This chapter holds pieces of some of the values close to my heart. So I had fun writing it, and I hope you have as much fun reading it.
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The ray of sunlight directed at Athena's face from the open window made her eyes drift open gently.
Coming awake, she turned to find the other portion of the bed empty. The sunlight made her squint her eyes and she wondered why Leonard was not beside her.
Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she brought herself to sit and opened up the curtains to reveal the rising sun. The dull blue sky was stunning, and the sounds of the birds chirping sounded very pleasant, too.
Athena did not try to bite down the smile that began to grace her lips. She knew the air naturally felt different. It felt hopeful. The sunrise felt beautiful that morning. The beginning of a new dawn felt like the chance to start again. Start afresh now that the emotional distance between she and Leonard had finally started to be repaired last night.
She remembered his words from last night.
"I'm in love with you, Athena. I want to learn to love you harder."
Athena's mouth was morphed into a full-blown grin as she rested on the headboard. She anticipated an exhilarating life from now on. One which she wanted to be genuinely happy in. One which was free from hate, bloodshed, boundaries and prejudice. She was about to get off Leonard's bed when footsteps halted her movements.
Her smile turned into a soft laugh when she saw Leonard enter the bedroom with a tray of food and water.
"Good morning, my love."
Athena lowered her head, her cheeks starting to feel hot. She fondled with one of the two of her braids like a teenager getting wooed by the kingdom's prince charming. And he was-her prince charming. "Good morning, Leonard."
"Someone's blushing." He said, setting the tray on the stool beside her.
"I'm not." She tried to straighten up her face. "Well, I can't help it. You're being sweet." She watched him seat in front of her. "This was very thoughtful of you, Leonard. But you didn't have to, really."
"Nonsense. You deserve it. Every moment." He gently raised her chin and she came to face a certain intensity in his blue eyes. His voice lowered to something of a whisper. "I'm still on my apologies."
"I've already forgiven you." She took his hand that raised her chin in both of hers.
"Still." He kissed her forehead and stood, carrying the tray from the stool onto her lap. Before she could say anything, he stole a quick kiss from her lips and made his way to the door. "I'll be back."
Heart fluttering, she tried to reach out to him. "Wait. Stay."
Turning himself to face her by the door, a smile touched his lips, one which Athena thought slightly mischievous. "I'll be back."
She watched him leave, wondering what he was up to.
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Half an hour later, holding the tray in her hands, she found her way to the living room. She paused at the doorway, leaning on the doorjamb as she watched him.
He was sprinkling something into a wide bowl of water on the floor not far from the extinguished fireplace. What even made her more curious was that the air had changed. A sweet-smelling minty fragrance was in the air.
"What are you doing?"
His head came up and that smile crept on his lips again. He slid something into his trousers' pocket and approached her. "I was about to come get that." His hands found the handles of the tray but she didn't let go.
"The food was delicious, Leonard. Thank you so much." She said, staring at him for a moment, searching his eyes before gently pulling the tray out of his reach and walking past him into the kitchen.
"My pleasure. You aren't supposed to be doing any of that, you know." He watched her wash her plates by the sink.
"I want to."
Just like he guessed, her tone sounded thoughtful. Something small had changed with her mood from when she woke up to now. He walked over to her, standing just a few feet away from her back. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She seemed uncertain as she continued to rinse the plate.
He waited. He waited for her to wipe the plates and cup, put them where they belonged and wipe her hands. He closed the space between them then.
She felt his warmth. And her heart began a beat. Then she felt his hands rest on her waist. She was shocked at the warm sensation that coursed through her at his touch. This wasn't the first time he'd touched her and she wondered why her body reacted like it was the first time.
"Athena."
She slowly released her breath. There was always something exotic about the way he called her name. It sounded pleasant, like music. Maybe because their accent in Thestoria was slightly different to hers in Duwa. They had been enslaved by them but her people never really lost their dialect. They never really lost their original language. And their words were not spoken in strict Thestorian accents, they were spoken in their own way. Every word spoken in Duwa had it's own ring to it-a sign her people had not let the Thestorians take control of them completely.
Leonard gently pulled her closer to him. He brought her two braids to her left shoulder baring the right. Slowly, he kissed the bridge between her neck and her shoulder.
She gasped and turned to him. "Wait."
His brows creased and he spoke gently, worried he might've moved too fast. "I'm sorry."
"No." She whispered, shaking her head to let him know he didn't do anything wrong. Her heart was beating fast and so she grabbed the edge of the sink to steady it. There was still little distance between them.
"You seem nervous."
"I am."
"I'm sorry." He took a step back.
"No. Don't apologize please. I'm just..." She chewed on her lip, not sure she could find the words to describe her emotions. "Nervous. Yes, nervous." She felt like she was rambling even though she wasn't. "And I wasn't feeling that way earlier... it just has a way of creeping in, ruining everything. I shouldn't be, and I know I shouldn't be, and I'm sorry..." Somehow, her eyes filled with tears.
