Capítulo 28: A Promise

After the previous day, Varya woke up with a slight headache. She had underestimated their drink from the previous day. It was sweet and delicious, preventing her from being able to tell just how strong it was. The things that the drink made her do were frightening. She had been so bold and inhibition free.

Their naked bodies stayed pressed against each other all night and her blue eyes traced up Basileus's form to his orange eyes that were looking at her with an intense gaze.

"Good morning," she said with a small smile, feeling somewhat embarrassed at their current state of dress.

His hand escaped the blankets covering them and cupped her cheek. His thumb traced along her lower lip as he admired her.

"Good morning," he responded.

His mood wasn't bad, but he seemed quiet. He had only uttered two words, but she could tell he was focused on something in his mind. The serious expression on his face caused Varya to reach up and touch his jaw, willing it to unclench.

Basileus hadn't received any calls, but he soon stood up and said he had to go to the opposite side of the palace at the request of Lord Kruos. He showered and got his usual spandex and armor on. Before he left, he retrieved a bag from his closet and exited the room quickly.

Eventually, after much thought of the day before, Varya decided she should shower and get on with her day. She couldn't tell what the serious mood of the prince was about, but she wasn't going to learn anything else until he returned.

+++

A couple of hours later, Varya was sitting on the floor in front of one of the large windows and stared at the communication device in her hands. A servant had brought it to her, wondering if she had any use for it. It had been damaged and thrown away, but the servant knew how much she liked to fix things. Varya was interested to see what kind of signals she could intercept on Planet Ptoma. She suspected Wi-Fi or some kind of radio signal would be similar to that of Earth.

However, her goal to fix the portable communication device wasn't going well. She was distracted by the strange behavior of the prince before he left. He seemed to be in an unpredictable mood and wondered if it had to do with whatever errand he was having to do for the horrible tyrant.

When he returned, he put the bag back in his closet and quickly excused himself to train.

Afterwards, the evening progressed as normal. He showered and they ate dinner together. Varya was about to excuse herself so that she could get her pajamas on, but Basileus stood up from the table and asked if she wanted to go on a walk.

As she went to get her boots and something warmer on, the prince went back to his own closet and put his armor back on. This chest plate had a cape that attached over his shoulders and he waited for her by the door.

They went along in a direction they hadn't gone before and Varya studied her company for any clues. He wasn't acting normal and she wondered what could be on his mind.

When he felt her gaze all he said was, "I want to show you something."

They made it to the main elevator and went down, but not all the way down to the ground floor. As the door opened, in front of them was the castle wall that bordered the gardens and other various buildings. To Varya, it looked like a scene out of a fairytale and she was amazed. The suns of Planet Ptoma were setting and a beautiful glow lit up their surroundings.

They walked to a part of the wall that stood behind the largest spire of the castle. At this point, the wall had widened into a large octagon and there was a structure in the middle that seemed to be in ruins. As they walked closer, Varya could see from some of the larger pieces of stone scattered across the ground that it was some kind of dragon statue.

Having the knowledge that this was the castle Basileus grew up in, she looked at him with wide eyes and asked, "What was this place?"

"When kings were crowned," he explained, "this is where they swore to protect the Basilian people. It used to be a statue of a Ladon. They were reptilian creatures that were said to have protected the early rulers of Planet Basileus and gave them the gift of fire aura. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the royal crest has one of the beasts on them."

As Varya listened, she carefully walked around the rubble in the area. She could see pieces of what looked like the scaly exterior of the statue. Her heart broke seeing an important part of his culture scattered on the ground below them. When she returned to Basileus's side, she looked at the crest on his chest. The dragon engulfed in flames made so much more sense now.

When she was within reach and staring at the crest on his chest, he reached out and touched her cheek, causing her to meet his gaze. The prince had to take a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"The history of this place is also why I decided to give you something at this spot," as he spoke, he let go of her cheek and started to reach for something just inside of his armor.

The small bag he had earlier was now in view. From up close she could see more clearly it was dark-red velvet with gold stitching holding everything together. The moment he went to undo the knot at the top of the bag, Varya's heart started racing in anticipation.

Basileus's hands were shaking - something she had never seen happen to the normally overconfident prince. The sight caused her heart to warm and she started to smile. When he got the knot undone, he pulled out a golden ring that sparkled in the setting sun. The band was thin, but there were tiny scale details along it. The most stunning part to Varya were the three equally as dazzling marquis cut stones. One was red, the second orange, and the last one yellow.

"Just as my father swore to protect the Basilian people with his life, I want you to know that I will do the same for you."

"Basileus," she trailed off and her eyes started to water. "It's so beautiful."

"It was the property of the last Queen of Planet Basileus - my mother," he said with a tinge of sadness in his voice. "You're smaller than she was, so I had to find someone willing to cut it down to the correct size."

Basileus thought about his mother momentarily. Her lively orange eyes and long, dark-brown hair were details vivid in his mind as if he had only seen her recently. It had been close to ten years. She was tall and muscular - the true queen to a warrior race. However, Varya was teaching him that there was much more than physical strength and how powerful someone's mind could be.

The prince took her hand in his and smiled slightly, noticing how cold it felt in comparison to his. He wanted to be the one to warm her up whenever she felt cold. He placed the ring in her palm, wondering if she would wear it, but he was happy he found someone to keep it.

The moment it was in Varya's hands, her eyes sparkled as she admired it. The setting sun reflecting off the beautiful stones set it ablaze.

Varya put the ring on her left ring finger, as customary for betrothal on Earth, and it slid on perfectly. The cool tone of the ring her father gave her and warmth of the ring she was just given put a beautiful rainbow of color against her pale skin. Her eyes were already watering and she couldn't stop the tears that sprang up.

She put a hand over her mouth and leaned into the prince. Quiet sobs shook her frame and Basileus wrapped his arms around her, he didn't understand why she was crying, but he was determined to be someone she could find comfort in.

"I-I'm sorry," she said into the shoulder of his armor. She knew she was getting the material of his cape wet with tears.

"Shh," was all he responded with.

After a couple of minutes Varya gathered herself enough to look at the prince.

"I wish my parents could have met you," she said quietly and a few more tears slid down her cheeks. "They would have loved you as much as I do."

Basileus's heart broke for the woman in front of him and he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her hair was hanging over her eyes and the blue orbs pierced through the grey tendrils like a blue sky shining between storm clouds. He pushed the strands away. Even while crying he found her beautiful.

"You love me," he observed, unable to forget the words that left her lips.

Her face blushed and her eyes widened at how easily she said the word love.

"I do," she shyly responded.

"I love you, Varya. If I had a kingdom and could make you the queen, I would," he said in a low voice.

Again, his arms went around her and he pulled her close, this time kissing her gently. His heart felt cold for so long, but she had warmed it up. He owed it to her for making him feel alive again.