Hadrian was stealing glances between the night sky and the maiden beside him. He was as awestruck by her latent beauty as he was the stars up above him. Repeatedly, he had found himself smiling for no reason in her presence. It wasn't usually like this...around damsels that was. He had always been a cool, collected gentleman who extended every possible courtesy. Not to say, of course, he wasn't practicing that now. Merely that he found the whole 'collected' part to be a bit of a challenge. Hadrian had been infatuated before with a woman, but certainly nothing as instantaneous as this. Perhaps foolishly, he was reveling in it--finally seizing the opportunity to forget about the evening as a whole and everything his requitable father required of him.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Nature's beauty is much more so than any wealth could ever hope to be. 'Tis more beauteous than any could wish to be. Though many try."</span>He arched a brow lightly at these words. This maiden was knowledgeable; or rather quite the philosopher. Her words rang truth. Man-made beauty never could hope to overcome that which existed naturally in nature. The vain made every conceited effort they could, but ultimately would fall short like the rest.<br/><br/>"It is just as you say," he began, "You seem like a complex thinker, do you ask these questions of yourself often?" Hadrian hoped the question wouldn't offend her. For some reason he was over-analyzing his rhetoric moments after releasing it from his mouth. Why was he such a wretched creature? Ruining such a pleasant evening with his fowl speech. Unconsciously, his form had inched closer to hers. Bodies that had been a few feet away had lost their distance. They were close enough now to feel the heat radiating off one another through the night air. Something magical was beginning...if only one of them knew it yet, they might have been able to prevent the night's outcome which happens next.