This Is What It's Like To Be Lovers [ON HOLD]

13: Won't Take Nothing But A Memory (Rewriting)

"Welcome, our Queen, to our humble shop," the man spoke in a cheery tone that matched his spouse's. "We haven't opened yet for the festival, but may I interest you in something?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not really here to buy anything," Jade conjectured, sounding apologetic for not bringing any business.

Mali laughed. "Buy? Your Highness, everything in this shop is because of you. It's all yours. Name anything, and take it away. Or if you want me to make you something special, just give me a day and you shall have it." Jade looked from him to Citra, and both of them smiled back at her, encouraging her.

"Umm.." she went down a thought spiral, and looked about. Even though she didn't want anything, she knew, she felt that this shop had something that was supposed to be hers. She felt it - Larimar would have described it as "an energy" - coming from the shelves behind the woodworker but didn't know how to reach out to what was calling her.

"Would you prefer it if we suggested something, our Queen?" Citra asked, a smile and blush never leaving her face. Jade nodded with pursed lips.

She watched as her host walked towards her husband, crossed him, and started rummaging through the very spot her heart was being beckoned to. "Muru," Citra addressed Mali, "where's that necklace you made? For the prophecy? You know which one I'm talking about?"

"Yes, rakkaani," he seemed to have understood what she indicated right away and fingered his way through the ton of trinkets on an upper shelf to finally retrieve a box - wooden. "There you go," he said, handing it to his spouse.

"Thank you," she smiled shyly. "What would I do without you?"

She turned to the monarch before walking up to her. "We think you'd like this one, our Queen," she said, opening the case and holding it in front of her. Jade gasped when she looked at it.

It wasn't a necklace. It was a pair, two lockets attached with two strings sat on the cushion inside, but they were fused. The Sun and the crescent Moon. On further inspection, she realized the Moon was hollow and half of the Sun's makeshift rays were tucked inside it.

"Do you like it, your Highness?" Mali asked.

"Yes, it's... it's lovely," she replied. "Is it, by any chance, for me and the Princess?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Citra replied, smiling broadly, her elation untameable.

"Well," her partner started. "When I made it, I didn't know it'd be for the two of you. But, I'm really glad it is the two of you."

"What if it's not the two of us?" Jade murmured.

The question agitated Citra, and her husband came quickly to her rescue. He put a hand on her shoulder and said, "we'd still like you to have it, our Queen. It's just a bijou, a simple gift from the two of us to the two of you. If you don't like it.."

"No, no, I love it. Thank you, really." Jade smiled, pocketing the box with an embarrassed grin on her face.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked as the couple directed her towards a back door of the shop. They nodded. "Is it common knowledge, our association with the prophecy?" She asked, and this time, they shook their heads.

"I don't think so," Citra answered. "Why do you ask, your Highness?"

"I was just curious about how Mali knew exactly what you told me. Had you discussed it before you met us?"

"No, our Queen," the woodworker answered, with blush smeared all over his cheeks. "The Lovers have blessed us with an ability to communicate even if we're miles apart. That's how we keep tabs on each other throughout the month when I'm away."