The Enchantress of Snow (Delaney Series #1)

Chapter 12: Her, and The Starless Night

I went outside the palace and then went inside the garden gazebo and sat on one of the chairs there. The noise from the palace can still be heard here but it wasn't that loud anymore. Looking at those creatures is exhausting. Despite growing up as royalty, I was never fond of gatherings and balls.

Napatingin ako sa bulto ng isang lalaki na papalapit sa akin, nasa loob ng kanyang bulsa ang dalawang kamay niya at nakatingin sa akin.

"Lord Percival..." tawag ko sa pangalan niya.

"Why would I see the Empress outside and alone?" He stopped just in front of me and looked away to stare at the sky.

"I came to get fresh air."

He went silent for a minute. "There are no stars tonight," sabi niya.

I stepped outside and stood beside him. "Oo nga," sagot ko.

There are clouds but the moon wasn't present and so are the stars. The wind was kind of off and it was unusually quiet in Arsamanedon. Maybe, it was because of the huge palace walls separating it from the city's noise.

Or maybe there is something that mattered. Maraming mga mamamayan sa siyudad nila at kahit gabi ay maingay rito. Nakakapagtaka na ngayon ay tanging tunog lang galing sa palasyo ang naririnig ko.

"You are worried," he said. "Am I right?

"How did you know?" sinagot ko siya ng tanong.

Humarap ako sa kanya at tinitigan ang mukha niya. Thick brows, and a pointed nose. He had a defined jawline and full lips. There is too much to say about his face and doing that would take days.

His shoulders were broad and his arms looked like it was begging the clothes he was wearing to free them. He was tall, and his eyes looked like they could pierce your soul, they were black, so black that I cannot even see my reflection on it. His hair looked messy but clean at the same time.

Sigurado ako na maraming nagkakagusto sa nilalang na kaharap ko.

Pinasadahan niya ako ng tingin bago siya sumagot. "It shows in your face." 

"Am I easy to read, Lord Percival?"

He cleared his throat. "So hard, My Lady, so hard."

"Why do you say so?"

He averted his gaze to the pond. "You're just hard to read."

"Did you try?"

I heard him swallow and then answered. "I tried, but failed."

"That's... good."

"Do you not want people to read you, My Sovereign Lady?" 

"If I am easy to read, enemies might use that to their advantage. Ayokong makita nila na nanghihina ako," direktang sagot ko.

Naging matunog ang kanyang paghinga. "The sky is starless tonight," ulit niya sa sinabi niya kanina.

"Sinabi mo na yan kanina."

He smiled a bit.

"My apologies if I stare at you then." 

Percival's POV

The look of the Empress's face was hard to read but I saw how she blushed and tried to look away from my gaze.

Is the beautiful snow shy?

I never thought that a starless night is beautiful, not even the moon is here but watching her under it just makes everything complete.