ㅤㅤ"I've yet to be through the garden," Neo said.
ㅤㅤ"Well, we can consider this an adventure that I am sure you will enjoy," Quilliene smiled.
ㅤㅤShe was standing near him to keep herself balanced, holding his arm tightly as she watched one foot traverse in front of the other. He let loose a small smile when she entwined their elbows to lean further on him. Ever since he had awoken in the warehouse, he had a strange sense of cold about him, but being near the queen somehow made him feel warm. Even the strange thought of carrying her down the steps like the royalty she was came up, but he quickly pushed it away.
ㅤㅤNeo continued to assist her towards the front doors, where the guards allowed them through by opening each one in systematic unison. They continued down the steps there, Neo blinking out the sunlight that stabbed at his eyes. It warmed him even further and for a moment he thought he might combust into flames from both Quilliene's warmth and the sun's combined. He even convinced himself that the queen was emitting more than the sun ever could.
ㅤㅤWhen they made it to the garden, Quilliene led Neo through the maze of rose bushes that climbed to be seven foot tall walls. She pointed out to him that she typically discovered the way out by paying attention to the white roses on the corners. Reaching the centre of the maze, they stumbled upon a fountain - a stone bird that looked like a swan, water shooting from its mouth. She led him to a few benches that sat opposite of the fountain and took a seat, patting him on his sleeve.
ㅤㅤ"Now this," Quilliene mused. "Is much more peaceful."
ㅤㅤ"I'm sure it's better than staying in your bedroom for all eternity," Neo chuckled as he stuck his hands in his pockets and turned towards the fountain. "Next month is your birthday, right?"
ㅤㅤ"Yes," She nodded, despite the fact he wasn't looking. "And if this is the part where you ask what I want, then I will tell you that you have watched too many movies."
ㅤㅤ"What, is saving your life from imminent death not enough of an early birthday present?" He said playfully, giving her a crooked smile in her direction.
ㅤㅤShe simply scoffed in response, shaking her head a little before gazing back at the rose bushes. Quilliene hesitated at first, unsure of her idea, but she reached out and touched one of the flowers. She whispered a word in Latin, and Neo watched as pink flower petals sprouted into a longer vine. A small smile grew across her face.
ㅤㅤHe watched for a moment longer as she continued doing this to the other flowers, then looked down at his hand as he lifted it up in front of him. Almost as if curious, he began to concentrate. Black mist twisted around his fingers, and he swore he could also hear whispers. Yet, it didn't last long, as it quickly dissipated when he brought his elbow up to cough in it.
ㅤㅤQuilliene glanced at him as it happened, turning her attention back to Neo while her smile dispersed into a frown. A man who could destroy nearly everything in the world that he came across, if he wanted to - and yet there he was, sitting around babysitting a queen that was nearly half dead the majority of the time, and quite honestly… she found it a tad bit insulting.
ㅤㅤ"Look at you, all germy and gross," She teased.
ㅤㅤ"Hey," Neo scoffed. "It's just a tickle in the back of my throat that won't go away… and if anything, I'm the cleanest person here." He looked at her and wiggled his fingers in the air. "I'm always wearing gloves."
ㅤㅤ"And do you wash those gloves every day before you wear them?" She grinned playfully. "Wearing gloves doesn't make you clean."
ㅤㅤ"I'll have you know, I wash them every night," He returned the smile.
ㅤㅤQuilliene let out a small, soft chuckle as she turned to look up towards the sun. There was a moment of silence between them before she changed the subject. "Sometimes I wake up just at the crack of dawn, when all the crickets are falling asleep and the birds have flown out to get their breakfast for the morning, and…"
ㅤㅤShe paused, taking in a breath. "If you really look towards that line in the sky, when the sun is directly in the centre of the canvas - it's the most beautiful thing. I see skies like it in paintings, but I never truly take the time to look at them unless I'm thinking."
ㅤㅤNeo listened to her, the smile still on his face. The light glistened in his one red eye, making it sparkle. From the perspective Quilliene could see him from, his black sclera was hidden and his gloved hands were fully in his pockets. So he looked perfectly normal. Perhaps he had done it all on purpose, not wanting her to see the negative parts of him.
