Sleep was a lost cause tonight. I'd been tossing and turning, staring up at the ceiling with Aeliana's face burned into my mind her laughter, her eyes, the way she looked at me tonight. I couldn't even shut my eyes without seeing that coy smile.
Frustrated, I gave up and slipped out of bed, hoping a stroll outside would clear my head and burn off some of this damn energy. The cool night air would do me good, I told myself, pulling on a light coat as I headed out into the garden.
The breeze was crisp, the sky a deep, inky blue dotted with stars, the half-moon shining down like it was mocking me. Of course, it was a half-moon, the very thing that'd triggered this mess in the first place.
The garden had a calming effect, at least. I meandered along the winding paths, watching the way the moonlight cast shadows through the trees, the silence settling into a comfortable hum.
The faint scent of jasmine and night-blooming flowers hung in the air, and I let out a sigh, trying to focus on anything that wasn't Aeliana.
But just as I started to actually relax, I heard something—a soft rustling behind me.
My body went on high alert. I paused mid-step, listening intently. It could be a guard, but they were trained to walk silently; this noise was hesitant, almost like someone trying to be sneaky but failing miserably.
"Who's there?" I demanded, spinning around, my fists up just in case. The dark outline of a figure hovered in the shadows near the bushes, and I braced myself.
It wasn't often something managed to surprise me in my own territory, but damn it, here we were.
The figure took a step forward, and I was two seconds from launching a fist when—
"Ciara!" A familiar voice yelped. "It's me! Don't hit me!"
"Aeliana?" I lowered my fists, my heartbeat still racing as she stepped into the moonlight. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked a little embarrassed. "I… I couldn't sleep either."
I shook my head, half in disbelief, half relieved. "Do you realize you just scared the living daylights out of me? I was ready to take you down!"
She laughed, covering her mouth to stifle the sound, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well, at least I know you'd defend the garden with your life."
"Oh, ha ha," I said, crossing my arms but smiling despite myself. "You're lucky I didn't actually take a swing at you."
She stepped closer, still chuckling. "Imagine how I felt! I was just trying to get some fresh air, and suddenly I see this shadowy figure stomping around the garden, looking like she's ready to start a fight with the moon."
I rolled my eyes, but the image was too absurd not to laugh at. "Alright, fine. Maybe I was a bit on edge. But can you blame me?"
"No, I can't," she said softly, and there was something in her gaze that made me pause.
We stood there in silence for a moment, the night stretching around us, quiet and still. She tilted her head up, looking at the stars, and I found myself watching her instead, the way the moonlight cast a soft glow over her face.
"You know," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "I was going to wait until morning to ask, but since we're both here…" She looked at me, an eyebrow raised in that way that always made me feel like she was reading my mind. "What's really bothering you tonight?"
"Me?" I said, feigning innocence, but her gaze stayed steady, not buying it for a second. "Nothing's bothering me."
"Uh-huh." She gave me a knowing smile. "You don't think I know you well enough by now to see when something's up?"
I opened my mouth to protest but closed it again, realizing there was no use hiding it from her. Not tonight.
With a sigh, I leaned against a nearby tree, trying to find the right words. "Alright, maybe there's something on my mind. It's just… I've been thinking about a lot of things. About us."
Her eyes widened, and I could see her curiosity flare up. "Us?"
"Yeah, you know." I shrugged, feeling uncharacteristically awkward. "It's just… I've never felt this way before. And it's all so damn terrifying, you know? One moment, I'm all tough and in control, and the next… I'm scared out of my mind about screwing it up."
She stepped closer, her hand reaching out to rest gently on my arm. "Ciara, you're not going to screw anything up. Not with me."
There was such conviction in her voice that it almost made me believe it, and I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders.
But the truth was, I was still terrified. Terrified of messing up, terrified of losing her. Hell, even terrified of what I wanted to ask her.
As her hand rested on my arm, her touch sent a warmth that spread through me, melting away whatever was left of my tension.
She didn't know it, but I'd been teetering on the edge of asking her something big, something that had been on my mind since… well, since she'd turned my whole world upside down.
But that could wait. Right now, I was more focused on the way her green eyes sparkled in the moonlight, and the hint of a smile playing on her lips.
