Elvin Vale

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Faelwen allowed him to pull away, and couldn't stop a giggle at the look on his face. Ah, that had been quite worth the effort. Just what would he do if he knew about the other quirk? She pretended to think a moment before grinning pleasantly. "Something about taking a pony, and it being out back..." She waited a moment to allow that to sink into his mind. "Though, you put it a little differently...without the posh cover of faking your speech." Here Fae pushed herself up to a sitting position, and looked at him playfully. "You didn't loose any dignity...quite the contrary actually. I find it masculine and attractive when you snore too." She had turned her head away to look at him out of the corner of her eye. Oh, boy, she couldn't wait for him to react to that bit of news. It had seemed that he had known about his habit of sleep talking, but did he know about that other bit?
 
Kris chewed on his lip as he tried to remember what he'd been dreaming about. A pony? He couldn't remember anything like that from this nap just now. Oh, but he did suddenly remember a mental image of him riding a horse at breakneck speed through a thick forest with Faelwen sitting behind him, her arms around his waist. Some part of his brain informed him that it was a snapshot from a recent dream, but he wasn't sure if it had been from his nap just now or from some other point in the last couple of days.

But when her last words hit him, it showed on his face in the way his eyes widened and his cheeks began to burn. Snoring. He snored. No, he couldn't snore, snoring was ugly! It was the exact opposite of attractive. She had to be mocking him. "Oh..." A hand went back to his face. "Jeez, did I really...oh, gods, I beg your pardon, I am so sorry. No one ever said I...I had no idea. No one should have to hear that." His face hardened as he pointed at her. "Don't let me do it again. Smack me or something. Don't let me sound ugly around you, okay? You deserve a man who doesn't snore." He turned away for her and slid his hand through his hair again, stopping once his palm pressed against his forehead. "Ohh, sweet stars in heaven, that's embarrassing..." he said more quietly to no one in particular.
 
Faelwen found it difficult to contain her laughter at his reaction. No, she wasn't being sarcastic or teasing in anyway, but it seemed that he thought so. She waited until he had once more rested back on the grass and finished ranting. It was then that she moved closer to him, and pulled away the hand that had been resting on his forehead. "I will do no such thing to stop you, I could never be that rough with a man so attractive. Besides," She slowly leaned down to connect her mouth with his. After savoring the taste of his lips she pulled away. "I do find it masculine...and enticing....it simply adds to the list of wonderful quirks you have." She smiled down at him, her eyes no longer holding a teasing light, but a soft loving emotion pooled in them. "I intend to...fully enjoy....every quirk....you possess." With every pause she leaned down to peck his lips. Hopefully this would ease any embarrassment on his part, not knowing about that must have been quite a shock, and all the more entertaining.
 
It took Kris by surprise when Faelwen pulled his hand away, and he looked up at her with questioning eyes. She seemed insistent on telling him that she liked it. If nothing else, her calling him attractive caused warmth to bloom in his chest and a grateful smile to twitch across his face, and once she began kissing him and just wouldn't stop, he was too weakened by the assault of affection to protest any longer. Her kisses were magic, each one a tingly little spell that banished worry from his mind and made his eyelids droop further each time. They were closed by the end, and he had to force them to flutter sleepily open to address her in return. "So by 'quirks,' you mean those bad habits guys have that shouldn't be excused, but girls invariably find adorable for no conceivable reason?" he probed her with a raised eyebrow, but after a moment his face softened back into a smile. "If you insist, sweet, that's something I can live with." He reached up to cup her face and pull her into another kiss. This was deeper than a peck, but gentle and affectionate. He held it for a few seconds before he broke away. Ah, he could look into her eyes forever. If only he had that luxury.

His gaze flickered back to their fire pit. The fire within was long burned out. "I suppose our first order of business is to take the dishes back," he said. "Then we need to be sure we're changed in time to get you back to the palace before dinner, and since you have some things to drop off, I say we do that at the tree. Sound good?"
 
