Crimson Bird 2 (bwwm)

Chapter Five

What had she been thinking? Talon wondered to himself as he returned to his lodgings. She'd been alone and disguised. It didn't make sense that the King of Katari allowed his daughter such freedom. Bird wasn't a woman a man could ignore.

Standing outside near the fountain, Talon released a heavy sigh. He'd been taken in immediately by her eyes and hadn't known what else to do other than run. He was a coward, but he was also struggling with keeping to his own vow. He would not destroy the world she lived in because of his own desire.

Still, the urge to pull her close hadn't abated. Instead, it had grown stronger. He swallowed as if he could taste her on his tongue. His body thrummed with his need for her.

He was a sinner, and here he stood, desiring still to possess her. He lowered his head in an effort to group again the reasons why he should stay away from her, and again, he hardened his resolve to do so.

Lifting his cup, he drank from it, the bitter taste quelling the hunger for only so long.

***

The next morning, as usual, he awakened to Dubh softly calling his name. As he'd done the days before, he went through his ablutions and hurried immediately to the palace to meet with the king.

His entry was the easy part. The west gate palace guards were getting easier to recognize and he was slowly coming to realize they looked at him as if he were slow-witted. Did they believe him to be foolish to return after having been rejected so many times? Talon did not care. He would succeed in getting the agreement from the king.

He had no other choice if he sought to gain the one thing that'd been his goal since the death of his mother. Moving quickly through the outer hallway, the overhang of stone ceiling shaded him from the sun. He could hear laughter and glanced out to the garden where a roofless gazebo made of stone sat surrounded by flowers and bushes. He hadn't noticed it before due to him being pre-occupied with thoughts on how to get the king to go along with his offered proposal. But now, as he glanced out, he realized he was seeing the women from the inner court.

The sun bounced off their jeweled necklaces and jewel toned carves and their laughter drifted over to him. He lifted a hand as he felt himself drawn to their laughter and drifting closer towards it. He realized one of the many women was Bird. She, unlike the others, wore only a head scarf, giving view to her lower face. Her hands held the hands of a little girl. The two were dancing as a man with a guitar played, his soft voice echoing out.

Other women who sat among the pillows clapped their hands along with the tune, some of their voices joining the man's. Talon watched as Bird released the little girl's hands and spun in a circle, her light skirts lifted, giving view to the loose pants she wore underneath. Her bangles on her ankles jangled as she jumped side to side, her eyes focused on the laughing little girl.

He took another step forward, her swaying movements pulling him closer. Akin to a starving man, he craved more of her laughter, more of her smile. He unknowingly reached towards her, his teeth ached and mouth watered, all his sense desiring the woman beyond his reach.

"Prince?"

Jerked out of the pool of need he'd been experiencing, flustered, he dropped his hand and turned to face the nameless servant. "Y-yes?"

"The king would see you now."

Pulling back from the light, Talon receded into the shadow, turning to fully face the servant. "Ah, yes." He didn't look back. Their laughter and music had drawn him in. He curled his fingers at his side and made his way to meet King Allam once more.