"Don't fret Boa," the girl heard her mother say, "He'll be back before you know it."
Boa watched Quiffin's ship sail toward the horizon's skyline, both sad and hopeful. She was losing a brother for who knew how long, but for now, she decided to push the feelings of abandonment aside in order to address the more pressing issue at hand. Turning to her parents, Boa kept a straight face, feigning indifference and a pleasant attitude.
"It's fine mother," Boa said to reassure her mother as well as herself, and then turned the conversation toward another topic. "Is it true that the Red Head will be joining us for dinner?"
Her father gave another of his booming laughs. "The Red Head, indeed. You should call him by his name, Finnegan, my love. And yes, he will be joining us tonight."
"Lovely," Boa said with a twinge of apprehension.
Finnegan walked down the cobblestone path from King Claus' botanical menagerie to the dining hall inside the palace. In his hand was a single flower, a yellow Sunray with bright spindles that gleamed and sparkled in the twilight. He raised the flower before him and toward windows he knew belonged to the Princess' chambers.
"Come out lovely," he whispered in hope that she would find him standing there, but again, she did not come to the window.
On stone banister leading in, Finnegan left the yellow flower on the railing before heading inside.
After dressing, the Princess began her walk to dinner with the isles' elite and her family. With her hair set in a simple and elegant fashion, her arms decorated with gold bangles, her lips tinted pink and wearing a royal blue dress, Boa met Finnegan.
He had walked inside from his recent musings in the gardens and was now unexpectedly greeted with this vision of the Princess. He looked at her - no, he stared at her, unashamedly star struck. Boa, blushed at his unbroken and shocked stare, and looked away, allowing him time to remember his place and bow humbly before the Princess.
"Forgive me, Princess. I didn't mean any offense," Finnegan said, managing to sputter out an apology.
"Please rise Sir Hob," Boa said sounding surprisingly kind. He rose from his bow, but his countenance still held the same expression of reverence and fondness. "Come, the dining hall is this way."
Quickly, Boa turned away. The lack of arrogance and flamboyant attitude disarmed her, and within her she found herself reciprocating the feeling of fondness the boy had for her. But she just as quickly as hope filled her heart, she felt an familiar sadness and pushed both feelings aside.
Yet again, the flood of possibilities that come with hope of happiness and peace filled her heart. She was not going to allow it to rule her - she didn't want it to.
At dinner, Boa sat opposite from Finnegan beside her father. On her left sat the Baroness of a minor isle she did not know too well. Though she distracted herself with the food in front of her and with small talk with the Baroness, who was kindly and warm despite her old age, she could tell that Finnegan was stealing glances at her across the table between conversations with the Baron and her father.
At dessert, as per custom, her father rose from his seat and toasted the end of the dinner with her mother. Boa smiled as her father sat down and chanced a glance at Finnegan who smiled back at her. She turned her attention to the Baroness beside her who enthusiastically expressed her gratitude for being invited to dinner and called the entire experience on the isle charming and magnificent. Boa thanked her for her good-natured compliments as the guests filtered out of the dining room and into the adjacent one. Finnegan held back from the crowd and waited for Boa to finish her conversation with the elderly Baroness before calling on her attention.
"Princess Boa," Finnegan called as he stepped alongside her. Once she turned, she noticed he visibly gulped as she locked eyes with him, and with a smile, she greeted him amicably.
"Yes, Sir Hob?"
"Princess, I wish to speak with you about an important matter." She looked on in anticipation. Finnegan glanced at the room filled with the elite. "Er, but I wish to speak in private."
Boa puzzled, gracefully consented to Finnegan's wishes and walked with him away from the entertaining room, through the grand hall, and out onto a balcony. Along the way, Boa took note of Finnegan's uneasiness. And once they reached their destination, he still remained silent. She sought to cut the tension.
"Now," Boa said, in the friendliest manner, "What is it you needed to discuss so far away from others?"
Finnegan turned around, and Boa saw in his eyes that his mind was restless, as if trying to find the words. Finally, he sighed and avoided eye contact for the moment before addressing the matter.