Faelwen giggled at his responce, and just nodded in agreement. There wasn't a point in arguing with him any more on the subject. Mmm, how she loved getting kissed by him. His lips were wonderfully soft and experienced against hers. The only downside she could find with his kisses is that they would end....sooner or later they had to pull away from each other. She sighed as he laid out the rest of the plans for the day. "That sounds good. We can wash the dishes and stuff in the stream, and return them to the orphanage. I'll show you the way to the tree again to be sure you have that memorized. Then we can just repeat what we did yesterday." She pushed herself up, and walked over to collect their plates and utensils. She could easily wash the dishes, that wasn't a particularly hard task.
 
"Ah, thanks," he said to her offer to walk to the tree again. "I appreciate it. I've been meaning to learn the route better." He rose to his feet with some effort, and since Faelwen had already made to take their plates to the stream, he figured he would be best applied to returning the rocks from the fire pit back to the stream bed, which took a few minutes, and scattering the ashes from their fire; he made sure pick up his cloak off the ground before he did the latter. A couple of the larger pieces of wood persisted as half-charcoal sticks that he didn't know what better to do with, so he kicked them apart a bit and then left them as they were. He turned back to Faelwen once he was done. "Need my help with anything? Oh, and don't forget your dress."
 
Faelwen soon finished washing the dishes, and began putting them away. Kris's question made her perk up. Oh! She'd left her dress on the bushes. Quickly, she walked over to remove it and place it in her basket. The dishes were soon put away, and she turned to Kris. "I need to take my basket back to the castle as well. I have to put more supplies in it for my next trip to the infirmary." Yes, she still intended to continue her visits there and at the orphanage while she had suitors. It may prove difficult, but she hoped it would turn out.
 
Kris had just started to nod in understanding at Faelwen's plan, but he was surprised when she ended the sentence with "infirmary" instead of "orphanage." Both made sense, but the latter was what had been on his mind. He was still interested in accompanying her into the infirmary at least once more, to show support for her hobby. Not that he felt very strongly about those in the infirmary that needed her help, mind you, but a part of him felt as if he should care. Faelwen cared. Faelwen was a good person...and the person he loved. Guilt wrenched his heart the longer he thought about it. The least he could do was make an appearance. "Sounds good to me," he said as he picked up the lightened basket and slung the sack over his shoulder with a clanking noise from the items within. "Next time you can get away, I'll come with you. I'd like to see what you do." He lifted the basket to indicate it. "Is it normal for you to bring this into the castle in character, or would you like me to drop it off somewhere?"
 
Faelwen smiled as they began their walk back to the town. It wasn't a long way off thankfully, giving them plenty of time to change and get to the palace before Manwe arrived. Ah, that was going to be a pain. If she remembered correctly, the west prince was a bit of a flirt. She could only imagine how his personality changed as he grew older. At least Kris would be there to stop the man if he went too far. She shook her head in answer to his question. "No...I usually sneak it in and out. It wouldn't be good if I gave away hints about where I would be going on my trips." She giggled a little at the thought. Yes, obviously filling her basket with medicines and herbs would be an obvious statement that she were going out to help the sick or injured. They would start looking in the hospitals and infirmaries. "If you could drop it in my greenhouse....I'd be grateful. There's no use in you wearing yourself out by blinking into my room when no one enters the greenhouse anyway." It sounded like they had a plan. With any luck, it would be easy to carry out.
 
((This may be nitpicking, but I don't think Fae knows it's Manwe yet? Kris didn't give her the name.))

The walk back to the orphanage wouldn't take too long, if Kris remembered correctly. The weight over his shoulder wasn't all that uncomfortable, and the basket in his hand was much lighter. As they walked through the streets, he was all ears to Faelwen's answer, but after the word "greenhouse" his expression shifted to betray there was something critically wrong with her plan. It took him a second to answer once she finished. "Um...I appreciate the gesture, sweet, but you may be forgetting that you haven't shown me your greenhouse yet. I wouldn't know how to get there. If your room and the greenhouse are connected or else close by, I'm..." he cringed at the next word, "willing to use that as a waypoint, but if it isn't urgent, it may be best if we leave your basket at the tree for the time being, and I can bring it up later once I've gotten to see the place. Does that seem reasonable?"
 
