Alaric found a seat in the castle where Salviana sat to wait for him as Richard came up to Alaric and after a few whispers away from his wife, Richard excused himself.
"Where are we going now?" Salviana whispered to herself.
Alaric approached Salviana, and his gaze softened, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "Would you like to come to the library with me?" he asked, his voice low and inviting.
Salviana's face lit up instantly, a spark of excitement flashing through her eyes. "Yes, I would love to!" Her response was eager, almost hurried, as if she feared he might change his mind.
She rose from her seat, smoothing the fabric of her gown, trying to disguise the flutter of anticipation in her chest.
Noticing her enthusiasm, Alaric's lips curved into a faint smile. "Eager, are we?" he teased, his tone gentle.
She blushed slightly, averting her gaze. "It's just… the chambers so quiet. I would to go places with you." She let out a soft, nervous laugh, looking up at him with a mixture of relief and excitement.
Alaric nodded in understanding, his hand extending towards her. "Then let's go," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. "There's no need for you to feel trapped here."
As she placed her hand in his, she felt a reassuring warmth radiate from his touch, grounding her.
The simple gesture of his invitation, combined with the thought of being surrounded by books, stories, and knowledge, left her feeling lighter, as if she could finally breathe again.
Even though the last time she'd been there it hadn't been a mission accomplished.
As they walked toward the library, Salviana's excitement was evident, a small smile playing at her lips simply because she was going with him, he made the walk interesting despite not saying a word.
Alaric watched her with quiet amusement, pleased to see her so eager to accompany him.
When they reached the library doors, she spoke up, almost as if sharing a secret, "You know, I've been here before. The library doesn't have much. It's mostly geography, economics, biology, marketing, and agriculture. I don't know what you're hoping to find, but I doubt it'll be here." She let out a small sigh, her tone hinting at disappointment.
Alaric raised a brow, intrigued. "You didn't find what you were looking for?"
She shook her head, a light laugh escaping her. "No, I didn't."
Curious, Alaric leaned in, his gaze intent. "And what were you looking for?" His voice held a soft persistence, urging her to share.
She giggled, biting her lip and shaking her head, but Alaric wasn't one to give up so easily, especially when she looked so adorably mysterious. "Tell me," he prompted, his tone both coaxing and warm. "Maybe I can help you find it. Or, if it's not here, I can purchase it for you."
Her eyes widened at his offer, surprised by his genuine willingness to indulge her curiosity.
There was a moment of silence, and then, almost shyly, she glanced up at him, as though considering sharing her secret interest with him.
She couldn't tell him she was here to find books about his nature. That was her personal interest. He could help purchase it but she could simply know him. Her husband instead of reading about the generalized idea of vampires.
"I just might find it today and then you'll see it," she replied him instead.
Alaric shook his head and they resumed their walk, as they walked deeper into the library, Salviana felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. The towering shelves of books surrounded them like ancient guardians, but a small part of her remained hesitant.
"I still won't tell you what I was looking for," she declared, a playful smile dancing on her lips as she glanced up at Alaric.
He chuckled softly, intrigued. "Fair enough. That means I won't tell you what I was hoping to find."
"Tell me," she begged with a naughty pout.
Alaric didn't have a reason to hide his but had merely wanted to mimic her so watching her pout shattered his plan.
Taking a deep breath, he confessed, "I'm looking for books on flower gardening. I want to create a garden for you."
At that moment, Salviana's heart swelled with a surge of emotion, her eyes welling up with tears. "For me?" she whispered, disbelief lacing her voice. "You want to make a garden for me?"
"Yes," he replied sincerely.
Her chin wobbled as she whispered, "Alaric," too overwhelmed to say anything more.
Alaric noticed the tears forming in her eyes, and instinctively, he moved closer, gently patting her back as he pressed her to his chest.
"Hey, it's okay," he murmured, cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that threatened to spill.
"It's just a garden, Salviana. It's not worth your tears." He whispered.
She sniffed, overwhelmed by the kindness in his gesture and the sincerity in his words. "I'd happily build a flower garden with you," she finally said, her voice a mixture of hope and gratitude.
His smile widened, warm and genuine, lighting up his features. "Then let's leave this library behind. There's a marketplace nearby that's even grander, where we can find all the flower seeds and advice we need before we dive back into the books." she blinked rapidly, her eyes relaxed.
And with renewed excitement, she nodded, feeling lighter and more connected to him. Together, they stepped out of the library, hand in hand, ready to embrace the promise of new beginnings in their shared endeavor.
They reached the royal stable and Alaric instructed the workers to prepare a carriage for their trip to the marketplace.
But Salviana, with a spark of excitement in her eyes, quickly interrupted. "No, let's ride a horse instead," she insisted, her voice carrying a gentle plea.
Alaric's mind flashed back to her last ride, recalling the soreness she had complained of afterward. He hesitated, knowing the bumpy journey on horseback could be uncomfortable.
But one look at her determined expression, her eyes shining with eagerness, was enough to erase his concerns. "Alright," he agreed, a smile tugging at his lips, unable to deny her.