“So, what should I expect from the Solstice celebration?” Rowan asked Fenella the morning before said celebration was to commence.
Her friend looked up at her with an arched eyebrow. “I’m surprised you haven’t asked Aidan about it. It’s not as if he wouldn’t tell you, and you do seem to trust him more now.” There was a hint of a sparkle in her eyes at the last comment, but Rowan elected not to comment.
“I will ask him, of course, but he’s been preoccupied the past few days.” He was, she knew, assessing the situation in Niall’s domain as well as solidifying his position among the nobles of Lord Kennet’s Court. He had told her as much when she’d asked, and she had realized, with some pleasure, that he had no intention of keeping secrets from her.
It was only that at the moment, he didn’t have the luxury of time to teach her all of the nuances of intra-court politics.
“However, I also want your opinion. You’re the one who’s lived in my world, so you have a better idea of what I will find strange or bothersome. I don’t believe Aidan would lie to me on purpose, but I do think he might omit important details because they seem normal to him.”
“Fair point,” Fenella said, seating herself at the table across from Rowan. “The ceremony here at sunset is rather formal and sober. Almost a sort of funeral for the ‘dead’ sun. The rest of the evening is supposed to be spent in quiet meditation and reverence. The real party is at sunrise, but everyone is tired, so it’s more sedate than you’d expect. But Aidan doesn’t usually stay here for Solstice; he always leaves right after sunset.”
“I take it you have some idea where he goes?” Rowan said with pursed lips.
Fenella grinned. “Serenalis has different customs. It’s more joyful. Kind of like Christmas, actually. Drinking, giving gifts, things like that. Here, they mourn the longest night, but there, it’s celebrated. Although Aidan isn’t much for revels himself, he seems happy to preside over them. I think he enjoys giving people presents.”
“That does sound like him,” Rowan mused. She didn’t believe Lord Kennet’s jape about his son not liking fun. She suspected the problem was more along the lines of not knowing how and being afraid to try. Within her rose a strong desire to change that. To hear him laugh again, free and unrestrained. For once, she didn’t question this impulse.
The gown chosen for solstice was black, made of lace embroidered with a solar motif that obscured her body but did not really conceal it. She was beginning to become accustomed to it, especially since she knew her outfits were generally tame by comparison to most of the courtiers.
Once again, she wore the silver coronet with the horned moon on her head. When Aidan came to collect her, he took her in slowly, his eyes moving from her head all the way to her feet, but didn’t immediately speak.
“Is it that bad?” she asked, feeling sudden acute anxiety assault her. He shook his head, taking her hand and leaning in to kiss her cheek. Even this relatively chaste touch was enough to make her heartbeat quicken. Then, he spoke, his breath tickling her ear.
“You are stunning,” he said, and his voice was a low rasp that made her knees feel weak. He smiled as if he could sense her reaction and found it extraordinarily pleasing. “Come. This is one event where it wouldn’t do to be late.”
Fenella’s description of the ceremony was basically correct. Rowan sat up on the dais next to Aidan, and while she wondered whether that was strictly appropriate, she was glad, at the least, to be out of Niall’s line of sight.
She swore she could still feel his cold anger looming on the other side of Lord Kennet. As soon as the last sliver of the sun passed below the horizon, every torch, lamp, and fire in the Court was simultaneously put out. At first, it felt like the world had been swallowed by darkness, but her eyes eventually adjusted to the dim light, revealing a court that seemed to be drained of color and life, save for the dying fire of the sun at the edge of the sky.
During the hour of twilight, no one spoke. A soft melody played from an unseen source, and a drinking horn filled with something warm and spiced was passed around. When the sky was fully dark, people began to move again, but their voices were hushed, their steps soft and unhurried.
Torn between fascination and restlessness, Rowan almost jumped out of her seat when Aidan touched her arm. “There’s somewhere I’d like to take you,” he whispered. Once again, she placed her hand in his.
*****************
After what Fenella had told her, Rowan expected to wind up in Serenalis. But when they emerged from the gate, they were not in the city, but on the shore of a lonely lake, somewhere up in the mountains. The water reflected the stars overhead better than the finest mirror. “Where are we?” she asked, still held upright in Aidan’s arms while she recovered from the shock of the portal.
“My home,” he answered, loosening his hold on her so she could get a better view.
“I thought the estate was your home,” she said, not sure whether to be annoyed or intrigued.
“That is my primary residence, as far as my people are concerned, but this place is more personal. I come here when I need to think,” he said, indicating a small building that sat on a rocky outcrop. It looked more like a lighthouse than a residence, but somehow, Rowan thought it fitting.
