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Run From the King

Chapter 14

A couple of hours into the forest the darkness starts to lay in on Leo. He glances over at the girl and makes sure she's ok.

She's sound asleep.

Leo turns back to the road realizing the storm was following in his direction. His eyes began to become sore.

His stomach began to growl again as he remembered the chocolate chip cookies in the bag.

His mouth began to water.

He reached down to the bag on the ground as far as he could.

Just then, an acorn fell against the window making Tess shoot up in her sleep.

She sees Leo reaching over her, dangerously close to her exposed leg. She quickly pulls it close to her chest and screams,

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!"

She puts her dirty boot out in a defensive pose.

"Tess! Relax, no, that's not what I-"

Leo shakes his head, trying to explain before Tess interrupts,

"Stop the car! I want to get out!"

"What? No-Tess let me explain-"

"You're a pervert that's all you need to explain. I thought you were different but you're just as foul as everyone from that kingdom!"

"COOKIES!"

"What?"

Leos sighs,

"Look in the bag."

She narrows her eyes before quickly picking the bag and peaking inside. A small bit of pot pie, half a couple slices of bread left, and a small basket of cookies with a glass bottle of milk.

"Oh...cookies."

Her cheeks redden as Leo grins, nodding slowly.

"Yes, cookies."

"...I just thought. I didn't mean.."

Leo shakes his head,

"Feed me cookies and alls' forgiven."

Tess smiles, embarrassed as she grabs a cookie and raises it to Leo. He takes an enormous bite and eats the entire cookie, his lips touching the ends of her fingers.

She feels a flutter in her stomach.

She wanted to feel that again.

She grabbed another cookie while Leo still chewed his first. She raised the cookie to him.

Leo smiles while he chewed.
After swallowing,

"Sorry, I'll chew faster."

He chuckled as she waited for him to finish.

He looked over into her eyes as he ate the next cookie. She could've sworn that time his lips kissed her fingertips.

There could've been fishes in her stomach for all she knew.

He smirked to himself as he chewed, noticing Tess' cheeks redden and look at her fingers.

Did he know what he was doing to her?

Tess looked up to see Leo smile.

"Another."

He requested.

"Uhm..okay."

Tess suddenly felt warm between her legs as she reached for another cookie, excited for his wet lips.

She raised the third cookie up to him. He slowed the car down as he turned to her, not moving closer to her, he stayed in place, forcing Tess to move the cookie to his mouth.

She watched his eyes as she leaned over and put the cookie into his mouth much farther than needed so her finger would be just between his teeth.

He bit down on her finger gently and surrounded his warm lips over her finger now as she slowly pulled it away, her mouth slightly agape, her cheeks flushed..she held her breath as she felt his warm mouth with her icy touch.

He left a wet kiss on her finger as she pulled it from his lips. She let out her breath.

He smirked as he chewed, under his breath. he chuckled,

"Pervert."

Tess rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't help but smile at his joke. Why was it so easy to forgive him?

She took a cookie and bit into it.

"Hey, share."

"Nope, the rest of these are definitely mine now."

She smirked as she laid out her revenge. She unscrewed the milk bottle and took a swig.

Leo chuckled,

"Okay, you win. Now share."

He yawned then. It was so late now. The moon was hidden away by rain clouds.

"Do you want to stop and rest maybe?"

"We really have to try to make it to the countryside Tess, otherwise, we might get stuck in the floods, the swamps aren't too far away."

"Well..how much longer till the countryside?"

"Should be soon..I think."

"You think?!"

"Relax, I just mean, it should be any minute now."

"..okay.."

She opened the bottle of milk and handed it to him then. He took it and drank nearly half the bottle. Tess ate another cookie before putting the basket back in the bag with the bottle.

"Excited to be back home?"

Leo asked her.

"..I don't know."

Leo glances over at Tess who's eyes had wandered to the window, looking out into the unknown.

"Want to talk about it?"

He asked.

"Not really."

"Okay, just figured, in case.."

"-Do you have to take me back?"

