It was a dark starry night with a full moon shining as beautiful as ever. The forest was mysterious and unusually quiet as everything that lived in the forest had disappeared for the night. The trees were almost bare as the last of the fall leaves fell to the ground, the river was flowing soundlessly and glistening under the moonlight. The boy was as handsome as ever, his blue eyes sparkling radiantly. He was wearing black pants with a button down white dress shirt. He ran his hands through his sand colored hair letting it out of its slicked back hair do and into its usual messy and unkept, some of it falling into his eyes. He sat under the tree waiting with a rose in his hand.
~
Elizabeth was hesitant when she reached the forest. She could easily return to the festival where everyone was laughing, and singing and dancing along to the music played by the musicians, people gathering around telling stories and stuffing their stomachs till they couldn’t fit anything more. She would especially miss the drunken men making fools of themselves, whether trying to impress the young ladies or attempting one of the challenges they had at the Festival. But she knew she must go. He would be waiting.
~
She went quickly but quietly as the forest wasn’t a place you wanted to go especially at night. They had planned to meet at the Oak tree near the river. She loved that tree. She escaped to the Oak tree when she was upset or just needed to think. To others there was nothing special about the tree, but to her there was something special about it. As she approached the tree, she checked herself. As she got closer, she looked for blue eyes. She kept looking and looking until finally she saw them.
~
He was getting a bit nervous wondering if maybe she wasn’t going to come. As he had made up his mind to get up and leave, he saw her.
~
She looked even more beautiful under the moonlight, her dress flowing all the way to her ankle and ruffles at the cuffs. It matched his dress shirt as traditional for the festival. The wind was blowing her caramel colored hair making her shiver. She smiled and showed brilliantly white teeth. Her smile made her brown eyes pop out. He wanted to hold her.
~
He looked like a gentleman with his white dress shirt tucked into his black pants. She smiled as she looked into those deep ocean blue eyes. I could swim in them forever she thought to herself. She noticed as she walked closer to him that his hair wasn’t slicked back like it was at the festival. Instead he transformed it back to its usual messy and unkept do. She loved his messy and unkept hair. She stopped when she was directly in front of him.
~
She was so close he thought to himself. He reached out and pulled her to him, breathing in her familiar vanilla scent wanting nothing more but to hold and protect her.
“Where you followed?” he whispered
“No,” she replied softly
“Gabriel-
“Yes?”
“I….I she stuttered, I’m worried.”
“Don’t be,” he said
“No…. it’s just… it’s hard to say.”
“Then don’t say it.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I think I’m in love with you,” she let the words out in a rush
“You don’t have to say it back,” she said, “I just thought you should know.”
“I love you too,” he answered.
He pulled away from her, to look into her eyes. It was wrong, what they were doing. Meeting like this. At anytime they could be caught and what would happen then?
~
She felt stupid. She was always worrying but how could she not?
“This has to stop,” she said without thinking about it.
“I know.”
“Imagine what would happen if we were caught?” she fought the images that were already flooding her mind.
“I love you.” he stated.
“You already said so,” she said with a confused look.
He sighed letting go of her, “You’re the king’s daughter. I have no business being involved with you. If we were to be caught… I would be sentenced to death and you… well they would just think I took advantage of you.”
“So this should end,” she stated already turning to leave.
“You don’t get it do you?” he asked, “I’m willing to risk everything for you.” he searched her eyes. I must be mad, he thought to himself.
She kissed him. She couldn’t think of anything else to do. She didn’t want to think of anything else. His lips were soft against hers. He was gentle, so gentle. She never wanted to let go. They were so lost in their passionate kisses, they didn’t notice someone watching.