Geoffrey took Ariel by the hand and led her up the path away from Aurelia and Colin, who clearly had something to work out between the two of them alone.
Ariel clasped Geoffrey's strong hand in both of hers and felt the desire to have him hold her. She stopped. Geoffrey stopped too and looked at her questioningly. Ariel stood on tiptoe to press her lips to Geoffrey's and then smiled up at him.
Geoffrey smiled back down at the shining visage of his love and reached out with his free hand to run a finger down the side of her face. Feeling the depth of her love for him in his soul, he felt like he could do anything he set his mind to, but tonight his only goal was to pleasure her.
He turned and led her up the path but when they reached the castle, instead of going in, he led her around the side.
"Where are we going?" Ariel asked.
"You'll see," he merely responded.
Geoffrey led Ariel around to the extensive gardens that encircled the castle. Through the labyrinth of kitchen gardens, rose gardens and into the maze of higher bushes and hedges, he wound a way to the back and a very secluded corner of a garden that appeared to no longer be in use. The grasses and flowers had grown in wild abandon, cascading in thick profusions.
Ariel cried out in delight at the vision before her. A tree had grown so that it's overhanging limbs shielded a bower but the limbs themselves had grown thick with the winding vines of a sweet pink rose. Beneath the overhanging canopy of roses lay a thick blanket surrounded with sconces stuck into the ground to hold candles, illuminating the sanctuary. A multitude of flowers grew to every side. Violets grew beneath bobbing columbine. Bleeding hearts hung over lilies of the valley. A cloth covered basket sat to one corner of the blanket with a stoppered bottle of liquid and two goblets.
Geoffrey bowed low and gestured to the blanket with a flourish. "My lady, your private chamber awaits."
Geoffrey took Ariel's hand as she stepped onto the blanket and lowered herself gracefully to the covered ground. He joined her and uncovered the basket then removed the stopper from the bottle and poured them each a glass of the mulled wine from the castle.
"A simple meal," Geoffrey said apologetically.
"But the company makes it a feast," Ariel responded, reaching over to pop a grape into his mouth.
Geoffrey raised his glass to Ariel and she returned the salute. She stared over the rim of the glass as she sipped the mulled wine, thinking how lucky she was to have found him. She supped on the morsels that Geoffrey fed her but afterwards could not have named a single thing she ate, having eyes only for her handsome escort.
Geoffrey put the detritus of their meal away in the basket and pulled Ariel into his arms for the feast he truly desired. He kissed her deeply, lowering her gently to the blanket. He drew back and looked down, studying her beautiful countenance lovingly.
Lying in Geoffrey's arms, Ariel's gaze was caught to the side as little lights glowed and danced over the tall grasses and flowers beyond the reach of their candles. "How pretty, fireflies!" she exclaimed.
Indeed, the lights did dance and weave like the twinkling fireflies that move over the tall grass of a field, looking like the stars against the midnight sky. However, these lights took singular afront at being compared to mere bugs.
"How dare she compare me to a fly?" proud Titania cried in outrage, alighting on the leaf of a lily nearby. She raised her hand to hurl a curse but Oberon lit beside her and covered her hand with his.
"Nay, my Queen, stay thy hand, there is too much enchantment upon this land. A curse, cast in anger might double back and bring us all to danger." Oberon covered his lady's hand with his and kissed the fist he contained.