Before I knew it, I leaned in, and she met me halfway, her breath warm against my skin as our lips finally connected. It was gentle at first, hesitant, like we were both savoring the moment, but it quickly grew more intense.
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer, feeling the soft press of her body against mine. Her hands moved to my shoulders, fingertips brushing the nape of my neck, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.
When we finally pulled apart, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes half-lidded and dreamy. She laughed softly, a little breathless. "Alright, I guess I needed that."
I grinned, catching my own breath. "Yeah, well, don't go getting any ideas. I'm not exactly a hopeless romantic."
"Sure," she teased, eyes glinting. "Keep telling yourself that, Ciara."
Rolling my eyes, I glanced back toward the castle, suddenly aware of how long we'd been out here. "Come on. We should probably go inside before someone decides to come looking for us."
She took my hand as we strolled back toward the castle, neither of us really in a hurry. As we reached the entrance, though, my stomach let out a loud, embarrassing growl. Aeliana raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening.
"Hungry?" she asked, amusement flickering across her face.
"Maybe a little," I admitted, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks. "It's been a long night."
She squeezed my hand, nodding toward the kitchen with a conspiratorial grin. "Well, lucky for you, I know my way around a pantry."
As we slipped into the quiet kitchen, I realized how strange and surprisingly nice it felt to be doing something so ordinary with her.
Aeliana pulled open the pantry door, rummaging around with the confidence of someone who knew their way around this place almost as well as I did.
She handed me a loaf of bread and a jar of jam, and we set to work assembling some simple sandwiches, the kind of late-night snack I never thought I'd end up sharing with someone else.
I watched her as she spread jam on a slice of bread, the focus in her eyes, the way her lips twitched into a small smile whenever she caught me staring.
Something about her presence grounded me, soothed whatever anxieties had been lingering beneath the surface. She was my calm in the storm, the quiet to my constant chaos.
She glanced up at me, catching my gaze, and smirked. "Enjoying the view?"
I shrugged, taking a casual bite of my sandwich. "Maybe. I could think of worse sights."
She laughed, her voice a quiet melody in the stillness of the kitchen.
We ate our sandwiches in a comfortable silence, sharing occasional glances, smiles, and playful nudges. By the time we finished, I was more relaxed than I'd been all evening, and I knew it wasn't just because of the food.
When we finally made our way back to my chambers, Aeliana kicked off her shoes, stretching out on the bed as if she belonged there.
And honestly, at this point, she did. I followed suit, lying beside her, feeling the warmth radiating from her as she curled up next to me. She slipped her arm around my waist, and I instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
Her head rested on my chest, and I could feel the gentle rhythm of her breathing, steady and calm, matching the beat of my own heart.
She fit so perfectly against me, like this was where she'd always been meant to be. I ran my fingers through her hair, feeling the soft strands slide between my fingers, and a deep sense of contentment settled over me.
"Ciara?" she murmured, breaking the quiet.
"Yeah?" I replied softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere.
"Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "For tonight. For… everything."
I smiled, though I knew she couldn't see it. "Don't get too mushy on me, now."
She snorted, a sound that made me chuckle. "You're one to talk. I saw you practically swooning in the garden."
I nudged her playfully. "Swooning? Please. If anyone was swooning, it was you."
She laughed, her body shaking slightly against mine, and I could feel my own chest vibrating with laughter. We lay there, tangled together, sharing quiet laughs and gentle touches, until eventually, her breathing began to slow, her body relaxing fully against mine.
As I held her, I couldn't help but let my mind wander back to the thought that had been lingering all night: proposing to her. The idea had terrified me before, the sheer weight of commitment pressing down on me like a ton of bricks.
But now, with her wrapped up in my arms, I realized it didn't feel like a burden at all. It felt… right. Like something I'd been meant to do all along.
With a sigh, I tightened my hold on her, brushing a gentle kiss against her forehead. She shifted slightly in her sleep, her arms curling more securely around me, and I felt my heart swell with a kind of warmth I hadn't known I was capable of.
This woman, this incredible, frustrating, beautiful woman—had somehow managed to break through all my walls, and I wasn't about to let her go.