8: The kiss

"Why can't I ride my own horse!?" Aston complained. "I've been practicing with my horse riding teacher I'm very good at riding."

"I know you're a good rider but It's late in the afternoon I just want you to be safe." Arya explained to him.

Arya,Cedric and Aston reached the estate shortly after leaving the town and were preparing for a late afternoon horse ride. They stood outside the stables as servants brought out their horses. However, only two horses were brought out and not Astons usual pony.

Arya suggested Aston rides with Cedric on his horse instead. She was worried that Aston with his energetic personality, would ride off on his own and get lost.

"I promise I'll be careful I won't move too quickly."

"You said that last time and you still went to fast!"

"But this time I will. Please let me ride."

"We're not having this discussion Aston, you're riding with your father."

Cedric watched the two of them go back and forth with each other. He had to resolve this quickly so they could both be satisfied. "How about we let Aston ride his pony we have knights that are going to be accompanying us if anything happens they will be there help." he spoke to Arya. Arya and Aston stopped their argument to listen to Cedric.

Arya brought her hand to her chin as she considered his suggestion.

"And you Aston make sure you keep your promise. The moment you stray too far and don't listen to us you get straight on my horse, alright?" Cedric then said to Aston. "You said you want to become a knight one day. Do you know that knights keep their promises? How can you be a knight if you can't keep your promises?"

Aston looked at him with an ashamed look in his eyes. "I do want to be a knight. I will keep my promise dad."

Cedric then looked at Arya again to see what conclusion she'd come to.

"Alright. I agree." She said but she was still a little worried.

"Then it's settled. Lets go."

The three set out on their horses into the forest that surrounded the town and estate nearby. They kept at a safe pace for Astons sake. And Aston as he promised behaved and didn't stray off too far. They rode through the woods until they came to a clearing. Luscious green grass There was a cliff ahead and from there was a beautiful view of not only Rinva town but a wide area of Kajun territory sun setting over the horizon.

It was completely dark by the time the family arrived at the estate once again. Servants came to help them as they disembarked their horses carrying lamps to light the way. The servant who came to Aryas' side was Susie, her lady-in-waiting ,who was shaking and in a panic due to the presence the emperor and crown prince. She came close to Aryas horse but was slightly absent-minded as she failed to realize she was facing the light too close to the horses' eyes.

Arya was about to get off her horse when it began to writhe around in panic from the light. Arya lost her balance and began to fall. She cried out in fear, but she never hit the ground below her. Instead she found herself in someones arms. She looked to see Cedric was her saviour.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Arya was taken aback by his question. She was wondering how he had moved so quickly and made it time to catch her when he had been so far away.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." She finally responded.

"Be more careful." Cedric then warned Susie.

Susie, ashamed by what had just happened bowed her head in shame. "I apologize for my carelessness please forgive me." She remained in that position trembling. As if Cedric was threatening to end her life.

"It's alright, Susie." Arya reassured her. "You can continue with what you were doing."

Susie then quickly left her head still low and shaking in shame. Arya let out a sigh.

"Is she a new servant?" Cedric asked only now noticing Aryas' new servant.

"Yes, she arrived 2 weeks ago she's still getting used to everything."

Cedric then carefully placed Arya on the ground. Arya met Cedrics eyes that were still on her and they locked onto each other. For a moment they stayed that way, like they were in some kind of trance. She was becoming too aware of his closeness to her. Arya felt her heart beat faster in her chest.

"Mummy are you okay?" Aston asked as he ran towards her, breaking their gaze.

"Yes I'm alright." Arya thankful for the interruption as she moved away from Cedric as then they began to make their way into the mansion.

They repeated the same night routine as the night before. After dinner they read Aston a story for his bedtime once more and then as they kissed Aston goodnight he suddenly said "I wish I could always spend time with you two like this, not just sometimes."

Arya and Cedric were both silent after hearing this. After wishing each other a pleasant night Cedric and Arya both went off in opposite directions towards their rooms.

********

Arya rolled around in her bed restlessly. She had been trying to find sleep but was unable to. After some more tossing and turning she decided to get up and go out for some air. She left her room wearing slippers and a thin nightgown over her nightdress.

She moved around the mansion aimlessly until she came across the balcony to the sitting room on the first floor. She went on to it and leaned over the balcony rails. Breathing in the fresh cold air she took a view of the estate then up above at the sky.

The moon wasn't there, however, the night was still well lit because there tonnes of stars in full view. It was absolutely breathtaking to see. Arya took in the view as she thought about what was bothering her. Astons' words had struck her. "I wish I could always be with you like this."

Arya suspected Aston found it difficult or perhaps lonely in the castle with Cedric always working. And he came to visit her for a few days every month. For the past six years that's how it had been, Aston coming to Rinova to see her. Hearing him say it confirmed her fears. She knew they couldn't continue like this forever. She felt guilty, she wanted to be there for her son more. What could she do?

"It's cold and you don't have anything to cover yourself." Arya heard a familiar voice say, bringing her out of her thoughts. The person approaching close from behind her. It was Cedric. Arya felt her heart rate increase once again. 'Calm down' she thought to herself. How come she hadn't heard his footsteps?

