Chapter 39
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Edwin brushed off the fatigue with a casual claim. He had endured endless marches through wartime nights without rest. Compared to that, this was trivial.
A touch of swagger colored his words, yet they rang true. The endless duties and scheming aristocrats wore on him, but moments like this restored his balance.
Rina’s presence acted as balm for his frayed nerves, a prize after grueling hours.
He squeezed her fingers a fraction more, cradling them safely in his own. The warmth of her yielding palm—save for the firm grip around her pen—soothed his tension.
“Nothing challenging about this,” he added firmly.
Relief washed over Rina’s features at his reassurance.
“Lord Rojas, you must have trained as a knight. Such endurance,” she observed lightly.
Her praise carried pure admiration, free of guile.
Edwin pondered deeper strains beyond mere bodily limits. Shadows of relentless concerns flickered in his mind, making him yearn for battle’s clarity over palace intrigues.
“Rest often amid your labors,” Rina urged gently. “Pushing too far harms the body.”
He banished the dark musings with a warm grin, partly to impress her, partly to keep their shared peace untainted by external woes.
His hand swept toward the fading light above.
“Sun down fully, and the blooms vanish from sight.”
Scattered lanterns dotted the expanse, yet the grounds swallowed their glow. She had never ventured here before.
Darkness would mar her debut visit.
Having chosen this spot over the lakeshore, Edwin resolved against any disappointment on her part.
He guided her to the gateway, veiled partly in thick vines.
Rina scanned the sealed portal and murmured softly.
“Will they allow us inside? Surely the roses close after hours.”
Her hushed tone, conspiratorial in the empty air, sent a pleasant shiver through him.
Edwin matched her volume.
“Outsiders barred post-hours, but palace access remains open.”
With quiet confidence, he swung the unlatched barrier wide.
Wonder rounded Rina’s eyes.
“Never imagined it unsecured.”
Four years in the halls, and this path to the elite summer haven—nobles’ favored trysting ground—had only just revealed itself, off her daily path.
As they stepped through, she peered over her shoulder.
“Gardeners use it freely after dusk,” Edwin noted. “Daylight seals it against stray wanderers into royal precincts.”
“Past closing, I’d never spot it ajar.”
Late shifts kept her far from here, save hurried midday wanders from Finance.
Her focus held on his voice at first, then drifted with the balmy gusts laced in floral perfume.
Edwin traced her line of sight.
Vibrant summer roses carpeted the vista in peak splendor.
“Stunning,” Rina breathed, kneeling close, mouth agape in awe.
Joy lit Edwin’s face at her rapture. Lingering qualms about skipping the lake faded.
Another day could bring the water’s edge.
His packed calendar bent to will, carving out slots.
“Lord Rojas, pure magic—like a tale’s hidden paradise,” she exclaimed, spinning toward him.
“Indeed, breathtaking,” he agreed, voice lifting to match her pitch.
She drank in the petals; he savored her profile. Rose-laden winds danced about them.
“Crowds normally eclipse the flowers, yet you grant me solitude’s perfect vista.”
Delight fueled her stride, tugging their clasped hands playfully. Her single braid bounced with buoyant energy.
She drew him onward, her slight grasp steering through the bloom-filled realm.
Rina alternated glances between blossoms and companion; Edwin fixed solely on her amid the ramble.
Midway across the sprawling domain, twilight claimed the sky.
Magic-fueled lamps flickered alive, casting feeble pools amid deepening shadow unfit for petal-gazing.
“Time to turn around?”
“Probably. Vast grounds—we covered distance, yet barely past the center.”
Regret tinged her pivot.
Edwin envisioned brighter paths for future jaunts.
“Near the palace anyway.”
She chuckled, vowing to track dusk’s arrival ahead.
He mulled impossible spells to stretch daylight, feats beyond even mana-rich antiquity.
Curiosity sparked in her soon after.
“Lord Rojas, roses your favorite?”
Lately, she probed his tastes now and then.
He recalled it starting near the third display.
Preferences faint, he paused thoughtfully each time.
Roses had paled beside her glow on this trek.
Now his eyes appraised the vivid clusters. A distant echo stirred.
Tiny at three or four, dwarfed by bushes. Father then crown prince, great-uncle on the throne. Serene eras.
Talia, his mother, cherished these summer grounds. Youthful outings with kin during galas lingered fondly. Adult friends joined sporadically.
Crown Princess duties curbed such jaunts amid throngs, security paramount.
Royal claim allowed exclusive sway, yet she refrained.
Gentle soul, she savored post-closing strolls linked arm-in-arm with her beloved, honoring centuries of public joy.
Those twilight rambles persisted through wedding and heirs.
Little Edwin tagged along, basking in undivided parental warmth, a scarce delight.
Details blurred, warmth endured.
Resolution formed. His amber gaze warmed, locking onto Rina.
