"Meet me by the Ressan Tree. Tonight." That's all the note on her bed said. It wasn't signed, but she was familiar enough with the messy handwriting to know that it was Jack who wrote the message. Jack...
They returned to Radiata Castle not even a few nights ago. The initial uproar of the two traitors(well, one, officially, since her father, Jasne, wouldn't stand for Ridley being a traitor and instead blamed it on Jack.) returning to the Castle died down unexpectedly fast. Lord Larks had hurried the two into his chambers where he questioned them unbelievably thoroughly. Jack was pardoned of being a traitor and was allowed to once again live in his house on the Path of Swords and Wisdom. Rumors say that you could hear the party at Theater Vancoor that night all the way in Void Community.
She hadn't gotten a chance to speak with him since then, as the political drama was simply too much to handle, and it seemed as every person in the castle required her presence for one question or another or to debate some message to send to the nonhumans.
Really, the stress was becoming ridiculous.
She looked at the clock. It was a few minutes past six thirty. Night would fall soon. Ridley turned and left her room and took the quickest, least populated route out of the Castle. By some grace of the Gods, she managed to get out without anyone demanding her immediate attention. Once she breached the gates, she almost literally ran to the nearest street to get into the town before some official or royal came running out after her.
By some grace of the Gods, she escaped further.
The sun was setting in the distance, painting the sky a beautiful array of colors. As Ridley walked, she vaguely pondered how Jack got into the Castle, her room no less, and deposited the message without trouble. It occurred to her later that he probably had gotten someone else to do it.
Ridley finally arrived at the exit that lead to Fort Helencia as the moon began to rise. She quickened her pace. Luckily, it wasn't a far walk from the gate to the Ressan Tree. Ridley arrived at the fork in the road and turned. The Ressan Tree rested atop a hill, and she stood for a moment admiring the silhouette of the great tree in the moonlight. Jack was waiting for her there.
At least, he better be. It honestly wouldn't surprise her if he was late. She started up the hill.
- - -
Jack sat at the base of the Ressan Tree. The moon had just begun shining brightly in the sky. He was slightly worried about talking to Ridley... not that he didn't know what he wanted to say, no, actually he knew EXACTLY what he wanted to say, just not how to say it. After he pestered the castle guards to get Leonard out at the gate, and then pestering Leonard to get the message to Ridley, he had spent all day trying to work out what to say.
Damn it! Why did she have to leave the first time they were here?! He had it worked out perfectly, then! The exact words, the exact movements, all up until the moment where he leaned in and... Jack blushed. But, now... he couldn't think of anything!
He heard footsteps. His inner panic grew but he did his best to put on a calm face. Surely enough, Ridley had arrived at the Tree at last.
"Heya Ridley!" He called smiling broadly.
"Hello, Jack." She smiled in return. Jack suddenly felt warm on the inside. "What did you want to talk about?"
Jack blushed immediately, and was glad for the darkness covering his face. "I haven't seen you for days!"
Ridley crossed her arms, "They haven't given me a second to even breathe at the Castle since we've returned. As soon as I got your message, I left before another official could try and waste my time."
Jack laughed. "Why don't you sit down?"
Ridley walked over and sat next to Jack. The two were silent for a time, staring into the night watching as the stars slowly appeared across the inky black sky. Jack sat flustered, still desperately trying to figure out the right words to piece together what he's been trying to say to her ever since he left his home to follow her to the City of Flowers.
He looked over at her. The moonlight was illuminating her beautifully opalescent face, and he could see the moon itself sparkling in her eyes, and her hair light up as if glowing. "Hey, Ridley..." He started. Ridley turned her head. Jack gulped, staring deep into her bright green eyes.
"Yes, Jack?"
"I, uh... I wanted to tell you... why I've been protecting you all of this time." He said attempting to suppress the nervousness in his voice.
Ridley looked confused, to say the least.
"When we were at Fort Helencia, I thought a lot about whether or not what we were doing was the right thing, and I honestly questioned myself a lot. But I stayed because I wanted to protect you. And I wanted to protect you because..." Jack swallowed, "Well... I like to see you smile."
Ridley blushed. "Wh... what?"
"That's it, really. I... I'd do pretty much anything as long as it would make you smile."
"Jack..." Ridley smiled softly.
"And... er, there was one other thing..."
Ridley waited, smiling gently.
"I... er, that is to say... uh... I... love you." He leaned in slightly at first, watching the surprise in her eyes, then suddenly and shakily transversed the rest of the distance between them and planted his lips firmly on hers. He didn't exactly mind when she began to return his affection.