The Kiss and the Unthinkable

With a few hours of daylight remaining Rudy trotted through the gate of Rumooren, a village between the Laechzen forest and the Schluchzen Ravines.

“The house of the village mayor is right down the left here.”, said Cera.

Alex led Rudy down that direction and a few minutes later, they stopped at the gate of a small manor. A very bored-looking guard stood in front of it.

“What’s your business with the major?”, he asked in a matching tone.

“This!”, yelled Cera and flung the head of the Shadowstalker at his feet.

With a thump the head landed, its face with its open mouth directly facing the guard.

“What the… What the bloody hell is that fucking thing?!”, he yelled as he jumped back and collided with the gate.

“The thing the major asked to be killed.”, said Cera casually and jumped from the cart.

“Alright… you can go in… but take that thing with you…”

“What? No fan of head?”

Cera smirked and picked up the disembodied head. She turned around to the others on the cart.

“I’ll just be a minute.”, she said and winked.

Cera then went through the gate and vanished into the manor. The Guard still had his bored look as he stared at Alex, Violet and Caleb.

“And who are you?”, he asked after a few moments of silence.

“Oh, we? We are just some adventurers on our way through.”, said Caleb.

“Ah… Adventures, we get a lot of them traveling through… You know… I used to be an adventurer like you guys too, but then…”, said the guard ruminating.

“took an arrow to the knee?”, said Alex suddenly.

Violet turned towards him and looked surprised and confused. The guard looked at him and gave a weary smile

“Nah… way worse… I got married.”, he said.

“My condolences.”, said Caleb and nodded at the guard.

Violet bonked him with her staff on the head.

“Well… I’m sure your lovely wife is happy, that you took up a way safer occupation.”, said Violet forcing a smile.

“Nah… She would be happy if I got myself eaten by some beast or worse… But just to spite her I plan to outlive that hag…”, answered the Guard and his smile bitter.

“Ah…”

They fell into an awkward silence, but luckily Cera came out of the manor a few moments later. She tossed a jingling bag with one hand in the air and caught it again. She nodded to the guard and then came to the cart.

“The mayor said, we could stay for free at the Inn down the road. Also, there is the Fruehlings Festival tomorrow, he invited us to stay if we want.”, Cera said as she climbed the cart.

“Oh, that’s nice… maybe we should follow that invitation… what do you say, boys?”, said Violet.

Alex just shrugged.

“A festival, huh? Well count me in!”, said Caleb with a devious smile.

“Well, then let’s go! That direction Alex.”, said Cera and pointed down the road.

Alex gave Rudy the signal and off they went.

“Oh yeah… That’s for you.”, said Cera and tossed the coin bag to Violet.

“But… isn’t that your bounty?”, she said confused after nearly failing to catch.

“Yeah… but well, you help a lot with the hunt, so half of it is yours anyway… and the rest… well just think of it as payment for the ride.”

“But… That’s way too much… for how short the ride was… it’s just been a day…”

“Who said the ride is already over?”

“Huh?”

“You guys will cross through the mountains into the Leiwand Kingdom next, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Well… I’m getting kind of bored with the Edgeregions… I have been wandering through them for a while now, and eaten my fair share of delicacies… maybe it’s time for a bit of a change of scenery… So I thought, I could come with you… you seem to be good travel companions… Only if you would have me of course.”

“Fine with me!”, said Violet instantly.

“Yeah, sure… You and your bow will surely come in handy.”, said Alex and nodded.

“How could I say no to a new companion on the road, especially if it’s such a lovely lady… our group has been direly lacking in that department up to no-… Ouch!”, remarked Caleb but gut interrupted by a second bonk from Violet’s staff.

“Great! Thanks guys! You will not regret it!”, said Cera and smiled.

They came to the promised Inn and since they hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast they went in right away and had a nice dinner. Then they sat together for a beer and decided to go to bed early. Violet went to her room and began to unfasten her shirt when someone knocked on her door. She furrowed her brows and went to open it.

“What is it A… Oh, it’s you.”, said Violet and looked at Cera standing there.

“Disappointed that it’s me?”, said the elf with a smile.

“What? No, no! I just thought… ah, forget it… you need something?”

“Can I come in?”

“What? Ah, yes of course. Please come in.”

Violet noticed Cera’s gaze wandering down a bit as the elf walked past her. She realized that the strings of her shirt were unfastened and were revealing more than usual. Violet quickly fixed that before turning around. Cera had taken seat on the bed already. Violet sat down beside her.

“What’s up?”, she asked.

“Well, I wanted to ask you something.”, said Cera.

“Oh? And what would that be?”

Cera tilted her head a bit.

“What’s your relationship with Alex?”, she said with a probing look in her eyes.

“What do you mean? He and I are good friends and adventure buddies.”

“Nothing more?”

