Private Tales Read between the lines

[Zana]

Zana joined him on the swing a few moments later with her plate littered with the rest of the fruit and a drizzle of syrup. Grey was already sprawled out at Talus' feet snoring softly. She gave the young wolf a sweet look before quietly taking a seat beside Talus and crossing her legs to sit comfortably on the swing whilst eating.

"I think that race tuckered him out," she murmured, glancing down as he twitched in his sleep as though he were running. Zana thought perhaps the whole trip to the dwarfish city had tuckered him out, he had been more popular than her at the feast for certain. She was surprised he wasn't ballooned up from the amount of food he had been fed.

As she cut a small bit of her own food up, like always when she cooked him something, she watched his reaction before she took a bite.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled wide as he placed some of the pancakes mixed with syrup onto his tongue, chewing the fluffy clouds of dough like a child.

A small 'mmm' passed from his throat. "Delifious."

The Dreadlord said with his mouth full. Somehow, even with all their meals together, Talus still hadn't really learned proper manners. Perhaps it was the fault of the dwarves, they had been a bad influence on him and how he ate.

Yes that was it.

"I'm sure he'll be back to chasing his ball by the end of the night." Talus said a she reached down and patted Grey's ears. "We'll have to start planning our next trip soon."

He said with a smile.

 

[Zana]

Zana didn't care how he ate as long as he liked what she cooked. Please at the reaction she settled down to her own food, gently nudging the swing into a small rock back and forth with the lightest nudge of her magic. A bird flew overhead and tried to come through the barrier but it rippled and the creature diverted its course. Zana watched it go as she chewed on a raspberry.

"You wanted to go to the Wilds?" perhaps a place far away from people would be a good bet. She still felt emotionally raw from the ordeal of the last two days. She would need to build her shields up around her heart again on her ride home but it might be less of an issue if they went somewhere nobody knew them next time.

As long as she didn't go taming any Hydras.

"I picked this time so it seems only fair you pick the next place," Zana nodded almost to herself. That felt right; taking it in turns to decide their next adventure.

 

[Talus]

"I'll give it some thought." He told her as he finished his plate and leaned back against the bench. "Maybe check out a book."

Talus knew there was precious little information on the Wilds, but it seemed like one of those places that one shouldn't venture to unless they knew exactly what was going to happen. Talus wasn't even entirely sure he knew where the Wilds were.

Beyond the Spine, yes, but that was hardly helpful.

"Failing the Wilds..." He thought for a second.

His arm looped around her shoulders, fingers softly playing over the nape of her neck.

"Maybe Sheketh." Talus mused. "The Hot Springs."

 

[Zana]

"Mmm..." the idea of hot springs had her eyes closing for a split second. She had enjoyed the dwarfish city and would not have changed the experience for the world but she suspected she would be less tired and hungover than she was now if they went to something akin to a spa.

"You just want to see me in a bathing suit," Zana threw a look at him that was all sin before finishing off her own food and setting the plate to the side. When she was done she curled into his side and simply watched the world pass by before them.

"Can I watch you fix the table today?" her fingers ran over his leg. She wanted to see how he worked, for some reason the idea thrilled her. Perhaps she could bake whilst he fixed it.

 

[Talus]

Talus looked at Zana with all the innocents of a baby bunny, his eyes big and his mouth in a thing smile. Behind it of course she would feel a plot through the bond, mischief forming in his mind as he stared at her.

Eventually his teeth dragged over his lower lip, arm wrapping around her. "Sure."

He said softly.

"Though I'm gonna need to start on that addition soon too." For the three of them the Cabin was a bit cramped, perhaps why they spent most of their time out here on the Porch. His arm tightened just a bit. "We need more space."

Talus leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

 

[Zana]

Zana's request had been a purely innocent one so when she felt the mischief and the sudden wave of pure evil coming through the bond. Her eyes flicked over his face in mild alarm and she was about to say something when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She decided, maybe, it might be worth letting it be a surprise. She crawled onto his lap so she could be closer to him and rested her cheek against his shoulder.

"I can help with that if you like," it might even be a little quicker with her TK but she didn't want to take away his pleasure of making it with his own two hands. So she pressed a kiss to his jaw and left the decision to him. "It's so nice of you to make your cabin bigger for the fat mutt over there," she stretched one leg out to gently rub her foot down the wolfs side. He didn't so much as flinch and her lips twitched in amusement. "You know I don't mind the size," in truth she found it cozy.

 

[Talus]

He nuzzled his nose gently into her cheek. "I want it to be a surprise for when you come back next time."

Talus was fairly sure he could manage that, though after this week neither of them really knew when she would be able to return. Eight days was their bargain, but that might involve him going to the city or both of them meeting somewhere else.

Hard to tell with their lives the way they were.

"I know." He kissed her cheek. "And it's our cabin."

His arms squeezed her gently in correction.

 

[Zana]

Zana didn't give voice to the fact she had no idea when that would next be. She had been given a week off which was more than she had ever had before and she doubted she would get given the same again for quite some time.

"Urgh, can you stop being so adorable please," the way he said our cabin filled her whole body with happiness to the point it physically hurt. She gently placed two fingers either side of his chin and pulled him down into a deep kiss, her eyes drifting shut. It still amazed her that this had developed between them so quickly. She had never seen him any of her future visions before but now he was in every single one, intricately woven into the rest of her life.

She couldn't be happier about it.

 

[Talus]

He smirked down at her."No can do."

Talus knew that this cabin would not be their home forever, knew that the manor beneath the mountains was a thousand times better. That fact didn't matter much to him though. He wanted her to be comfortable, happy.

