A/N: We all know how the story ends; hopefully this isn't too OOC! ;)
It's less than a month later when the news comes. In that same timespan, Aria has spent nearly every single night meeting Phantom. She's spoken to him a lot more and a lot more plainly than to anyone else in the palace. Being with him is liberating in a way she never knew, and he's definitely a refreshing change from her humdrum routine of nobles and constant, plastered smiles. At least with Phantom, she can be herself.
It definitely helps that he's a great source of affection and companionship.
Today, for now, she has plenty of her mind when he arrives in a flurry of cards on her balcony.
"Evening." Phantom bows slightly as he removes his mask and makes his way in, looping her in an one-arm embrace as he does so, and guiding her towards the sofa.
"Evening." Aria grins as he brings her hand to his lips to kiss her fingers. Even after nearly a month - his effect on her is still marked and pronounced, her heart racing at the touch of his soft lips against her skin.
"Tell me what's wrong?" Phantom seems to sense her unease.
Aria blinks, and looks at him. She can't tell him about the Black Mage envoy coming tomorrow, to negotiate terms. She can't say anything, for she definitely doesn't want him to come to Ereve tomorrow.
Revealing to Phantom her meeting with the envoy will only convince him to protect her even more - and possibly jeopardise the talks just by being there. No, she cannot.
"The Black Mage's envoy is coming tomorrow." And so Phantom surprises her with his words. Aria looks up at him, eyes wide. "And you weren't planning on telling me." His voice is soft, but not chiding.
"Phantom -"
"We've had this conversation before. I don't approve of peace talks with the Black Mage. But -" he holds up a hand as she makes to interrupt. "But I believe in you. I may not trust him, but, I trust you." Phantom takes her hands in his. "I'll be nearby tomorrow."
"No, Phantom. We've had this conversation before. Please stay out of it."
"Aria - I'm worried for you."
"I need to prove myself. To show Elena and Rohile, and now, you, that talking works. Rohile, especially, is a big offender. Don't start on it, as well."
"Rohile's the tall blonde man, isn't he?" Phantom says, amused.
"Yes, but that's beside the point. I'm the Empress, Phantom, I know what I'm doing. Please."
"Who will be with you tomorrow?"
"As stipulated in the agreed terms when I first sent the letter at the start of the month. My advisors, and me."
"Is Rohile an advisor? He looks like a tough warrior."
"No, he's not. But Elena will be there with me, and so will the other advisors."
"I think Rohile likes you."
"Please, Phantom, are you even listening to me?" Aria asks, tugging on his hands.
"Yes, Empress, I am." Phantom sits up straight.
"Good. Then you know you mustn't be near the palace tomorrow. The last thing I want is for the Black Mage's envoy to think he's walking into a trap."
Phantom raises an eyebrow. "I hide very well, my Aria."
"Please." She's almost pleading now. "The talks have to go well, for the sake of Ereve." And if it means willingly endangering herself for the sake of her country, then she has to do what she must. Even she has to agree that meeting the envoy with only her advisors and without her main bodyguards in the same room is folly, but - Rohile and the rest of the guards are just outside. And Phantom -
She cannot bear the thought of anything happening to him.
"Rohile and the other guards will be outside the room." She says quickly, as if to reassure him.
"Then I'll wait outside with them."
"No, Phantom. You'll stay on the Lumiere, and you'll stay away. Promise me that." Aria says firmly, conviction in her tone.
Phantom just looks at her, his amethyst eyes meeting her cyan ones. For a moment she wonders whether he'll actually acquiesce, and then - he leans forward and presses his lips to hers.
He pulls apart just enough for her to smell and very nearly taste his sweet scent and breath on her, her senses suddenly hyperaware and her skin, sensitive at his proximity.
"I believe in you, Aria, and I will do as you say. Tomorrow, I'll be in the Lumiere, watching over you."
"Thank you, Phantom."
"Actually -" At this Phantom looks almost abashed, his hand idly ruffling his hair. "Come with me to the Lumiere?"
"Of course." Aria rises to her feet, and Phantom grins. Enfolding her in his arms, he teleports them to his ship.
"I wanted to show you something. When I was a boy -" Phantom all but drags her to the stern of the Lumiere, pulling her down onto one of the two plush cushions on the deck. "I loved looking at the stars."
"The stars? I never figured you had such a simple hobby." Aria looks at the cushions and at the wine glasses and bottle of wine on a small end table nearby. He's obviously planned this.
"That was when I wasn't rich, yet, you see." Phantom laughs.
Aria laughs.
"Regardless, I still enjoy looking at the stars. And now that you're here," Phantom holds their linked hands up. "We can look at the stars together."
"And drink wine." Aria tilts her chin in the direction of the wine glasses.
"Yes, and drink wine." Phantom echoes, and Aria watches as he brings his knees up to his chest and rests his free arm on them. She shifts until she's in a more comfortable position.
"Actually, if you don't mind, Empress. Stars are best enjoyed lying down." Phantom lies back down, pushing his cushion up as he props his head on his free arm. Aria just looks at him, which elicits another laugh. "The deck's clean, princess."
Aria swats at him playfully, and wriggles slightly until she's lying down beside him, her head resting on her cushion. "I'm not a princess."
"Right you are."
"I'm an Empress." Aria looks over at him. Phantom laughs. She continues in her mock tone of authority. "The Empress of Ereve, and of Maple World, in fact."
"So you're playing that game."
"What game?" Aria looks back at the stars as Phantom takes her hand in his.
"Now you're just being coy." He laces his fingers about hers. "I'm Master Thief Phantom, then. The best thief in the world."
