My best enemy

Maea

The worst of all blessings

"I like my toast dark," was her only comment on the state of the bread. The rich aroma of tea rose from the kettle as she pored for them both and mingled with sweet honey tones and the richness of melting butter - if 'homely' had a fragrance it would be something close to this.

Sitting down to eat, the companionable silence turned the simple breakfast into an intimate setting. Savoring the perfect crunch of toast spread with butter and jam, being present in the moment had never been so easy. At some point, unable to resist anymore, one of her hands snaked across the table towards his, palm up and open with invitation.
"What are you doing today?" came a quiet inquiry, murmured over the rim of her favorite mug. The morning light turned her eyes lavender warm as she gazed at him, for no reason beyond simple enjoyment of the view.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

Breakfast was a quiet, comfortable affair. It didn't take long before Maea reached out, and Liam immediately moved to place his hand in hers, perfectly content to eat with his free hand while refusing to relinquish the one of hers that he now held. The tea was rich, sweetened nicely with honey; the toast, though perhaps a bit dark for his tastes, was still quite nice with slathered with butter and jam. And the eggs, though plain, rounded the meal out nicely.

He'd very nearly finished when Maea asked about his plans for the day, and he sat back with his own mug of tea held in his free hand. "I need to go to the market," he said, thinking of his very bare kitchen cupboard at home - a result of his recent travels, no doubt. "Maybe go hunting." It was, after all, far cheaper to hunt his own meat than to pay for it at the market, and at this time of year, the Greatwood was overflowing with game. "Do you want to come?" he added, looking at her hopefully. She may have her own plans for the day, of course, but he'd welcome her for as much of his day as she'd like to join in on.

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

The slow smile spreading across her face answered before she could reply. "Yes, please. I need to restock after yesterday's disaster. Plus, it will be nice to move for a bit." Her eyes rolled skyward, but with more amusement than self-reproach. 
The notion that they could shop for only one household did cross her mind, but that was taking it a bit far even after the solemn vows of this morning. If this crave for touch and closeness was any indication then 'taking it slow' would by necessity mean spending time apart. In their own houses, their own beds, where time and solitude would allow the seeds sown today to grow at their own pace. Today she wanted to stay by his side - tomorrow might require some alone time to decompress and absorb every radical change her life was about to take.

Polishing off the last of her eggs before settling back to enjoy the rest of her tea, she found herself looking forward to the day. Whatever plans she'd made before could wait; even searching for roses took a backseat to the simple pleasure of washing dishes and grocery shopping, strolling through the village hand in hand and discussing where to begin the hunt. The scenes unfurled like pastoral watercolours in her mind's eye, rich and lovely; and if it didn't turn out exactly that way, it didn't mean it wasn't still perfect.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

Liam could think of nothing better than a day spent with his partner, particularly after such intensity earlier. Although he'd be perfectly content to stay in with her and scrounge up whatever they could find for mealtimes, he also knew that his self-control would likely be hanging by a thread by the end of the day if they did that. Surely getting out and about - going shopping, hunting, and so on - would require cooler heads.

Right? Right.

"Great!" Liam said brightly, already mentally making plans for what made the most sense to do first. "Maybe shopping first, then? Just in case the forest decides to keep us later than the market's open?" While the trees didn't mess with him as often as they did when he'd first come to the Greatwood, there was always the possibility that he could get hopelessly lost amongst their towering trunks. "I just need to stop by the house first." For a change of clothes, at least, and to grab a few bags to use at the market.

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

"Sounds like a plan."

Between the two of them, washing up was done in a jiffy. Leaving pots and trays to soak, Maea made a quick beeline up the stairs to change her own clothes. While not intending to hurry, she nevertheless fumbled with buttons and boot laces in her eagerness to be done. This itch in her hands, the soft tremor of her limbs, they betrayed an anticipation she would prefer not to let show too obviously for a while longer. They were just going to the market. Only leaving on a hunt. Both of these activities they'd done before - but that was before she knew what hid in Liam's eyes when he smiled at her. How long had he...? And when had she started to ...? 

Clumsy fingers forgot how to work the strands of a braid. Huffing impatiently she tied it back in a loose tail instead, snatched a bag from its hook and was out the door before she wasted any more time. Supple leather trousers hugged the curve of her hips as she made it down the stairs, worn enough not to creak anymore. The black linen shirt and supple leather jerkin made a stark contrast to the soft skirt she'd worn earlier; in this outfit she appeared older, slimmer - almost a little dangerous, in a manner that would have made Thalassa proud.

The impression lost some of the impact with the brightness of her expression, however, and the way she all but bounced up to Liam, "Ready! Let's go."