"Athena, it's okay to be nervous when trying something for the first time. You have every right to be hesitant, considering how this union started out." He searched her eyes. "But I need you to trust me." He stretched his hands. "Trust me, Athena. Please."
Her face softened, and she laid her hands in his.
He kissed both of her knuckles and pulled her close. "We've wasted too much time already. We don't want the water to get cold, now do we?"
"Eucalyptus oil?"
Leonard grinned. "Yes." He gently pulled her to the living room, dragged a wooden chair to the front of the bowl and made her sit on it.
She was a little confused.
Leonard hunkered down and placed her feet gently into the now already warm water.
Athena felt her body relax immediately. "Oh, this feels great." When Leonard straightened, she took his hand, touched. "Thank you."
"Thank you for trusting me enough to let me please you." He grabbed another wooden chair and sat beside her.
He turned to look at her and saw she had her eyes closed, head laid back. She was relishing the moment, and it was evident.
Soon, she opened her eyes and saw that he was watching her, his blue eyes shimmering.
"I could do this all day, watch you."
Athena laughed softly, interlocking her left fingers with his right. They had both rid themselves of their wedding rings along the first day of their marriage. To her, it helped her face the reality that the marriage would not last long. To Leonard, the ring probably reminded him of the marriage and the terrible event that followed.
"We should probably put our wedding rings back on." She said, then winced immediately. "Oh, the scroll. "She rested her head again, disturbed by the elephant in the room. "Where is it?"
"I put it in the kitchen cupboard." Leonard sighed. "I almost forgot about it."
"We cannot forget about it. My father would definitely want both of us to sign it when the war is over, he'd never let us be."
"It's been three weeks into the war. Both kingdoms are fighting side by side. My father's dead. Your father might have a change of heart. Have faith, Athena." He tightened his fingers around hers and looked into her eyes. "Have faith."
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They gardened together for the rest of the day.
They found some flowers that sprouted on their own by the bushes. She held the basket for him, while he picked them. Dandelions, Chickweeds and Daisies.
Athena couldn't recognize the fourth white type. "What's that one?"
Leonard followed her gaze and plucked one out. "White Clovers."
"Oh. Never seen one before."
"Yes." He straightened. "Grows better on Thestorian soil."
They went back in with the bunch of flowers, carefully placed them in vases and positioned them in different areas of the living room.
When Athena wasn't comfortable with Leonard's positioning, she changed it, trying to convince him it looked better her way. Leonard didn't disagree, letting her take the lead.
Finishing, they stood next to each other admiring their work.
Arms akimbo, Athena exhaled. "Wooh. They're beautiful."
Leonard pulled her close by the waist, smirking. "Yes. We make a great team."
Laughing, she playfully pushed him away. "It's almost five. I better start making dinner." She tapped him on his shoulders and began to make her way to the kitchen.
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They ate their dinner in comfortable silence.
"You are a gifted cook."
Athena smiled at him from across the table. "Thank you. But I'm afraid I'm not as skilled as you. Who taught you how to cook like that?"
"No one in particular. I used to watch the maids cook sometimes while growing up. Not too long that it'd get obvious though, because my father would be displeased if he saw the prince in the kitchen mingling with the servants. Then also during knight's training. Sometimes my men and I survey the kingdom. We'd spend three to four days in the forest. We had to gain survival skills, learn from each other." Finished with the soup, he dropped his spoon in the bowl. "What about you? Who taught you how to cook?"
"My guardian.".
"Guardian?"
"Yes. My parents were always busy. And they never wanted me to be involved or become too aware of the grim reality of our kingdom-the hate and all. Since I was born, they handed me to the care of a woman, Eunice."
Leonard's eyes flickered in realization.
"Yes. She was the woman you helped me save three years ago."
"Now I understand why you risked your life for her."
Sadness began to fill her. Her eyes felt gritty with tears she tried to control. "I'd risk my life for every single one of my people." Tears filling her eyes, she looked at Leonard. "I hope they are alright. My mother, my father..."
Leonard stood and moved over to her. Dragging her up by her hands, he pulled her into his arms. Her face rested on his broad chest as he cupped the back of her head. He loved her and he wanted nothing more than to take away her pain.
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A couple of hours passed and they were both lying on their backs on Leonard's bed in their nightwears.
"What's the point of having two bedrooms when you won't let me go back to mine?"
Leonard laughed, turning to his side to face her. "Husband and wife shouldn't be in separate rooms." His knuckles traced the side of her face. "Tomorrow, move in with me."
She glanced at him to see if he was serious. He was. "Alright."
"Good." He cupped the side of her face. "This bedroom belongs to the couple. The other should be reserved for the children."
Athena choked on her saliva. That started to make her cough and so she sat up straight.
