° HYMN *◢ to the sea ⋮⋮ — feelsHASkilig && JINFINITE

[JINFINITE]

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It was not long after the strange girl left that Ellis began to weaken. It felt as though he were drowning, only despite the heavy pull he felt towards the ocean, he remained safe and dry on land; not giving into the instinctual temptation of the water.

Had that truly happened? Surely no one would ever believe him if he were to share this story. Finding a girl on the beach and bringing her back to his room to care for her. The unnatural shade of her hair, her mannerisms and inability to speak or understand common tongue. And then watching her skin shift before his very eyes…that was insane. He was insane. Had Ana been here she would have assured him that he was sane and stable, but Ellis was neither blind to the way the palace staff looked at him nor deaf to the whispers that circulated any time he had an episode. So then…was the girl real? Or had he imagined her and all the events from today that kept him from the party his dear sister had put on for him…

The cloth he had washed her with was still out. His bed was still a disheveled mess and Ellis was still in the clothes from his party. All the signs led him to believe that it was not all made up in his head, however none of it would be proof enough to convince anyone else.

The only one who would be able to clear any of this up for him was his sister. Whenever his life did not make sense to him, Ellis had always been able to count on Ana to help him see in black and white when his world was otherwise a muddy shade of gray like the shroud of fog that blanketed the ocean early in the mornings. She was the one who would wake him from a spell and explain to him how he ended up in a completely different room from his last memory. She was the one who would listen to him spew complete nonsense and then recite it back to him in a way that actually made sense. And she was the only one who could calm him down when his heart and mind raced dangerously fast in opposite directions.

So it would come as no surprise when Ellis found himself in their shared hallway knocking on Ana’s bedroom door. Once…twice….thrice—it never took this long before—”…Ana…?”
He had opened her door, at first just a crack and then wide enough to step inside. But Ana’s room was dark and vacant without any reliable indication that she had ever been in.

Where was she!?

Ellis’ pulse was reaching dangerous heights now at the realization that his sister was absent. He could hear it pounding in his ears to the point that the usual deafening roar of the ocean completely escaped him.

He did not stay long, spinning on his heels to return to the safety of his own room where hopefully he would be able to clear his head well enough to—Bijou ran up to meet him as soon as he opened the door to his room and all at once a hazy memory returned of Ana stopping by some hours ago to ask him to watch her puppy. He could not recall where she said she was going, or if she had even disclosed that to him at all, but it was now at least evident that she had not yet returned or else she would have stopped by to retrieve Bijou.

However that would be the last of his rational thinking for the remainder of the night. Once assured that Ana was at least not missing completely, Ellis’ mind drifted back out to sea and with it his body was lured back to the bench seat by the window. The glass was pushed out so the ocean breeze could cool his room and the sound of the waves lulled his heartbeat back down to normal; for a while it worked. Ellis’ arms were draped across the ledge, his head leaning against his shoulder as his eyes watched the water obsessively.

He was too far and it was too dark for him to be able to properly see anything, but that did not matter as his mind made up visions for him to watch. The glistening of silver hair in the moonlight. A tailfin breaking the water’s surface. It was all clear as day to Ellis and he watched on with complete devotion even when his waitstaff came to check on him.

They tried to convince their young prince to finally change out of his party clothes. They asked if there was anything they could get for him—if he was hungry or feeling unwell. But not once did Ellis so much as acknowledge them and their back and forth whispers were lost on him as they debated what they should do. Was it even possible for them to enforce anything on the prince? He did have a long history of being unable to care for himself, so it would be in the entire kingdom’s best interest if they were to intervene in this episode of his. But they still hesitated, not wanting to overstep and later be reprimanded for it. After all the prince otherwise looked in good health, and no one wanted to be responsible if that were to shift because of their involvement.

So in the end Ellis was left alone with his thoughts, or rather with the phantom figures that were dancing before him. His staff could not reach him, Bijou’s scampering around the floor did nothing to pull his attention back into the room. He was locked in his trance until his body mirrored the rolling waves of the ocean and a spell of dizziness knocked Ellis from his seat.

He had reached a point that not even his hallucinations could keep him awake. His eyes burned from sleep deprivation and the long hours he had spent staring out his window. But even after finding just enough clarity to drag himself to his bed, every time he felt himself on the brink of sleep an intense sensation would take over, giving off the feeling of falling from a cliff and waking in a fright just before hitting the rough ocean waves below.

