[ She looks at him again, and by coincidence, he does the same, with the lock of their gaze causing him to stop still in his tracks. How she shines in his eyes. It is a radiance that he cannot-- should not-- touch. Penitent be the heart, for it is woefully presumptuous of him to wonder if any of what he says would be accepted-- or would not destroy what working relationship they currently have. She deserves far more than the selfish confession of a king long dead. She deserves someone as good as her, someone who can stand with her in both life and light.
But when she looks at him like that, barriers crumble as if they had never been there, one after the other. Mercy, for which he had asked earlier, is cruel like this, but oh so divine. The balm of her smile, the warmth of her touch, and the patience with which she regards him, cause him to stay rather than leave. How thoroughly she has him.
All this manifests as conflict within the sea of his eyes, but at last something gives. Somnus unlinks her arm from her. ] The sun captivates all as it sets. [ If this is to be it, if he is to speak and give the truth as she asked, to risk all, but never see her again... then he at least wants to do this:
His hand rises to the side of her face, slow to allow her the space to pull away, if she wishes. His palm makes no direct contact but instead hovers near as if loveliness of her makes her untouchable. Still, he dares to feel-- and with his long fingers extending, it's but a whisper of a touch, a thumb brushing that single strand of hair from the side of her face to behind her ear. ]
But here stands a woman before me, [ Remorse already saturates his tone, as if he's already done a great wrong. More prominent than this is the breathlessness in his tone, hushed with both care and reverence, admiration, longing. ] far more stunning and strong than any of its rays, [ His fingers linger near her ear, tracing over the upper curve. ] for the warmth and light she gives never yields to night.
[ A knuckle inadvertently knocks against her long earring, causing it to sway, and he draws his hand away. ] To you, I fall.
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But when she looks at him like that, barriers crumble as if they had never been there, one after the other. Mercy, for which he had asked earlier, is cruel like this, but oh so divine. The balm of her smile, the warmth of her touch, and the patience with which she regards him, cause him to stay rather than leave. How thoroughly she has him.
All this manifests as conflict within the sea of his eyes, but at last something gives. Somnus unlinks her arm from her. ] The sun captivates all as it sets. [ If this is to be it, if he is to speak and give the truth as she asked, to risk all, but never see her again... then he at least wants to do this:
His hand rises to the side of her face, slow to allow her the space to pull away, if she wishes. His palm makes no direct contact but instead hovers near as if loveliness of her makes her untouchable. Still, he dares to feel-- and with his long fingers extending, it's but a whisper of a touch, a thumb brushing that single strand of hair from the side of her face to behind her ear. ]
But here stands a woman before me, [ Remorse already saturates his tone, as if he's already done a great wrong. More prominent than this is the breathlessness in his tone, hushed with both care and reverence, admiration, longing. ] far more stunning and strong than any of its rays, [ His fingers linger near her ear, tracing over the upper curve. ] for the warmth and light she gives never yields to night.
[ A knuckle inadvertently knocks against her long earring, causing it to sway, and he draws his hand away. ] To you, I fall.