Chapter Eleven
_ "Aya! I hope you call me that."
When the sky was embracing the moon, which was not yet full....
She was pacing around her room nervously.
'When will he come?! Is he okay? I don't know... Has he been hurt too? No.. no, he is certainly strong, he won't be hurt.'
She moves close to the window, and sometimes the bed door, and then checks the door outside...
She looked at the window, murmuring:
"Raf, I hope you are well, he is late...."
"I am fine.."
Ariana flinched, opened her eyes wide, and turned towards the source of the sound. Raphael was placing one of his hands behind his back and leaning against the column in the corner. The tears she had been holding back all day welled up in her eyes, and she rushed to Raphael and hugged him. She clutched the edge of his shirt and was almost crying...
Raphael raised one of his eyebrows and spoke with a frown:
"Why the crying now?!"
"I was worried."
Raphael patted her back with his free hand, and his lips curved into a smile...
"Wasn't your condition the worst?!"
"I don't know, I was afraid you'd get sick too, and you used up a great amount of magical energy, I was worried you'd be harmed."
Raphael laughed and pulled her back a little to see her face. A red nose, wet eyes, and trembling lips. His hand trembled, but he pinched her nose and said playfully:
"You become ugly when you cry."
Ariana frowned and moved away slightly, allowing his smile to widen, then he bowed and said in a noble manner mixed with playfulness:
"Please, my lady."
He extended his hidden hand, which held a large bouquet of blue flowers. Ariana opened her eyes wide and her heart rate accelerated. Then she moved her head inwardly and dismissed the absurd thoughts, laughing with excitement when she realized the type of flowers, and she thought logically:
"Anchusa flowers, did you know they are used medicinally to relieve lung pain?"
Raphael was flustered, but he hid his confusion and smiled:
"...Yes, I thought it would be the best gift for a sick person."
"Definitely, no other intentions for the gift."
Raphael nodded and Ariana laughed and held the flowers gently, deeply admiring them. Her appearance was attractive to Raphael, but he denied the foolish thoughts that came to him then cursed inwardly, because he had embarrassed himself by bringing the flowers, but he remembered the event that made him take them:
When I woke up from sleep, I changed my clothes and went to my appointment with King Nathan. I was accompanied by some knights, including Casper, and my assistants Calvin and Roalf...
We headed to the external greenhouse, a warm and beautiful place full of flowers, as if winter did not exist. King Nathan had preceded me. After we greeted each other, I sat quietly in front of him.
"Pleased to visit you, King Nathan."
"Your Majesty, I am the one pleased by your invitation."
The old man smiled gently, but his feelings did not reach me. The King had a desire, and I was not in the mood to play tricks...
"I heard that His Highness requested to meet me, may I know the reason that prompted Your Highness to ask for me?"
He smiled at me and said:
"Your Majesty, my relationship with Cassian has been long, and I have a friendly relationship with His Majesty King Kailian de Cassian, and the reason for my desire to meet you is to see the son of my old friend."
I smiled with sarcasm colored with friendliness:
"Pleased by Your Highness's interest, I hope you enjoy the Cassian Winter Festival."
The King smiled and we started talking about some matters concerning the borders, bandits, trade, and so on...
"Father, you are here."
The voice of a girl interrupted our conversation. I laughed, it seemed I was beginning to understand, and I turned to the King who was gently surprised and to the girl with fiery red hair and green eyes. She was a beautiful girl but she did not compare to Ariana... The King coughed shyly and said in pretense:
"Your Majesty, I apologize for the insolence of my daughter Veronika."
"Veronika Von Nathan greets His Majesty the Sun of Cassian, Emperor Raphael de Cassian."
The girl curtsied with a confident smile...
"She is trying to attract Your Majesty."
I heard Casper's angry, whispered murmur and looked at her, preventing the corner of my mouth from rising in mockery of the situation...
"I am honored to meet Princess Nathan, I hope you enjoy."
