Chapter 28
Even as the carriage jolted over rough patches in the road, Lilien couldn’t seem to shake off sleep. They’d crossed the Baltan border long ago, and after nearly two hours of travel without stopping, they were almost at Lake Boltman.
Still half-asleep, Lilien squeezed Cairn’s hand a little tighter. She stirred, starting to wake up.
“Mmm…”
Slowly, she lifted her eyelids and gazed up at Cairn with sleepy eyes.
“Did you sleep well?”
“…Yeah.”
Embarrassed, Lilien hurriedly straightened her tousled hair and, just in case, brushed at her lips with her gloved hand.
“It’s weird, I couldn’t sleep at all last night, but I always sleep so well when you’re around.”
“That’s good, then.”
“I guess I’ve gotten used to it since we were little.”
“If you can’t sleep, just come to Baltar Palace. I’ll make you some warm milk and tuck you in. I’ll even pat your back until you fall asleep.”
Lilien shot him a playful glare for treating her like a child.
“Are we still in Baltan?”
“No, we’re almost at the lake.”
“Cairn!”
Her voice was so loud, it must have carried right through the carriage walls.
“You promised you’d wake me up!”
“Sorry.”
He grinned, looking completely unapologetic.
“That road is supposed to be famous for its scenery!”
“You can enjoy it on the way back.”
“But it’ll be dark by then—the view will be totally different!”
Cairn, never the sentimental type, just didn’t get it. To him, it was the same landscape, just a bit dimmer. But if it mattered to Lilien, that was enough for him. She was always more sensitive and emotional than he was.
“Don’t be disappointed, Lilien.”
Cairn gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“We’ll just come back again.”
That suggestion sent a strange shiver down Lilien’s spine.
“We’ll come back together next time, okay?”
His voice was so unusually gentle that she couldn’t stay upset with him.
“Alright.”
Truthfully, Lilien didn’t feel confident in promises of ‘next time’. She knew, deep down, that as adults, friendship between men and women was hard to maintain—at least that’s what those melodramatic romance novels always said. Even the Grand Duchess had warned her as much.
Cairn would eventually settle down and start his own family. He’d move on, and the poor, unloved Lilien, would be left behind. That thought cast a gloomy shadow over her heart.
“You really mean it? You’ll come back with me again?”
Lilien asked again, even though she knew it was probably impossible.
“Yeah, as many times as you want.”
Lilien decided to believe him, just this once. Even if it was a lie.
Their eyes met for a moment in the air between them, and an unusual, breathless silence settled in. Out of nowhere, Lilien felt her heart flutter in her chest.
She dropped her gaze, embarrassed, and her eyes landed on his lips. They were beautifully shaped, full, and a deep, striking red.
“…”
“…”
She swallowed hard. The tiny sound felt deafening in the stillness.
It was as if the air itself was thick with tension, wrapping around them.
At that moment, the carriage came to a stop.
“We—we must be here!”
Lilien quickly pulled herself together, pretending nothing had happened.
* * *
They stepped down onto the path a little ways from the lake and started walking slowly through the woods.
“Are you alright, Lilien?”
The gentle slope left Lilien a bit out of breath. She wanted to stop and rest, but her pride wouldn’t let her show any weakness to Cairn.
“…I’m fine.”
But her shaky voice gave her away. Cairn took her hand and matched his pace to her smaller steps.
“Do you want to rest a minute?”
“No, I think we’re almost there.”
And she was right—soon enough, Lake Boltman appeared before them.
A spring breeze sent little ripples across the water’s surface. The air was still chilly up in the highlands, and Lilien pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
Around the shore, where few people ever walked, fresh green sprouts were just beginning to emerge, and the old rowing boats had a certain quiet charm.
As they came closer, Lilien could see colorful pebbles and waving weeds under the crystal-clear water, along with little fish darting between them.
“Wow…”
The sunlit waves sparkled like scattered jewels, and Lilien’s blue eyes shone just as brightly.
“It’s beautiful.”
A beat later, Cairn replied.
“… it really is.”
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