Guys, I am so sorry this one took so long and I'm sorry it's so short. I hit a bit of writer's block, and I got a new job.

I hope you enjoy! Thank you all for your feedback as well!

Chapter Five

The days went by for Mirasol without much excitement. She either milled around the house, laid in bed, or enjoyed cup after cup of Sanjay's tea. The two spoke every now and then, and Mirasol felt her nervousness begin to melt away. She spoke without blushing, she was unafraid to look in his eyes. They were becoming good friends.

The third day of Mirasol being at the exotic mansion, her nausea was almost gone and she could hold down more than a couple crackers and some water. She sat at the bar, watching Sanjay take care of the dishes.

"My favorite herb is lavender," he was telling her. "I love the scent and the floral taste. It's best for soothing headaches, insect bites, and relaxation in general." He put up the last dish, drying off his hands. "Not to mention the color is absolutely beautiful."

Mirasol loved listening to him speak. She'd gotten into the habit of asking questions on herbs or tea because when he got started, he wouldn't stop. He knew so much, could name all the uses, all the advantages, and would give her recipes. All the while she was paying more attention to the way his lips moved or his eyes lit up when he mentioned some of his favorites.

Sanjay turned around and placed his hands on the bar. His eyes wandered around the room for a moment, before they came to rest on Mirasol. "The ball is in about two weeks."

Mirasol nodded. "Do you think I'll be good enough to dance by then?"

"Of course. Honestly, I believe not many people in town know how to dance anyway."

Mirasol laughed. "That's true."

Sanjay studied her. Her skin was no longer the sickly white, and the color had returned to her cheeks. Since she'd been fallen ill her hair color had dulled—it was now back to the rich brown it had been.

You're so beautiful, he thought.

Mirasol glanced up at him abruptly. "What?"

Sanjay's stomach leapt. "Hm?"

They stared at each other with the same wide eyed expression, before Sanjay cleared his throat and looked down at his hands. Had he really said that out loud?

"I'm going to go see if Amir needs anything," he mumbled, and was quickly out the door.

Mirasol watched as the door swung shut, still gaping and red-faced. Did Sanjay really think she was beautiful?

Sanjay couldn't believe he'd actually made such a mindless mistake. He thought that was something that only happened in movies. His mind raced thinking about what Mirasol must have thought the moment it had slipped, and his face heated up every time he thought of it. Was that enough to let her know he actually had feelings for her?

He went to Amir for help.

After he'd admitted what he'd done, he stared angrily, arms crossed, at his friend who bent over laughing, hooting and slapping his knee. When he was done, he wiped his eye with a finger. "Sanjay, oh Sanjay. You are too funny."

"I'm being serious, Amir," Sanjay replied, not amused.

"Oh, I know, Sanjay. But don't you realize? Women love hearing such compliments. You should have told her much before now."

Sanjay's eyebrows knitted together.

Amir could see his servant's confusion. "Think about it, Sanjay. What if she'dtold youshe thought you were beautiful?"

Sanjay continued to look at his friend.

"I mean, if you were a woman, of course. And she was a man."

He blinked.

"Okay, okay okay. Never mind. Forget it." Amir waved a hand through the air. "What I'm saying is, she's probably thinking about it right now too. But in a good way. She's probably feeling all tipsy and twirly, or however it is women feel. Don't worry about it."

Sanjay was trying very hard not to worry about it. But when he made his way through, he made sure to peer quietly around the corners of the hallways before going down them, and he dared not enter any rooms without being sure Mirasol wasn't in them. At one point he'd heard her leaving her room, and had taken off in the opposite direction as quickly as he could to avoid any further embarrassment.

When the sun was making its descent down the sky, and Sanjay was preparing for bed, he stared out the window at a large oak tree that sat not too far away from the palace.

I bet I could climb that tree, and never come back down, he thought.

He was so afraid to speak to Mirasol tomorrow.

"Sanjay! Sanjay!"

Sanjay's eyes shot open to see Mirasol looming over him, and shaking him vigorously.

"What? What?"

"Come on! Hurry!" She grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of bed, while he clasped at his sleep robes, stumbling along behind her.

He ran behind her all the way past the kitchen and out the back door, and onto the porch. She stopped and let go of his arm, pointing out across the field and grinning at him in the growing light.

He drowsily followed the direction of her arm, looking past the grand oak tree, across the pool. Farther along, he saw a figure, standing still in the morning glow. He squinted, shielding his eyes to study the figure: the long, emerald hair, the lazuli dress, the way the sunlight seemed to project from it.

"It's the Harvest Goddess," Mirasol whispered.

He looked down at her. The way she was grinning up at him, the way her eyes were gleaming in the sunrise. His breathing shallowed.

"What do you think it means?" She murmured.

He could only look down at her. He knew what it meant, immediately knew what the Goddess was doing out there. He'd read the books, he'd heard it from the people that lived in town.

She saw his features soften, watched the creases between his brows disappear, and she knew it too.

Sanjay and Mirasol were meant to be.

He broke into a grin, and it was all he could do not to grab her and kiss her then.

He took ahold of her wrist and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. She smiled into his chest, inhaling his herbal scent. She grasped the front of his robes, pressing her face into him and pulling him closer.

Neither of them had ever felt more at home.

Across the field, the Harvest Goddess smiled at the two.

Aaron and Alice danced around her feet, yelping.

"Calm down, you two," she said down to the sprites. "I barely even did anything."

All she'd done was urge Mirasol easily out of her bed. From there, she'd sat back and enjoyed the show. She could feel both of their emotions wafting across the field, and she knew that all she had to do now was wait for the right moment, no matter how long it took.