They said that thunderstorm brought forth sunshine the day after, just like what April's shower did to May's flower. I thought that thunderstorm wasn't frequent here in Thelua, unlike how it did in Feliose.

But the one last night, the drizzle last night – I am glad it happened.

I just hope it wouldn't last long and worsen.

A Tale from Thelua

[13] another sunny day in Thelua

When Lucy came to the reverie, she was already inside a tub filled with hot water and flower petals floating around her. The sunlight came through the small window near the ceiling, casting a pale-yellow light into the quiet bathroom. She blinked, picking up a petal and stared at it. She barely noticed the existence of one of her maids; the one who poured more hot water into the tub. The maid, Ange, gave her a vibrant smile upon meeting her eyes.

"Today is a good day, Your Highness" she chirped. "It is perfect for strolling around the garden."

Lucy then noticed the sunlit room and nodded. "Prepare my riding dress."

"Pardon?" The maid seemed surprised.

"One that is suitable for riding," Lucy said as she played with the rose petal, twirling it around. "I want to ride the horse."

Riding a horse. The idea suddenly popped in her head. She had heard about the stable before and about the horses, too. She rarely rode one back in Feliose, but she guessed she wanted to relieve the feeling where her hair was swept by the wind once again.

Her maid smiled. "Certainly, my lady."

The maid then exited the bathroom, leaving Lucy alone as she eyed the other floating rose petals. She sunk into the water, closing her eyes while her mind slowly tracing back to what happened a few nights ago. A night that felt like a thunderstorm and hurricane. A night that was a little bit too embarrassing to reminisce but couldn't help being reminded about it every now and then.

"Because I decided that I want to fall in love with you."

In love. Do people really have to decide whether they want to fall in love?

Natsu. Her husband. She was bound to him for life in this arranged marriage. She knew that love might have no place here, but she didn't want to believe it was true. And that was almost true, but she tried to reason with it, with him and tried to understand him. Yet, with all those talks that night, she was still unable to completely understand him.

What does decide mean? Do people really have to think whether to or not to fall in love? Or is it just him? Because it is Natsu?

She didn't understand.

Lucy rose to the surface, gasping for air and brushed away the water and rose petal that stuck on her face. She really needed a breather. A fresh air would be nice, and a change of scenery would even be better. That must be why she said she wanted to horse riding on a whim. To run even though she couldn't run. To escape from her mind temporarily.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she found Wendy sat on the edge of the bed while chatting with the maids. Her three maids were all in high spirit, it seemed. They all were having this bright smile and a slight blush as they giggled lightly.

"Ah, sister!" Wendy hopped from the bed and approached her. "I hear from Ange that you want to go horse riding this morning."

Lucy smiled at the girl. "Yes. Would you like to accompany me, Wendy?"

The girl had her whole face lit up. "I'd love to!"

"Go and change your dress, Wendy. I'll be waiting at the stable," Lucy said as she walked to the changing room. "Don't tell your brother about this, okay?"

Why?

"Why?" She asked.

Because I don't want to see him for the moment. Because I don't want to be reminded about that night. Because I want to forget it all.

If only Lucy could voice out all those words in her mind, but she didn't want Wendy to worry and the maids to know about it. No one needed to know about that matter more than him and her. If words were to spread about it, a rumor would spark and following it would be trouble and there would be the need to fix things.

She didn't want to fix something that could be prevented in the first place. She didn't want to start any problem. It was best to pretend that things were fine between them and that they were getting along just as fine as a newlywed couple would be.

"Natsu is currently busy with his paperwork," Lucy replied without really lying. "I don't think to ask him to go with us would do any good with his busy schedule."

Fortunately for her, Wendy nodded and left. It was reasonable, and she knew that Wendy knew about Natsu's relentless paperwork. He didn't even sleep in their bedroom last night. And so did the other previous night. The last time he slept there was a night after that night.

A night where she was being too emotional. A night where he saw her in her weakest state. A night where she realized how love tasted like.

It was sour, slightly sweet, but mostly bitter. Why do women pursue it, then?

She knew that love was not always beautiful. She knew that even though there was bitterness along the way, the sweetness would still come in the end. She knew all that, but she never expected it would feel, taste, like this. It felt like having a foreign thing forced down her throat into her body and it dwelled. Sometimes it made her feel good, sometimes it made her feel uneasy. Seeing him made her feel complicated – she was happy, yet she was nervous.

Maybe horse riding was a good choice, after all. It was a good chance to forget it all momentarily. It had been a long time since she went by herself to nature, feeling her mind being refreshed by it. The last time she rode a horse was on the third day of their marriage celebration day, which was almost a month ago. Since that day, she mostly busied herself in the library or exploring inside the palace.

"Sister, I'm sorry I make you wait."

Wendy's voice pulled Lucy back to the present. The girl quickly mounted the horse with a white coat and stood in line with her. "My nanny insisted on going with us, but I told her to stay a bit far from us. Is that alright?"

Lucy noticed the appearance of a woman who mounted another white-coated horse. She turned to Wendy. "It's fine. I've never explored the field so having native would be good in case we went too far."

Being too far wasn't the issue. Instead, she had planned on going as far as possible if she were riding by herself to explore the plains and bask in the sunlight freely. To let go of what burdening her shoulders, to let go of what constantly spinning in her head. But having Wendy's nanny wasn't a bad idea. She could still make them escape from her.

She turned to Wendy as she signalled her horse to take off.

"Shall we start, then?"

i'm back! thank you for waiting patiently these 4 months ^^ i'm so glad to be able to write again! and of course, thank you for your support!