The night sky was adorned with thousands of small stars. The moon hung in the sky as a round, white disc, sending her silver light on the land below. A gentle breeze tucked playfully on the leaves of the sleeping trees and anything else that was light enough to be moved by it. The sound of an owl echoed through the night, breaking the prevailing silence, and a group of fireflies was dancing to music only they could hear.
On the trunk of a fallen tree a man and a woman sat alongside of each other, The man, dressed in the simple clothes of a travelling bard, had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. The clothes of the woman were from a fine fabric only the wealthy could afford.
“The stars are so pretty tonight,” the woman sighed as she leaned into the man.
“The stars aren’t nearly as pretty as you are, lady Catheryn,” he said to her as he turned his head towards her. The smile that accompanied his words showed in his eyes as well. Eyes that reflected the feelings he had for this woman in a way words would never be able to describe.
“You are exaggerating, Mikhal,” Catheryn spoke with a soft voice. Her long, red braid was pulled over her shoulder and dangled on her back as she turned her head to face him. She too smiled. What woman did not like to be compared to stars and deemed more beautiful?
“Not at all,” Mikhal retorted. “Not a single one of them can be compared to your beauty. And even if they adorn the night sky in a magnificent way, the stars are far away. You, my love, are within arms reach.”
The smile of Catheryn faded. She gracefully stood up from the trunk and walked a few steps forward. “But I will not stay within arms reach. You will leave tomorrow and you will undoubtedly meet many beautiful young woman on your journey. Will you even remember me?”
“Of course I will,” Mikhal said as he made one step in her direction. “Have I not returned to you after my last travel?” He could see that she looked at him and he crossed the distance between them. With a theatrical movement of his arm he gestured towards the sky. “Every time I will look at the stars I will think about this evening,” he said with passion in his voice. In flowing movement he brought his arm down and he gently took her hand. “Any song I sing about love or a beautiful woman,” he continued with a softer voice, “I sing about you. You are my muse, my dear Catheryn. You are my love. You are the unmoving beacon that guides me towards you.” He pointed to the north where a bright star could be seen close to the horizon. “Like the bright North Star that guides ships to where they have to be.”
“Poetic as always,” Catheryn said with a loving smile as she reached out with her free hand and gently touched Mikhal’s cheek. “Father does not approve of you.”
Mikhal brought the hand he held to his lips so he could give a gentle kiss on it. “I know, my love. He is rich and I am not. He fears I cannot provide for you and give you the life you are used to. And he is right, I cannot give you that life.”
“I will be happy with any life you give me, Mikhal!”
The smile Mikhal had for Catheryn was filled with love. “Your words fill me with joy, but I will prove to your father I can provide for you.” He took both her hands in his own. “I will earn an honest coin with my songs in the cities and villages I visit and I will bring back a bag of coins that will impress your father. And then I will ask for your hand in marriage.” He reached out with his hand and stroke the side of her face. “Let me steal this kiss tonight,” he whispered as he brought his lips closer to hers. “And let the moon and the stars be the witnesses of our love.” As their lips touched, Mikhal wrapped his arms around Catheryn. And Catheryn kissed him back as passionately as he kissed her.
After that moment in which the world seemed to have shrunk down to just the two of them, Mikhal gently pulled his head back and looked at her with loving eyes. He couldn’t do anything but smile when his eyes met that pretty face of hers. “I have written a new song,” he whispered. “About a beautiful princess of the north who placed a bright star in the sky to guide her lover towards her. May I sing it for you?”
“Of course you may,” Catheryn whispered back to him.
Mikhal let go of his lady and walked back to his lute. He sat down on the trunk once more and placed the lute on his knee. Catheryn sat down next to him, gracefully as a woman of her status was ought to. She listened to him as he sang the song for her with his clear voice while plucking the strings of the lute to produce a gentle melody that fit the words.
While they both knew Mikhal would leave to travel the lands the very next day, neither let that ruin their evening together. This night belonged to the lovers, with only the silent lights in the sky as their witness.
*** © Mariska Bekker ***