What sleep he did manage was uneasy and restless. It was a scared, nervous, excitement that kept him teetering on the edge of reality and a dreamworld where all his fantasies came true. His mind spun in circles for hours leaving him feeling dizzy and on the verge of fainting even though he was already laying safely in his bed.

”No…come back…wait…help…please…”

Ellis’ muttering rode out on irregular heavy breaths, each one more strained than the last as though he were unable to fill his lungs with enough air—as though he were drowning. He was drowning and the more he struggled the faster he sank, watching helplessly as the mermaid swam further and further away from him. His chest hurt, his body was fatigued and Ellis was seconds away from accepting his fate when the water around him grew warm, and comforting. Where before he was slipping through it to his death, now he felt as though the water was supporting him as though trying to pull him back to the surface.

When at last Ellis was able to process something real and not in his head he let out a sigh of relief at seeing his dear sister Ana as she positioned herself so that she was the only thing in his line of sight, ”Ana…?” His voice was groggy, his exhaustion evident, but she just nodded slowly as though assuring him that this was really happening. Ana was patient as his mind caught up with the rest of him until he offered the first sign of life by weakly wrapping his arms around her and holding her with what little strength he had available to him.

There was a part of him that wanted to ask her what happened. How had he ended up in his bed feeling as though he had been lost at sea for weeks. But Ellis held his tongue as he tried to piece that together himself, working backwards through the jigsaw that made up his memories.

He remembered being alone in his room, and before that he was with the girl he found on the beach. He had been at his party for a while. He had found the girl earlier—but that was roughly where Ellis’ memories turned black. His only reliable memories were that of the girl, the ocean girl whose gaze was engraved in his mind in such a haunting yet familiar way. He could not shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere, but he presently could not make heads or tails of much of anything.

”Did—“ Ellis suddenly tried to sit up however his arms immediately gave out under his own bodyweight and he sunk further into Ana’s safe and loving embrace, ”Did you see her?”
”Her?”
Ellis said nothing at first, his mind had returned to the beach, however Ana was quick to notice she was losing him and tried again with the combination of running her fingers through his hair while she called him back to her, ”Eli? Did I see who?”
”Her….the girl.”

Ana had not seemed to believe the last story he had told her. She had essentially teased that he was being foolish—that sirens were creatures of myths and legends and did not exist.

But then, how else would she explain what had happened to him out at sea? It was true that his episodes left him confused, but he knew what he saw out there in the water…and he knew what he found on the beach. But once again Ana’s expression as he told her of all of yesterday’s events was one of worry and disbelief rather than wonder and excitement.

He spoke in great detail of the moment he found the girl on the beach, what she looked like and how he felt. How he brought her here into his room and lay her on this very bed—washed the sand from her skin. He shared every second of their short time together right up until their sudden separation after her skin began to change before his very eyes.

”Do you think she will return?” As he spoke, all of Ellis froze. He stared up at his sister with such earnesty, not a single blip of hesitation or uncertainty. He wholeheartedly believed every single word of the mad story he had told her and now everything was riding on Ana’s impending response.

Balanced between the ocean outside and his sister beside him, Ellis’ heart had been lulled down to a steady beat, allowing him to stay present despite every piece of him desperate to return to the beach in hopes that the girl with the moonlight hair would be there waiting for him.
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[feelsHASkilig]

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A part of Ana wished that she had taken up Ellis’ offer that morning to stay in bed all day. By some miracle, she had succeeded in quieting his mind long enough for him to remain constantly present with her. That morning, she enjoyed the peacefulness of a bubble world where it was only her and her dear brother. There was no talk of a mystery woman that somehow managed to slip through the prince’s grasp. And, surprisingly, the rush of emotions Ana could not even begin to fathom or understand pertaining to her night with Bae just…slipped away to a small corner of her mind until it was ready for her full and undivided attention. It was as if her mind and her heart knew that while she wanted nothing more than to reminisce over this strange and unfamiliar development in her relationship with her love, this singularly simple moment with Ellis was the only thing that mattered.

Only, that singularly simple moment was a thing of the past just as quickly as it arrived.

It didn’t take long for her to lose Ellis to the mystery girl of his story. Just when she thought she quieted his mind and safely kept him present with her, he suddenly found a new rush of energy and motivation to…go find her.

