Elena sighed as she set down her pen on her desk, and she looked down at her journal. Telling of what she needed to improve in sparring and other things she could think of that needed to be done, or minor incidents of recent happenings.
Her eyes lingered on the word 'marriage'.
Lily sat on the couch in the middle of her room. She was knitting something, both spending silent time together.
Elena glanced at the glass door, at her balcony, and the sun setting in the distance, as the last beams of light glinted through.
She picked a grape from the bowl that sat on her desk as she stood up, closing her journal, and started to walk to the wall of books. She skimmed the books, trying to decide which one to read.
Then one caught her eye.
"Biology of Beast-kin and Magic," she murmured, chewing on the grape while reading the title. She had taken only a few personal classes in biology and anatomy, yet was still well-versed in them.
As any noble should be, as well as an adventurer when needing to deal with wounds. Which she herself had to patch herself or Jake up once in a while. But Lily mostly took care of that.
She took the book and sat in a chair as Lily kept on knitting. Both of them were silent as they waited for Jake to arrive, where he and Elena could go to an event she thought would be nice for them to attend.
Yet it would also be full of risks if anyone even slightly noticed who he was. But what was an adventure without risks?
A public place, where he could wear one of the many masks he had, and where they could enjoy each other's company without the world judging them.
She opened the leather book as she started to read.
Beast-kin come in wide varieties, due to their being half beast or animal. Their origin is not fully known, due to their early tribal behavior before they started to settle in towns and cities, and being 'tamed' as they integrated themselves into other cultures.
Their tribal or nomadic culture, depending on the group, meant that stories were only shared through speech, resulting in the loss of most of their origins and a blending of facts and myths.
But it is hypothesized that they first appeared in the First Age.
She continued to read as it described how some Beast-kin tribes were able to transform into a more powerful or weaker version of their beast blood that flowed through them.
She crossed her legs as she continued reading how it was more likely for a Beast-kin magic user child to be a user themselves instead of a Herald. Unlike humans, who were known to be sporadic through generations, some families wouldn't have a user in five generations, while Dwarves and Beast-kin would have one every generation or two.
She continued flipping pages, eyes moving over diagrams of ears, tails, muscle structures, and even notes on sensory perception. Some were fascinating. Others made her scrunch her nose.
Then she turned another page — and her entire body froze.
A very… detailed anatomical sketch stared back at her.
Elena slammed the book shut with a loud thwack.
Lily jolted, the needle catching on the yarn. "Saints above—Elena!"
Elena covered her face with both hands, cheeks burning hot enough to warm the room. "Why was that image even in there…?" She muttered, mortified.
Lily blinked, confused—until her gaze slid to the book's spine, where the title was written, noting 'biology' and Elena's fluster.
Lily's expression shifted slowly from confusion, realization, amusement, and finally delight as she snorted, then burst out laughing.
"Elena," she wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye, "did you just get ambushed by educational material?"
Elena sank deeper into her chair, wishing she could melt into the floor.
"It was… very detailed."
Lily kept laughing.
"Oh, I bet it was."
Elena groaned into her hands.
It took a full five minutes for Lily to even breathe properly, her shoulders still shuddering as she covered her mouth, trying to stop crying at Elena's reaction.
Elena had put the cursed book away in a very high spot where it was unlikely for her to pull it from again for a very, very long time.
Elena mumbled under her breath about burning it instead, as she took her seat again. Lily was finally able to speak, her eyes full of amusement.
"That was certainly a surprise." She teased. Elena crossed her arms.
Lily shook her head, a smile plastered on her lips.
Elena watched the glass door, her mind wandering away from the image as she wondered when he would appear.
Lily noticed her gaze, and her smile widened.
"Another surprise was the skunk incident," Lily said, chuckling, and Elena gagged at the mention of it, remembering the smell.
"Oh, don't remind me." She glared at her friend.
Lily covered her mouth, attempting to hide her chuckle.
"With all the sneaking he does, you expect him not to be ambushed by one, let alone twice." She shook her head, her voice filled with amusement.
