Lucienne sighs as she plucks the weed out of her small garden, her dreaded expression doesn't escape Kalani's eyes.
He, the man who saved her life, is a prince of the empire. She should have known about this sooner, how can she be so careless and forget about what that man referred to him as?
When he told her who he was, the bluenette could see how the walls around him were slowly cracked. Deep in his eyes, a hint of annoyance and disappointment, like he never wanted her to know. Was it really that bad for her to learn this piece of information?
"Is something wrong, Lucienne?"
She jolts, turning to her mentor with confusion fills her eyes. Kalani says nothing, waiting for her answer. Her young lady has always been the person who wears her heart on her sleeves, just with the look on her face, she already knows what is troubling her.
"Lady Kalani…" should she even tell her about what happened that night?
"Lucienne, you snuck out a couple of nights ago, right?"
The bluenette startles at the accusation but she remains silent. Nothing can go through Kalani's eyes, especially when it comes to her.
"No, I shouldn't have said that. The man left his horse in front of our house, so that couldn't be counted as sneaking out…" she hums "So, who was it?"
"I-it's the man who saved me before. He was very nice and kind and gentle…"
The starseer doesn't know how to respond to this. Without her asking a follow-up question, the young maiden already gives her answer. In her eyes, the Prince of Hittite is a good person who saved her life. Curses him for making such a good impression, even if Kalani wants to talk her out of this, those dreamy blue eyes hold such strong conviction about that man that it's hard for her to do so.
"Well, did you say thank you?"
"Yes, but I also upset him…" she sighs, stopping what she is doing.
With such honesty coming from her, Kalani wonders what happened between them.
"He asked if I was going to treat him differently if I learn who he is…" she fidgets in her seat, playing with her fingers "And then, he told me that he is the prince of this empire…"
The woman freezes at her words, unsure if she is hearing them right. The young prince revealed his identity to her, but why?
Is this some kind of trick? To guilt her student for making him say that? Or is he planning to use his power to influence Lucienne? It can not be that simple, him telling her about his royal lineage.
"Somehow, I could see the disappointment in his eyes…" Lucienne stares at the herbs "Like he doesn't want me to know about it…"
Now Kalani understands why her student is wearing such a dreadful face. Of course, Zannanza doesn't want her to know. Anyone who knows about his royal lineage treats him differently, whether they are traders of Kanesh City, or the people in town. To them, they have to be privileged enough just to get close to him.
With Lucienne, however, it is he who seeks her. She is one of the rare people who treats him differently, unaware of his high social status. While she shows respect to everyone, just like how Kalani has taught her, it feels genuine, like she is looking at him as if he is just a normal human she sees every day.
Kalani can it now, why he came to the forest that night to meet Lucienne and why her student is being the way she is right now. Maybe she can use this chance to tell the bluenette to get away from him, to stay away from that hustle life. The starseer wants her small lady to be happy and she doesn't see a good way for Lucienne to become a part of the royal family.
But when she sees the sad expression on her face, Kalani bites her inner cheek, not knowing what to say. Her student, the small lady, is infatuated by him. It's still too soon, Kalani might be able to persuade her out of that small crush Lucienne harbors for the young Prince. And yet, somehow, she can not bring herself to say that…
The starseer sighs, she is going to hate herself later for this…
"Well, do you see him differently?"
Lucienne is caught off guard by the question. With one hand resting on her cheek, the bluenette sighs, thinking about what Kalani asked her. Whether he is a prince or a peasant, Zannanza is still Zannanza, blond hair glows underneath the sun, amber eyes glow like fire, his playful smile somehow brings such a wave of tranquility to her heart.
"No, not at all…" she shakes her head "He was the one who saved me from that man. I can't even thank him enough…"
"Then there's nothing to worry about, right?" Kalani pats her head lightly "I'm sure he will come and see you soon."
"Lady Kalani…?"
"Can you do me a favor and grab the herbal scroll for me? The one on the second shelf to the right?"
Lucienne nods her head and walks back into the house, unaware that her mentor is walking towards the woods with both hands on her hips, observing.
"You can go back and report to him."
The shadow that is lurking behind the trees steps out, glancing at the starseer. Kalani knits her brows, she never thought that there would be a day when she met this woman again.
"Kalani, so you know that I'm here…"
"Of course, Adelle. I can sense your presence. You're here because of his order, aren't you?" Adelle stays silent as the starseer continues "You heard her. Go back and tell him to man up instead of running away after a small ruckus like that."
******************************************************************************
"... and that's what she said, Your Highness."
