Chapter 6

I was sitting on the windowsill yet again, looking out at the garden, which was lit up by the moonlight. It was difficult for me to say how long I had been in here, but I would guess around three days. It all just meddled together. But it was three days during which the only human I had any contact with was Lily. She’s not a human.

Slowly, I was getting restless. My body had gotten rest, but my mind needed clearing, and only answers could give me the reassurances I needed. I was still in the same white dress I had worn for days. I hadn’t showered, I hadn’t changed, the only thing I had done was eat, drink, and go to the bathroom when I needed to.

I opened the large closet and found something that I could sleep in on one of the shelves. It was made out of soft and smooth silk, and it felt phenomenal. The door next to my bed led into my own bathroom, which was top-tier. There was a claw-footed bathtub, there was even a primitive kind of shower, there was a toilet as well, and then a giant sink. But the cremé de a cremé was the giant closet that had the softest kind of towels I had ever felt in my life.

The dress was annoying to get off, mostly because it symbolized the reason why I was here in the first place, but I got it off and threw it aggressively on the floor. I stepped into the shower, looking up at the mechanism above me. You could see the water floating above, and then some handles that would probably make it turn on. As the water flowed, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the water was warm, enjoying the feel of it on my skin.

The shampoo and conditioner smelled heavenly, something exotic with a hint of mango and coconut. The gel was scented with vanilla, and it soothed my skin as I spread it across my body.

I wrapped the towel around me and sat down on the toilet, just staring into space, letting myself zone out completely. My eyes fell on the carvings on the cabinets holding up the sink. It looked like the sun, like the ones you would draw on a piece of paper, and as I stared at it, it was like the rays started moving, like it shone for me. It felt like the carvings were calling out to me, like the sun called my name. A weird feeling, one that made a shiver run down my spine. A dead object wouldn’t be able to call for me; it simply wouldn’t happen.

With my body dried, I went to work on my hair. I found a hairbrush in a drawer, pulling it through my blonde strands, leaving it wet. I looked at myself in the mirror, and it wasn’t like I didn’t like my body, like I couldn’t stand the sight of it. But I just didn’t feel comfortable in it. Like something was missing.

The white, silken clothes slid down my body, fitting me like they had been made just for me. It had thin straps, which ended right above my breasts, turning into blonde edges trailing the top of the shirt. It was a creamy color, which made it look even softer in the light coming from the sconces. The shorts matched the top, the same color and the same kind of blonde edges hugging my thighs.

In another drawer, I found a hair clip, which was able to grasp onto my hair and tame it somewhat. The half-dried mixture of hair was twisted as much as it could before I closed the clip around it, making it twirl at the back of my head.

I also found a pair of slippers, also in white, reminding me that it would be imperative for me to get tanned while being here, so that I wouldn’t look like a ghost in all the white clothing Nicolais seemed to want me to wear.

The hall was quiet, not a singular sound coming from either end. I closed the robe around me, letting it hug my frame, before I moved to my right. As far as I remembered, I would end back at the staircase, where I would be able to explore a little more.

On both sides of me, there were a lot of doors, which I guess led into more bedrooms, considering I could sometimes hear a soft snore coming out from the other side. So I tiptoed past them, making sure not to make any noise as I moved down the hallway.

It seemed the look from my room continued out here as well. The walls had the same teal color, the same dark wooden floors, and then a white rug running all the way through the hall. Although the rug out here wasn’t as soft as the one in my bedroom.

When I hit the stairs, I walked through the landing, passing the giant window that was lit up by the moonlight. I walked down the other hallway, looking for something I couldn’t quite name.

The big wooden doors now had small signs on them, definitely ones made out of gold, or something that looked a whole lot like gold. The signs had names on them, declaring what was behind them.

The King’s Office. The Adviser’s Office. Strategic Room. The Small Library. Fencing Room. Music Room.

I stopped in front of the door, excitement taking over every inch of my body, as I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of instruments they would have here. It had been clear with the trays that Lily had brought me that the food here was different from what I was used to. Like it tasted like more, tasted exquisite.

Carefully, I grabbed the doorknob, and the door clicked open immediately. The room itself immediately lit up as I stepped inside. Magic. It astounded me how much they used it, and that they seemed to use it for unbelievably ridiculous things. It must be amazing living in a world where all your desires could be realised with the use of magic.

There were some of the instruments I didn’t know, some I didn’t recognize, but also a lot I did. Among others, there was a guitar, a ukulele, a saxophone, a trumpet, and a piano. All instruments I could somewhat play, some better than others, though.

I moved closer to the piano. Yet another white nuance in which I could see my own reflection. Even the bench was white, and so incredibly comfortable to sit on. My fingers slid across the keys, carefully pressing down on the right ones, creating music instantly.

