Shattered Glass

He loved his people.

The people loved him.

Iris only really loved her art, because it was all she had left.

She was orphaned young but an old art master found her natural raw talents and took her in. Her emotions were expressed through her creativity in different mediums: charcoal, paints, and eventually glass. The way that the light reflected each piece she carefully crafted with fire made her heart dance.

She was not quiet and meek; no, for a time Iris was not a shy orphan. Her mentor kept her fed and happy as much as he could and treated her like his daughter. She had friends and enjoyed outings, flirted innocently on occasion when someone looked her way, but no one ever caught her eye too long.

And then her old mentor passed on, leaving her his shop, everything he owned, and the memories they had together in such a short time. She grew quiet and distanced herself from others, mourning the Jader that taught her to mold her art. This is what she focused on instead, her grief spreading into work of painted and twisted glass.

She got calls to go out with friends, to entertain dates, but she pushed them all aside. Eventually, they gave up trying as well. She was alone with her art and her patrons, putting a smile on only long enough to make a sale. The days became monotonous and boring... at least, until the day the prince decided to get himself lost.

“No one has heard from the prince today?”

“We hope that he is alright!”

“So handsome, so young still...”

“The cousin is next in line, correct?”

As if they left him for dead already! Iris shook her head and padded down the market, listening to the gossip of the day. She was picking up supplies and was nearly back to her storefront when there was a crash.

Her stroll turned into a sprint as she rushed forward to her shop, fearing the worst! And she found it standing in the middle of her shop: Sterling, the prince, staring at the piece on the floor that had shattered into a million pieces. He had been wearing a cloak to disguise himself, but the hood must have fallen when he was startled. His flaming tail was actually wrapped (in what was likely fire resistant cloth), to better hide himself.

“You!” Shouted Iris, dumbstruck for just a moment before her anger rose to the surface. She spent countless hours on that piece, too.

The prince did not even have the gall to look guilty. He simply stared back at her, standing tall and regal. “Did you make all this?” he asked, his voice holding a note of awe.

Her shop was designed with as much light as possible: the skylights were above them and many of her work hung up there, reflecting rainbows in brilliant colors on the walls and the pieces below. One of the pieces that now lay in ruins.

“Yes, all of it. Including the one you ruined! I had a potential buyer for that one. Do you have any idea how long it took me to make?” Iris once had thought that she'd be nervous around any royals, but this buffoon's silly unapologetic grin made her want to throw something in his face. “How did you get in here, anyway?” she snapped, glaring at her open door. She knew it was locked before she left!

Now the Prince looked guilty, as he answered, “Picked the lock. I learned a thing or two, since it helps to escape when I need to.”

Iris waited, glaring, because she knew he was the Prince and she couldn't just demand things. Could she ask him to be arrested? They'd probably be happy that he was found, at least! “Well?” she finally asked him, as he was staring at her shamelessly.

He flinched and then looked back down to the broken piece, then back at her expectant face. “Oh... Oh! You want me to pay?”

Iris made a No shit glare at him now.

“I am truly sorry,” Prince Sterling said, though whether he sounded sincere or not was up for debate. “I just cannot go home, and I have very little money on me. Just... please, don't tell anyone that I was here, okay? I'll pay you back someday.”

Iris looked at the art and then back to him, incredulous. “They're looking everywhere for you, though! And that is a piece that could pay for my rent and food next month.”

The Prince started to circle around Iris, careful now of the artwork positioned around the shop. “Give me a few days! I cannot go home now, I just can't. They want...”

She waited for him to finish that as her body turned, watching him circle around her, but he was quiet and her eyes narrowed again. “They want what?”

“They want me to marry the neighboring kingdom's daughter,” he finally squeaked out.

The thought of an arranged marriage did make Iris shudder, and she had to give him that. She sighed and then stepped away from the exit for him. “I'll give you a week.”

“Two weeks!” he countered back, even as he flipped the hood back on and made a leap for the exit before she could protest. “Promise!”

Iris watched the hooded sleek body of the Prince disappear, trying to wrap her head around the strange meeting. If it were not for her shattered art, she may have given him a coy smile, teased about him running from beautiful princesses. But arranged marriages were a pain, because it was not love. Could she blame him for running away? Part of her figured she'd never see the Prince again, and she had to cover her own losses. She started to get to work cleaning shop and actually opening.

-----------

He was back.

It was the next day and she was in the workshop room, the fire going strong as she molded a new piece of glasswork. She was just getting it back into the fire when she noticed someone was lounging in the doorway, head on paws and just staring at her.

