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A cool breeze entered the room from the open window by the bed, stirring the sleeping elf under the violet, silken sheets. He reached over and felt a cold, empty place beside him. She was obviously awake and probably working on making breakfast. Cristianno stretched his arms and legs and gazed out the window at the clear skies while another breeze blew in. The fresh air caused him to inhale deeply and smile. This had been the second time he had woken up in this estate. It was a rather large place and while he was aware that the owner was no longer there to claim it, its current “owner” did a decent job of maintaining the home.
Cris looked up and moved the sheer drapes that surrounded the bed, gazing at the ceiling and noticed the decorative golden Sin’Dorei molding that covered the entire estate’s ceilings. It was too flashy for him, but it was different from waking up in the confines of his darkened cabin or in the open forest under a tree. In fact, it was somewhat comforting to know that he could wake up in a home where only he and the one he loved could live in their own privacy. The idea not only intrigued him, but it made him smile as he stretched out his body once more. In a fluid movement, he sat up and swung his feet over to the edge of the bed. The scent of food was starting to permeate the room and his stomach grumbled. “Alright, alright,” he muttered. After placing his pants on, he ran his fingers though his auburn hair a few times to untangle any knots before tying it to the side. He reached into his bag along the side of the bed and took a small brown pouch, placing it looped around his belt before he exited the room.
The grandeur of the estate was interesting to him. He had never really been inside a Sin’Dorei home, except for when snuck into his old love’s room and even then, seeing Rosaelynn was a nightly affair. There was Kahlen’s rather large estate, but with the problems surrounding him, he rarely looked at the details of the home. As he walked down the stairs, he noticed portraits of strangers. The Dawnveils. He stopped at several portraits, even touching the dried paint on the canvas, and he wondered what the elves in those portraits were thinking, if they could think at all. Would they scream out the truth if they could? Would they simply look away? With a whisper, Cris simply said “Sorry.”
His bare feet stepped lightly as he walked into the kitchen area, where he found his love in a red robe and an apron with her back turned to him, mixing something with a ladle. Cris smiled and leaned against the doorway, noticing her ears perking slightly, but her arm movements remained at a steady pace. He was starting to notice little things about Niela that made her good at her job. Even if the detail was so minute that one could notice by staring at her for a long time, Cris was starting to notice and he loved every single thing she did. She knew he was there, but she continued to work on her meal. With a smile, Cris pushed himself off the doorway and walked toward her, sliding his hands around her waist. She smiled and leaned her head against him as she continued to stir.
“Morning, beautiful,” he whispered, kissing her earlobe.
“Morning.”
Looking around and sniffing the air, he chuckled as he whispered, “I see you haven’t burned the coffee yet.” He didn’t notice the speed in which her elbow jabbed at his ribs. The action made him laugh. “I’m kidding!”
“I’m never bring you back here again,” she growled at him. She reached for a skillet and placed it on the fire. Cris moved with her, giving her room but still holding her close.
“Aw, you know I like it here, Miss Dawnveil.” His words seemed to freeze her in place, holding the bowl above the skillet. He noticed her body tense for a moment and his smile faded.
“Don’t call me that,” she whispered very faintly. “Not when we’re alone.”
“I’m sorry. I was just joking.” Cris kissed Niela’s cheek and nuzzled her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Niela.” He watched her shake off the shock and she continued to cook.
With a forced smile, she began poured the meal in the skillet. “What are your plans for today?”
Moving away from her, he began to look through the cabinets for something to hold water in. “I don’t know. Thinking of checking on Ziggly to make sure he hasn’t destroyed the ship.” He chuckled and wrinkled his nose as he kept looking through he cabinets. “Is it necessary to drink out of fancy glass cups?”
Niela glanced at him and chuckled. “Is it too much?”
“I’ll say. We use wooden cups on the ship. Well, they do. Mine’s pewter, but still.” He noticed her eyes roll away and he grinned, “What?”
“You’re not fancy at all.”
Cris reached for a glass and filled it with water. “Hey, we never had glass cups with the caravan, in Stormwind, or on any ship.” He placed the glass on the kitchen table and sat in the chair, reaching for the leather pouch around his belt. Niela walked toward him and placed a large delicate plate filled with food in front of him. Cris looked down and smiled up at her, “Looks wonderful, my love.”
She grinned, caressing his neck as she walked back to the stove. Cris shuddered a little and turned his attention back to the leather pouch in his hand. He opened it slowly and with a spoon, he scooped an herbal combination, pouring it into the water. As he mixed, he clinked against the glass and he sighed at the excess noise. “See? Too annoying.”
Niela finished cooking her meal and as she walked toward the table, she kept her eyes on the glass, watching the herbs swirling in the water. She sat beside him and continued to stare. “What’s that?” she finally asked, curiously intrigued.
Cris smiled softly as he watched the glass. “Just a drink.”
That wasn’t enough for her. “You made the same drink yesterday.” She took the linen napkin and placed it across her lap. “What is it?”
A soft chuckle left his lips as he finished stirring. He held the glass in his hand and held it in front of him where Niela could see it. “This, my love, is what stops us from having any…accidents.”
At first, she took a bite of her breakfast and as she chewed, she watched him drink the concoction. As soon as the last drops were gone from his glass, her eyes widened and she let the fork slip from her hand, hitting the plate hard. Cris jumped slightly, startled at the noise as he placed the glass down. She swallowed her food hard and mouthed quietly, “I…see.”
Cris placed the brown pouch around his belt once more and chuckled. “Didn’t think about that, did ya?” He reached for a fork and began to eat without a second thought.
Niela reached for her linen napkin and patted the corners of her lips, her face flustered. “You assure that detail to be the farthest from my mind.” Her hand reached for her fork as she continued to look at him.
Chuckling as he chewed, Cris beamed. “Well, I have it covered…that is unless you want me to stop.” He placed another fork full of food in his mouth and glanced at her. Niela’s face turned pale and she seemed frozen in place. He swallowed and grinned, reaching for her hand, “Don’t worry, I won’t stop.” Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it softly and winked at her.
She took a deep breath and smiled at him, speaking softly, “Not yet, at least.” At that moment, it was as if her shock transferred over to Cris as he trembled slightly while he held her hand.
“R-really?” He leaned back against his chair and stared at her silently. She smiled wider and began to eat comfortably once more. Cris smiled as well and looked down at his plate, at the glass cup, up at the gold decorated roof, and finally at his beloved. With a soft chuckle, he returned back to his food and continued to eat.
Staring at him, Niela smirked and asked, “What is it?”
Cris looked up at her and softly replied, “Nothing. Everything is starting to make sense, that’s all.” Without saying another word, he continued to eat, leaving his puzzled lover to ponder what was going on in his mind. However, for the time being, their breakfast was getting cold.
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