[M] I am the righteous hand of god

Now that she said it out loud, it did feel like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It was something she had avoided like the plague. In fear of exactly this. And though she hated that it had happened with Therion, she still felt a little lighter. Regretting now that she hadn't talked about it sooner. But maybe that was just it. Maybe she was supposed to talk to Therion about it, first. In those dark days, she had been selfish. It was her only way to survive at the time. But she whished it had been different. She was sure he must have struggled with it too and now she hated knowing that they couldn't be there for each other, because she didn't let them. She couldn't. Until now.
As she spoke, she noticed the change in his eyes. The shock? Was it so shocking to him that she got scared? For a moment, she felt judged by him, which she didn't expect from him at all. She dropped her hand from his face as he struggled to get out a word. "Yes?" Why did he ask that? Confusion slowly riddled her face, seeing his reaction. He grabbed her hands, causing the corset to slip down somewhat. "I..I.." She stuttered. He turned pale and the confusion was now paired with worry. But she abruptly shut her mouth when he asked her the last question. Her eyes still filled with confusion, seeing how defeated he was. He.. didn't know? "Yes?" she said with a cracked voice. "Of course it was... I've been with no one but you." She didn't understand. How was this possible? "Therion... I thought you knew? Why do you think I left?" She teared up, and she had to look away from those shocked and broken dark eyes of his. Her breathing became irregular again. He didn't know? How? All this time? She raised her hand, covering her lips. Now it was her turn to not know how to feel.




& Therion

Aniu franticly searched her memories during those last days of them together. Where did it go wrong? She remembered conversations about it? She fully remembered telling him she was pregnant. Or had she not told him yet? It had been a fluke how quickly she discovered it, and from that point on, she was scatterbrained. Afraid of what her parents would think. Afraid of losing her life. But also afraid of the strong feelings she had for both Therion and their unborn child. Back than she had only known him for about two or three months? Months of absolute bliss. Oh, how did it all go so wrong.

For a moment, she thought that he hoped or assumed it couldn't be his because she slept around or something. Her colleagues had a bit of a reputation, and Therion had met plenty of them. But Aniu was never like that. And the thought of Therion seeing her like that, it hurt. But it also didn't match with who he was. That just couldn't be. Could it? Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.. It was all too much! His reaction, all the painful memories churning in her mind over and over. She had to turn away, because if she didn't she wouldn't be able to hold it together. She already struggled with that, which was a new thing for Aniu. She rarely cried, and it was even rarer for her to cry in front of people. Only her family had seen her cry and most of it was from her childhood. And after that moment of judgment of the man next to her, she was scared to cry.  

He fell still after she said her last words, but she couldn't see the emotion in his eyes, still turned away from him a bit. Then she felt his arms. She immediately leaned into the hug that she so desperately needed, wrapping her arms around his waist. She fought so hard against the tears, holding her breath and burying her face against his shoulder. But it was no use. His words broke her, and she finally allowed herself some emotions. She whimpered softly in his arms as the tears started streaming.  What he said, it made sense, but it felt like there were puzzle pieces missing. What was worse, though, was that she had left him feeling as if he had done something wrong. Her hand found its way up his chest and neck to his jaw, gently turning him so he would face her. "You have never done something wrong." Her thumb wiped away a tear rolling down his cheek. It was like a dagger to the heart, seeing him like this. How could she ever think he judged her? She sat up a bit so she could look at him, still trying to control her emotions somewhat, but failing miserably.  "I'm the one who should be sorry. I should've never run away from you. I stupidly thought I needed my family, or space, or some other dumb reason that people talked into my messed up mind." shaking her head as she said it. Why had she ever listened to her colleagues? "I see now that you were the only one I needed. You are the only one I need"




