/3/ COURTSHIP
1634 Words
“If you see the beauty in God. then there’s no way you won’t see it in your beloved or anything that contains your affection. “
-Neha M.
“Jonah and Dimitri, I will be back. Wait for me at the castle,” Adonis instructed before leaving and then disappeared into the thick forest.
Dimitri, on the contrary, smiled as he mumbled, “Hang in there, missy. Don’t get caught by this selfish Alpha.”
“Did you just say something?” Jonah interrupted Dimitri.
Dimitri laughed it off and walked away to get to the castle.
Adonis meanwhile kept running until he found Venus. She stood next to a tree, breathing heavily and trying to catch back her breath. While resting her hand on the tree, she spoke, “Oh no, I ran away without thinking. That was the most pointless thing I could’ve done.”
“Venus,” Adonis called out to her. Bewildered by the sudden call, she began running again.
“Venus, wait!” Adonis instructed for her to stop.
While striving to maintain a distance between them, Venus admitted, “I don’t think I can face you right now, Alpha Adonis.”
In all seriousness, Adonis remarked, “Venus, I’m not here to hunt you down! Just wait for a moment please!”
It was the affection and respect that she held in her heart for him which made her follow his instruction, and she finally stopped. She gasped, but still didn’t dare to look in his direction.
“I am sorry,” Venus spoke while still gazing the other way.
While moving towards her gradually in subtle steps, Adonis enquired, “Why are you apologising? I am pretty sure I am the one who can’t face you because of what I did to you yesterday.”
Venus turned to look at his face and then expressed her shock, “Huh? It’s not that ... Well, you did surprise me back there...“
“Did my request to have you speak openly with me next time surprise you even more? I mean I want you to speak to me about what bothers you,’ He tried to be a little humorous to ease up the tension in the atmosphere.
The leaves on the trees rustled due to the coarse wind, and sun was now beginning to set. While observing their surroundings in the serene ambience, Adonis recollected, “We met in a forest like this. Do you remember? Venus, shall we take a walk?”
Her cheeks grew red as she gave him her accord by a nod. As they walked, Adonis informed her about the happenings of their clan that he had to deal with recently, regarding the border, forests and human beings.
“We have settled on our lands. They have promised that they will try not to intrude into our land if we refrain from entering theirs.” He remarked.
“Really? That’s great,” She rejoiced to hear about it. Since the conversation between the two went without any awkwardness, he beamed and further responded, “It indeed is great for our people as the humans will not bother them.”
When they reached a little elevated surface on the forest, Adonis asserted, “This is the best place to feel the breeze.”
“Do you visit the forest often?” Venus expressed her curiosity.
He sat on that very rocky mound and spoke, “Well, I came here often as a child to clear my head. As I got busier and learned how to ride on horseback, I stopped coming all together. I hardly visit this place now. The forests outside are more breathtaking anyway.”
Though Adonis was engaged in thinking about other places, Venus was contented with the fact that she finally got to spend some alone time with him.
When he perceived her smiling face, he conceded, “Though I have seen other more wonderful forests than this one, I am having second thoughts with you by my side right now. This is just perfect. You, me and the affection that we both contain in our heart for one another. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Venus’s joys knew no bounds, but she found it extrememly hard to put into words the turmoil that she felt inside her heart. Promptly, the frosty wind blew and Venus rubbed her hands while trying to avoid the eye contact because of the sudden declaration of the feelings by the Alpha. Whenever he glimpsed at her face, he wanted to kiss her, but was undeniably pleased to receive the privilege to enjoy Venus’s company as well.
“This is nice. I wish we could get together more often. I guess there’s a chance for that after our marriage,” Adonis spoke his mind.
While clenching her dress with her tiny hands, Venus realised, ‘Hidden in the time that I spent with Adonis. Hidden in the feelings I felt because of him, these tiny vestiges of anxiousness and insecurities subsist. The thought that I will never be good enough worries me too much. I can't let my insecurity hold me back though.’
Her thoughts made her eyes brim with tears. The anxiousness she felt over the troubling thought made her even further woeful...
“Adonis... I love you, Adonis. You mean the world to me. I respect you and I want to be your strength, but now ... I realised I have fallen so much deeper in love with you than yesterday. My increasing affection towards you scares me. I get extremely terrified to even think of a day when you won’t be with me.” Venus poured her heart out, the feelings that she had buried deep within her chest. It was like lying bare without any clothes, that’s how she felt. There was no filter to modify her phrases as she wanted him to see the real Venus.
Adonis shortly got up and ambled in her direction.
He then knelt right before her and surrendered his sword in front of her feet to show his respect to her. Venus endeavored to face him while her heart kept beating hard like a drum.
Seizing the rare chance that he had gotten to spend with Venus, he divulged, “I would like that too. Venus, my title as royalty may not be able to protect you, and I don’t know if I can ever repay you for what you’ve done for me by aggreeing to become a part of my life. But even after that, I want us to continue being together. I wish that you would always stay by my side. I swear, upon this meeting, that I will protect what we have with my very soul. In order to do so, while it may seem strange, I must ask for your help. That is because you give me the strength to keep striving for what I want, after all.”
Venus couldn’t believe her ears. She still found it hard to comprehend that the love of her life was soon going to tie the knot with her. Adonis, accordingly, held out his hand and continued, “So, will you take my hand, Venus?”
She wiped her drenched eyes with her handkerchief, leaned forward and then grabbed his hand.
“Yes, Alpha Adonis!”
“There’s something that I have been thinking for a long time to tell you. It might not seem much like the most anticipated thing to say, but still I want to convey it to you. The thing is that -- you make me the happiest. Thank you, Venus.” Adonis spoke and hence, he remembered a series of questions he had asked Jonah before meeting Venus.
‘Ever since I realised that my status can constrain others, it’s always been on my mind. Someday if I found someone I held dear and I wanted to be with them ... If that person responded to my feelings, do you think I’d believe their sincerity or would I doubt them and think they had said it because they had to? Would I be able to believe in them? Do you think I will ever be able to meet someone and believe that their need for me is real?’
Whenever he peeked into her eyes, the feelings reflecting in her eyes made her feelings evident to him. There was no doubt that Venus was certainly in love with her mate.
After getting lost into those fine clear eyes, Adonis called out her name, “Venus ... You are ...”
‘Adonis’s voice, calling my name, kindled within me a gentle warmth, lighting a fire within my heart.’ Venus realised when Adonis gently caressed her cheeks and diminished the distance between them.
He again shifted towards her and pulled her in for a sweet kiss. As their tongues intertwined, Venus shut her eyes and wished for that enchanted moment to last forever. Just when they were done, Adonis brought Venus back out of the forest. Hand in hand, they walked through the busy streets. People too were struck with awe after witnessing the beautiful couple.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
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