Automatically, a smile burst out on my lips as I felt the vibrations and tones circle me. The words formed on my tongue before I could stop them, accompanying the tones: “Can you feel the love tonight,” I almost whispered, not wanting to be loud, but not able to be quiet either. “It is where we are. It’s enough for this wide-eyed wanderer that we got this far.”

My eyes closed, the music flowing, creating a calm inside of me that nothing else could bring forth. My voice got more powerful, my words passing my lips more and more confidently. “And can you feel the love tonight, how it’s laid to rest. It’s enough to make kings and vagabonds, believe the very best.”

Playing always led me into my own world, making me forget about the rest, everything else that wasn’t the tones and the words I needed. So when I saw something moving in the corner of my eyes, I almost jumped from the bench, turning my head towards the movement.

And right there in the doorway stood he was; Nicolais. He was wearing a pair of loose trousers that looked to be in the same kind of fabric I was wearing, while he wore a robe around his shoulders. It wasn’t closed, revealing a very sculpted upper body.

“I’m sorry,” I burst out, standing up. I grabbed my hands, which I looked down at, watching how my fingers fiddled with each other. “I grew restless.” I held my gaze down, like I was a child being scolded, like I had just been caught doing something I shouldn’t have.

“Don’t apologize,” he said, smiling at me softly while he moved further into the room. “I’m just happy to see you out of your room,” he continued, leaning over the piano, placing his elbows on it.

I sat back on the bench. I couldn’t help but wonder what he must have thought of my behavior, of the way I had basically locked myself in my room. Did he think I didn’t want to see him? Did he think I had something against him?

“I just needed some time,” I said, looking back down at my hands, watching my pointer fingers fiddling with my thumbs.

“That’s understandable,” he said, giving me the same soft smile. “I have nothing but time.”

Nothing but time.

“What are you exactly?” I needed answers, I needed to know what I had landed in the middle of.

“I’m probably what you would call a fae,” he answered with a crooked smile.

“I’ve noticed,” I said, swallowing a lump in my throat, “that almost everything here is magic. Is that you? I mean, are you doing that?”

His smile grew larger. “Yes, I have magical abilities.”

Utterly insane.

“Can you die?”

One of his eyebrows shot up into his forehead, but his smile remained. “Are you planning to kill me?” he asked, a hint of humor coating his voice, which, weirdly enough, only made me more comfortable. “I can die just like everyone else, our lives just span a lot longer than yours.”

“How old are you?” If I had to guess just looking at him, with the way his body was built, his facial construction, I would guess he was around twenty-eight years old.

“I’ve rounded seven hundred,” he answered, searching my face for any reaction.

Seven hundred years…

“So, you’ve tried a bit of everything,” I said, while trying to keep my face calm, not to show how shocked I was by that answer.

“You could say that, yes.”

Silence engulfed us. My brain was happy with the answers I had gotten, and now it needed time to process them. It needed to figure out if it was completely satisfied, if something new arose that needed my attention more. He looked down at his folded hands, or maybe he looked at his own reflection in the piano.

“How are you doing?” His voice was low; it sounded vulnerable, like he didn’t really want to know the answer, but felt obligated to ask me either way.

How was I doing? It was hard to answer, since I wasn’t completely sure. I was sure that I had made the right decision to stay, that it was right to spare the little village from Nicolais’s wrath, or whatever he had done. I was sure that I could live a somewhat good life here, that I could accept my fate and just try to make the best of it. As long as we could create something together, as long as we could share something, as long as he could give me what I felt I needed, then I was sure it would all work out.

“I’m okay,” I finally answered, which led to him sighing with relief. “It has just been difficult knowing that I will never get back to my own life ever again.”

“Did you,” he started, but cut himself off, while he furrowed his brows, still looking at his hands. “Did you have a boyfriend?”

My heart pounded harder, as if it was trying to beat out of my chest, as if it wanted to break the shell I had created around it. As if it came alive again, only to cause me more pain than it already had.

“Yes,” I answered briefly.

I didn’t necessarily want to tell him about Lucas, but I couldn’t quite work around it either. I had to be honest with him, if I expected him to be honest with me as well.

“He cheated on me, for how long or why, I do not know, mostly because I didn’t give him a chance to explain anything.” I closed the lid on the piano. “That’s why I went to Ireland on my own. It was supposed to be both of us, kind of like a little prewedding vacation, where we were supposed to just have fun and relax.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice filled with care and tenderness, filled with a warmth that only made my heart react harder.

Our eyes met. His flaming eyes were so expressive, like they burned with the emotions rolling inside of him, burned with care, like he wanted to grab onto me, like he wanted to hold me in his arms and never let go ever again.