She turned her head to look at him as she felt Cedric place a jacket over her shoulders. Arya was surprised by this as she clutched the jacket and made to take it off. "Thank you." she said quietly. "But I was about to go back inside so.....

"I insist." He quickly said as he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep the jacket on her.

"Alright." she simply replied. Cedric then stood next her leaning against the balcony rails as well. "What are you doing here?" She inquired.

" I'm coming from the library." Cedric replied. "I thought I would read a little bit before I went to bed, then on the way back to my room I saw you on the balcony."

"I see." Arya said as she turned her gaze to the stars above.

"And you" Cedric asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk and get some air." she explained.

"Is everything okay? I've never known you to have trouble sleeping, I always thought that was my problem. "Cedric asked concerned.

"I guess you've passed it onto me now." Arya joked. "But I'm fine don't worry about it." shrugging off his concern.

Cedric let out a small chuckle. "I'm sorry about that." He then turned his gaze to the sky where Arya was looking as a moment of silence passed between them. "It's a beautiful night tonight." He commented looking at the stars.

"It is." Arya agreed.

"It was on a night like this a few months ago that Aston pretended to be asleep when the servants took him to bed then snuck out of the room after they left."

"What?" Arya asked.

"He pretended to be asleep when the servants took him to bed then snuck him out of the room after he left.

Arya let out a loud laugh as she became comfortable with Cedric. "Then what happened?"

"I just told him not to do it again and we watched the stars together."

She turned to look up at him a wide smile on her face but was surprised to see how close he was to her. She hadn't noticed he had slowly closed the gap between them. Arya blinked hard, she couldn't breathe. Cedric turned his body to face her. His hand came up to her to face to gently caress her cheek.

He then placed his arms around her waist as he pulled her into him. "Cedric I-" Arya began to say when she was interrupted by his lips going onto hers.

Arya caught up in the moment didn't react at first. He kissed her softly and the hands that held her were gentle. Her mind was racing she'd always wondered what it would be like to be to kiss Cedric and it turned out to be a whole lot better than she'd imagined.

He broke away from her lips for a moment to plant slow kisses down her neck. Arya moaned before he proceded to kiss her lips again this time with more intensity than before.

Her breathing hitched as found herself sucked in by his charms. Aryas' hands went up to Cedrics large chest to grip for support. She felt as if she going to fall if she didn't hold something. If they kept on going she was going to lose herself and was going to want more.

Then suddenly she came to her senses and realized what she was doing. To think she would have let herself get carried away to this extent.

She pulled away from the kiss and pushed herself back. She staggered away from him as if she had lost all her strength from the kiss. Her face was red and flustered, hand covering her mouth. "W-we can't." she simply said in a small voice, her head shaking in regret.

Cedric was surprised by her sudden rejection, when she seemed to be enjoying it in the beginning. "Did I do something wrong?" he quickly asked. "Did I hurt you?" He thought maybe he bit her without knowing.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." she explained remembering his lips and her face went red . She had no idea he was that good at kissing. "It's just we...we can't have this kind of relationship."

"What do you mean? Why not?" Cedric asked.

Arya was silent for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I don't understand what your intentions are, I'm not sure why you're doing all this. You've been coming to the estate more often, you're being nicer to me, more attentive to me."

Cedric stepped close to her. "That's because I have feelings for you Arya. I love you."

Aryas eyes widened shocked by Cedrics' sudden confession. how can you say that with a straight face? She thought. Did he truly mean what he was saying? Arya had always known Cedric to be a cold and hard man the only person he'd ever been somewhat affectionate with was a woman Arya would much rather never think about. She didn't respond

Cedric saw Arya's lack of response. "Arya, I truly have feelings for you." I was thinking about it I would like you to come back to the castle."

"What?" Arya asked in surprise.

"I think Aston would like that aswell, I'm barely able spend time with him because work

His words "I enjoy co-parenting with you. I think you're a wonderful father. Aston means the world to me." she said to him genuinely. "but this kind of relationship between us won't work."

Cedric was surprised by her words. "Why not? Why can't you give us a chance?" He asked gently.

"Cedric in case you've forgotten it was YOU that divorced me." she stated coldly as memories of the past came past came flooding into her mind.

Let's just leave our relationship as it is.

"What if I get hurt gain? "

Cedric stepped closer to her Aryas heart was literally punching out of her chest at this point. "Cedric stop. Don't come any closer." she said almost in a cry. Arya knew it, she loved Cedric. She felt betrayed by her body that reacted when he was close to her. However, as soon the painful memories of the past soon come to mind of everything he had done to her and it just became too much.

Cedrics' expression was hard to read for a moment. "I understand." he started

Cedric then became quiet as he saw the pain on Arya's face."You're right."

He watched as she left and reached out his arm as if he wanted to touch

What have I done? He said full of regret. Had he wrongly assumed she was interested in him? When he touched her he could sense her shy behaivour but she certainly kissed back a moment ago. He thought she was trying hide her feelings.

Perhaps I was being too greedy, too selfish.