Nnenna, on the other hand, unconsciously let out a soft sigh of relief. The sight of Arthur here, finally, settled a tension she hadn't fully acknowledged. She realized, with sudden clarity, that she had been waiting for him all along, even when she thought she hadn't.
Minutes passed, wrapped in the intimacy of the slow music. Then, a cough from the crowd snapped Arthur out of his trance. He straightened slightly, clearing his throat.
"Apologies for being late," he said quietly, finally catching his breath. Not from the frantic drive, not even from sprinting across the castle grounds, his fitness made that trivial, but from the way Nnenna had captivated him entirely. She moved, she breathed, she existed before him, and he had nearly lost himself in her all over again.
The music continued, flowing around them like a gentle river, but the world had narrowed to Nnenna and Arthur. Nothing else mattered in that moment.