ㅤㅤ"Me and Fleur," He said softly, before raising his voice. "We used to watch the sunrise all the time. She had a ladder, and we'd get on top of her flat and see it climb. One time we sat there until noon. She fell asleep with her head on my shoulder… but she had worked all night, and she wasn't touching my skin, so I let her."
ㅤㅤShe watched him for a moment, then tilted her head. "You talk about her every now and then. If you don't mind me asking… What was she like?"
ㅤㅤNeo didn't turn or waver from his position, his expression becoming thoughtful. "She was… different. Not in a bad way, just in a way. Nothing bad ever happened around her, as if she was the embodiment of good luck. Me, on the other hand," He chuckled. "I guess you could say I was the opposite. Maybe that's why…" His smile faded before he changed the subject. "When people were with her, they felt perfect, the cold being washed away and worries melted. Nothing mattered."
ㅤㅤQuillliene frowned, listening closely. "I remember that feeling. When I was younger and it was all less complicated, I used to watch the stars. Christopher used to ask me if I saw it the same way he did, to make sure it was all real. Sometimes I'd describe it to him and other times I would just draw it out with a pencil and paper. Then suddenly I started thinking, what if I was a star up there? If I hadn't been a monarch, I could shine brightly in the sky, too."
ㅤㅤ"Maybe when you reincarnate, you'll be a star," He said, still staring up at the clouds. "The brightest and biggest of them all. They'll name you Quilliene Llachar." He chuckled. "Llachar means bright in Welsh."
ㅤㅤShe followed his gaze. "A star… There's so much beauty in this world and yet I forget. You could stop the world and leave me suspended here just to cherish it all. To really gaze at it for a moment."
ㅤㅤNeo stood there for a second longer, not saying anything but silently agreeing with her statement. The serenity lasted for quite a while, seconds passing into minutes, just the two of them relaxing in the early morning sun. Perhaps they were truly suspended in time, taking in every breathless scene.
ㅤㅤThat was when a voice interrupted it all, though.
ㅤㅤ"Your majesty?" They called, feminine but harsh on the cords, before Kyrana appeared in the archway of the fountained area. Both Neo and Quilliene looked at her, and she seemed relieved to see the queen. "There you are - I have been looking for you, your majesty."
ㅤㅤ"Hello, Kyra," Quilliene smiled sweetly with her regal features. "You have found me. I hope I did not worry anyone, I just… needed some fresh air." She hummed. "I like to go here when I wish to clear my mind and empty my heart of any troubles."
ㅤㅤ"That is understandable, your majesty," She panted, wiping the sweat from her brow. "But when I reported to Christopher, he requested I come look for you here."
ㅤㅤ"Ah," She mused. "I knew he would have told someone where I was by now…. I used to come here with him all the time before I moved to… but no worries. Neo has been keeping watch of me and I don't feel particularly ill aside from being tired." She patted the space next to her on the bench. "Come, have a seat - if you would like."
ㅤㅤKyrana hesitated, glancing at Neo, who was eyeing them both. His calm demeanour had been broken when he turned to see her, his other eye now visible, shattering his normality. Kyrana moved forward, and Neo watched as she approached the bench and sat down rigidly. She was a distance away from Quilliene, looking askance as apparent thoughts came to mind.
ㅤㅤNeo stared at the small space between them, a glare almost forming on his face before he forced himself to turn back to the fountain. What was the feeling inside his chest? Why did he seem so aggravated by their closeness? It was like acid was being poured all down his throat, swarming his lungs and filling the pit in his stomach.
ㅤㅤQuilliene failed to notice, satisfied as she closed her eyes once more and raised her face to the warm sky. She gently inhaled the breeze, leaning back with each hand on the bench to keep herself steady. However, she noticed a different aroma clashing within the sweet air. It was strange, almost familiar, and she spoke without opening her eyes.
ㅤㅤ"Kyra," Quilliene called for her attention. "You smell faintly of… vanilla. I'm not sure why I had not noticed before."
