Nilo had slipped out of the ballroom as soon as the two split up, taking a more direct route into the gardens, where a few mingled just outside the doors. Using the shadows to his advantage to slip away unnoticed and to the stables. The man had already prepared them a bag with some clothing and a blanket and stowed it in the stables, the servants having orders to leave it be, simply because he did not have enough time to prepare another. It was already late and he wasn’t looking to waste any more time. He wanted to be ready when she arrived.

So he selected two random horses from the stalls and began to saddle them while Wicke softly nickered in protest. It was fair the mare was going stir crazy even though she loved her babies, but he couldn’t take her. “I’m sorry darling, we’re headed too far for you. You’re a mother now, you ought to know your responsibilities and it isn’t like we can leave them with their father. They wreak havoc on the stables.” He told her as he slipped the bridle on the first horse, then the second. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you all the affection you want when we return.” He promised as if the dappled mare could truly understand.

The man had the first horse finished soon enough, securing the small bag of clothing to its back for them to take. They wouldn’t be back until tomorrow and who knew when they would arrive then. It was already getting late and honestly, the pair would be up for quite a while longer, given the trip he had in store for them. They were bound to be tired when it finally came time to sleep. Nilo was excited in every way, humming softly as he moved about the dark stables, the sconces casting an orange glow on his features. It was clear he was still riding high on his bliss from the ceremony and at the current rate, it didn’t seem like he was ever going to let it go.

Nilo was prepping the second horse when Gennadius arrived. His vest and coat had been thrown over the saddle of the first horse, proving to be too restrictive as he puttered around like a maid, clearly a man on a mission if you’d ever seen one. He had been hoping with his entire being that she would agree to his plan. He had done the extra work to see it through, even going so far as to add an extra day to their honeymoon so they could do this without squandering the other valuable time. He wanted more than anything to take her to the ocean, but he also wanted more than anything to make their wedding day special.

The man gave a soft snort as she asked the curious question. “No Gennadius, the horses are here for us to stare at for the rest of the night. I taught them to dance. It’s rather impressive and I wanted you to see.” Nilo deadpanned before turning to face her, propping a hand on his hip and pushing his hair from his face, “Yes darling, we’re taking a trip.” His face softened and the laugh he offered her seemed lighter than air itself before he whirled around to finish up with her horse.”I’m just getting some things ready, hence why I left first,” He reached up to give the steed a few strokes over its nose.

“Ta-da!” He presented them with a flourish, clearly proud of his work, “And no, we are not leaving for our honeymoon early. We’re pretty much headed in the opposite direction,” Another snort escaped him at the extra travel time, but it would be worth it. Or so he hoped. Although, he was almost positive she would enjoy it. “We won’t be back tonight I’m afraid, but I already made the arrangements to add an additional day to our honeymoon, keeping this in mind. So never fear, I have it all handled.” He explained, leaning against one of the horses.

Nilo chuckled as she mentioned her own attire, looking her up and down before his grin seemed to widen. “I thought I told you I had it all handled.” He cast her a rather playful glare before procuring her an extra set of clothes as well as her usual boots and handing it to her. “Here, go change,” He told her with a gentle smile, “There’s an empty stall around the corner. As much as I’m obsessed with the dress, I’d rather you be comfortable, especially since we’re riding. I left your sword over there too,” He paused to gesture towards the prized weapon, “in case you wanted it. I know it’s kind of a safety blanket.”

He handed her a hanger as well, simply so the dress wouldn’t be thrown over a stall door. “Hang your dress up in the stall so it doesn’t get dirty. Would you mind hanging my vest and coat up with it? Of course, you can wear the coat if you'd like.” Nilo offered with a knowing look, well aware she was prone to snagging his attire, “Theodore will be by to pick it up tonight for us so they aren’t left out, so don’t worry.” He reassured, before giving her a playful shove towards the direction of the stall, “Go!” Nilo demanded, “And holler if you need any help. I promise I can keep my hands to myself, just hurry.” He laughed, clearly ready to get going.

His joke about the horses caused her to laugh lightly, dark eyes glowing. It was amazing how he had managed to totally say so with no expression as he turned to face her. Her grin widened, highly amused by his acting, the feeling probably radiating off her. There was a lot of energy in the stable with the soft orange glow, bouncing between the two newlyweds who were both high on the excitement and thrill of their wedding day. A wedding day that was going to end soon enough for everyone else, but it seemed Nilo had a plan to extend it to something special for them.

