Eliana's eyes widened, 'Oh no...' she couldn't believe her bad luck. "You mean just the two of us?"
Building up his hopes, Damien smiled from ear to ear. "Yes"
"Ah, Damien, I – I kind of already agreed to go with Nigel and the others. Georgina is also joining us. Maybe we could all go together?" She inwardly cursed the moment she had said yes to Nigel. Although she had initially been highly disappointed with Damien, she had truly forgiven him after reviewing his honest apology a week ago. Thinking that he had given up on their relationship, she hadn't dared to take the initiative to speak to him. She had been wrong, as his current sweet gesture showed.
She still believed they could never be together because they were of different species, but she couldn't ignore the strong pull toward him, and there was no doubt that she wanted to be close to him. Feeling bad about the situation and seeing his sullen face, she searched for the right words. "I would have loved to go with you, but as I made a promise, I don't want to go back on my words."
Damien was boiling inside - he had worked so hard to get her attention, and just with one minor outburst, he had lost to that imbecile called Nigel. He wanted to shout out, but seeing her worried expression, his rage softened. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he calmed down. "I see. That might be more practical since I will have to socialize a little. How about you go with your group, and I will find you once I have time? I would like to get to know your new friends anyways."
Smiling relieved, Eliana nodded. "Yes, as you wish, but we should definitely meet, so you pledge to find me, right?"
Seeing her eagerness, he felt a little better. Maybe there was still hope... "Yes, I promise." He was about to leave when Eliana pulled his arm. "Dame, you forgot the box. – Don't look at me like that. We made up, so I will call you Dame if you don't mind."
Chuckling, Damien shook his head. "No, I don't mind you calling me by my nickname, and I didn't forget about the box, Eli. It is a gift; in our customs, you cannot give back a gift." He gave her one last smile before finally leaving.
Walking away, Damien had mixed feelings. Her going with Nigel irked him because it could mean she was interested in him. But then she was so excited when he promised to find her, which gave him optimism. Also, a huge weight had lifted off his shoulders since she admitted that she pardoned him. Maybe he should take the win and not worry too much about tomorrow.
Back in her room Eliana opened the box, finding a gorgeous dress inside it, including shoes. It looked costly, and she couldn't believe he would gift her something so precious, especially after she had been so distant. She had missed him terribly the past week and realized how deeply she already cared for him. There was no doubt that she had fallen in love with him. Even if she tried to oppress it and not think about it, there was no use in hiding it anymore because - it was already too late.
But the worst part was that his attention gave her false hope. It sometimes felt as if he cared for her just as much as she did, which could mean that they were indeed fated mates, no matter how rarely that happened. Something in her core told her that the pull she felt was from the mate bond. That would be a dream come true and her biggest nightmare all at once. Of course, she wanted to be with the man she loved, but she was keeping her identity a secret, and she worried that when he found out the truth, he would cut all ties with her.
The alternative was to pretend to be human for the rest of her life. She had done so until now and didn't mind it too much. Yet a part of her didn't want to keep anything hidden away from her mate. Eliana's rollercoaster of feelings went on for a long while until she decided that there was no use to it.
Damien hadn't confessed his feelings for her yet, so there was no guarantee that he was indeed her mate. On the contrary, he could be interested in staying friends with her or having fun and not taking it seriously. Either way, the Mil Fest presented an opportunity to discover his intentions. If he actually came to find her, that could be a sign that he cared for her. These thoughts made her extremely nervous and excited about how important the next day could be. There was only one way to find out…
--
The next day the girls woke up with great anticipation. They got dressed in light and colourful linen dresses because they were informed that during the day, people dressed simply and then went back home to change before the big finale at night. They both braided their hair into a bun, making them look like sisters, so much so that when they met Nigel and the boys, they were stunned at first.
"You two look very pretty!" Nigel beamed but furrowed his brows when he saw two men accompanying them. "Do you need the bodyguards when you are with us?"
In unison, the girls thanked him for his compliment. "We had a little incident when we first arrived, so the crown prince decided for them to always be with us. I hope you don't mind. This is Charlie, and that is Rolo." Eliana tried to explain as short as possible because she didn't want to get into more details – as usual.
A little dejected, Nigel and the other two boys welcomed the two strangers into the group but didn't mention that they didn't like the idea of them joining. "So, what is the plan for today?" Georgina asked to change the topic.
