The Atonement of a Writer

8. First Meeting

He was examining the carving on the trinket he found in the market, when a soft voice entered his thoughts. "That's a quokka."

He turned to find a young girl who looked about his age. What stood out most about her, though, were her rare eyes. "You're..."

The girl put a finger on her lips. "Keep it down, and I'll keep quiet about your identity, deal?"

He nodded solemnly, not even bothering to deny it. He had, after all, sneaked out just before he was officially an adult, with his sister, as a coming-of-age celebration of sorts. There was no need to make a scene.

He turned back to the trinket in his hands. "A quokka, you say? Looks like a giant rat to me."

"Oh no, it's definitely a quokka. I've seen some of them where I live. Friendly animals, though a bit forgetful and clumsy sometimes."

He turned admiring eyes to her. "You must know a lot about animals."

She just smirked. "It's part of my job, you know? Anyway, if you're interested, come by the estate. I could introduce you to them."

He found himself smiling back at her. "That would be great."

~*~

By the time Clovis made it to the Soule manor, the sun was already beginning to set. He had promised he would be there by late afternoon, but it was nearing evening and he was very, very late.

It wasn't like he was deliberately delaying the journey. He had fully intended to make it on time, but as he went through the capital, so many people needed his help--though, he noted absent-mindedly, most of them seemed to be ladies who had almost got run over by his carriage. Since he was partly responsible, he couldn't just leave them in case they got hurt. He ended up staying there for a while and was extremely late by the time he saw the Soule manor in the distance.

Killian was waiting for him at the gates. Before he could say anything, Clovis immediately apologized. "I am so, so, sorry. I know I'm late. I hope you weren't waiting long."

"Of course not, Your Highness. I'm sure you had important matters to attend to." Killian's dry tone didn't go over Clovis's head.

Clovis smiled sheepishly at him. "Well, my carriage almost ran over a couple ladies. They were quite frightened. They practically demanded that I stay and comfort them...since I was partly responsible."

"...I see." Killian looked like he wanted to say something else, but refrained from it. He was always like that around him, Clovis observed.

They walked up to the manor side by side. Carefully, he asked, "Killian...how is she?"

There was a slight pause in Killian's steps. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Clovis sighed. Killian never gave him a straight answer, whatever it was that he asked. His whole persona was so mild and unassuming that sometimes it got irritating.

They arrived at the garden in front of the manor, where Arielle was waiting for them. Upon hearing their footsteps, she turned around. "It's a pleasure to have you here, Your Highness."

Clovis sucked in a breath and was momentarily stunned as she raised her head. Back at the party, she hadn't really looked up, so he hadn't noticed, but her eyes were a stunning shade of purple. Arielle, with her back to the garden and the orange sunlight hitting her face, was the epitome of, for the lack of better words, picture-perfect.

"I'll leave you two to it." Killian's voice jolted him back to reality. Clovis turned away from Arielle, momentarily blinded, to give a nod to Killian. Killian's gaze cut over to Arielle one last time before finally leaving them alone.

Clovis turned his attention back to Arielle, once again struck by her beauty. For a few silent moments, the two of them just stared at each other, neither of them knowing why the other was staring.

For Clovis, this was a rather novel experience since people had never not spoken to him when they met, let alone just staring in silence.

"Thank you for being willing to see me," he decided to break the silence first. "Especially since..."

"It's alright." Her voice was calm and steady. "I would've acted the way you did, if I were you, so this is all rather unnecessary."

"Still," Clovis insisted. He took a polite, apologetic bow. "As mentioned in my letter, I came to formally ask for your pardon. I acted rashly, and that resulted in you being wronged."

She seemed to be dissecting him with her eyes. "Just the fact that you came personally is enough, Your Highness. I do not hold grudges."

It might be his imagination, but it felt like she was holding him at an arm's length away. Usually, at this point, any other person would be using this opportunity to ask him for benefits, even if they were pretending to be forgiving. So why did he get the feeling that she wanted nothing to do with him? "...I thank you for your consideration. Please, tell me what you want for your compensation."

She bit her lips. "There's no need for that."

"Please, I insist."

"Your Highness." Something in her tone shifted. "There's really no need. I would rather we put this behind us."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," he insisted, royal upbringing ingrained in his bones, "Please let me personally compensate you."

"Oh, really?" Her tone was colder than he'd expected. Did he say something wrong? "Your Highness, why do you insist when I've already said there's no need? Do you wish to compensate me, or do you wish to use me to get over your guilt?"

"E-excuse me?" Even Killian had never spoken to him that way before. Whenever Killian wanted to reprimand him, he preferred being passive aggressive over straight-up criticism. Actually, if he thought about it, Killian acted more like his aide than his healer...maybe he should give him a new job title?

Arielle closed in, so close that Clovis could see his reflection in her eyes. "I've heard a lot about you, Your Highness. They say you're very kind. Which makes me wonder, are you genuinely kind, or are you kind only to help yourself feel better?"

"I do my best to help my people," Clovis chose his words carefully. Who would've known the shy lady could speak like that? "I only wish the best for them...and for you."

Her eyes hardened. "Then do not push me. I know very well what I want and need, and I do not need a favor from you. You should not give out personal favors like this, Your Highness. I am nothing but a random passerby in your life. If you feel that I need compensation, send a representative and some hush money."

Her words were not what he expected. Her actions were unanticipated, not to mention unprecedented. Clovis felt as though she had run past him with her barrel of words, leaving only dust behind, and no matter what he did, he couldn't catch up. So naturally, the next words that came out of his mouth sounded idiotic even to his own ears. "...You need money?"

Clovis barely held back a wince even as the words rolled off his tongue. Arielle looked so annoyed she actually glared at him. "It is not a question of what I need," she said frostily. "It is a question of what you can give, and what you should give."

With a barely concealed huff, she turned away with a few final parting words. "Please keep these words in mind. Good day, Your Highness."

When Clovis's brain finally caught up to what happened, she had already disappeared. Still, he didn't think he did anything particularly wrong. He would have to ask Killian what that was about later.

Standing alone in the garden, Clovis felt his lips twitch on their own accord. Interesting. No one had left him alone and unattended before.

When she'd first greeted him twenty minutes ago, he'd seen shallow beauty. Now, with her back to the sunset, she walked away with an even more alluring mystique that prompted him to try to get to the bottom of. It felt perilous, and exciting, as if he was getting sucked into the unknown--one misstep could lead to falling off a cliff, but if the reward was getting to know her soul, no matter where it might take him, it would be well worth it.

Interesting indeed.