Orion took the opportunity to help her sit down with her back against the tree. With his face very close to hers, he asked, "What exactly are you thankful for?"
The Princess of the Garden maintained her smile, even as she felt Orion's breath on her face, sending a tingling sensation up her spine. She replied, "Thank you for the twins."
Orion shook his head wearily and replied, "There's no need for you to thank me. After all, they're my unborn children too. In fact, I should be the one feeling extremely thankful that they have such a beautiful mother to nurture them."
The Princess of the Garden was suddenly stunned by Orion's words.
"What? Did you really expect me to leave my children here for you to take care of all by yourself?" Orion said, his tone tinged with amusement. He snorted as he observed the Princess of the Garden's stunned expression.
The Princess of the Garden suppressed the pounding emotions in her heart as she gazed at Orion for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.
"You're different," she admitted.
"Different from whom?" Orion asked, raising an intrigued brow as he pondered whom she might be comparing him to.
"Different from the other humans that I remember," she replied.
Orion furrowed his brows, his interest intensifying. "You still haven't told me which other human you've encountered and how such a thing is possible while you're trapped down here," he probed. This was his opportunity to uncover the secrets the Princess of the Garden had been concealing.
The Princess of the Garden began to speak, "It's been a long time, so, I'm only..." but she immediately stopped, realizing the trap she was walking into.
"Nice try, but you'll have to try harder if you want to get anything out of me," she said with a firm resolve.
Orion sighed as he observed her. He had been so close.
"But I wasn't even trying," he responded, shaking his head with a faint smile.
"If I were really putting in an effort, trust me, you wouldn't realize it until it was too late," he added with a hint of playfulness.
The Princess of the Garden arched an eyebrow at Orion's words. She then shook her head before speaking with a teasing tone, "If you're able to pull off such a feat, then I'll readily confess everything else that I know."
"Is that a promise?" Orion asked, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
"It is. But, as I've said, it won't be easy, so don't dream of such a thing happening."
"Humph! But you won't know unless you try, right?" Orion responded with a sly smile as he gently held her chin and leaned in closer.
A faint smile graced her lips as she chuckled at Orion's words, then leaned in, clearly understanding his intentions. As their lips met, the moistness of the kiss deepened their connection.
When they pulled away, she looked at him with a much warmer smile. Yet, deep down, a swirl of complex emotions tugged at her heart as she regarded the man before her.
Truthfully, there was a lot she wanted to tell him at this very moment, but she couldn't. Not that she didn't know how to explain it in the right words, but she felt as though something bad might happen if she did.
Orion gave her one last peck on her lips before he stood and turned around.
His voice trailed behind him as he spoke, "I will be coming to check on you tomorrow alongside Saria, so don't stress yourself too much and take care of my children until I come back."
He began to walk away, 'Humph! I made love to your princess right in front of you. Do you think you can stop me from doing whatever I want?' Orion's internal scoff matched his smirk as he glanced at the Pixies who had emerged from their hiding places, forming a protective corridor on both sides.
It seemed as if they were making sure he exited the garden without any detours.
…....….
The Luminaris Clan
On a lavish king-sized bed adorned with silk-like sheets of an unknown material, Maya's eyes fluttered open, her head and body arching sharply. Slowly, she gathered herself, and the memories of what had taken place rushed back into her mind, prompting a brief, involuntary moan, "Ah."
As her hazy vision gradually cleared, she turned to take in her surroundings.
"Merida," she uttered weakly, her eyes widening at the sight of her elder sister.
With a grunt, she slowly propped herself up and regarded her sister, "He won, didn't he?" She recalled the mind-numbing popping sensation in her hands from her attempts to face Orion head-on.
"Yes, he did," Merida nodded, a sigh escaping her lips.
Maya processed her sister's words, anticipating such an answer. "How long have I been unconscious?" she asked, considering that she might have been out for a while, given that she was now back in her bedroom at the Luminaris Clan.
Merida sighed once more as she responded, "Two hours."
Maya nodded in understanding, feeling relieved that she hadn't been unconscious for too long. Otherwise, she would have been embarrassed if Orion thought she hadn't contacted him due to breaking her promise.
"Don't worry, you don't need to be concerned about keeping your promise, because I've taken care of it," Merida said with a reassuring smile. She watched her sister's dazed and conflicted expression snap back to reality.
"What do you mean?" Maya said with a frown as she quickly narrowed her eyes at her elder sister. "Merida, what did you do?"
Seeing her suspicious gaze, Merida shook her head and responded with a light smile on her lips, "I didn't do much, except make sure that you won't be forced into any marriage you don't want."
Maya's frown deepened.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I challenged the foreigner to a fight and told him to leave you alone if he lost," Merida replied.
"You won!" Maya said with her eyes widening in surprise as she observed her elder sister.