Faelwen looked up as he stated the obvious. Oh, that was right, she hadn't shown him around the areas she usually went in the castle. "That is a good plan. If we have the time before the prince comes, then I can show you the greenhouse. It is right next to my room, with a door connecting them. I usually keep the door connecting the greenhouse to the castle shut. Hopefully I can show you that. I have a few plants you may be able to use." She looked up as they again stood in front of the orphanage building. The door was opened without the usual arguing, and their business there concluded rather quickly. A few of the older kids asked prodding questions about what the two of them had done that took so long. Lillian simply asked to be held while they were there. The two older twins helped put the dishes and utensils away.
 
Kris perked up. Faelwen had just unintentionally reminded him that he'd been considering rethinking the poison he usually applied to his daggers as a failsafe. She was sure to have a much more extensive knowledge of the topic than he did, and with any luck she'd be pleased that he showed interest in her expertise. Ah, but until then, he still needed to do a fresh application of his usual concoction when he next had the chance. What with her suitors taking up a good chunk of her time in the upcoming weeks or months, Kris doubted he'd lack the free time to get on top of that at some point. Just how much time would he have to kill while she was busy, anyway? Maybe I should get a hobby... In any case, she'd invited him to see the greenhouse, and the fact that he liked the idea showed in his smile. "Thank you. I'd like to see it. I'd be a poor boyfriend if I didn't show any interest in what makes my Vanya tick." He'd have tapped her on the nose if he had a hand to spare, but by then they were on the orphanage's front stoop anyway.

Unsurprisingly, Kris was quite grateful not to be swarmed by hyper children this time around. The visit went without incident. When Lillian expressed her wish to be held for a while, he couldn't help but smile, and he offered to take a turn with the task once Faelwen got tired. For some reason, it felt nice to have a little one in his arms—one who behaved, at least. What with his lifestyle up until recently, the uncertain circumstances of his future, and his lack of experience working with kids, he knew he had no business raising a child, but if the child were as sweet as this...if that child were a Lillian, maybe fatherhood wouldn't be so bad. He was surprised to realize he felt this way, but he felt it nevertheless.

They were on their way after a few minutes, and once the door was closed behind them and they were on their way, something occurred to Kris that had slipped his mind before. "Oh, almost forgot," he said. "Your name." He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice. "Obviously, I didn't mean to let that slip earlier, and I'll try harder to be careful. But if I ever do it again, I feel we should have a consistent story to stick to. No offense meant, but 'Kris accidentally calls his girlfriend the princess when he gets flustered' might be pushing it." His brow furrowed in thought. "Do you think we could get away with me saying that Fae's my pet name for you, as in 'fairy'? You're certainly as pretty as one." He grinned and gave her a nudge with his arm as he complimented her.

((Edit: nose tap. He didn't have a free hand. :P))
 
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Faelwen couldn't help but watch him with a smile as Kris held the small girl. Ah, he looked so wonderful holding the small girl. Lillian giggled and spoke to Kris excitedly using the term Uncle to refer to him. Kris even looked like he was truly enjoying himself while she chattered on and on about everything she knew. It was a sad time when they had to part ways. Just before the door closed, Lilly called out 'Don't forget to come and visit, Uncle Kris!' Poor girl sadly returned to her toys after that.

She was thankful that there were no more accidents this time, and was glad that they were soon on their way. She had to agree with him as he mentioned the slip of her name. But what could they do to remedy the situation? His idea made her blush. "If..If you want to use that, you may..." She took his arm as he nudged her with it, and gently pressed her lips to his cheek. "Thank you." She took the lead, carefully explaining a way to always arrive at the correct spot after they had gotten far enough into the forest. She slowly came to a stop as they stood in front of the large rocks. "Now...see if you can find the entrance on your own. That's a key point as well."
 
