Star-Crossed Lovers: An ACOTAR inspired story

Chapter 5: Alice

"I set a building on fire once."

"I don't believe you."

"It's true, I didn't mean to, it just happened!" Noah says, throwing his hands up in mock defense. Alice laughs softly at the thought of the delicate boy beside her doing anything slightly destructive.

The two are laying in the soft grass of a park near the water, watching pieces of paper flying through the sky on long strings.

It had been two weeks since Noah got Alice a job working in the palace kitchens, usually tasked with securing deliveries and helping clean dishes. The work is hard and grueling, forcing Alice to wake at the crack of dawn and hurry up to the castle, but regardless of her exhaustion she also manages to find Noah at the end of the day.

Although she's still too scared to fully approach his father's bakery, she instead meanders around outside until Noah is done with his duties for the day.

To Alice's surprise, it seems Noah was right when he said he knew the city fairly well, actually, fairly well might be an understatement. Noah knows every back corner, every hidden shop and twisted alleyway. And, even weirder, everyone seems to know him too.

No matter where they go, people will give Noah a small nod as he barrels by, dragging Alice behind him. The old lady running the flower cart always passes him an extra daisy with a wink, the swordsmith will occasionally let him try a few cracks at his latest weapon. Not everyone knows him for the better, though. Noah is banned from the public library, but refuses to tell Alice why, and he always asks her to walk fast past the cannery on the main road.

Despite some of these small setbacks, Noah is still trying to give Alice a full taste of what the city has to offer. They spent one afternoon playing a peculiar game where they knocked boats against the shore, or once snuck into an old building, which looked decrepit and unused on the outside, only to find a roaring bar and live band inside.

Alice can't help but get caught up in the wonders of Camaran, despite her best intentions. And it doesn't help that the golden-haired boy lying to her right might be the first friend she's ever made.

"A thought for a thought?" Noah asks beside her.

Alice starts. "What?" she responds.

"I'll tell you what I'm thinking if you tell me what you're thinking."

"Ok..." she says hesitantly, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking about your name." Noah answers easily. "I've never met a girl named Alice. She's the goddess of pathways and wanderers right?"

And the goddess of trickery and thievery, Alice thinks to herself.

"And I guess the goddess of trickery and thievery, too," Noah adds consideringly. "It's just strange to see someone not named after the goddess divine. Do your parents not worship Solarion?"

Solarion, Alice muses, the goddess of the Sun and the Day Court's patron goddess. The one who many believe blessed the high fey with their powers, distinguishing a fair few from the other, human, citizens. Beside eternal life, the high fey of the Day Court possess powers not known entirely to the general public, but most likely revolving around light. The rest Alice can only dream of.

"No, of course they worship the goddess divine. I'm not sure why they chose Alice, maybe they just thought it was a pretty name."

"Yeah, maybe." Noah says, considering her for a second before letting it drop. "So... what are you thinkin' about?"

Alice laughs. "I'm wondering why people decided to make paper airplanes and put them on a leash." Alice says, nodding her head to the objects in the sky.

Noah stares at her for a moment. "Are you talking about the kites?" He asks incredulously.

Alice looks at him for a second, fearing she just said something rather stupid.

"You never have kites on your farm growing up?" He asks in shock.

"Oh, um, no, I don't- I've never seen anything like them before." She says, slightly embarrassed.

Noah positively lights up.

"You're going to love them! Stay right here, I'll be back!"

Alice watches as Noah runs to a cart holding many of the peculiar objects and passes some coins to the man in exchange for a bright red kite. Noah runs back to her with a beaming smile, like he's presenting her with a precious gift.

"Ok." He says, slightly out of breath from his excitement. "Take this spoke, and hold on tight, you let go and this whole operation falls apart."

Alice nods to him in mock severity. "Yes, of course."

Noah nods back genuinely and then begins to unwheel the string. On a large gust of wind he thrusts the kite into the air, and they both watch as it floats into the sky, tugging on the string in rhythm with the breeze.

Alice looks up at it in wonder. She's seen many great things in her life, but there's something so magical about what she's holding in her hands.

Alice turns to Noah, hoping to share in her wonder at the miraculous kite, but Noah isn't looking at the sky.

His gaze is fixed on her, and the smile on his face is nothing short of brilliant.