forum Royal Dilemma (o/o Closed)

Started March 04, 2022 by @emilyevewrites group

tune

Thomas smiled as he happily, gently, kissed her back. His arms still holding her and pulled her against him.

Eleanor let out a gasp that was muffled by his lips. The feeling of her body flush with him was so incredibly comforting. It was no longer the two of them separate. It was like they had come together perfectly as one co-joined entity. Like the gods had willed their love to be.

Thomas chuckled a little as he felt more than heard the sound she made and let his eyes close in bliss at the moment. But he didn't push Eleanor any further. Considering all she had been through, he would let her choose the pace of their relationship.

Eleanor cupped his face with her hands and gently ran her thumbs over his cheekbones. He was so strong and firm beneath her touch, grounding her from all the world's problems. Slowly, she drew back with her eyes still closed. "I didn't know it was possible to love someone this much," she whispered, relaxing in his grip and savoring the feeling of his arms keeping her steady.

“Nor did I.” Thomas breathed as she pulled away, though he kept his arms around her. He wanted this moment to last forever. The mental image of them being alone in his family's home on the farm crept into his mind again and he wished it could be that way.

Eleanor's eyes opened, and she looked at him with shining tears behind her gaze. Her lip trembled, despite her attempts to keep it from doing so. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't know what's come over me."

“Eleanor.” he said softly as his eyes opened when he felt her look up. Thomas gently put his hands on the sides of her face and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. “You don't have to be sorry for anything,” he assured her. “And you don't have to hold anything back either. Not in front of me.”

Eleanor smiled weakly as he spoke. "I know that. I just… I want to be with you, Thomas. And not in hiding or with any kind of secrecy. I want to be yours, only yours, without having to worry about Marcellus or Sirus or anyone. I long for nothing more than to be away from this palace and your wife."

Thomas felt his heart swell at her words and he couldn't help the way his voice trembled. “Do you mean that?” he asked softly. “Do you really mean that, Eleanor? Because if you do… I feel the same way.”

"Of course I do," Eleanor whispered. "I wouldn't lie about such things." Her eyes trailed down to the beautiful diamond on her finger. "Oh, this cursed ring…" she hissed. "If only it could all go away… if I had never married Marcellus…"

Thomas sighed, his eyes starting to go misty as he held her hand. “Don't worry about that right now. I’m just so glad that we met.” he admitted softly. “I am surprised by how fast I have fallen in love with you but just being with you is the best feeling I've ever…”

Eleanor felt herself begin to tear up at his words, and once she pried her eyes away from the beautiful anchor on her finger, she found that Thomas's eyes were glistening too.

"Me too. All of it," she whispered, pressing a light, soft kiss to his lips. It was short but meaningful, and as she drew back slightly, her eyes studied his face and the way it looked with the setting sun illuminating him from behind her. "I should be getting changed into my nightgown," she whispered without moving.

Thomas smiled softly as he returned the sweet kiss, glad that she felt the same way and that she had been able to understand what he had been trying to say. “Yes.” he whispered. “You should get your rest for tomorrow.” he agreed.

Eleanor sighed reluctantly. "Yes. Meeting both Génévieve and Lionel… stars help me." She hesitated a moment, like she wanted to say something more, but she didn't. "Goodnight, Thomas."

“I’ll be there for you.” he assured. “And so will Queen Irene.” Thomas added with a slight smile. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Good night, my Queen.”

"I know," Eleanor whispered. She closed her eyes and sighed as his lips pressed against her skin while he bid her goodnight. "Sleep well," she murmured. Once he was gone, she would change into her nightgown and hopefully fall asleep.

Thomas smiled lovingly as he backed away and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He didn't really want to leave. A part of him just wanted to go back into the room and hold her all night. But he knew it would be even more dangerous to give in to that dream. It would raise too many questions and, even with Queen Irene supporting them, who knew what King Marcellus or Sirus would do.

Eleanor waited for the door to shut before changing into her nightgown and twirling around with excitement. She not only now had a best friend in Irene, but also… a boyfriend? A courtier? What was Thomas? A lover?

The queen wasn't sure, but she was more than happy to consider him something more than friends. They'd kissed and confessed their love for each other, for stars sake! She fell into bed that night happier than she'd been since she first arrived at the palace. Happier than she'd ever been in her entire life, for that matter.

Thomas sighed as he tried to bring his expression back to normal and what was expected of any guard. He couldn't afford to let anyone think there was something worth asking questions and risk getting Eleanor in any trouble.

Eleanor awoke in the morning feeling properly relaxed in her own bed. She blinked awake and sighed as her mind ran through her conversation with Thomas the night before. On instinct, she drew up her left hand and studied the blossoming diamond on her ring finger. How many women would kill to be in her position? And she didn't want it at all. She wanted what she knew; her family, her friends, her life before the palace. And she wanted Thomas.

Thomas sighed as he walked toward Eleanor’s room, a little sore and stiff from the morning training he had to take since the rest of his day was busy watching her. He wasn't complaining, not at all, but he had a suspicion that his sparing partner was either jealous of his new position or just plain trying to remind him that he was still just a guard and no one special.