Daww, she looked cute when he embarrassed her like that. Her cheek-kiss sent a rush of warmth through him, as it usually did, and he responded with a flirty "Oh, you're always welcome," his voice like honey.

They reached the woods soon enough. Faelwen wasted no time in leading him into the forest once more, but this time she went much more slowly, pointing out each landmark they passed. This would be the path he used for the time being, and once he had used the route enough times to have a clear understanding of the destination's relative location—fortunately this route wasn't as roundabout as the last one, so his sense of direction would have a much easier time—he would be able to form his own paths to that destination the same way she did. After a few minutes, the strange rock formation was in sight. This was his final test. "I remember," he said as he stepped forward. "It was on this side here, near that crevice..." He approached the area he spoke of and dragged his fingers across the vines, seeking the point where they came loose. It took a few strides along the rock face to finally pinpoint the spot. "Right...here." He swept the vines aside with a careful gesture. It seemed the weight of this place had already begun to affect his behavior. He was silent as he held the vines aside for Faelwen to enter first, only tilting his head to indicate what he wanted her to do.
 
Faelwen's eyes sparkled as she watched him confidently find the entrance. This would be a secret place between them. A place they could be alone. She stepped inside and waited a moment for Kris to join her before striding into the hidden world here. It remained as they had left it, flowers in bloom, and animals loitering around without a care that they were exposed. No predators could be found. The tree's leaves fluttered gracefully in the light breeze. Faelwen took a few moments to again soak up the tranquility of this place. "Well, now...here is where we must leave behind ourselves as lovers. I am glad that the princess has taken a small liking to having a single guard with her though. It is much easier to be tolerant of you than to hate your presence." She let out a small sigh, wondering what the rest of the day would bring. One question seemed to bother her though. Would Kris have to leave her if there was the suitors around? She didn't like the thought, but would understand. "Will you be following me as you were before, or have I graduated from a constant watch?"
 
He kept pace with her as they entered the hidden clearing. Once again the weight of this peaceful place hit him. This was Faelwen's safe place, and of all people, he had been invited here. This was tantamount to having been invited inside her heart, her most intimate sanctuary. A part of him wished he had a similar secret place that meant a lot to him that he could share with her in return, but he knew of no such place. Oh well. This would do, as would their picnic site, their spot by the lake and the clearing upstream, even their inn room from the past two nights if they were ever able to get it back. All were special places that carried the most precious memories of the two of them alone together, bonding the way lovers were meant to bond.

He smiled as she commented on their change in characters. "Agreed. Less stressful." He looked at her with concern when she sighed, though. She seemed to be asking if he would continue to stay zealously by her side. He definitely would if he could help it. He managed a playful chuckle. "Oh, don't you worry, sweetie. I'm not letting you out of my sight until Kingy or Arandur tells me otherwise." He grinned for a moment before he devoted himself to their next plan. "Okay, so here's what we need to do. I'll need to change in my room, take your cloak to your room, and bring the green dress back here for you." He looked down at the basket in his hand, still carrying a dress, a candle, a couple of plants, and a couple of naughtier things. "Where should we keep the dress and the other stuff?" he asked her. "I think leaving them here would be fine, if you agree. We wouldn't want them being found in your dresser."
 
