Radiance

Chapitre bvnhnn

(This chapter was named by my dog who was concerned that I was dancing while writing)

The night was alive with the soft glow of twinkling stars, casting a gentle radiance over the quiet town below. Amidst the tranquil streets, a bustling tavern stood as a beacon of warmth and light. It was here, amidst the comforting hum of conversation and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, that our story begins.

Kianti entered the tavern with an air of effortless grace, her strawberry blonde hair cascading in gentle waves around her shoulders. Her eyes, a brilliant shade of blue, sparkled with an inner light that seemed to illuminate the entire room. As she made her way to an empty table, heads turned and whispers followed in her wake.

And then there was me, sitting alone at a corner table, lost in my own thoughts. I watched as Kianti approached, her smile radiant and welcoming. With a casual grace, she pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down, as if we were old friends meeting for a long overdue reunion.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, her voice like music to my ears.

I couldn't help but be captivated by her presence, by the way she seemed to effortlessly draw me in with her warmth and charm. And so, with a slight hesitation, I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Sure," I replied, gesturing to the empty seat.

And so began our conversation, a symphony of words and knowledge shared. She was staying in my town for the winter season, visiting her family from her university across the sea. And I- well, I was searching for something I had lost. What, I couldn't be sure. All I knew was, she seemed to have part of it.

It was hard to resist her charm, I'll admit. I was rather unsure whether she was aware of her effect on not only me, but everyone around her. Did she know how her smile drew them in? How her laugh pulled down their guard? I didn't want to fall in, but I found myself wondering more the longer we spoke. Finally, I found an opening to ask my question, The one that had been dancing on the tip of my tongue since she sat beside me.

"Why... why did you choose to sit here?" I asked, my voice low and timid.

She tilted her head, a smile forming easily on her lips. "I'm not sure," She admitted, her eyes sliding away from mine. "I just saw an open seat and got a feeling. A feeling that I'm supposed to know you."

I should take to mention that this is a world unlike yours. For those who are reading this, Kianti and I hail from a world of magic and valor, and things such as seers and sorcerers were, more or less, not unusual. But they were rare. And so, for a moment, it crossed my mind that perhaps the reason she drew the attention of everyone around her was because she was special. But, looking at her, I knew that wasn't it. She was simply a light in the dark. 

My gaze fell. "I doubt it." I told her. "I'm not someone worth knowing." 

She tilted her head. "How very strange. I've never met a single person not worth knowing."

I swallowed down my next words and instead forced myself to meet her gaze, and a smile almost touched my lips. 

"Well then." I said. "It's getting rather late, so I'm afraid I must take my leave. But allow me to pay for your cup of coffee, it's the least I can do after you've granted me a conversation with you."

Her face lit up, and, after a moment's hesitation, she said, "Alright. But only if you agree to meet me at the courtyard fountain tomorrow morning at 10."

I somehow found myself smiling for the first time in a long time. "Of course, milady. I bid you adieu." I stood, and she followed suit, reaching her hand out to me. I took it and gently kissed it, and a slight blush flashed across her face.

"I don't believe you ever gave me your name, kind sir." She remarked.

"James." I said softly. "James Boche. I will see you tomorrow, Kianti."

And as we parted ways, the ghost of a smile stayed planted on my face.