A divine presence

Joseph chuckled when he saw Aria's expression, "Don't worry. I'm not going to kidnap you."

Aria looked around and said, "It's not that. I was just wondering if you will be able to get back in time for your class."

Joseph: "Don't worry. We're not going far."

And sure enough, after a minute or two, the two emerged from the trees into a meadow.

Aria looked around and her eyes reflected the beauty, the green grass, little coloured flowers sprouting here and there, and to contrast all the bright colours, the deep blue lake in the middle.

Joseph stood to one side and saw Aria look around at the meadow, mesmerised. Her hair whipped her face as she turned, but Aria did not seem to have noticed.

Finally, when she had taken it all in, Joseph helped Aria sit down with her back against a tree. Aria wanted to go towards the lake, but Joseph would not let her, so she sat there, making a little bracelet out of the flowers and looking around at the beauty.

Joseph had been looking at Aria mesmerised when she turned her head. She looked so much at home in this little meadow, much more than she had ever done in the castle.

It occurred to Joseph that Aria looked like something divine. At first, he thought she looked like an angel. But quickly shook his head.

This girl in front of him looked like she was the incarnation of the trees, grass, flowers and lake itself. Joseph did not know why, but he suddenly felt like Aria was a spirit he was not supposed to see, only feel. And like she would disappear if he even blinked.

It was then Aria spoke and Joseph was pulled to reality. He blinked and looked again. He had been right. Aria did not disappear, but she now looked like Aria, a human. Joseph wondered what had he seen just now when he felt like Aria was speaking something. He shook himself and asked, "What?"

Aria blinked in confusion, "I asked if there is something on my face."

Joseph quickly came up with a lie, "Oh, there was a leaf in your hair. It's not there anymore."

"Oh." Aria said absent-mindedly and went back to her bracelet.

Joseph changed the topic, "Do you like the meadow?"

Aria quickly nodded, her eyes shining, "It's so beautiful. It.....it I don't know how to explain it.....it just feels magical, sacred."

Joseph looked at Aria who was looking at the lake, "Yeah, it does."

Aria spoke, still looking at the lake, "Am I the first person you have brought here?"

Joseph looked surprised, "How did you know?"

Aria looked back at him, her face glazed with confusion as she spoke, "I don't know. I just kind of felt like this is a safe haven for people. It doesn't feel like you are the only one who ever comes here, or that you were the first one to find it,....but.....it feels like..."

"We're the first two people to come here together." Joseph finished her sentence.

Aria nodded and looked at the lake again, "I think it's something about that lake."

"Maybe." Joseph said absent-mindedly as he plucked a flower and tucked it in her hair.

He had thought Aria would object, but she did not.