She watched as the other courtiers left, knowing that they were all vying for the High King’s attention. She was surprised that he would do that, but then again maybe he did not want them to see just how broken their queen was. It made her curious as to just what he knew about what had happened. She was sure he knew about her becoming a niffin, but her coming back was a different story.
The words telling her that she was still queen were like balm to her aching wounds, none of which anyone could see. It told her that what she did mattered, that she was not replaceable, that at least maybe, someone still wanted her.
She couldn’t help the tears that formed in her eyes as he touched her, her skin so sensitive even now. Alice smiled though and placed her hand on top of his, just as lightly. Soft touches were more important than words could describe as she began to slowly differentiate between pain and pleasure. Pleasure was not just sexual, but loving touch to release dopamine, that was something she could feel happening now when she had never before. Skin was so good at differentiating it, but when you were new again, it had to learn that touches were not always meant to harm.
“A drink would be lovely, although my tolerance might be even worse than when I first came to Brakebills.” Alice said with a wider smile, something that felt strange, but also something that she knew was important.
He still wasn’t sure that she was real, that this wasn’t a dream. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he held his tongue. Something that he had to learn how to do when he became High King. His eyes ran over her, feeling like she would leave at any second. They weren’t close when she died, or well niffined out. Though, he counted that as dying because until now no one had returned from being a niffin. It was an impossible feat. Yet, somehow, here she was, sitting in her throne as if she never left. But, she had, and the ache he felt only solidified that thought.
Smiling at her reply he stood up and held out his hand to her, wanting to show her around, show her what he had accomplished. “Then we’ll start slow. Lord knows mine has gone down a tad bit since all the alcohol here sucks. Besides, it might be good for me to have someone with a lesser tolerance around. Might make me make the mature decision and cut back even more.” His tone was light and teasing, trying to make her feel at ease. It was his first reaction to anything. Make the other person feel comfortable, no matter how he felt.
He felt uneasy himself. Not sure if this was a trick. If someone was trying to fuck with him. But, he also didn’t care at the moment. Alice was here, and she was alive, and she wasn’t trying to kill him. At least, at the moment.
“Besides, aside from drinking, I want to show you what I’ve been up to. You’ve been gone a while, y’know.” He spoke as if she had just gone on vacation for a while and not as if she burned the magic from her body right in front of him. A sight that he knew he could never unsee.
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