& Therion

His arms around her, his smell, his voice—it all felt like home. He always felt like coming home. It was the strangest but also the best feeling she ever discovered she could feel for another. No matter how blurry the end of their affair became, the rest shined through her mind as the best time she ever had in her life. She had never felt more like herself, than during those days. From the moment they met, she felt that way. As if she had been searching for him all her life without knowing that she was, and when she finally found him, it was as if she felt complete again. As if half her body had been missing, and she only realized it when she was with him. She never wanted to leave him again.
Now that they finally gave air to words that needed to be said for so long, it felt cleansing. Even though it was hard. When he called her love, she smiled through her tears. That it was even possible to feel all warm and fuzzy inside by one simple word. His next words made her want to cry again, but this time from happiness. She laughed through her tears again when he mentioned their families. They would become a problem, no doubt. But nothing could stop her from ever being with Therion again. If she had to find a silver lining in their struggles, she would say that at least now she knew how she truly felt about him. She thought back to the time after she left him. Now she could see how she was just a shell of a person. A shadow of the woman she once was, who only focused on her work. Leaving no space for anything else. Her family probably didn't notice when she returned because she had been gone for several years. They might've just thought she matured.
When he kissed her forehead, she closed her eyes for a second, causing another tear to roll down her face. She sighed in relief with a glowing heart. "I do. I hope you know you can trust me too. I don't ever want to leave your side again, not unless you send me away." She wanted to kiss him, but after what just happened, she wasn't sure if she should. She still wanted him, but she just couldn't. Not yet.


& Therion

She was glad that she was able to look him in the eye again, now even more than before. Now she saw it in his eyes again, that bliss. The happiness they shared when they were together. Did she even dare to call it love? If this wasn't love, she didn't know what was. When he smiled back at her, she could feel that warmth in her chest again. A warmth only he could conjure. She loved it when he smiled, and she couldn't help but stroke his cheek as he smiled back at her. Gods, how she missed him. She had said it before in their moment of passion, but it wasn't just because of that. Of course she had missed his touch, but it was more than that. She had missed his presence. His aura, his mind, his eyes looking into hers, his hand holding hers, she had missed talking to him and just being with him. She missed everything. So when she said she didn't want to leave his side again, she truly meant it. He was her person, and she was his, if he'd have her.

When he hugged her again, she held him tight, wanting to feel him close. She took her final deep breath to calm down, and with it, she drew in his smell for a moment. She had missed that too. When he mentioned dinner, she let out a small gasp when she realized, "I totally forgot to notify my family!" For a moment, she looked at him before she shrugged. "They can wait." she smiled back at him. "I'd love some dinner with you. Do you have something in mind? If not, I know the perfect place." She turned to get up when she suddenly realized her corset was still loose, and she felt her cheeks flush a bit. "Oh, my dress... would you...?" She purposely turned her back, with the undone lacing to him, making sure her ponytail wasn't in the way by pulling it over her shoulder.


& Therion

Even though she had calmed down and they had been able to smile again, she hadn't gotten rid of the aching in her heart completely. Aniu wished she could take back so many things she had done to him. She never wanted to hurt him, but her actions had hurt him. And it felt a little worse now that she had darkened their memories in Ravaryn with the miscarriage. If she had known he was unaware of it and if she had the choice now, she wasn't sure if she would've told him. She truly hoped the news wouldn't put a strain on his beliefs. Aniu was quite aware of his religious beliefs, and even though she wasn't as devout as the people of Ravaryn, she did admire him for them. Suddenly, she wondered if he still had his beads.

She chuckled. "You don't have to say sorry for that. I wanted you to undress me too." It was out before she knew it, and she felt her cheeks flush again, softly clearing her throat. She pressed her lips together as she patiently waited for him to lace her up again. She smiled when he said she could lead the way. She didn't know why, but it made her quite excited to show him her world this time. She was born in Moonbright and partly raised there, too. But since her career started at a rather young age, she spent much time at court right here in Lythrania. This place used to be her home, so she knew plenty of interesting places. She wanted to make it as nice and comfortable as possible for him. When she felt his lips on her shoulder, she chuckled softly, biting her lip. In an impulse, she turned around and placed her lips in a sensual kiss. Yes, she had made it clear she couldn't go further right now. But this was perfectly fine, and she wanted him to know it was. Plus, she really wanted to kiss him. She loved how his facial hair tickled and teased her soft skin. When she broke away gently, she flashed him a shy but rather beaming smile.  "Thank you."

