The scenery was a much-needed breath of fresh air for Kaari after a long day of tiptoeing around the immortals who made very little effort to conceal their disdain for her.
In stark contrast to her, the surrounding atmosphere buzzed with joyous cheers and laughter echoing everywhere, almost as if mocking her.
The city, adorned with vibrant spring blossoms, was a stunning sight to behold in the quiet, while a strange, longing sense of melancholy stirred within her chest.
'Well, at least I have something to look at while I wait for the party to end.' She paused, briefly closing her eyes to savor the gentle spring breeze.
No matter how much she tried to focus on something else, her thoughts kept circling back to her interaction with Lex earlier that day, and how deeply his words had affected her, even though she knew he hadn't meant any of it.
Their sarcastic mannerisms were nothing new to Kaari. After all, humans could be equally sarcastic too, with some being outright blatant when they chose to be.
However, there was just something about the way they said those hurtful things that often felt less like a joke and more like an insult disguised as one.
And it seemed to hurt a hundred times more when the remarks came from the emperor, someone she had grown deeply attached to over the years.
As a result, she had been distant all day, doing her best to steer clear of the emperor.
Lex was the only one who she felt truly saw her for who she was—not just a human, not a princess, but simply Kaari.
She knew he was upset by her decision.
Lex made no effort to hide his frown, his fiery gaze lingering on her whenever their eyes met, even as she quickly looks away each time.
"He seemed devasted..." She muttered under her breath, staring down at her small hands that had grown red from the cold. "Or am I just hoping that he would feel that way?"
'Get it together, Kaari. He is a Kaxarene, for heaven's sake. He'd tear me apart the moment he finds me unappealing.' She berated herself, embarrassed by how her face would turn bright red at just the thought of the Kaxarene.
'... And yet, here I am, hoping that he feels the same pain that I do.'
A sudden chill ran down her spine just as she was about to lose herself in her thoughts again, prompting her to glance around her surroundings in a panic.
The darkness seemed to have grown larger, the thick mass moving ever so softly like a lazy serpent.
As her eyes scanned the corners for anything suspicious, her gaze caught onto a pair of eyes staring straight at her.
Kaari instantly recognized those emerald eyes, but instead of finding solace in the familiar face, her heart pounded even harder as she grasped who was standing before her.
"Spring might be around the corner, but it is still fairly cold at night, Princess." Lex finally spoke out loud, the softness of his tone eerie given the current situation. "Can't have you getting sick on me, can I?"
The frustration that had been lodged into his chest the entire night strangely disappeared, and for once he didn't seem to question why it left.
Kaari was sat gracefully in the heart of the beautifully adorned garden, but despite the scenery's enchanting beauty, his gaze remained fixed solely on the princess.
Lex found himself completely mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze away from Kaari, utterly spellbound by her beauty.
Despite the composure he displayed, Lex was secretly taken aback when he had been caught staring at the princess like a creep.
"If you're here to give me a lecture, then I believe it's in your best interest to leave me alone, Your Majesty." She reproached, turning away the moment Lex began to speak.
"What if I'm here for other reasons?" With a playful grin, he tilted his head to the side and asked in a lighthearted tone, hoping to alleviate the tension between them.
Lex took only a few strides to reach Kaari, his tall figure looming menacingly over the human.
"Such as?" She maintained her icy demeanor as Lex knelt on one knee in front of her, lowering himself to her level to meet her gaze.
"Did you know how long I waited for you to show up?" He started by gently taking Kaari's hands in his own, pressing a kiss to her palms. "You kept me, the Emperor of Stygia waiting, treating him like an obedient little pet dog. Care to explain yourself?"
Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, but the only thing that seemed to bother her was the man in front of her.
She still avoided looking at Lex directly, and as time passed, his impatience grew with her persistent coldness.
"I was just about to head inside." She clarified before looking away again.
Her lie was unconvincing, but Lex decided it was better to let it slide for now.
"... Are you still upset with me?" Lex queried cautiously, his gaze still fixated on Kaari.
"Do you want me to be honest?" She asked, her voice was barely audible despite the silence that enveloped the garden. "Or would you like the answer that won't hurt your feelings?"