“What is it you want to think about now?” she dared to ask him, though part of her wondered if she was ready to hear the answer. She had the strange sense that she was standing at the edge of something vast. But his smile was easy and relaxed.
“Nothing today. I just wanted to give you a solstice gift in a more secluded location. Come and see,” he said, tugging on her hand. He led her across a meadow of fragrant grass until they reached a fence encircling a small paddock.
Rowan’s brow furrowed in confusion until Aidan clicked his tongue. Slowly, as if it wanted them to know that this was its idea and not theirs, a creature came into view, so white that it glowed in the moonlight.
She gasped. “Is that? How did you…?”
“After we talked to Lord Kennet, I received a message from someone in my brother’s domain. I believe her name is Gwenael. She explained that you had named and befriended this creature during your short tenure there, and that she had rescued it from the forest, for fear that Niall might conceive some sort of personal grievance with the poor thing.”
“Polaris,” Rowan breathed out an astonished sigh. “I never expected to see her again. And Gwenael rescued her.”
“Apparently, Niall was less than pleased that you’d named the horse after a star while in his domain,” Aidan added with a wry grin. “I removed the obedience spells on her so I could bring her through the gate, but that means she’ll have to be trained through ordinary means. I’m afraid she’s a bit skittish right now.”
Without any warning, Rowan flung her arms around him, nearly knocking them both over. “This is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me,” she said. “Thank you.”
He returned her embrace, enfolding her in his arms with more gentleness than she had shown, and looked down at her, his eyes blazing with an emotion she couldn’t quite put a name to. “I would’ve showered you in jewels, but somehow, I don’t think it would have made you as happy as this does. I’m glad I trusted my instincts.”
“You are undeniably clever,” she said, so overcome with joy and affection that she wanted to laugh. “But now, I feel badly that I didn’t get you a gift.”
“You did,” he replied, his voice dropping lower as his arms tightened around her. “You’re here. That’s enough gift for me.” This time, he did not ask to kiss her, but she found that she didn’t mind. His lips were soft, and he took his time, cradling her head with one hand as he tasted her.
When he pulled away, there was a question in his eyes, and the only way Rowan could think to answer it was to kiss him back. She felt his gasp, and then he pulled their bodies flush. His tongue caressed her lips and slipped inside her mouth, and a moan escaped her, a noise she’d never heard or made before.
Her insides were turning to liquid, and just when she thought she would collapse, she was caught up in his arms. She could hardly understand how they came to be on the ground with her cradled in his lap, but she didn’t care.
The cool, mysterious scent of him filled her, his warmth surrounded her, his mouth slid along her jaw, and she couldn’t get enough. Somehow, her hands had become tangled in his hair, the shadowy locks sliding through her fingers like silk.
She could feel the strength of his arm behind her back, and the heat of his other hand as his fingers trailed down the side of her neck and to her breast. His lips were on her neck when his thumb brushed her nipple, and she shivered because she could see where they were headed, and she wanted it almost as much as it terrified her.
He felt her sudden tension and went very still. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine…” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “It’s just that I…” Why was it so embarrassing to admit?
“You’ve never taken a lover before?” he asked, though he had obviously divined the answer for himself. She shook her head, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Her cheeks burned with something like shame, but then he kissed her again, soft and gentle.
“Don’t apologize. It’s nothing to be sorry for.” He brushed her hair from her face and then stood up, pulling her to her feet alongside him. “I told you before that there was no hurry, and I meant it.” She felt a surge of relief, but also a hint of disappointment. Being with Aidan had been like nothing she'd ever felt before, intoxicating, but overwhelming.
Some of her feelings must've shown in her face. Aidan smiled then, somehow both gentle and slightly smug. “If you are that eager, we can continue this later.”
Her face felt like it was on fire. She couldn't even form words. He squeezed her hands. “We can take things at whatever pace you like. Right now, we ought to go join the celebration. I think you'll enjoy it.”
on the solstice was a feast of color and light. Candles shone in every window, and colored globes of light decorated every tree. Groups of revellers walked the streets, singing songs about the longest night and the rebirth of the sun.
Everyone seemed to recognize their Prince, and many stopped to wish them well, pressing gifts of food and drink upon them. Aidan accepted them all and always gave something in return.
Rowan had once asked Fenella about money among the fae. Apparently, most transactions, both between and within courts, used magic as the only currency, but in Serenalis, they were trying a slightly different system which utilized pieces of enchanted crystal.
Today, these were given out like candy. In less than an hour, Rowan was stuffed so full she could hardly imagine eating another bite, and was feeling a bit muddled in the head.
