(Other Realm)
Alethia hummed softly as she wiped the last table for the night, observing the last few customers making their way up the stairs to their rooms. A few regulars headed home, leaving only Alethia and Ryos in the tavern. As the door closed behind the last customer, Alethia gathered the remaining mugs and plates, carrying them over to the bar. Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her, squeezing gently.
"Well, hello there, beautiful. How are you this evening?" Ryos whispered, brushing Alethia's hair away from her eyes.
Surprised, Alethia turned around with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
Ryos smiled, his eyes sparkling. "I have a surprise for you, to commemorate our ten-month anniversary. Follow me." He took her hand, leading her to her bedroom and up onto the roof. Spread out before them was a blanket adorned with candles, a picnic dinner, and flowers scattered across the roof tiles.
Alethia wrapped her arms around Ryos' neck, kissing him passionately. "This is beautiful, Ryos. It's absolutely wonderful."
He smiled tenderly. "But that's not all." Ryos sat her down on the blanket and poured her a glass of Elven wine, handing it to her. "A toast, to a wonderful ten months." They clinked their glasses together, taking a sip of the wine. Ryos then sorted through a box next to him as he started dishing out the meal, handing her a plate. "I hope you like it."
Alethia looked at her plate and found her favorite meal, venison, carrots, and roasted potatoes. "This looks incredible, Ryos. Thank you." Leaning over, she kissed him softly. "You're too good to be true, you know."
Ryos gently stroked her cheek. "There is still more to come, after you eat."
Chuckling softly, Alethia leaned back to start eating. "You know, you didn't have to do this. You've already done so much for me. You've been trying to help me regain my memories, and that's more than enough."
Ryos raised his glass to her. "Ah, but I wanted to. Ten months is a significant milestone, and I'm grateful to have spent them with you. I thought, what better place to have our anniversary dinner than where it all began? And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't try to help you remember your past?"
Alethia smiled softly, savoring the venison as she gazed up at the starry night sky. "It's such a beautiful night tonight. The stars are all visible."
Ryos smiled, watching her as he slowly ate, not wanting to take his eyes off of her. As the moon reached its highest peak, they both pushed their plates away, still sipping at their wine. Ryos packed the food away, refusing Alethia's help, and then he pulled out a long black velvet box. Gently pulling Alethia into his lap, he slipped the box into her hands. "A gift, my dear, just for you."
Alethia slowly opened the box, revealing a beautiful charm bracelet with two charms already hanging on it—a small music note and a heart, both sparkling in the moonlight.
Alethia pulled it out, admiring it. "Oh, Ryos, it's exquisite. I love it, thank you." Snuggling into him, they cuddled under the stars.
"Alethia?" Ryos said softly.
"Yes," she replied, turning her face to him.
Cradling her face in his hands, Ryos looked deeply into her eyes. "I believe I'm falling in love with you."
Heat rushed to Alethia's cheeks, erasing any lingering thoughts or feelings for the man she had thought was her first love. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled happily. "Do you truly mean that?"
Ryos smiled back at her embrace. "Yes, Alethia. I love you."
"I love you too, Ryos." She kissed him softly on the lips, looking into his eyes. They kissed again, their passion growing, as the moment washed over them. They lay back against the roof, the stars bearing witness to their love.
Alethia snuggled closer to Ryos as the first rays of the morning sun fell across her face. His arm wrapped protectively around her as he held her close, sleeping soundly. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him from where she lay her head against his chest, smiling as she watched him sleep. She sighed softly and gently shook Ryos to wake him.
His eyes slowly opened as he squeezed her gently, smiling softly. "Good morning, beautiful."
Alethia nuzzled his neck. "Good morning."
Ryos smiled, running his fingers through her hair. "God, I love you."
Alethia smiled. "I love you too, but I really need to get downstairs. I have work." Ryos pretended to pout. "Oh, must you leave?"
Alethia sighed, sitting up slowly. "Sadly, I do. I'm pulling a double shift today." Ryos pulled her back down, kissing her again. "I suppose it wouldn't be wise if I went downstairs with you?"
Alethia shook her head, smiling. "No, Ozark would likely slaughter you. He might do so anyway if he finds out what happened last night."
Ryos stroked her cheek. "Well, he would have to kill me a thousand times over and then some to keep me away from you."
Blushing as she brushed her hair from her face, Alethia murmured, "You're really sweet, but I need to go."
