Red Snow (The Shadows bk.3)

Chapter 24: The Garden

"I see you have found your mother's garden."

Startled, Sairene looked up from the bed of roses and saw Arvellon smiling at her, half concealed in the shadows.

Nodding, she stood up and brushed her hands down the length of her gown. "I found it a little while ago, but yes, I have."

Staying partially in the shadows, the healer silently observed the young monarch; she was so like her mother, but she was also different, there was something about her that Arvellon could not quite put his finger on.

"What brings you here?" Her question pulled Arvellon back to the present.

"I visit it everyday."

Sairene was taken aback by this answer. She was also touched that someone would put in this amount of effort just to remember a friend. "I'm sure she would appreciate that." She sent a sad smile his way.

Stepping out of the shadows, Arvellon entered the garden. "I remember the day she told me that she wanted a garden, just for her." His gaze swept the garden and he smiled as memories began to materialise. "I never actually thought she would have a hand in physically creating it, I believed that she would simply ask her parents and they would order the gardeners to create one. But no, she insisted on helping, she was here everyday, getting her hands dirty."

Sairene watched as Arvellon spoke of her mother. There was an unmistakable fondness in the way he spoke and looked at the garden, and as the minutes went by, Sairene began to believe that perhaps her mother was not just a friend to him. While her mother may have wanted only a friend, it was becoming clear to the young Queen that the healer before her saw her in a very different light. "You loved her, didn't you."

Arvellon broke off mid-sentence. "Pardon?" He wasn't sure he had heard correctly.

"You loved my mother, didn't you." It was more of a statement than a question.

Instead of answering, he turned away from her and closed his eyes.

Sairene watched him closely and sighed when she saw him nod.

"I never told her," Arvellon turned back to face her and Sairene saw the shine of tears in his dark eyes. "I knew that all she wanted was a friend outside of the circle of nobility, so I kept my feelings close and never acted on them."

A sad smile blossomed on Sairene's features. Reaching out, she placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I'm sorry."

Smiling down at her, Arvellon hesitantly placed a hand over hers. "It is not your fault My Lady. Your mother was very kind to me and treated me with the highest respect. It is more than I deserved most likely."

"Come now, I'm sure that isn't true. My mother only respected those she believed deserved it, she did not just give it to anyone." Sairene hoped that she sounded reassuring. "You must have been pretty special to her."

While Arvellon knew that she was trying to reassure him, to him it sounded as though she was trying to reassure herself. Nodding, he smiled briefly before lifting his hand from hers.

Instantly and strangely missing the warmth his touch gave, Sairene folded her hands and took a deep breath and made to speak but Arvellon beat her to it.

"Will you be coming back?"

Confused, Sairene cocked her head to the side, "pardon?"

Chuckling at her bewildered expression, Arvellon elaborated, "earlier you spoke of the possibility of the King not inviting you again."

Realisation dawned, "oh." Laughing, Sairene remembered arriving at the dining room feeling rather flustered and the King's look of surprise when she told him her reason for being late. "Yes, that. He was rather surprised as why I had come so late but I think I managed to get away with it this time."

"If I may be so bold, why were you late My Lady?" Curiosity got the better of him.

Feeling her cheeks redden, Sairene turned her attention to the roses. "I fell asleep."

"You fell asleep?"

"While I was bathing."

A short shocked laugh escaped the healer; so that was why her hair had still been damp! "Forgive me Your Majesty."

"It is nothing," she turned back to him, the redness in her cheeks fading. "It is just a little embarrassing."

"I can imagine." It was now his turn to reassure her, "I am sure that it happens to everyone at some point in their lives."

Sairene nodded, "but still! It is so un-Queenlike to be late and in such a manner too!"

Arvellon smiled to himself, "maybe you were not late, perhaps they were simply early."

Rolling her eyes, Sairene made her way to the only tree in the garden and sat on the bench beneath it. "Now I am sure that that is not true."

Moving to sit beside her, Arvellon faced her, "and how can you be sure of that?"

Laughing, Sairene closed her eyes and rested her head against the tree, "because."

"Because what My Lady?"

"Just because!" She huffed in mock exasperation and opened one eye to look at him, only to find him smiling playfully, his dark eyes twinkling.

"Excellent reason Your Majesty."

Opening both eyes, Sairene came face-to-face with a full fledged grin. Trying, and failing, to remain serious, she playfully hit his arm, "stop it."