ㅤㅤ"Oh!" Kyrana stammered for a moment, before raising her left wrist, which was closest to the queen. "Yes, I have a bit of perfume, your majesty. This one has a wonderful scent, in my opinion - better than the other shabby vanillas. It is called Glass Vanilla. I found the name interesting."
ㅤㅤNeo sent a glance over in their direction. He felt a bit distracted for some reason - his entire body was still and he was incredibly uncomfortable. He kept trying to focus his attention on the fountain, but it was hard to do that when he was supposed to be watching the queen. Even if he wasn't supposed to be, his eyes kept wandering over to them without his permission.
ㅤㅤ"I see," Quilliene's brows twitched in thought. "The smell is very pleasing." She sniffed again - there was another scent. Like the roses, but a bit different. Opening her eyes, she looked to her bodyguard curiously. "Neo, you smell like… rose bushes, but a fresh one. When the flowers have just bloomed and the leaves have yet to fall."
ㅤㅤNeo took a moment to answer, glancing at her momentarily. "Well," He finally began. "I don't wear perfume, so…" He thought for a moment, his voice almost bitter. "It must be the rose water I wash my clothes in."
ㅤㅤ"You wash your clothes in rose water?" Kyrana asked, looking at him.
ㅤㅤHe paused, sighing a little as he pinched the bridge of his nose with gloved fingers. "Forget you heard that."
ㅤㅤQuilliene laughed lightly as the guard captain scooted forward on the bench. "Does that mean roses can't be affected by your…" She paused, apparently choosing her words wisely. "Ability?"
ㅤㅤ"No, it-" He scoffed, shaking his head as he kept his eyes away. "The petals still burn if they don't have the juices. For instance, if they're dried."
ㅤㅤQuilliene hadn't been listening too much anymore, shifting in the bench before she found herself leaning against Kyrana's shoulder. The guard captain jumped a little as the queen put her weight on her, looking down. Quilliene's weariness gradually got the better of her as her body grew to be more still and her breathing even.
ㅤㅤNeo glanced over, watching the scene as Kyrana smiled a little bit, Quilliene's eyes closed. He found his mismatched gaze narrowing into a glare, shifting his weight from one foot to the other repeatedly. He tried to look away or soften his eyes or something, but he couldn't. He finally turned his head back to the fountain when Kyrana raised her eyes to him. A few more minutes had passed before a voice invaded their sanctuary.
ㅤㅤ"I sent you to retrieve her majesty, captain, not spend the past twenty minutes putting her to sleep."
ㅤㅤIt was like a blink. Neo didn't hear him approach, but he was there anyway. Neo turned to look straight at him as Christopher strode across the garden towards the bench. He presented himself in a way that was both relaxed yet prepared, thought unnoticeable. Like a pale shadow. Leaning down to stare right at his sleeping sister, he hummed.
ㅤㅤ"S-Sorry, sir…" Kyrana said softly. "At least she's sleeping soundly for once?" She forced a smile.
ㅤㅤChristopher ignored her apology. "You can sense it almost," He said slowly. "How drained she is, yet… if you listen closely, you can feel her breathing through all the plants in this garden." Then, he stood up fully, hands clasped behind his back. "Yes, at least she is sleeping soundly. You can stay a little longer, Kyrana."
ㅤㅤThen he turned to Neo, who set his jaw as Christopher seemed to be stifling a smirk. "You, on the other hand… I need you to stand watch by the front gate. One of our guards has fallen ill and I have no other replacements. I would request the captain for this task, but she is," He glanced at her. "Occupied. You'll be with Raemith, so I pray it won't be too boring."
ㅤㅤHe then began to walk away. Neo couldn't help but glare at the back of Christopher's head as he went on to leave, grinding his teeth. He hated that he was being treated like a watchman instead of his true purpose, which was a bodyguard. He also strangely found himself wishing it had stayed just him and Quilliene. It had been so peaceful; so calm and serene. Nothing was bothering them. It almost reminded him of his time with Fleur before the incident. He kept wondering - why was he so happy when he was alone with her?