“It seems someone has this well planned out.” She glanced at the saddles to see if there was some kind of clue to where they were going there, though even the saddlebag revealed nothing helpful. He said they were going in the opposite direction of the honeymoon. What was in the opposite direction? The whole thing was beyond exhilarating and frustrating in the best possible way. She was intrigued and curious, yet he was managing to keep her hooked without revealing a damned thing about his plans!

A brow was raised when he chuckled before she watched him pull out a new set of clothes for her with her boots. She took them, head tilting slightly as she gazed at him with adoration. He really had thought of everything. Gennadius turned her head when he gestured to the side, eye widening with pleasure to see that he had even thought to bring her sword. “I am shocked you have managed to plan this out quite so well and one of your court somehow managed not to let this little secret slip.”

The woman cast a mischievous look towards his coat for effect at the mention of it, though tonight she had a feeling she would leave it here. Why take the coat when you officially had the man? Besides, she would just steal it later, she was sure. Though, they were going to be sharing things so it wasn’t as if he wouldn’t be able to retrieve it when he wanted it. Unless she decided to start truly stashing it away... which she just might to annoy him from time to time.

At the man’s insistence, Gennadius laughed and took the hanger, making her way to the stall. “I’m going, I’m going! Mr. Impatience... and I think I can manage to get myself out of this thing. This time Claude wasn’t trying to keep me from killing him.” She paused at the corner, for a moment just lingering simply because he decided to rush her. “You know Nilo...” she started to trail as if she was going to just stand there and talk. Glancing at him though, she let out another chuckle and quickly ducked around the corner, popping into the privacy of the empty stall.

“So am I the only one who wasn’t let in on this?” she called as she reached back to find the lacing that was just within reach, tugging gently so it would release. The woman placed the hanger on the door before wiggling out of the dress and hanging it up. “Are there any other secrets I should be worried about?” she teased as she decided to get her pants on before fighting with the corset, which was her bigger concern with getting undressed from the whole outfit. “Because if there is, now is the time to tell me so I can run back in and beg the priest to rescind his blessings.”

Would the woman ever do that? Absolutely not. If Nilo were to walk into that stall at that very moment and tell her that he had done the most heinous of crimes, she still wasn’t sure that she could do such a thing. No, she was quite attached to the man in every way possible, trusting him with her very life. And that was a feat when it came to the great Colonel Gennadius. Or rather Princess Van Aslan.

Gennadius released a soft grunt as she twisted her body as much as she could, desperately trying to grasp at the ties for the corset. She bumped into the stall wall, trying to use it to see if she could twist her arm just that little bit farther but was failing miserably. Dark eyes darted towards the stall door before she craned her neck to try and peer over her shoulder. Damn it. Again, she looked at the door before releasing a defeated sigh, trudging over to poke her head out. “Do you know how to untie a corset?” She knew the moment she could escape the mini death trap, she could slip her shirt on and the two could be off.

The man shot her a death glare as she attempted to dawdle, though it was in show and the women went for the stall. Nilo approached once she called out to him, leaning against the outside so they could converse without loudly calling out to each other. “Actually, nobody else knows besides Theodore and my father. I told Theodore about an hour ago that we were leaving and I needed him to pick your dress up from the stables so it didn’t sit out here.” He explained, rather pleased with how he had thought everything out. He knew his court had the tendency to share things among themselves, so he had taken that into account.

“I only told my father because he needed to know the altered plan and that I wanted to leave the celebration early if it got too late to take you out. Not to mention I needed something from him. Surprisingly, he agreed to let us leave after a few hours, but I think it was because he was a little stunned.” The king certainly hadn’t expected the elaborate plan from his son and Nilo had made sure to advocate that it was their wedding night and that they deserved to spend it however they pleased. Honestly, he had planned to do it with or without his father’s approval, but he figured having the king on board would only serve to be the icing on the cake.

Nilo gave a loud snort as she claimed she may have to ask to annul their marriage if he had any more secrets. Which the man could say he didn’t. There may have been stories he had not told her or things he had not yet shared, but not because he hadn’t trusted her. The man was an open book when it came to her and anything she didn’t know was because it had not come up yet. “This is not much of a secret. It’s more like… a surprise,” Nilo replied, finding the best way to put it, “And I am priding myself on it being a rather good one at that, though I assume you must be the final judge.”

