He let her come, let her breath blow against his cheek, let her warm his frozen hide- or at least try. Did he feel what she felt as her nose traced across his flesh? Did she even know what she was feeling to hope that he felt it too? Or, for that matter, did she hope he was feeling it too? Did she want there to be something between the two of them? Did she want them to be a them? As they stood here, just the two of them huddled together under the warm spring sun, did she hope that they were more than just Kahlua and Mauja? Or perhaps, in the spring air, were her hormones just running amok and dragging her brain down a path it dare not walk on any other time?

But perhaps, for whatever she felt for the frozen king in that moment, he felt nothing. His body remained icy, stoic, a stone atop the island. He didn’t move. It was almost like she wasn’t even there- she was nothing but air to him, the wind across his back, a leaf blowing in the breeze that had happened to intercept him in this moment. She was almost afraid he had turned himself to a literal statue, until he broke his stillness. His gasp filled the air, his tears wetted her neck after falling down his cheeks, and still she said nothing.

And then, finally, the beast stirred. She winced terribly as his head crashed down upon her, the pain racing both directions through her spinal column. Biting her teeth together, gritting against the bruise that she knew would form soon, she let him hold his head there. She let him hold, and press, and pull her close to him. And then she reached up, trying to reach her nose across his shoulders, pulling herself closer to herself. The warmth of her skin against his, the rise and fall of their chests as they took breaths, the feel of his jaw upon her back.

He was a dragon, his mouth wide open, and she was stepping inside, letting him swallow her if he liked. “Come home with me,” she whispered again, no longer able to stand the silence. She couldn’t stand here in his embrace forever, though right now she thought she might want to. Her body quivered in anticipation, her head pressing harder against him, eyes closing against the bright light of the sun as she anticipated his answer.

What would life be like if he said yes? Did he need a trial anymore? The hurts of old were so far gone- none of the Edge members that would have remembered his transgressions remained any longer. He would cross the borders… but then what? Would life change? She would have a murderer in her home, but she would also have a friend. She would have a stallion that accepted her for who she was, or who at least she thought did, who could handle her mood swings and didn’t scowl at her for her fervent heart. She would have Mauja, the Ice King, the Frostheart. She would have him.

But then, perhaps there was a more pressing question- what would life be like if he said no?

Khan & Kahlua