Chapter 23 Date
Two days later Aylin finally makes his way home.
It was so nice to see him again. Since we have met he has had to leave to go deal with his trail, relations with Bloodmoon, and now the construction of the new homes.
I am feeling guilty that I want to leave now to take care of the land serpent, but I know Aylin will insist on sending warriors or way too many guards.
I devise a plan to spend the day with him and then once he's asleep leave without him knowing.
“Hey baby, welcome home,” I said as he walked into the library.
“I have a special date planned for us, if you are okay with it, I know it's getting late?”
“A date, really? We haven't been able to spend very much time together so I think that would be perfect.” Aylin replied with a smile on his face.
“Okay, why don't you get tidied up and I will meet you by the stable at 6pm?” Without even replying he turns around and runs out of the library, making me laugh.
At 6pm on the dot Aylin comes to the stable where me and Hamlet, Archer’s shire horse, stand waiting.
My heart fluttered, as Aylin and I jumped onto the horse and rode away from the Inn.
I had been working with Archer on how to ride, and I take to riding like I was born to do it.
Hamlet makes it easy though, Archer trained him on the path we will be taking so I really just have to hold the reins.
Capella is whining that we didn't just run there ourselves but I wanted to do something different this time.
Hamlet ran us up into the clouds on a breathtaking journey leaping above the shimmering, star-lit peaks.
The journey only took maybe an hour, but Hamlet didn't break speed one time.
He was a magnificent horse. We were making our way to the secluded, bioluminescent garden that glowed in the evening air.
Archer told me about this place and its beauty took my breath away just talking about it.
We were to be surrounded by rare, iridescent flowers, and were to share a perfect, magical night of laughter, sweet nectar, and tender affection.
As Hamlet ran, the cool, rushing mountain air brushed against my cheeks, but I barely felt it.
Tightly wrapped in Aylin’s strong arms, I let out a breathless laugh as Hamlet jumped, caught an updraft, and out of nowhere giant amber wings appeared from his sides, carrying us higher than I ever thought possible.
I panicked for a brief second not knowing what was going on, when Aylin leaned into me laughing and said, “Hamlet is half Hippogriff, he has the ability to fly!”
Boy did we fly, we were dancing through the clouds, gentle moonlight washing over him and turning every feather into a streak of pure starlight.
We eventually descended toward the secluded basin, a hidden sanctuary I had only ever dreamed of. Once we landed Aylin jumped off Hamlet, his feet gently touching the mossy earth, he reached up to me and helped me down, setting me down with the utmost care, his warm, blue eyes locking onto mine.
"My beautiful Celest," he murmured, his voice sounding like a chorus of soft chimes echoing in the night.
I smiled, stepping closer to my mate. Around us, the flora was entirely bioluminescent, blooming in hues of violet and cerulean.
The soft glow painted the scene in an ethereal light.
It was just the two of us, far away from the duties of the pack.
We found a smooth, velvet-like patch of moss beside a crystal-clear, bubbling spring and I arranged our little picnic.
We shared sweet, crystalline fruits that tasted like sunlight, and delicious honeyed wine, feeding each other between quiet whispers and stories of our travels.
As the hours drifted by, we moved closer together.
I rested my head against his shoulder, listening to the steady, reassuring thrum of his heart.
Aylin ran his fingers through my hair, gently tracing the contours of my face.
We didn’t need grand words, just being wrapped up in his warm embrace felt like ultimate peace.
He kissed my forehead, then tilted my chin up to capture my lips in a tender, lingering kiss that made my whole body tingle with warmth.
Looking up into his eyes, reflecting the moonlight and the glowing garden around us, I realized how incredibly lucky I was.
The universe was vast and chaotic, but in this quiet, magical sanctuary with Aylin, I was exactly where I belonged.