A brow raised at a series of noises that emitted from within the stall and he was about to ask if she was okay when her head poked out at him. He couldn’t help but laugh at the fact the perpetrator had been a corset. Though, he couldn’t blame her for not knowing how to undo it. She’d worn a dress what… three times? “Yes, I know how to undo one,” The man responded, entering the stall, “turn around and let me see. Let’s hope you didn’t damage the laces in your valiant effort.” Nilo teased with a playful grin, though he did focus once she spun around for him to undo it.

Nilo poked at her side, feeling the sturdy fabric beneath his finger. “I forgot how hardcore these things were,” He commented before returning to the subject of getting her out of the thing. “Okay, quick corset lecture with Nilo,” The man chuckled, reaching for the laces and pressing his hand at the spot where the bow was tied.”It’s not much different from how you tie your boots back here, but you don’t want to pull the lace all the way out. Because if you did you would have to relace it next time and I don’t even know how to do that.”

Nilo undid the bow easily and with deft fingers. “Hold the front so I can loosen the rest and it doesn’t slip too low. Once you loosen the rest of the strings, you should be able to undo the busks and take it off.” The man instructed, pulling the rest of it loose so she could easily undo the front and slip out, granting her the freedom she sought. “And there you go, even if I don’t expect you to remember the next time you wear one. It really isn’t that hard to do once you figure it out.” He explained, taking that time to exit the stall now that his job was done, leaning against the wall next to it once more.

He only waited a moment though, clearly impatient, though it was more in an endearing way than an annoying one. The man headed over to his horse and unhitched it, swinging up in the saddle. Nilo’s excitement was rather infectious, the man anticipating showing her what he had planned, even if it wasn’t very complex. He loved her dearly and wanted to make the day extra special. “Unfortunately, the only flaw in this plan is the fact we’re traveling for a while at night, though I hope we can get there quickly and that it's worth it. At least we’ll have time to sleep in if we want.” The man explained as he waited for her to join him so they could head off.

Rolling her eyes in good humor, she spun around so her back was to him. “There is no way I could have messed up the laces, I couldn’t even reach them,” she pointed out with a playful huff, though stayed still for him to work his magic. A low, almost growling grunt escaped her when he poked her side, casting a mock glare over her shoulder towards him. “My bet is it would stop a dagger.” It was the only redeeming quality of the annoying thing.

Nonetheless, the woman listened as he explained how it all worked, which was rather helpful since the servant would always do the whole thing for her in putting it on and taking it off. And she never really paid attention. She put a hand to the front to hold it up for him, making note of what he told her in order to get out of it. “I do believe this will forever be one of my greatest challenges,” she chuckled, immediately doing what he has said once he exited.

With the way he explained it, she found it much simpler and easily slid out, adding it to the hanger and grabbing her shirt. Sliding the familiar fabric on, she released a deep sigh of relief. “Oh gods I forgot how amazing it feels NOT to wear a corset,” she commented as she bent down to snag her boots, pulling them on and expertly tying the laces. Gennadius could hear the man moving over to the horses and swinging up onto the saddle, and her fingers moved a little quicker as she came stumbling out, quickening her pace to reach the horse she would be taking.

Reaching to unhitch her own horse, she swung onto its back with ease and took up the reins, rolling her shoulders and grinning. “For a moment I thought you were so excited you were going to leave me behind,” she laughed, shaking her head. “That being said, I can’t think that it won’t be worth it, wherever you have planned to take me.” Blues eyes shone as she pulled her horse beside his and the two started off, the woman keeping close to her husband and keeping pace to his horse.

A soft laugh escaped her as they rode away, loving the freeing feeling of being able to ride away from the castle and its worries, the cool night air, and most importantly riding beside her husband. She took in a soft breath, glancing at Nilo happily. “I must say, this midnight escapade is quite exciting. But then again, you knew that didn’t you?” Another quiet chuckle came from her and she moved her horse closer to his so their legs rubbed together. “At least this time it can’t be written in the noble’s book of scandal. I do believe once we’re married, it doesn’t count anymore.”

Gennadius enjoyed every moment of the ride, unable to remember the last time her and Nilo had gotten to go anywhere alone together like this. Had they ever really? There were the few trips into the city but that was over a year before. Dark eyes spent the whole time flicking between watching Nilo and trying to figure out where they were, which was difficult in the dark. But the longer they rode, the more some things began to look familiar, especially when they reached a forest. “Where are we?” she questioned, brows furrowing. She knew the place but was having trouble placing it. “I know where we are... but I don’t,” she laughed before they passed a small opening that she immediately recognized, or believed she did.

