dreams on the horizon

[Aric Demarais]

Aric almost felt bad for dragging his wife out of bed early after being at the party so late last evening, but they had agreed to exchange gifts today so as to not make Yule so overwhelming. Being a prince of Tresteria, his day had been fairly busy, so he was grateful for this quiet reprieve and getaway. He just wanted to get away from the gossip and politics for a few hours, at least, before knowing he was going to have to seriously dive back into it.

Eleesa had seemed extra tense the last few days and he chalked it up to the council's blatant lack of understanding. It was something he was going to have to discuss with her, as well as his cousin for the first moment he got. Just not today. No, today would not be about any of that.

He and Alexandria were currently in a carriage with a blanket across their lap to keep out the winter's cold while they made their way from the castle and through the city. They'd been riding for a little over an hour and didn't have much further to go, but there was an ever present smile on Aric's face. He was rather proud of his gift, even if it was more a gift for himself in the end. Still, he had many reasons for it, and he just prayed it wasn't going to be too frigid out on the cliffs, something he had semi prepared for. Hopefully the wind wouldn't be too harsh.

"I'm not sure I ever asked- does Aralore have the same traditions with Yule?" he spoke up quietly over the hoofbeats across the stone path. They were leaving the city gates now to head towards the closest set of cliffs.

[ Alexandria Eveleigh- Demarais ]

[Alexandria Eveleigh- Demarais]

Alexandria was fairly tired but she didn’t mind Aric dragging her out with him. He had told her that he wished to take her around Tresteria when they first got the chance, so she imagined this was the chance they got. They had been busy since arriving in Tresteria but Alexandria had expected as much. Between the king’s death and the holiday and all of the political mess that would follow soon after, she knew it wouldn’t get any less busy. But she was more than appreciative that Aric had decided to spend the day with her to get away from it all and celebrate Yule in their own way now.

It was cold out, but she was grateful for the blanket and her husband’s warmth as she sat close to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She heard the echo of his voice in his chest and smiled at his question. “Not quite,” she answered him simply before she lifted her head to look at him. “We don’t have the silly chase game. Or a ball. But the castle usually is decorated and we have a large feast in the banquet hall. After that, it’s mostly a quiet and private affair for everyone and their families.” She paused for a moment in thought before smiling. “Perhaps next year we could have a ball.”

Her sapphire eyes shifted out to the path they were traveling on, noticing that they were leaving the city. She looked back at him curiously and laughed softly. “So where are you taking me?” She had a feeling that he wasn’t going to tell her, but she’d ask anyway.

“You didn’t let me give you your gifts before we left. Do you want to open them now?” She lifted the blanket slightly so she could reach under it on the floor of the carriage by her feet where she had placed his gifts, and she pulled one out and set it on his lap, grinning softly. On the outside, it appeared to be a good-sized wooden box that she had just decorated with a bow. The top of the box had a wood burned engravement on it that had his initials. The gift was sort of two in one. The box where he could store whatever he wished inside, and then when he opened the box, he would find that she had filled it with various things: Pears, pear wine, jams, and pear bread. Alexandria grinned widely and looked at him with a proud look on her face. “I remember you told me that you loved the pears of Tresteria… So…” She laughed softly and shrugged her shoulders. “Now you can enjoy some for a little while when we return to Aralore.”

[Aric Demarais]

Despite the early hour, they weren't traveling very far, so it would actually be a relaxing day. Even if he planned on "putting her to work", so to speak. It was part of her gift, but also a request for a memory that he would be able to bring back to Aralore. Back home. The thought almost made him grin, realizing how Tresteria didn't feel like home anymore. It was just a place he remembered with familiar faces, but it was no longer home. Perhaps that was wrong for a prince to think, but he thought he was making it quite clear with how he was not taking the regency.

Aric chuckled lightly at the mention of the chase. It was silly, he'd admit, but it could also be fairly amusing. A lot of it had been, until those dark memories tried to haunt him again. Memories he refused to think about right now, and possibly never again. 'Perhaps next year we could have a ball.' "If you'd like," he said. What he didn't say was that the next year was going to be so uncertain. These were different thoughts looming over him, and they were not ones he could ignore. He shouldn't.

But just for today he would, at least.

"To the cliffs. Part of your gift is there." He wasn't going to lie, but he also wasn't going to tell her exactly what it was, either. It had to be something, though, for him to ask her to step out into the cold, winter air. He made sure she had the warmest cloak, and there would also be a fire to help once they were there.