She stumbled into Aidan, and he laughed. The sound was just like she’d remembered, rich and open. Her heart felt like it might fly out of her chest. “I suppose I should have paid closer attention to how many drinks you sampled. Liquor in the Otherworld is much more potent than what humans tend to drink.”
“Now you tell me,” Rowan groused. He chuckled again and gripped her arm more firmly, leading her off the main street.
“Let’s find somewhere to sit down. It’s almost time for the main event anyway,” he said, leading them down a side street. The lights weren’t as bright here, and the noises of merriment drifted away, until they reached a small courtyard where the only sound was the water burbling in a small fountain. They sat together on a wooden bench, and Aidan put an arm around her shoulder.
“So what’s the main event?” she asked, leaning comfortably into the crook of his arm.
“Something borrowed from the human world, actually. We, of course, added our own touches. Have you ever seen fireworks?”
Rowan drew in a sharp breath of excitement. “Only once when I was a child. Will we really be able to see them from here?”
Aidan nodded. “We shoot them high enough to be seen from anywhere in the city. With the aid of magic, of course. They should start any moment now.”
His words may as well have been a signal. With a BOOM that rattled the windowpanes, the sky exploded with light. Flowers bloomed in colors she had neither seen nor imagined; stars and planets died and were reborn. Fantastical creatures roamed through the sky, fighting battles and re-enacting the myths of old.
It entranced Rowan so thoroughly that she could not have said how much time passed. She looked away only once to glance sideways at Aidan. He was smiling, almost childlike, his face turned up to the sky, his dark eyes sparkling with reflected light from the display above. The image engraved itself in her mind, so that even years later, she could call it up in perfect detail.
With a final cataclysm of light and sound, it was over. The prince and his companion gave identical sighs of wistful exhaustion, and then Aidan turned in her direction. “I guess you must have enjoyed it,” he said, his smile lingering.
“It was wonderful,” she agreed, and then she yawned widely.
“Don’t go to sleep just yet. There’s one more place we have to go.” He pulled her up by her arm, and they walked down the street together at a leisurely pace. She could see many other couples and families strolling along, looking tired but happy, and as she watched a young couple in front of them. Theman hoisted a sleeping infant on his shoulder.
The woman at his side glanced at him with undisguised adoration, and it struck Rowan in the heart. Next year, that could be her, except that it wouldn’t be, would it? She would bear her child and leave. She shoved the thought aside, shaking her head.
They took another gate back to Lord Kennet’s palace, and when they arrived, the sky was beginning to lighten. The atmosphere was serene and expectant. “Is there a ceremony for the sunrise too?” she whispered.
“Not really. It’s just traditional to watch the dawn,” he replied. “And I know the perfect place.” So, she followed him up a spiral staircase that, in her fatigue, seemed to go on forever. Finally, they reached the top, which was a round room with a conical roof, open to the elements on every side, and only a short railing preventing one from plummeting over the edge.
It made her giddy to see the world stretching out below her and feel the wind whipping through the tower, and she clutched at Aidan’s arm to keep the dizziness at bay.
“Are you afraid of heights?” Aidan asked as he felt her trembling.
“I suppose I must be, though I never noticed before,” she admitted, hating herself for being so weak.
“Come and sit with me then,” he said gently, and in what she supposed was a very un-princely manner, he sat right on the stone floor and guided her to sit in the circle of his arms. Once she was leaning against his chest, the frantic beating of her heart slowed. He rested his chin on the top of her head, taking both of her hands in his own. Just feeling the rise and fall of his breath was soothing.
The gentle hand of dawn slowly crept through the sky, tinting everything in pink and gold. Finally, when the barest slice of the sun pushed over the horizon, a great cheer went up from the populace. But Prince Aidan did not cheer; he watched the sun rise in silent contentment because Rowan had, once again, fallen asleep in his arms.
*******************
Rowan rubbed her eyes blearily, blinking them open to find that she was not in her room. It almost could have been her room, but there were subtle differences that told her the truth. Besides all that, she could feel a warm weight across her waist and behind her back, and she could put things together without having to turn around to identify her sleeping companion.
She was in Aidan’s room. In his bed. With him. There was a moment of anxiety where she thought something might have happened between them that she didn’t remember, but no, she hadn’t been that intoxicated. She probably had fallen asleep, and he had elected to bring her here rather than carry her to her own room, though she wasn’t sure why that would be.
She turned slowly over to look at him, feeling a sudden need to see him without knowing why. His features were serene in sleep, his hair fanning out behind him. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Her initial shock gave way rather quickly to interest.
