A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed, I appreciate your comments more than you know! So please, keep em' coming! As for this chapter, well...Let's just say I'm excited/nervous to see the reviews for this one! Enjoy! Oh, and also, I don't own Eros OR Psyche, sadly enough for me.
Oh, and a side-side note, EvanderEros. It switches around a bit, because Psyche only knows Eros as Evander, but any time you see the name Evander it means Eros. Okay, I'm done now, happy reading!
When Psyche arose the next morning, she found her thoughts to be lingering on the meeting she'd had the night before. A small smile touched her lips as she thought of how inexplicably drawn she'd been to him. And then at the memory of her awkward little squawk when he had touched her cheek made her cheeks burn bright red, and she slapped a hand to her forehead. What a fool. You would think that a man had never touched her! Well truthfully, no man ever had touched her, except for her father and a few of the preening peacock princes who had tried to woo her. She lifted her hand to the cheek he'd touched and the smile spread into a silly grin.
As Psyche's mind was occupied with thoughts of the night before, Hesper walked in and noted the look on her mistress' face. With a muffled giggle, she cleared her throat, breaking the princess' momentary reverie. "Did you have a good time last night, my lady?" Hesper asked, her tone coy.
Psyche blushed prettily and nodded, chuckling to herself. "Yes, it was quite nice," she replied simply, trying not to appear too eager.
Hesper groaned, spinning the desk chair around to face Psyche. "Oh, come now! There must have been more to it than that, I know that look on your face."
Losing her cool composure, Psyche grinned broadly. "Oh, Hesper, he's not at all what I imagined! I cannot describe what it is like to be around him, I felt as though I were enchanted, but not in a bad way, like I couldn't help but be a little closer to him, be in his presence just a little more. And the way he speaks to me is so kind, and almost…familiar, in a way. It's as though he's known me far longer than I've known him." Psyche spoke a mile a minute, and Hesper chuckled at her mistress' obvious excitement.
"I'm happy your first encounter with one another went so well, my lady. I have to admit, I was a little worried, considering the circumstances, but it's wonderful that things have gone so well!" Helping the princess out of her bed, she readied Psyche for the day.
Psyche spent the day roaming through her new home, exploring. She'd never seen so many grand rooms, so much gold and silver and priceless gems. No expense had been spared on this palace of dreams, though she could not keep herself from wondering what funded this magnificent place. She knew that most men with this sort of money were born into it, however from what she heard in the gossips, he was always out working during the day. A working nobleman? Perhaps he was even more than a nobleman, judging by the luxuriousness of the palace. Nevertheless, the idea was ludicrous.
The staff was very kind and always willing to bend over backwards to please her, obviously at Evander's orders. While walking through the castle with Hesper, she noted how efficiently the palace was run. "It's practically like clockwork," Psyche observed.
Hesper nodded, pleased. "As any good household should be. Especially considering that the staff has only been working together for about a month now, but the master spared no expense and hired only the best."
Psyche turned to her maid and frowned. "Only working together for a few short weeks? But how can that be? Most palaces like this have been running for years and years."
Hesper pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Well, the master had purchased the palace and hired us about four weeks ago. In that time, the palace was being readied, the rooms being redone and furnished to his exact specifications. All for you, princess." Psyche couldn't help but blush, an annoying habit she seemed to have picked up lately, and Hesper laughed. "It would seem, my lady, that you have quite an ardent admirer in your future husband."
Psyche's mind swam at Hesper's comment, the corners of her mouth upturned. "I do hope so, Hesper, I do hope so."
The rest of the day was spent in Psyche's favorite spot in the palace; the gardens. Filled with exotic, fragrant blooms in every shade, Psyche felt as though she were in one of the gardens on Mount Olympus, rather than an earthly garden, for the blooms were so ethereal and lovely that she couldn't ever imagine them blooming from the dry Grecian soil. As the sun set and nighttime neared, Psyche's heart fluttered. The closer night drew, the closer she felt to him, as though Selene coaxed him from hiding. Peering into the mirror and scrunching her nose at her reflection, she made sure her hair was all in place, which it was, and had been all day.
Perched gingerly atop the railing on the balcony, Hesper waited along with her mistress, and was nearly as eager as Psyche was. When there was a knock on the door, Hesper flew off of the railing, her long legs carried her swiftly to the door. There was a brief exchange of hushed words, and when she closed the door again, her large hazel eyes held the message that Psyche had feared would come. "I'm sorry to say, my lady, but unfortunately the master cannot make it back to you this evening. He sends his apologies, and asks your forgiveness," Hesper recited, her tone apologetic.
Psyche's shoulders drooped as she sat back onto the bed. "Oh, it's alright. I wasn't expecting much anyway," she lied, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. How foolish to be disappointed, she scolded herself internally, what did you suppose he would do? Have a night of wonderful conversation before he swept you off of your feet? This is what comes from silly thoughts like that! He is just your betrothed, that doesn't mean he's in love with you.