She stood up from the creaking bed, pulling out her hair tie to redo her ponytail. "The place I have in mind is about a ten-minute walk from here, is that alright?" After everything that had happened in a short span of time between the two, she still hadn't forgotten where it all started. With him shaking and barely able to stand on his feet.


& Therion

Her fingers combed through her hair, as she pulled it back with the intention of tying it up in a ponytail again. A bit absentmindedly at first, thinking of all the places they could go to before landing on the perfect one, but then she noticed him leaned back on the bed, watching her with a certain look in his eye. The corners of her mouth curled up. The look in his eye somehow made her change her mind about the hair. She felt like something more relaxed and a little playful. So she let her hair drop down and started braiding her hair from the nape of her neck down. Her hands were fast and practiced, and it was done within seconds. She pulled two locks of hair loose on either side of her face, to frame it. "What do you think?" She said, with a playful smile as she showed off her new hairdo. Shaking her head as she giggled for acting silly.

There were plenty of places they could go. And most of them, she wanted to take him, but for right now, she had picked one that was rather perfect for their first "date". When she suggested it, Therion seemed fine with anything she would offer up. Hearing his stomach growl made her jaw actually drop slightly, followed by a laugh of disbelief. "Have you eaten at all today?" They had been together for a couple hours now, and they had only had a couple sips of tea. Her eye fell on the cups of tea, which had now completely cooled down. Her natural cleanliness kicked in, and she took the cups to the kitchen. When she returned, Therion was looking out the window, and when Aniu walked up to him, she again felt an impulse she couldn't ignore. From behind, she put her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder for a moment, as she looked out the window, but instead of the dome, she was looking at the people outside. She wondered for a moment if her family was starting to worry about her, but then again. She was an adult. Surely she was allowed to stay away if she so pleased. Which she did. She was very pleased, with the man in her arms. When he turned around, she let go of him and linked her arm to his again, just like they did before in the square. A loving smile on her face as she tilted her head a bit, looking up at him. "We shall."

Like she had said, it only took the couple ten minutes to get to the location she had in mind. She had picked it for one reason—no, scratch that. Two reasons. For one; this was one of the few places where they actually prepared rather tasty meat dishes, unlike most establishments whose main focus was fish on their menu. Something Aniu didn't mind herself. She was a Lemurian, and fish was their meat. But she knew Therion was a real meat lover, so she wanted him to have plenty of options to soothe his growling stomach. And two... the bar where she had met Therion for the first time actually reminded her of this place. It was a quaint little place, tucked away in the corner of a back street. There were often musicians playing, and it wasn't as busy as other places, which Aniu liked very much. You had to know it. Aniu actually discovered it by accident when... well, that was a story for dinner. As they walked down the back street towards the establishment, she felt excited—and actually a bit hungry too now. "I haven't been here in ages! I hope you like it, as much as I do." she said, smiling shyly. As they neared the front door, they could hear music coming from the inside, and her smile widened.  

& Therion

The walk did her good after the emotional rollercoaster in his small apartment. Making her emotionally exhausted, and for a moment there, it felt like an impossible task to get back on two feet. But Aniu came to discover that all she needed was Therion to overcome that. He had managed to calm her down and comfort her simply through his touch and words. His presence. She loved him for it and hated herself for doubting it back in Ravaryn. As the two walked down the street, it made her grab his hand once again and bring it up to her lips for a kiss. There were people around, but Ani didn't even notice them or care anymore. Too in love with the Rizal at her side.
The fresh air—or, well, as fresh as you could call it in the dome—did her good too. The streets weren't as busy as before at this time, and slowly, the people of the day changed shifts with the people of the night. She did notice some looks. Aniu was still a somewhat famous singer in Lemuria, and even though she had taken time off from work to be with her family in Lythrania, she still had some gigs planned for the time she spent here. Small gigs, but gigs nonetheless. She couldn't help it. It was her passion, and she could admit to being a bit of a workaholic. Luckily, not in the next couple of days.