The King coughed and then said:
"I wanted to walk with Your Majesty and my daughter in the beautiful greenhouse, but my health prevents me."
I understood the meaning of his words, that it was a clear message to accompany the princess, so I smiled at the King and said in a friendly manner:
"It's alright, Your Majesty, there is still time, you can come to the greenhouse at any time."
"But Veronika strongly wished to tour the greenhouse today, why doesn't Your Majesty tour with her if it is not an inconvenience?"
He wants me to accompany her by any means, and it is impolite not to accompany her after being asked twice. I looked at Casper who was sighing with resentment...
'He is a child who cannot hide his expressions, but he is amusing.'
And I looked at the calm Roalf, and smiled at the stupid situation then spoke:
"Alright, half an hour is fine... Please, Miss."
I did not extend my hand, because I know the meaning of that, so I gestured for her to accompany me and moved with her, my assistants, and the knights in the back. Casper was the closest to me, he was annoyed and the matter was entertaining...
The Princess spoke in a shy and formal way, showing her knowledge of flowers and their beauty. Ariana knows a lot about flowers and their medicinal benefits too, she told me she knows pharmacy, a good and beneficial matter...
If she would employ flowers and herbs in the field of making medicines instead of the absolute use of priests, it would reduce the need for the temple, and also the poor cannot afford to go to the temple for healing, Aya has foresight...
"Your Majesty, these flowers are beautiful and rare."
Her words cut the thread of my thoughts and I turned to the flowers, they were beautiful and sky blue like Aya's eyes, then I looked at her, meaning for her to continue...
"These flowers only bloom in the summer, it is beautiful to see them in the Imperial Greenhouse. I heard that this greenhouse is small compared to the inner White Greenhouse."
I raised my eyebrow and looked at her coldly then looked at Calvin who froze, then Calvin, who was somewhat close, spoke:
"Isn't this an interference in the affairs of the Imperial Palace?!"
"I apologize, Your Majesty."
She bowed in fear and shyness. I sighed then turned and said with boredom:
"You can complete your tour here, I have a busy schedule."
I left her out of boredom and departed. Everyone was nervous except Casper who was refreshed. I looked at him, then turned to Calvin and Roalf, Calvin spoke, confused:
"Your Majesty, I apologize if the matter reached the Princess, women love flowers, so perhaps she was attracted to the matter in this way."
"Women love flowers?!"
Calvin nodded yes and was nervous, and Casper's eyes gleamed and he drew closer slightly and whispered in a voice I could hear:
"Your Majesty, why not send flowers to the Lady, it would be a beautiful gift to inquire about her health."
Casper's words were like the temptation of the devil in a moment of weakness. I turned to him and gave him a stern look, so he lowered his head and moved away...
When I left the greenhouse and approached the palace, I saw the gardener who looks after my mother's greenhouse. When he saw me he bowed:
"I greet His Majesty."
"What are you doing here?!"
The gardener smiled and showed a group of flowers and said:
"You know that Her Majesty the late Empress, loved many flowers and arranging them according to their color degree. And there are flowers I am thinking of planting, because Your Majesty has started to like tea, so I decided to add beautiful flowers that can be used as tea..."
I smiled and thought that after meeting Ariana, many things began to change.
"Alright, do what you see fit.... Are the flowers in the external greenhouse also in the White Greenhouse?"
"Certainly, Your Majesty, every new and beautiful flower I plant, I plant in the White Greenhouse first."
"Alright, you may continue your work."
The gardener bowed and left, then I went to complete my busy schedule, forgetting all these events....
And I did not finish my work, despite passing dinner, until the moon rose in the sky. I looked at the clock, it was pointing to nine..
'I'll be late if I don't move.'
I went to my room, took a bath and changed my clothes, I must not go to her looking shabby and inappropriate... After I finished, I decided to go there but there was still a quarter of an hour until I arrived...
