THE TIDES OF TIME

- Chapter 16 -

The moment Jagoda and Jovan stepped out into the brisk night mountain air, Jagoda's heart skipped a beat. She was used to men who were strong, hard-headed, and authoritarian. She was used to men who  tried to impress her to gain advances when it came to her status. But she never expected to meet a man who cared about how she felt. And now, she did. And... It scared her.

"The night sky looks beautiful," Jagoda said softly as she looked up at the stars.

"I beg to differ," Jovan replied as he stood beside her, but didn't bother to look toward the sky.

"You don't find stars to be appealing?" Jagoda asked, intrigued as to why he would bring her to watch the stars if he did not like them.

"There is but one beauty whose light outshines the heavens." As odd as it felt, Jovan's courage disappeared the moment he uttered the last words. He did not know why, but he suddenly felt bare and most vulnerable he ever felt in his life. The silence that followed ripped at his gut.

"You speak of beauty as if I was aware of mine. That, I assure You I am not, my dear Jovan." Jagoda whispered and lowered her eyes.

"You must be joking," Jovan blurted out before his brain was able to catch up with his tongue.

"First, You compare me to the stars in the nightly sky, and then call me a joke? Kinga was right, You are a wild boar!" Jagoda turned to go back inside, more hurt than she would ever admit it.

"No! Please, stay! I would never dare to make fun of You!" Jovan reached for her arm and caught her hand instead. The sheer touch of her skin under his fingers made them both aware of how much they missed being alone - and close to each other.

"Jovan..." Jagoda tried to speak, but the words that tried to leap from her heart fell silent against the fear she felt in her mind.

"Jagoda... Please, hear me out.  I know someone like You would never consider someone like me for more than what I am. I made my peace with it. I do not aim to impress You, nor do I intend to live on high hopes. I only brought You here tonight because I thought that You should see that the world with You in it shines brighter than any darkness," he sighed and released the grip of her hand.

"Do You mean that?" She asked without moving an inch.

"Yes. I know my place. More than You could imagine. I know who You are and that You are meant to lead people to great victories and into prosperity." Saying so, he turned toward the sky and looked up. He hated feeling useless. And he hated acknowledging it. "Me? I hope that what I did for the men in the camp would be of some use to them down the road."

"You've got some nerve throwing the fact that I am who I am in my face, Valiant!" Jagoda rushed toward him, turned right in front of him, bushing at his chest, and faced him with blazing fury in her eyes.

"I know. But this is Our reality," he replied in a quiet defeated tone of voice, unable to conceal his despair.

"Screw reality!" Jagoda pushed at him with her bare hands once more and swore so loud at him, that the echo of the cold mountain air carried her voice all the way up to the sky.

What happened next took her breath away. Jovan caught her off guard and brought her close to him so fast that it appeared as though she was the one who kissed his lips first. The sheer shock of it melted away any thought she may have had of trying to push him away. Instead of thinking, she held onto him with a breathless surge of yearning she did not even realize she possessed.

He lifted her off the ground. Or, she floated. She couldn't say. It felt as if the wings of her heart fanned the air of her soul so powerfully that she began to wonder how high they both flew. But no! They didn't. Jovan's strong embrace both caused her to fly and yet for the very first time in her life allowed her to feel as if her feet stood firmly on the ground. The love she felt for him burst through the cage she guarded her heart in. It didn't scare her any more, it liberated her. And she swore to herself she would make sure this feeling would remain with her for all eternity.