“Nope… well, he does kind of save my ass from time to time… so you could also say he is kind of a protector or savior in need?... and…”

“And?”

“Hm… well… since you will be traveling with us, I guess I can tell you… uhm… Another… let’s say objective… of our travel is to… well… find him a woman to… you know…”

“Isn’t that what brothels are for?”

“Well yeah, but for some… let’s say special reason… he isn’t… interested in just the physical part of it…”

“He is a virgin.”

“What? How did you know?”

“I didn’t… I just guessed… and the special reason helped too… you could have just said, he is looking for love.”

Cera chuckled at Violet’s shocked face.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone, that you told me… Sooo… what’s your role in his search for love?”, asked Cera.

“Well… I offered him to help him… he… is very shy… especially around women… so yeah… “

“Ah, yeah… he always seemed a bit uncomfortable when I talked to him alone… but he does not seem to be very shy with you around.”

“Well, we kinda lived together for over a year now, so he is used to me, I guess.”

“Ah… used to you… I see… and you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you really just going to help him find a woman from the sides, or are you going to take a… more active role in that?”

“What me? No. no… I am not interested in him in that way… Well, I have to admit that he is kinda attractive… but I can’t give him what he seeks… I’m not looking for love… In fact, I don’t think I’m capable of feeling romantic love for anyone… so yeah… I’m the wrong one for him.”

“The wrong one, huh?... I see… Well, I hope you don’t plan to have him try with me… I’m definitely the wrong one.”

“Why? He is kind, funny and I bet you would have a hard time finding anyone this loyal… And you gotta admit, he has a very muscular body from swinging around that axe around all day. Especially the arms… He takes his training very seriously… I bet he would try his very best to make his eventual partner happy! There is much more to him than meets the eyes… way more than he himself is aware of…”

Cera burst out laughing.

“What? What’s wrong? You don’t believe me?”, said Violet confused.

“No, no… I’m sure your judgement of him is accurate, but… my interests lay somewhere else… with someone else…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Violet looked at Cera and noticed that the elf had gotten closer and closer to her. The azurite-colored eyes locked onto hers. Violet felt a touch on her thigh, gentle, soft and pleasant.

“What… are you… doing?”, asked Violet confused.

Cera leaned forward.

“Following my interests.”, whispered Cera into her ear.

“I… don’t… understand…”, stuttered Violet.

Cera’s other hand found its way to the strings on her shirt and tugged gently at them.

“I think you do…”, whispered Cera.

“Ah… hm… I see…”, said Violet flustered.

Cera traced the now exposed collarbone and a bit downwards gently with her fingertip. Violet felt a tingling sensation and swallowed nervously.

“You just have to say no or stop me otherwise, if you don’t want me to do anything more.”, whispered Cera into her ear.

The elf’s azurite-colored eyes appeared in front of hers. Violet said nothing. They came closer and closer. Violet still said nothing. The azurite eyes were now so close that Violet saw every small detail their irises and she still hadn’t said a word. Violet felt Cera’s lips touch hers. They were soft, gentle and pleasant. Violet closed her eyes. She felt her lips being gently pried open. Violet didn’t resist. Something soft and squishy eagerly entered her mouth. Violet felt a tender touch on her tongue. Her mind went blank for a heartbeat, but then a thought emerged, and an image flared up. Violet opened her eyes and grabbed Cera by the shoulders. She pushed the elf away, gently.

“I… sorry… I… don’t… sorry…”, said Violet under her breath.

Cera opened her eyes slowly. The azurites gleamed warm as she tilted her head and smiled friendly.

“Don’t apologize, sweet fiery one… There is nothing you have to apologize for… I understand.”, Cera said softly and touched Violet’s chin gently.

“Well… I think it’s time for me to go.”, she continued.

Cera got up and walked towards the door.

What?... What does she understand? Huh? I don’t understand, thought Violet as she stared at the slender and tall elf’s back.

As Cera opened the door she turned around.

“If you ever have a change of heart… I’m always up for eating some delicacies, especially if they are this hot… For now, I wish you sweet dreams… maybe I’ll visit you in them and spice them up a bit.”, she said with a friendly smile and a wink.

Huh?... What just happened… What was that… That can’t be… impossible…

These thoughts raced through Violet’s mind as she watched the door close. As the moments went by, her brain slowly regained its normal function. Reason returned back into Violet’s mind and with it fear. She quickly and forcefully discarded the thought and corresponding image in her head, that scared her so much, because it should not be there. It could not be there. Violet crawled under the blanket, still in a daze. Because now that she had rid herself of the thought that should be unthinkable, the realization of what just happened flooded her mind and let her forget everything else. Violet even forgot about the suddenly faintly gleaming braclet on her arm and what it could do.

.

.

.

She only remembered it as she woke up the next morning.

“Shit…”