SWEET NIGHT

The silence in the room seemed to roll in waves, like a roller coaster moving through the darkness. The nearby mountains, covered in bushes, passed by in the quiet night, and only the occasional hoot of a small owl broke the stillness.

Clara spread out her fur mat and lay down on it, feeling the soft texture against her skin. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the night and allowing herself to relax.

The night air was chilly, and the only source of warmth in the room was the flickering candlelight that illuminated the space between them. They each wrapped themselves in animal fur blankets, seeking comfort and warmth in the cool night.

Samuel lay on his side, facing the candlelight that sat on a nearby stool. Clara lay on her side as well, intentionally avoiding eye contact with him.

Clara took a deep breath and said, "I want to be honest with you about something that happened in the past. I wasn't entirely truthful with you before. I want to tell you what I was really doing when I left the room that day, am sorry I lied about it earlier."

Samuel nodded, encouraging her to continue. He could see the pain and embarrassment in her eyes, and he felt a pang of sympathy for her. He remembered the confusion and heartbreak he had felt when she had left him without a word, and he was curious to hear her side of the story.

Clara felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she thought about what she had done. She had been so upset with herself for her actions, and she felt guilty for deceiving Samuel, especially since they had been lovers at the time. She had fled the room that day because she had been struggling with her own emotions and fears about commitment, but she hadn't known how to explain it to him.

"I was disappointed in myself," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I felt guilty for what I did to you back then, and I didn't want you to think poorly of me. I was afraid that if you knew the truth, you would judge me or reject me."

Samuel offered her an understanding gesture. "It's okay, Clara," he said gently. "I appreciate your honesty, and I'm not here to judge you. We all make mistakes, and it's what we learn from them that matters. I know our past was complicated, but I want you to know that I don't hold any grudges against you. I just want to understand what happened."

Clara stood up and knelt before Samuel, her eyes filled with tears. She looked up at him, her voice trembling with emotion as she apologized once again for what she had done. "I'm so sorry, Samuel. If I had known the pain it would cause you, I never would have done it. I regret my actions deeply."

Samuel stared at her in disbelief. He could see the sincerity in her eyes and the tears rolling down her cheeks. He felt a mix of emotions - pain, anger, and a lingering love for her.

He took a deep breath and said, "Clara, I can see that you're truly sorry for what happened between us. But sometimes, we can't change the past. We just have to learn from it and move on."

He crawled towards her using one leg, pulling himself closer until he could reach out and wrap his arms around her in a sincere hug. "I hope you find someone who treats you well and makes you happy," he said. "I understand your reasons for what you did, Clara. I may not agree with them, but I can forgive you."

He reached up and gently wiped away her tears with his right hand, looking into her eyes with a mixture of compassion and resolve.

Samuel looked into Clara's eyes and said, "Remember, just because you're not crying doesn't mean you're not sad, and just because you're smiling doesn't mean you're happy. Sometimes, our emotions are more complex than they appear on the surface."

Clara nodded in agreement, finding comfort in his words. She pressed her hand against his, which was still resting on her face, feeling a sense of connection and understanding between them.

But to her disappointment, she suddenly realized that she was no longer touching Samuel's hand. She opened her eyes and saw that he had moved back to his mat and laid down, while she was still on her knees. She felt a rush of embarrassment and discomfort, realizing that the moment of connection they had shared was over.

She got up and returned to her own mat, lying down and trying to process the mixed emotions she was feeling. She was grateful for Samuel's forgiveness and understanding, but she couldn't help feeling a sense of loss and sadness at the way things had turned out between them.

As they both lay in silence, the atmosphere in the room felt heavier, filled with the weight of their shared history and the emotions that still lingered between them.

Clara looked at Samuel and said, "Do you still need to give me another condition before you answer the question I asked earlier? You've seen my tears, I have nothing to hide."

Samuel smiled slightly and replied, "It's not as if I've never seen you cry before."

Clara felt a pang of shame at his words, but she pushed through her embarrassment and asked, "Are you still insistent on your conditions for answering my question?"

Samuel thought for a moment and then nodded. "Very well, I will answer your question. But remember, the events of yesterday were like an Eclipse. It's a rare and temporary occurrence, where the sun and moon are aligned in a way that blocks out the light. It's a reminder that things are not always as they seem, and that even the most predictable cycles can be disrupted."

Clara listened intently, impressed by his knowledge and insight. "You've learned a lot," she said. "Yes, I have," Samuel replied, and they both shared a light-hearted moment of laughter and smiles, remembering the special connection they once had.

It was as if fate had brought them together, despite the challenges and obstacles they had faced. They realized that their bond was deeper than the circumstances that had driven them apart, and they were grateful for the chance to reconnect and understand each other better.

The room fell silent, the only sound being the soft breathing of Clara and Samuel as they lay in their separate spaces. The silence seemed to stretch on like an endless abyss, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions.

After a few moments, Prince Samuel broke the silence. He had a question on his mind that he felt he needed to voice. Clara was surprised by his sudden inquiry and turned to face the wall, adopting her side sleeping posture once again.

"But Clara, why?" Samuel asked, his voice filled with emotion. "After everything we shared and all the good memories we had together, why did you choose to be with my servant? I trusted you and believed in you, and I thought you would be there for me.

 But then I found out that you were engaged to my trusted servant. It was beyond anything I could have imagined, and I struggled to understand what I had done to deserve such a betrayal."

Clara listened to his words, feeling a mix of guilt and sadness at the pain she had caused him. She knew that she had made mistakes in the past, but she also knew that there were complex circumstances that had led to her decisions. She took a deep breath and prepared to explain her side of the story.

Clara's eyes welled up with tears, and she buried her face in her small square pillow to muffle her sobs. She was speechless for a moment, unsure of how to respond to Samuel's question. Her mind raced as she tried to find the right words to explain her actions, but she came up empty. She felt ashamed and guilty for the pain she had caused him, and the memories of their past together filled her mind.

She remembered how Samuel had always seen her as a fragile woman, and she felt a pang of regret for the way she had hurt him. In her shame and distress, she almost forgot that Samuel was waiting for her response. She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her cries and tried to regain her composure.

As she struggled to find the right words, she realized that the pain and guilt of her past actions were still fresh in her mind. She couldn't believe that Samuel was asking her this question now, after all the time that had passed. It was a stark reminder that time and circumstances can change people, just as a flowing river is never the same from one moment to the next.

She kept thinking not knowing she haven't respond to what the prince asked, the prince who was expecting her reply kept dozing off little by little until he felt asleep.

Clara was lost in her thoughts, trying to formulate a response to Samuel's question. She didn't realize that Samuel was waiting for her reply and was slowly drifting off to sleep.

Finally, Clara made up her mind to answer him. She said, "Destiny can never be changed. I felt like I was a burden to you, and that you were getting hurt because of me.

 I thought that the king's decision to have me live with you was unwise and would not end well. I never imagined that the king would soon pass away."

But as she turned to face Samuel, she was surprised to see that he had fallen asleep. Clara blinked back her tears and sat up, feeling a wave of self-hatred wash over her. She felt responsible for the pain and complexity that had entered their lives.

With a heavy heart, she walked over to where Samuel lay sleeping. She stood there for a moment, looking down at him and remembering the happier times they had shared.

As Clara gazed at Samuel's handsome face, memories of their past flooded her mind. She felt a wave of sentimentality wash over her and found herself wanting to reach out and touch his face. She leaned in closer......…..