Not again.

"What?" He had definitely not expected that question and most definitely had not intended to say that out loud. It had not come out right so he was fast to quickly add, "I will never love anyone in this world the way I love you." Phew! Quick save.

"If you mean it, then look into my eyes and say it." Her voice sounded vulnerable.

Is she doubting my love for her? Where was all this insecurity and doubt coming from? If that is how she was feeling, then he needs to rectify that immediately.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Silver felt sympathy and too much love for her, both at the same time. Wordless, he drew closer to her and kissed her. Her insides turned to liquid. Actions speak louder than words, Silver had expressed this more than anyone had patience for.

"Thank you," she sighed after she had steadied her breath and heart. She hugged him tightly.

Where was all this coming from? Silver thought his chin atop her dark head of hair. His fingers played with the white streak. Oddly fascinating. The white or grey long line of hair in her hair always bemused him. Odd things always managed to look so beautiful and fascinating.

She shifted from the position they were in, the movement almost toppled Silver to the ground. Her head hit his chin and he grimaced in pain.

"Ouch!" He winced.

"Oops! Sorry," she apologized, offering her hand to keep him from toppling backwards. He held her and the both of them laughed. Their foreheads came together and they fell silent for a while. The air around them charged.

The birds sang. The leaves of the tree under which they sat fell in tandem with the scarlet petals from the petal rain. With their eyes closed, they smiled. Yet again.

"I also have a simple question for you," he began breaking the silence.

"I am all ears and all yours for that matter," she replied. Her words filled his heart with immense joy. He hoped that his question would not get her running all over the place. He prepared his heart, let out a sigh and spoke. Here goes nothing.

"Will you marry me?" His eyes stared directly into hers. Begging. Pleading. Shaking.

Shinja did not speak. Not immediately. She looked at him, dumbfounded. At a loss of words. It was a long time before she said anything not out of fear. She sensed how bothered by the silence Silver was getting. His hands were shaking. The eyes that were formerly looking into hers with love and patience, were now downcast. Look at me. She wanted to say but that would not help. It is not what he wanted to hear. So, she answered him. She hoped that her answer was what he wanted to hear.

"Surely, as the sun rises in the morning and the moon adorns the skies in the night, I will marry you." She did not know when or how it happened. The next thing she knew; she was in the air and Silver was peppering butterfly kisses all over her face. The grin on his face was priceless. The scarlet petals increased the frequency at which they fell from the pregnant cushions in the sky. They were dancing too in wavy motions. Ecstasy.

"You do not know how happy you have made me my love." Silver uttered breathlessly. Excitement was not word enough for what he felt. He needed something heavier, anything more expressive. Elated? That's not it. Exhilarated. Yes, exhilarated would do for now.

"Oh, really? I think I have an idea. I'm the one in the sky and not you." She giggled as he pecked her on the lips.

"No," Kiss. "You," Kiss. "Do," Kiss. "Not." Kiss. Kiss. She giggled again endlessly and gave him a kiss of her own. Perfect.

~*~

It turned out that the Green Lake forest lacked a spot to host them for the night. Thus, instead of having a full day in the forest, they had to go to their next destination quite earlier than planned. The two of them decided that they would go to Terese' cottage in the Secret Garden. They arrived before sundown. While still outside the gate that led into the Secret Garden, Shinja jumped off the horse then looked gaily at Silver whose grin was still in place.

"Why are you smiling?" She asked shakily.

"I could ask you the same thing yourself. Why are you smiling?"

She had seen the breathing flower—scratch that and make it flowers—their pull was undeniably strong and could not be ignored. As soon as they arrived outside the gates of the Secret garden, she felt their pull. She wondered if Silver felt it too. How hadn't she noticed or felt it before now?

Understanding hit her, the pull was felt by those in love in the company of their lovers. It was as though her grandmother, Terese, had whispered this revelation into her eager ear at that very moment.

"Because I am the happiest man alive." He replied, smiling even wider. What was that? You had asked him a question dumbo. Shinja winced a bit, then masked it quite fast. She had forgotten what he was responding to.

"Oh, come on. Stop it already." She laughed nervously hoping that he had not noticed anything. Her palms were sweating. She wiped them using her gown.

Honey, it is cold outside. I know. So, why are your palms sweating? Oh, wait! Do not tell me. It's the breathing flower, is it not? That and other things. She was nervous. What if the flowers did contrary to what she hoped they did? That was not the only thing worrying her. The secret garden was her place. She was letting Silver into that piece of her. She settled for voicing her fears instead of letting them eat her alive.

"This place means a lot to me." She spoke as if to no one in particular. "I have never come here with anyone. Only grandma. It used to be a place where my grandmother would come and live. Sometimes for several days before she came back to the castle.

