Chapter 53: Where the Water Glows

Chapter 53: Where the Water GlowsAriana stood, a slow smile curling on her lips as she thought about how she had hidden the painting exactly where no one would find it. She wasn’t going to paint that again—not after he had laughed. ’Ughh, why did he have to laugh? I know my painting isn’t that bad. He’s just overexaggerating things,’ she said to herself, rolling her eyes just as the door pushed open. Ariana braced herself, expecting to see the teasing glint in his eyes. But to her surprise, it wasn’t him—it was Leah. "Queen Ariana, His Majesty had something to attend to and so he left. He’ll be coming later today. I was told to pass the information to you." Ariana nodded, her lips curling upward—almost in disappointment. He was the king, and matters like this were things she should get used to. She should be grateful for the time he had already made for them. A soft sigh escaped her lips, which Leah caught. "We could finish the painting now. I remembered the last time you weren’t able to finish it because of lunch. Now you could finally complete it," she suggested. Ariana’s eyes widened. How was she supposed to bring out the drawing she had hidden? Oh heavens, this was so embarrassing. She had planned to keep it from Zavren, and now she— Ariana pressed her lips together and slowly raised her hands to sign gently: ’You don’t have to worry. Is there anything else I could do? My hands are quite tired,’ She lied. The truth was, she just couldn’t bring herself to go get the painting. Why had she hidden it in the first place? "Given your hands are tired, the original idea I had in mind required some movement... but I could show you the front of the palace instead." Ariana nodded with a smile as her breathing slowly calmed. Leah then spoke again, her eyes shifting toward the room, searching for the painting. "Let me drop your painting in the painting room. Whenever you feel like it, we can go get it back for you." ’How about leaving it here? I don’t mind,’ Ariana quickly signed. "As you wish, my Queen," Leah replied softly, bowing—her gaze finally moving to Ariana. Thankfully, she did not notice. They both walked out until Ariana paused. Leah turned, and Ariana signed softly, ’If I may ask... did my husband mention where he was going?’ Leah bowed her head and shook it. "No, my Queen. His Majesty never shares such information with me. He sends it through the second-in-command—whatever needs to be passed to you." Second-in-command. She meant Raven. Ariana’s eyes widened. Of course—as expected of him. She nodded in understanding, and they continued walking toward the garden. Leah stopped just in front of the garden bench area. "Queen Ariana, may I get you some tea?" Ariana nodded. Tea wouldn’t be a bad idea—something to calm her mind, especially with how Zavren had been acting differently these past few days. When she slept, he stayed beside her, but every morning before she woke up, he was already gone. She had wanted to discuss the matter with him directly, but she kept brushing it off, thinking he was just busy. They were still normal with each other—he wasn’t annoyed with her for any reason, and that alone kept her content. Still, she promised herself that if he did it again tonight—leaving without a word—then she would have no choice but to bring it up with him. She turned and took in a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, clean air. Then she exhaled softly, a gentle smile resting on her lips at the sight of nature. **** Night had fallen, and Ariana sat by the window She could not help but think—why wasn’t Zavren back yet? Was he not coming tonight? She wondered. At the very least, he could have told her he was leaving—or when he would return. Not that she didn’t appreciate Leah informing her, but she wanted to hear it from Zavren himself. She pressed her lips together. Was she overthinking things again? She sat there, stargazing. But tonight, the stars were so few, and she didn’t like that sign. She had always believed the sky communicated. When there were many stars, it meant good news. When there were few... it was always a bad sign. She didn’t like it one bit. Clad in a long, modest nightdress, she stood and walked toward the wardrobe. She pushed her long golden hair over her shoulders, using it to cover her full breasts since she wasn’t wearing a bra. She opened the wardrobe and searched inside, finally finding something that resembled a wrapper. ’Perfect to cover the chest area,’ she thought to herself and wrapped it around her shoulders. She needed to ask about her husband. She was worried. Maybe if she just found out he was okay—or that he would be back—her mind would be at ease, and she’d be able to sleep. That was all she needed. She knew if she stayed here any longer, her mind would convince her that something was wrong. Especially with Zavren’s routine of leaving early and not saying much. Letting out a soft breath, she walked to the door and opened it. A calm hallway greeted her. She inhaled and exhaled. The corridor was brightly lit with chandelier sconces mounted at each step. She stepped out, her heart beginning to pound. ’Go back inside, Ariana. Sleep. Your husband is okay,’ she told herself. But the hallway... the paintings... they looked so much creepier at night. Haunting, even. She swallowed hard. As she walked, she repeated in her head, "Do not look at the painting, please, Ariana. Do not look at the painting. Do not—" But her thoughts were immediately interrupted. Her eyes betrayed them as it shifted to the painting—it landed on a portrait of a man. He looked like a past ancient king. And then... her gaze refused to move. The eyes looked very real. Almost like the painting was alive. Before she knew it the eyes moved. Ariana jolted back. Was that her imagination? No—it couldn’t be. Her legs moved on their own. She began to run, heart pounding, breath heavy—like a madwoman chasing after a stolen loaf of bread. Her gown rustled as she bolted down the hallway, panic tightening her chest. She finally reached the lower hall that led to the outdoors. She took a few deep breaths, the breeze slapping her face, eyes wide with horror. ’T-the eyes moved... it moved... yes, it moved,’ she kept repeating in her head, placing a hand over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. Why is this castle... so strange? Even if she found out that Zavren was out, she couldn’t bring herself to return to their room—not after that hallway. Not with that painting. Just as she took a step forward, she heard footsteps. Her eyes snapped in the direction of the sound— But no one was there. Yet the footsteps echoed. Goosebumps crawled up her skin. ’Calm down. Your thoughts are winning.’ She tried to calm herself. "My Quee—" Ariana gasped and bolted again, her eyes wide in fear. She ran toward the garden and finally stopped, breathless, her body bent as both hands rested on her knees. Wait—who was that? Why am I even running? She turned—only to see Raven standing there, confused. Of course, she thought. Who wouldn’t be? "Oh wow, Ariana. Way to go—very ladylike. Very queen behavior," she sarcastically muttered to herself, horrified at how she must have looked. She straightened. Raven, clearly confused, scratched the back of his head as he observed her, as if she’d just seen a ghost. "I apologize if I startled you, my Queen," he said gently, almost shocked by this run. Ariana nodded quickly, trying to compose herself. She gave a small curtsy, silently cursing herself for overreacting. Raven offered a small smile and lowered his head. "If you are looking for His Majesty, you don’t have to worry. He’s around. We arrived about an hour ago." Ariana’s heart lifted slightly. Still... she couldn’t bring herself to go back to the room. Not after that painting. Her body shivered again at the thought, and the cold wind blew harshly, making the atmosphere even more eerie. She gestured to herself, then raised her hand high in a sign, hoping Raven would understand. "Queen Ariana... d-do you want me to take you to him?" he asked hesitantly. Ariana nodded quickly—that was exactly what she wanted. To her surprise, Raven hesitated, scratching the back of his head again. "My Queen, I... I don’t think he—" he paused as he noticed Ariana clasp her hands together, almost in a pleading gesture. His body stiffened. If Zavren found out the Queen had pleaded with him—a guard—he’d be in serious trouble. That was the last thing he wanted. "Please, my Queen. Do not plead. I will take you to him," he said quietly, though hesitation still lingered in his eyes. She wondered why Raven was still hesitating. At this point, she knew she had to see Zavren—there was no way she was going back to that room alone. But something about the way Raven paused made her curious. He had said they’d arrived over an hour ago. True, it was late, but still—shouldn’t Zavren have come to her, even just to check in? A slight ache pinged in her chest. "My Queen, please—this way," Raven finally said. Ariana followed him, but to her surprise, they weren’t heading toward the castle. They were going toward the forest. Her curiosity deepened. What is Zavren doing out here? Was that why Raven had hesitated to bring her? The soft sound of crickets echoed around them as they walked. Raven turned slightly, glancing at her with a hint of relief in his expression—she had on proper footwear, thankfully. "Please follow my lead, Queen Ariana," he said respectfully, his pace slowing down. Ariana looked around. The trees were tall and quiet, and eventually, they reached a bush-covered area. Ariana paused. Why are we here? To her surprise, Raven pushed aside the thick greenery, and her lips parted in awe. It was... beautiful. A soft waterfall cascaded down a smooth cliffside at the edge of a medium-sized riverbank. Ariana couldn’t believe a place this magical existed within the castle’s forest grounds. Was Zavren really here? Where exactly is he? The night sky spilled silver light across the scene, the moonlight shimmering on the waterfall. It all looked surreal—the way the water glowed and danced with the light made her breath catch. The sound of rushing water was calming, almost dreamlike. "Queen Ariana," Raven said quietly, "I apologize—I cannot go any further." He bowed slightly. Ariana’s eyes widened. Why not? He pointed toward a stony structure on the other side of the water—a cave, part marvel. It looked ancient yet refined, as though it had been carved by nature itself. "His Majesty is in there." Ariana nodded slowly, still puzzled why Raven had to stop here. She stepped carefully onto the wide, flat stones that crossed the clear water, which shimmered with reflections of light and color. The soft breeze swept through her hair, and despite everything, a small smile curled her lips at the beauty around her. As she reached the stone-like structure, her heart began to thud. She walked toward the open path, curiosity drawing her in. Inside, she was immediately struck by a brilliant glow—light seemed to ripple off the stone walls. And then she heard it—the sound of water splashing. Was there a waterfall inside here too? The water glimmered, casting moving patterns across the walls. It looked like glowing water—alive and magical. Ariana stepped closer, peering into the space. Her breath caught. There, at the center—where the waterfall hit the stone—a figure emerged from the water. Her lips parted. Z.. Zavren. He swept his hand through his dark hair, and oh Lord—Ariana’s heart stuttered a thousand beats. He stepped forward to peep properly, and she did not want him seeing her there. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock. Zavren stood there. Completely naked. And as if that wasn’t enough, his hands moved to his pen—