Zannanza is sitting on the railing, looking at the courtyard. It had been a couple of days since he last saw her that night, feeling awkward to meet her after that conversation. He didn't give her a chance to answer. Instead of listening to one, he decided that she should go home.
He acted in his own interest without considering what she had to say…
"That's enough, Adelle. Thank you for your report."
The retainer looks at her master, observing. Prince Zannanza has many women willing to be his lovers yet he chooses no one, of all the princes of Hittite, he is the only one without a consort or a concubine. Every time the King asks him to think about his future more and that he should start looking for a wife, the young prince just replies with a cheeky smile.
When they first met Yuuri, Prince Kail's concubine, Adelle noticed the fondness in her master's eyes. Lady Yuuri the Ishtar is a beautiful person, blessed with lushing black hair and pale skin, the goddess of war who has led Prince Kail's army to many victories. But she is his woman, and for Zannanza to openly admit his feelings for the goddess would ruin the relationship between the two brothers. So he stayed silent, ignoring his growing fondness for Lady Yuuri. He needs to move on...
But now, there is someone that his highness lays eyes on. Adelle is pleased, but at the same time, she finds herself skeptical about this relationship. As his loyal vessel, she wants nothing more than to see her master happy. However, she also wishes that this young maiden, whoever she is, is worthy to be by his side. Lady Yuuri has proven herself time and time again that she is a warrior and a princess, winning every single battle that her army comes across. Will this girl be able to do that?
Zannanza sighs, leaning against the pillar. He is thinking about what Adelle told him.
If he has to be honest, the young prince is happy. In Lucienne's eyes, he is no different than her. She sees him as Zannanza, the one who saved her from that horrible man, that is the root of her admiration for him. He has been stupid, thinking that she is just the same as all the other people around her. Whether they are men or women, they're all the same, getting close to him because of the title he is holding.
Zannanza feels guilty for lumping her into the same group as them. He has grown up with lies around him, so much so that he can only trust a few people in his life. When he first met Lucienne, he was captivated by her beauty, her dance and her angelic voice. As they got a chance to talk to each other, he could see the innocent in her eyes, untainted by the world around her. But he was skeptical, thinking that she would treat him differently after learning about his royal lineage.
He was wrong…
"Your Highness, I will ask the guards to let you leave tonight." Tito walks up to them, smiling "It's better like that than having you snuck out like last time!"
Zannanza flinches at his words, almost blushing when he realizes that his retainer is able to read his mind.
"I think that she will be very happy to see you, Your Highness."
Coughing awkwardly, Zannanza can feel the heat on his face. Even his trusted vessel can see how he is smitten with her. How embarrassing…
Tonight...
He will see her tonight…
A smile forms on his lips as he thinks about what expression she will make when seeing him. Her ocean-colored hair, her bright blue eyes, that soft herbal scent that always lingers on her body.
Zannanza sighs, he misses her already…
Adelle and Tito chuckle at the sight of the love-sick prince, unaware of the shadowy figure lurking behind the corner, listening to their conversation.
******************************************************************************
Lucienne takes a seat in front of her small cottage, admiring tonight's crescent moon. The ground illuminates with the soft light, painting the scenery around her with a yellowy glow. Everything around looks dreamy, the leaves are dancing with the soft breeze, the scent of herbs fills the air, the night flowers open their petals, bathing under the luminous light.
Underneath the magical crescent moon, she can hear the wind whistle, singing a lovely song into her ears. And the night sky glitters with celestials spreading across the vastness of the dark canvas. The night reminds her of him, Zannanza…
A soft neigh catches her off guard as she turns around, eyes searching in the depths of the wood. Blue eyes widen when a tall figure walks out of the forest, hand holding the reins as the stallion shakes its head lightly. The bluenette stands up, holding on to her lyre tightly as a blush adorns her face.
There he is, blond hair glows under the lovely moonlight, amber eyes shine like a fire flickering in the night and that smile, warm and gentle, carries a wave of peace and tranquility to her heart. Zannanza is standing in front of her.
A low chuckle escapes his lips, bringing Lucienne back to reality. She startles a bit, lowering her head when she realizes that she has been staring at him without even blinking. How rude of her to do so…
Zannanza reaches his hand, caressing the softness of her flustered cheek. No matter how many times he looks at her, Lucienne seems to become more beautiful in his eyes. Guiding her face up to meet his eyes, he smiles at how her blue orbs shine such a bright light, filling with so many emotions that she can't express.
"Please come with me tonight." he asks her with a soft and gentle voice "Please?"
Her face turns crimson at his words. How can she say no to that?
