A Promise and a Return

Fahmeen's POV:

He was trying not to smile but a smirk reached his face. We were going to Covas. I was so excited.

"Thank you!" I shout across to him. His breathing is even and steady and he nods towards me. I reach over the ship and dip my hand in the freezing water. I could already feel the icy waters of Poseidon's Drop and the cool, hard stones under my feet. All I hear right now is squawking birds and harsh, cold winter-like air paralysing the tips of my ears. As much as I missed my mother and father, a serious discussion was to be had, and I was unclear of the outcome. First of all, father would not be pleased at my return. Not after the welcome anyways. I've decided not to tell them, I've always loved surprises so...

We have crossed the line of infinity and my melting heart thaws faster as I drink in the sight of familiar green trees and a rushing water fall. We've made it. We're actually here.

"Don't act so surprised." Rolf says in my ear. His breath combined with the warmer air soothes the numb layer of skin. He checks no one is around us and feels for my cold, painful nipples. I hear his quiet moan and feel the quick lick of my ear.

"I have missed your chambers."

I can't help the laughter and nudge his hard stomach. I have noticed a change in Rolf's body. I know that he has been training his men and being back in the North, with its diet and climate it made sense for him to become so lean however I still worried. For a man of his height and stature, he required a little fattening. I think of Niverna, plush floor seating and indulging in foods from across the globe, a warm tent. Rolf would love it.

"You remember Sapphire?"

"Hmm?" His hands go onto the ship and I lay back against him. He makes a non-committal noise for me to carry on, and I understand he does not remember my childhood best friend. To be fair, he'd only seen her once and that was at our wedding.

"We should visit her. Since we're here."

"As you wish."

I turn my face and smile at him, getting what you want within such a short span of time really did feel good. No wonder kings were reluctant to ever give up their power.

He returns my smile.

"That makes you very happy?"

"Yes!"

He kisses my forehead and my eyes return to the sea.

"I hope I don't stress my father too much." I chuckle. Rolf doesn't say anything, in fact he has stopped more or less responding whenever my father was mentioned. I weave our fingers together and hold tight onto the ship.

*An hour or so later*

The ship had been docked, the servants handling our luggage. The coastguard had recognised our ship and alerted their king, so it was as much of a surprise as I could manage. Still, mother didn't know nor did Daisy. I heard they were in the palace gardens. I could hear mother talk of chrysanthemums and wisteria, enthusiastically detailing her latest Japanese imports to Daisy. There was such development since my last visit. I was in awe. I couldn't help feeling the petals of peonies and the leaves of the foreign clumps of grass along the path. It blew in the sweetest way against the breeze.

"You've noticed my Hakonechloa."

Still crouched, I was both disappointed in my curiosity as I had failed my surprise, and bombarded with the emotion from hearing my mother's voice.

"Sorry, what was that?"

I go to hug her, my mother really did give my most favourite hugs. I find Daisy giving me the most gorgeous smile and I can't help but cry into my mother's shoulder.

My mother gave me a pink rose and left us to talk. As I sit opposite this person I have cherished and cared for like no other, I achieve peace. A settling of sorts. I put the rose in her hair. Since it was braided away, it held well and so prettily near her face.

"How was your trip to Sapphire's home?" I had heard of her discrete trip from the loose tongues of my maids.

"How did you-

I gave her the look and she quickly understood, her shoulders sagging in mild frustration. Daisy sighs and takes out the rose. Something has happened and I await her explanation.

"It was going to plan until..."

Her fingers stopped stroking the petal and she just stared into the bud. I couldn't help the worry.

"What happened?" I kept my voice as soft as the mild wind, only enough so she could catch it.

"There was an outlander. He kept himself in the dark yet he wouldn't stop his persistence in following me."

"Did he hurt you?" My voice was shaky and tears threatening to fall. I would turn the island over before his traces could vanish. She was quick to shake her head at me and that made me momentarily settle, as she still gave off this air of unease.

"He wanted something from me. He knew of me. Why? I am just a maid. I have no involvement in any politics. It just startled me is all. I ended up confronting him, of course."

Daisy's POV:

"Who are you?"

I point my dagger up at his throat. He does not flinch. Instead, from beneath the dark cloak I see teeth appear. If it was a snarl or a smile I could not tell so I kept my position.

"An invested stranger."

"Whatever you want, even if I could give I wouldn't. So leave me before I alert the guards. They know me."

He pulls down his hood and steps back. I could not ignore this gut feeling. This was Oko. I lunge forward, the promise of death behind my attack yet he steps away and holds me against him. My dagger kicked too far behind us and my throat securely though loosely within the crook of his arm.

"Daisy. You serve the royal family of Covas."

My instincts were between screaming and staying deadly still and silent but I could not predict his reaction. For he could have a thousand daggers within his jacket.

"I think we could help each other."

The audacity provokes me to kick behind at whatever of his body. He is quick to react, pulling back his lower half and holding me tighter. The space between my neck and his arm however did not decrease.

"I want nothing but vengeance from you." My words seem to capture much of his interest and that distracts him from my back up plan. I pull out Ivar's blade and plunge it into the stomach behind me. Oko groans in pain and as he releases me, I quickly assess the damage and escape him. As I run, concealing myself I know that he would survive since the blade was a small one and I'd been careless with my precision. Oko would live, for now.