She was happy to hear his first reaction to the place. It was a small inn, really, and she knew the owners, but there was just something about the atmosphere of it. Lovely was the right word. Not a lot of people or noise. Just the two of them in a corner, enjoying each other's company over a nice meal. It was just what she needed. And hopefully Therion needed that too. The meal he needed, of that she was sure. She flashed him a smile when he let her go in first. A couple tables were taken, just as she hoped. Enough to blend in, but not so much that it made her feel claustrophobic. In the corner, near the bar, two older men were playing their fiddles. A lovely tune she recognized as a rather sad sailor song. Adding to the cozy atmosphere. The owners, a couple in their late 50s, were standing behind the bar. They gave them a quick glance, but when the wife recognized Aniu Vylasar, she smiled, surprised. Aniu hadn't been here since her teen years. Just before she left to travel. Aniu smiled back at the woman, but didn't walk up to the bar. When Therion stepped in behind her and picked out a table for them, Aniu saw the smile on Aaricia's face fade into an almost dumbfounded expression. The sorceress couldn't help but wonder, and maybe even worry about, what the woman was thinking of the two.

"Thank you," smiling up at him as he helped her sit down. Curious about what he was planning when he walked to the bar, she followed him with her eyes, eyebrows raised, and an eager grin on her face when he returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She chuckled, though in the back of her mind she made a mental note of this. Even though it was a rather romantic gesture, she was a bit taken aback by the fact that he wanted to start with drinks over a meal when he confessed to being practically starving twenty minutes ago. For now, she let it be just an observation. Maybe it was nothing. She could actually use a drink after their afternoon as well. She observed him, noticing little details about him as he expertly poured in the wine. The way his eyes twinkled in the candlelight, how his hair fell, and how the corners of his lips curled up ever so slightly in that handsome grin she loved so much. The sight of him, being so kind, romantic, and courteous made her almost instantly forget the worry she felt about the innkeeper's wife's reaction. When he raised his glass with an expecting look in his eyes, she grabbed hers too and clinked it against his. "To... Summoning visions." she smiled lovingly. If it wasn't for his vision and, even though it had been a joke, her summoning of him, they wouldn't have found each other again after all that time and in this rather unlikely circumstance. She took a sip of the wine, savoring it in her mouth for a moment before she swallowed, without breaking eye contact with the subject of her affection. She leaned forward on the table, resting her arms in front of her. "You cut your hair since the last time I saw you. Why?" she said, tilting her head a little. Remembering how she used to put her fingers through his hair. It was funny, actually, how her shorter hair in Ravaryn had grown out, while his had been cut off.

& Therion

It was nice that they were able to make some new memories together. After this afternoon, she was actually quite ready to let most of the old ones go. At least the dark parts. It happened, and there was nothing they could do about it now. Except for talking about it, but talking about their feelings—even though they tried today—wasn't actually her strong suit. She had never been that great at expressing her feelings, especially the dark ones. Sometimes it even seemed like she forgot she had them, just like this past year and how she neglected her feelings for Therion and the miscarriage. She was so well trained in building walls to protect herself that she started wondering. Was it possible that she had started to build walls around parts of herself so that even she was unable to reach them? No, she would rather talk about the new and the good, than the old and the bad.

She noticed the hurt look before he smiled and toasted with her. For a second, she regretted her words, but she didn't know exactly why he was hurt. She meant it as... well, something good, really. A bit of a play on their magic combined, even though that wasn't possible. But he had smiled it away, so she left it for now. There was much for them to rediscover, that was certain. Something she very much liked to do with him. "Hmmm" she gave him a bit of a revealing look, with her mouth curled up a bit in a rather cheeky smile. She clearly preferred his longer hair. Not that she would tell him what to do or that she would love him any less. "Oh yes, I remember that heat." She sighed. "The country was great. The people, the culture. Rather.. freeing. But that heat I can do without." Her fingers stroked absentmindedly along the cup of wine in front of her as she talked. "Is that where you acquired your taste for wine?" Aniu clearly remembered him preferring ale or beer over wine, so this was something new. "If I remember correctly, they have a pretty good beer here. If you want, you can give me the wine? You don't have to drink something you don't like for my sake." she then took her cup and downed the whole thing. She made a face, slightly regretting that impulse, but then chuckled. "Mine is empty now, anyway." she said teasingly as she got up and bent over the table in an attempt to grab his wine cup from him. He had asked her about her year and for a moment she too had a hurt shimmer in her eyes, remembering the past time. But a grin appeared on her face. "I'll tell you about my year, after you get yourself a drink you actually like. And maybe some bread while you're at it?" She finished her sentence with a sweet voice.




