HOLLOW

AGÁPE, KALOPSIA, Summer, 1643

The Crown Princess of Kalopsia, of only nineteen, was stepping out of her family's carriage, her parents already on the ground, surrounded by guards, when she met his gaze. The princess halted, one hand grabbing the guard's helping her, the other holding the weight of her pale skirts under the hot summer air.

She stood frozen in the middle of the crowd as her eyes met his haunted ones. The boy was stone-faced amidst the cheering throng, and even in the distance, Reverie could feel his sombre aura. He had his light brows furrowed, and his small eyes narrowed. Not something one would expect on a holiday such as the eight-day-long Adonic Feasts. Her people were most cheerful at this time of year, with the warm sun and abundant crops.

However, it wasn't just the way he coated the air with sadness that caught her attention, for there were many grim peasants in her kingdom. It was the way her breath got sucked out of her lungs because he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Beautiful really was the word. There was beauty in every edge of his features that cut through stone, pale skin that stood out, lean body dressed in the garments that did a fail attempt to blur him with the rest of the people. They screamed for their rulers' blessing, some chanted the Day's tones, but he was quiet.

The right corner of his smile went up as the birds chirped around. The soft breeze coming from the waterfall carried the scent of fresh pastries, horse shit, sweat and season bloomers, and turned her into stone under the scorching summer air. Failing to smile back.

"Reverie, will you please move," her sister's annoying voice sliced through her trance. Reverie shook her head and proceeded.

As her feet hit the ground and she smiled cheerfully at her people, Reverie searched. Looked in the crowd for those blue eyes, but all she found was a whole lot of nothing.