At least, it reminded her of the place she had first chased Nilo down on Magistrate, unaware that he was the prince and then treated him rather harshly. Not that she hadn’t continued to do so after she realized who he was but had he really brought her all the way back here? Her head tilted as she gazed at the man. “So are you going to enlighten me now?” she asked, voice hinting that she had a faint clue where they were.

Nilo laughed as she commented on his forethought as they left the castle. “I figured you’d enjoy leaving the celebration for something more… us,” He offered, knowing she had never loved the balls as much as he had. “I know the reception was rather fun, for me at least, but I figured as long as we were there for a few hours, what could an adventure hurt? We were able to thoroughly enjoy it, so I figured you might not mind leaving earlier, especially since it will probably begin to revolve more around alcohol than us.” He chuckled, leading them towards their destination.

The ride lasted quite a while, as the countryside castle was rather far away, but he enjoyed every minute of it. The quiet conversation coupled with silhouettes of silver in the moonlight. Nilo could have spent the night just talking to her on the backs of the horses, but the man knew their destination would be even better. At least he thought so. Then again, it had been a long tie since he’d been. Since before they moved back into the city at the very least. So that was where his excitement came in because not only would he be sharing this experience with her, but he was also revisiting someplace he used to love.

At the question of where they were, the man decided he could give her that piece of the puzzle, though it didn’t give away much. “The Forest of Nome, but as you stated, you already know that,” He chuckled, weaving deftly through the trees as he searched for the path he knew would take him to the place. Nilo caught her eyes drifting towards a clearing, which he couldn’t help but laugh again. “No, I did not bring you all the way out here to see a clearing. Not that I remember where it was anyways, I was unsound.” He pointed out, his focus clearly elsewhere.

Nilo squinted against the dark, even leading his horse into the clearing to get a wider berth of view. “No, no I am not telling you,” He responded, hunching over and weaving about the trees again for a moment. He was just about to believe he was lost and admit his folly when he caught sight of a small path. “Perfect!” He exclaimed, leading her onto the path which had been hidden amongst the trees, as it always was. Truth be told, the man had been relying almost completely on memory, which was rather impressive.

Several moments passed in silence as he kept sight of the barely visible path. That was… until he heard it. Water. It was faint but unmistakable. Still wordless, the man kicked his horse into a gallop, thundering through the forest, path forgotten in lieu of his senses. He ducked under a low-hanging branch, excitement peaking as it grew louder. This was it. Nilo had found it again and he was getting so close. So close to sharing a hidden gem that he hadn’t visited with anyone else besides his brother in the past.

It was then the prince barreled out of the forest, screeching to a halt as they reached their destination, which was quite large, but rather niche when it came to those who knew it. It was a clearing with a small lake that filled the majority of the space, with a small waterfall to accompany it. A river funneled out of it and curled back into the forest and the place was filled with lush greenery and flowers. The pair had come during the perfect time in spring and the whole place seemed like it was out of a fairytale, even down to the way the stars reflected off the water and the moon's light seemed to hit it perfectly.

“And we have arrived,” Nilo announced, dismounting and offering her a hand to get down, “I hope it was worth the ride.” He cast her a smile and hitched his horse to a tree. “I used to come here with my brother all the time. It seemed to be beautiful year-round and most of the locals didn’t even know about it. I thought you might like it.” He explained, digging through the bag to procure the blanket and throwing it over his shoulder. “It might be too cold to swim, but we could always put our feet in. Not to mention I always thought the stars were the most beautiful here.”

Nilo meandered towards the water, spreading the blanket out a few feet away from the shore before picking up a stone and skipping it across the water. The view was even more flawless than he had remembered. “So… how did I do? This is only part of my planned adventure, but I do consider it to be the most important,” He watched the ripples stretch out across the water, distorting the starry picture, “I meant to take you here a long time ago, but I’m afraid time never permitted it. Besides, what a better way to steal you away on our wedding night?” He laughed, turning back in her direction to offer her a goofy grin.

Gennadius gave a playful roll of her eyes as he stated they were in the Forest of Nome. The real question was why were they in there. “Oh come now Nilo...” she changed her voice to a purr but knew he wasn’t going to giving it up. Still she couldn’t help trying. “However, if you had just brought me out here to a clearing, I must admit I would find it funny and still love every minute of being with you.”