& Therion

Aniu was all ears as Therion talked about his experiences in all the countries he had been to. It was something they had in common—all the traveling—but he had way more notches on his belt of travel than she did. She nodded and smiled understandingly. "I loved the cold in Ravaryn, actually. It made me want to be close to you, your warmth. To go from that to Xailan Sun... it's an adjustment for sure." Aniu raised her eyebrows a bit in surprise when Therion suddenly cut off his sentence. "You can see why..? What?" she smiled, a little confused and curious. But he murmured a "Nevermind," which shut her up about it. For now at least.

She perched her lips a bit as she grinned while he talked about the wine. "The things you do to stay warm." she was a bit amazed by that Ravaryn fact, mostly because it was such an alien thing to her as a Lemurian. They barely reached freezing temperatures here in the frostcrown. When she stayed in Ravaryn, it had been during Sunpeak, still making it colder than she was used to during that time of year but not so cold that she needed liquor to keep warm. Especially for children? When she tried to grab his cup, he was too fast, filling her just-emptied cup again. She sighed, slightly annoyed, but couldn't help the grin on her face. The fact that he called her good company made her heart flutter and she couldn't stay annoyed too long. "Fine," she stated simply, taking another sip of her newly poured wine. She hadn't taken her eyes off of Therion for a moment, so when he turned around with a surprised "Oh" did she notice the barkeep and his wife next to the table? For a moment, she glanced Therion's way, before putting on her polite Vylasar face, just as she was taught from a young age. "Aaricia, Aldren, how are you?" Aniu didn't expect them to actually come to their table. At least not both of them, which she didn't see as a good sign. "Good, good! What a nice surprise visit, Miss Vylasar. What are you doing back in Lythrania?" The woman, Aaricia, talked with a friendly tone, glancing over at Therion every so often. Unlike her husband, the innkeeper, who just stared at the Rizal without saying a word. "We're actually here for my sister's wedding." Aniu had meant what she said before. She wasn't going to leave Therion. That also meant, not putting him aside for her family's sake. "I wanted to show Therion my favorite place to eat; I do hope you still have those delicious meat platters on the menu?" Aniu's voice was polite and gentle and sweet as she talked. Anyone who knew her could see it was a bit of a veil, an act so to speak, polite and mannered to keep up her family name as was expected of her. Then she looked at Therion with an almost taunting smile. "Oh and I'd love a couple of your beers, Aldren." When she said his name, the innkeeper finally broke his stare and looked at Aniu, after which he nodded and walked away grumbling. His wife confirmed their order, a platter they could share and left the two again, still glancing over at Therion.


& Therion

As she spoke with the woman next to their table and casually mentioned her sister's wedding, she could see out of the corner of her eye how Therion reacted. Almost choking on his drink. Aaricia looked over at the older man for a moment, while Aniu sat there trying to keep her face straight, distracting the woman with her order. Thank Lythrana, it helped. Aaricia eventually left the two, to fix their meat platter. Enabling Aniu to drop the act and turning back to Therion. She started laughing, covering her mouth with her hand to not draw too much attention to them, but she couldn't help it. "I'm so sorry for that. Are you okay?" She was still chuckling. "I did not expect them to come up like that." She actually felt a bit embarrassed by their reaction. And a bit giddy as well... It was probably a stupid move for her to down that wine on an empty stomach.