Find this…girl that he somehow found the time to rescue from the beach and care for before his party last night. This girl that somehow consumed his every thought. Ana wanted to believe him. Her entire life she was the only person that succeeded to always be in Ellis’ corner. While the rest of the palace whispered behind their backs about some of the strange stories the prince shared to anyone that was close enough to listen, Ana was the only one that listened with patience and some level of understanding. Because as maddening as some of these stories might sound to anyone in court or the palace staff, something deep down in Ana told her to try to believe him. It was the best thing for Ellis that she believed him.

But this girl? Would this girl be what tested her faith in her brother? Especially after everything he told her the other day about sirens?

“Brother, please! I need you to slow down!” It wasn’t very ladylike of Ana to raise her voice, especially out in public. But her fear of losing sight of Ellis while they were walking through the town won over the importance of appearing like a proper lady among her people. Besides, most of them have seen her with her skirts soaked and covered in sand plenty of times. Surely they could forgive her this one slip as she chased after her brother’s long strides.

Ana sighed deeply, turning briefly to share a look with Robert who returned a sympathetic smile. She had insisted that he accompany them on this “mission” or so Ellis seems to consider it. While she was certain that any palace guard could have done as decent a job at keeping an eye on and protecting the heir to the throne, Ana depended heavily on Robert’s long history of discretion. It was one thing for the court to be aware that the Prince and Princess of Eliressi were in the town for whatever reason that made it tolerable for them to be among their subjects. It was another for them to know that the real reason was because of some mystery girl that only the prince was aware of. One could already imagine the scandal and hushed whispers that would circulate throughout the palace. And so to Ana, only Robert was fit to accompany them as they chased after their darling eccentric prince.

“Ellis, please!” Ana called out at the top of another flight of steps. “We have been looking for hours! I do not think any of the townsfolk have seen a woman with silver hair walking about. Maybe we should end our searching today. Perhaps we can ask a couple palace guards to inquire again tomorrow.”

If Ellis heard any of what she had just said, he made no indication. As he turned back to look at her, Ana realized a moment too late that he hadn’t actually turned to look at her. Instead, she realized soon after, he was using the top of the steps to his advantage. She followed his line of sight.

As worried as she was over her dear brother’s current well-being, she also couldn’t help the gentle gasp that escaped her. Ana was certain that no matter how long she resided in Eliressi, the kingdom was never going to stop being a wonder. She has visited a good handful of other neighboring kingdoms—and that short trip to France with Ellis a couple years back—but none of them could ever compare to the beauty and splendor of her home. What will always take her breath away is the vast, surrounding ocean that encircled her kingdom. While Eliressi is not immune to storms, she can’t help but feel as if the sea shares a rather harmonious relationship with the kingdom. It’s very rare that the town is damaged by storms, and the last time they experienced floods was well before she was even born. For as long as she could remember, the seas that surround her home are almost always calm and…in her honest opinion, sometimes playful.

She found that she struggled to pull her gaze away from the bright and colorful horizon. With the town just below her periphery, she lost herself in the expansive view of the neverending sea and the way the sun made the gentle waves and windswept ripples glisten. Surely, there was no greater sight than this in all the wor—

“Your Highness,” came Robert’s voice suddenly. Ana blinked away her reverie to focus on him. The moment she picked up the uneasy urgency written across his face, she knew she had drifted off into her own thoughts for too long. When she looked back at the spot she last saw her brother, he was nowhere to be found.

This chase and catch up game lasted for the better part of the entire morning and part of the early afternoon until eventually Ellis decided that he was done looking for his mystery woman around the town and wanted to look where he “felt” she might be: near the water.

It took all of Ana’s power of persuasion to keep Ellis away from the beaches. Even though he was in the midst of this new hyperfixation, she could not trust that it would be enough to keep him away from the constant call of the sea. There was even a small voice in the back of her mind that couldn’t help entertaining the possibility that this woman might somehow be connected to Ellis’ siren story. Not that she suddenly believed he saw a siren during his travels earlier that week. But for someone like her brother, he was more than likely to make such a connection himself.

As a compromise, Ana allowed Ellis to lead them to the docks. There was a greater chance of his safety among working crewmates, Eliressi’s port authorities and the navy.

However, just as Ellis crossed over onto the wooden docks suspended above the waves, Ana once more heard Robert call out for her attention.

“Your Highness, I apologize for being so forward, but I think it would be best if you stay off the docks.” Ana’s eyes widened at the idea. She then turned away from Robert to look for her brother. He was already halfway to the nearest dock worker and who knew what would happen if she didn’t catch up to him soon.