Elena's face twisted, remembering how, on his way here, he got sprayed and still thought it was a good idea to come over.
When he did, she instantly kicked him out, yet the smell stayed, and she had to ask him for help to try to explain why her room, which was on the third level, smelled of skunk. He did by killing a skunk and putting it on the roof, but not before it sprayed him again.
She was pretty sure his original plan was to capture it first, then put it on the roof, yet if she got sprayed twice.
She would kill the skunk as well in frustration.
Fifteen didn't treat him well, as she remembered him mentioning a sinking ship along with a crazed merchant.
"Still can't believe that's how I found out about you two," Lily said, as she rested her chin on her hand, as she leaned forward, elbow on her knee. Her green eyes were shining in remembrance.
Elena chuckled, "Sorry that you were the one who had to throw the thing off the roof," her eyes sparkling.
Lily shook her head as she leaned back on the couch.
The two women chatted more about the funny and unexpected moments that Jake and Elena had caused, confusion in the servants' hearing, unexplained sounds, or seeing ghosts.
That was just Jake using his shadows to sneak around.
Then, a faint tapping sound on the glass caught their attention, making both fall silent as they both looked at the glass door of her balcony to see the silhouette of a man, golden eyes gleaming in the night.
Elena smiled as she walked to the door and unlocked it to let him in.
As she opened the door, both of them slightly froze at the sight of each other.
Even though it had been only a month since they last saw each other. To both of them, it felt like years.
"Hello, nice to see you again," he said, his voice amused, a smile playing at his lips.
Elena smiled back as she stepped aside to let him in.
"Hi, Jake," Lily called out, waving her hand.
He raised his hand in greeting as Elena shook her head, closing the door behind Jake. "What took you so long?"
Jake's ears twitched, Elena's eyes drifted to them.
So fluffy, she couldn't help but think about the soft fur that covered them. She did miss him, but she missed his ears more. They were just… cute.
He chuckled, "I was practicing my magic, which you can't use," he taunted, breaking her thoughts of those ears.
She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, heard it a thousand times." She made an exaggerated pout.
Jake smiled and patted her shoulder.
She hid a wince, his pats reminding her of the strike that the knight had given that rattled her to the bone. She brushed his hand aside as she sat back down. Jake walked around her room.
Despite his leather boots, his footsteps were a whisper.
"So what is the surprise you said you had on our last adventure?" He inquired as he picked up a grape from the small bowl on her desk.
Lily smiled as Elena hesitated.
"Well… I was thinking of going to a small ball tonight?" She said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Jake looked up, head tilted.
"A ball? Like one where we dress up and dance?" Jake asked, his tail flicking in thought as he covered his mouth with his hand.
She nodded, "Yes, a ball where we dance. Although it's um… unique." She avoided his piercing eyes.
"How so?" he drawled out.
Elena cleared her throat, Lily giggling.
Elena shot her a glare, and Lily became silent, but her eyes were full of amusement.
"Well… It's supposed to be a… lover's ball." She said hesitantly, a blush creeping up on her face.
His eyes widened.
Silence grew, Lily covering her mouth, as the two froze.
"That is certainly an interesting adventure…" he finally spoke, his tail slightly wagging.
Elena nodded once.
"May I ask, why a lover's ball?"
Elena took a moment to answer. "Well, multiple reasons, one of them being that it was the only one that matched our usual meeting night," she said, looking at him, amber meeting gold.
Jake nodded along, his eyes clearly in thought. "A lover's ball where we, you and me, attend, while also you being known for despising men," he said carefully, as he grabbed more grapes.
Elena shrugged, "I don't despise men, only the ones who see me as a trophy, which the noble houses are mostly filled with." Her voice was taut, remembering how they looked at her.
Jake watched her, his eyes narrowing. "You know this will cause people to stir, the Fox of Falmil, being with someone?" he pointed out.
Yet his dramatic flair was ignited at the idea of being a mysterious man, being able to 'tame' the Fox of Falmil; of course, it would only be an act, a play that he could control.
