The Talamute Prince

Shortly after he left the machine finished the dress. As I sit lost in my imagination, dreaming of a freedom I can never obtain, something catches my eye. I turn to get a better look but feel a hand tap my shoulder.

"We are ready for the next fitting step." I simply walk over and take the dress from the helpers' hands. As I try it on, I realize it is just women in my room now. Patrick hadn't replaced the injured guards on the balcony. I couldn't help but wonder why. He had seemed so focused on protecting me. Perhaps he figured I didn't need it after all. I climb back on the stool and. watch the wind blow the fabric into my room. The waves it made were hypnotic.

"It can't be." I say in a low whisper and straighten up as fear and curiosity grips me. There standing in the curtains looking at me is the black-haired man from the crowd. I lost my voice as I stare at the impossible. How did he get up here? They hadn't even started getting the lifts set up.

His dark red lips pull at the corners revealing dazzling white teeth. His cloak is pulled apart in the front exposing his muscular chest and markings I had never seen before. They had to be some sort of tattoo. I had seen tattoos on other humanoid beings on the transport ship I had destroyed. Most of those were in shapes or just here and there, these markings were long drawn out lines that weaved in and out of each other. They also covered his entire neck and chest. Breaking off at the edges of his clothes hinting at the continuation of the pattern to the entirety of his body. I can't take my eyes away from him. I'm frozen in his gaze. The deep brown that swallows the pupil feel like they penetrate my core. My heart is going to jump from my chest grow wings and soar straight to him. I close my eyes, maybe I'm imagining him there as I've a strange infatuation with him. I open my eyes again, but he's still there. He's there.

I'm looking at what could possibly be the end of life here if he tried anything, but he just stands there with his arms crossed. I follow his chest down to his pants line and noticed two daggers hanging at his belt. His face is unchanging as I slowly turn around to look at him. The mirror is a good view, but I want to lay my eyes on him. I move slowly around.

"Your majesty, you must hold still." The seamstress glances up to see the cold stare that adorns my face. She turns around to see what I'm fixated on.

"Guards!" she shouts as I still didn't seem to have a voice. Her, my maids, and her hands all surrounded me. Not that it would have done much good. I'm more than a foot above them standing on the stool I seem to be glued to. "Guards!" The doors start to open which catches his attention.

"Emgop du nuup ytyom." he bows gently and turns which is when I notice the bow and arrows he is also carrying. He could have easily shot me without ever being seen, so why didn't he? I didn't go for a closer look this time as the guard's rush through my room out to the balcony. I watch from the stool paralyzed as the guards shooting at him. I heard all the commotion, but I couldn't move. Within minutes Patrick charges back into the room.

"Laoonica?" he looks at me and so did the ladies protecting me. They took a step back. That's when I realize he had caused my defense powers to activate. I'm glowing with blue flames that have grown within a foot of my own body. I turn to Patrick with tears in my eyes. All I can think about is the death of my father and the assassin that my mother had sent. The faces of all the innocent people who passed because of my lack of control. How did he get so close without anyone noticing? "My love look at me." I can't focus as I begin to tremble out of control. "Look at me." Patrick is speaking in his soothing tone. He approaches me cautiously. I focus pulling my powers back in, then right as he steps to my side I faint falling into his arms.

"Your highness?" the dress maker's voice sounds of concern in the background. Within a few more seconds my hand maids came rushing to my side. I'm too out of it to hear more than the sounds of their voices. It takes a minute, but I slowly regain some awareness.

"I've her don't worry. Laoonica, my love, can you hear me?" I can hear everything now including the guards down below scrambling to find the man.

"Patrick." I look up at him as he holds me in his arms making his way to my bed to lay me down. I'm dizzy still as I get caught in his eyes. He was there when he was needed, I'll give him that much credit.

"I'm here, my love." I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck beginning to cry at the fact I almost lost it. He holds me against him. He nods to everyone to clear the room as I bury my face in his chest.

"How did he get up here? Why was he up here?" There is no way to know for sure how he got onto my balcony. There is no way to know for sure why he did it.

"I'm not sure Laoonica, I'll put your protection at the top of the priority list. The engineers will be here shortly to begin all the necessary safety measures in place to protect the guards that will be using them. They have taken platforms from other places as we speak to speed up the process. It takes several weeks to build brand new ones." He lays me gentle onto my bed.

"How long will it take?" I release his neck and stare at him. His eyes are greener than usual, or so it appears. I might just be a bit exhausted after the display of powers.

