Distant Lives | Arthur & Eithne
He'd not approached her since the revelation at the ill-fated Ice Ball. They'd coolly taken meals together while trapped within the palace together but, with all the guests staying there, he'd managed to stay at what felt a whole world's distance. He'd not managed to prevent himself from stealing looks at her, and he knew she'd caught a few, but more than that he'd resisted as resolutely as she had maintained her intention of wedding someone who did not deserve her, much as Arthur had stormed about the useless boor. He'd left her with as much dignity spared to them both as he could manage, but he feared it had been blessed little, in his case. Still, she had remained gracious to the last.
They'd, of course, run into one another here and there, but any interactions had remained quick and cursory, overly polite, affairs from which both seemed eager to quick extricate themselves, and neither had approached one another since that time. Too much lay between them for anything else.
In one way, he supposed, the time had been short between then and now, but so much had happened it seemed to Arthur as if many ages had passed.
In truth, he'd not meant to approach her, but it was still true that Arthur, though saying nothing of it, paid close attention to where she was, and it had not missed his attention that she and Lady Roisin had excused themselves early that first day. Now, on the second, with the melee done with, Arthur hurried to catch her before she could go, stealing away from the feast with a sister. He followed them outside. He did not wish her to feel that she need hurry away on his account, after all.
"Lady Eithne!" his voice rang out as he approached.
Lady Roisin stopped, looked at him, looked at Eithne, and gently disentangled herself from her sister whispering what appeared to be 'Take your time,' before disappearing into a nearby grove.
Arthur paused, his half-jog giving way to a walk as she stopped. Now that he was here, now that she was looking at him, he hardly knew how to start.
"Lady Eithne," he repeated, sighed. "I know...I know that I did not...Lady Eithne, can you forgive me for how I left things between us? I didn't...I never meant to hurt you. I want, as I have always wanted, for you to be happy." He nodded. "And you and me...I know, always knew, it was going to end someday. But I did not behave as I had wanted to, when that time did come. I wish...I wish I had left you not as a spurned suitor, that night, but as a friend. Can you forgive me?"