"Boa -er, Princess," Finnegan sputtered out. "As you must already know, I have traveled very far and very long in my youth before arriving at court and meeting with your father, his Highness King Claus."
"Yes, my brother Quiffin and his entourage enjoy your stories."
"Well, in all of my travels, I have never met such a vibrant, noble, and honest ruler as your father. And I knew at the moment he greeted me that I wanted to stay on this isle and serve your father for the rest of my life."
"You have served our isles well, Sir Hob. My father and our entire family is very proud of your achievements. I think he lucky to have found someone who works with such loyalty." Boa saw Finnegan swell with pride at her compliment. He grew more confident in his speech.
"I - I have stayed all this time for another reason as well." Finnegan said. Boa knew what he meant. She knew what those looks of longing and his change from his usual friendly banter meant, but she had to ask. She would not fight it now; the universe was telling her this was right.
"What was it?" Boa stepped closer, reaching out to touch his arm. With tenderness he took her hands and kissed them, then he looked up and straight into her eyes.
"I fell in love with you." He said at last. It was Boa's turn to look away, but Finnegan held on to her hands. She felt trapped, held by his hands as he carried on. "I was worried about being a half-breed but after talking with your father, he has accepted my intentions to court you. Bless him, he said that my bloodline did not matter and that my character and loyalty was enough to consider me worthy. But I needed to know if you would allow me to love you, as well."
He was now clutching her hands, craning his neck in order to look at her.
"Please tell me you accept the feelings I have for you." He whispered. Boa sighed, and looked up the boy who had charmed the entire court, pleased her parents, and was loved by the people. She had to say yes; she was the only thing stopping him from loving her.
But she knew why she was hesitating and why she couldn't look at him in the eye. Though she was never had a suitor before, she was well read and experienced enough to know that opening herself to love from man would be filled with unknowable possibilities. A courtship with Finnegan would mean a lot of things for the kingdom and for her future. But why shouldn't she?, a part of her wondered indignantly. This was the start of something new and something exciting. And besides, no one had mentioned the topic of marriage yet.
After what seemed like ages battling her conscious, Boa brought herself to open her mouth and answer Finnegan. She heard her voice, which was meek and on the verge of cracking.
"I do accept, Sir Hob." He smiled broadly at her.
"Please, my dear Princess, call me Finnegan."
"Alright, Finnegan." She said, permitting Finnegan to pull her closer and kiss her, gently and modestly. Boa, unintentionally, found herself beginning to fall in love.
The next day, Boa informed her mother and father that she had accepted Finnegan's courtship. King Claus laughed aloud as was his wont, and her mother hugged her.
"Finnegan is a fine young man, Boa," the Queen reassured her. "You've made a good choice."
The days with Finnegan went by quickly for Boa. He was very kind and polite, and during their time together, she had learned so much about his life before his arrival on the island and she revealed to him much of hers.
"It was a difficult childhood growing up with parents belonging to both Day and Night. The people scorned my mother for keeping a child like me. It was my red hair that gave my Night lineage away." Boa listened intently, watching him in his moments where he would travel far away when he talked about his past. They both had ventured past her family's gardens and were walking along the sands of the beach.
"I'm glad that you found acceptance here at last," Boa said, taking his hand, smiling at him.
One evening, Finnegan had taken a handful of the bright yellow flowers he was fond of and brought them to her room. To his disappointment, he was not greeted by the Princes, but instead by the chambermaid who took the flowers with a bashful smile.
"These are for the Princess," Finnegan said trying to catch a glimpse of Boa.
"Of course," she curtsied and closed the door. He heard her giggle, and left for the courtyard leading into the gardens.
Inside, the Princess was busy dressing herself for bed and she heard the door open and close.
"Who was it Mim?" She asked as another maidservant braided her hair.
"Finnegan Hob," Mim gestured to the vase of yellow flowers. "He brought these for you."
