First Date

Basileus's confidence had returned in full force. He finally felt he had healed and trained enough to take Varya in public without doubting whether or not he could protect her. He had healed so well there was hardly a scar left on his perfectly sculpted body.

On this particular day, they decided to leave the prince's quarters and go somewhere they hadn't before.

In the dome, the castle stood at the forefront, intimidating those who had just arrived. Behind the castle was a wall that extended to the other end of the spherical dome and housed all the barracks of the lower class soldiers and an area filled with shops and places to eat at. It was called the inner ward. Varya and Basileus had only ever gone to the beginning of the inner ward to visit the garden. It was early enough in the day that Basileus decided they should go further and enjoy each other's company outside of his room for once.

As they walked, she resisted the urge to grab his hand, unsure of who was keeping an eye on them. The thought of word getting back to Emperor Kruos about their relationship made her feel sick with anxiety. However, Basileus would shamelessly guard her when someone walked a little too closely or looked at her for more than a second.

The further they went, the more aliens there were. As they got towards shops, there was a vast sea of aliens of all different ranks. Some of the beings reached her hip, while others towered over her at least a couple of feet. Out of nervousness, she clung to Basileus's arm, feeling that it was the only way to navigate the crowd.

Aliens still bowed at the sight of the stoic prince and Varya had to remind herself to look straight ahead and maintain a neutral expression so there would be no trouble for either of them.

They kept walking forward with no interruption until the crowd started to die down again and they were at what looked to be a restaurant carved out of the side of the castle's wall. This area wasn't nearly as modernized as the rest of the castle and wood and stone prevailed in the architecture. There was bar-style seating just under the stone overhang and Basileus walked Varya to a spot at the end.

"At night this place is much more crowded, but I wouldn't take you here with a bunch of inebriated aliens," he explained and sat down next to her.

From firsthand experience, he knew of the rowdiness that took place here every evening. As a teenager, he found ways to sneak over to this side of the palace. His sneaking around didn't last long because, as the prince, he was easily recognizable.

"Are we going to eat?" she asked as she observed an alien waiter walk by with plates of appetizing food. The aroma the food was giving off caused her mouth to water.

The food they ate in the prince's room was delicious, but it was basic. It was probably healthy and high quality, but it lacked any sort of exciting factors like sweetness or greasiness. The food at this tavern-type place was everything she sought in bar food back on Earth.

Basileus smirked as his gaze followed the direction her eyes were looking.

"Do you enjoy food like that?" he asked. There was no judgment in his tone, but curiosity as he tried to learn more about her.

Her face lit up at his question. "Oh yes!" she responded, enthusiastically. "My parents never kept food like that around so I had to go out in order to experience it."

The alien waiter who wore an apron over their spandex suit walked up to the bar. As he spoke, his voice had a heavy accent that Varya couldn't place. All across his purple skin were green spots.

"The Prince of Basileus rarely shows up here anymore. Is it food you're after?" he said and clasped his hands together.

Basileus smirked slightly. He recognized the waiter from many years ago. Apparently he was much less inconspicuous than he imagined as a teenager.

"If you still serve muoro here, we'll take two of your biggest glasses," the prince requested. He glanced at Varya. "We would also like to test your food and would appreciate a little bit of everything."

A small smile was on Varya's face as she listened. It was just like a bar on Earth. Memories of getting irresponsibly drunk and eating way too much flashed in her mind. Those nights were memorable and would always hold a place in her heart.

"Muoro?" she questioned.

"A drink made from the small, red fruits of tropical planets," the waiter explained.

Basileus's elbow was resting on the bar top in front of him and his hand was holding up his head as he watched Varya. A smirk appeared on his features.

"Considering your affinity for champagne, I thought you would like to try this as well," he teased.

Varya blushed thinking of the last time she drank around the prince and her eyes widened. The waiter looked between the pair and bowed before going off to fetch their order.

"Don't be embarrassed," he told her. "I will always cherish that night."

The prince brushed the hair off of her shoulder so he could get a better view of her face that she was clearly trying to hide from him. He was starting to become obsessed with her blushing face and would do nearly anything to see it. Being in public, he resisted the urge to press his lips against her cheek.

Varya's head felt hot at the thought of that night. They had never directly addressed what had happened. Today she vowed to not drink nearly as much as she did before.

Soon their drinks were in front of them in large goblets. The liquid was a light red color and, upon first sip, Varya tasted something that reminded her of raspberries. It wasn't exactly the same, but it was a nice reminder of her past life.

Soon the food was there and the pair had already drunk nearly half of their drinks. The meal was everything Varya could have ever wanted. The flavors were new, but the concept was still essentially fried bar food. In her mind, there was always an occasion for this type of meal.

Towards the end of their meal, Varya sipped up the last bit of her drink and turned towards the prince with a playful smile on her face.

"Wouldn't this be our first real date?"

The prince wiped his mouth with a napkin, having just finished his food. His eyebrows raised at Varya.

"It would be, wouldn't it?" he responded. It caused him to question further. "Are dates important to you?"

Caught off guard by his question, she said, "I guess they are. It's fun to get out and enjoy someone's company."

The desire to give her everything she wanted, but not having the ability to, the prince jumped on the opportunity for them to continue doing something if it made her happy.

"We'll go out more if it's what you want," he said.

Suddenly, the prince stood up and offered his hand to Varya.

Her eyes on his hand, she gave a confused expression and asked, "Don't we have to pay?"

The waiter had returned to clear some of their dishes and he answered before Basileus could, "The prince doesn't pay in his own castle," the alien said with a displeased tone, except it seemed the tone was addressed at someone who wasn't present.

Varya had further questions, but instead of complicating things, she shrugged and stood up. She finally took the prince's hand. The second her feet touched the ground she stumbled and her blue eyes widened.

"I think that drink is affecting me more than I realized while I was sitting down," she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear.

The prince couldn't help but chuckle at her words. She was ashamed so easily about the strangest of things.

"We'll walk it off," he responded and put her hand on his arm so they could walk together.

As he led her away, they went in an opposite direction instead of the way they came. There were far less aliens wandering around and there were no shops on this side. The path led them along the wall and was shielded by arches and plants that climbed the old stone. It was quieter here and without being able to see much of the dome, Varya actually felt like she was outside just as she did when they went to the garden.

"Do most who live here know that this used to be your family's castle?" Varya questioned, thinking of the waiter.

"There are still those more loyal to my family than Emperor Kruos's. My father was tough, but he didn't unfairly treat his people," Basileus tried to keep an irritated tone from his voice so he wouldn't bring down the mood.

Lost in thought, they were moving at a leisurely pace, having a little while before the suns would actually set. No words were exchanged as Varya observed their surroundings, interest was evident in her expression. She felt content after spending the day with the object of her affection.

The alcohol had gotten to the prince's head too, but it was in his mind more than anywhere else. As he watched her admire the vines, he felt strangely jealous her focus wasn't directed towards him. It caused him to be bold.

Varya, completely unsuspecting, was pulled closer to the prince and hidden behind one of the stone arches. His warm lips crushed hers and she instantly melted into him, giving him full control of the situation.

"Here?" she asked breathlessly when there was space between their lips.

In response, he simply kissed her again and his hand at her waist dropped to her lower back.