm flooded through her system. Was he asking for the ring back? Was he preparing to cut ties with her?
Still, she reached for her collar and pulled out the ring, which dangled from its delicate golden chain. She attempted to unclasp the necklace, but it got tangled in her hair.
"Allow me."
He leaned forward, bracing her against his chest as he carefully freed the strands of hair. The last time she had been pressed against him, she had seen visions of the Heaven's past. No visions this time - just the dull thud of his heartbeat.
Elijah pulled away the chain and dropped the ring into one of his hands. Then he reached into his pocket and produced a second ring. He held up the first ring with great solemnity.
"This is the symbol of the king in my country. My father gave me this ring when he returned to the Akira. Tradition dictates that I should have forged my own ring when I ascended to the throne, but I was much too young then."
He held it up between his index finger and thumb, letting the light glint off the gilded surface. "I now have the ability to forge my own ring, but I would like to continue using my father's ring as I lead my country and my people."
His hand dropped slowly to his lap and he looked at it fondly before meeting Charlotte's gaze again.
"I gave this ring to you as a token of my sincerest appreciation for the help you gave me. But now, I would like to propose an exchange."
He held up the second ring, the one that had appeared in her vision. This second ring was made of woven golden threads that looked like they might disintegrate if touched.
"This ring belonged to my mother. It is the only tangible memento I have of her. It is extremely precious to me and I would like you to have it, as a token of not just my appreciation, but as a token of my affection as well." He took one of her hands and carefully pressed the ring into her palm.
"I know that you have a life here that you want to protect, but I would like it if you could accept this ring." He gave her a bit of an awkward smile. "Think of it as my way of opening a new future, a possible future. If you decide that you cannot see yourself in that future, you may return the ring and I will harbor no ill will."
Charlotte contemplated his words carefully, trying to ignore the giddiness welling up inside of her.
Regardless of what Elijah might say, the return of such a gift - and all the accompanying implications - would be a painful experience for both of them. Right now, her future was unlimited with opportunities. Committing to a relationship with royalty was not a trivial act: it could pose a threat to some of the many futures open to her.
As much as her heart wanted to her to proclaim yes, there was one more thing she needed to check.
"Elijah." He looked at her in honest seriousness. "Let me see into your heart."
He seemed a little taken aback, but then he smiled softly. "That is your way, isn't it?" He placed the rings next to them on the sofa and then reached out to embrace her, nestling her softly against his chest.
Charlotte closed her eyes as his emotions washed over her. There was a hint of sadness that Charlotte had not immediately accepted his proposal, but the overwhelmingly dominant emotions were unclouded resolve and warm affection. Charlotte could tell that he had no expectations of a promise. She could feel his love and desire to protect her overflowing into her mind.
She opened her eyes and slowly broke from the embrace. Elijah met her eyes once more, searching for an answer.
"Will you accept it?"
Charlotte smiled. "I will."
~~~
- Writer
