Dreams of Spring (Tamlin x Hyacinth Novella)

Chapter One

With a chesire-like grin, Cin guided Cresseida up the winding staircase that led to the mansion's rooftop.

Her thick, curly locks bounced in rhythm with the spirited rhythm of her steps. Each hop carried an echo of anticipation, and a dash of eagerness livened her heartbeat.

Numerous letters, hurriedly penned and sent, had paved the way, a prelude to the grand news of Cin's engagement, a tidbit that had, at last, coaxed the Princess of Adriata to journey down to the Spring Court. It was a labor of friendship, a testament to the bonds woven through ink and parchment, and now the time had come to unveil the beauty that lay in wait.

Cin's desire was simple: to share her newfound haven, her sanctuary, with the one who had walked beside her in both sunlit days and moonlit reveries. With every step upward, excitement swelled within her until they stood before the grand conservatory, its glass walls a shimmering invitation.

Rafe stood sentinel by the unframed glass doors, a stalwart presence born out of necessity. Cin's persistent presence within the conservatory, a room she had claimed day and night for respite and peace of mind, had necessitated such a precaution. Tamlin, attuned to her habits, had deemed it prudent to position a sentry within hailing distance at all times.

A wry chuckle slipped from Rafe's lips as the Lady of Spring, her composure slightly ruffled, swept into the short hallway, accompanied by a breathless Princess at her heels. It was quintessentially Cin—no patience for delay, no mercy for unpacking. The conservatory was her intended destination, and no triviality could sway her course.

Rafe stepped aside, making way for Cin and her guest. Her grin was a beacon, radiant and poised, a veneer of elegance overlaying the brimming excitement that simmered beneath.

"This," Cin's voice brimmed with emotion, "is the Conservatory." She loosened her grip on Cresseida's hand, allowing the doors to swing open under her touch. "Tamlin crafted it with his own hands. And here, he proposed."

The opulent chamber spread before them, a sanctuary of vividly hued stones, accompanied by the trill of birds and the ethereal dance of butterflies. The glass canopy above allowed rays of sunlight in, casting a honeyed warmth that played across the tapestry of its confines.

The only blossoms allowed therein were the ones needed to sustain the creatures residing within found their home in Cin's Conservatory. The denizens of the Spring Court, much like the Court itself, drew sustenance largely from the flora anyway. Thus, flowers were introduced solely for sustenance, and during such intervals, Cin withdrew, not wanting to hear the silent pleas of the flowers.

Especially when, on most days, she was too drained to grow flowers to feed them herself.

"Almost makes up for the year he took, doesn't it?" Cresseida's laughter tinkled, her eyes aglow with both surprise and delight.

Cin twirled, the pink and gold dress glistening in the dewy sunlight. With the memory etched in her mind—the day Tamlin's question had transformed her life. The happiest day—a chapter untouched by any shadow.

"It's isolated from the rest of the mansion," Cin's enthusiasm flowed, her form settling onto the granite bench beside Cresseida. Overhead, indigo bunting birds sailed, their blue wings painting the air with life's transient beauty. "This mansion is set to serve as the High Lord's Home and Seat. So, Tamlin built a sanctum—for me alone. One that will have nothing to do with courtly business and everything to do with just me."

A pledge, woven in his words that day of asking, resounded: here, she remained Cin, he, Tamlin. This room was her realm, away from the mantle of Lady, unrestricted by duties. Within these walls, she reveled in existence, where the world shed its titles and expectations, and beauty painted her soul.