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I reached out with a tenative hand, drawing his head back up, looking into those depthless grey eyes, "Shh...There is nothing to be sorry for."He looked past me, as if he didn't want to look at me, "You need your rest...tomorrow will be..."
I touched my fingertips to his lips, "Krol," I said firmly, "There are times I'm so good with words...this is not one of them." His eyes focused on me, his attention drawn to whatever I had to say. I caught his grey eyes with my green; mine filled with the long-kept secret of my feelings. His filled with tears, misting the bright grey of his eyes. I drew a soft, deep breath, "I can say it no simpler than this..."
He stared at me, unable to speak, but as the tears came to my eyes, I knew what I had to do, "Krolaun..." I began, "Krol, from the day I met you, I knew there was something about you. It was not until recently that I realized what that something was..."
He silently bit his lip, still unspeaking. I could not be daunted, however. As my eyes searched his, the words came so easily, so freely, that it seemed as if I'd spoken them long ago.
"I love you, Krolaun the Defiant."
He let out a single sob as he enfolded me in his arms, his lips barely brushing one of my ears. All the fear I had held within me melted away. No longer would I have to hide what I felt. It was all here, in the open. His voice was soft, hushed, as he whispered into my ear, his voice trembling with the force of his emotions.
"I love you, too, Katja Armitanis."
With the closing of that circle, I let my tears of joy flow, burying my face in his shoulder. He held me tightly in his arms, as if he never wanted to let me go. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, both of us standing there, silently. Finally, to know the truth of it all, it was as if I were tearing down a long-standing barrier between us. One that would never be rebuilt. Slowly, he eased his embrace of me, softly kissing my cheek as his grey eyes once again sought my green.
As I looked into those wonderous grey eyes, I reached out and ran a fursoft finger along his jawline, down to his chin. Gently, I drew him closer, softly touching my lips to his in a loving kiss. He trembled slightly as our lips met, drawing me closer as he wrapped an arm about my waist.
"I have been wanting to tell you that for so long," I murmured.
His voice was soft, "And hearing it was so sweet. You mean the world to me, Katja."
His eyes, so full of adoration, suddenly became clouded. My brow furrowed in concern, "What is it?"
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© 1999 E. Angeli Mansfield