For a moment, it seemed to her that the man might not actually know where they were going and she had been about to ask when he made his exclamation. Squinting, she followed him onto what seemed to have been a hidden path, still not convinced he actually knew where he was going at this point. Not that she would have minded, simply enjoying the adventure of it all. So she kept silent as he seemed to be focusing on something. And other than the soft steps of the horses, she didn’t hear anything until she barely was able to pick up the sounds of running water.

The last thing Gennadius had expected was Nilo suddenly bolting off on his horse. She was quick to follow, at one point nearly getting her head taken off by a low branch. Why he was galloping she didn’t have the faintest clue, and for a few moments, she became highly concerned. There had been no words, just him flying off on his horse. That was until he came to screeching halt and the woman had to sharply pull back on her own reins to avoid barreling into him.

Her eyes widened as she released a soft breath, looking around the area in awe. How had she not known this place was here? It was stunning! The stars seemed to dance in the water, their reflection so crystal clear, the moonbeams bouncing off the flowing water from the waterfall. And it was clear spring had blessed the area as well, the grass lush and covered with wild flowers. It was beyond captivating, like something she would have read out of one of her fantasy books. She wouldn’t even be surprised if she spotted a fairy, other than absurdity of such a thing.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed out, slowly dismounting as she flipped the reins over the horse's head, shaking her head in awe. Gennadius was barely paying attention to what she was doing, her gaze darting around to take in the scenery. She wanted to see everything and take it all in. Slowly she tied the equine next to his before following after him, head turning in all directions, at one point the woman even turning a full circle while gazing straight up into the night sky. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the stars so clear.”

Stepping up to Nilo, her arms snaked around his waist while she leaned against him, dark eyes sparkling. His face looked so perfectly chiseled in the moonlight, and his eyes seemed to come alive in the darkness. “It is beyond perfect,” came the soft breath as she dared another glance around before meeting his gaze again, “and only part? It seems you weren’t exaggerating when you said adventure.” She moved to her toes to press her lips to his, though she was grinning into the contact. Nilo was no longer just her friend and fiancé, he was now her husband.

Mischief danced over her features as she pulled her head away. She kept her arms securely around his waist as she briefly glanced to where the blanket was, casually shifting so she had his back to it. Releasing him, she turned her back to him and meandered a couple steps away before facing him again, every part of her screaming that she was up to no good. And she wasn’t because the moment her eyes met his, she sprinted towards him, barreling into him as her arms wrapped around his neck, sending them both sprawling to the ground on top of the blanket.

Laughing, she loomed above him, straddling him at the waist as she leaned down to press her forehead to his, grin wide. “I don’t think I could be a happier woman, Nilo Van Aslan. I never could have imagined how wonderful this day would be and you have managed to make it a thousand times better.” Another soft laugh escaped her before she tilted her head to press a kiss to his lips, though it certainly was no peck as she leaned against him, moving her lips over his. There was no reason to hold back anymore.

Nilo’s arms found her waist, tugging her closer as she leaned into him, his face tilted upwards towards the sky, ghostly eyes glowing in the dark. His gaze fell in her direction as she claimed it was perfect, bringing a soft smile to his face. It was perfect. Even if the scenery hadn’t been as stunning, the prince knew it would have been amazing. Because no matter where they were in the world they would make the experience a great one. It didn’t matter where they were as long as they were together and it was one of the things Nilo loved about them most.

“Yes, this is half of it, though I don’t think the next part is as exciting,” He chuckled, leaning forward to allow their lips to meet in a short kiss, smiling himself as he felt her grin against him. When they broke apart his head tilted upwards again, watching the stars dance across the dark sky, which only seemed to grow darker as the night went on. Nilo’s gaze shifted as she moved away from him watching the moonlight shine off the hair that spilled over her shoulders. The man felt incredible, for, after years of searching for his own definition of happiness, he had finally found it in the shape of his blonde bride whom he loved with his whole heart.

What he did not expect, was her barreling into him. He had scarcely caught the mischief in her eyes before she came at him full force, sending him staggering a couple of steps before he was sent careening down onto the blanket with a loud “oof”. He was about to give a laughing protest to her “cruel” actions when she pressed their foreheads together, effectively silencing him. The man was stargazing again, but no longer was he looking into the night. No, he was staring into two beautiful eyes of midnight blue that sparkled from where she sat above him.

The man grinned as she spoke to him, icy orbs glimmering with as much adoration as he could ever offer her. His mouth opened to respond but he was silenced again as her lips found his, a pleased hum the only sound he made. Hands reached up to cup her cheeks for a moment before threading into her hair, losing himself in the sensations. It was another passionate kiss, just like the one they had shared at the altar, but this time no one was watching. They could be as close as they wanted and kiss however they pleased without fear of judgment, it was perfect.

