GRAYSON
He would have come sooner, if it hadn’t been for several things of dire importance he needed to take care of. First, being himself. It wasn’t easy being locked up in a dungeon for several months, being starved of food and light while having your brain tinkered with to carry out the will of a monster.
But he was getting better, doing better, at least he was trying to.
Grayson had filled out some before he and Olive departed last. Some muscle mass and a touch of sun to his skin. But the way he looked now was similar to the sickly boy she’d met on the island. She saw through that once, surely she could do it again.
He’d made his way to The Stone Dragon on horseback, and it had taken some courage to get himself through the door. Upon entry he had been welcomed by a lot of unfamiliar faces. He hadn’t gotten the chance to properly meet everyone before he’d been captured or perhaps he just didn’t remember them. Either way he felt stiff when he strode through the door. It was Cypress who greeted him first, grabbing him by the sleeve and tugging him up towards Olives room with haste. He did little more then nod and half smile at them as he was shuffled through the corridor. Cypress all the while muttering cheerful words he could quite decipher.
She stopped, knocked on the door, and shoved him in.
He hadn’t a moment to gather his bearings before the door latched behind them and their eyes met. An alarm went off in his head as she paused for a second, staring at him, he was in her room
alone. His name came from her lips before she dropped the dress and moved towards him. Holding out his arms he smiled and pulled her close, as she hugged him. He wrapped his own long arms around her. He slowly rocked her trying to soak it all in. At one point he didn’t know if he’d ever make it back, and at one point he doubted whether or not she’d take him back. But this erased it all those feelings. It erased the self doubt he had and the thin walls he built came tumbling down, he could feel the sun once more. Touching her shoulders and tried to ease her away from him, just enough for their eyes to meet “You have no idea how much I missed you.” He said while tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
His hand wrapped around the back of her neck, his thumb tracing the edge of her jawline as he leaned into her and kissed her. Her lips, warm and soft where hard to part from. He smiled sheepishly when he finally did, almost breathlessly he said, “that was worth the wait.” He went to rest his forehead on hers, he was about to pull her back into him when he noticed something.
At first he was puzzled, the small bump she bore was not something he’d notice in the slim fitting dresses she’d worn prior, nor had it looked like gained weight anywhere else.
He stilled as it all clicked in place. He wasn’t a fool, he knew how it worked but that connection wasn’t made that first night. He remembered it like it was yesterday, that whole day was one of the happiest memories he had since he washed up on the shore. The soft tug of her hand, her nervous low voice that stumbled over her words. How she was out later at the beach then she’d been before. How she’d tell him later when it hadn’t been so dark.
Of course, he face drained of all color. The once bright blush had been washed away. It took only seconds to sink in, a dim reality to something he originally thought as innocent. He’d been foolish and naive, he hadn’t
listened to her, hadn’t heard her silent plea, the fear that had been carefully woven into each syllable. He could feel the bubbles of rage begin to surface, feel them push the color back into his face, feel it coursing through his veins like a pulsating fire. A fire ready to burn and destroy whoever did this to her.
His heart also broke for her. It wasn’t pity, it was something else - he could
feel her pain like it was his own.
He would have stumbled, if her hands hadn’t already been holding him steady.
“Olive..” he said reassuringly, trying to find his words as he reached back out for her, “do you remember anything about him?” His voice cracking as he choked down the rage and pain he felt for her. Trying his hardest to maintain a calm that wanted to surge wildly and without remorse. If this had happened right before the island then… She was stronger than he was, he’d let desperation consume him, while she still smiled and tried her best to move about her day. He swallowed, emotions clogging his throat, he knew then that he didn’t even deserve her.