This smile
It only took 1 more day, to successfully conceal her original identity, then the delegates return home. That's why, at Gideon's suggestion, she locked herself in her room for two days under strict guard.
"The ambassadors of Predin crossed the border."
Gideon finally entered her room with the good news.
"I can't believe they're finally gone."
She could finally breath.
"Didn't I say there would be nothing wrong here… or did you doubt my word?"
He folded his arms in front of him.
"Come on! I know you're always right! "
She tried to please the man.
"Correct. To the delight of this, get ready… we will ride a little. "
"Where?"
"We're visiting one of my old friends, and since Norman is coming with me, so are you."
During the nearly 3-hour journey, she could admire beautiful scenery, but she could only think of one thing.
'I heard malicious rumors during the ball… but I can't dare ask Gideon about it… what if he thinks I love Jerome, and want to go back to him?'
"What are you think so much about?"
The king's question brought the girl back from the field of contemplation.
"Um ... nothing… I was just admiring the scenery."
She smiled in confusion.
"We'll be there soon."
That was his a reaction.
"I see, that's great – I was getting hungry anyway."
Ariana laughed.
'All the same…. what happens in Predin has nothing to do with me… but if that girl gives life to a boy… and then she's executed… she may have been the queen int he book originally… and I fucked up years of my life with unnecessary nervousness… No… I remember for sure the queen's eyes were violet, and because of the mines she was chosen as the king's fiance… I was the only one who met these criteria… that Miss of the Count family merely fulfills the will of the book… Yes. I'm sorry Mildred, rather you die than I… '
They visited the Aunt of Gideon in a relatively isolated little villa. The old lady had no other living relatives, but the king and the prince. Because Lady Zilda was seriously ill, Gideon wanted to visit her once more, before she would close her eyes forever.
They spent 3 days in a fairytale- like estate in the heart of the mountains. On the first day, Norman and Ariana looked around in the small town belonging to the estate, where they feasted on local food specialties, and admired a street performance.
When they returned to the villa, the little prince was so tired that he immediately demanded some sleep, freeing up the girl's early afternoon hours.
"Excuse me, could you suggest something interesting in the area?"
She asked the butler, hoping for some good program.
"My Lady, can you see that glass dome?"
The old man pointed to a separate tower of the richly crafted villa, the top of which consisted of colored glass.
"Oh, so beautiful!"
"Well, Lady Zilda has set up a prestigious fairytale library there… if you like reading, I suggest you check it out."
"This sounds good! Absolutely! Thank you so much for the great idea! "
She walked excitedly towards the tower, and hurriedly took several steps at once to reach the top of the narrow spiral staircase as soon as possible.
"It must be a magical place - if you got such a richly crafted roof - a real fairytale world is sure to wait for me at the top!"
She was almost to the top of the stairs, just the last step was before her, when she stepped wrong, lost her balance and fell back.
'Oh no! I'm going to fall! '
She thought, but at the last minute someone caught her and pulled her into the tower's room.
"Ah!"
Gideon hugged her. As she looked up, she saw the man's kind smile in front of her, and in the background the glass roof, which boasted a million colors, on which the sunlight, as it shone through, gave the feeling that she had left reality.
"Oh… this smile… this damn smile…"
She whispered, recognizing the situation… in the arms of the man for whom she had longing for for months, in a fabulous place above the skies … together…
"What smile?"
Gideon asked flirtatiously. She answered the question with a smile.
"This one."
And only one thing could follow Ariana's statement…