"They should be up by tomorrow night at the latest. I'll arrange for some female guards to be placed on your balcony as well as the men who will be below it." He is trying to calm me as he knows the extent of what could happen if I lost it. He and Kathrine are the ones who have seen the true devastation of my destructive side.

"Please, can you stay for just a while?" He smiles at my request. He leans in and presses his lips to mine which slowly led to a more passionate deeper kiss. He looks at me after he pulls away and brushes my hair to the side out of my face. His touch is gentle and calming as he lays in the bed beside me.

"How about if I send Melena up here?" I lower my eyes at the mention of her name. "Don't worry, I explained to her the amount of stress you were introduced to and that you snapped under it all. We... I have caused you so much pain." I roll over laying on his chest. Probably not my wisest idea but it's a test like a toe dipping into the water of a swimming hole to see if it's too cold. I'm so confused or maybe it's terror at the thought there is so much more to this feeling toward the intruder.

"What do you think he wanted? He had the equipment to attack but he made sure I saw him. Why?" I look up as he tucks his chin on top of my head. He holds me ever so gently against him. I have a feeling he is quite enjoying this as I've refused to lay with him since our wedding night.

"My guess is to scare you." Patrick's head moves as the footsteps of the guard's reenter from the balcony. I'm not facing them, but their boots make a different sound than the shoes others wear.

"Sire, there is no way he should've been able to scale the side of the building. We're not sure exactly how he got up here or even when, but he's gone no sign of him." I turn to see the guards puzzled glare.

"He jumped down." I say in a whisper. Patrick heard me but the others didn't.

"Thank you, wait outside and send for Melena, please." He gave a scolding glare to the guard. He could feel the tension coming back into my body as he kissed my forehead. He plays with my hair to help keep me calm.

"Yes sir. Right away sir." The one says and they both leave.

"You must trust your sister very much." I lay trying to avoid falling asleep on his chest.

"We have one of the harshest training academies that exist to our knowledge. Our soldiers like my sister are far better equipped to protect you then our palace guards. In fact, I'll be inducting some actual soldiers into protecting you. My sister's soul duty will be to protect you, she won't let either of us down. She knows her place, and she likes you a little, so I trust her more than anyone else." His hand moves back and forth on my back as my eyes struggle to stay open.

"Thank you." I set up now as the lightheadedness began to pass. I had almost fallen asleep on him and that would have given him the impression that I was in love with him again. If me cuddling on his chest hadn't already given him that idea.

"For what?" he joins me in the seated position. I look at him for a second as he seems not to want to get up from my bed. He is rubbing my back as I sit halfway up leaning on one arm with my torso twisted towards him to speak to him better.

"For bringing me back from my destructive nature. The last thing I want is to kill more people." I'm more accepting of his offer to have more guards here now. I guess the side effect of being watched on my own balcony.

"I told you, I love you. Even if it takes me eternity to prove it. I will get you to love me back." Turning toward the balcony I can feel the Talamute's pull.

"So, he won't be able to get to me. If he did it would be tragic for your people. And..." I trail off as I want the thought to leave my head, but it keeps surfacing.

"You're not responsible for the things you can't control. Our deaths would be on him not on you." He leans up into my face just a few inches away as he lifts my chin with his finer slightly bent slightly. He leans in for another kiss, but to my relief there's a knock on the door and he releases me as he stands and walks over to the door to open it.

"Reporting for duty." It's Melena and a group of four female guards. The four make their way out to the balcony while Melena stops at the foot of the bed that I still sit on.

"Laoonica." In her uniform with her gun and a few other devices on her belt. She seems ready enough to protect me.

"Hello, Melena." I say quietly. I'm not sure exactly how to react to her just yet. Patrick walks back to my side leaning down a bit. He pulls my face up to his as he looks into my eyes.

"I do have to go Laoonica, but you're safe with my sister and these ladies. They will put their life on the line for you without hesitation. If you decide to need me with you tonight, I will come lay with you." He brushes some fallen hair out of my face returning his gaze to mine. "You're so beautiful." I smile as he kisses me on the head and stands back up walking away.

"I won't let him near her. you have my word, Patrick." Melena says as her brother steps past her. He put his hand on her shoulder and nods then leaves the room after one last look back to me. I'm at a loss. How can Patrick seem so calm and loving one moment and completely insane and power mad the next? It was more exhausting than the use of my powers.