After leaving the gardens with Celeste, the prince's newfound sense of repose had been short-lived. On every corner of Aephis, someone was singing praises to him and the princess, telling him how wonderful Celeste's father was and gushing about how much they loved their kingdom to him. It seemed as if every five minutes, they were stopped by a well-meaning citizen, who wanted to ensure that Aestir found his stay in Aephis pleasing, and if there was anything they could do to make it better.
The prince would've believed it was all propaganda if he didn't see the genuine, unabashed emotion in their eyes or how untroubled everyone seemed to be as they galavanted about in the streets. He truly wondered how those relegated to castes could feel so content with their lives, and believed it was because they didn't know any other way of living besides their own.
And after spending the remainder of the evening traversing around the kingdom's capital city with Celeste, Aestir was ready to lock himself in a pitch-black room void of all sound. Everything in Aephis seemed to overstimulate him- the noise, crowds, lights, and all he'd experienced that day increasingly becoming too much to bear.
The various stimulations melded together in his head like a wretched cacophony, its torment unrelenting; he could still hear the noise of the streets and people even as he closed his eyes. He felt as if he'd been trapped in one of his most corrupted illusions and yearned for a reprieve, as futile as it seemed. The prince felt socially exhausted as the sun finally set in Aephis and practically tore the heads off of his attendants once he departed from the princess' side and returned to his suite.
He barked out strict orders for no one to bother him until he told them to and locked himself in his bedroom, relieved to finally be in the silent darkness. Strexxans had a heightened ability to see clearly in the dark, and he was surprised to see that tea made from the nectar of the Violet Lorress Rose was waiting for him on his nightstand.
He debated on ignoring it and going to bed before deciding against it, feeling as if tonight would be another night filled with bouts of insomnia due to the stressful day. If the fruit he consumed today proved to help him, then he was more than willing to try this tea. He was surprisingly fatigued after consuming the tea and slipped underneath the covers of his bed, falling asleep within the first few minutes of closing his eyes.
He didn't wake up again until he heard a sharp knock at his door the next morning. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel groggy upon waking and blinked back in confusion, stunned that he felt so healthy. The headache he'd been nursing for months was now gone, bringing about a new sense of clarity to the prince.
What the hell was in that flower?
The knock at his door sounded again more insistently this time and filled Aestir with indignant anger. He climbed out of bed and roughly threw open the door to his bedroom, a fearsome scowl on his face as he prepared to lash out at the attendant who'd gone against his commands and disturbed his respite.
Only… it wasn't an attendant.
It was the princess.
He immediately snapped his mouth shut and fixed his face, mentally cursing. "P-Princess!"
Celeste let out a charming laugh, grinning up at her betrothed in amusement. "I see you're not a morning person. I'll keep note of that for the future." She took a step back then. "I wanted to invite you to breakfast before your meeting with my father."
"I believed I was meeting with your father on my fourth day here, no?" Inquired Aestir, wondering if this kingdom was trying to purposefully confuse him.
Celeste laughed again, her amusement growing. "It seems that the nectar and fruit worked a little too well; you've been asleep for 48 hours, Prince Aestir."
The prince inhaled sharply, looking down at his watch and seeing that the princess spoke the truth. "By the Six…" He couldn't believe that he'd slept that long uninterrupted and pursed his lips, not wanting to eat breakfast with the princess, yet knowing that refusing her invitation would only reflect poorly on him and his people. "Certainly; I'll be out in a moment."
The princess nodded, so Aestir closed his bedroom door and sighed, mentally preparing himself for another long, excruciating day of speaking about pointless things for hours on end. His attendants entered his room moments later to help him bathe and dress for the day, and once he was presentable and to his liking, he exited his bedroom, offering his hand to the princess and helping her stand from her chair.
Celeste was flattered and gratefully took it, elated when he brought the hand to his lips and kissed it. She interlocked their fingers together and stood, leading Aestir out of his suite and to the gardens with her guards, where she'd arranged for a private meal to be ready for them. She'd noticed how much relief the prince felt in the darker parts of the garden yesterday and believed that the way she felt about sunlight, he felt about twilight.
The princess didn't quite understand how one could find comfort in the absence of light but wanted to ensure that her union with her husband was positive. She also wanted to show him how appreciative she was of his easy acceptance of her anxiety, as it could've been a deal breaker. If the darkness made Aestir feel safe and secure, then… she would support that, just as he supported her yesterday.
Aestir noticed they were heading outside and grimaced when he thought the princess wasn't looking, irritated that they'd be eating breakfast under the morning sun. Much to his surprise, they seemed to be going deeper and deeper into the garden, and Aestir raised a confused eyebrow when he realized they were headed back toward the Weeping Sapphire Tree. "Why are we going this way?"
"Breakfast is this way." Supplied Celeste, waving her free hand to conjure up an orb of light to illuminate the path. Her guards had been instructed to keep their lights dim, and she was relieved when they did so as they followed her and Aestir down the path toward the grand tree.
"In the dark?" Murmured Aestir.
"Yes."
Now Aestir was even more perplexed. "But why? Do you normally eat breakfast in the dark?"
Celeste laughed, entertained by the blunt question. "I do not."
Aestir's brows furrowed in irritation, and he fixed Celeste with an exasperated glare, annoyed that she wasn't giving him a direct answer. "Then why are we eating in the dark?" He pressed, his lips pursing in a thin line.
"Because it makes you comfortable." Replied Celeste, beaming as they finally arrived at breakfast. "And I want you to have some solace in this land; even if it's only for a moment." She really hoped the excellent breakfast would lift his mood, as he was becoming too irritable for her liking; especially so early in the morning.