Not long after the barkeep had left their table, he came back again with the beers. Reminding her of the look Therion had given her when she ordered them. "Thank you very much, Aldren," she smiled politely at the man, who surprisingly gave her some sort of smile back—if you could even call it that—he nodded and left the two alone again. Aniu stretched her arm out over the table to intertwine her fingers with Therion's. "Look, I know what you said, about the wine, but I want you to enjoy yourself." Her voice had a serious tone, even though she smiled, because she was serious. When he said that he would drink whatever was in front of him, it didn't sit well with her. As if he was never offered a choice in that regard. "And it's honestly really tasty." she added, with a lighter tone.

& Therion

Aniu was still giggling a bit when he mentioned her wedding comment to the innkeepers. In which she basically asked him to come. She immediately shut her mouth, giving him an apologetic smile. "Only if you want to?" she smiled again, tilting her head a little as she pushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I'd love it if you came with me." When he smiled at her, she could just feel the butterflies raging inside, asking about her sister, which made her all excited again. "Yes, Chaska!" Taking her chair, she scooted a bit forward, subconsciously trying to sit closer to the Rizal, before she continued. "My dear baby sister. Gosh, I can't believe she's getting married already. To uhm..." She had to think for a moment. "Ezekiel Vylasar, a cousin on my father's side of the family, I believe... It's kind of a big deal for our family, because she has this illness and-" the sorceress clearly started to ramble a bit now that the wine kicked in. But she was interrupted by Aldren, who brought them the beers.

When the barkeep had left, she had already forgotten what they were talking about, too distracted by Therion calling her evil. Which made her smirk and giggle a bit. "You're welcome." she couldn't help but sticking the tip of her tongue out at him. She then grabbed her chair, placing it on the side of the table, so she could sit next to Therion, who asked her if she could handle the wine. With a grin, she leaned forward so there were only a couple inches of air between them, resting her cheek on her hand. "Is that a challenge?" Her voice low with a hint of seduction, tilting her head as she looked him in the eye with a playful twinkle in hers. Shifting from his brown eyes to his lips and back for a moment.
She noticed the delicious smell too and realized how hungry she had become. It wasn't a big surprise that Therion shifted the conversation to the food they were about to receive. "I can get fish another time, don't worry." she said, appreciating his concern for what she liked. "Besides, do you smell that? Smells pretty good." She started to get tipsy, and it made her even more giddy and animated, clearly. She was enjoying herself thoroughly. "Also! What if I taste and smell all fishy and you won't want to kiss me anymore?" she said a little pouty before emptying her cup again and pouring in the next cup.  



& Therion

Her face lit up when he agreed to come as her plus-one to the wedding. In that moment, she didn't think of the potential backlash they would get. Frankly, she didn't care. She wanted to support her sister 100 percent, but if there were issues, she knew where she would stand. "I don't think they will. They'll be too distracted with the wedding anyway." she took his hand for a moment. "And if they cause a scene, we'll just leave. Make our own party somewhere else." she chuckled. Her expression turned serious for a moment, because that wasn't what she actually wanted. Worries for later, though.

Where Aniu had already forgotten what she had been talking about, was Therion still clearheaded enough to remind her. "Oh right. Hmmm, well, I'm not sure. She's not dying. I hope..." For a moment, she fell silent, saddened by the topic. She felt selfish for choosing her career over her family. That had always been something she struggled with. And in her tipsy mind, it felt even worse. She shook her head, not wanting to ruin this evening. "She'll go blind, which is just... absolutely awful. It made and will make her life so much harder, as well as that of my brother. Deimos, Chaska's twin. He's so protective of her. He's the next one to be married, to a Rizal girl, actually." She said, looking up at him again. She than shook her head again. "But enough about me and my family! What about you? I've been wondering this whole time; what are you doing all the way down here?"