"I missed her terribly during those days when she left the castle. It was too bad to the extent that she gave in to bringing me along. She's gone now but I still feel her here. She comes around sometimes. That is why it seems quite trimmed. She was here with me that time when I ran away from the castle."

He was still getting acquainted to the matters of Green kingdom but he understood her perfectly. He was glad that she had brought him here.

She cowered at his observant gaze. At times, the way he looked at her was too deep, like he not only saw her face but pored directly into her heart and soul too. That made her a little queasy.

"Come on do not look at me like that." And just like that, solemn Shinja was gone, playful Shinja was in now. "I want to play a game with you. Reach out for any of the flowers on the hedge. Touch it and tell me what happens. Maybe I will play too." She shrugged to show how easy touching flowers was.

Silver looked at her questioningly, lifting his eyebrows but she did not give anything in return. She watched him carefully. Waiting. Daring. Persuading.

He went to the flower field just outside the Secret Garden as she had suggested. What are you playing at love? What is this? He had never played this game before. He indulged only because it was Shinja that had asked him to.

The flowers were laid out vertically in overflowing cascades on the hedge that surrounded the garden.

"Wait a minute! Did they—did that flower just pu—breath?" They were pulsing. The flowers were alive. They breathed. In. Out. In. Out. Like a—li-like a being?

His eyes ran over them right before his hands did. The hedge looked like it had no end. At some point, he would believe it if someone were to tell him that it kissed the clouds. Wonderful. He swept his hand across a bunch of pink hibiscuses that were in his reach reluctantly. Let's get this—his thought was cut midway by what happened next.

On touching the pink hibiscus, the flowers began bleaching—because that is what it looked like to him—to white. Silver watched the spectacle unfold before his eyes. The fire of curiosity started like a gurgling river in his mouth until it formed like an erupting volcano with the desire to be spat out.

"What was that? What was happening?" His eyes shot to Shinja.

"Explain!" She saw how his mind's wheels were running. She smiled weakly.

"Well done, for the reason you did all this and the results therein, I will unveil later," Shinja said as if listening to his thoughts even though she was dying to let him in on the hidden meaning of what he had done. She fought the spoiler urge. She wanted to make him suffer with curiosity a bit longer.

Inside her mind, she made sure to fist pump the air, complimenting it with her happy dance. He loves me. Oh my God! He does. Duh! Go away, you will not spoil this one for me. She sassed her mind quietly.

On cue, the doors of the beautiful garden opened to reveal an unforgettable aroma and sight. Pleasant. Silver's mouth fell wide open in wonder. The last time he had been here, he had been so caught up in the search for Shinja. He had not seen this before.

Wow! Shinja did not bear the same expression because nothing much had changed since she was last here. She was still enthralled by the garden's beauty just not like a newbie would.

Terese's magic tended the garden, keeping it alive with color and sweetness. She knew this.

Back on their horses, the two of them looked at each other, held their hands and led the horses inside, together in sync. The horses trotted calmly as if aware that their masters needed enough time to take in the beauty before their eyes.

Silver's horse, Benji, was a black stallion with a beautiful black mane that shined like glass. Brittle. Stunning. Flower-Bender, was as delicate as her owner. She was white in color. Her mane bounced gloriously with each trot she took.

A huge moth flew around them, its powder leaving a trail behind it as it went to and fro. They smiled as it went past them, then inhaled deeply the fragrance of the flowers. The moth's trail came in with the breeze making both of them sneeze. They laughed off the twinned gesture.

"Even your sneeze is cute." Silver commented as his eyes trailed over her facial features.

"Oh shush, Silver." Shinja replied, averting her eyes.

The moth varnished in thin air. The horses noticed this and shook with tremors. Their owners did not notice the discomfort the moth caused the horses or the moth for that matter. If the horses could speak, they would have warned their riders. They brayed and neighed but their owners were too enthralled to pick on the signs. If an opportunity had sufficed, a warning would have been said in two words wormwood moth.

Instead, Silver and Shinja marveled at the beauty before them.

"Wow, did you see that? Those flowers! Heavens!" Silver was smiling in awe.

"There is more where that came from. This place has the most amazing odd things. Come on, let's get in further so we can enjoy it all." Shinja thought for sure that the moth had been one of the rare things that usually co-habituated her grandmother's garden which was now hers too.

There were breathing flowers in the garden after all, and do not get her started on the transparent butterflies. So, a moth disappearing into thin air was nothing to marvel about. It was only the start.

~*~

Someone watched the prince and princess through the Scarlet Cistern. They laughed. Hard. Their epiglottis was on show from the way they laughed. "That's it. It is no big deal. Do not mind mothy he means no harm." More laughter. And they were gone.

~*~

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