𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 // 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘤

𝔣𝔦𝔣𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

Corrine smiled as she watched Eros accept the flower with a smile. "My money's on her," she chuckled.

Andrea's eyes shifted to another maiden that was hurrying in Eros's direction carrying at least four bouquets of flowers. "Uh, well, Pretty Boy might need a little bit of saving now," Andrea laughed.

Corrine let out a soft chuckle. "Oh, I've been waiting for him to be swarmed by girls since we made our appearance."

Andrea gave her a nudge. "My money's on you this time."

Corrine gave her a playful salute. "Sir yes sir."

Corrine slowly approached Eros, watching as the girl shoved the pink flowers into his arms, pecked a quick kiss on his cheek, and skipped away happily. He stood there, completely dumbfounded, not having the slightest clue as to how to react to the sudden affection. He spun on his heels to face Corrine, eyes still wide with shock and extended the flowers out to her.

"I got you flowers," he spoke sweetly.

Corrine let out a laugh and took the flowers from his hands. "Oh, did you now?"

Eros bowed with a smirk. "Only the finest flora for the finest maiden in all the lands."

Corrine gently clutched her imaginary dress and curtsied. "You're too kind, my good man."

Eros could feel his heart flutter inside his chest. To him, she couldn't be more perfect. When he was with her, the feeling of being alone or not fitting in simply because he wasn't a god completely faded away from existence and was replaced by the sense of utter acceptance and belonging. He knew that his parents and grandparents loved him dearly, but unlike most of them, he had never had that taste of being a god. Knowing what it feels like to have the world completely adore you for the heroic deeds you had done. Maybe Eros was finally getting his chance at being the hero, being 'god like' in some way. But even then, the fact that they were supposedly saving the world didn't change his desire for her presence and what she made him feel, she made him feel wanted...needed.

And him to her? Of course, the adventure alone brought that feeling of adventure and excitement that she had been craving for years, but she couldn't recall the last time someone went running through the forest with her. Those countless hours she would spend racing through the woods, training, only to be told that she was being reckless, irresponsible, non princess like. She didn't realize that she truly needed the voices telling her such things because if anything it made her train harder. What she needed was someone to rebel with her. Someone to break the boundaries that the world held against them.

Aurelia tugged on Darron's sleeve as she stared at the couple. "What does pink mean?"

"Love and affection," Darron answered.

"I knew it!" She squealed back.

Darron nodded to the hundreds of flowers she had been stuffing in the satchel that hung from her shoulder. "I think you have every blessed flower in the kingdom."

Aurelia locked her eyes on a patch of pale green flowers ahead, grabbing Darron's hand before she took off towards them. "I don't have those!"

Darron jolted forward, almost tripping over himself and falling into Axel. "Excuse us!" Darron shouted.

Nizhoni and Axel dove out of the way before the eager girl could plow them over, laughing at the sight.

"I haven't seen anyone so excited about something in my life," Axel chuckled.

"Every flower counts," Nizhoni responded with a sweet smile.

Axel interlaced his fingers with hers. "Not even all the flowers in the world could keep my eyes off you."