Authors Note: A BIG "Thank you!" to my new followers! I am so happy to see everyone enjoying the beginnings of what I hope to be a wonderful woven piece of work. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to PM me. :-)
Chapter 4
Natsuki stood expectantly in front his room door, waiting patiently for Momo to turn the handle. She was tall, and the top of her head lightly touched his chin when he leaned in close. He caught hints of raspberry, sweet pea, and watery pear when he took a deep breath. Natsuki desperately wanted to bury his nose into her golden strands and get lost in her scent, but as quickly as the moment came it went.
"Do you like it?" She smiled sweetly, her side pony tail swishing as she cocked her head waiting for Natsuki's reply.
While the room wasn't very large, it was intimate. The walls had painted murals of fields of wild flowers, to his left with its left length side against the wall sat a queen-sized bed with honey colored Egyptian cotton sheets. It was adorned with adorable plush animals, and a beside lamp shaped like his beloved Piyochan. Glancing to his right was a flat screen television, and a plethora of films for him to indulge in.
"I did some research about your likes and dislikes, so I hope you feel at home here!" She grinned, clasping her hands behind her back.
Momo stood before him, the light from the sliding glass door leading to the wrap around balcony shining behind her. She wore a pair of light blue overalls; a pastel colored shirt was visible under her overall straps, on her feet were matching daffodil yellow flats, and around her dainty ankle a hung a bracelet containing tiny charms.
In one swift movement, he had wrapped his arms around her slender figure. His right hand found itself on the small of her back, while his left cupped her cheek softly. She gasped at his reaction, shivering at his velvety touch. His forest green eyes bore into her as her mind began to reel with what could be potentially happening next. Momo's mouth slightly hung ajar as she felt his cold forehead press against her own, the tip of their noses barely touching. Key lime pie, lemon crème, and blends of cranberry wafted into her air passages.
"It's perfect. Thank you for putting so much thought into it." He murmured as he closed his eyes and left a butterfly kiss on her forehead. Momo's temple began to burn from the mark that he had left.
"Natsuki!" She stated as she wrapped her arms lovingly around his waist pressing her cheek into his hard chest. Natsuki gasped, having been caught off guard by her reaction. She could hear a deep chuckle escape his lips happily returning her hug. His right thumb and forefinger picked up her chin, forcing her to look back up at his handsome features. He could get lost in her ocean blue eyes for ages if she would let him.
"It seems you know a lot more about me, then I do you. Why don't we take time this evening to get to know each other?" Natsuki asked throwing her a dazzling smile. Momo's cheeks became flushed at his request, only able to nod in response. Another warm laugh escaped his perfect lips as he let her go and turned to attend to his baggage.
Why did you have to let me go…?
oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo
A sweet melody erupting from ivory and ebony keys could be heard as Masato gracefully descended the stairs. He stopped in his tracks, and closed his eyes. He felt his chest swelling with emotion as the keys frolicked from one note to another. The composition reminded him of an internal struggle, a battle with one self, being torn in one direction and then another just to tumble into an abyss of loneliness and misunderstanding. The tones began to become soft and uncertain for the next few measures, before erupting back into a confident rhythm. Before realizing where his feet had taken him, he stood before the grand piano he had set his eyes on earlier. Vanessa's long straight haven hair swayed as she moved her body as she played. The wide-open windows enveloped her with warmth and flecks of rays.
Her eyes were closed, loosing herself in the music that she was playing. Her exquisite fingers like ballerina's dancing pirouettes from one key to the next. Masato was enthralled with her passion as she played. His eyes began to water as he imagined what her song meant to her. It took him on a journey that ended uplifting him from a dark place. The playing suddenly came to a screeching halt.
"How long have you been watching me?" She asked, her chocolate colored eyes cold and unwavering. Masato's left eye twitched at her question.
"You are talented." He stated, ignoring her. "That wasn't my question." She spat back him, sneering at his insolence. His royal demeanor isn't going to fool me. Believing he can ignore me.