She gave a yelp, nearly dropping her tools, before setting aside the piece carefully. Once it was safely waiting somewhere, she rounded on him with a, “What are you doing here!?” And only after that did she remember that the door was locked. Again.

His tail wagged happily and he said, “Watching you work. It's fascinating.”

Would I get away with killing a prince if they think he's dead already? I can say it was in self-defense. Iris thought to herself.

“Sorry for the door again, but they're out looking for me and I had to hurry. Someone noticed me in this area the other day.”

“It wasn't me,” Iris noted calmly. She was flustered by the way he watched her. “Stay, then, but don't bother me. I need to replace that piece you broke.”

He was surprisingly a very useful helper at the end. The Royals were able to breathe fire and manipulate it. He was able to heat the glass faster than her own furnace, even just focus on small sections for her to manipulate in a larger piece.

The next day, he returned and for once she did not yell at him.

-----------

In the heat of the workshop, they found a rhythm together and forgot about the ongoing search for the Prince. He started to forget about his obligations and she started to remember what it was like to enjoy the company of others.

His compliments on her art and his childlike wonder at seeing her pieces unfold thawed her grief. He inspired new and colorful creations out of her.

She even, begrudgingly, started to not hate how he just picked her locks and slipped in during all hours of the day.

The days were suddenly unpredictable. When will he show up? What will he be curious about today? What will they create together? She found herself smiling even after her patrons had left the shop, her rainbow tail wagging behind her with a dance to her step as she cleaned up in the evenings.

It was not until the day that he disappeared from her life entirely, and reappeared back in the palace, that she realized how much he had begun to mean to her.

The people were so happy with their Prince again, all but Iris. She had lost her friend, Sterling. He was untouchable again, some dream in his lofty palace who would soon be marrying his perfect princess. Even if she knew he did not want it, and how horrid arranged marriages were, he likely will learn to enjoy it in that easy way of his.

Her smile began to fade away again as word ran through the streets of a grand ball to announce the Prince's betrothal. By the time she reached her store, it was gone and her chest felt heavy. Why should I ever get close to anyone?

There was an absolutely gorgeous celestial Jader waiting for her at her door. While they were not royal, they certainly were of noble blood and one that she knew all too well. This Jader was the last who kept trying to entice her out of her shell. Until eventually, they too gave up. She never thought to have a friend of nobility, but Ceres's family were dear friends of her late master.

A spark left by Sterling actually made her remember all the good times they had together, and she found her lips forming into a smile again. “Ceres! What are you doing over here?”

The Jader was grooming their fluffy tail, picking out stray leaves that had gotten stuck in the fur. “Oh, you know, looking for you my love,” they said once they were satisfied with their tail. Their teal eyes landed on her with a mischievous glint to them. They always looked like they were up to something, though.

Iris still drew closer cautiously, “How come?”

“My love, I just can't let you wither away in that bleak store of yours. There is a party in the palace tonight and I came here personally instead of sending a missive to get you to come. Please, I beg of you, my parents are trying to set me up and I told them that I already had a date. You are literally my only hope, Iris.” They lowered their head into their fluffy mane of fur looking absolutely devastated.

Not long ago, Iris would have made an excuse and hidden away. Even now, she hesitated, because she knew what the party was: Sterling's Engagement Party.

Those teal eyes pleading, her heart hammering, and somehow she said “Yes” before her brain could really process it.

“Wonderful!” cried Ceres as they leapt forward and circled Iris, clicking their tongue. “We must get you all cleaned up and looking your best- no, no, no, no protesting, my love. Let your best friend Ceres do all the pampering now because we have little time to lose!”

-----------

It was a whirlwind of professional salons and too many Jaders touching her, but eventually Iris was deemed presentable. Ceres had to be seen with someone lovely, perhaps? She certainly had never been treated so much in her life and felt so light and beautiful. She was wearing a dress spun of silks that would cost a lifetime to pay, airy and magical. Ceres truly performed a miracle getting her to look this way in a short amount of time.

The two of them arrived at the palace and she grew quiet even as she stared in amazement at the extravagance. No expense was too grand for this ball. She felt relieved to realize there were so many Jaders there that she would never run into Sterling, unless she wanted to. The Prince was resplendent in his attire, looking more regal than he ever did in her shop in his dusty patched up cloak. He stood with his parents, greeting guests that approached. If she enjoyed the ball from the other end with Ceres, they would never see each other.

A part of her imagined he'd link eyes with her the moment she walked in, descending the staircase to the main floor, their breaths taken away. Did that mean I like him? Her heart thumped and said it could even be more than that.