“Things happen.”

Yet again, the silence crowded our space, but not in an uncomfortable way. It almost felt serene, like it was almost nice just existing near him. It felt like my breathing got easier, like my heart didn’t hurt just as badly.

Jesus Christ, Luna, stop.

“You play music,” he stated, a trying smile playing across his lips.

“It calms me,” I answered, letting my hands float over the cover of the keys. “It’s like I can think better, like a part of my brain just activates, whenever I use my energy on playing.”

“I’m not familiar with human music,” he acknowledged, “but whatever it was that you played, it sounded good. Is it something you have composed yourself?”

Something between a snort and a laugh escaped my lips. “I wish.” I caught his gaze again. “I’ve always dreamed of making a living playing music, but it is the few who are able.”

“You can do that now,” he said, a more enthusiastic smile beaming on his lips. “You can come here and play as much as you want.” His entire face lit up, like he was genuinely happy that he could do something like that for me, like my happiness fueled his own.

“Thank you,” I said, trying to match his own energy, “I’ll remember that.”

Yet another silence was placed between us. I started to realise why. I put all of the pressure on him; all of the conversation was his to lead. It was like he had to fight to keep it going, with me just sitting there, being the worst human in the existence of mankind. But I actually enjoyed the silence between us; it felt nice, like it calmed my body down somehow. Being close to him brought something, something I couldn’t quite name. It relaxed me, like a tiredness and calmness I hadn’t felt since I’ve been here, washed over me.

“Luna?” he asked, making me look up at him. His eyes carried the question rumbling in his mind, making me nod, like a just ask. “Do you think you could be happy here?”

Could I be happy here?

Everything I could ever dream of was here, wasn’t it? And if it wasn’t, maybe Nicolais would make sure it came to be. I was waitered on, and brought everything I could ever want. I could play music all day, every day if I wanted to. I could explore this massive palace, walking around the massive grounds that lay next to it. I could eat amazing foods, and I could drink delicious drinks every single day.

And possibly I could teach myself to love the man in front of me. The fairytale gorgeous man, who cared about my happiness, who had waited on me for five hundred years.

“Probably,” I answered, feeling a small smile blooming on my lips.

My answer was obviously enough for him, because his entire face broke out in a giant smile, like he was an eight-year-old who had just been told to go crazy in a toy store. His hypnotic eyes shone with joy, with happiness, and also with relief.

“Maybe,” he tried, “we could eat breakfast together tomorrow?”

I gave him a small nod as an answer. He had been waiting for me for so long, and he clearly wanted to try, wanted to make an effort. It was obvious he would do anything, just as long as I achieved some kind of happiness. So why not start with breakfast?

He asked if he could follow me back to my room, and something inside of me couldn’t reject him. We walked side by side down the long halls. His hand rested on the small of my back, while he calmly guided me through the palace. The warmth of his hand could be felt through my clothes, and it made me comfortable, like it had a calming effect on me.

His robe was still open, so I could see his entire upper body. He was like made of marble, his muscles big and beautifully lined on his torso. His chest was broad and looked to be incredibly strong. His stomach showed more muscles than I thought was possible for a man to have. Somehow, it both terrified and excited me at the same time. He didn’t remind me one bit of Lucas; he was in a league all of his own.

We stopped in front of the door leading into my room, where I leaned against it, looking up at him. Even his face was pleasing to the eye. Without the paint covering it, you could see his eyebrows, which looked to be carefully groomed. He had a strong nose, incredible cheekbones, with a jaw that looked to be able to cut through diamonds.

He put his hand on my cheek, his thumb carefully sliding over my own cheekbone. “Good night, Luna, have sweet dreams.” Surprised by the sudden touch, I squeezed my hands into fists, not because it was an uncomfortable touch, but because I hadn’t counted on him doing that.

Slowly, carefully, he leaned down, placing his soft lips against my forehead. My eyes closed automatically, like my body knew to savor it, but before I knew it, he was gone, just like his lips were.

It’s moving too fast.

The door closed behind me again, and I looked around the room that was lit up by the moonlight. A deep sigh left my lips. Everything here was so wondrous, like I had entered my very own fairytale, like Nicolais was Prince Charming, riding in on the white horse, and I was the princess who was supposed to hand over her heart.

Happy. The word slid into my mind again. Could I be happy here? It wasn’t like I had a lot at home. Lucas had broken my heart, and my best friend had betrayed me in a way I had never thought she would. But my mom. I would miss my mom a lot. But maybe I also needed to do something for myself, maybe I needed to experience something that would only be mine. Maybe fate was trying to tell me something, and maybe I should just let it take over, and then lean back and just relax for a little while, not overthinking what was happening.

Can you even do that?