“What would you say,” he said softly, leaning slightly towards my ear, “if I told you I could show you a slice of the world you've never seen before. Even if just for a few moments.”
His words took me aback. In fact, it took me several seconds to convince myself I'd even heard them. With the full realization of what he was saying, my heart suddenly started to race. My breath caught in my throat as I struggled to find a response. I wasn't sure I could believe what I was hearing. Was he really inviting me out? I'd never had anyone, ever, engage my fantasy of going outside, muchless suggest it. I stared out at the dim gardens, lit by the bright candle lights of banquet hall filtering out through the windows. Light through stained glass windows have just a slight huge of red and purple over the otherwise monochromatic landscape. The sounds of laughter, clanking glasses, popular tunes played on string instruments, the typical sounds of a party made my heart ache for the silence of the garden, its sweet whispers of wind and rustles of leaves. It was a cruel and amazing idea.
And also one I knew better than to indulge in.
I closed my eyes against the dream. “I'm afraid I can not,” I said softly.
“What if you did. Just for a few minutes,” he said in my ear. “What if,” he added with a pause. I heard him wet his lips and suck in a breath, “you let yourself have the birthday present you really want.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him, opening my eyes to inspect his face in the dim light of the vacant servant's corridor. His expression was suddenly one of immense honesty. His eyes were soft, kind. Could he possibly understand? Could he possibly know how very much it would mean to me?
And then a small smile spread across his mouth and a mischevious glint lit his eyes with a sudden light. It was so raw and honest I found myself taken aback again.
Further to my surprise he suddenly dropped my hand from the crook of his elbow and closed the distance to the window, placed both hands on the sil and vaulted over it.
I rushed to the sil and stared out at him in shock as he brushed his hands off on his pants half hazardly and then extended one towards me. He was smiling, that same glint of mystery and life and excitement.
“What do you say princess?” he said.
I couldn't breath. I was suddenly full of an energy and excitement I'd never felt before. Or maybe I'd always known better than to allow myself the full fantasy. But at that moment, the dream was staring me in the face, hand extended, daring me to take it. Maybe it was the sparkling wine. Maybe it was the unavoidable excitement of a birthday. Maybe it was just too hard to resist a dream that was so very close to reality.
I fixed my eyes on his for one last moment, one last check. I was met with a feriously powerful gaze, one so full of a life and energy and freedom I'd never seen before. I wanted so badly to feel, just for a moment, like someone who could have life like that in their eyes.
I put my hand in his.
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