[castle darkness; charlie]

[signed_sabrina]

What had been difficult to pull off to help Rosie-- playing the imperious, bratty possible bride-to-be, bored and not at all willing to commit to the Lord of Darkness just yet-- seems an even taller order when it comes to getting Charlie brought to her without arousing suspicion.

It means letting them take Rosie back, for one. Sabrina makes threat upon threat, compliments the goblin that seems to have had the idea to bring Rosie at all, tries to give him a sense of responsibility in this.

It also means setting aside her actual feelings so that she can tell the goblins that her appetite is whetted and that her pretty songbird had sung to her of a most lovely boy in the dungeon. She tells them that she wants him, that she wants to play. She says, the words sour in her mouth, that perhaps she's getting used to this life.

So they go, and Sabrina sits on her massive bed, waiting with her heart in her throat.

Comments

[signed_sabrina]

"I'll keep you safe," she says, like a spell being cast, a promise. "I'll stay awake while you sleep." Even as her heart aches not to simply be able to take him somewhere safe and stay there, she needs this more than rest, the reminder of the stakes, the realness and sweetness of Charlie.

"I love you so much," she whispers. "And I'm going to keep you safe. Rest for a while, please."

[teenagerenegade]

Charlie's eyelids are heavy, so heavy, and, for the first time in days and days, he feels completely safe. He curls up in the circle of her arms, his cheek pressed against her, and he stays as close as he can.

"Wake me up when I need to go," he says, his voice already soft and vague.

[signed_sabrina]

"Of course," she whispers, willing herself not to let even one tear escape until he's asleep. Instead, she hums softly, breathing in the scent of his hair and taking what solace she can.

She will see this place crumble to the ground, she swears.