But that did not happen. Instead, he was laughing at a joke some dignitary said and she was too focused on not tripping and making herself look like a fool.

Ceres led her around to some of their friends, introducing her as their good friend. They made sure that Ceres's parents saw her; she was familiar with them and shared the usual greetings and small talk.

“Come on, let us get some fresh air,” Ceres finally said and they did not need to say more to convince her to take a walk into the gardens.

Iris gasped as she emerged on the vast gardens of the palace: Flowers blooming in an abundance of colors and varieties, perfectly manicured into patterns. Hedges that sectioned off hidden flowerbeds, fountains, and statues. Ceres knew their way, as they led her through a short maze. They rambled on about different topics; history of the gardens, meanings in the flowers, who donated what piece of work.

At the center of the maze, Iris's heart stopped.

One of her favorite pieces that she sold ages ago was displayed there on a pedestal, catching the moonlight and reflecting into a shallow pond the many rainbows that her glass created.

“How did this get... here...” Iris turned to Ceres as she asked the question, but her friend was gone.

Between the two hedges that framed the entrance, stood Sterling.

His eyes looked enchanted as he stared at her and she had a hard time looking away as well. When he stepped forward, she took a step back. Right into the pedestal.

“No!” she gasped and turned around... just to see that her old artwork was saved. It was anchored down tightly.

Sterling's voice held barely restrained laughter that came from just over her shoulder, “After my clumsiness the other day in your shop, I realized that I had to secure my own treasure.”

Iris did not turn back to him, her heart hammering with adrenaline. “You are taking good care of this one. It won't fall and break that easily.”

“That is not entirely what I am talking about.”

Sterling's expression was a mix of amusement and affection as she turned back to face him. It made her heart skip a beat.

“What about the other kingdom's princess?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He started to close the distance to her, never once looking away. “I made other arrangements.”

She did not dare hope but at the same time she could not look away.

“I once loved this section of the garden so much. It was my escape, my place to dream, my spot to be myself and imagine all possibilities,” he began, his eyes straying only briefly to take in her old work. “Until that day I went into your store, I never thought I would be so moved by anything else. The moment that I saw you that day, absolutely stunning but fiercely angry, yet reflecting all those colors that you made... I knew I was in trouble.”

“You have no understanding of personal boundaries,” whispered Iris as his approach ended with him almost touching noses.

“And you are not moving away.” Sterling's teasing smile made her want to dunk him in the pond, but it also set something fluttering faintly inside her. Her apprehension still was clear on her face and Sterling softened. “I hope you allow me back in and help you pick up and mend the pieces that are broken?”

They stood like that, barely touching, for what felt like forever but was likely just a couple heartbeats.

Iris knew he did not mean the broken artwork. He knew Ceres, therefore he must know her losses. She struggled internally at letting someone new in, who may leave her as the others had. But if she did not, then she would not know happiness either. It was just within grasp again, as the few days she had with him showed her.

Finally, the rainbow tail gave a traitorous wag and Sterling surged forward to close the distance.

The embrace was everything that Iris could hope for, a fire burning from her stomach to her pounding heart. She could have combusted on the spot there, if they remained that way for much longer.

He only moved away so that he could sidle up next to her, giving her neck a nuzzle. “Come, let us go find my parents.”

Iris looked aghast at this thought of being presented to the King and Queen. “Right now?”

“Merely to inform them of the gallery I want to host and a private commission that I hope you start for me sometime soon.” He was laughing with his eyes again, as if he had a private joke that he was not sharing with her yet. The one that endeared him to her as well as infuriated her. “I do have to mingle, or they will send out the guards again. Ceres is merely stalling for me right now,” he admitted sheepishly. He nuzzled again and gave her ear a teasing lick. “And I do not want to lose you again, my treasure.”

Iris melted-- scratch that, reluctantly relented. Especially when he gave her puppy dog eyes and said, “Please?”

She started forward, giving him a flick of her tail. “Fine, but you will have to assist me in creating the piece. And how about a race? If I beat you out of this maze, you will have to help with all the work I will have to do after your royal advertisement.” Her teeth flashed in a bright grin, brilliant as the moonlight.

The grin struck him momentarily speechless, the words barely registering. “Wait, race?” It was all he was able to sputter out before she turned that smile around and dashed around the corner of the hedge maze. Sterling quickly shook himself out of his stupor as that rainbow tail vanished. He gave a resounding laugh and a loud “No cheating!” before he bounded after, leaving the shifting rainbows on the water behind for someone else to find. He had a new dream to chase after.