Loyal Lies

I'm still amazed by all the beautiful flowers around us. The sunset made them look even more magical.

"Who planted all these?"

It took a while before Silas answered. I felt him take a deep breath behind me.

"My lover did."

I stopped breathing for a moment. The word 'lover' echoed in my head. I was sitting so close to him in a garden made by someone he loved? I suddenly felt like I shouldn't be here.

"She passed away years ago," he added. "This garden is all I have left of her."

My heart hurt, but I wasn't sure why. Was it because I found out Silas had loved someone before? Or was it because I felt sorry for his loss? I couldn't tell. But mostly, I felt guilty. He had to share this special place with me just because he needed to keep me safe. This was his private space, a place to remember someone important to him, and I was barging into it.

The horse kept walking slowly through the garden, but everything felt different now. The magic from earlier had turned into something sad and heavy. I wanted to say something to make him feel better, but I don't know where to start.

We rode in silence with just the sound of the horse's steps and the wind in the leaves.

We eventually stopped near a wooden bench overlooking all the hydrangeas. Silas got down first, then reached up to help me. His hands were strong and warm on my waist as he lifted me down. I could smell his cologne mixed with the scent of flowers.

He stepped back and sat on the bench. I sat too but left some space between us. I couldn't help but wonder about her, the woman who made this beautiful garden, the woman who had held Silas's heart. What was she like? How had she known exactly where to plant each flower to create such perfect harmony?

"Can you tell me more about her?" I asked knowing I'd regret it. But if I don't satisfy this unbearable curiosity, I'd be up all night thinking about it.

"Her name was Alice," he answered while looking at the garden. "She loved working with her hands. Said the dirt kept her real, kept her remembering what matters in life."

I stayed quiet. I'm afraid that if I spoke he might stop sharing.

"She was the opposite of everything in our world. All the fancy parties, the politics, the power games. She just wanted to create beautiful things." He smiled a little, but it was a sad smile. "This garden was her dream. She worked on it for two years before..."

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.

I looked down at my hands, feeling awkward and unsure. Part of me wanted to reach out, to comfort him somehow, but another part felt like I was intruding on something private.

"Thank you for sharing this with me." It was all I could say.

Silas turned to look at me, his eyes softer than I'd ever seen them. "It's been a long time since anyone's seen this place. Maybe... maybe it needed new life again."

The way he said it made my heart skip a beat, but I tried not to read too much into his words. This wasn't the time for my silly crush, not in a place built with so much love by someone else.

As the sky turned darker and the first stars started appearing, Silas stood up.

"We should head back. It gets cold here in the evenings."

Again, he helped me onto the horse and climbed up behind me. The ride back was quiet. The garden had changed something between us, though I wasn't sure what.

When we got back to the house, the porch lights were already on. They're glowing warmly against the blue walls. The swans on the lake had gone to sleep, their white shapes barely visible in the growing darkness.

"I'll make some tea," Silas said as we went inside. The house felt even cozier at night with soft lamps creating warm pools of light.

I watched as he moved around the kitchen, getting cups and heating water. He'd rolled his sleeves up even further, and his hair was slightly messy from the ride. It made him look more human somehow, less like the perfect butler I was used to seeing.

"You should get some rest," he said before handing me a cup of tea. "It's been a long day."

I took a sip, letting the warm liquid comfort me. "Thank you. For everything."

He nodded. His face looked gentle in the kitchen's soft light. "Your room has extra blankets in the chest if you get cold. I'll be down here if you need anything."

As I climbed the stairs to my room with cup of tea warming my hands, I couldn't help looking back. Silas was standing by the kitchen window. He's looking outside and seemed to be deep in thought. I wonder if he's thinking about Alice, about the garden, or maybe... about me.

I pushed the thought aside and quickly turned away before he could catch me staring. I sat by my window inside my room, watching the moonlight dance on the lake while sipping the tea Silas made. The warmth spread through my body and made my eyelids feel heavy. The bed looked so inviting, different from my bed at home but somehow just as comfortable. Without changing into my pajamas, I curled up on top of the soft covers and drifted off to sleep.

Before I knew it I was slipping into a dream.

I was riding a horse, feeling completely at ease in the saddle like I'd done it a thousand times before. A white sundress flowed around me and magnolia trees lined my path, their pink and white flowers creating a magical tunnel above me. Their petals floated down like snow.

That's when I saw him on the porch. A man watching me with such intensity that it made my heart race. As I got closer, I realized it was Silas– but different. His dark hair was longer, falling to his shoulders in gentle waves. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and his boots were covered in mud, probably from working in the garden. But those eyes, those striking blue eyes were unmistakably his.

What took my breath away was his smile. I'd never seen Silas smile like that before. It was warm, tender, full of... love. He was looking at me the way people look at their whole world.

The horse stopped at the porch steps. Silas reached up to help me down, his touch lingering on my waist. Without thinking, I rose on my tiptoes as if drawn to him like a magnet. When our lips met, it felt both new and familiar. He kissed me back with a passion that made my knees weak. He's holding me like he never wanted to let go.

"Milady?"

A knock on the door jolted me awake. Silas's voice came through the wood, "Breakfast is ready."

I'll... I'll be down in a minute!" My face felt hot, my heart was racing, and my legs felt like jelly.

How could I face him after that dream? How could I look into those same blue eyes and not think about... I need to calm down! I pressed my cool hands against my burning cheeks. I can't go out like this!