"Well, we will first roam around the city. There are food stands distributed everywhere, and there are many street performers. Then we will attend the show happening midday in the city centre." This time it was George listing the itinerary.
"That sounds marvellous! What kind of show is happening midday?" Eliana asked, thrilled.
"It is a performance prepared by local dancers and singers. I am sure you will love it." George smiled, showing off his cute dimples. Georgina was a little annoyed by the similarity of their names at first but the more she got to know him, the sweeter she thought he was. Not that she was looking for a relationship, but a little flirting never killed anybody, or so she thought.
After clearing the plan, the group made their way to the starting point of the fest, which wasn't too far ahead. The scorching sun beat down upon the group, and as the dusty winds swept through the sandstone structures, a vibrant atmosphere unfolded, transforming the area into a bustling hub of activity. The soldiers who had passed the exams were beaming with happiness sharing their success with their families, their laughter filling the air. The city's winding pathways were adorned with colourful flags and streamers, fluttering joyfully in the warm desert breeze. The scent of exotic spices wafted from the numerous food stalls that dotted the city, teasing the group's senses and stirring their appetites.
Georgina and Eliana had purposefully skipped breakfast in the morning because they couldn't deny themselves these tasteful treats while the three boys laughed at their keenness. As they strolled through the fest, the girl's eyes widened with wonder. Although the ambience was like the market they had visited, the stands were grander, and there were more people. Probably not a single soul was sitting at home that instant.
Remembering the day at the market, Georgina held her necklace, thinking of how Simon had gifted it to her secretly. Why was she thinking of him? "That is a very nice necklace. Who gave it to you?" George's question pulled Georgina back to reality.
"Ah, a friend gave it to me." Her face turned red, but it wasn't visible thanks to her tanned skin.
"Must be a good friend. Those green jewels are very precious." Georgina looked at him, confused, before staring back at her necklace. 'Did Simon spend a lot of money on her? Wasn't that weird?' Lost in her thoughts again, her heart skipped a beat when Simon appeared in her sight, speaking to a merchant selling intricately woven rugs. Without realizing it, she turned into a daze and halted, still holding the necklace between her fingers. It seemed like time stopped.
Simon was wearing beige linen pants and a white linen shirt, looking absolutely dashing. Occasionally he would stroke his fingers through his shoulder-length hair to keep it from falling in his face. Although his forest green eyes were inviting, his dominant aura kept the people from recognizing him away while they still showed respect with a slight bow. It was a breathtaking scene, and Georgina couldn't take her eyes away until George interrupted her daydreaming again. "Is everything alright?"
"Huh? Oh yes, of course. Sorry I just, ehm, I just thought I saw someone I knew." Smiling embarrassed, she went beside Eliana and signalled her to look in Simon's direction.
"Oh dear, should we go say hi?" Eliana asked her friend, who nodded at her question. Without letting the rest of the group know, the two girls made their way to greet the prince, and Eliana hoped that not only one Agoran prince was around.
"Hi, Simon!" Georgina grinned and made Simon turn toward them while interlacing his fingers behind his back, portraying his power.
"Oh hello Georgina and Eliana. Nice to see you two here. What have you been up to? Do you like the Mil Fest so far?"
"It is fascinating. So much fun!" Georgina couldn't explain why she was so excited to see him.
"Honestly, we have only been eating," Eliana added with an ashamed expression. "By the way, is Damien with you?" She had to ask.
"No, he is with ambassadors from another city who came to see the Mil Fest and must host them. Since that was a boring task, I escaped. Are you two venturing the streets alone?"
His acting skills were unmatched. Obviously, he already knew they were in a group with three other boys. Damien had informed him what their mates planned to do and assigned him to watch them. He had been following the girls all this time, and when George started getting closer, Georgina decided to emerge from the shadows.
"No, we are here with Nigel and his two buddies. Would you like to join us?" He narrowed his eyes and looked at the fools catching up with the girls.
The three boys had been too preoccupied to see Simon at first, but the minute they identified him, their eyes widened. "Wait, aren't you Prince Simon?!" George blabbered.
"Hmm," Simon only hummed in agreement.
Becoming aware of their rude demeanour, the three immediately bowed their heads. "Apologies, my prince, for our reaction." Chuckling, the girls were highly amused.
"No worries, I hear you are accompanying my guests. I think I will join you for a while."