Apple of My Eye
Jittery fingers fumbled as he struggled to secure his silk tie. No matter how much he repositioned it, it either didn't loop correctly or the lengths were not proportionate. Each attempt pulled out soft frustrated growls while his friend snickered behind him.
"Tell me, Clarus, had you been such a mess as I feel now?"
"No," he blurted out. "But my circumstance was a bit different than yours."
Clarus walked up behind Regis and adjusted the king's jacket since it sat a bit lopsided. Then he whipped a handkerchief and patted the back of the Regis's neck. "You need to relax, Reggie. Otherwise you'll drown in your own sweat."
"You're not being helpful," Regis mildly pouted while trying to maintain his sophistication. Pushing the knot close to his neck, he finally achieved success in the battle against the tie.
"I'm off the clock," came the friendly banter. "Right now I'm your friend, not your advisor."
"I need the advisor. How about one last advice for the night. Words of encouragement."
Clarus leaned in next to Regis's ear while staring at his terrified features through the mirror and whispered, "Don't fuck it up."
. . .
Standing outside of the large double doors, Regis closed his eyes as he reached out with shaky arms. With one last calming breath, he demanded of himself to pull it together. Straightening his back and puffing his chest out, he pushed one of the doors open. The dining table, covered with an elegant red cloth, held an elegant candelabra. The flames swayed at the slightest draft passing by. The empty dishes meant that food had not arrived yet. He resisted frowning as eating and a bit of small talk could have bought him more time to plan out his approach. Although the delay could serve to fray his nerves even more.
Casting his gaze across the room, he finally laid his eyes on the women who had captivated his affection. Aulea stood on the balcony staring at the full moon. Her dark brown curls cascaded over her pale shoulders. The crystal pin that held some of her thick locks back glistened through the dark. Regis felt his heart flutter again as a knot began tightening in his stomach. How was it that in their childhood he could divulge all of his fantasies and secrets to her yet now he seemed to have been at a loss for words? Brushing his hand against his pocket, he verified that the little box was still secured.
It's now or never, Reggie, he could almost hear Clarus taunting him. Facing death on the battlefield no longer seemed as daunting.
Shoving his fears aside, Regis found his regality and gracefully walked across the room to the open glass doors. His footsteps must have rang heavily one the marble floor, for Aulea need not turn around to know Regis was behind her.
"Beautiful night, wouldn't you say, Your Majesty?"
Peering at the full moon, he replied, "Indeed it is, My Lady."
Aulea refused to hold back her giggles at his formality. "There once was a time you referred to me as spoiled child."
Regis returned a small chuckle at the memories. "You were a bit spoiled. You had a knack for manipulating me for your desires. Like that time you requested that I climbed that tree just so you could have an apple. Mind you it could not be one of the low hanging fruit. You insisted I climbed nearly to the highest branch."
"I actually had forgotten about that," she confessed.
Silence passed between them as Regis found himself lost in his muddled mind. The different speeches he had practiced became strewn into a jumbled mess. He had fallen so far into his cavernous thoughts that he nearly missed Aulea's voice reaching out to him.
"I apologize. You said somethi…," Regis lost his voice as he turned to stare into the Aulea's steel blue eyes. However he had to avert his gaze down for she now kneeled before him, holding up an open box in which sat a silver band engraved with a circle with rays extending outward as if it were the sun. In the circle sat a brilliant diamond. Shock gripped him, rendering him as though a statue.
"I said 'I had a new request. For you to bestow an apple of a different kind,'" she repeated. A sly smile pulled at her lips as she relished in the king's frozen features.
As his mind regained clarity his brows knitted together in a bit of a disappointed frown.
"Clarus spoiled the surprise," he accused.
"I believe the surprise was mine to have," Aulea teased. "Besides it was difficult for him to keep the secret when I kept prying for information as to why you summoned me. He also feared you might be too tongue-tied and the dinner would end without the proposal. I'm afraid you are a bit too predictable."
Regis extended his hands and carefully guided Aulea to her feet, so her face was closer to his. Holding the ring up she asked with a glint of knowing in her eyes, "will you be my husband?"
Smiling softly he whispered, "Anything for my queen." Tilting her chin back, Regis leaned in and gently pressed his mouth against her pink lips all the while planning out how he would murder his most trusted Crownsguard later.