"I'm sorry." Leonard sat up with her and stroked her back.
The short spasm passed and she faced him. "No, I'm sorry."
"It's alright." He tipped her chin. "I suppose that was unexpected."
Athena tensed a little. They hadn't even...
He noticed the trouble in her eyes and cupped her cheeks. "I don't plan to rush you, Athena. We'll take things slow, at your own pace."
She watched him lay back down. Now she saw their difference. He saw her and their possibilities with dreamy eyes. He had an idealistic optimism about the future. Their future. He had hope. He had faith. While she would have hope one second, the next second, logic would come tearing it down. Oh, she worried. She worried circumstances would eventually tear them apart.
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The next morning, his muffled voice woke her up. She opened her eyes to meet Leonard's smiling face over hers.
"Good morning, darling."
She reached for his timepiece at his bedside table and checked the time. It was just six! Still very much drowsy, she groaned. "Any reason for waking me up this early?"
"Yes." He got out of bed and stretched out his hands.
"You can't be serious."
"I am serious. Come on, let me help you get out of bed. I need to show you something."
"I'm sorry but it will have to wait." She turned to her side and dragged the covers up.
"Athena..."
"Go away, Leonard."
"Athena."
She didn't answer him this time.
"You leave me with no choice then."
Athena didn't understand what he meant until she felt her body get lifted off the bed. A short shriek escaped her mouth as Leonard slung her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.
She struggled effortlessly against his built body. "Put me down this instant!"
"No." He strode out of the bedroom, into the living room and out the door.
Athena wondered where he was taking her.
He carried her to the back of the house. He didn't stop there. He carried her up the hill not far from the river. When he reached the top, he dropped her to her feet.
"Finally." She took a peek down the hill and wondered. "Why are we here?"
"You'll see." He sat on top of the grassy hill and waved over. "Come on, sit with me."
Hesitantly, she came over and sat cross-legged beside him. "I should still be in bed you know..."
"I know."
"Why are we here, Leonard?"
"Shhhh. Wait for it."
"For what?"
He slowly turned her head to face the sky. "Watch."
She did, befuddled. The sky was blue. The dull kind of blue she had seen yesterday. Small birds lined up and flew in a flock from afar off. At a point she had to squint her eyes so she could at least see what Leonard meant for her to see.
Suddenly, the dull blue of the sky began to fade as a new orange tone filled the horizon. It was so up-close and surreal, Athena's lips parted in awe. The sun in all its glory appeared above the horizon, bursting the lack of visual brilliance of the early morning with light and the sheen it needed. More birds circled across the sky in beautiful patterns.
Athena's eyes moistened at such profound and ethereal beauty. "It's gorgeous."
"The crack of dawn." Leonard said. "Bet you never viewed it from this angle before."
"No."
"Thought so."
Athena chuckled, wiping the tears that had not dropped from her eyes. "Most people I've met would've gone for the sunset instead. I suspect it would be even more beautiful from this angle than the sunrise."
Leonard pulled his legs forward and rested his arms on his knees. "No. I personally prefer the sunrise. The sunset's closer to night. Never really was a fan of the night."
She looked at him, waited for him to continue. She saw his jaw twitch, watched him hesitate.
"I grew up fearing the nights. Nightmares haunted me in my sleep. The spirits of those I had killed with my hands." He rested his forehead on his knees. "I hated when the day began to end because it drew me closer to the night, closer to the horrors in my dreams. I preferred the daybreak. It was far from the night. It gave me some sort of hope. Gave me the chance to start afresh."
When he raised his head to look at her, they were tears in them. The anguish in them broke Athena's heart. She scooted close to Leonard and cupped his face in her hands.
"I've done terrible things, Athena. Things I wish I could reverse. But I can't and it pains me more than I can say. I regret everything I did-every single one. I wish I could start all over again-"
"You can." Her thumbs wiped the tears on his cheeks, as she tried to hold hers. "You can start afresh." She searched his eyes desperately, trying to make revive in him the hope she barely had. "It's not too late. We can start over. Both of us, all of us. You and me."
He stared at her for a while before a gentle smiled formed on his lips. "If we ever have a little girl, I would want her to have your eyes."
Athena laughed. His dreamy eyes were back. "Don't be ridiculous, I would want her to have yours."
Leonard grinned, tucking some strands of her hair behind her ears, eyes trained on her lips. "And you would call her..."
Athena flicked his bottom lip. "Dawn."
Leonard laughed exhilaratingly, all the tension he felt before dispersing into the air. "Ah... I see." He took her hand and kissed it. "But Aurora sounds better."
Her brows came together. "What?"
"Aurora. Aurora means Dawn." Slowly, he closed the space between them and kissed her.
With the backdrop of the rising morning sun and hope expanding before them, they relished the taste of each other's lips and the comfort of each other's presence.
They hung on to each other as much as they were ready to hang on to hope.
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