ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.

     ”You know of all people to celebrate Saint Valentine’s  day, you were the last that I have expected to do so.“ A faint smile had surfaced Adrian’s lips — not that she had any objections to the romantic gesture of a ‘surprise’. After all, the last time it was her who had planned a ‘surprise’ on a special occasion. 

❝ You know perfectly well that I couldn't let you feel left out      on an occasion that obviously means a lot to you-- I      did come back late, but I hope that this could make up for it. ❞

  It has only been a few months since they got together, but every effort should be made in Franziska's opinion. Granted; Adrian was far better in surprising people and being a lot more thoughtful, but that didn't mean that Franziska would settle for being the recipient all the time. 

  Indeed, it was a whip. It gives perfectly good lashes, and the person  who handles it handles it very perfectly indeed. The prosecutor's heels clicked on the tiled floor of the police station, and as she looked around,  a characteristic German accent slipped a little into her English.

      “Happiness… What even constitutes true happiness? Is it wealth? Is it power? Or is it recognition?” Those words were more or less Adrian contemplating out loud than a direct retort at the other’s statement. ” To accept destiny… Is happiness only an option to those who subject themselves to a scripted fate called ‘destiny’ and those who sought otherwise are left with hardships? This is hardly reasonable, this is hardly just but, I suppose this is the nature of this world. ”

      A smile was given in return to the other’s — she, had a very beautiful smile and a certain charm that she had envied. Somehow, she had wished that she could find other means to make this woman smile again and again.

     ”I am glad to hear  that my company is not a hindrance here.       I do suppose that my journey to search for a job is finished here       quite a while ago — I really hope an opportunity presents itself soon       though. That would be ideal. ”

  "True happiness varies-- there is no one happiness.    Every person has a different opinion on happiness, but    ultimately, what matters is the happiness of others. Living    for yourself may grant you more satisfaction, yet living     for others benefits many more people than you can     ever think of."

  The night sure was cooling, and it was comfortable, just being with  another person instead of a score of people all at once. Raking her  gloved fingers through her hair, Franziska laughed and shook her head; what a life. What a time. What a time to be alive.

  "Yet I must say this first; I'm not exactly part of that      philosophy in practice. I am completely bound by     my own destiny, and if I do not adhere it, many      lives would be lost by now. I have done many      questionable things that you may not approve of,      thus I wouldn't really recommend myself as a friend to      a lovely woman such as you."

      Upon contact with the other’s hands, she could feel a timorous sensation build up within yet at the same time, the present situation allowed her to feel a certain feeling of tranquility in which she had not felt in so long. The act of the newly acquainted femme taking hand into the black gloved one proved to be one of Adrian’s idiosyncrasy since no person she had met even bothered to look twice at the tips of her tarnished fingers — yet here, this exquisitely dressed woman was observing every little detail on there.  The scrutinizing motions of her acquaintance caused a certain feeling of trepidation arise within her— what if she took back the comment about her being beautiful? Though the better question would be — why was Adrian so concerned about what the other had viewed her as?

       A couple chuckles left her lips, they were probably sounding fairly trite at this point. After all, throughout their brief encounter all she had done was laugh awkwardly at most situation that had presented itself. Though somehow, she would only greet the other with an amiable smile of her own.

      “Trivial matters. My objective originally was to find an         an opportunity for me to work at a local newspaper— one of          the Dukes was actually kind enough to bring me here actually.         Though unfortunately, I have not yet found an opportunity suited         for me as of yet.”

  "It isn't easy; I know how it feels.     Being served your destiny on a silver plate    isn't exactly ideal, and those who accept    their destiny shall find happiness; those who defy it,    shall find glory."

  Was that the reason why she prided on her own work? Franziska had  defied being a mere princess and stepped up to be Queen Regent in  her own right, but was that defying her own destiny? 

  The queen sighed and smiled, patting the blonde's hands as she let go of them gently. Acquaintances on a balcony-- that's what they were, and nothing more. The queen didn't have friends anyways.