"How polite of you to ask me first." Lex smirked, finding her sulky attitude utterly adorable. "But you can follow your heart. I just want you to talk to me."
As the silence settled between them, Lex softly said her name, his tone gentle yet firm enough to draw her focus.
"... Kaari, could you please spare me a glance?"
'Here he goes again with that voice.' Kaari felt the butterflies erupt in her stomach, when all Lex did was say her name. 'How can I possibly say no when he's so...'
Kaari finally turned to look directly at the emperor, her silver eyes shimmering with an emotion he couldn't quite identify.
"I was hurt, if that's what you're asking me." She finally admitted, breathing out a deep sigh. "For some reason, your words seemed to have impacted me more than I expected."
"I see... " He did his best to sound as genuine as possible, finding the whole effort so unfamiliar. "I'm sorry for taking out my anger on you. I was just frustrated that the people responsible for their part of the job didn't do it."
'Did... Did I hear that correctly?' Kaari's mind raced, her eyes widening in shock as she patiently waited for the unusually anxious emperor to continue.
"You almost got into danger because of a mistake that could've been so easily avoided." He looked away when he realized that Kaari was staring at him. "The last thing I wanted was to hurt you with my words."
"... Did you really come all this way just to apologize?" The princess expressed, her expression still hard to read.
"Nothing else." Lex admitted honestly as he stood up to take off his coat. "It has been on my mind the entire day, and something told me you'd be somewhere secluded, hiding from all the noise as usual."
Before Kaari could question his actions, Lex softly draped the thick fur coat over the princess, who quietly embraced the soothing warmth that exuded off of it.
"Hm, the past few days have been tough." She hummed, a sad smile across her expression. "I needed some time to recollect myself."
"Then allow me to give you some privacy." Lex offered almost immediately as he turned to leave. "I'm sure I am the last person you wish to see-"
"W-Wait!" Kaari abruptly grabbed ahold of Lex's arm, stopping him from walking away. "I didn't say that to make you leave. You're welcome to stay if you'd like; I really don't mind at all."
"... Very well." Lex replied as he settled next to the princess, his face lacking its usual playful expression.
"..."
"I have to say, the city is beautiful." Kaari attempted to lighten up the atmosphere by changing the subject. "This is my first time staying in Stygia overnight, and I just can't take my eyes off of it."
"It's just like any other city." Lex simply stated, unimpressed by the sight he's seen numerous times since his childhood. "If this alone has impressed you, just wait until you see the fireworks—they're sure to amaze you even more."
"Do you usually watch it from the palace?" Kaari asked excitedly, looking up into the sky.
"The palace is too far from the main city to provide the best view." Lex followed Kaari's gaze and looked up at the clear night sky, unimpressed by the endless expanse of stars shining overhead.
"I used to frequent a special spot up on those mountains over there to watch the fireworks every year." Lex shared a memory from the time he first came into this world. "You could say that it's the only place in Stygia that gives me a sense of comfort."
It was rare for Lex to talk about his past, given that he hardly remembered any of it.
Most of it wasn't even really his as it mostly belonged to Kaiden, the host.
But, for some reason, he didn't mind Kaari being one of the few who knew of a part of him from before he became the powerful emperor he was today.
"I never thought Roseabelles held special places like this in their hearts." Kaari admitted, unable to deny the warmth she felt when Lex shared a piece of his childhood with her.
"Well, one could say it's just a distant memory now." Lex spoke without much emotion, seeing no reason to reminisce about the past. "I haven't visited the site since the war broke out."
"Wow..." Kaari couldn't help but be astonished by immense age gap between humans and immortals.
"Do you... Do you think it's still might exist?" She wondered, her silver eyes gleaming with childlike fascination. "You know, since it's been centuries already."
"... Would you be interested in finding out, princess?" He remarked with a teasing tap on her head.
"W-What?" Kaari hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation.
"I'm asking if you'd like to go watch the fireworks up there with me, Kaari." He grinned mischievously as he reached out his hand beckoning Kaari to grab it. "So, are you up for the adventure?"