Celeste stared up owlishly at the prince, stunned into silence. She was far too surprised at this knowledge to be ashamed of her kingdom's beliefs regarding their men and women.
"Celeste, I-I can't believe I have to ask this," Began Aestir, his blood boiling at the fact that he'd agreed to an arranged marriage that was so severely inequitable. "Do they even allow women to be educated in Aephis?" His voice was pained with indignation as he posed the question, more concerned for the future of both kingdoms than ever before.
The princess glared fiercely at Prince Aestir, her fists clenched tight in vexation. "Do not miscalculate my intelligence!" she vehemently hissed through gritted teeth. "I am not without a mind and will not be treated as such!" Her voice trembled with unrestrained rage, her cerulean eyes burning with a fury that starkly contrasted with the woman she'd been up until this point.
Aestir was taken aback by Celeste's sudden change in demeanor, her fiery spirit taking him by surprise. He'd never seen her so passionate before, and he found himself inexplicably drawn to her strength and conviction. He realized then that he might've been too harsh and sighed, telling himself that he needed to try and be more understanding with the princess. "I apologize if my words caused you to believe that I felt that way, Celeste," he began, his voice softening as he regarded her more carefully. "I did not mean to offend you. I was merely trying to understand the situation we're in better."
The princess took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her anger beginning to dissipate as she realized Aestir had not intentionally tried to belittle her. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice returning to its usual calm lilt. "And I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to yell, I just… I feel so helpless, Aestir. I can't do anything to change the way things are in my kingdom."
Aestir honestly did not know what to say to this, as he scarcely understood the sentiment of feeling helpless. It had been decades since that sentiment first rose in him, and when it had, he'd applied himself so rigorously to his studies that he elevated his status in Strexxa to unprecedented heights and became the youngest Dark Liege in history. And when he'd again felt incapable a mere few years ago, he'd relentlessly pursued training and guidance from The Void with reckless abandon. He'd poured endlessly into his development -oftentimes at his own detriment- and didn't stop until he became the youngest elf to ever master the art of Ebon Aura.
So as he sat here with Celeste, he truly pondered on how to help her, the notion of providing assistance and comfort filling him with unease. The prince thought back to their breakfast that morning and how Celeste endlessly believed in his potential to be different. Even when he was brusque and downright vicious, sneering at her as if she were beneath him, the princess' smile was persevering, her compassion for him never once fading away.
And as a Strexxan, none of that should hold merit.
But as he looked out at the expansive darkness underneath the Weeping Sapphire tree, the air illuminated by the glistening fruit and light orbs, he slowly began to realize even more what Celeste meant earlier. His hand raised to touch a dim orb, the corners of his lips turning upwards as he remembered that Celeste kept her light orbs as dim as possible, all for his comfort.
Celeste constantly put her father, her kingdom, and now him before her own needs. She relentlessly bent over backward for everyone except herself, almost always to her own detriment. And still, she persevered, somehow finding the strength to be that indomitable pillar for everyone in her life but herself. She was an Atlas of her own creation, and he now recognized that the princess confessing these sentiments to him was her asking for help.
Help that she so desperately needed.
And help that even in the silence, he knew she'd resigned herself never to receive.
Aestir was never one to allow others to sway or manipulate him against doing what he wanted to do.
And right now, that very person was himself.
He wanted to help Celeste.
And he didn't care if that was unbecoming of a Strexxan prince.
It was a sentiment worthy of himself, and while it very well went against his core essence, he realized that his identity was his and his alone. He was the master of his own fate, and only he decided how he wanted to live. And if he wanted to help this princess, then he would.
He stubbornly refused to allow even himself to get in his own way and exhaled slowly, resolutely turning to address the princess. "Celeste," he murmured, placing more care and conviction in his voice than he ever had before. The princess turned to look at him, and it crushed him to see the hollow defeat in her eyes, her smile more empty than it had been before. "I may be unable to change Aephis or its beliefs in our lifetime. But what I can do is help you."
The princess' eyes widened in doubt, yet Aestir could see the brimming hope in their cerulean depths. "I can teach you skills that will grant you unprecedented liberation, and I can train you to become more adept at Sihir."
For a moment, they were both silent, lost in aimless musings, before Celeste finally looked up at him, her eyes wet with tears of incredulity. "But…why? Why would you want to help me? You're Strexxan… surely there are better ways for you to pass the time than wasting it on me?"
Hearing Celeste talk about herself like this pained him, and he wished then that she could see herself through his gaze. And for what he hoped wouldn't be the last time, he offered the princess something that she so selflessly gave everyone but herself; grace and compassion. "I am Strexxan; that much is true. But before I'm Strexxan, I'm Aestir Iarphyra. And I want to help you because I want to. If anyone is more deserving of a chance, it is you, Celeste."
Celeste had never been spoken to like this, had never heard her name expressed with so much care and conviction. And just as Aestir trusted her this morning, she recognized that she could put her faith and trust in him. As she stared into his eyes, which were softened in empathy and warmth, she realized that she could lean on Aestir.
As scary as the belief was, she understood that she didn't have to be alone at this moment. Aestir was offering her his metaphorical hand, asking her to take a chance on him, just as she had requested of him this morning. And finally, that beautiful glow of hope ignited within her, and she couldn't help but feel grateful for Aestir's offer. Despite their differences in beliefs and customs, Aestir was proving himself to be far more understanding and compassionate than she initially believed him to be.