“I mean, there’s Devin, and…” he trails off, eyes softening as he grows quiet.
My heart sinks at the hesitant, looming sadness in his eyes as he looks at his chalice. All before he whisks it away with a shake of his head, takes a quick drink, and clears his throat.
“My position doesn’t tend to lend itself to many close relationships like that, I’m afraid,” he admits quietly.
“And why not?” I take a bite of food.
“Because…” he sighs. “Because I run the risk of catering to that person’s needs. And above all else, I have to keep the well-being of this kingdom at the forefront of my focus.”
I squint, trying to dissect what he isn’t saying. “You aren’t…able to keep yourself separate enough to let someone in? Because you’re afraid they might…what?”
His eyes find mine. “Betray me. Which might be catastrophic for all my subjects, and not just myself. I can afford my own heart to be broken hundreds of times over. But the one thing I can’t accept is this kingdom falling into the wrong hands.”
I frown, unable to keep myself from pitying the man before me. Always solemn and quiet, outside of the small smiles he shares with me. “Then you run the risk of a lonely life.”
He dips his head. “I find no argument in what you say.”
“You deserve happiness…” I shake my head and gesture out to the closed doors. “Isn’t that the point of this entire competition? To find someone you might be able to trust and spend your life with?”
“It feels dangerous to admit that I’m hopeful but…” He shrugs and drops his gaze to his chalice. “I have to play things safe.”
Taking one more bite, I edge my chair away from the table and stand. His eyebrows lift once I walk around the table to him.
“Relationships are never safe. They’re a leap of faith. Into the unknown, putting your trust into someone else and hoping they don’t shatter it. It can be said about friendships and…” I exhale, snatching his untouched napkin out from underneath his cutlery. “Other…relations.”
I stand behind his chair and whip the napkin out of its fold. “Will you trust me?”
He turns in his chair to look up and back at me. “I suppose it depends on to what extent?”
One side of my mouth lifts into a grin as I refold the napkin. “I won’t hurt you, and I have no ill intention against you.”
He mirrors my grin and flicks his attention back and forth between my face and the napkin. “Very well then…I’ll try my best?”
“Good. Face forward.” I loop the napkin in front of him. He holds still while I secure it over his eyes and barely get enough fabric to tie it behindhis head. Once it’s snug, I grab his gloved hand and help him out of the chair.
“Stay here until I call you,” I whisper.
As soon as he’s standing on his own, I quickly grab everything I can off the table. Forks, knives, spoons, my napkin, even the lid to my plate. I down the water in my chalice and his, then grab those, too. Working as fast as I can in the silence, I scatter them on the marble tiles in a path leading to me. Until I lean a hip into a column nearest the inset wall with paintings across the room.
I can’t help a small smile at seeing the King of the Dragon Lands there waiting for my command. Blindfolded by his own napkin.
“Alright,” I call out from across the room. “I want you to listen to my voice, my command. You’ll have to trust that I’ll steer you here to me safely. For along your path are obstacles. Some of which might be unpleasant,” I wince at the knives on the ground, “if you do step on them. So, you’ll have to trust me more than you trust yourself.”
He turns his head to me, locating me by voice. Immediately, his hand raises out in front of him. “What happens if I accidentally knock one of these candles over?”
I open my mouth to suggest the water pitcher on the table, only to realize it’s empty. “You won’t need to worry about it if you follow my instructions. So, I want you to take…six paces to your left in a small arc, to avoid your chair. Take it as slow as you need to.”
He chuckles, then begins to take slow step after step around the chair. Arms held out in front of him. Once he’s made it, a flutter of hope rises in my chest.
“Great, now turn around three times.”
“Three?” he laughs.
“Yes, three. Now get to turning!”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing as he turns three times over. Then stops, partly turned away from me. His body swaying back and forth as he works to find his balance.
“Alright, now I want you to angle your shoulders slowly toward my voice and…stop! Great. Now you’ll take four steps forward.”