Alexandria was handing him a gift and he smiled gently. Dark eyes washed over the nice box, his fingertips brushing across the etched initials before he carefully opened it. Inside was various forms of pears (she remembered he had said it was his favorite fruit), and he couldn't hold back the deep laughter at the sight of the jam. That would forever make him chuckle, he realized. "Thank you. I love it. Really," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. It looked as though he was tempted to eat one of those pears already, but he refrained as he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket to retrieve her gift.

It was thin, and no longer than a quill, wrapped in velvet the color of a plum, with gold ribbon. "This is just a little something. Your other gift is where we're headed. Although-" he paused, a bit of mirth seeping into his gaze as he looked back down to her. "I'll admit, that gift is also kind of for me." And he wasn't going to tell her any more.

[Alexandria Eveleigh- Demarais]

Alexandria knew that everything would be up in the air from the moment they’d return to Aralore. There was no promise that this time next year would be certain but like Aric, Alexandria did not want to think that way, if only for this day. “I think I would like that.” She smirked and leaned into him, placing a kiss on his cheek before sitting straighter in her seat again.

She watched as he opened his gift, her grin never fading from her lips as he reacted to it. It was nice to hear his laugh, really- though, she wasn’t entirely sure that he would pick up on the jam part, or find it funny. “I’m glad you like it. But I have a couple of other things for you, too!” She reached under the seat again and pulled out a couple more neatly wrapped gifts in a bright red color paper with green ribbon wrapped around them, and handed them over to him. The larger gift was an Astronomy Book and notebook. The smaller gift was an Astronomical Compendium. Another thing Alexandria had remembered from their conversation the evening after their wedding when they asked one another various questions to take their mind off of the horrible events that had occurred.

They were traveling to the cliffs. She looked at him curiously. What could be at the cliffs for her? Alexandria thought for a moment and then smirked, leaning into him and resting her chin on his shoulder so she could speak into his ear. “Is there a hidden cave in those cliffs too?” The tone of her voice was filled with insinuation as she recalled their evening together back in Aralore when she had shown Aric the cliffs. He did say that the gift was also kind of for him too.

Alexandria took the gift he gave her and admired the wrapping first, giving him a curious glance. “Did you wrap this yourself?” She grinned softly before looking back at it and carefully unwrapping it, almost not wishing to rip into it too much. Once she got it open, she looked at the beautiful pin inside and smiled. “Oh, it’s lovely, Aric.” She leaned into him again and kissed his cheek. “I love you. Thank you.” Bright sapphire-colored eyes returned to the pin and delicate fingers brushed along the stones that decorated it. It really was beautiful.

[Aric Demarais]

There would be time to worry. Right now, there was no point in thinking about that part of the future, because there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. Soon, though, the mood would change, so Aric wanted to hang on to this and her smile for as long as he could. All he wanted to do was keep her mind off the darkness that would soon loom over them. And if they were fortunate, Alexandria would have her Yule party next year.

"More?" he said a little surprised. Now, he feared his gift wasn't going to be enough, although he should know better than to think monetary value was important to his wife. It had just been so long since he'd ever had to worry about getting gifts for anyone after Maria passed. He had kept to himself from then on until he went to Aralore.

Upon opening the two other presents, his smile widened once more but there was a warm sincerity in his eyes. Of course she had remembered his early obsession with astrology, and now she was just going to fuel that once again. "Alexandria...these are so great," he told her as fingers brushed over the cover of the one book. "So you do listen when I talk." Aric chuckled lightly. Naturally, he didn't mean it, because she was perhaps once of the best listeners he ever knew. Far better than he was.

Dark eyes shifted sidelong to her with that insinuation, and the smile on his face shifted into a lopsided smirk. "I'm sure we can find one..." he mused lowly. But no, that wasn't what he had planned, and he laughed softly soon after.

"I did!" he gently professed about wrapping it himself. "However, I hope you know that I had to barter with a very wise seven-year-old. I asked for silver, but Olivia suggested gold, and I had to trade a perfectly good pastry for that pretty ribbon." William's girl always amused him, and after awhile she had made the pain of losing his own daughter a lot easier to bear.

After she kissed his cheek again, a hand lifted to gently grasp her chin so that he could look at her. "It had to be blue, but I fear I'll never find the perfect blue to match those eyes." He pressed a lingering kiss to her mouth before he turned away as the carriage was slowing down. They had finally arrived. Aric's face seemed to light up immediately and he was moving towards the door before the driver could open it for them.