When Zannanza receives a nod from her, he smiles and takes off his claok, wrapping it around her small shoulders, shielding away the chilly night breeze. Lucienne gasps when he picks her up easily and puts her on the saddle, the horse neighs softly, wagging its tail in excitement as the young Prince walks the big guy to the nearby river.
Kalani stays inside the house, looking at the young couple through her window and sighs. Despite telling her that this is wrong, she can't bring herself to stop Lucienne, not when she sees how her face lights up when seeing him.
I'll make sure he pays a hefty price if he dares to make Lucienne cry…
As they reach deeper into the wood, the ambient air amplifies every sound that comes into her ears. She can hear the leaves rustling in the wind, the sounds of small creatures hiding away when they walk past them, the snapping of twigs whenever his horse steps on them. The moon shines its light through the wood, creating a contrast of light and shadow, dancing together in the depths of the forest.
Lucienne closes her eyes, focusing on the sound of the river that is just a few steps ahead. Such a soothing melody that echoes in the air, bringing out her five senses. She doesn't understand why, but every time she is near the river, it brings her home. The splashing sound when the river hits a rock, the lovely scent of plants growing near the bank, the dampness underneath her feet as she walks on the ground. It makes her feel safe and at peace with her heart.
"We're here…"
Zannanza's voice draws her out of her imagination. She opens her eyes, smiling as she admires the lovely scene in front of her. The young prince walks closer, offering his open arms to help her get off the horse. Lucienne blushes at what he is doing, but she accepts his help, allowing him to hold onto her waist as she slides off the saddle.
They settle down by the riverbank, sighing in contentment as the cool breeze hits their skin. It's so relaxing…
"I'm sorry…"
Lucienne turns to him, puzzling. Why is he saying sorry?
"I made a wrong assumption about you, that you would treat me differently if you found out that I'm a Prince…" Zannanza smiles sheepishly as he scratches the back of his head "It's silly of me to think so poorly of you."
She looks at him, surprised when a faint blush appears on his cheek. He is humble for someone who calls himself the Prince of Hittite. The bluenette almost can not hold back her chuckle when she hears his reason and at the same time, she feels pity for him. To build such immense walls around him and always be on high alert whenever someone new comes into his life must be quite troublesome.
Reaching out her hand, she picks up the small leave that is stuck on his hair and places it in his palm. Lucienne looks up, a soft smile forms on her lips and her cheeks turn rosy as their eyes meet.
Zannanza freezes, he can feel his heartbeat thumping loudly against his chest when he sees her smile. The young prince has always been fond of her teary face, eyes glossy as she searches for help. But now, there are swarm of butterflies in his stomach when she smiles at him. Such a beautiful smile, radiating with such kindness and lights up his whole world.
The young prince swallows hard at the lovely sight.
That smile, he wants to protect that smile at all costs, even if it means to lay down his life.
Noticing the lyre in her hands, he coughs softly, bringing himself back to reality.
Stay calm Zannanza…stay calm…
"Can you…" he stops for a moment, mustering his courage as he asks "Can you sing for me?"
Lucienne blushes at his request, almost not sure how to answer. She shakes away the embarrassing feeling that rises in her heart and nods, caressing the lyre as she touches the string, playing a few notes as she begins to sing, the angelic voice fills the air.
Zannanza stares at her, a blush forms on his cheek. She has captivated his heart. Under the crescent moon, she looks like a goddess that just came out from the river. Her ocean blue hair, long and wavy, cascades down onto her shoulder, each strand is bathed with the enchanted moonlight. Her eyes are closed, long lashes along with the lovely beauty mark add a touch of color to her pale white skin.
Her fingers dance across the string of the instrument, each note weaves into the breezing sound of the wind, as clear as a crystal. A lovely melody that matches her song…
And her voice…
Zannanza would do everything to keep that voice to himself…
Her voice soars into the depths of the sky, adding a touch of light to the vast darkness. Her voice is clear and bright, filling the ambient air with such beautiful emotions. She is telling a story with her song, a love story of a woman waiting for her beloved prince. The song comes alive at the sound of the lyre and her angelic voice, sending a chill down Zannanza's spine as he can imagine what the story is like.
Under the soft moonlight, her ocean-blue hair dances with the wind, flowing in the air. Zannanza can feel butterflies in his stomach at the sight, the sound of her sweet voice fills his mind with such emotions that he has thought to lose a long time ago. Time almost stops and his surrounding is painted with a warm radiance, making his heart thump loudly against his chest.
She is breathtaking…
The young prince jumps at the thought, almost too embarrassed to even think about it again. A realization dawn on him as he glances at her, his gaze softens with fondness in the sunset-colored eyes.
Zannanza is falling in love with her…