Soon, the maids left the princess, who was settling into bed. Boa walked over to the tall windows that overlooked the courtyard and to the gardens. The little flowers that resembled tiny stars continued to glow in her room. How did he know they were her favorite?
She caught a figure sitting in the courtyard as if in deep thought, and recognized the red flaming hair of Finnegan. Suddenly, his head turned and caught her gaze. But instead of jumping back in embarrassment, Boa stood still, not wanting to break their connection. She wanted to go down and be with him, but instead nodded to him good-night and left for bed.
Finnegan looked on as his Princess returned to her room. His heart ached and his body was tense. He desperately wanted to hold her again.
And so, he did. The next evening, Finnegan retreated to the courtyard again after a long day's work. He had not been able to see Boa, and was disappointed in the day's events. He walked through the farthest parts of the garden, hoping the herbs' fragrance would calm him, but he was interrupted by another's presence.
Among the flowers stood a figure in a soft violet dress and long raven hair draping over delicate shoulders. Finnegan's heart leapt. He would be able to see his Boa before the day was over after all.
"Well, I'll be, the Princess sleepwalking?" He joked.
"I'm afraid it's a bad case of insomnia," she said, smiling to herself. She turned to him and shrugged. "I've come here to find healing from the herbs, but since you're here, I suppose you'll do."
Finnegan smiled, thinking about how Boa looked beautiful with her hair down, and even more so when she flashed him one of her smiles, threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. This time her kiss wasn't demure or hesitant. This time it held an earnest passion, and who was Finnegan to deny the Princess of his affections?
The two broke away from their kiss and held each other close. What was this? Finnegan thought while gazing at Boa. He wasn't the only one breathless. He threw his head back and laughed joyously like the King, considering himself fortunate to have found this wonderful woman who overlooked his mismatched dark skin and red hair, and saw the man who possessed a love for her, as deep as the Isabella! Boa smiled, a pink blush moving up from her neck to her cheeks. "Shh," she whispered, but Finnegan would not let her feel embarrassed.
"Don't hide from me, my love," he said. Goodness, she loved it when he addressed her with such tenderness. A warmth stirred inside of her again when he took a lock of her hair that fell over her brow and pushed it back behind her ear. His eyes were dark and intense, as his gaze traveled from her ear and over the nape of her neck. He took note of the delicate strap of her dress now teasingly sliding off her shoulder.
"My dear Finnegan, your silence is unsettling," Boa whispered, tilting her head in such a way that revealed more of her luminous neck. Her shifting body allowed the strap to fall at last.
"And you, lovely Boa," Finnegan echoed, as his grip on the Princess' body grew tighter. With wide eyes, Boa watched his hungry stare follow the naked slope between her neck and shoulder. "You haunt me with your beauty."
Finnegan's gentle lips kissed her neck and along her jawline. Boa was startled by Finnegan's forwardness, but found herself allowing his touch become more fervent. She allowed herself to utter a quiet sigh, feeling his warm kisses on sensitive skin. Suddenly, in alarm she pulled herself away.
"Oh no Finnegan, it isn't you" Boa quickly said when she saw Finnegan's hurt and confused look. "I just - it's getting late and, I don't think it's wise to stay outside for too long."
"You're right," he said after realizing what she had meant to say. She could see the reluctance in Finnegan's eyes, but was thankful he understood. Boa quickly glanced in the direction of the palace in hopes that no one witnessed their secret tryst.
"I'll go now," Boa said, and kissed Finnegan with a smile, this time quickly and demurely. "Finnegan, sleep well." And then she left.
Finnegan watched his dark haired beauty disappear behind the palace doors, and whooped into the night. The love he had for Boa was returned with an equal passion.
That night, Boa tossed and turned in bed, mulling over the words left unsaid and the actions avoided just moments ago. Her hands hugged her body, mimicking how Finnegan held her. A sense of guilt and danger washed over her as she realized the risk she took in meeting him alone. But despite his apparent desire for her, he remained the polite and kind Finnegan she loved. And with knowing that, Boa fell asleep, reassured of his regard for her.