Faelwen glanced over with a slightly shy expression. As the princess she shouldn't care if he were there or not, she could handle the suitors on her own. But as his girlfriend...even that word sent chills through her. As his girlfriend, she wanted to be sure he'd have his opinion on certain things. It just seemed like it would be his place to guard her. She felt better as he answered her. That seemed to take some stress off her shoulders. Her mind was finally able to settle into her usual pattern of planning. Only a couple things struck her as not right. "I actually need my cloak to stay here. I can wrap up the....questionable items in it and put it back inside that hollow in the tree." She took a few minutes to think. Yes, that seemed to be a plan. She unclasped her cloak and started to place her outfit and the dress inside it. The cloak was carefully folded to avoid wrinkling the dress. She glanced at the unwrapped parcel holding the collar and leash. "Did you want to keep that in your room? I'm fairly sure no one would question it." And she'd be right. Usually the guard's rooms were left untouched, but every so often, the captain would search their rooms to be sure no anti-kingdom stuff was there. She didn't even want to get into some of the rumors she had heard about what had been found in their rooms. Definitely worse than a collar and leash.
 
Oh, of course. It made sense for Faelwen to want to keep a nondescript cloak out here too. "Ah, all right," Kris said. "Seems reasonable." He stood by as he waited for her to wrap up the two outfits. Her suggestion that he take the unopened package with him took him by surprise, but he didn't have any strong feelings on the matter. "Sure, if you want," he said as he picked it up. "Might as well. See you in a minute, then." He tucked the package under his arm and was gone.

His first stop was his room. The package was tucked safely into his dresser and his cloak discarded for the time being. It only took a couple of minutes to shed his vest and dress shirt—which he only just noticed still had the sleeves rolled up from when he'd been cooking, heh—and hang them up neatly. From there he began the usual ordeal of slipping into his uniform's shirt and then fastening his armor into all the proper places on his body. It took a handful of minutes, but nothing too bothersome. His cloak was refastened in place, and from there, Kris' next stop was the tower. The familiar room appeared around him quickly, and since he wasn't a fan of it, he made his way quickly to Faelwen's dresser, located the green dress with the brown sash within, and slipped it from the hanger. He was just about to call this done and return to the tree when a twinkling caught his eye, drawing his eyes to her vanity. Ah, her diadem! That was right, she'd worn that yesterday as well. He strode over to that side of the room and took the accessory gingerly in his hands, the dress draped over his arm. He glanced around the room once more to double-check that he wasn't missing anything. This seemed to be it. He thought of the tree and its clearing, silently prayed that the trip wouldn't feel so wobbly this time, and vanished.

Much to his relief, this blink felt just like every other. He supposed that meant he'd properly earned the right to reach the location. He opened his eyes once he felt himself appear and settle on the grass. "I got your crown-thingy too," he said, "or whatever it's called. I think you had it when we last left the castle yesterday."
 
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Faelwen held her garments close to her as Kris blinked away. She didn't think it would be possible for her to ever be comfortable using that form of travel. It was a convenient way to get around without being noticed. She turned and had soon tucked the folded clothes into the hole in her mother's tree. There. Now to wait for Kris to return. That could be a few minutes. If she remembered correctly, putting on plate armor took some time. She settled on kneeling by her mother's gravestone as a suitable way to pass the time. She simply remembered the times she had her mother with her. It was soon after that Kris blinked back into the clearing.

She stood and turned to him with a smile. He held the correct dress, and her diadem! Ah, she'd nearly forgotten that. "Thank you...It may have looked bad if I were to return without it." She stepped closer to take her dress. It only took her a moment to slip it on and lace up the back on her own. Once that was finished, she set about trying to smooth out a few tangles in her hair. It wouldn't be like her to present herself without looking well groomed.
 
"Oh, you're welcome." Kris didn't think it all that much of a chore, but he too was glad that he'd remembered it. He waited with her diadem in hand as she slipped into the dress. The lacing of this one was of a different style that didn't require his help, and though he felt a twinge of disappointment that she didn't ask him to assist her, he didn't press the matter. Once the dress was on she began to run her fingers through her hair to straighten it, presumably because she wanted it tidy before putting the diadem on her head. Ah! He bit his lip in sudden anticipation. She hadn't noticed the thin braid in her hair yet, trailing from the right side of her face, and she was bound to notice it in a second. Since he hadn't had anything to tie it off with, the end had begun to come undone, the strands only holding loosely together.
 
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