CHAPTER 87 - Winter Solstice

*****

Sage was getting herself prepared as the time had now come for Northia of the winter season they were all preparing for and to celebrate.

She was putting aside all the paperwork that she had finished or not done with yet, to be locked up safely on her desk before going to meet with her sisters to officially commence the winter partying and send out the notice of the holiday break as the Northia Queens.

After they have done that, they will meet with each other through civilian disguises and join in the festivities so they can also enjoy the winter holidays.

Then Sage remembered Prince Yue and his people and reluctantly, she decided to also give them a break and have them join in the holidays so they can enjoy and relax as well.

It was a few minutes later that Sage finished locking up her office and went to tell Prince Yue about the winter holiday festivities and that they're allowed to go out and join there if they're interested.

Sage had hoped that Prince Yue would forget the invitation he had offered to her before but those hopes were dashed when he inquired about it if it's alright that he accompanies her during the winter holidays.

Even though the prince had signed a binding magical contract, she still doesn't trust him so she had to accept the invitation on him to be her partner for the winter festival, that way she could keep a close eye on him in case he tries anything else, like giving secret orders to his people or that Prince Yue might have figured out a loophole or something.

Sage knows that she's being overly-paranoid about it, but then she knows better about the saying back in the former world 'once bitten, twice shy' and that it rings true here too.

Then the time came at the very night when Sage, her sisters, and Prince Yue went to the main streets where the city winter-festival is being held and open for the celebration.

All around with the locals, tourists, and other kinds of people alike, gathered to join in the games, watch outside theaters playing out, and attend and sing musicals to celebrate the winter season.

Lily was interested in listening to the people singing and she went with Iris and Jasmine to join her. While Dahlia dragged an unwilling Rose with a secretly amused Violet following behind them.

The only ones left behind were Lady Sage and Prince Yue standing together as she watched her sisters dispersed.

The two glanced at each other a bit uncertainly before they walked to go to a quiet spot, almost high up like in a cliff-side or a balcony to look over the area where the winter partying is being commenced before them.

Sage decided to bring the prince into a small inn where there are a few people inside, merrily eating or chatting on the ground floor, and she requested the innkeeper for the upper balcony for the two of them to watch over and relax.

It was accepted and it didn't take long for the innkeeper to lead them to the spot upon the high balcony where they can look and watch the games and festivities going on below, and it's only the lady and the prince there alone together.

Sage never thought that it would be a peaceful moment between her and Prince Yue as they join in and watch over the celebration for the winter season. They bask in the quiet yet merry silence that soothed their very beings and made them relax from the tensions and stress they have been feeling for the past few days.

The two of them let themselves enjoy the peace and delicate calm of the winter solstice, but they didn't know that something between them is starting to spark, that will change their relationship in an unexpected turn, for the better…or possibly the worst.

*****

(Author's Notes: Apologies for taking this very long to update. I will be doing some major re-writing, editing, and updating on my stories and will be posting them as fast as I can. Also, with the pandemic crisis, it's been hectic. Hopefully, for the new year 2021, real-life and things will be getting better soon.)

*****

*****