     ”Well if that is the case then I hope you would        not mind if I had accompanied you throughout this evening. ”

      Briefly, Adrian would glance down at her hands. Un-gloved they were, as to demonstrate the fact that her social class was not as high up as the other since the nobler citizens had more skin covered up. She had wished that her hands would look nicer but it was impossible due to the fact that had used the printing press far too regularly.

  Her new acquaintance never attempted to be ingratiating or  grandiloquent, and thank goodness she wasn't being garrulous, unlike  most of the people who tried so hard to impress her upon knowing how  the monarch of the prospering country looked like.

  Noticing how the editor looked almost forlornly at her own hands,  Franziska went a little closer -- her heels clicking on the tiled ground of  the balcony. The queen's own hands, covered with the black lace  gloves that complemented her dark blue gown, took one of the blonde's  hands in hers, scrutinizing it as if she was a maladroit fortune teller  telling her customers heaps of foolish nonsense. For a second, the  queen almost cursed to herself at how she shouldn't have worn a  dress with a decolletage-- the foolishly foolish wind obviously didn't  think of being any warmer.

Favorite Moments of Trials and Tribulations:

      Lightly she would let out a contented sigh. To Adrian it was not really because of that but rather the tendency for her to have everything look perfect — perhaps, it was the editor instinct she had within her. However, this woman was perfect. She probably lived the life that Adrian had longed to live. Perhaps it was admiration or maybe it was jealousy but somehow, she could feel ounces of insecurity stir within herself upon looking at the other’s visage.

  People were intimidated with the queen's eyes. Leaders-- kings,  queens, emperors and their empresses faltered under her stares and solid gazes, remarking at how they loathed her sharp looks. They were easily intimidated by her eyes, and secretly, the queen wondered whether she had forgotten to show compassion.

  Slowly, she allowed a small smile to appear on her face, just to  hopefully make the blonde happy. If she could make her smile even  more, then something was going on. The woman before her should  be someone special to make the queen of the country smile, and  Franziska nodded her head in response to the next question.

       Her eyes had visibly softened at the sight of the younger woman before her, who had visibly seemed so much more vulnerable than usual. That was not a common sight for her to witness. Adrian was never good at consoling other people but with Franziska, she would always try her best.

      Gingerly she placed a hand on Franziska’s face and with that she would glance down just ever so slightly to recollect her thoughts. Feeling the person she loved loving her back was perhaps one of the best feelings she would have ever felt and yet — yet this situation itself was altogether too imperfect in too many senses. She could feel herself start to shake just ever so slightly. How could she have been so blind to what was placed right in front of her?

      “I love you, Franziska. I never would thought that my one sided affections would be returned. I was almost, if not, certain that you had no interest in anybody in that fashion.” A lump grew within her throat as she had impulsively pulled the other into an embrace.

Her beloved.

  Franziska allowed herself to smile, to finally smile after all the pain and heartache that both of them had suffered. She allowed herself to  embrace the woman that she loved, and she even let out a few laughs;  laughs of relief, of happiness, of comfort.

      Hazel hues widened in shock as she felt their two lips press against one another. It was something that had had longed to feel since the moment she had fallen for Franziska. Yet, somehow, she could not believe that this was real. If there was one thing then, that was the lack of ability to  respond properly.

      Yet… she could not tell if that was a sincere kiss or not.

      Adrian shook her head in dismal. She had not meant for her words to fall out of her lips in a sarcastic nature and yet it almost sounded too much like sarcasm for her own good. 

  Tired. She sounded so tired. Franziska von Karma, tired. Completely unheard of, yet it was true-- Franziska was so tired of keeping her feelings in, smothering them down like how one would smother  someone to render them corpse-like. 

  This was a mistake. This entire thing was a mistake. Probably this was the worst mistake that she had ever done in her life. Probably,  Franziska wasn't perfect after all-- she too was capable of creating mistakes like any other person, and she made the biggest mistake of her life. She couldn't live with the changes, the conflicting feelings;  she just had to tell Adrian, and now everything's gone wrong.

  Even if Adrian loved her, what could she give Adrian? What could she even provide her with? The prosecutor closed her eyes and took a small deep breath; this was going rapidly downhill.