Love Born From War

Chapter 6

     The clank of Arabella's heels filled the entire hallway; echoing throughout the castle to replace the awkward silence between the two royals. Finally Arabella could not take another second,
"Would you like to see the gardens? It is quite lovely this time of year!" She quipped in her most fake nicest tone. A weird look flashed across Varian's face at her obvious front. Arabella's cheeks instantly grew red as she stuttered out "Well-I-we-um."
     "No. The gardens are fine," Varian interrupted in a harsher tone than he intended, sighing and rolling his eyes he finished, "I'm sure the gardens are lovely."
Arabella stared him down for a second trying to read him and decided to drop her usual "perfect princess"act,
"Fuck the gardens. Wanna see something actually cool?" A sly smirk crept onto Varian's face but before he could answer, Arabella already had him halfway out the door.

"I doubt this kingdom could possibly have anything that can impress me" Varian stated matter of factly as Arabella scoffed at him clearly offended.
     "We will see about that prince. Elysia has something no other kingdom can offer" Arabella said raising an eyebrow at the boy whose jet black hair was reflecting in the moonlight.
Varian smirked, grabbing her wrist and shoved her to the wall "mhm is that so your highness," he said using her same mocking tone.
Arabella's stomach did backflips and red stained both of their faces. Arabella looked up and caught his eyes as he was looking intensely into hers as if seeing into her. Their noses a mere inch apart their heartbeats beating out their chest in harmony. What was a few split seconds had felt like hours before Arabella snapped out of his beautiful, ocean green, forest like- "Ok lets get a move on the tour shall we?" Arabella breathed out practically shoving Varian back to the side walk. On the rest of the walk all Arabella could do was try to reel her herself back into reality, but man his sharp jaw line and his arm muscles practically popping out his shirt and- " Oh look we're here." Arabella said nervously as if she got caught red handed thinking such foolish things.
"The barn is the coolest thing here? Are you serious?" Varian said without being able to hold in his laughter.
Arabella looked at him with a smirk on her lips and a hand on her hip "Wait till you see what's inside!" She strutted to the barn door which had a gold plaque that read "Nova" and a long lever which Arabella pulled easily still looking at Varian with her cocky grin. As soon as she pulled down the lever a mechanical whirring sound filled the night air; each side of the roof started to slide down until gone completely. A loud roar broke out, sending icy chills all through Varian's body. Suddenly, a large creature shot out of the barn and into the night sky;its pearly, white scales  were illuminated by the moonlight. The iridescent colors danced across the stars as the creature dived in and out of the clouds. Varian looked over at Arabella and saw the look of awe in her eyes as the colors swam in her already golden eyes.
  "Nova! Ai! Ai! Ai!" Arabella called out to the dragon and it slowly descended down beside the pair back on the ground. Arabella reached for Nova's muzzle giving pats and sliding her some treats. She looked over at Varian who was pale as a ghost.
"Oh brave prince! Don't tell me you fear a simple dragon!" Arabella said trying to stifle her laugh.
"You wish princess" Varian spit out with his harsh exterior built back up. It then truly dawned on Arabella how terrified he must be, and then she couldn't help breaking into a fit of laughter. When she finally caught her breathe, she leaned off of Nova who was supporting Arabella during her fit.
"What's so funny?" Varian sneered.
"Oh nothing. Just kinda funny how scared you are right now. It ruins your whole mean, scary, prince thing" Arabella replied putting air quotes around that last part.
Varian stiffened and threw her a scowl. "So? How do you ride it?"
Without missing a beat, Arabella gave her widest smile and said "Shouldn't you ask me out on a date before asking such questions?"
Varian's puzzled look amused Arabella, but when she saw how flustered he got when he figured out what she meant? That sent her into a rage of laughter.
"You knew what I meant!" Varian seethed in anger. Arabella just ignored him and walked into the barn and carried out a weird-looking flat, leather saddle with no stirrups, but instead a strap with two bands attached. A bigger band in the middle of the strap and a smaller band at the bottom.
Arabella nodded her head towards Nova,"Come on. I will show you how to saddle and ride her."
Varian slowly walked up to the dragon whose each breathe sent little flying sparks everywhere. "Watch out do NOT look her in the eye" Arabella warned. Varian immediately pulled his gaze away from Nova,"Why? What will happen?" He questioned alarmingly. "Huh? Oh, nothing! Nova is a sweetheart!" Arabella answered trying to contain her giggles. "Ok! Let's get started. So first you put the saddle on." she instructed throwing the saddle onto Nova's upper back. Varian followed her as she strapped the saddle on and took the weird stirrups and strapped the bottom to the girth of the saddle. Arabella finished saddling Nova and explained how it works,"So instead of stirrups there are two bands:One for your ankle and one for your thigh. Once you get on I will tighten them for you. It is pretty much the same as a horse except going upside down wayyy up high in the air." Arabella said exaggerating the last part to see Varian squirm to which he did not disappoint. Varian nodded and with a struggle got onto Nova. "Ok now take it easy. Don't go too crazy. Take it nice and sl-" Nova shot up into the sky like the comet which she was named. Arabella could hear Varian's screech even from the ground. Nova started flying in loops and cutting in and out of the castle towers as Arabella stood watching the trainwreck unfold her mouth still open from her unfinished warning. Right as Nova and Varian were about to barrel straight into the drawbridge, Nova shot up and slowly evened her wings out. Now gliding slowly and swiftly in the air, Arabella could see a huge smile plastered on Varian's face. Arabella took in as much as she could; down to his one dimple, his cute fang like smile, and how effortlessly handsome and happy he looked. She also couldn't help but notice how his hair flew with the wind and how the wind ripped at his white shirt exposing every detail of his upper body. Arabella grew panicked and looked straight to the ground as Varian sailed through the sky thinking about how he felt more free than he ever had before.
After a few more show off moves Varian landed back beside the barn. He slid off Nova and gave her a swift pat before walking back to Arabella.
"See? That wasn't so hard" Varian boasted.
"Yea you definitely didn't almost die ten times" Arabella responded rolling her eyes as she handed Nova's reins to a stable hand.
"It was only five princess. Anyways, we should head back to the ball."
"Yea my parents are going to freak."Arabella whined as she fell into step with him on the sidewalk. In the dim lantern light, the two laughed and joked the whole way back to the castle entrance arm in arm.