Eon glanced over at Rielen, who was dutifully taking notes in their War Tactics class. It was a nice change of pace from all the Noble Etiquette and other Noble-related classes they had been taking recently. The dead look that had been in her eyes for weeks had been troubling him.
He wanted to see her smile again. He knew all the parties they had attended were getting to her. He decided that he would plan something special for her. He wrote a note and passed it to his attendant. Greg glanced over the note, and smiled as he tucked it into his notebook.
Eon smiled back, and patiently waited until the bell rang for lunch. In the Elite Academy, the students would take lunch in their own rooms, and studying was encouraged. He watched as Greg whispered into Hyla's ear. She smiled, letting him know that his surprise would be a success.
Eon had worked long and hard to get on Hyla's good side. The more Hyla trusted him, the closer he could get to Rielen. Really, though, he felt that the amount of distance that had been forced upon them by the King was ridiculous. He often wondered what incident had led to the decision to separate men and women.
It seemed like they didn't want them to even get along at all. He went to his room and set up the table he used to study on. He put his latest flower rock creation in the center, and thought it was perfect.
Greg brought in the food for their lunch. "Did you get it?" Eon asked him seriously. He nodded. Soon, a knock at the door. Eon waited for Greg to answer it, silently telling him to hurry. Rielen and Hyla came into the room.
"Thank you for inviting me to lunch," Rielen said, looking pleased. Eon uncovered their meal, and watched as a smile appeared on her face. He prepared her favorite pasta and dessert for her. Eon grabbed her hand and seated her at the table.
He looked at Greg and watched as Hyla and Greg disappeared from the room. "I hope I managed to get all your favorites," Eon told Rielen, as he seated himself across from her. Time alone with her. Finally, he had convinced her attendant to let him have time alone with her.
Rielen blushed. She remembered Hyla whispering a question to her after reaching her room. "Miss, would you like to be alone with Eon?" She had sent Tara away today for lunch to run an errand. Rielen nodded excitedly.
Six years of constantly being watched. She wouldn't be alone, but she would get to spend time with Eon. She wondered how he had bribed Hyla for this time. There was just one problem: she was sure he could hear her heart beating loudly.
Their meal was silent, as if they were both nervous. Their relationship was changing. The friend she once told everything to had become a young man. She had desires that she didn't know she could have. Embarrassing thoughts of the lectures she had gone through with Charla went through her mind.
She had never really thought of being in a physical relationship with Eon. She had had a crush on him since she left, but it was different than how she felt now. The light touches he had placed on her arms caused her heart havoc.
The warmth he left on her waist when they practiced dancing. The safety she felt being escorted by him at parties. The gentle reminders that he thought she was beautiful. She didn't know when it was that she had fallen in love with him. It clicked. Rielen was in love with Eon.
"Are you all right?" Eon asked, seeing that she had suddenly stopped enjoying her food. He was worried that something was wrong. She looked up at him. Her clear violet eyes looked directly into his. "I love you."
It was a soft murmur, but he heard it clearly, and his heart leaped with joy. He often wondered what it would be like to hear this from the woman he loved. He realized he was being quiet for too long. "I also love you, Rielen." He yelled at himself silently in his head, 'Idiot, why did you wait so long?'
She smiled, as if she already knew. She reached for his hand, and he held hers like it was precious. "I am working hard to reach the point where I can freely choose," she told him. "I cannot say anything more." What Eon had suspected was solidified in him.
He had often contemplated the possibility that she was tied down by something. He often wondered why, in the beginning, Greg did not encourage his feelings. He had pushed though. After Rielen left, he cornered Greg.
"Why were you so hesitant about my relationship with Rielen in the beginning? Tell me everything you know!" Greg sighed, and prepared himself for the conversation he knew would eventually happen.