~~
Star
~~
Artem seed to have liked the way that I looked when I ca back into the room with Acacia. He had been rendered speechless for a few minutes until Uncle Ash cleared his throat and pulled Artem away from whatever it was that he had been thinking about. Sothing tells that it wasn't sothing I could ask him about with other people around. And, oh Goddess, why did that make feel so excited?
The mont that Artem was pulled out of his little stupor he shook his head. He made think of a dog, or a real wolf as he shook his head from side to side. It must have been quite the interesting thoughts that he had running through his head.
OH MY GODDESS! I scread inside of my head. I AM LETTING ARTEM CORRUPT AND TURN INTO A DIRTY PERVERT.
I couldn't believe what it was that I was thinking about as I thought about what it was that Artem was most likely thinking about. I might be completely wrong in what I was suspecting him of thinking about. And if that was the case that made the dirty pervert and not him. Oh Goddess, what was happening to ?
"Star." He called my na then as he walked closer toward , his hands held out so that he could take mine in his when he reached . I raised my hands and slid my smaller hands into his when he was close enough. I loved the way it felt when his hands were wrapped around mine. It made feel safe and secure, like nothing bad could ever happen to .
"Artem, is sothing wrong?" I asked him. I had been trying to sound proper so much since coming here that I honestly feared it was going to beco permanent when we got back ho.
"No, nothing is wrong. However, you look amazing. You are so beautiful." He leaned in and kissed my cheek.
"Ah ah, no kissing the rchandise. I just finished getting her ready for dinner." Acacia pretended to scold him as she wagged a finger at him in an over exaggerated way.
"If I sar her makeup does that an that I need to buy her and take her ho with ?" Artem winked at that before he pulled toward him playfully.
"Oh?" I squealed awkwardly at that, not sure what was actually going on at the mont. Everyone thought that my little scream was funny though, since all four of them burst into laughter the mont they heard it. "What is going on here?" I asked them all, confused.
"I'm sorry, Star." Artem kissed lightly. "I just felt the need to play around a little after Acacia made her little joke.
Artem and Acacia were laughing and I truly didn't understand what was happening. I just decided to keep my mouth shut though, now was not the ti.
"Anyway, Star, there was sothing that I wanted to tell you." Artem turned to look at him so that all I could focus on was the serious expression in his eyes.
"Yes?" I tilted my head and encouraged him to go on.
"I am going to sit out this dinner with the Queen and your father. I think it is a very personal and private family mont that you need to have for yourself. I don't want to intrude."
I felt my heart fall. He wasn't going to be there with ? Why? Why didn't he want to go with ? What had happened while I was upstairs with Acacia?
"There is no need to worry." Artem cradled my face in his hands then, offering at least a little bit of comfort with the touch.
"Why, Artem? Why don't you want to go?" I almost felt heartbroken when I heard that I was going to be going in there all alone. No, I don't think heartbroken is the right word for it. Honestly, I think the best way to describe it would be afraid. I felt a wave of fresh terror wash over when I thought about having to face my father alone.
"It's not that I don't want to go, Star. I just think that it would be best for everyone if you went without . You know that I have a tendency to overreact at tis. I don't want to say sothing to offend the Queen if your father says sothing that I find disagreeable. I am doing this for you, Star. I want you to have the chance to have a peaceful al with your father."
I could see the genuine, love filled smile that Artem was giving . He was telling the truth, or at least most of it. I could tell that he wasn't trying to deceive at least. But it was still frightening.
"Artem, if you're afraid of saying sothing that will offend her, what do you think that I am likely to do? You are more knowledgeable about everything than I am." I wanted to start trembling but I didn't allow that. I never used to be this weak and afraid. This ekness was never who I was, when did this happen to ?
I looked again into Artem's eyes. I looked closely and deeply. I tried my best to see the thoughts and emotions hidden in those green pools. I felt a small tugging at sothing from sowhere inside of , sowhere that I couldn't quite pinpoint. It almost felt like it ca from everywhere and nowhere at the sa ti. The sensation was elusive and passed before I had the chance to investigate it.
When the tugging feeling was gone I noticed sothing new. There were flowers floating next to Artem. They were actually more behind him than next to him but I was able to see them from where I stood. They were white, they signified calm and serene feelings, not to ntion happiness and joy. So there was nothing that he was truly trying to hide from . If that was the case then what was this all about.
"Beautiful." I heard Aunt Lotus exclaim from several feet away. When I turned my head she was the only one who was staring at intently. Ash and Acacia didn't seem to know what was going on.
"Lotus? What is it?" Uncle Ash looked confused as he stared at his wife.
"The flowers. She has conjured the most beautiful alyssums." Aunt Lotus had her hands clasped in front of her as she looked at the flowers that surrounded Artem.
"Y...you can see the flowers?" I asked her, with shock filling my voice. No one had seen the flowers before except for Artem when I touched him.
"Oh yes, sweetheart, I can see them. I am not fully a tree Fae like my husband and daughter here, I am actually a pixie. Flowers were my life when I was younger. However, I have birthed many Dryads and have lived among them so long that I have absorbed their powers as well."
"I really don't understand." I felt the confusion filling even more.
"Do not worry, sweetheart. What matters is that I can see the flora that you have conjured and I think it is wonderful. This is definitely sothing to talk to your father about." I saw a proud smile on Aunt Lotus that made want to smile back at her. If I wasn't trying to figure out what was going on right now I might allow myself to feel proud of myself.
"Star?" Artem looked at then, this head tilted and his eyes uncertain.
"I didn't call the flower to , they just appeared. I didn't do it on purpose, Artem. I promise." I didn't want him to think that I was trying to pry into his feelings or anything like that.
"I know. What do you want to explain, what is confusing you so much?" It looked like he felt remorseful now, like he felt as if he had done sothing wrong. That made feel even worse.
"Hah." I sighed, unable to hold it in at all. "We're not communicating very well right now are we?" I laughed at the awkwardness of all of this. "I just don't understand why you felt the need to sit out the dinner all of a sudden. I an, your reasons were valid, I get that. I just think that there is more to it. I'm not going to pry though. I will let you tell when you're ready." I smiled at him, trying my best to be mature and positive about all of this. "When you want to know I will be waiting to listen."
"Star-." Artem began but I held up a hand and stopped him.
"It's alright Artem. I was being childishly immature about it all. I need to hold my head up and handle this myself. That is what a responsible Luna would do, right."
I saw the pride that filled Artem's eyes when he heard my words. He probably hadn't expected to hear anything of the sort coming from . I wanted to mold myself into a proper Luna and a great mom. I had a lot of people waiting at ho for and I would soon be welcoming a baby that would rely on for everything as well. I needed to learn these lessons now. As I thought about it, maybe that was what Artem had wanted all along. It seed plausible to , and as I thought about that it made smile.
Truly, once I stopped letting myself be so afraid I could see things so clearly. I could also see how it all made sense and just seed to fit together. I took a deep breath and looked back at the man that I loved with all of my heart.
"Thank you Artem. I think I know what you're trying to do and I truly appreciate it. I love you, more than I could ever express to you."
"Star." He pulled in close to him then. "I love you as well." I watched as the white flowers around him shifted to a soft pale pink. The color that brought to mind love and affection. It was good, I guess, that I could see the truth of his feelings in such a concrete way. It made my heart sing.
It was decided that Artem was going to have dinner in the room we would be sharing for the night. When I was finished with my al and discussion I would be taken to the room by a guard or soone that I could trust. That way I would not get lost on my way in unfamiliar territory.
Reviews
All reviews (0)