Elena nodded. That's exactly what she wanted.
"Yes, I know," she said, rubbing the back of her neck.
He watched her, studied her. Elena noticed his intense gaze as she blushed slightly. She glanced at his eyes, stirring with thought as if molten gold. Warm and majestic, yet too close, and it burns.
Jake sighed, shaking his head, as his tail flicked. "Before we leave, I want to know exactly why, alright?" His gaze still burned as Elena nodded.
Lily looked between them as she opened her mouth, but Elena gave a small wave, and Lily closed it. As she gave a nod to Jake. His tail flicked once in acknowledgment.
"I can certainly do a disguise," He said, his eyes cooled as his voice became upbeat. "Still have some clothing for me?"
"Yes, I do have some clothing for you," she said, her own voice joining his, as she let out a breath she didn't know she held.
Her gaze returned to him, not his eyes but his body, as she studied his build under his heavy jacket. Her gaze became more focused as the moment stretched, as she tried to think of the formal clothing they had and wondered if it would still fit him.
He certainly has more muscles than the last time he wore them and is slightly taller, she thought.
Jake cleared his throat, breaking the silence of her watchful gaze. "You alright? You had a pretty intense gaze there."
She didn't answer as she stood up, Lily watching and shaking her head, recognizing Elena's mood, as she swiftly approached him. He took a step back at her sudden closeness, his tail wagging as he looked down on her, as her caramel scent wafted up.
"Can you take your coat off? I don't fully know if the clothes we have hidden for you still fit." She said, looking up, their eyes meeting as they watched each other. Elena slightly blushed, realizing how truly close she was to him, and hesitantly took a step back.
He cleared his throat as he started to slough off his jacket and let it fall to the ground. It made a loud thud as it landed.
Elena's eyes slightly widened at how heavy it was. "So you packed more stuff in there?"
Jake gave a soft laugh, "Yeah, gotta have everything when you're me."
Elena's eyes softened, remembering how easy her life was. How… boring it was. She liked the adventures Jake could take her on, true adventures where there wouldn't be a squad of guards surrounding her all the time, fighting and killing anything that gave the slightest threat to her.
Only Jake could give her that thrill of adventure and risk. Even now, it was tempting fate just standing close together.
She looked down as she lifted his arm, his skin tough and wrought with muscle that lay underneath and slightly pale, due to his living in the Undercity.
"I think they should work," Elena said as she let his arm drop down to his side.
Then a flash of black fur caught her attention as she looked behind him, his tail wagging faster than usual, and she chuckled.
"It always betrays you, doesn't it?" She teased as he was looking away.
"Not all the time…" he mumbled.
Elena giggled.
Jake coughed as he focused, and his tail finally stopped as it slightly wrapped around his waist.
Elena smiled as she walked to a door and opened it, revealing a sprawling closet full of clothing. He sighed, seeing she had gotten carried away the last time he saw it; there were only half of the clothes there, and that was 4 months ago.
Elena dug through the hanging clothes as Jake sat down on the chair, and Elena searched for the hidden compartment she had installed.
"It's gotten worse, hasn't it?" he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Lily sighed and continued knitting. "Yes, her spending… has gotten a little out of hand."
Jake nodded.
"Ah-ha," Elena called out as a faint click rang out. She came out of the closet, closing the door behind her, as she carried out a box filled with men's clothing.
"We gotta get new clothing for you… I don't think most of these will fit." She mumbled as she looked through them.
"Yes, ma'am," he joked.
Lily giggled at their usual banter, as Elena sighed in exasperation. She threw some clothing at him, hitting his face. "The ball is starting in 2 hours, so get dressed, then after you, I will get my dress," she said tersely.
Jake chuckled as he got up and headed to the closet. "Fine," he said, sticking out his tongue as he passed her.
Elena rolled her eyes, taking his seat as the door closed behind him. Elena and Lily chatted while Jake got changed.
