When the Sun Fell |✔|

29

Elowen sat on the bed.

She felt the silk beneath her fingers, tracing the texture and trying to become lost in her thoughts- to distract herself from the events she knew that were coming.

The sound of the door opening alerted her, but she did not raise her head. Elowen felt the shaky, nervous breath leave her when she registered the weight of the bed sink as he sat next to her.

There was a heavy silence between them.

Elowen waited for him to say something. She hoped he would. Her heart ached at the thought that this now would be her life. This now would be what would form between them.

She felt a hesitant, gentle touch from his hand as he reached out and touched her own- the same one that had been absentmindedly smoothing down the bed while waiting for him.

"Elowen."

She wanted to close her eyes against her own name and look completely away, but the word and new responsibilities that she carried, made her know she had to look up.

Blue met blue as she lifted her head to look back at Theros.

"It will be okay," he murmured. The thumb of his hand was making small, soothing circles into her palm. Elowen wanted to cry. She wanted to cry at the fact that he would be her first, and yet, she would not be his.

He seemed to be reading this thought from her. But he did not comment or say out loud any of this. Instead, he rose, moving to stand in front of her.

Her eyes followed him as he hesitated, before slowly, falling to his knees.

Elowen felt her eyes widen at the action.

A King did not kneel.

"Theros what-,"

"You are my Queen now," the words seemed choked out of him, but he still said them. He still said them for her to hear, and for him to acknowledge.

He moved forward, taking both of her hands in his own. He exhaled deeply, looking up.

"We must."

She knew what those two words meant. She knew what they had to do. What was expected of them.

"I know." She felt herself breaking, just as he had done that day on the balcony. Those words and the look in his eyes still haunted her mind. "I know but..." she felt her throat closing in on itself as she shook her head.

No. A queen couldn't cry. Shouldn't cry. What was she doing? And in front of him of all people. Him who had stared at her, more than his new bride, during their wedding and reception.

"Tell me," he said.

"You'll think of her. When you are with me. You'll think of her and I...I will fail...I'll fail every time I am compared."

There was a stunned silence on his end as he processed her words. She felt his hand rise and then pull back as the single tear she had allowed, fell down her face.

"I'll never be her."

She hung her head, finally admitting her shame. The thoughts that had lingered in the back of her mind since first meeting the summer girl.

Elowen was too scared to look up. Was he angry? Angry that she had dared bring up the idea of her, just minutes away from when they were supposed to consummate their marriage?

"Elowen."

She shivered against her name.

"Elowen."