Act IV

Solara walked down the hallway slowly and counted the doors on her left until she stopped at a certain number. Double checking her math and assuring herself that she had the right room, she knocked on the heavy oak door.

Han, the bard from last night, opened the door a little, peering out to see who it was. A beautiful white cat was draped over his arm. He blinked when he saw Solara and opened the door a little more.

Solara wore something similar to what she wore last night, but different colors to compliment her hair more. She also felt a little flustered as she stood in front of Han, fidgeting with her hands. "Um, ah, are you, by any chance, Han? The bard that performed last night in Prince Adrian's music room?" She flushed slightly at the mention of the music room and remembered vividly what had happened there last night.

Han blinked a bit and back up before answering, hugging the cat close to him as a hand vanishes back into the moonlit fur as he let go of the doorknob. He gave her a worried look over the cat's head. "Yes, Ma'am," he replied in tremulous tones.

Solara smiled a little. "I just wanted to tell you that I loved your performance. I wasn't aware that anyone else knew of Vivaldi."

Han blushed happily, hugging the cat closer to him. His face lit up beautifully as he gave her a smile of innocent pleasure. "Oh...thank you, Ma'am."

Solara smiled back. "You're welcome. Where did you learn to play so well, if you don't mind my asking..."

"I had several teachers, Ma'am. And practice..." Han thought for a moment. "It helps if the music is wonderful," he added as an afterthought.

"How long have you been playing?" Solara inquired. She looked into his room and noticed a chair, then back at Han. "May I sit down?"

A look of worry passed momentarily over his face as he envisioned Adrian walking into the room and assuming the worst. "Er...have you seen the gardens, Ma'am? I was just about to take Adonis out for some exercise," he said quickly, hoping to change the subject and move them away from his room. He lifted the cat in his arms to illustrate his point, giving her a frightened smile. "I feed him too much, and I'm worried he'll get fat."

Solara blinked and answered, "No, I haven't." She paused for a moment. "And is Adonis the cat?" She pointed down at the moonlit cat that Han was holding.

"Oh. Yes."

"Is he yours?" Solara moved out of the doorway to allow Han to step out of his room.

Han considered for a moment. "I think. He showed up one day, and decided to sleep on my pillow. I feed him, and brush him. I think I may be his..." He looked down to consider the cat in his arms, which appeared to be content to just be held.

"I hear cats often choose their own masters...." Solara stared down at Adonis for a moment, then looked up at Han. "Well, let's take Adonis out for a walk, shall we?" She smiled kindly at Han. She gestured for him to lead the way.

"Oh. They're right down here..." Han stepped out of his room and led Solara down the hallway and to an outdoor corridor. He opened up the gate leading to a well lit, exotic garden, full of flowers of nearly every variety. And there were roses. So many roses that at first, it was the only thing that could be seen.

Han blinked owlishly in the bright sun, rubbing Adonis' jaw. He looked down at the cat, who appeared to be content to be carried around. "Would you mind it if I put you down? You're getting quite heavy."

Adonis just meowed up at him, looking quite happy where he was at the moment.

"They're...beautiful...does Prince Adrian tend the garden himself?" Solara asked.

"I'm not sure, Ma'am," Han replied.

"Then I suppose his gardener does..." She looked about her at the foliage, trying to decipher what flower was what, as Adonis started to mewl up at Han, now demanding to be put down.

Han grinned, and set the cat down. "...and he suddenly decides he wants to try moving on his own."

Solara grinned as well. "Cats can be so fickle sometimes...almost reminds me of Adrian..." She clamped her mouth shut, and as she began to blush, she turned away from Han to admire some bluebells to hide her burning cheeks.

Han gave her a puzzled smile. "Have you two been friends long, Ma'am?"

"Um, no...he's...just been very helpful, is all...he helped me buy supplies and gave me a room to stay in until my friend gets here..." Solara tried desperately to clam her beating heart and cool her face down. "And don't call me 'Ma'am.' It makes me feel old."

Han frowned. "Then how should I address you...?"

Solara turns and smiles at him, finally able to calm herself down a bit. "Solara."

Han nodded dutifully. "Yes, Miss Solara."

Solara laughed. "Solara."

Han gave her a doubtful look and was about to say something when he noticed Adrian over Solara's shoulder. His eyes went wide and he took an involuntary step back.

Solara noticed the look on Han's face and whirled around to see who it was that was behind her to be confronted with Adrian Cross looking mildly amused. Solara nearly gasped aloud and took an involuntary step back.

Adrian looked around him at his garden. "I see you have discovered my garden." He looked back at Solara and Han, then down at Adonis, who was now eating the grass. He kneeled down and held out hand to Adonis. "Come here, Adonis..."

Adonis came to Adrian obediently. Adrian scooped up the cat gently and held him in his arms. He smoothed back the cat's fur as he continued to watch Han and Solara with that faint smile on his face that made you wonder if maybe there was a joke that you missed.

"Will you join me for dinner tonight, Lady Solara?" Adrian inquired abruptly.

Solara nodded mutely, unable to tear her gaze away from him.

Adrian smiled pleasantly. "Wonderful. I shall send someone to bring you when everything is ready. In the meantime, please enjoy yourself in the garden." He looked briefly over at Han before walking toward the door that Solara and Han had used to enter the garden and disappeared within the dark recesses of the keep.

Han looked over at Solara, his eyes still wide. She couldn't tell if it was from fright or alarm.

"Come on, Han. Let's explore the garden a little bit, shall we?" Solara walked to Han, took his arm, and led him away from where Adrian had been to explore the area.

