Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Elves of All Kinds (1x1)

Talainna grinned brightly for the rest of the meal. At her question, she nodded happily. "I feel really princess-y!" She giggled cheerfully.

Saelhil watched as the servant cleared the table. He glanced at Raeliel. "Seeing as our father is away, we are free for the rest of the evening. Usually, Father accompanies Talainna and me to the lake and we swim, but it seems Father is too busy tonight with other matters." He nodded.

Raeliel listened and nodded. "Alright. I understand. He is probably quite busy with preparations for the wedding." She looked at Talainna for a few moments. "If you would like, you and your brother can enjoy time together. I think I may get some rest early since I Have had such a busy day." She stood up, and smiled. "You did a great job for your first lesson, Talainna. We'll go through more tomorrow. Goodnight." She bowed slightly to both of them, then went to the room to get ready for sleep. She didn't want to spend time with Saelhil until she had to.

{So sorry for not replying! Darn my business >_<}

"Goodnight!" Talainna waved and watched her leave, then looked over at Saelhil. Her brother sighed slightly and shifted, watching her. She gazed steadily back at him, and he shook his head.

"Goodnight, Talainna." He stood, kissed her forehead, and followed Raeliel's example and headed to his own bedroom.

(It's fine! I was at work all day xD)

Raeliel got into her nightgown, and took a few moments to stare out the window at her new 'home'. It was all so different...but yet when she looked out the window, it looked like the same forest. Raeliel turned away and went to lay down. She didn't want to think about it. She simply pulled the covers up around her and soon fell asleep.

In the morning, she woke early. She got up, looking to see if Talainna had a private wash room. If she had to bathe around others, well...that just wasn't proper!

Unfortunately, Talainna did not have a private wash room. The house was rather quiet, as if everyone else was still asleep. However, Saelhil was just creeping out of his room, a bag slung over his shoulder. He shut the door softly and started out of the house.

You see, every once in a while, Saelhil went to the hot springs hidden on the other side of the woods. Not only was it relaxing, but the area was covered in flowers and it was rather secluded. Sometimes he went with a few other young men his age, but usually he went alone. Now that he was stressing quite a bit over his marriage the next day (he had even had a nightmare that night) he felt a rather strong urge to go and unwind. As he went, he tried to be as quiet as he could.

Raeliel found no washroom, so she stepped out the door. Only to find Saelhil in the hallway! "Saelhil. Good morning." She looked at him for a moment, then gave a nod of her head. "Is there a private washroom nearby?" She didn't want to go to some dirty, communal bathhouse. She paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Did you sleep well?"

She smiled, slightly. Trying to start the morning out nicely, at least. He had a sack over his shoulder. "...Where are you going?" Was he leaving? Ditching out on his people because he had to marry her?

"Ah, good morning." Saelhil paused, glancing at her. "There is one upstairs, but you will have to get the water from the kitchen and heat it up." He moved again, but stopped when she questioned him further. "I'm going to the hot springs." He hesitated, tensing. "...Would you by any chance wish to come as well?"

Raeliel listened to him. What? SHE had to get the water from the kitchen and heat it up? When he answered her question of where he was going, and then invited her... Well, she couldn't help but stare at him for a few long moments. However, she gave a little nod. "Well...that would be...very nice, thank you. Just one moment." She went back in to get a chance of clothes, then left the room to rejoin him.

She was really rather surprised that he had asked her along. She would figure he didn't want her around at all. But if he was going to invite her, she didn't want to lose the opportunity. They had to get along sooner or later.

Saelhil sighed slightly, then motioned for her to follow him. He started through the woods, moving among the trees. He usually was up in the trees when in the forest, but he knew that Raeliel wouldn't have the slightest idea of how to follow him.

"What are you doing awake so early?" he eventually asked, watching her. "It is barely dawn."

Raeliel followed him along, indeed she would have been unable to follow if he'd been in the trees. "I always wake up this early. I'm just too used to it." She watched him for a few long moments as they walked, then looked away. "What about you? Do you usually wake up at this time?" She took a deep breath and let it out. "...it's nice out here." She liked the forest at least. It was pretty, and it felt terribly familiar.

Saelhil shifted his bag on his shoulder. "No. I am not usually up this early, but I could not sleep last night so I decided to head out early." He took a deep breath, and gazed around. "Aye. I love the forest in the morning. Twilight is the best time, though, I think." He glanced over at her. "The forest is best seen from above, however."

Raeliel listened to him. A bad night sleeping. She'd been so tired that she slept fine. When he spoke of looking at the forest from above, she stared at him. "...what? How can you see a forest from above? Elves can't fly, Saelhil. Unless you have some large winged animals that you ride here." She just never considered moving through the trees! It was so...so...uncivilized and improper! (Brb for supper )

Saelhil sighed quietly. "Leaf-walking, Lady Raeliel. Running through the branches in the trees." He glanced up and could imagine himself moving at much greater speeds than walking. "It would do you well to learn, eventually. I know you think it is unbecoming and... and uncivilized, but most of my people move around via leaf-walking."

Raeliel stared up at the trees as he spoke. "...really? But it's so...dirty. And reckless!" She sighed slightly, remembering that she wanted to try and be on his good side and get used to him. "...I suppose I should learn. Maybe it's not so bad up there. And I'm sure the view is very pretty." She walked along with him, glancing around. "Where is this hot springs? How far off is it from where we are?" She wondered how far he would go to go to a hot springs.

Saelhil quirked a curious brow. "...You want to learn? Truly? Very well. I will teach you, when you're ready." He pushed some hair behind his ear. "Just a few minutes. We would have been there by now, should you have known how to leaf-walk."

Raeliel frowned a bit when he mentioned that they would have been there already, but she brushed it off quickly. "Yes, I want to learn. It'd be foolish to crawl when others walk." It was a metaphor, of course. What she meant was that she should keep up with the others and how they do transportation. "Do your people not ride horses?" She just walked along with him, listening to the forest.

"Not often, unless we are traveling to another village. Most know how to ride. I am afraid, however, that I do not." Saelhil nodded slightly. After just a little while they reached the hot springs. There were flowers everywhere, and there were multiple steaming pools separated by small rock ridges. He went to a low hanging tree and hung his bag on the lowest branch, then began to tug off his shirt.

Raeliel looked at him. "...you don't know how to ride a horse? Well...perhaps you will teach me leaf-walking, and I will teach you horse-riding." When they reached the hot springs, she was in awe. She'd never been in one so beautiful and natural. Hers had buildings up around it, and was sectioned off, with paintings and such. And then Saelhil took off his shirt.

Raeliel took in a deep breath and let it out. Right. Can't bathe with clothes on. She shook her head a little to make herself stop thinking about it, then started to get undressed as well. "Do you come here often?"

"Very good. I will be happy to learn." Saelhil stretched his arms above his head, then finished undressing before casually slipping into the steaming water with a content groan. "I come here about three times a month," he murmured, sinking down nearly to his nose in the warm water.

Raeliel got into the water as well, sinking down past her shoulders, nearly to her chin. Her long hair flowed around her in the water. "...it feels really nice. I can see why you would like to come here so often." She smiled a little bit and closed her eyes. It felt so nice. It was almost easy to forget someone else was there. All her worries seemed to simmer away into the warm bubbly water.