Apollo noticed the tear and gently wiped it away. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Elvira nodded, unable to speak, but the tears kept coming. Apollo wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace, and she buried her face in his chest, letting out all her emotions.
Elvira felt relived in a way, she didn't even give a second thought about the rules. the only thing that mattered at the moment was that she was happy.
They stayed like that, holding each other, watching the fireworks, until the show ended. Finally, Elvira pulled away, wiping the last of her tears away from her face. she looked down a bit trying to collect the thought swerving around in her head.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking up at Apollo. the two were both starting lovingly into each other's eyes, their gazes locked at one another. "I just...I haven't felt this happy in a long time."
a small smile grew into Apollos face. "I understand," he said. "Sometimes, it's the little things that can bring the most joy."
Elvira felt those butterfly's in her stomach again. but this time it felt a bit different. Elvira didn't Puch down and ignore her feelings. this time, she allowed them and let her brain have the time to process them for once.
she returned the smile that had been planted on Apollos face, making him smile even wider.
They walked back to the castle, still holding hands. Elvira's heart felt lighter than it had in a long time, but she knew deep down that she couldn't let herself fall for Apollo. The rules were clear, and she had a duty to her kingdom. But for that moment, she allowed herself to be happy, and that was enough.
Elvira and Apollo arrived at the castle gates. They let go of each other's hands and said their goodbyes for the night. As Elvira made her way to her chambers, her mind wandered back to the moments she had shared with Apollo on the bridge, and how happy and peaceful she had felt.
but soon the guilt came to consume her feelings as fast as they had come.
As the princess lay on her bed, she knew she had a responsibility to her people and her kingdom. She also knew that she had to protect herself from any heartache that might come her way, as she could not afford to be distracted with affairs of the heart.
and even if she did allow herself to love, it wouldn't be Apollo. it was simply imposeble. the rules of this country was written in stone and could not be changed. not even with magic.
So, Elvira made the conscious decision to maintain a platonic relationship with Apollo, despite how she may feel about him. Her kingdom came first, and she would do anything to protect it.
The next morning, Elvira woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. She had a plan in motion to protect her kingdom from King Philip, and she was confident that she could make it work. She knew that Apollo would always be there for her as a friend, and that was enough.
Elvira made her way to the meeting room, where her advisors were waiting for her. They had a long day ahead of them, but Elvira was ready. She took a deep breath, and with renewed strength and determination, began her quest to protect her kingdom and her people.
~~~~
As the sun began to set once again, Elvira sat at her desk in her chambers, going through the reports from the day. She couldn't ignore the way her heart had felt around Apollo, but she had made her decision and she was determined to stick to it.
Just then, there was a knock on her door. "Come in," she called out, and in walked Apollo. Elvira's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure. "Apollo, what brings you here?"
"I just wanted to check in on you, make sure you're doing okay," he replied, taking a seat across from her.
Elvira smiled gratefully. "I'm doing well, thank you. And how about you?"
"I'm good," he said with a grin. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you, no matter what."
Elvira's heart swelled with warmth at his words. "Thank you, Apollo. That means a lot to me."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Apollo spoke up again. "Hey, I was thinking. Do you want to take a break from all this work and go for a walk outside? It's a beautiful evening, and I think some fresh air would do us good."
Elvira hesitated for a moment, but then gave in to the temptation. "Alright," she agreed. "Let's go."
As they walked through the castle gardens, Elvira couldn't help but feel grateful for Apollo's friendship. Even though they couldn't be anything more than that, she was happy to have him in her life.
The sun had set completely by the time they made it back to the castle gates. Elvira turned to Apollo, her heart filled with a sense of longing. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Apollo."
Apollo smiled back at her. "Anytime, my friend."
Elvira watched him walk away, feeling both happy and sad. She couldn't ignore the way her heart felt around Apollo, but she knew she had to keep her feelings in check. Her kingdom and her people came first, and she couldn't risk losing focus on her duties.
With a heavy sigh, she turned and made her way back to her chambers, ready to face another day.