***

Adrian sat alone on the piano bench in his music room, idly playing the harmony to a piece of music that only he could hear. He hummed the melody under his breath, letting his thoughts wander over the events of the past few weeks. Han had come to the keep and was now his bard. Hopefully, he could make the young man less nervous around him and around others. Having a bard that's scared witless every time a nobleman of some sort tried talking to him doesn't reflect well on the bard's master. He'd have to break Han of that habit sooner or later. Sooner preferably.

Then there had been the woman that had belonged to Lord White. What was her name? Anallya? As beautiful as she was, as drawn to her as he had been, she seemed pale in comparison to Solara. Solara... The faie child whose name meant "of the sun." He had thought that Han had been prevalent in his thoughts, but Solara overwhelmed him. He wanted to be near her always. He had this uncontrollable desire to protect her. She did things to him that he couldn't understand by only being near him. What was this strange effect she had on him? He had to understand what it was about her that could make him come undone like this.

The dinner with Solara earlier had been successful, in his eyes. He hadn't lost control as he had in the music room last time they had been alone. She seemed so frail, so fragile, despite her tough exterior. She had jumped at every question he had asked her, her hands shook with every item she picked up, and she had refused to look up at him unless asked a direct question. When he had asked her to dance she froze like a scared doe. He had had his dance, anyway, humming a tune low under his breath and holding her close. He was lucky that he had been able to control himself. He could still smell her scent and feel the smoothness of her skin. The image of her was still burned in his memory.

He remembered distinctly how pleased she had been when he had bid her goodnight at the door to her room. All he had done was kiss the knuckles of her hand and bid her goodnight. Still, it had pleased her, and what pleased her also pleased him. He still wasn't completely sure how he felt about Solara, but he knew that she was important. She was important to him in ways he couldn't even begin to comprehend.

He paused in his playing and listened, his entire body tense. Did he just hear something, or was he imagining things... He heard it again: a faint howl on the wind. Wolves? This close to S'ran? They weren't even native to this part of the continent. What could they be doing here? Perhaps it was an animal that belonged to someone. It would surprise him. Many of the nobles here acquired exotic pets; however, this one seemed wild....

Adrian frowned as he thought, trying to decipher the sound, when he heard the door swing slowly open. He turned in annoyance, half expecting Vanessa. What he found instead was Solara. He was taken aback and rose to his feet. "Lady Solara, what are you doing up so late?" He couldn't move. He didn't understand why.

"I heard music," Solara answered quietly in a hesitant voice. She pulled her robe closer about her to keep out the chill. "I wanted to find out where it was coming from. I thought that Han was playing, so I came here..." Her voice trailed off as she smiled at him. "I was surprised to find you here. I didn't know you could play the piano."

"I....play on occasion...."Adrian replied quietly. "I hadn't meant to disturb you. I...I..." His voice caught in his throat. What was wrong with him? He was stammering like a schoolboy caught skipping lessons.

Solara moved over to a chair and sat down, crossing her legs. "Where did you learn to play? Did Han teach you?"

Adrian suddenly found his voice as he sank back down onto the piano bench. "No, actually. I was taught by my father's bard before he died. I had expressed some interest in music, so...." his voice trailed off, not wanting to explain or unsure of how to. He didn't want to bore her with useless chatter.

"So that's why you have a room completely dedicated to music." Solara gave him an amused smile. "What other surprises do you have in store for us?"

Adrian was actually flustered. "I-I don't," he protested. "Just, no one bothers to ask questions about myself."

"Oh?"

Adrian nodded mutely.

Solara waited expectantly until he spoke.

"I don't offer information to anyone unless they ask," Adrian answered calmly.

"And if I asked a question?"

"Then I would answer to the best of my ability."

Solara thought for a moment, looking up at the ceiling for inspiration. "First question."

"Alright."

"Why did you-" Solara halted and cleared her throat. Adrian wasn't sure if she was blushing or not in the darkness of the room. "Why did you kiss me?"

The question was simple enough, but how could he begin to explain? "I kissed you because....because...." Adrian looked away from her and to the window, to the darkness beyond it. "Because....I feel drawn to you....I don't understand it...." He looked back over at Solara, all pretenses of Adrian Cross, the Prince of S'ran, falling away. "I just knew that if I didn't, I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

Solara sat in stunned silence. What do you say when someone says that to you? What do you do? She felt touched that a prince would feel that way about her, but why? Why her? Why did he help her, a traveler, whom he'd never see again?

"I know you're important, but I'm not sure how. Maybe I'm just being ridiculous, silly even, but....I don't know....I don't know how to explain it...I don't even know how to begin to explain it to you, my lady...."

"Why?" Solara whispered.

"I don't know."

Adrian felt miles away from Solara, as though he were staring out across the ocean just to see her; however, in that moment, he never felt so close to her either. What was this obsession, this caring for her?

"Why do you keep inviting me to have dinner with you?" Solara inquired, breaking the silence.

There words out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I want to be near you, and learn more about you. You have enchanted me and all I can think about is you."

The breath left Solara's body. "What?" was all she could manage to say.

"You are in my waking thoughts and in my dreams. I can think of no other person."

Solara watched as Adrian rose from his seat and walked over to her. He kneeled before and took her hand in his. "Why would you choose someone like me?"

"Because you are my sun. My light in the darkness." He leaned up toward her to kiss her. They were so close. Their lips almost touched, and then he kissed her. She had to be dreaming. A prince was trying to woo her. A prince! Why did he choose her? Her, of all people? She was boring, she was a tomboy, not a lady. Why her? What did he see in her?

She was almost disappointed when Adrian pulled away. She stared up at him as he stroked her cheek. "Why me?"

Adrian just gave her that faint smile of his. "Let me return you to your room."

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