A New Feel

Hazel could not keep her grin off her face. She had been in a good mood all day. Add to it that she was going to get out for a bit left her excited.

When she happily told Asrar that she was going to go to the market on Fayre's behalf, he sighed, took one look at her face and gave up on convincing her that it might be dangerous. Instead he just insisted that he had to come with her.

She had actually counted on that though and was looking forward to spending time with him. They had not really talked about the fact that he had kissed her back yesterday. But she could sense a shift in the way he was acting.

So, she happily dragged her best friend to the market where she began enjoying herself looking at the different wares and buying the stuff Fayre needed.

She was fully engrossed with looking at all the different things that were being sold. When Asrar tapped on her shoulder she nearly jumped, making him laugh at her.

"Come on, princess. Thou needeth to eat something." He was smiling at her, carrying food that he must have just bought.

A grin stretched across her face and she took hold of the crook of his arm to drag him to a less people filled area.

They sat down on the grass together and Hazel leaned against her friend's shoulder. She grinned noticing the slight flush that came to his cheeks before he managed to get himself under control.

"So, what did you get for us?" She tilted her head and looked at him expectantly.

"Umm….some meat skewer things I dost not know the name of… bread, cheese, and whatever this is?" As he spoke he began to unwrap the different food items to offer to her.

The item he had no clue on was a pastry she had never seen before. It looked good though, and Hazel wanted to try it.

She leaned her back against him as she ate, enjoying the feeling of being close to the man who had so easily made her fall in love.

Both of them were silent as they ate, neither one finding it necessary to say anything. Instead they enjoyed each other's company in peaceful quietness.

After Hazel finished eating, she turned to look at her knight. He was bundling up the cloth that had been used to wrap up the food in. There was a serious look on his face that made her want to laugh as he was not doing anything that required that level of concentration.

"What is so amusing, my princess?" Asrar met her eyes, his own seemed to be dancing. Hazel's breath caught as she gazed into his beautiful eyes.

She leaned forward and caught his mouth in a soft gentle kiss. His mouth moved under hers, as he caught her waist and pulled her gently towards him.

She pulled away with a laugh and turning headed back to the busy market square. She knew he was following her. A grin came to her face even as she tried to calm down her beating heart, unsuccessfully.

She felt wonderfully happy at the moment. Her best friend seemed open to the idea of romance with her and though he never took initiatives in this… relationship he was letting her kiss him and even better, he was kissing her back.

"You can walk beside of me, As." She turned her head looking at him trailing behind her.

He smiled at her, "I thank thee, my princess. But I dost enjoy walking behind thee. It provides the ability to see any immediate threats to thy person."

She smiled shaking her head. There was no arguing with that. He would never risk her safety.

She finished buying the things that Fayre had needed and left the market place to head back to the castle, albeit a little reluctantly.

It was still early afternoon but Hazel figured that Fayre was probably waiting on the bundles that Hazel had been buying for her. She dropped it off at the room, noticing as she did so that it was empty.

Shrugging she headed to her room to lay down for a nap. When she was about to enter, a hand on her upper arm stopped her. She glanced up at Asrar, "Yes?"

"Um… well, I bought you something…" He was stammering and fumbling with something in his hands, a blush stained his cheeks.

He was adorable when flustered. Hazel stored that information to use later. She smiled at him, "Oh? What is it? I am sure I will love it."

He finished unwrapping it and held it out to her. It was a beautiful necklace made of silver and it had a translucent blue stone wrapped in silver hanging from it.

"Its beautiful…" She looked up into his eyes, "Can you put it on me?"

He smiled at her and then stepped behind her and placed the necklace around her neck. His hands grazed her softly as he fastened it.

As his hands dropped away she whirled around and kissed him before running into her room. She leaned against the door for a minute grinning like an idiot and playing with her new necklace.