The Arrangement

s e v e n

ஜ Adeline ஜ

I cursed under my breath once I got a fair amount of distance between myself and the Grand Hall. The dress the servants had shoved me into was chafing me, since it was a little too tight in some areas, and I felt like throwing up and bursting into a puddle of tears all at once.

I took so many turns and walked down a couple of corridors, I couldn't even remotely remember the direction in which the Grand Hall was. I didn't mind. I wasn't planning on returning to the dinner.

I came to a stop at an obscured wooden door a little way down the corridor which I'd been exploring.

Luckily, it was unlocked. Unlike the two previous doors I'd tried to open. I decided to open the door and see what was on the other side.

A cobblestone walkway.

A sliver of normalcy, finally, I thought; as I closed the door behind me.

Stepping into the cool night air did wonders for my emotions. The reassuring clicks of the heels on my feet added to the serene atmosphere, as the trees slightly swayed to the melodies of critters. I began hearing the gentle rush of water, a little way down the path; which diverged. I followed my instincts as best as I could, and soon came to a stop at a breathtaking waterfall the colour of boysenberry. The clear life-sustaining liquid practically called to me, and it was irresistible. After a long and grueling day, such as this one, I needed to unwind.

So, I got into the water, sans my attire of course.

I was surprised by the pleasant temperature of the water, and the way the violet aqua seemed to invigorate my senses. The full moon, teamed with the scintillating stars, seemed to shimmer and bounce it's faint light off of the water. I moved toward the rush of water coming from above, standing under it, as it fell on me like purple rain.

Once I stepped back from the onslaught of water, I heard the sharp snap of weight on a branch and the rustle of something. Acting on instinct, I summoned the water around me and unleashed the slew of aqua on whoever was behind me. I heard them gasp and crumple to the ground with a deep groan.

A male, I thought, as I rolled my eyes and cautiously turned around, wading closer toward his figure wreathed in shadow.

'I'll do something much worse if you don't answer me. Do you understand?' I threatened for good measure. He nodded feverishly, his dusky hair falling into his eyes as he did so.

'Alright.' I started, briefly closing my eyes and with a flick of my wrist, returned the water I'd attacked mystery man with to the purple pool. 'Why are you here? Watching me bathe?'

He coughed. 'I wasn't watching you bathe.' a slight tinge of amusement laced in his voice, which caused me to feel a little bit embarrassed.

I crossed my arms, pursing my lips. 'Then, why are you here?' I amended.

'This is my spot.' He replied simply, his eyes careful to avoid straying from mine. 'I usually come here to unwind. I suppose you had the same idea.'

I nodded. 'Very well.' I sighed, looking at the surrounding area, before my eyes fell back onto him, my gaze softer than it was moments before. 'It is quite the spectacular spot to have.'

'I agree.'

After a few beats, I cleared my throat. 'I suppose I should get dressed.'

'That would be a smart decision.' he complied.

'My "smart decision" would require you... what's your name? To turn around.' I remarked, with a playful smile.

His eyes widened. 'Yes, I will do that.' He stood up and faced the opposite direction so that his back was facing me. I gripped the uneven edge of the pool, beginning to heave myself up, when I misplaced my foot; slipping on stone, which resulted in a splash and myself squealing. Mystery man had the nerve to laugh.