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

The washing up took little time indeed when split between the two of them, and it wasn’t long before Liam was waiting patiently for Maea to change. When she reappeared, it was in dark leather that hugged her like a second skin, and Liam swallowed hard at the change from the softer skirt of the night before. This was Maea the huntress, dangerous and lethal, and gods if he didn’t wonder what it might be like to peel her out of those leathers, to worship this other facet to the woman he cared so deeply for.

Clearing his throat, his cheeks faintly red, Liam smiled in response to his partner’s chipper greeting, so at odds with her dark appearance. ”You look stunning,” he murmured, offering his hand for her to take, should she choose to. And then they were off.

They stopped first by his cottage, where Liam slipped away to the bedroom to don his own hunting attire: dark pants, worn-in boots, and a brown shirt that hugged his muscular torso. He pulled his hair back from his face, pausing to glance in the mirror; he wasn’t worthy of Maea’s beauty, but his appearance would do, he supposed.

Making his way back to where he’d left Maea in the living room, Liam grinned at her. They made quite the pair, decked out in dark colors made for blending into the shadows. He wa sure they would find success on their hunt later. For now, though: ”Let me just grab a few bags,” Liam rumbled. ”Then we can head out.”

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

Had she planned the outfit with his reaction in mind, she would have been amply rewarded. And while the garments were chosen for their ease of motion,  somewhere in the back of her mind the ancient registered the color in his cheeks, the subtle sharpening of his regard, and filed it away. To be pulled out and re-examined at a later date... you know. For science.
"Thank you," came a bashful response all the same, unaccustomed to such forthright praise as she was. Slipping her hand into his, there was something quite nerve wracking to leave the privacy of the house behind like this. They might as well have sent a herald ahead to announce the shift in their status to the world, or plastered proclamations to the notice board. Every time they passed someone on the road to Liam's place Maea braced for the friendly greetings to follow with curiosity - but no questions ever came. Could it really be that the glow she thought radiated from their joined hands went unseen to all others? How peculiar.

Left to her own devices while Liam changed, she gazed absently around the small living room, remembering the other times she'd been there. When he emerged from the bedroom - a space she had yet to see for herself - she looked up from her inspection of the contents of a shelf – and swallowed thickly against a sudden dryness of her mouth. It wasn't much different from how he usually dressed, but boy did it hit different now to see the width of his shoulders accentuated by the shirt and how his facial structure came to its right with the curls pulled away.

"Not bad yourself..." An understatement, to be sure. He was strikingly handsome, in a way she'd once dismissed as entirely out of her league. Even now it was unfathomable why someone like him would take notice of a strange oddity like her... but she was grateful, whatever it was about her that made him look twice.

Surreptitiously pinching herself while he fetched the bags, it didn't seem to be a dream, after all. Hovering dazedly by the door until they were ready to head for the market, a silly little grin kept playing on her lips at the sheer wonder over how quickly life could change.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

As they left the house hand-in-hand, Liam couldn’t help but cast frequent glances at Maea, still astounded by the fact that she returned his affections. Oh, how things could change in just one evening! Perhaps the lack of questions from passersby on their way to Liam’s cottage was a testament to just how used to seeing them together the Greatwood had become; maybe it had been assumed before this that they were, in fact, already together, and they were just now realizing it for themselves.

In any case, they arrived at Liam’s home without much fanfare at all, which seemed absurd to the soldier given that he was tempted to shout the news from the treetops. Once he’d changed and returned to the living room, Maea’s compliment bringing a whole new rush of color to his cheeks. ”Thank you,” he said, shooting her a quick smile before going to fetch the bags.

The walk to the market took no time at all; Liam didn’t live far. The calls of merchants airing their wares filled the air, stalls full of baked goods and fresh produce and everything in between filling the marketplace with a unique blend of scents. With the bags slung carelessly over a shoulder, Liam kept hold of Maea’s hand as they made their way through the organized chaos. ”Produce first?” he rumbled, glancing her way as he hesitated between a few stalls that usually had fresh fruits and vegetables on display.

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

"Sure." With her fingers braided into his, Maea followed him across the milling marketplace and approached the stall. Picking out what she needed of root vegetables and cabbage and other local produce, she hefted a huge peach in her free hand, then hesitated when her eyes snagged on freshly picked strawberries.

"Are there any fruits or foods you don't like?" she wondered, and looked up at Liam. In the end she settled for both; if he didn't like strawberries, she'd be happy to eat them herself.
Haggling briefly with the vendor before paying for her items, the next items on her list was bread, then eggs to replenish what they'd taken from breakfast - and maybe some smoked meat, in case they didn't have any luck with the hunt. "Where do you want to go, later?" Thinking of hunting grounds and the distances they could reach in an afternoon, she hoped the forest would cooperate.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

Liam, too, began to pick through the assorted fruits and vegetables, doing his best to select items that weren’t quite ripe in an effort to make them last longer in his cupboard. ”I’m not picky, but I’m not a huge fan of bananas,” he said, trying to decide between a few apples. Discarding one because of a bruise, he tucked two others into his bag. ”It’s something about the texture. Same thing with mashed potatoes - I’ll eat them any other way, though.” A few peppers made it into the bag, and a couple of said potatoes. ”What about you?”

