An accidental date

ㅤ Splitting up wasn't a bad idea. Rubia appreciated her "brother's" resourcefulness. But she still hadn't decided what to do in a small town to while away the time—she couldn't just sit around in her hotel room, after all. If only there were decent shops, she could at least look at some interesting wares, if not buy something new. But here… She'd taken inventory three times, buying more than she needed with the support of another country's prince, but her forced interest in the shops had dried up. "I heard there's a nice observation deck near the main square," Tilkis said casually. While his young companion was busy, he'd found himself a new sword and learned about the few local attractions, also reluctant to lock himself in his room so early. "Maybe we should go?" he asked, still unobtrusively, smiling teasingly. "Is there really anything interesting in this city?" Rubia said, hopeful. "Of course I'm all for it! How could a lady refuse such an intriguing invitation?" Tilkis, in a gentlemanly manner, offered to take his arm and led the young lady to a spacious, almost deserted square. Almost at the edge, Rubia exhaled blissfully at the view, involuntarily letting go of her noble companion and breaking into a light jog. She stopped right at the railing, almost stumbling over it, literally devouring the vast expanse with her gaze and inhaling its scent. She had once been greatly impressed by Janna, but the scale of the city paled in comparison to nature's artistic creativity. The favorable location on the hill and the sense of security within the city's boundaries evoked a special feeling in her heart. Rubia was so engrossed that she didn't notice Tilkis turning to the old woman and exchanging something with her. He wasn't in a hurry to distract the girl, who was glowing with a small happiness. "You're especially beautiful when you smile," he emphasized the "especially," implying that Rubia was always beautiful. His words made her blush. "May you have more reasons to smile," he continued, completely embarrassing the girl with simple, yet still innocently beautiful flowers. "H-how lovely!" Rubia gasped, gracefully raising her hands to her heart before accepting the gift. "Where did you get them?" "A sweet old woman grows them outside her window to sell. Lucky she happened to be passing by. Or perhaps it was fate," he winked. "Please don't stir my heart even more!" Rubia tried to cover her flushed cheek with her palm. "Otherwise, I risk losing my honor as a lady by behaving unnaturally." "No need to worry," Tilkis, being a prince himself, maintained the pretense of nobility. "Any reaction is natural and beautiful. Just be yourself." Rubia's heart was pounding faster than usual, and heat was spreading through her body. For the first time, she'd encountered a true ladies' man, and now she'd fallen into his trap. But she didn't resist: subtle attentions had a beneficial effect on the self-esteem and mood of a true lady. They only gladdened her heart and didn't compel her. So why not play a little game that's not brother and sister at all? After all, their joint path lay only as far as Janna. Until then, she could succumb to this intoxicating feeling of warmth. "Thank you." Rubia modestly looked away, admiring the flowers and inhaling their wonderful, light scent. Tilkis's motivation was simple: he loved to please the people, genuinely caring for them. And it so happened that he was especially adept at bringing joy to the ladies. His position in the royal family also played into his hands, but not in a foreign land. Here he was an ordinary young man striving for justice. And then there were Caius and Rubia, who mutually denied feelings for each other—what better way to dispel the gloom that surrounded the couple? At least to please the lovely lady. Lost in thoughts of home, Tilkis forgot himself slightly, running his hand over the girl's warm cheek, smiling with a nostalgic, soft smile. Rubia froze, holding her breath. If Tilkis had deigned to kiss her now, she would have undoubtedly returned it. She was even waiting. The realization of his unforgivable insolence came suddenly: Tilkis opened his eyes wide and removed his hand from its inappropriate place. He quickly recovered, smiling with relief. He lightly put an arm around Rubia's shoulder, turning her toward the priceless landscape. "Let's admire this for a while longer. We'll set out early tomorrow morning. Who knows when we'll be back here again? And then we'll go to dinner together. All the food is on me," he laughed, his expression mildly joyful. "Mm," Rubia nodded, then rested her head lightly on Tilkis's shoulder. She felt comfortable, even though her heart was restless. She wanted to imprint this moment in her memory forever. For the moment to stand still, while all the misfortunes were behind her and new ones had yet to arise. "Thank you," Rubia said quietly, thanking for a pleasant day.

* * *

The next morning, the group reunited—and it was as if nothing had happened yesterday. However, Caius's question about how they'd spent their time brought smiles to the couple's faces. "That's a secret!" Rubia said teasingly. "Come on, dear brother!" Tilkis grinned, waiting for the right moment to whisper in Caius's ear: "You should learn to be a real gentleman, otherwise one day someone will steal her from you. Me, for example," he winked, leaving the boy alone with his thoughts: it was wrong to keep a lady waiting. ㅤ