Robert quickly continued. “The docks are currently at their busiest with so many workers loading and unloading ships. Your Highness could get hurt. If it pleases you, I can accompany Prince Ellis while he makes his inquiries and also to make sure he remains unharmed.”

Ana subtly bit down on her lip in contemplation. She really didn’t want to admit this, but Robert did have a point. The only times she was allowed on the docks was when the port authorities instructed the palace that there would not be much work. Just like Robert, they referred to her safety. No one wanted to be responsible for the harm to the Princess of Eliressi. That alone was cause for arrest…at best.

With a deep sigh, Ana nodded her approval then watched as Robert rushed to catch up to her brother. From where she stood at the edge of the port, she barely had enough time to keep track of Ellis’ movements before a crew of twenty to thirty men filed out of a ship and suddenly blocked her view. For a brief moment, Ana’s heart stopped at having lost sight of her brother. She contemplated ignoring Robert’s concerns to go after them, but just before she could consider taking a first step onto the wooden dock, a couple barrels landed with a heavy thud before rolling onto its side away from the men that had attempted to catch it. The sudden shouting and frantic movements of men twice her size stopped her frozen.

Yes, she acknowledged now that Robert was right that she stayed behind.

The problem she faced now though was a lack of anything to do. Her main objective today was accompanying Ellis around the town while he went in search of his mystery woman. But now she found herself unable to continue with her objective and, quite honestly, she was not one to sit idly and do nothing. In fact, the couple minutes since she lost sight of Ellis and Robert she could already feel herself growing restless with the need to do something. And only the waters below her feet knew how long her two companions would take making their inquiries across the docks.

That was when her gaze shifted away from the crowds of working men back to the town. She looked from building to building in her line of vision. She nodded and smiled at her people that greeted her as they passed. That was when her eyes fell upon and remained fixated on a stream of smoke rising up to the sky from an all too familiar building.

Suddenly, she had a very good idea on how to stay busy while her companions left her alone.

In truth, while Ana felt rather committed to her plans, the moment she caught sight of Eliressi’s blacksmith carrying some heavy equipment out of his work space, she lost some of her resolve. This is not to say that she had a problem with Mr. Henrikson. It was more so that she realized then that she hadn’t completely thought through her true reason for coming all the way to the blacksmith’s shop.

Before she could even consider turning back and returning to the docks to wait for Ellis and Robert, Mr. Henrikson looked up from whatever task he was doing and caught her gaze.

“Oh, Your Highness!” Flustered, the blacksmith wiped his hands on his equally dusty apron before bowing respectfully to her. “Apologies. I didn’t see you there. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

It was now or never at this point. She came all this way after all.

“Please, Mr. Henrikson, no need to apologize. I can see that you are quite busy.” She paused to look across the man’s outdoor work station. She wasn’t exaggerating. There was plenty of broken equipment surrounding the area and even more unfinished projects that she was certain needed to be worked on. “Truthfully, I would have sent my messenger, Robert, but he is currently accompanying my brother, the prince, on an errand.” Mr. Henrikson nodded and made a quick comment about having heard that she and the prince were in the town today. Ana returned the nod before continuing. “They are currently walking along the docks and it was advised that I keep my distance for my safety. As such, I have been left alone to make do of my own sudden free time.”

She was stalling. She knew that Mr. Henrikson knew that she was stalling. As polite and cordial as she typically was with the blacksmith just from the simple fact that she quite liked the man, there was no denying that he was well aware of the main reason why she was here. But she appreciated that he was going along with her need to provide him just as much of her time.

He didn’t say anything until Ana cleared her throat once again and slowly approached. As she moved closer to Mr. Henrikson, she searched through her purse for a folded letter she had been carrying with her since she received it earlier that week.

The letter was from the steward that managed her chateau and vineyard on the other side of the kingdom. Every other month, she would receive a report on the goings on across her property. This month, the letter explained that there were some repairs that needed to be done on some of the equipment for the vineyard. While her business would not be troubled too much with delays because of these repairs, she was made aware that they are required to continue productivity. The only problem was, her chateau had no employees that had any expertise on such repairs.

This was all Ana explained as Mr. Henrikson skimmed over the letter. “As you can see, my steward has offered a couple suggestions on how we could get the repairs done, but as neither of us have much knowledge of this, I had hoped to seek your advice. Or, perhaps to even hire you to complete the repairs?”