He waited for Maea to haggle for her food, then repeated the process for himself before they moved on to other merchants. Soon, his bags were full of the produce he’d purchased, a few different types of bread (both for his own tastes and to hopefully cover Maea’s preferences), and some butter and other dairy items. At the last moment, he snagged a little smoked meat with a rueful smile at Maea; though he had the utmost confidence in their coming hunt, he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared just in case.

”I thought we could try the Stone Symphony,” he said. ”There’s a little glen I found that seems to be a favorite of deer - unless it’s moved.” Which was always a possibility.

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

Mushy food was promptly filed away into the category of likes and dislikes in her brain, with a mental note to avoid it to the best of her abilities. "Good to know. I'm the same, more or less. I can eat anything, but if given the choice I'd rather not have pumpkin flavored things. And beans - if they're in something it's fine, but eating them just as is..." She grimaced lightly to make her point. That too was a texture thing; that gritty mealy pulp with bits of peel in was a definite no from her.

With nothing else pressing to buy, Maea fell in beside the soldier as they returned to his house. She would simply leave her bags to bring home later, assisting going back and forth would eat up time better spent on the road. "Hmm, deers like it, huh. I'll have to inspect too then," she joked, thinking of her own feirw shift. "Why don't you try asking the forest to take us there? She might do it for you." Slipping ever so slightly closer between two strides, the slender woman bumped her arm lightly against his; if she were an enchanted forest there was nothing she wouldn't do to accommodate him.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

”Noted,” Liam said. He had to agree with her about beans; they weren’t the most pleasant of foods at the best of times, and when eaten alone, they were even less so.

But their shopping was finished, and Liam fell into step beside Maea. A cart came trundling along the path, and Liam shifted his bags to one arm so that he might lightly guide Maea to the side with a gentle touch at the small of her back. No doubt she was perfectly capable of moving on her own, but he couldn’t resist the desire to touch her, even if just for a brief moment.

”It’s quite peaceful,” Liam said of the glen. Then, cutting his gaze to Maea, a teasing tone entered his voice. ”Your presence would only improve it.” As for whether or not the forest would listen to his request, Liam laughed lightly. ”We’ll try it, then. No promises that she won’t just spit us out where we started, just for the fun of it.” The Greatwood was a bit fickle, that way.

Arriving back at the cottage, Liam hurriedly put away anything that couldn’t sit out before crossed to a small weapons rack by the door. There, he gathered his sword and a crossbow, tossing a quiver over a shoulder before looking to Maea. ”Ready?”

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam

Maea

The worst of all blessings

Between the throwing discs in her belt and her shifts, she felt well equipped for the hunt. If anything, it was her concentration that suffered a bit, thoughts scattering before the little nudges and thoughtful gestures Liam offered. The response of her body every time was immediate and very distracting, bugling out a reawakening of needs suppressed for much too long. Taking it slow... might prove to be harder than expected.

But as she had every intention of honoring their agreement, Maea did her best to rally her focus back to the hunt ahead. "Yes. Lead the way," she nodded, giving both cheeks a little tap; The Stonesong. A glen often visited by deer. Bounty hidden among living trees, to find and partake of with the deepest respect. "Please lead us where we wish to go," she murmured on an exhale. Fumbling for Liam's hand, she lifted a foot to take a step - to follow a path away from the cottage where the sunlight fell more golden through the canopy, and the air tingled with condensed energy.

The most beautiful of curses

Base by Skylark

Who was it that led you on
And makes you want to hurt me so?

Oblivious to Maea’s distraction (while doing his best to hide his own), Liam stepped out onto the forest path with his partner by his side. Hands linked and fingers intertwined, Liam looked out into the Greatwood and cleared his throat. ”Can you get us to the glen by the river?” he asked the woods at large, feeling perhaps a little silly. Usually he just went with the flow rather than asking for a specific destination, but maybe today they’d get lucky.

Walking down the path was peaceful and comfortable, as though it was something they’d done a hundred times before. And it wasn’t like it was the first time they’d been out hunting together, but it was their first time as a couple, and somehow that made all the difference.

Golden light filtered through the leaves above, dappling the forest floor in rivulets of brightness; a light breeze whispered through the treetops, carrying birdsong through the canopy. It wasn’t long before the telltale sound of trickling water met their ears, and Liam grinned with delight to realize he recognized their area. ”I think it worked,” he murmured softly to Maea, moving to arm the crossbow with as little noise as possible. ”The glen should be just up ahead. Maybe we should circle around this way, to be downwind?”

Who do you want to forget?
Who forgot you long ago?

Liam