"Still couldn't steal the Skaia." Aria quips.
"I did, but I returned it. There was zero challenge getting it from you." Phantom shifts to face her, propping himself up with one arm.
"Like I'll ever give it to you." Aria turns to face him, smiling prettily.
"We'll see about that. We have plenty of time, after all."
"So you're convinced that stealing the Skaia will be your greatest achievement?"
"Yes."
Aria giggles, and she ignores Phantom's confused look. "Then, I have a confession, my dear Master Thief Phantom."
"A confession?" Phantom's lips quirk up in a smile.
"About the Skaia. Remember when I said it was the most valuable treasure in Ereve?" Aria is grinning, now.
"I believe so, yes."
"I made it up." Aria peeks up at Phantom. For a moment his face is passive, and then his lips turn up in a a smile.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. All that talk about empress to empress, the right to rule, I made it all up. It's an heirloom, of course, but definitely not in that way."
Phantom laughs, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. Aria blushes and looks at the object in question, slung about her neck.
"So," Phantom begins. "You're telling me you made it up?" He uses a hand to lift the Skaia up, careful not to tug on it.
"Yes." Aria nods, blushing. His fingers are suddenly so close to her she's sure she's absolutely red.
"Or, you're making this up so I won't be tempted to steal it." Phantom turns the Skaia about lazily.
"Regardless of what I say, Master Thief Phantom, you'll still visit me every evening." Aria touches his nose with a finger.
"Regardless." A corner of his lips turn up in a knowing smile as he wriggles closer to her, closing the distance between them. "And it's not like you're complaining."
"No." Aria lets out a small sigh.
"What's wrong?" He trails a hand along hers and twines his fingers about hers.
"Nothing. I just wish that sometimes I wasn't the Empress of Ereve." She looks back at the sky. "Sometimes, I wonder what it's like to be a normal girl."
Phantom's silent for a moment as he looks at the sky, too.
"You can be Empress, and a normal girl." He's still looking at the sky.
"It's tough. And with the threat of the Black Mage... I made the rumour up just to see you, Phantom. And now I've brought you into all this." She pauses. "I'm sorry."
"Do not be sorry." Phantom presses his lips against her forehead. They're silent for a while, and then he chuckles against her. "I met you."
Aria pulls back slightly, but Phantom holds her close. "I don't regret anything, my dearest Aria."
"Are you certain? Nothing at all?"
"Nothing." He pulls her into a hug, his hands reassuring around her. "Why did you want to see me, then? You've lured me all the way to Ereve, where there's only trees and grass." He laughs against her.
"I was curious."
"Curious?" Phantom asks.
"About you. And now that I've finally met you -" Aria blushes.
"So, up to expectations or not?"
"You've defied them," Aria continues. "And you're not what I expected."
"Glad to know I'm out of the ordinary." Phantom pulls her close until the distance between them is gone. Aria's heart thuds so loudly she's afraid that he can hear it.
"Definitely." She says. Aria smiles as she tilts her head slightly until her lips find what they seek.
The touch of him is soft and yet electric, and Aria feels longing for him unfold as he pulls and holds her even closer. They kiss lying down on the deck of the Lumiere under the moonlight, and when they pull apart it's shy, sweet Aria who sits up and leans over him to kiss him back again on his cheek.
The Skaia, slung about her neck, rests on Phantom as he pulls her close to him, sitting up as he does so. His lips meet hers once more and it's as if all her inhibitions are gone. Whoever she is (the Empress of Maple World) and whoever he is (Master Thief Phantom) ceases to matter as they sit, intertwined, under the stars on the deck of the Lumiere. She runs her hands through his hair just as he runs his along her back, their lips never pulling apart as the kiss deepens.
Finally Phantom tears apart just enough to stand up, and to help her up, before his lips claim hers once again. They move, somewhat subconsciously, back indoors, and it's either pure coincidence or divine intervention that they find themselves against the door of the master bedroom.
The door is pushed aside as easily as Aria discards her worries and concerns and inhibitions, and their kisses and caresses only become more frantic. Suddenly Aria finds herself amazed and surprised by the depth of emotion and passion Phantom is showing - and of the depth of her feelings for him she had kept hidden until now.
Her heart is racing as she feels the back of her legs touch something hard; she hasn't realised they've moved towards the bed at all. But then Phantom stills, and pulls apart. The emotion across his reddened face is clear, his face and eyes questioning. "Are - you sure?"
Aria's about to give a flippant remark when she realises what he means. "Yes." Phantom has been nothing but gentlemanly throughout their courtship, and while she has hoped to meet him under better circumstances, fate works in strange ways.
She only wishes this can last. She's found true happiness, after all this while, in the arms of the very man she's supposed to persecute, the very man who's wanted for crimes. She's the Empress, and he's the Master Thief; but with each other, they're just Aria, and Phantom.
And so all thoughts of persecution and capture and duty flies out the window as Phantom pushes her gently down onto the bed.
Under the cover of darkness pierced only by moonlight the two lovers meet as one. Phantom is gentle, and he's honest and earnest.
Aria feels as if her entire world has changed, and a little spark of hope builds in her. For once in her life, she has something that's truly and honestly hers. She has Ereve, of course, and Maple World, but that's Empress Aria's. The actual Aria's world is small, consisting of Elena and Rohile and a bunch of other closer court officials, and now there's officially a new addition - Phantom. She wants to nurture that spark, to see it build into a scintillating, dazzling flame.
She can hardly wait. In the arms of her Master Thief Phantom, Aria falls asleep dreaming of a better tomorrow.