Vadim stuffs his hands in his pockets, flashing Lynette a brilliant smile, "How about a turn around the garden, Lynette?"
The centaur shyly smiles at him, "Yes, I would like that very much, Prince Vadim."
He nods, his gaze tracing her features. She is a handsome creature, with her earnest brown eyes and her ample brown hair falling over her shoulders; when she walks, her brown hindquarters sway gently with the movement. Vadim finds her to be a very attractive centaur; he is thankful that she is petite, standing a hand shorter than him, her small pony frame amplifies her youth.
Coral watches Quell leave, turning around to the pair; she addresses Lynette, "I was thinking about going for a walk in the woods to harvest some herbs, would you care to accompany me?"
Though Lynette seems eager to join her friend, she glances at Vadim, "I would love to, Lady Coral, but the Prince asked me to come to the garden with him—though I am sure it won't be long, I could join you as soon as we are finished?"
Coral's eyes flicker to Vadim's—he avoids her gaze. It is hard enough for him to be around her as his heart aches when she is near but he forces himself to act appropriately; she is, after all, his brother's mate. He sees the happiness in Quell and is very thankful to have his brother back; after Searra's death, part of Quell seemed to die as well. Sadly, though, Vadim now knows what it feels like to have someone that you earnestly love ripped away from you.
Coral forces a smile to her lips, hugging Lynette, "Well, come to think of it, it does look like rain today. Maybe we can go tomorrow?"
"Of course, my lady," she says with an innocent smile on her lips. She gives Coral a brief curtsey before slipping her arm into Vadim's; he leads her down the hall towards the garden. Glancing over his shoulder, he sees Coral still standing there, her face pained but when they make eye contact, she forces a smile to her lips before turning away.
The sky above the cliffs are cloudy and though they are sheltered by the large rocky walls, the chill of autumn creeps down into the garden. When they make their way through the tall grasses, Vadim fishes a small box out of his pocket; he opens it up to show a delicate metal rose on a silver chain necklace, "Happy day of birth, Lynette," he says gently while offering her the gift.
Her smile brightens; nervously she glances up to the Prince, "Thank you, Vadim." Her voice is quiet, her fingers gently running over the gift.
"May I put it on you?" He asks sweetly; when she nods, he pulls the necklace from the box. Leaning in slowly, his face nears hers as his hands slide against her neck and under her hair. He can see her skin flush at the contact, so close that he can feel her uneven breath on his face. He closes the clasp, lingering for a moment before his hands drift away. Tenderly, he strokes the side of her cheek with the back of his hand before offering a smile, "What would you like to do this afternoon? It is, after all, your birth day."
Offering him a shy smile, she replies, "I actually have a gift for you too, Prince Vadim, though I left it in my room."
He raises his brow, a smirk quirked on his lips, "Oh? If you like, I can wait here while you get it."
She shifts nervously, "No, let's go together."
Casually, he offers her his arm, his pace intentionally slower than usual to give her a moment to think her actions through. He can see it in her eyes—she has decided to take him as her mate. He knows that he should be thankful she chose as much; she is a kind and gentle soul and it would be a devastating blow for the King to force them into a union. Part of him, however, feels guilty—he turned on his usual charm and easily won her over, just as he could anyone. Anyone, but Coral. Tried as he did, not only did he charm her he also was so openly honest with her that he even surprised himself—something about that woman drew him in like a moth to a flame but while he burned in her presence, his heart still belongs to her.
Lynette nervously opens her bedroom door, walking in; she hesitates at the door before asking, "Please, come in?"
With a regal nod, Vadim enters her room, keeping his hands in his pockets while his eyes watch her; she walks to her bureau, opening a large leather bound folder. After shuffling through a few pages, she pulls out a large piece of parchment, offering it up to him. Curious, Vadim walks to her, taking the paper; he is surprised to find a sketch of himself.
"There really isn't much to do back at home, so my mother encourages me to draw. I love sketching nature but on occasion, when I have such a handsome subject, I enjoy sketching people as well," she blushes, shifting her back legs.
Vadim's eyes wander over the picture before he glances at himself in her mirror; he carefully compares the two, "You truly are talented, Lynette, though I must admit you flatter me too much—I am far less handsome than you have drawn me to be."
Lynette smiles at the comment, dropping her gaze to his boots, "Nonsense, Prince Vadim. You are perhaps the most handsome man I have ever met."
He chuckles a bit, leaning in to gently place a kiss on her cheek, "Thank you, Lynette. I shall cherish it for all time."