["Your Majesty, I apologize if the matter reached the Princess, women love flowers, so perhaps she was attracted to the matter in this way."]
["Your Majesty, why not send flowers to the Lady, it would be a beautiful gift to inquire about her health."]
I ran my hand through my hair, thinking, would Ariana like flowers?! ..
I moved instantly to the White Greenhouse, a place my mother loved, the white flowers surrounding the greenhouse and the decorated glass that reflects the moonlight, even at night it lights up. There were colorful flowers everywhere, arranged in my mother's way. I glimpsed the sky blue flowers that resembled Ariana's eyes. There were many flowers, but what caught my attention were those flowers I saw in the external greenhouse, I bent down and picked them... I felt nostalgic.
When I gathered a beautiful bouquet, I was afraid she would mock me, I don't know why I was happy just to gather a bouquet, I couldn't find anything to tie it with so I returned to my room to search and similarly it was difficult to find that, and what caught my attention was a fabric thread made with silver threads, it was beautiful so I tied the bouquet with it and after I was ready I found that I was truly late...
I moved to her room, she had informed me so I thought she would be ready. I found her pacing back and forth in her room, she looked worried so she didn't notice my arrival, I felt a kind of embarrassment and placed the flowers behind me...
Her worry and concern for me made my heart beat with a strange warmth, I contemplated her like a possessed person.
"Raf, I hope you are well, he is late...."
And when I heard her sad voice, I couldn't remain still, I wanted to reassure her, and I told her that I was fine, but she rushed with cloudy eyes and I felt her trembling and her worry. I heard her sad voice, my heart trembled. I patted her head and reassured her, I tried to console her, but who consoles my heart that is trembling now...
She was beautiful with a gentle face, I told her not to cry, the tears even though they make her gentle but...
I decided to give her the flowers, I was going to tell her they resembled her eyes but I felt confused because I started acting in a way that was not my habit, the sound of her gentle laugh and her words brought me back to reality, I decided to follow her opinion and felt my face become a ball of fire...
Ariana placed the flowers on a vase, looked at Raphael playfully and guided him to sit at the table.
"So, how did you get here? I mean, if your ability was like this, why did you face difficulty on the secret path?"
She felt a little confused but she spoke with steadiness..
"I am skilled in moving instantly.."
"...."
"Only to places I've been to before."
Raphael had quickly regained his composure, so he tried to act cleverly...
I love the surprise on Ariana's face and her sparkling eyes..
"That's wonderful."
"Well, for now I am thinking of coming here instead of you going out."
"...."
"Didn't you like that?!"
Ariana frowned, while Raphael was perplexed but Ariana opened her lips with a pout:
"I want to go out, I hate sitting in the palace."
"Ha hah ha."
Ariana's lips curved up when she heard Raphael's laugh then she looked at him in a gentle way...
Raphael stifled his laugh and coughed to speak in a somewhat serious manner:
"Well, currently your health is not good, and also I am still investigating the matter and treating you outside is a risk, so your treatment here will be safe... And when you get better you can go out in moderation."
Ariana smiled with conviction, then brought up the topic:
"Did you find anything related to those who chased us? It seems they knew we were in that room."
"I plan to visit the inn but I have entrusted the task to Casper and Brian and I will intervene if necessary. What I learned is that they put a tracking spell on Casper when he came to pick you up, so you must be cautious."
Ariana frowned and said:
"Do you expect they knew my identity?!"
Raphael placed his hand under his chin in thought, then nodded denyingly:
"I don't think so currently, Ray's path is a road that connects Litan Street and the Line River area, and most Cassian nobles who live in the capital live in the Line River area..."
"..."
"I think maybe they think you are a noblewoman."
Ariana laughed playfully:
"Thinking like this makes me feel like Detective Sherlock Holm...."
Ariana quickly closed her mouth and Raphael looked at her with a meaningful look, Ariana quickly moved her hands and laughed:
"..."