"Come along, my queen..." He bowed with amusement, holding his hand out to her to help her down. Once they rounded about the carriage, Alexandria would see the exquisite view of tall, rocky cliffs to the right and the vast ocean ahead with its blue-green waters. And there, alongside a fire that the driver was currently attempting to light, was an easel and canvas. Aric led her closer by the hand. "I wasn't sure if you preferred paints or charcoal or something else...so I got you practically everything." There was a basket there full of art supplies he had asked Elyscia for help with.

[Alexandria Eveleigh- Demarais]

Alexandria’s eyes brightened as she watched Aric open her gift, and saw his smile grow. Whenever he told her something about himself, she tried to ingrain it into her memory--ever since they had met because she wanted to get to know him. She wanted to know everything there was about him and be as supportive as she possibly could, especially now that he was her husband. She smirked and lifted her chin in a feigned gesture of smugness. “Of course I listen when you talk,” she grinned, playfully nudging him. “But only when I want to,” she said in jest.

She was happy that he liked his gifts. Without knowing her way around Tresteria, and not knowing too many people, she was lucky enough to ask one of Aric’s cousins for help with finding the things she needed. Triston had been nice enough to help her out, and of course, Cassandra helped her with putting together the box of pear items. The two of them had gotten a horribly good laugh at including the jams.

Her smirk only grew when Aric played along with her insinuation. She didn’t turn her gaze to look at him, but she could have sworn she heard his lips crack into that smirk, which in turn, caused her to laugh softly.

Aric’s explanation of his gift wrapping and how he had come to obtain the pretty ribbon, made her smile even wider. She had met Olivia and instantly fell in love with the girl. She loved seeing how Aric and his cousins interacted with her, but it also caused a twinge of pain in the pit of her stomach. Not only because Aric had lost his wife and child, but also knowing that she would never give him a child herself. He had told her that didn’t bother him--but for the first time in a long time, it was bothering her. Perhaps Edward had been right--who would she be leaving Aralore to should she never produce an heir?

Her smile had faltered slightly in her thoughts, but she quickly forced herself to push them out of her mind, and she forced a smile back on her face, laughing softly. “Well--it certainly is a pretty ribbon, she has wonderful taste.” she agreed softly.

As he grasped her chin and urged her to look at him, she found his eyes, her own wavering back and forth between his as she looked lovingly at him. His words caused her to smile deeply until he kissed her. Alexandria couldn’t help but eventually laugh into their kiss just before they pulled away. She shook her head and looked back at him, just as the carriage was beginning to slow. “I’m sorry-- That was so incredibly sweet.” She placed another quick kiss on his lips, “I suppose that means I am going to end up with a lot of blue things until you find it?” Alexandria smirked, “Or you should just be content at finding the color in my eyes? Just like I won’t ever find something quite like your smile...but seeing it on you is my favorite thing to look at.” She tapped a finger on his nose before she leaned back in her seat, just as the carriage came to a stop.

She watched Aric as he stepped out of the carriage and was turning to help escort her out. The smile on her face grew a bit more before taking his hand and stepping out. Alexandria gave him a curious look before turning her gaze to the view before them. Her eyes instantly lit up at the sight, until she saw the fire and easel set up. She turned her face to him, her eyes filled with love and appreciation. “So you do listen when I talk?” Her lips pulled into a wide grin as she repeated his words from earlier.

Alexandria began to quicken her steps towards the area that had been set up for her, pulling Aric along with her. He had told her that he wanted a new picture for their bedroom and all of her art supplies had been stashed away, under her bed in a room she no longer wished to step into. And God only knew if those supplies were still good, or if they had dried out from her lack of using them in so long. It would seem the both of them had given one another gifts that would bring out their passions and hobbies--something perhaps they both needed amongst all the chaos they had endured as of late.

She turned to face him as they reached the spot, her eyes finding his again and she smiled up at him. “Thank you. This is all so wonderful and beautiful and thoughtful of you.” She finally pulled away from him and moved to the basket of art supplies, rummaging through it excitedly as she looked at everything that had been included. Eventually, she pulled out a few of the brushes and held them against her chest, her eyes began to well up with tears before she turned to him again. “I…” She hesitated, her voice cracking just before tears began escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. She let out a small laugh and shook her head, her other hand quickly moving up to brush her tears away. Her tears weren’t ones of sadness, but rather happy ones. Aric treated her as a person and not just some royal queen, sold off to him to ally their kingdoms. He allowed her to be her complete self and was still here, accepting her as she was.  How had she gotten so lucky to have been arranged in a marriage with such a wonderful human being? “...But I haven’t done this in so long… It might not be the painting you deserve…”