As Psyche gave herself a stern, silent talking to, Hesper sat beside her on the bed and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Don't think on it too much. I should've warned you, the master is away on business quite often, sometimes for days on end. He'll most likely be back within the week, if not sooner." Psyche looked to the girl and nodded with a reluctant smile. That night Psyche's dreams were filled of thoughts of the mysterious man who called himself Evander.
As Hesper had predicted, Evander did not return right away. But each night he was gone he would send Psyche notes, apologizing for being away and promising to return soon. He would sometimes send her little gifts, and one morning she awoke to large bouquets of irises filling her room. In the meantime, she and Hesper grew into fast friends, for Hesper was the only diversion she had in a large palace filled only with busy servants. She also managed to get a general sense of how her grand new home was laid out, which was a relief, for she had often found herself lost within the large palace. For the most part, she and Hesper spent their days outside in the garden, basking in the sun's loving rays.
As it neared a week of Evander's absence, Psyche found herself alone in her room. Hesper had gone to attend to some things around the palace as Psyche bathed, and now she sat on the balcony gazing at the moon. Her long dark hair rippled down her back in thick, heavy curls, bathed in silver by the moonlight. Her chin was tipped up to the heavens in reverence for the night sky's sheer beauty, and she took a deep breath inward, feeling so calm and at peace.
"What a beautiful picture," a voice behind her murmured quietly, as not to frighten her. She knew the voice in an instant, and her heart leaped. She turned to face Evander's large, shadowy figure. He leaned against one of the posters of her bed, openly admiring her. To her irritation, she felt herself flush again.
"Excuse me, sir, but I do not believe I know you. Have we met before?" she asked, her brows knit together in wide-eyed confusion, though her voice was coy. Eros chuckled, his laughter a low rumble.
"Alright, alright, I get it." He lowered his head, contrite. As Psyche neared him, he took her hands in his own, "I'm so sorry for leaving you alone for so long. I truly didn't mean to be away that long," he apologized, his tone more serious this time. Psyche barely noticed as the silken curtains fluttered closed behind her, obscuring more of the moonlight from seeping into the room, and also obscuring her view of him.
She was touched by his apology, and somehow she knew that he wished he had been there just as badly as she did. "Thank you," she replied, inclining her head. "It wasn't so bad, I suppose. Hesper and I found ways to divert ourselves, we quite enjoyed the garden."
Eros quirked an eyebrow at her, a smile playing upon his lips. "Well then, if you and Hesper were enjoying yourselves without me, then maybe I should leave you two to have the palace to yourselves once more!" He enjoyed teasing her solely to see the laughter dance in her eyes.
Psyche laughed, shaking her head. "To be quite honest, my lord, I would rather you stayed here, with me." Her reply cut through the joviality and hung over them like a thick blanket. They stood there, hands still clasped tightly, staring through the darkness at one another.
"You would have me stay, then, my princess?" he asked, his tone husky. Psyche stared up into his face, yearning to see what lay behind the dark space between them. She nodded, unable to speak, only to gaze at him so intently that he felt she could truly see him. Moving slowly, he brought his hands up and gently cupped her face. One hand held her cheek as the other smoothed her hair from her forehead, his fingers lingering on her temples as they lightly caressed the skin of her cheek all the way down to the top of her neck and the soft under part of her chin.
He was unhurried as he held her face there, his other hand moving behind her neck. However, she was completely frozen, as though her body was made of lead and all she could do was stand there, though she willed herself to do something…anything. But her mind stopped racing as she saw the silhouette of his head nearing hers. Closing her eyes instinctively, she felt his breath come in gentle puffs against her skin as he lingered just inches away from her face, his thumb caressing her cheek gently. She waited for what seemed an eternity until finally she felt his lips upon hers, cool and gentle. Her breath caught in her chest as he kissed her, tenderly but unyielding. His mouth moved softly upon her lips, but as it was her first kiss, she couldn't help but feel painfully inexperienced.
He realized he should avoid going too far, as not to frighten her with anything too sudden, he reluctantly pulled his lips from hers. She remained in the same position she had been, her eyes closed as she leaned up toward him, her lips now slightly parted. His heart swelled at the sight of her, so open and welcoming to him. Moving his hand to her hair, he twined his fingers in its silk as he held her to his chest, caught in a moment too sweet, too precious to give up.
Psyche felt as though she were in Elysium, for nothing she had ever experienced had been so utterly wonderful. She moved her arms around his waist and held him lightly, a small, satisfied sigh emitting from her as she did. With her head pressed to him, she could feel the laugher vibrate in his chest. He groaned, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"Oh, my dear girl, you will be the end of me," he stated affectionately, playing with a dark curl.
"I do hope not, for I fear that I would be quite lonely," she replied, muffled into his chest. Again, laughter rumbled deep in his chest. He squeezed her gently, then pulled her back to look at her.
"Perhaps I should leave more often, I like the greeting I get when I come home," he said slyly, her response a playful little pinch. "Come, shall we go for a walk through the palace?" He asked, offering his arm in the most gentlemanly fashion. She took it daintily, perching her arm atop his and laughing. The couple strolled through the palace, talking well into the night and until the morning, where Eros left his princess with the promise to visit her again the following night.