Fairy Lights

Luck or Fate

I decided I wanted to spend some time by the lake.

The sun shone down on us as we sat down at the banks, a pleasant breeze whistling around us. The glimmer of the sun reflecting off the water was almost too much to look at, but I did nonetheless, basking in the light. Adrian was leaning on his palms next to me on the large blanket a servant had brought out for us. It was nice to just be outside, laying in the warmth without any worries. Well, a few worries. There was always the ball and the dress and the arranged marriage that served as a peace treaty, which–if failed–would end in quite a bit of pain and suffering for my people. More than quite a bit. But now was not the time to dread, now was the time to lay down on the soft ground and close my eyes and forget everything.

So that's what I did. I laid down next to Adrian, spreading my arms above me and closing my eyes. The sun on my eyelids warmed my body throughout, giving me a wave of calmness I wasn't able to experience indoors. Though I spent most of our honeymoon outside in the garden or forest, I felt the air on the property, especially inside, was stale. The sunlight made it a bit more fresh, a bit more lively than the previous days.

I opened my eyes again when I felt Adrian's on me. His head was surrounded in a halo of golden light, his hair given a silver quality at the ends. He seemed to be studying me rather intently, watching my face in the sunlight. I watched him back, his face drenched in a harsh shadow but still illuminated by the indirect sunlight. His straight nose and sharp jaw were more defined in this lighting, and there was no denying he was handsome. But before I could tell him, he beat me to it.

"You're quite beautiful." He said, and I watched him flush a deep pink. It was as if he hadn't intended to say it, and was caught off-guard by the betrayal of his own mouth. I laughed, pushing my head back and down into the blanket. He turned away from me, visibly embarrassed by his words.

"Adrian, there is nothing to be embarrassed about." I told him. "My goodness, we've already had this conversation today. I don't mind if you speak what you want or do what you wish. I know your culture is very different from mine, but if I can find a balance then so can you."

"Lia, I believe I may be a hypocrite." He said simply, offering no explanation. I frowned, slightly confused, until I remembered our very first stroll in the garden. It felt like it had happened ages ago, but in reality it had only been just under two weeks since then.

"You teach me not to compliment those I am not close to because that is not the way people do things here, then you compliment me? I don't think that makes you a hypocrite. I think that makes you a changed man. Two weeks ago we were strangers, we fumbled around one another trying to learn the other's cultural normalities. And now we have both reached points of balance." I explained, watching his reaction. "I enjoy hearing your thoughts as you think them, not as you consciously decide to speak them." I may have been slightly cryptic, but the point was there. I liked how he had changed, how he had adapted to our new lives. It was admirable, how he was able to do it so quickly, let alone do it at all.
Adrian was still slightly embarrassed, but visibly calming down at my words. "Thank you." He said quietly. I nodded to him, closing my eyes and laying down again. "You are quite beautiful as well." I replied, breathing deep. He didn't tense beside me, that was significant progress. He actually seemed to have relaxed.

An endearing young prince, I thought, smiling softly. A thought I had never voiced, even in my own mind, but one I've felt since our first stroll in the estate gardens. I hadn't yet realized how close we had grown, but here we are, basking under the sun alone together. And the day after tomorrow we will be attending a ball as a married couple. We would be expected to be two madly in love newlyweds, and I knew we could both play the part somewhat decently. We were wonderful actors around the servants, though I wouldn't be so naive as to think we could fool every set of prying eyes at the ball.