And it was for several moments he stayed there, breaking away only so they could breathe before reconnecting again in a tender dance. Hands trailed down to her hips, fingers pressing intimately into the fabric. There was certainly desire in the way he seemed to come alive, holding her as close as he possibly could in those moments, but that was certainly not all. No, the man wanted her to know how much the day meant to him, how much she meant to him. Nilo wanted her to know and he would show and tell her until the end of time, just so she could never forget. She was now his wife and he would love her in every way he could.

When they finally broke away it was with reluctance, but Nilo knew he had to exercise some form of restraint. Not to mention the man didn’t have just a one-track mind. They would have their time to retire, but he wanted to talk and spend time the way they usually did in the new candy-coated bliss that seemed to surround them. They may have talked plenty at the reception and had been nearly attached at the hip, but it was the freedom that privacy brought them he had longed for. No facades or fake smiles at those they didn’t really like, just them being themselves.

Nilo’s hands came back up to her face, cupping her cheeks and running his thumbs over her smooth skin, something he loved to do. “I love you...” The man purred, giving her lips another peck. “and I could not be a happier man. Never in my life did I expect to marry a soldier, but I wouldn’t change that for the world. Just don’t go getting boring on me now, that would be unfortunate,” He let out a quiet laugh as his head fell back against the blanket and gentle fingers brushed stray hairs away from her face. Everything about the day had been phenomenal.

“It’s rather funny that we lived on the same property for years, yet never met,” Nilo commented, twirling a lock of her hair around a finger, “Then suddenly we met and were coincidentally shoved together the next afternoon. Strange how life works sometimes.” He chuckled, shaking his head at the memories. Even though they were fainter than he would have liked they were still precious because they held their beginning, even if it was a little rocky. “Seems you weren’t destined to hate me forever darling,” Nilo teased playfully, “My charm was far too infectious.”

They were precious moments, Gennadius enjoying the ability not to have to worry about what others thought or would say. It was just them, and they could act as such. There was passion in the kiss not unlike at the wedding itself, and yet it was different. It was deeper, filled with more than promise and yet fulfilling in nature as well. It was their kiss for each other, between them and for no one else to be part of to see.

The breath was necessary, the woman taking in the fresh air before it was Nilo who re-initiated the contact. Her own soft hum escaped her as his hands found a new place to rest, one she would have never allowed before, nor ever expected to enjoy. And yet she did, very much so, melting to lean her upper half against his, fingers threading through his hair. It was flurry of emotions and feelings, both new and old, and yet every one she enjoyed, wanting to discover what else there was to offer.

But all too soon it seemed they broke away, Gennadius shifting so her elbow was on the ground beside his head, her chin propped up in her hand. A soft smile rested across her face as his hands found her cheeks, the woman instinctively leaning into them. His hands had always been so gentle, something she had never put thought to until now. Gentle and warm. “I love you too,” she murmured in return, releasing her own soft chuckle in return for his humor. “Says the man who spends his days doing paperwork.” It was said in a warm purr, dark eyes shining. She could care less what he did, as long as she was his.

“Mmmmm,” she nodded in agreement as he brought up how it had all begun. Her fingers found their way to the russet strands again, pushing them back as he spoke, still ever smiling. “Hate you? I did not hate you Nilo Van Aslan. I despised you.” It was her turn to tease him, lowering her head so their noses could brush and she could lose herself in the gorgeous light blue orbs that could rival the moon. “And then I just felt sorry for you. How was I supposed to know you’d use that to your advantage?”

Gennadius moved off him, flopping to lay beside his warm body and stare up into the stunning night sky. “And I do believe it may have been the other way around. You fell to the charms of my gruff temperamental ways, if I recall. I think it was the fight ploy that really got you though, running me to the infirmary.” She chuckled, shaking her head as she reached across his chest to claim his hand, interlacing their fingers as she turned into him slightly, though could still look into the sky. “I stand by if you had left me until morning, I would have been alright.”

Truth was, she didn’t have the crystal-clear recollection of just how bad she had been that night, but she did remember feeling like he had acted too soon. Some of the first memories were that way, and yet some, she had the clearest memory of. Chasing him down into the night, saving his life, taking him into the city... and for some reason, that dumb tapestry. She remembered staring at it outside the dining hall in complete awe and him promising to get it for her one day. And he had. The borders... she had faint recalls of the horrors but they faded from the first time. But she remembered with perfect clarity the night of her return, the first time she truly realized she was in love with the prince... the first time she had loved.