"Uh, yes, I definitely have to take you back. Is there somewhere else you'd rather be?"

Tess sits quietly before answering.

"Baroff Castle."

Leo darts his eyes at her.

"Are you alright? Why would you ever want to go back there?"

"Because I left my sister with a monster."

"He won't hurt her."

Leo says, convinced.

"I'm sure he already has."

"Can I ask you something?"

Tess nods.

"Sure."

"Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance? You're a witch. I know he has powers, that he's a miracle and all that, but still, did you not have a chance?"

Tess eyes him suspiciously,

"Would you have wanted me to?"

"What? No. No-I'm just curious."

They finally reach the end of the woods and climb up a slight hill towards a rained down gravel country road with cattails surrounding them on either side.

The storm finally died away as they drove along.

"Finally.."

Leo says under his breath as he moves onto the road.

"I can't kill Klaus. No one can, except Eliza."

Leo looks at her confused.

"I made him a cursed ring, as he requested."

"What?"

Leo looks incredulously at her.

"You made him a cursed ring? Why would you do that?"

"..I didn't at first..and when he tortured me...I figured, after seeing what he was capable of..that although it was a curse, she'd still be able to hold his life in her hands, and maybe that would be the only way to protect her."

Leo nods,

"I see.."

He shakes his head, exhausted.

"You witches..really take your protection oaths seriously."

"It's more than that."

"Oh?"

The Capell family took me in and treated me as their own. I owe them my life."

"Aren't they the ones who sent you off?"

Tess shakes her head.

"No. I left. I went to Klaus myself. He threatened lives if I didn't come to him. The King and Queen were put in an impossible situation. So I made the decision for them."

"That's ..very brave of you."

Tess waves him off,

"It's not about bravery. I had to do the right thing. I had to do what I could.

For my family."

Leo nods.

"Have all the witches in your kingdom tinkered with dark magic? That's how you cursed the ring, right? The Binding Curse."

Tess looks over at Leo, narrowing her eyes.

"how do you-?"

She stops herself from answering. Suddenly she wasn't comfortable. How did he know the curse? And no one spoke of dark magic, No one who had a right mind, anyway.

"I know some things.."

Leo answered quickly. He noticed Tess become wary and eased off the questions.

Changing the subject,

"Were only an hour away now, should be home soon."

Tess nodded quietly and pulled the sweater further over her legs.

_____________

When they finally arrive. Adrian stands at the massive castle doors awaiting Tess.

She hadn't seen him in so long..He smiles wide as she nears a stop.

"We made it."

Leo says as he puts the car in park.

He watches Tess open the car door and run up the steps towards the castle and falls into Adrian's arms. He picks her up and spins her around, holding her so tight she can barely breathe.

"Adrian!"

Adrian stops spinning her and lets her toes touch gently on the ground as he digs his face in her matted hair still holding her in a tight embrace.

Leo kept his eyes on them as he got out of the car.

"I miss you so much. You look awful."

Tess laughs and lets out a cry at the same time, feeling so many things. She was happy to be home again.

"Yes, I know."

She beamed looking up at him.

Leo didn't like that. He suddenly wondered what it would feel like if she looked at him that way... He enjoyed that fantasy for a moment before being interrupted.

A small service boy ran up to Leo.

"Are you Leo?"

Asked the young boy.

"Erm..Yes. Something I can help you with?"

He asked the boy, confused as to what he wanted.

"Prince Klaus has requested you keep an eye on the witch while she is at Capell Castle. King Gilbert has accepted your stay as a guest to assure the Baroff Kingdom we are in full cooperation.

"Excuse me, what?"

Leo is shocked. He hadn't brought anything with him.

"The Prince has requested he be the one to show you to your room. Breakfast will be at 8 a.m. Sharp. Do not be late."

The boy turned to leave and quickly made his way up the steps inside the castle doors.

Leo can't believe what he's heard. He looked over at Tess and Adrian and noticed the prince waving him forward.
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edited 5/2/2020