Unlike his brother and father, his skin was even fairer than hers, nearly porcelain in color, and it looked almost as smooth. With a surge of unusual bravery, she laid her palm against chest, right over his heart. The slow beat under her fingers was reassuring. He might be one of the Fair Folk, but in many ways, he was also just a man, so perhaps it wasn’t completely foolish for her to harbour feelings for him. Maybe even to love him.
She started to pull her hand away, and then his hand was covering hers, pressing her fingers against his skin. Her eyes wide, she looked up to find him smiling at her. “So bold this morning, my lady,” he said in a voice deep with pleasure and amusement. “Or I should say afternoon, since we did not go to bed until after sunrise.”
She had no words for him, no excuses or witty rejoinder. All she could do was apologize. “I’m sorry…I…”
He shook his head. “No need to apologize. I certainly would not have brought you here if I had some objection to being touched by you.”
By the heat in her cheeks, she knew her face was bright red. “May I ask why you did choose to bring me here?”
“My excuse is that when we arrived, Fenella had not yet returned from her own celebrations. But the truth is that I wasn't ready to leave you.” Her heart turned over in her chest as he continued to speak.
“Besides all that, I thought this might be a more prudent arrangement from now on. People will expect us to share a bedroom if we are lovers, and I don’t believe the particulars of our relationship should be anyone's business but our own.”
“Oh.” That made…quite a bit of sense, actually, even if it felt both embarrassing and scandalous.
“I realize that I didn't exactly give a choice in the matter. If it truly bothers you, of course you may go back to your own room.” Aidan's voice was calm and carefully neutral, but Rowan thought she saw something different in his expression, something hopeful and longing.
She leaned forward, her heart in her throat, and kissed his cheek. “I think it's a good idea. It might take a bit of getting used to, but I think I can handle it.”
He wrapped his arms around her then, and she could feel the warmth of his skin. She wanted to feel more, she realized, and she slipped her hands around his neck. Their lips met tenderly, exploring and tasting, and Aidan’s hand ran slowly up and down her spine, making her shiver through the thin fabric of her nightdress.
His tongue traced her lips, and she opened her mouth to him, and feeling wild and daring, she allowed herself to explore his skin with her hands, sliding them over his shoulders and down his chest.
She felt his muscles moving under his skin, the strength and the heat of him, and she wasn’t afraid. His mouth moved down to her neck, and his hands started to slip under her clothes.
“Prince Aidan, have you seen… Oh!” The door slammed shut. Both Aidan and Rowan were frozen with shock for a moment, and at least on Rowan’s part, not a little mortification.
Then, Aidan gave a light chuckle and touched her cheek. “Your face is as crimson as the setting sun.” And just like that, they were both laughing. He sat up, shaking his head. “Come on. I suppose we’d better get out of bed now before everyone else comes looking for us. Your handmaiden must have wondered where you were.”
He left the bed, and Rowan allowed herself to watch him move across the room unashamedly because he really was beautiful. His raven hair glistened in the sunlight as it swung across his back, and his skin practically glowed, illuminating the lean muscles of his body as he moved.
He pulled a shirt from the wardrobe and put it on before handing her one of his own dressing gowns to cover her shoulders with. The deep indigo silk smelled like his skin, like a winter forest mixed with something distinctly masculine. She had to restrain herself from burying her face in it. There would be plenty of time to appreciate his scent later.
Once they were both decent, Aidan called out, “You may as well come in now, Fenella.” The handmaiden peered around the doorframe and, when she had ascertained for herself that it was safe, she came into the room, head bowed.
“I am so sorry, Prince Aidan, Lady Rowan. If I had known you were here together, I never would have come in; it’s only that I didn’t know where Rowan was, and I got worried.”
“It’s fine,” Aidan said, waving off her apology. “Although, I would suggest in the future that you knock on the door before entering. Lady Rowan will be staying in my rooms from now on.”
“Well, I did knock…” Fenella started to say, and then she shook her head and smiled at Rowan. “Truly? I’m so happy to hear you’re getting along well.”
“Yes,” Rowan said, smiling even though she could feel her cheeks coloring. She would’ve liked to say more, but not with Aidan right there. That conversation would have to wait until later.
“I know you two are fond of each other,” Aidan said, “ so I have no problem with you continuing to serve Lady Rowan.”
“Of course,” she answered brightly. “You couldn’t keep me away. Shall I go fetch breakfast for you?”
“That would be lovely. And fetch Teague for me, if you would. Tell him to be here in one hour.”