Masato's shoulder slumped from his perfect posture, and took a seat beside her on the piano and began to play. His long flexible fingers gliding from one key to another, breathing deeply, inhaling the aroma of night blooming jasmine, sheer lavender and blue violet. Scents that reminded him of a moonlight path in a gorgeous garden. A daydream began to form of Vanessa standing in the moonlight path, glancing back at him. Her olive skin extenuated in the rays of the lunar planet above. The grand piano began to sing the song of Masato's daydream.
An invisible force brought Vanessa's right hand reaching for Masato's bangs, captivated by his intensity as he played. His eyes were closed, focused and determined to prove that he understood what it felt to be angry and lost.
Masato began to smile as he felt Vanessa's delicate touch brushing his bangs from his forehead. It was the moment of understanding he was looking for. He slowly retracted his strong hands from the grand piano and turned to her.
Vanessa's eyes sparkled, her cold stare now having turned into a pool of molten chocolate lava. They were warm, kind, and hopeful. They took Masato's breath away.
"Would you like to join me at an art gallery opening tonight?" Vanessa asked without hesitation feeling drawn to Masato. Somehow all the worries she carried had been washed away when she heard him play. She clasped her hand over his own, causing Masato's chest to swell.
Without skipping a beat Masato replied, "It would be an honor to escort you tonight." Vanessa smiled in response, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry for being so straight forward, I…" Masato stopped her by pressing his index finger against her lips and shaking his head. Her lips were tender, lush, and so much like his beloved Harukas'. His heart ached as he wished that this moment would be with her instead of Vanessa, when suddenly Vanessa's lips curved to give the tip of his finger a butterfly kiss. His eyes grew wide at her reaction, snapping him out of his thoughts. His cheeks became flushed as he took in the curves of her heart shaped face.
Vanessa leaned back, "We will depart tonight after dinner." She stated getting up from the piano bench, and walked away with her hands clasped in front of her. Her stride was slow yet purposeful, and her head was held high. It reminded Masato of a swan gliding across his moonlit pond.
oooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo
Cecil and Gabriella leaned against the railing of the balcony, looking across the ocean on to the horizon. Gabriella took a deep breath inhaling the salty beach air, closing her eyes while she did so. It allowed her to focus for her first love – the sea. Cecil couldn't help but find himself staring at her pleasant features. She carried an aura of royalty about her, that attracted him to her.
"Gabriella, are you from Florida?" Cecil asked, stepping a bit closer.
Gabriella opened her eyes, and continued watching the waves roll on to the sand. "No, I am not. Why do you ask?" she replied.
"The way you look at the ocean is as if you were looking upon the eyes of a lover." Cecil answered softly, waiting for reaction a small part of him hoping he was wrong.
Gabriella smiled, "You are rather intuitive Prince Aijima." Gabriella stated. "To elaborate on my statement, you and I aren't very different. Both of us come from places far away, and have a set future that has been planned for us while we were in the womb."
Cecil grimace suggested that he was puzzled by her words. "What are you suggesting Gabriella?"
"Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is Gabriella Kahananui and the direct descendant of Chief Kamehameha." After her bow and curtsy, she looked up to find Cecil on the ground bowing before her.
"You must be appalled by my behavior Princess! I do not make the people of my country Agnapolis justice. Please forgive me." He squeaked, his words muffled by him facing the ground. Gabriella giggled as a response. "Get up, you dork!" she stated helping him get back on his feet.
"You confuse me, Princess Gabriella!" Cecil gasped. "Listen, my father will want me to take over our tribe, but it isn't this formal. Hawaiian royalty and such is a thing of a past, it's more for us to keep our traditions as a culture."
Gabriella stepped close to Cecil, her palms on his sculpted chest. She could feel goosebumps emerging underneath her hands as she pressed them into his pectorals. "I will just show you sometime. It will make more sense." She stated calmly, never allowing her almond shaped eyes to stray from his emerald ones. He smelled of baklava, sand, and nuts – it reminded Gabriella of the desert. She could drift into 1000 Arabian nights with this prince before her, and her heart responded with a loud thud as she daydreamed.
Gabriella felt Cecil's hands snake themselves around her waist, drawing her closer to him. "I've wanted to do this from the moment I saw you…" He whispered delicately into her ear. Her knees abruptly became weak at his words, his strong arms kept her upright. Gabrielle feel his forearms muscles pressed into her back, if she could melt into his embrace at this moment she would happily do so.