The suit fit him well, but as he put on the jacket, it felt weird; it was too light. It didn't move with weight, as his leather one did; he grimaced as he tried to get used to it. But he sighed in defeat, accepting the oddness of the jacket, as he stepped out.
Lily turned her head around, and Elena stared.
The suit had a button-up dark blue shirt and a black velvet coat that didn't have hidden pockets like his big leather one. His pants matched his dark blue button-up shirt. Dress shoes, simple and black, replaced his leather boots, which he always found comfortable.
"Very nice," Lily said, fanning herself mockingly. Elena smiled. It was nice seeing him in an actual suit for once.
His lifestyle was rough and dangerous, represented by his clothing and movements, which were all coiled muscles ready to strike at a moment's notice. The velvet coat highlighted his movements as it was only slightly tight on him; his shoulders and arms tightened the suit as he moved.
His wolf's ears flicked, and Elena caught herself staring at them again before the two could notice.
Why gotta be so fluffy, she thought.
"Lily, I may need some help with the dress," Elena said, as she started to get up, Lily nodding, as she stood as well and followed Elena.
"I trust you that you can hide if anyone comes in, unannounced?" She said, stopping next to him.
"I can hide in the shadows and be ever watchful, my lady," he said as he gave a dramatic bow.
Elena shook her head at his dramatic flair as she went into the closet, and Lily was close behind as they started to talk once more.
Jake watched the two women disappear into the closet as he took a seat on the couch, wrapping his tail around his waist, and raised his hand. Watching his shadow ripple on the small table. Wondering what he was missing, what he did not understand about his shadow to make constructs.
Shadows were darkness, the absence of light itself, a thing that took away what was there. The way he could teleport and merge with them was by making himself absent from the world around him. What did he have to take from the world to make constructs?
He had studied his magic as much as he could, yet, like the shadows, the teaching and knowledge were mostly absent from history and books. Only a reflection of what used to be there.
He sat there watching the shadow of his hand rippling. He sighed as he dropped his arm, closing his eyes as he rested his mind, allowing his ears to pick up small details of the Manor. Distant chatter of servants whispering, footsteps as they roamed and cleaned the halls or rooms.
A pair of footsteps approached Elena's door, and soon a knock rang out, as Jake instantly merged with the shadows.
Moments passed, and Jake waited calmly to see if the servant would enter. But the servant soon turned around as no one responded and walked away, Jake emerging from the shadows, sighing.
Jake looked around and saw his jacket was still lying on the ground, he walked over and picked it up, as the metal of the knives and other tools made small, silent clinks.
He glanced at the closet door, wondering how much longer it would take her to be prepared.
He only got changed in a matter of minutes, while an hour had already passed for her to get ready. Shaking his head, he mumbled, "Guess women have standards."
Finally, as Jake laid on the couch, tossing some grapes up, and trying to catch them with his mouth, the closet door opened, and he quickly sat up after he tossed one.
As he watched Elena emerge, the world paused.
Her posture was poised yet effortless, confidence woven into every movement. The dress wrapped around her in layers of deep red and dark violet, secured with a crimson sash that traced her waist like a whisper. A soft mantle rested over her shoulders, fastened by a turquoise gem that drew the eye to the graceful curve of her neck. Her detachable dark-blue sleeves clung to her arms, the fabric flowing like ink when she moved — elegance and readiness in perfect balance.
Jake froze. His breath caught somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. His tail betrayed him first, wagging despite the tightness in his chest.
The grape bounced off his head.
Elena's lips curved as she noticed the grape and his gaze, a soft giggle slipping past them. The sound pulled him back to himself — or tried to.
"You look… nice," he said softly.
His chest felt heavy, as if in battle, yet the room was silent, peaceful, warm with her presence, as he stared.
The only word coming to mind to describe her truly was majestic, as he tried to suppress a blush.
His golden eyes met her amber, both glistening in the mix of the lamp's and the violet moonlight from the two moons, which shone through the dark clouds of the night sky.
A quiet moment stretched between them.
Both of them watched the other.