“These are…quite a bit of repairs to be done, Your Highness,” Mr. Henrikson said as he carefully folded the letter and returned it to her. “I would be honored, however I have quite the workload on me own plate. I’m afraid that if I took on the work, even if I prioritized it, I wouldn’t get it done in enough time without delaying work in the vineyard.”

Ana was just about to offer her thanks for his time when he suddenly continued with, “Although…’m sure the Lieutenant wouldn’t mind taking on the work. Could put him in charge of it. That is to say, only if you think he is up for the workload, Your Highness.”

At that point, Ana was only half listening. Finally, the opportunity that she was waiting for. She didn’t exactly need an opportunity or an excuse, but proper etiquette dictated that she must seek out business with the proprietor first…not his staff. So Ana could only hope that the long history between all of them could clue Mr. Henrikson on what she truly wanted.

The humidity inside the shop hit Ana the moment she stepped in front of the open entrance. No amount of ocean breeze and open windows could combat the ever blazing fire and constant activity. But for the most part, Ana wasn’t paying too much attention to it. Not since the thoughts and memories of last night that waited ever so patiently for her undivided attention rushed front and center in her mind. Nothing else honestly mattered except the love of her life standing right in front of her.

Only, he hadn’t yet noticed her. Baelley was currently leaning over his own workstation. From where she stood, it looked like he was in the process of mending something. She didn’t want to interrupt him, especially if it meant that she could stare watch him while he worked. Her cheeks flushed as her gaze lowered to his rolled up sleeves, his muscles taut as he gripped his tools. Every so often, her memories of last night would flash against the Baelley standing in front of her. It was honestly hard to believe that those same arms held her with such love and tenderness all of last night. But…really, it was more than that.

She gasped as her gaze lingered on his hands. Those same hands that tightly gripped such rough and rugged tools had touched her with such unbelievable gentleness and pure love and devotion. It was hard to believe that those were the same hands that also exhibited such fiery emotions from her last night with every touch on her skin.

And yet, she could believe it. Because the longer she stood there watching him hard at work, the more her body burned with a feeling so strange and unfamiliar she couldn’t quite make sense of what was going on. Her gentle flush deepened at the sudden thought of taking those arms and wrapping them around her, urging those same hands to run across her fiery skin until she was nothing but ashes—

“...what are you doing here?”

Ana blinked, focusing her attention once more on her love. He was no longer standing at his workstation. As he moved to approach her, she followed suit to meet him halfway. She wanted terribly to embrace him after being apart for so long. And considering the morning she had, following her brother around the town and focusing solely on ensuring he was well, the sudden shift to thinking of only Baelley was overwhelming in the most wonderful sense of the feeling. Now that she was given the opportunity to be with him, she was bombarded with the awareness of how much she actually missed him since he left her that morning.

The moment their hands touched, Ana felt her eyes flutter shut a moment. It didn’t matter to her that his hands were soiled from a hard day’s work. Her desire for his touch, even something as simple as holding his hands, far surpassed what was supposed to be more important. But she couldn’t deny—at least to herself—how much she wanted more of his touch.

She smiled brightly as he spoke, brushing a thumb across his knuckles as he kept his words at a whisper for just the two of them. If they had all the time in the world, she would wish for him to keep whispering sweet nothings to her. Or, actually, she would much rather those lips that whispered sweet nothings to leave his mark across her skin.

As he muttered her name, Ana shivered and took a step closer to him. “I missed you, my love,” she finally managed to utter. Even at a whisper matching his own, her words felt stuttered. As she gazed up into his dark eyes, she felt like she was falling into a trance of his own making. “I couldn’t… I wanted…”

She took a deep, shuddering breath. “The first moment I could, I had to see you.” This somehow managed to break whatever spell she must have put upon Baelley as he stepped back far enough to really look at her. The first hint of concern crossed his face.

“No, it is nothing serious, my love. I am sure you heard that I am accompanying my brother, the prince, through the town.” She waited until he finished nodding before she continued. “Well, my dear brother decided to go to the docks, and I was advised it would not be wise for me to follow. I knew of an opportunity when I saw one.” She giggled softly.

“Actually, there is another reason I am here.” As Bae looked at her closely again, Ana pulled her hands from his and walked over to his workstation. “I just spoke to Mr. Henrikson a moment ago. While, yes, I came here because I wanted to see you again, I am also here because I wish to hire you.”

