Gale watched through the curtains of the archway as you leaned against the balcony, looking up at the moon. Like a scene from a painting, he thought you were the most beautiful like this, relaxed and lost in thought; so different from the debutante airs you put on out of duty – the perfect princess.

He took a spot next to you, placing his own hand on the balcony an inch from yours. Though his nerves tingled with the urge to make contact, he pushed them aside, knowing better. Despite your late night conversations and hardly concealed flirting, he knew there was an uncrossable ocean between you.

“You know, I love this time of the night.” He started, looking up at the same moon you seemed so fascinated with. “There’s an almost reverent silence that accompanies the peak of darkness, where you’d almost believe the dawn will never break.”