Kalus had found their landscaping and gardens so
enchanting. They were at the stream and sat on the big rock with
their feet fluttering in the running water.
"I have never seen anyone so beautiful like
yourself," his shirt was rolled up exposing the veins that
Ona couldn't stop stealing glances at. "Your skin changes
color to golden brown when kissed by the sun, your lips look so delicious and
soft while your eyes are so inviting and calm with the innocence all
over your face and I am sure whoever is your man, is very
lucky."
Ona had been staring at his lips moving.
She couldn't utter any word. She did not expect
the words from his mouth. Her lower lip bumped when she slipped it between her
teeth the slipped it out.
"I have never been with a man before."
What?
Kalus moved closer to her and fortunately, Kalus
had already told the guards and servants to give them time to be alone
respectfully.
"You mean no one had ever touched your
lips?" his voice was so thick and deep. With his breath
kissing Ona's lips whenever talking.
"Yes."
Kalus moved even closer to
her, "Princess, you're so beautiful."
Ona was so dull, but something in her jolted
her in so she moved away and
said, "Because I'm not yet ready for any intimacy. I have
dignity, I have to be married first before anything."
Kalus moved away too and said, "I
respect that and not everyone is like
you. I would wish to spend more time together so we could know
more of each other."
Ona gave him a nod and stood up.
"Can I see your canvas please!"
"Yes, follow me."
They both slipped their feet inside their sandals and walked
side by side.
"What can you tell me about your kingdom, something
you haven't told anyone?"
Kalus made a small laugh and said, "One
day, I decided to grab some stones, medium ones, so I could build
something like a fish tank." He chuckled. "I'm not an
expert at building things. Outside then filled water in there. But I
made a mess and killed my mother's flowers, she got mad."
Ona laughed so hard, "Oh you have
parents?"
"Yes, my mother was so sad when seeing me leaving
because since I graduated, I never stayed fully at home. I
mean I'm their only child so they wanted that, me being at
home with them."
"I could understand them. I feel that with my
parents also. I am so adamant about them not allowing me leaving
home," Ona said.
"I can see, but maybe they want you to take over
the throne, I mean it's yours after all."
"Not on my list," Ona chuckled in a faint
tone.
Kalus didn't continue the conversation, instead,
he changed it and talked about his childhood life.
Ona halted by the two doors made of wood. She slipped out a
key from the right side of her waist which was
hidden there and unlocked the door.
It was dark when she strode inside. But the light from
outside made the room dim and she managed to lit the candles inside.
"Get in," she told Kalus who was by
the door with hands tangled at his lower back.
He took one step inside with admiration already all over his
face.
"This is an impressive princess."
I mean, the room was engulfed with her canvas
all over the walls and on the ceiling with some packed against the
walls and few on the standing boards.
Kalus had eyes on the red apple one. He stood quietly with a
finger on his slim lips. "This is beautiful," he said.
"It's the one I was busy with earlier but not done
yet with it," Ona answered. With her body swayed but slightly
like an excited little girl.
"It's giving peace."
Kalus eyes went up, head thrown to the
back and picked up the library one. Ona had painted the
library and he said, "Wow, and it's giving
dad."
Ona chuckled, making Kalus chuckle too.
Her paintings were indulging but she
knew that she hadn't made any showstopper. It was something she
had been looking for.
But, she paused and admired the posture of the man before
her. His posture was immense. She bit the insides of her chin with deep
thinking and an impresses look.
Kalus stood and focused on her painting of the stream they
were at. Gosh, it gave her what she thinks is her showstopper.
"What's wrong?" Kalus shifted his eyes
to encounter the spaced-out Ona.
Ona was not aware that she was that obvious, so
she shook her head and said, "Nothing." Trying to hide her
smile.
He walked up to her and complimented
her, "You're very talented Princess Ona, and have you
sold any?"
"No, I haven't made any canvas to
sell." She said simply.
"What about these?"
"These my babies and they won't be
for sale."
"I respect
that and they're very pretty good."
"Thank you and it's getting late,
I think we should go back to the house - I'm very
tired."
True. Ona gave Kalus the tour of the palace first and the
kingdom it had been nothing but the best and
exhaustion and they still had another day for the rest of the tour.
Kalus took one last glance at the canvas before
Ona blew off the last candle. She locked her painting room and her
arm wrapped around Kalus and walked together back to the
house making Ona not fall.
Once they arrived inside the house, Kalus
said, "Thank you so much for today. I felt warm welcome because of
you."
Ona gave a smile and
said, "You're most welcome, and visit the library whenever you
need."
"I don't want to disturb the
king," he said
"No, my father goes there only in the
morning then comes out two hours after."
"Perfect, then I will visit there in the afternoon
after I am done with my work," he said with a smile.
"And he will show you, your office tomorrow, so
now make sure to have more rest."
"Sweet dreams princess."
Ona glanced at him as she walked to the stairs. All she
needed was warm water inside the stone bathtub with refreshing
flowers inside along with sage leaves and mint leaves.
****
"How was it?" Nia was already in her bedroom
preparing her bath.
"Like a dream. Kalus he's a gentleman with
well-mannered behaviors and somehow romantic," Ona had her dreamy eyes
as she threw her body on the bed. "But I'm not ready for
anything more for now."
"I understand, no need to rush anything, Ona.
Try to get to know him more."
Ona stayed in her bathtub, full of white water and filled
with serene flowers with their scents lingering in the air excreted by the warm
water. Her mind reeled with nothing but Kalus. Kalus who hauled inside her head
without any invitation. She thrown her head to rest on the bathtub head
supporter and started humming with eyes shut, not tightly.
******
"Do you think Mr. Windsorrow would be suitable for our
daughter?" King Astrum asked his wife while preparing himself to slip
inside the sheets.
"He's well-mannered, he exude wealth and he's very respectful
and have you seen how he looks at our daughter and how he takes care of her? I
mean any parent would love that for their daughters," the Queen said.
The King flipped the sheets to open and climbed the bed with
a faint groan, "Come here baby."
The Queen laid her head on the chest of her husband.
"I know. I love the boy for our daughter, lets hope he
will also do an excellent job with our finances."
But the King really hoped their daughter would be married to
the royalty, the prince but then again, if she was going to be married to the
prince it would mean, she would also not be able to take over the throne,
unless the prince wouldn't be the right heir to his own kingdom which would
make him the suitable one in Calanthir Kingdom but he knew better that her
daughter's happiness would always comes first and Ona made sure of that.
One thing about Ona, she wasn't controllable. Her choosing
to study art it was her choice and no one tried to persuade her to choose a high
ranking field to study.
******
Kalus was by the desk in his bedroom going through the
papers he came with. He had a black quill in his hand and hard khakhi paper on
the table writing something with mumbles.
His focus portrayed his handsome face exquisitely with the
moon rays entered in his room through the opened window.
After he was done, he put away the paper inside the drawer
without folding it and got back to his other papers which were left on the
table.
Minutes turned into hours with his eyes fixated on the
papers.
*****
Ona was already in her bed and put in slumber. The picture
of Kalus inside her painting room never left her mind and she felt determine to
act on her thoughts in the morning.