Episode 124 Rewriting the Story
Rewriting the Story
Arisanna’s eyes are barely open when Cerian asks the train to stop, and as the brakes squeal, she clutches his arm.
“Forgive me,” he says. “I suppose I could have given you a moment to get your bearings. Your heart is pounding.”
She studies him, relaxing her grip on his arm as she looks up at him. “My heart isn’t the only one pounding.”
“Perhaps.”
It’s a cryptic response. He’s definitely hiding something.
Before she can ask what he’s up to, he lifts her off his lap and sets her on her feet. “I think we should get off the train.”
She rests her hands on her hips. “You are plotting something.”
Gazing into her eyes, he reaches for her hands, threading his fingers with hers.
“The day we left Levina, Elowyn told me to let myself have a love story. And tonight, if the heartlanding cooperates, I’m hoping to rewrite a chapter of that story.
Will you be the other half of my love story, Arisanna? ”
It’s all she can do not to gape at him. “And you think you struggle with words,” she breathes.
“I’ve been told I have my moments. You didn’t answer my question.”
“Is it even a question? Because the answer could never be anything but yes, could it?”
“Not for me.” He tugs her toward the door, and she gasps when the castle in Levina comes into view.
“This is—”
“Yes. Come on.” He lightly steps down the stairs, and she follows behind him.
He looks so excited. So happy. It’s contagious, and when he jogs toward the castle, she hurries along with him, clutching his hand and trying to keep up.
“Where are you taking me?” she asks.
“Back in time to a moment that should have been so much more than it was. You deserved so much more.” He never even hesitates as he flies around corners and hurries down corridors. Did he really memorize the castle in the short time he was there?
Stars above. He’s taking her to the assembly room.
When they reach the massive wooden doors, he finally stops, and her chest heaves as she struggles to catch her breath.
“Forgive me,” he says. “I should have slowed down.”
She just laughs. “I clearly need to spend more time running with you.”
As her breathing returns to normal, he studies her.
All of her.
His eyes slide over her like a caress, and heat fills her at the warmth in his gaze.
Then her leather dress transforms around her into a glistening gown that sparkles in the light from the gas lamps hanging on the walls. The dress is pure white satin with a shoulderless sweetheart neckline, hugging every curve until it flares at her hips.
Stars above.
“Almost,” he says thoughtfully, and she glances up to see him studying her still.
Then a slit works its way from the floor-length hem up her leg, over her knee, stopping mid-thigh, and she gasps.
“Perfect,” he says softly, and when she looks up again, he’s dressed in the formal elven clothing he wore to their wedding—the black frock coat made of some sort of satin or similar fabric and the matching trousers.
He reaches a hand toward her. “Be the other half of my love story, Arisanna.”
Her throat feels suddenly thick, and she nods as she places her hand in his.
He pulls open the heavy doors with his free hand and glances back at her. “Wait here.”
Then he jogs to the front of the assembly room and turns back to look at her. That beautiful smile she loves fills his gorgeous face, and her heart beats a little faster as his eyes crawl over her once more.
This scandalous gown is so much better than the cupcake dress she wore to their wedding, and he clearly agrees. If he’d looked at her like that the day they wed, her heart might have stopped beating altogether.
Music fills the grand room, but it’s not Nunian music. It’s soft and lilting, flowing like water trickling over rocks in a brook as stringed instruments add a soulful edge to the melody.
An elven symphony.
And it’s beautiful.
He beckons her closer, and she focuses on putting one foot in front of the other. Whether it’s mere moments or a lifetime before she reaches him is impossible to say. She’s too busy getting lost in his eyes.
He draws her hand to his lips properly this time, but it feels wrong.
“I think you missed, my elven prince,” she whispers as she turns her hand in his palm, and his smile grows. Never losing eye contact, he lifts her inner wrist to his velvety lips, and sparks shoot to her fingertips.
He takes her hands in his, running his thumbs over her knuckles as he looks down at their joined hands. Then he sighs. “I don’t remember what I promised you that day.”
Her heart melts a little. “You were just going through the motions, trying to survive.”
“I made vows to you I can’t even recall, though.”
Her heart reaches across the space between them, and she squeezes his hands. “I remember what you promised me.”
He looks up at her. “Will you help me remember?”
“You promised to look at every starry sky with me, Cerian. To be brave, even when terror fills you, if it will make me smile. To never leave my side when I ask you to stay. To take me with you when you need to run and to share all your hiding places with me. To build doors instead of walls and to let nothing come between us. To set me on fire with your blazing passion and to let me share in the beauty of your plant magic. To find me when I’m lost and to be strong when I’m not.
To face every day and every night together until the beating of our hearts fades. ”
His eyes grow wide as she speaks, and when she finishes, they gaze silently at each other.
“Those are the promises I remember,” she eventually whispers. “The ones I hold in my heart.”
“Arisanna—”
“And what have I promised you?” she asks softly.
He takes a moment to respond, but when he speaks, his voice is full of what she can only describe as intense devotion.
“You promised to help me see the stars and everything else in a different light. To experience new things with me, even when fear fills me. To help me be strong. To help me face the world rather than hide from it. And when it becomes too much, to run away with me to a place only for us, where I can be myself as I am with no one but you. To be my safe place and to let me be yours. To share the burdens with me that you let no one else see. To let me protect you when the cracks in your own shield become too overwhelming. To let me be the arms that wrap around you when you’re scared.
To just be mine forever, until our end of days. ”
If she were given to crying, she’d definitely be tearing up now. Stars above. That was perfect.
“And this is the kiss I should have given you,” he whispers as he frames her face with his hands and locks his emerald eyes on hers.
Then he draws her into a feathery kiss, tentative at first, but full of tenderness and longing. She grips his frock coat, willing this perfect moment to last forever.
Rather than pulling away, he deepens the kiss, passion replacing the feathery touch as he buries his fingers in the loose curls that hang like a waterfall over her shoulders.
His warm hand slides to her back, and as he pulls her against him, she wraps her arms around his neck and gets lost in his kiss.
In this moment. In his heat and the shared desire that sparks between them.
Eventually, he groans and pulls away, resting his forehead against hers as both their hearts pound, and she struggles to catch her breath once more.
“Cerian.”
There are no other words. None that come to mind as he fills her thoughts. That familiar smoky taste lingers on her lips and tongue, and she breathes in deeply of the fruity sweetness of his plant magic as a vine slinks up her exposed leg.
“It’s probably a good thing I didn’t kiss you like that at our wedding,” he whispers. “Whistling wind, I want you.”
“I’m right here.”
“It will have to wait.” He abruptly pulls away and offers her a hand again, a playful yet adoring smile lighting up his face. As his vine recedes, she doesn’t hesitate.
“The other half of your love story?” she whispers.
“The best half.” His fingers close around hers, and she lifts her skirt with her free hand as she returns his smile.
“When you run, take me with you. Always.”
His smile grows, and as he jogs toward the door, glancing back at her, her heart races along with his. She hurries to keep up with this elven prince she never expected, but who feels so right.
The other half of her own love story.