WIth that, Ana explained once more her dilemma with the equipment at her chateau and vineyard. She showed him the letter from her steward that offered further details regarding the repairs. Bae agreed with Mr. Henrikson that all of the repairs would need a precise plan of action to prevent any delays in productivity at the vineyard. As he explained more in depth which of the equipment would be easier to repair and which would take more planning, Ana couldn’t help but watch him. She smiled softly at the way his brow furrowed in concentration as he thought over possible solutions. She watched his lips move as he verbally and nonverbally formed his thoughts. A growing sense of pride bubbled through her. All those years they invested to get him to the point he is now. It was well worth it. No matter how often she looked upon him, she would never tire of the thought that she truly was looking at a whole new Baelley from the one she knew all those years ago.

As these thoughts and feelings continued to simmer through her, Ana knew she could not contain herself any longer. While Bae noted which of the equipment might be easiest to transport from the chateau to the shop, Ana grasped his arm and carefully pulled it off the table. The moment she made the space, she filled it to stand right in front of him. She leaned gingerly against the table, tilting her head up so as to maintain and hold his gaze. She barely heard the warning he growled out through his careful breathing. As her soft smile tipped up deviously at the corners of her lips, she let the warning wash right off her back.

Before he could say anything else, Ana tilted her head closer, her lips barely brushing his in an attempt to tease him the way he had with her so many times before. The act was nerve wracking. Between them, she could barely grasp the amount of courage he seemed to carry with such ease. But she wanted to try, for him.

“I have wanted to kiss you since I watched you bent over your work, my love,” she whispered against his lips.

Baelley had her caged now, his arms stretched out on his workstation on either side of her. Ana had a hand on both of his arms, her fingers tenderly brushing along the veins that popped out from the long hours of strenuous work. A fresh burst of pride once more emboldened her.

She was daring him now to make the next move. Her typically bright eyes darkened with the desire she knew he could match effortlessly, if not surpass tenfold. She wanted him to kiss her; to take that bold step into territory they had never dared cross since he started as an apprentice. But after last night, Ana couldn’t see herself returning to that life where they were content with prolonged, loving glances when no one was watching. She wanted more than that now. She wanted more of him.

But as she watched Baelley work through whether or not he wanted to give in to her, Ana heard the faintest sounds of a familiar voice outside the shop.

“Mr. Henrikson, I was informed that Her Highness would be here.”

Ana’s heart nearly leapt right out of her chest as she quickly pushed Baelley off of her and walked over to the other side of the work station. The voices outside the shop were getting closer to the open entrance. As she made some last minute adjustments to right her appearance, she took one last longing glance at her love before she cleared her throat and prepared for the newcomers.

“Your Highness,” Robert greeted with a bow. Despite how frazzled she felt, Ana picked up on the way he looked from her to Baelley as he stood up. “His Highness and myself have come to bring you back to the palace.”

Ana took a deep breath in the hopes it would calm her nerves. “Has he found the information he needed?” she asked.

“It is unclear, but His Highness has agreed to try again tomorrow. He seemed rather unsettled when he could not find you. It was lucky Mr. Jones was nearby to pass on your message.”

Lucky? Was it really though?

Ana nodded then turned her attention to Baelley. While she prayed that she hid her nerves well enough, the man standing at the other side of the table was the picture of stoicism. If it weren’t for the many years she spent gazing into his dark eyes, she would have thought him unaffected by her antics just a moment ago. But as he chanced the slyest wink at her, she caught the same fire in him that burned inside her now.

“Right, well, I have some unfinished business to attend to here first before we can return to the palace.” Ana fully turned to face Baelley now. “I shall leave the letter with you until tomorrow. Hopefully that should be enough time to consider a plan that would best fit the desired timeline. Robert can come by tomorrow by the end of the work day to pick up the plans.” She briefly looked over at Robert to ensure he was listening. He bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Please also discuss with Mr. Henrikson the costs for the entirety of the work.”

With one last lingering look at her love, Ana excused herself and followed behind Robert out of the shop. She found her brother standing to the side, his gaze now fixed on the same horizon she looked upon many hours before. As she slowly approached her brother, she placed a careful hand on his arm and softly said his name. This managed to gain his attention, but instead of looking back at her, he looked past her.

She followed his gaze to find him now looking at Baelley.

Ana sighed, linking her arm with her brother’s to pull his attention back to her. “What did you learn from the workers at the docks?” she asked in an attempt to pull his focus elsewhere. As they walked away from the shop, Ana took one last look back at her love. She smiled when she found him watching her leave.

“I love you,” she mouthed to Bae before turning back to her brother. ​