“I never loved anyone before,” her voice was gentle, gaze moving to his face. “All those years, even in my youth, I didn’t have even a crush. If anything, I hated every man for being a man, and didn’t care for women much better. I guess I had a few friendly acquaintances, but no one it pained me to leave or move on from. And then there was you.” Fondness and adoration crept into her voice and there was no denying that she was deeply in love with the prince. Deeply in love. “The first person I ever wanted to comfort me and promise me it would be alright. My first kiss. The first and last person I will ever love.”

Dark orbs returned to look up, taking in the silver and white twinkles that dotted the sky, some shimmering and some just sitting there watching the couple. Never had she seen stars look so beautiful or seem so romantic in nature. And how could she unsee it now? The constellations that were out tonight would now be an eternal reminder of this night, and would carry these emotions and moments into eternity with them.

“Did I ever tell you about the campaign?” Gennadius inquired, not sure if she ever actually had told him much about any of those days. Some here and there, but had she told him, about him? She couldn’t recall. “The day I left I swore to never come back. I didn’t know how long it would last or if I would even survive to return, but I planned on leaving everything behind me. But at night, sometimes I would come outside and stare up into the sky... and I would always see you. Your eyes... And I’ll admit even during the day I’d look up into a light blue clear sky and swear I was staring right at you. And every battle, every strategy I came up with, I always did it for you. I never believed I could have you, but I wanted to give you something anyway.”

Her cheek moved to rest against his shoulder as she released a content sigh. “And it turns out it was you who gave me everything instead. You gave me the world, and I’ll give you the key to my heart.”

Nilo listened to her talk with fascination as she began with stories he had heard before. No matter what it was, the man was obsessed. Obsessed with her sparkling eyes, her voice, and everything else about her. When she spoke of the night he had carried her to the infirmary having a royal-sized freakout. “You forget I was drunk darling… I was convinced you were going to die that night,” Nilo pointed out. Although at the time it had been a terrifying experience, the man found some humor in it now. Granted, he had a right to be worried, but would she have died? Probably not.

There was some silence before she spoke again, her gentle words catching his attention. Nilo had known what it was like to love, but it never went beyond anything platonic. Until her. The woman whose heart was wrapped in thorns, protected by a bristling personality that drove everyone away. That was how he found her. Sad, alone, and in need of some kindness, though she would have never admitted it to be so. His smiles were met with scowls and it had seemed like the moment she’d opened up to him she’d been stolen.

And then he’d spent a month tossing and turning, staring at the stars and begging her to come back to him. How much self-control had it taken not to steal a horse and fetch her himself, breaking the rules just so he could see her safe again? It had been the first time the man had felt as if he was suffocating over the loss of a mere acquaintance. First, he had waited a month, then he’d been forced to wait two years. Except, the second time, she’d left with the promise of not returning and he was forced to drown all over again.

Nilo shook his head at the mention of the campaign. “Well, you have, but you never went into much detail.” He explained, though the story he received wasn’t one of war. It was one about him and how she had wanted the one man she could never have but loved him anyway. “I gave you the world?” A soft chuckle escaped him, “Think again because you are my world. My everything.” The man corrected, “You stole my breath and rewrote everything I ever knew or understood.” He purred, adoring, and grateful for the woman beside him.

“Honestly, I tried not to think about you,” Nilo snorted, realizing how rude that sounded, though it was true. “I denied myself, said I was over you and it was a one-time affair and nothing more. I tried to run. Not because I didn’t love you but because I couldn’t stop. I’d had a taste of something I’d never thought I needed and I craved it. I wanted something I couldn’t have and in the worst possible way. So I did what I do best: run.” A small sigh escaped him at his mind’s decay, how exhausted he had been. He had redeemed himself as a prince, but he had still been painfully empty.

“It was impossible to return to the life I lived of fleeting attraction that gave me nothing but temporary satisfaction. Not when you’d fanned my small spark of attraction into a flame. You burned brands wherever you touched me, whenever you’d kissed me and I never forgot the feelings. I never forgot, no matter how hard I tried.” And how he had tried. He would go off to court women with the intent of seduction, but he never went through with anything. Hell, he never even touched them.