His sarcastic comment made her laugh, and she felt those butterflies again when he poked her nose. She could feel how he wanted to do more, and she felt the same. If it was up to her she would crawl on his lap again and nestle her face in his neck, while they talked. Being as close to him as possible. And even though the alcohol made her more loose, she still had some restraint. That was just not something anyone did in public, especially the two of them. Coming from well-respected families within Odiria. That was asking for trouble. But now she secretly wishes they had just stayed in his apartment. When he admitted he would always kiss her, she felt her cheeks flush as a giggle rolled off her tongue. Aniu just couldn't help it any longer. Therion just made it very hard on her self-control. So after a quick look around the establishment, making sure nobody was watching them, she did kiss him. Sensual and maybe a little more deep than she intended. When she broke away again, she made sure nobody saw them again before she flashed him a cheeky and maybe a little tipsy smile. "Oeps."
As he downed his beer, she took a sip of her wine as well. The loud thud made her jump, almost sloshing the wine on her white dress, but she laughed. "Say, mister? Can you handle your beer?" she asked him teasingly. Finally, Aaricia came with their food. "Oh, gods that looks good. I'm starving." as the wooden plates with hot meats and various accoutrements were placed in front of them.


& Therion

Therion was still a little worried about the wedding, she could see it in his eyes. Even though he replied with that infectious playfulness of his. "Maybe we should make a scene, then." she teased back, since the idea of a private party sounded so much better right now. Everything with Therion just sounded better. But deep down, she also knew that he was right to worry. Maybe she should test the waters first with her siblings. See how they'd react to the idea of Therion, before she brought him into a mess that wasn't his to clean.

She simply nodded at first when he stated he'd hate to go blind, watching him take another sip, which reminded her to take another sip as well. What he said after, warmed her heart to the core. He was able to surprise her every time with his sweet and kind words.  She flashed him a meaningful look before her expression turned a bit cheeky again. Naughty, naughty alcohol. "Don't worry, you'll still have all your other senses to use on me."
The Rizal family was probably just as big—if not bigger—as the Vylasar family, so it didn't surprise her that he wasn't aware of her brother's fiancée. "Her name is Fauna. I believe she's rather young—18? I haven't met her yet, but if she shares even a little bit of DNA with you, then my brother is a lucky man." Was it a bit cheesy? Maybe, but she still believed it, which was clear from her loving doe eyes she kept flashing at him.

Even though he seemed a bit hesitant at first, Aniu was all ears when he talked about the past year. A shimmer of ache shot through her eyes, as she was reminded that she had left him, but she kept quiet. She let him tell his story, listening intently, and when he finished, she was clearly a little astonished. Her mouth parted a little before she smiled unbelievably. "How is it possible that we missed each other? That's almost exactly my route home." She had to take a sip of her wine. Fate is a funny thing. "After I left, we went straight back to Xaila. We have never been able to perform in Avalon for.. well, obvious reasons, so we played in Al-Qahil for several months. I intended to go back home, but I threw myself into work instead. After that, we came back to Lemuria, touring past several of the smaller towns and Silvercrest. I came home to Moonbright about a month ago, where I finished the tour and took some time off. I only arrived here a couple days ago." She had been staring into the candle on their table as she talked, but she looked at him again when she was done. With a rather melancholic smile.

Thankfully, the conversation turned brighter again, with teasing and laughter. When she kissed him, she expected he'd like it, naturally. But she didn't expect his reaction to be so.. eager. It made her smile on his lips while letting a soft surprise moan slip. His touch, it made her spine and lips tingle, craving more of it. But she knew they shouldn't, so she had to stop herself. She placed her hand over his mouth when she broke away, afraid that she would go in for another if she saw that inviting smirk. His soft grumble didn't make it easier for her.
Luckily, food arrived, and they could finally eat. She was starving. If she didn't eat soon, she was afraid she would devour Therion instead. During the meal, she talked a little about her job, asked him about his, teasing him a little here and there while drinking her wine and enjoying the food and the sweet and lovely man beside her. She shared some of her bites with him, giggling and teasing some more. The wine did her good. She almost finished her plate, which was surprising for the petite sorceress. Wiping her mouth with a cloth napkin, she chuckled at Therion, who had some food stuck in his facial hair. "You got something..." Pointing at her own face first. "Here, let me, you pig." She said jokingly, with laughter in her voice, wiping his beard clean.


& Therion