Autumnal Equinox

As it happened, there weren’t any plans. I slept well into the afternoon and only woke when Sylvia came to dress me for dinner.

“Is it really that late?” I asked and she nodded.

I rubbed my eyes and dressed. I slid on the silver slippers and Pen took up his normal place. Sylvia accompanied me to the dining room.

“There you are,” my father said with a grin.

Harriet looked very upset as did Logan. When he saw me, though, his face softened and he kissed my knuckles, leading me to my chair. I sat down and quickly ate what was put in front of me.

“I am sorry I slept so late,” I said.

“It was a long day for all of us yesterday,” the queen said in a stiff voice. I felt Pen’s tail flick. “So,” she added, her voice forcefully light, “Logan tells me you wish to change the colors?”

I swallowed thickly, looking across the table where Logan was sitting.

“Yes,” I said finally. “We spoke about it last night and-”

“You spoke of it without me?” she interrupted and my mother put her hand on my knee under the table, clearly telling me to speak no longer.

Another tail flick from Pen made me jump. He purred gently in my ear and lapped up the water I gave him. A servant brought over his meal and he landed gracefully on the table.

“Will you join me on a walk this evening?” Logan asked, breaking the awkward silence.

I nodded. “I would greatly enjoy that.”

After we finished eating, I followed him out the front gates. We walked among the grounds and I noticed Logan kept looking around him. I could only assume he was worried about the other night. Suddenly, he grabbed my hand.

“Follow me,” he whispered and pulled me into the shadows.

My heart raced as we ran through the shadows. We got to a wall and Pendragon squeezed my shoulder as Logan gave me a leg up over the wall.

He reminds me of you.

When he landed, I was taken aback. It was like I was seeing a completely different man. His eyes were glimmering and he was positively grinning.

“Come on,” he pressed, grabbing my hand again.

“Where are we going?” I asked, his excitement infecting me as we ran through trees.

“To a special place,” he answered. “It’s a place we can only find at night.”

“Why only at night?”

“You’ll see.”

I jumped over the roots expertly, earning an appraising look from him. I just smiled and we ran side by side though I had no clue where we going. We laughed quietly. I was enjoying this side of him already.

He slowed down as we reached our destination, breathing heavily. We emerged into a glade. I frowned a little. There didn’t seem to be anything different about it.

“I don’t understand,” I said but he shook his head, pressing a finger to his smiling lips.

I obeyed and the wind continued to blow. I wished I had brought my cloak. Just when I was getting impatient, the most amazing thing I had ever seen unfolded in front of me.

Hundreds of blue flowers grew rapidly from the ground. I gasped as the pedals opened into the night air, emitting a soft golden glow. With the light came a delightful smell that I couldn’t quite place.

“This is gorgeous,” I breathed, walking amongst the flowers. Even Pendragon was intrigued as his head lifted to inhale the sweet scent. “What are they?”

He strolled through the flowers, smiling. “They’re Moonglow flowers,” he answered. “They grow and bloom only on nights like these when the moon is at its fullest. The glow is their inner life and the scent their breath.”

“Oh, they are beautiful,” I said, kneeling among them. I caressed the pedals. “How did you find these?”

He smirked at me. “The same way you found Pendragon. I highly doubt you really found him during the daytime.” I flushed and straightened up but he laughed. “You move like an expert in those trees.”

“I have a habit for venturing to places I shouldn’t,” I admitted and he chuckled, walking over to me.

The light from the flowers illuminated him and I took the opportunity to really take him in. He was taller than me by a head. His legs were long and clad in a pair of black trousers. His shirt was loose fitting cotton. He had rolled the sleeves up, warmed from our run. And those golden eyes….

They locked onto mine. The air around us seemed to be charged with electricity. He tucked some hair behind my ear and his hand lingered on my cheek. I gulped as he leaned forward slowly. My eyes closed. I could feel our noses touching.

“I can’t,” I breathed, turning away.

“What is it?” he asked.

Pen flew off my shoulder and soared quietly up in the sky.

Tell him, Mother. Now is the time.

“When I spoke of the man who attacked us,” I whispered, “he wasn’t just a man. He- We were betrothed,” I said finally, not daring to look at him. “I had my parents’ blessings and the wedding would have been held three days after the attack.”

“Why did he betray you?”

I shook my head. “I had been certain Rorick was in love with me. But it turned out he was in love with my throne.”

“I understand.”

“I’m sorry I’ve ruined such a beautiful night,” I said, finally looking at him.

He cupped my cheek and wrapped his arm around my waist. I swallowed thickly, not quite sure what to do. Before I could move, he pressed his lips gently to mine. His eyes were closed and mine slowly did as well. Above us, Pendragon was singing.

“You need not be afraid of me,” Logan whispered after breaking from the gentle kiss. “I will not hurt you. I would never hit you, either.” I turned away. “He hit you, didn’t he? Why would you stay engaged to him if he did that?”

“He would get upset with people in the palace,” I whispered back. “I thought it was normal.”

He lifted my face gently. “It is not normal, Autumn.” He kissed my forehead. “Do not be afraid of me,” he repeated, stroking my cheek with his thumb. I leaned into his hand. “I’m growing very fond of you, Autumn.”

I smiled at him. “And I’m growing very fond of you, Logan.”

As am I.

I giggled and he looked at me questioningly.

“Just Pendragon being himself,” I said and he smiled, pulling me close.

I leaned my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. The scent of the flowers was soothing and it was sad knowing it would happen only once a month.

“We should head back,” I said finally. “They will wonder where we have gone. My father is good at finding me when I’ve snuck out thanks to my mother.”

He chuckled and held my hand as we walked back. Pendragon flew ahead of us, leading the way and continuing to sing his song.

-

“Did you have a pleasant walk?” the queen asked when we walked back into the main hall.

“Yes,” we said in unison and we both laughed.

“Perhaps you should go to bed,” my father said. “Your sleep pattern will be knocked off.”

I rolled my eyes but I was still smiling. “You are always so concerned about that.”

He smiled. “I’ll take you. Good night everyone,” he said and Logan kissed my knuckles. My father and I didn’t speak for a while. “So, where did you sneak off to?”

I groaned. “Really? Already?”

He chuckled. “Remember how many times I caught your mother sneaking around?”

“He just wanted to show me a special place of his,” I said and he made a small noise in the back of his throat.

“Need I remind you what happened the last time?” he whispered when we reached my room.

“No,” I promised. “I am being wise.”

“He kissed you, didn’t he?” he asked. My blush was answer enough and he laughed again. “Good night, Autumn.”

“Good night, Father.”

He is a fine young man, Pen said as I changed into a nightgown.

He curled up on his bed in the window.

“Yes, yes he is. He’s very intuitive as well.”

I am glad you told him of Rorick.

I got into bed. “Are you sure it was a wise decision?”

I lay on my side, facing his bed and he nodded.

Yes. If there ever was a time to tell him, it was then. He let out a yawn, a cute little high sound. That was a beautiful clearing. We will have to return. Those flowers were rather intoxicating.

I closed my eyes, smiling.

“They weren’t the only things,” I said, seeing his golden eyes and pink lips.