Stars twinkled brightly in the sky overhead, a mysterious inky blanket expanding as far as the eye could see. It was the first time I found peace, that day; even when Julian and I stayed at Portia's for that brief period of time, the lingering anxiety of running into the palace guards still caused tension to settle on my shoulders, and I was certain Julian felt the same.
I walked through the brush purposefully, my fingers intertwined with those clad in leather, tugging Julian along behind me. I strode to my own little respite, an area I had stumbled upon one evening, long ago, when the frustrations of my past grew too much to handle. We were far from the city, where the stars glowed more brilliantly than could be seen, even from the tallest tower. An enclave of foliage came into view, an ancient tree towering at the northernmost end, and I pushed my way through, a brilliant, crystalline pool revealing itself to us.
The night was brisk, and dozens of fireflies hovered over the water's edge, casting a warm glow on the rippling surface. I paused, if only for a moment, allowing Julian to come to a rest beside me. I'd not brought anyone here, before. Too often, this was my area of peace when Asra was away, and too often did I find myself sitting at the water's edge, searching the pool for any sort of vision into my past. There was little ever divulged to me, but the enclave was peaceful, comforting, and I knew it was a place that would do Julian wonders.
I glanced up toward him, surprised to see his eye already fixed upon me, and a demure smile danced across my lips, tugging him along before he could make a move. I heard him grunt, and covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I hid a laugh, leading him to the tree to the north. The grass at the base was trampled down, making for a nice area to rest, coming right up to the water's edge. Slowly, my hand slipped from Julian's as I undid the ties around my ankles that held my sandals up, and kicking them aside, I plopped down, dipping my feet below the surface. Behind me, Julian eased himself up against the base of the tree, a deep sigh escaping his lips. I drew my feet through the water, leaning back on my hands just enough that Julian could brush his fingers along their backs. Still, we sat in silence for a time, letting the cool breeze flutter through our hair, the peace easing the anxieties off our shoulders.
I cast my gaze to the stars, searching for the constellations within, very aware of Julian's fingers tracing soft lines against my hand. The stars always put me at peace, and finding a new pattern within them granted me the faintest feeling of accomplishment when it was one neither Asra nor I had seen before. Even still, I found comfort in the unknown, a comfort that I slowly and surely adopted to the mysteries of my own past, a mystery that refused to reveal itself unto me.
"Athena?" It was the first either of us had spoken since leaving Portia's cottage. Julian's voice was soft, almost timid, and I pulled my gaze from the stars, glancing at him from over my shoulder. His features were twisted in the slightest bit of shame, as though my presence alone caused him guilt for the danger he might have put me in. For the danger he already has. Still, I sighed softly, pulling my feet from the water to pull myself toward him, gently resting my back against the trunk, my shoulder pressing against his.
"That's the 'I'm putting you into danger' tone, Julian," I said with a halfhearted sigh, nudging him gently. I could hear the bitter chuckle slip from his lips, and he leaned against my shoulder, raising an arm to wrap it gently around me. His touch was still uncertain, still unsure as to whether or not he was allowed to give me affection, and it was up to me to let him know that it was okay.
"I know you don't think you're doing anything good for Portia and I," I continued, scooping up his hand in both of mine. I laced my fingers between his with one, the other running gently across the back of his hand, feeling the leather underneath the tips. "We've made our decisions, and we're sticking by them."
He wasn't guilty of the crime. Though my memories of the past eluded me, and I had no recollection of a time where Lucio was alive, I was never so certain of something in my life. There was something fishy going on within the palace, and I was determined to unearth it all.
"Stubborn, to the very last, eh Athena?" he chuckled, and I could feel him angle his head, his lips pressing against the top of mine. He breathed in the floral scents of my hair, and though his tension was great, I could feel his body relax against me as he held me tighter against his chest. "I suppose it's what I need, though."
"You're damn right it is," I laughed softly, tilting my chin so that my nose nuzzled his neck. He froze at the contact, but did not pull away, and drawing my hand from the back of his, I placed it on his neck, thumb gently tracing along his cool skin. He purred happily, and I couldn't help myself. I pressed my lips to his neck, placing a soft kiss just under his jaw.
"Listen," I murmured when I finally pulled away. The darkness shadowed both our faces, but the glimmering silver moonlight shown just enough to make each other out. "By now, you know why I was brought to the palace, why Nadia summoned me. And–" I paused, brow knitting together as I cast my gaze out over the water, the magic of the area creating swirls of color to dance upon the surface. It was a lovely sight, and the closer I looked, the more images I could see within their depths. Tantalizing answers to what may have been…
"I want to help her, I do. But proving your innocence is far more important to me right now, Julian. Nothing makes sense, and there are too many holes to the story." I searched his face, seeing both fear and relief glimmer within his eye, and the hand on his neck moved to his cheek, pulling him closer, so that our brows nearly touched.
"Whatever happens," I breathed, my voice a hushed whisper between us. He leaned into my touch, leaned closer so that the tips of our noses brushed against each other. He was melting into me, the closer we became, and soon my chest pressed flush against his, a deep, scarlet blushed enveloping my features, causing the heat in my skin to rise. "Whatever happens, I've got your back. That's a promise."
His lips curved into a grin, not sheepish, nor demure, but one that spread quickly across his features, pulling forth a chuckle from my lips. He rubbed his nose against mine one last time before pulling away slightly, singular eye sweeping over my face, before pausing on my lips longer than anything else.
"For that, I'm grateful," he replied softly, brushing a bit of my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear. For once, he seemed perfectly at peace.
A devious grin curved my lips, and he raised a questioning brow as I shifted in his arms. It wasn't until after I pounced, knocking us both over and pinning him to the ground, that he truly realized my intentions, but the telltale blush on his face–a blush I could only see because of the moonlight reflected off his pale skin–told me that he was too willing. His hands found my waist, pulling my closer until my chest was flush against his, and I curled my fingers in his hair, dipping my head to brush my nose against his.
"You better be~"
He merely chuckled, leaning up to capture my lips with his. It was a hungry kiss, deep and passionate as his hand pressed against the small of my back, the other moving from my waist to cup my face within his palm. I hummed in delight, nails dragging along his scalp as he held me close, and I couldn't imagine a place I'd rather be than there in his arms.
I've got your back.