Because even when he tried to forget, he would remember. “But even when I managed to avoid you during the day, I always remembered you at night when I was hurting the most. Whenever I was mentally unsound and in the worst kind of pain, I remembered. I remembered how you’d saved my life and how you held me when my mother died. I tried to forget everything about you. I left our horses, your books, and the shield behind in the country, and when I moved I let the maids clean out the clothes I had saved.” Nilo admitted somewhat shamefully, though he knew it was fine now.

“But I could never forget your kindness. We were barely more than strangers, yet you did what you could to comfort me. To think… all it took was one act of kindness. I cannot count how many times I almost spiraled completely, but no matter how drunk I was, or how defeated, I always remembered you. Your face and eyes… the shiny hair and men's clothes. And I remembered how much I loved you and how I couldn’t let myself go on the small sliver of hope I would see you again. That you would come back to me again.” His smile was soft and sad, but then it brightened again as his positivity and humor returned. There was no reason to hurt for the past when his future was so bright.“Then you did and I was terrified. Terrified because the whole time I had never assumed you would return. I hadn’t prepared for that.”

Nilo laughed again, happy as he could ever be. There was a newfound elation in how far they had come. How they made what seemed impossible possible. That they had earned the right to love each other however they pleased. “So I scandalized you, our leash keepers made fun of us, and the rest is history.” The man joked in a sudden stroke of playfulness, wrapping his arm around her and giving the woman a squeeze. He was well aware that it was not just history. “And now I get to drive you insane for the rest of our lives,” He purred, snuggling closer, “What a grand time I’ll have.” He chuckled, watching the stars dance as if trying to commit them and the night to memory so he could forever remember every detail.

Dark eyes closed as he began to talk, and she only grinned, fingers tightening around his. She would never back down on believing he had been the one to change her, though she would not deny him his thoughts either. It was pleasing to hear how much she meant to him, and even better was the way he said it. His words were always laced with such adoration it was hard not to be thoroughly wrapped around his finger. He was a charmer, and she loved that about him.

A soft chuckle escaped her when he mentioned trying not to think of her. She took no offense to it, having attempted the same yet failing miserably. How could one forget someone who turned their life upside down? Not to mention she had pleaded with him to do so when she left. And yet, even now she could hear the turmoil he had been through, and the soft smile stayed dancing on her lips as she released his hand. Her fingers reached out to push his hair back, listening the whole time.

“Forgetting was what we were supposed to do,” she confirmed, eyes opening to gaze affectionately at him. “I used to think I had been too kind to you, and yet, I was only kind because I saw something I never expected. I saw a gentle, hurting, smart young man, who wanted nothing more than to get back on his feet but didn’t know how. I suppose I saw a bit of myself.” Her voice came as a soft soothing purr though she lit up as he seemed to light up suddenly.

“Oh I remember what you were like when I came back,” Gennadius suddenly laughed as the topic was brought to the brighter start to their future. “You just stood there like a statue and then you were gone. Not even a word Nilo.” But it was clear she was not truly upset as she recalled the story from her side of the whole affair. “Then I get to the ball that I already had no interest in and there you were just sipping wine. You even had the gall to just stare at me and drink the dumb wine like you were challenging me.”

Her laugh stayed warm at the recollection before she snuggled the arm holding her, looking back into the night sky. “And I will have you know that you’ve been driving me insane since the moment we met. I think it is my turn.” She poked him playfully, grinning as she blinked into the moonlight that filled the stunning clearing. “I am going to remind you every day that I’m your wife and there is nothing you can do to change that. Besides, you just gave me clear instructions that I am not to get boring. I’ll have to come up with new material to keep you on your toes.”

A soft breath was released as she melted, quieting for a moment. “You know, I never thought the stars could be so bright,” she murmured, “nor do I think I ever realized there were so many. I mean, I’ve stared at them a lot before but this time is different. Do you think one of those stars is for us?” It seemed like a rather silly thing to say but at the same time not. For so many, surely one of the pulsating lights was meant for the two of them. Surely everyone deserved a star, there were enough to go around.

But what really caught her attention was the constellation directly above them, as if it was staring down, waiting to be noticed. “Or maybe, we get a whole constellation. What do you think?” She didn’t turn her head to look at him yet, still gazing overhead, arm lifting up to trace a pattern over nine stars. “You see those? That one is Leo. Rather fitting, don’t you think? I read about it a long time ago, and if I recall, that bright star in the corner? It’s called the Red Flame.”

Finally, she tore her gaze away to watch Nilo’s face, curious what he thought. “And what do you know if I don’t have an Aslan with flaming red hair right next to me. I guess that just means everything is perfect, doesn’t it?”