“Noted.” Ariana spoke thoughtfully now, as Bello bustled back like he was eavesdropping on everything they said. Holding a bottle of red wine and two wineglasses, he plunked the glasses down on the table as he uncorked the wine.
“Here we are! Our Prince’s favorite red, on the house today because we have the distinct honor of getting to meet the Dark Fae, haha!” Bello laughed gregariously as he poured the wine. “So. What are we eating this afternoon?”
Everything on the menu looked delicious, but Lucca clearly had his favorites as he quickly ordered. “Let’s have thequattro stagionipizza, that’s one of your best, and theduo merlini. The tomato basil crostini also to start, and certainly yourgelato fantasticoto finish. Beyond that, we’ll just see how hungry we are. Thanks, Bello.”
“As my Prince commands!” Their host swept a low bow before winking to Ariana and whisking away.
Lifting his wine, Lucca clinked with Ariana in a toast. “To uncovering the truth. Because I think that’s how we build a better world, don’t you?”
“To uncovering the truth.” Ariana echoed, knowing Lucca was toasting to her magic.
As they drank, Lucca gazed at her, devouring her with his bright blue eyes. As Ariana set her wine down, similar to a chianti but distinctly different and certainly no average table wine, she was about to speak when their crostini arrived.
Similar to a tomato, basil, and mozzarella crostini in the human world, Ariana’s first bite was delightful, though it had some additional aromatic herb she couldn’t place. Chewing, she knew they had to bolster the King’s agenda now by talking him up while secretly getting people on Lucca’s side. The two agendas were diametrically opposed; though as Ariana watched Lucca’s enigmatic smile deepen, she knew he had something up his sleeve.
“So, Ariana. What do you think of our fair city so far?” Lucca spoke suddenly as he set his wine down. As he glanced inside the restaurant, Ariana noted a server setting up flowers on tables nearby. She had a feeling Bello would keep someone within earshot all afternoon, and Lucca smiled pleasantly as he continued. “Being essentiallyabandonedin the human world to sink or swim after a Vampire attacked you as an infant and turned you Dark Fae, you don’t know your original people well, so I’m wondering how you like your first real taste of Summer Fae life.”
“I love it.” Ariana spoke with a smile now, seeing Lucca’s intelligence in choosing his words so they garnered sympathy for her. “Everyone I’ve met has been so warm and giving – even to someone like me who is essentially a stranger.”
“Stranger no more.” Lucca spoke pleasantly as his eyes shone, and he poured them both more wine. “We are a vibrant people, Ariana, and loving. From the lowest-born Houses to the highest, we Summer Fae love our land and our flowers, our city and a good time. We are the most vibrant of all the Fae, because we build our energy from the highest season of the sun upon the earth. The King my father has pardoned you since you have committed no crime among us, and seeks for you to know your original people. We are rash, loving, wild, and devoted… a tremendous people living in peace here since the War.”
“Peace you would deepen.” Ariana noted, lifting an eyebrow at Lucca as she picked up on his praise of his people, sure to bring him goodwill, in addition to his subtle barbs against his father’s way of ruling while seemingly supporting the King.
“Peace andequalityI would deepen for my people, yes.” Lucca spoke back with a pointed look. “Our life here in Florence since the War has been safe, but the wider world moves on from feuding to the cooperative exchange of information and culture. It is this aspect of our life that I wish to further – building upon the safety my father brought our people and extending it into a high golden age of prosperity and opportunity for all.”
“Beautiful ideals.” Ariana commented as she lifted her glass to Lucca.
“Practicalideals, that would help us all flourish.” Lucca spoke decisively as their meal arrived. Bello was quiet now as he delivered their food, knowing how to be unobtrusive though Ariana could tell he was listening as he set their pizzas down on the table and began cutting them with a flourish.
“For you see, Ariana,” Lucca continued. “If the human world has taught us anything, it is that opening borders in councils of peace, harmony, and goodwill truly does benefit everyone. Living standards improve; prejudices decline. Trade opens up and wealth flourishes – and not just for the highest born if social justice measures lead the way. This kind of progresscanhappen here, for the Summer Fae. Our safety these past six hundred years has been a good thing… but life can always be better. And I believe it is our moral obligation to make it so for everyone.”
“You sound like FDR.” Ariana chuckled as she saw Bello give the smallest smile at their talk, before whisking away.
“The American president who got your nation through one of its most trying times in history, the Great Depression, was a very wise man.” Lucca commented as he selected a few pieces of pizza and Ariana took some also. Everything smelled amazing and she tucked in with delight, despite having eaten breakfast only an hour ago.
“I am an avid student of history,” Lucca continued, “and as such, I have studied its patterns. Isolation can keep a person safe from wars or sickness. But it does not help when people need to come together to find a cure for that sickness… or true peace after war.”
“Hear, hear.” Ariana smiled as she ate, and Lucca smiled back with a light in his eyes – knowing their conversation today would spread far. It was progressive but not too challenging to the current regime, yet. Lucca had to be seen again by his people before they would follow him, and Ariana wasn’t trusted. But as they ate together, enjoying the bright sunshine and the city, she suddenly understood what a good man Lucca was. He had studied history, he did know how modern governments functioned.
And he wanted that for his people – to bring them out of a dark age into something better.
“A Renaissance.” Lucca spoke suddenly, almost as if he’d read Ariana’s mind. “That is what the Summer Fae need. For our Renaissance here in the Twilight Realm was stalled when the War happened, though it continued in the human world. And I intend to give my people a Renaissance now, Ariana Summers. Do you believe in me, and my ability to do so?”
And suddenly they’d come to it – Ariana’s moment to make a public pronouncement of her support for the Prince and his newfangled ideas. Inhaling a deep breath, she wiped her mouth with a white napkin before setting it aside. Someone watched her intently from inside the restaurant as her magic spread dark rainbows with flickering gold and silver light through the sunny day.
“My Prince.” Ariana spoke formally, acknowledging Lucca’s proper title. “I believe you are utterly wise in taking steps to better the lives of your people – all of them. For I also believe that a nation grows stronger, more beautiful, and more prosperous through cooperation, trade, and equality. Ideals that I do believe you can bring to your people, Lucca. I do believe. In you.”
And as Lucca sat back now, a vivid glow taking his eyes as they burned a hot white-gold rather than blue, Ariana knew they’d done it. Lucca’s fierce love for his people would be all over Florence by sundown, and his ideals of a better life would seethe through wineshops and bars, artist cafes and trattorias until all of town was talking about it.
People would begin to discusswhat ifs: what if we opened our borders again, what if we pursued peace talks with the Forbidden Lineages? What if a lowborn Fae could have a life of equality like the highborn, attending magical schools they were qualified for rather than stuffing it away and serving at someone’s table or in their garden? What if the rebellious young Prince really was strong enough to lead a revolution against his father?
With the strength of the Dark Fae at his side?
“Thank you. For spending time with me today.” Lucca spoke softly now, though he said it loud enough for whomever was listening inside the restaurant to hear. A light shone from his blue eyes, his cascades of rainbow-magic swirling fiercely all around them.
“You’re welcome.” Ariana answered, knowing that he spoke of more than just their conversation as she reached out and took his hand upon the table.
But the way his fingers laced through hers made her breath catch as a beautiful fire of heat and light opened up inside her. Her power flared, shining bright with rainbows now and flickers of golden light as it raced around her and Lucca both. As Lucca stared at her with a deep passion, she felt how his magic laced through hers – not even caring that someone inside the restaurant gasped. As he stared her down, it was so beautiful and fierce that Ariana’s throat gripped.