Ryos stood, extending his hand to help her up and guide her towards the window. "I'll see you later, Alethia," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips before she disappeared into her room.
In a hurry, Alethia washed up and changed into a short black skirt and a tight white blouse for work. She quickly brushed her hair and tied it up in a messy bun before descending the stairs to the bar. Taking a seat in front of her plate, she watched Tadia and Ozark wiping the counter.
Tadia looked up, a smile playing on her lips. "How was your date last night?"
Alethia blushed, taking a sip of her juice. "It was nice, really nice."
Tadia leaned against the counter, her curiosity evident. "Oh, come on, spill the beans. You're blushing like something big happened."
Cordelia sat down beside Alethia, joining in the conversation. "Yes, please do tell us."
Alethia laughed, holding up her wrist to show off her bracelet. "Well, he gave me this," she said, her smile widening.
Tadia and Cordelia both reached for the bracelet, examining it with awe. "Oh, wow, it's beautiful," they exclaimed.
Alethia pulled her wrist away, still smiling. "Thank you."
Tadia couldn't contain her excitement. "You're so lucky."
Alethia blushed, starting to eat her meal, while Cordelia and Tadia continued watching her intently. "Something else happened, didn't it?" Cordelia prodded.
Keeping her eyes on her plate, Alethia admitted softly, "Maybe."
Cordelia crossed her arms, her expression turning serious. "What happened?" Alethia blushed even deeper. "We... we kind of made love."
Cordelia dropped her fork, her eyes widening in shock. "You did what?"
Alethia paled, her voice trembling. "We've been together for ten months. We had a wonderful evening, and one thing led to another. We made love under the stars. It was so romantic."
Cordelia pushed her plate away, her voice filled with disbelief. "I can't believe you did this. How could you?"
Alethia looked at her sister, shocked by her reaction. "What do you mean, how could I? Would you like me to draw you a diagram?"
Cordelia stood up, glaring at her sister. "I can't believe you. You had no right. You're supposed to be the responsible one."
Confused, Tadia and Ozark stood behind the bar, observing the escalating argument.
Alethia stood to her feet, her voice filled with frustration. "Of course I thought about it. That's all I ever do, think about the repercussions. I've been with him for ten months, Cordelia. I love him."
Cordelia glared back at her. "You're a princess, for fuck's sake, Alethia. You can't just go around sleeping with anyone."
Ozark glanced at Tadia, raising an eyebrow, before turning his attention back to the unfolding drama.
Alethia shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't believe you. We left for this very reason, the rules. I don't need to listen to them from you. You're not Dad, so stop acting like him."
Cordelia huffed, her anger subsiding. She gently took Alethia's hand. "It's too soon, Alethia. You hardly know him."
Alethia wiped away a tear and looked at her sister with determination. "Actually, I know quite a bit about him. It's you who never took the chance to get to know him."
Cordelia sighed, her resistance fading. "Just please, be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt again. Remember the last time someone broke your heart?"
Alethia embraced her sister, holding her tight. "I'm not thinking about him anymore. Please, just trust me. I'm happy with Ryos."
Cordelia nodded slowly, both of them realizing they had an audience. "Well, that was interesting to watch. Ruby, Marianna... or should I say, Alethia and Cordelia, can we talk in the kitchen for a moment?" Ozark asked, motioning towards the kitchen.
Alethia and Cordelia exchanged glances, biting their lips, before following Ozark into the kitchen.
He stood there, wiping glasses, waiting for an explanation. "So, you're princesses then? And your names aren't Ruby and Marianna?"
Alethia leaned against the counter, her voice filled with sincerity. "I'm sorry, Ozark. You've been wonderful these past few months, but we haven't been entirely honest with you. My real name is Alethia, and this is Cordelia. Yes, we are the missing princesses from Kala-Moran."
Ozark nodded, absorbing the revelation. "Why are you here, then?"
Cordelia sighed, her voice tinged with sadness. "We ran away. We couldn't bear all the rules our father imposed on us. We didn't want to be princesses anymore."
Ozark nodded again, understanding their plight. "I see. Well, I guess you should both get back to work then."
Alethia smiled, kissing Ozark on the cheek before heading back to the front of the inn to relieve Tadia. "Thanks, Ozark, for understanding. And please, keep calling us Marianna and Ruby."
Ozark watched them return to their duties, a soft smile on his lips, before getting back to work himself.
