In William's mind it was a perfect day. The weather was ideal, all the different stalls and shops were open, there weren't as many guards and the town's folk were so busy that not many of them noticed Viola. For those that did notice the pair, they were perceptive and took care not to get between them. William first took Viola to the island's coast to watch the waves. They took a carriage for a part of the journey then walked to their destination. After getting there, they took their shoes off and sat on the ground. Viola rubbed her feet through the grass. William watched as she did. She could feel the blades of grass between her toes. Although she had explored the island before, she didn't always get a chance to enjoy it. It was comforting for her. Afterall, she herself was a part of nature. Birds flew by and made their presence known with their mews and shrieks. The smell of the sea filled the air and blew towards them. Viola closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. At first it was pitch black but then there were scenes of corpses and waves which flashed through her mind, deafening screams and blood.
"Tisiphone," said Viola in a low whisper-like voice as she opened her eyes.
Viola turned to see if William had taken notice but luckily he was focused on the waves. They stayed there for about an hour until one of William's guards came with a picnic basket. William had ordered some dishes to be prepared beforehand by one of the restaurants nearby instead of taking food from the castle. He didn't want to risk the food getting cold by the time it got delivered. As soon as the picnic basket was opened Viola was focused on the food. One by one the dishes were pulled out and each scent greeted Viola's nose. The food came from a restaurant that utilized a lot of fresh seafood in their dishes since they were close to the coast. Viola reluctantly waited until it was time to eat. Although she could keep herself from drooling, her eyes told another story. She was ready to pounce like a predator. William noticed and found her somewhat scary expression adorable. Once everything was placed William gave Viola the go ahead to start eating. Each crunch, slurp, snap, lick and chew filled Viola with a higher level of happiness. William wanted to talk with her more but he realized that words would have ruined the mood at that point, watching Viola eat happily was enough.
After they finished eating, they rested for a while then put their shoes back on. They got to their feet and decided on the next activity. Viola and William explored the island together. Viola used her wind magic to move William as though they were both flying. William was filled with child-like excitement. They hovered over the sea, flew in the directions of and opposite of waterfalls, popped through clouds and engaged with each tree top with a gentle touch. Viola felt at home within nature and William felt a pure freedom, no strings attached nor conditions. They soared together. They watched as the sun changed positions. If possible, William would have remained in that spot. As he watched Viola he thought more about being able to marry her. He wore a satisfied expression.
Before it got too late they decided to start the journey back to the castle. Although William was aware of Viola's abilities, he insisted on taking the carriage again. Rather than thinking about it too much Viola agreed with his decision. Once they were within walking distance of the castle, they started their stroll. William stopped at a popular cafe to get Viola a dessert and asked her to wait for him. The cafe seemed a bit crowded and William wore a hood as he didn't want to use his identity to get ahead. Viola, also wearing a hood, waited for a few minutes then decided to take the opportunity to visit Head Priest Zaylin. Viola looked around and pinpointed each guard that was aware of her presence. Once their locations were locked in her mind, she quickly glanced at each of them sharing less than a second of eye contact. In order to avoid the guards' questions, Viola created an image in their minds of her in that position. Afterwards she quickly left.
Meanwhile, Head Priest Zaylin found himself troubled with current matters.
"Have you found any clues on his whereabouts?" asked Head Priest Zaylin anxiously.
"Our people are still looking into it sir," replied the young priest.
Head Priest Zaylin rubbed his temples as he walked over to his desk. He plopped himself into his chair. A simple task was becoming more tedious but also dangerous. If a body is found then anything can be said about his death but if he isn't found dead then with each moment anything could come from his mouth.
"Get more men on this but do it quietly. We need to find him and his family as soon as possible," said Head Priest Zaylin as he let out a heavy sigh.
"Yes sir!"
"Dismissed."
After the young priest left, another soon appeared.
"Excuse me sir but there's an important guest here to see you," said the young priest with a bright smile.
"Who could it be at this time?" asked a confused Head Priest Zaylin.
Viola entered the office right away. "I have something I need to discuss with you. The time of the visit wasn't planned but what I have to say is important and can't wait. I hope you have time to talk."
"Oh! My Lady, Viola, of course I have time for you! Any of my time is your time," said Head Priest Zaylin as he sprung up from his chair.
Head Priest Zaylin rushed over to Viola like an excited school boy. This change in behaviour left the young priest dumbstruck. He couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes. Even Head Priest Zaylin was weak to Viola's charm. He quickly pulled out a chair for Viola, skipping as he did so. It was all smiles until he noticed that the young priest was still there.
"Was there anything else?" asked Head Priest Zaylin in a cold tone and with an annoyed expression.
"Um, well, can I stay?" asked the young priest with puppy dog eyes.
Head Priest Zaylin gave him a look that could crush hopes and dreams. Further explanation was not needed. The young priest hurriedly left and closed the door.
After he left, Head Priest Zaylin could now focus on Viola again. Viola, however, didn't take a seat as she knew she didn't have much time. She quickly explained the situation to him. Head Priest Zaylin assured Viola that he would have the issue investigated and the Blooming tree monitored. After getting his assurance Viola disappeared from his office in the blink of an eye.
Viola made it back before anyone noticed. Around the same time, William came out of the cafe with a cutely decorated box which contained a mini chocolate surprise cake. It was a two layered chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, chocolate chips on and inside the cake, chocolate fudge between the layers and a secret filling in the centre which was a version of a chocolate mousse. Upon hearing the description of the cake Viola wanted to have a taste immediately. She snatched the box from William before he even realized what happened. As she opened the box to take a look, the smell of the cake comforted her. William had now realized what happened as he noticed the box was no longer in his hand. Although he was still a bit shocked, he was happy to see her happy.
Instead of eating the cake right away, Viola decided to take it back with her. Before they continued their stroll, William decided to take the time to say something that he needed to for a while. He found it difficult to get the words out and it took a few minutes for him to speak. Viola, noticing his struggle, encouraged him and smiled kindly. William was soon able to build up the courage to speak. Once he did, he apologized for his actions when they first met. For him, that day felt as though he became a failure, a disappointment. As he got closer to Viola, he wanted to get that weight off his shoulders, get rid of the disgraceful behaviour from that day. His sincerity was clear. Viola accepted his apology then pulled him in for a hug. William was taken aback at first but quickly settled in her arms.
"Hugs really are effective on dates," Viola thought as she remembered the different topics discussed with Delia regarding dates.
A few passersby took notice of the two but neither were fazed. They remained like that for some time then continued their peaceful stroll back to the castle.