"Never mind, he is the hero of a detective novel, never mind."
Raphael raised one of his eyebrows then let out a breath:
"It's not a problem that you like reading books a lot, the important thing is, do you suspect anyone?!"
Ariana returned her face to seriousness and said thoughtfully:
"I don't think the Marquis would try to monitor me, I've been going out for more than ten months and haven't seen anything unusual."
Raphael was confused, despite the cold relationship towards the Marquis she should have at least made a mistake and said uncle, but she was more formal than usual in dealing with her uncle, then she started going out immediately after her engagement.
"Did you start going out after your engagement to the Duke?!"
Ariana laughed playfully and placed her index finger in front of her mouth and looked right and left like someone about to tell a secret, the situation was funny to Raphael because the room was empty, but Ariana's style was comical...
"It's a secret, okay,....ummm .... I broke off my engagement after only one week...."
"..."
Raphael stammered from the shock and looked at her in confusion..
"H.. How, usually things are not easy, and then the annulment was announced after more than two months?"
"The Duke is a kind person, he agreed to delay the news so I wouldn't fall into bad rumors that might damage my reputation, he said if my reputation was damaged I might never be able to marry well."
"Kind?! ..."
Raphael muttered in thought and looked at Ariana and said with a playful laugh:
"You have many surprises."
"...."
Ariana tilted her head in confusion...
"...We have a treatment to do."
Ariana returned to her senses, she felt that the laugh was strange, but she ignored the unnecessary thoughts and laughed brightly with Raphael and remembered:
"Umm ... well, Raf, we almost forgot the tea."
Ariana stood up gracefully to pour the tea and open the sweet plates, but Raphael stopped her...
"Your health is still unstable, slow down."
Raphael stood in front of Ariana and held her by the shoulders to gently make her sit down. Ariana, whose heart almost jumped out of its place, tilted her face upwards. A handsome face with broad lines precisely sculpted, eyes the color of silver shining despite the low light, broad eyebrows and a flawless face, silver hair scattered with locks falling smoothly on pure white skin, for a moment she was about to extend her hand to touch his lock...
CRASH!!!
Ariana regained her senses when her hand hit the cup, the sound might not have been loud but it was enough to bring her back to reality...
Raphael who was also in an awkward position, because of holding her...
He took his hands off her then straightened his posture and poured the golden tea into the cups, and opened the sweet plates, and smiled at the memory of the colored sweets and placed a piece in Ariana's hand...
Ariana shifted her gaze between the biscuit and Raphael who sat upright in front of her...
"Raf, did you call me when I was unconscious?"
Raphael stopped before putting the cup to his mouth and returned it to its place and scratched his cheek in embarrassment, he didn't know what to do but he said honestly:
"... In fact, yes."
"..."
"Were you bothered?!"
Ariana was surprised but she was not upset at all, this is what Raphael noticed and he looked at her with a smile to urge her to speak... Ariana opened her mouth with a smile:
"I was not bothered."
"..."
"It's the first time, in fact, I was happy."
"..."
"In fact, I liked that... Aya, I hope you call me that."
Ariana who was looking with a warm smile and Raphael who understood the matter, a happy smile appeared on his face, but he spoke in embarrassment:
"Aya, is it alright if I call you that?!"
Ariana smiled brightly and nodded happily:
"Aya, Aya .... Aya, thank you."
Their eyes sparkled in the warm atmosphere and Ariana remembered:
"Raf, let's start the treatment..."
"...."
Raphael's glances were confused..
"I mean, you must rest, you have a lot of work."
Raphael laughed and drank the cup of tea in one go and carried the chair and placed it in front of Ariana, looked at her face with a comforting smile and placed his hand on her heart:
"The process may be uncomfortable, you must relax, because we will restore your broken body and soul."
Ariana nodded and closed her eyes, her heart was beating violently as usual whenever she was near Raphael, so the matter was no different..
...... To be continued ......