More than that, he wanted her to have a place she could be comfortable in that was closer to Vel Anir.

For that he had a plan as well, though it would need time. His lips brushed over hers, and he took in a deep breath.

"Pancakes in the morning and Pasta at night." He mused. "Could I have found a more perfect woman?"

 

[Zana]

"Oh it gets even better," Zana gave him her own smirk are returning the kiss then leaned up to his ear and whispered, "I'm baking cookies."

Amusement danced in her eyes as her gaze met his afterwards. She counted herself lucky that he was a man easily led by his stomach. If he had been interested in things like poetry and art she would have been screwed. After a moment or two more of laying curled up in his arms she peeled herself off him to go and do just that. She had the itch to do something with her hands.

It wasn't long before the whole Cabin smelt liked melting chocolate.

 

[Talus]

"My god." He said quietly as the smell began to permeate the air.

The cookies smelled amazing, and while Zana had been preparing the first batch Talus had set about repairing the table. True to his word from days ago he had first carved out his own symbol from the middle, setting it aside so she could take it home.

When the smell struck him though the young Dreadlord stopped, stepping up behind Zana and gently seizing her. "I need you to stay here while I fetch some rope."

He whispered.

"I can't allow you to ever leave." Not when the cookies smells so damn good.

 

[Zana]

Zana had been lost in her own thoughts as she was starting to evenly space out the next batch of cookies when Talus appeared behind her and wrapped his arms about her. She gave a small squeak then laughed as she settled back against him though her eyes never left what she was doing. Even though the image of rope sent a sudden electric fire through her veins. Her breathing hitched a little and she squeezed her thighs together and dipped her hip slightly to one side with a soft groan.

"You're being a distraction," she teased then moved back to the oven to check. The smell was stronger when she opened it then took them out altogether, neatly moving them onto the cooling rack before putting the next batch in.

 

[Talus]

He nuzzled her neck softly, slowly pursing his lips as he felt the sudden surge through the bond. "Oh."

Talus said quietly, leaning down to kiss her neck.

"Isn't that interesting." The Dreadlord mused for a few seconds, squeezing her gently as a wide smirk spread across his face. There was wickedness in that grin, and he took note of what had just happened as he slowly slipped free of her. "I'll leave you alone then."

His hands drifted over her hips. "Ya know, cause I'm nice."

 

[Zana]

Zana's face was a crimson mask and she waved her spoon in a threatening gesture towards him.

"Don't even," she could tell where his thoughts were going, could only dream of the plans he was now concocting in his mind. "Using the bond for this is using it for evil," they definitely needed to figure out how to block emotions from travelling between them at the worst possible times. Like this one. She went back to spooning out the last batch of cookies then put the spoon in her mouth and offered him the spatula which was covered in cookie dough.

 

[Talus]

"Don't what?" Talus said as he took half a step back. "Using it to learn something new about my one true love?"

His smirk was still wide, and that same mischief was playing across the bond. "I would think it's a good thing..."

Talus trailed of as he turned around back towards the table.

"I guess maybe I won't do what I'm thinking then." He sighed. "What a shame."

Zana would know from what rang through the bond that Talus was lying through his teeth.

 

[Zana]

"Don't even try to play dumb with me Talus Morrid," she glared at his retreating back. Zana knew she was going to have to be more alert now. The man came across as a gentleman in the streets but in their home, in their bed, he was anything but that. It was infuriating how her body worked against her in that moment; it craved it. Someone the idea of her protesting and him doing it anyway was just as bad.

Zana blew out a breath and went back to washing up, hoping that a less glamorous part of cooking would help cool her off. What was wrong with her? She needed a cold shower. It was insane to think one man could hold this much power over her.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled to himself, a sense of pride and utter smugness radiating off him.

She wouldn't have even needed the bond to feel it.

"Of course not, My love." Talus answered quietly as he grabbed one of the broken table legs and inspected it for a moment. The thing was utterly ruined, as were the other three, but he'd thought as much even without looking.

"We should have a fire tonight." He said, switching the subject so she did not linger on what his plans might now be. "Something nice in front of the cabin."

They certainly had the extra wood.

 

[Zana]

"Yes, that sounds lovely."

How long could she wait before she had to leave? She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it. Zandor was a good horse, he could get her back to the city in under three hours at a good pace but he would be done in for the rest of the day. She would have to hope that Ashur didn't plan to send her straight off somewhere else.

"I have to be back in the city for 9," she said the words softly. Zana knew the conversation was painful and she didn't want to bring it up but it was getting to the point it was hard to skip around the subject. "I'll need to leave with the sun."

 

[Talus]

His mood fell instantly. All the mirth and mischief that had filtered through the bond dropped away as soon as she said the words.

Talus could practically feel his heart sank, a breath filling his lungs.

Slowly he stood from where he had been squatting down on the floor, turning towards Zana and giving her a short nod of the head. "Okay."

It was all he could think to say.

"We'll be up then." There was not a possibility of her leaving without him saying goodbye.

 

[Zana]

It was like ice poured down the bond but Zana squared her shoulders bore it. She wasn't sure how to keep her own thoughts from the bond but she tried right now, imagining one of her shields but around the entrance to her half of the bridge; she wouldn't push her own emotions back on him. Zana finished washing the bowl and then turned to him, drying her hands on the towel.

She saw the tense way he held himself and slowly returned the nod.

Then she walked over to the still warm but cool enough to eat cookies, picked one up and then slid into his arms and offered him a bite.

A silent promise she wouldn't mention it again until morning.

 

[Talus]

Talus leaned down and bit the cookie, and even though it's flavor was delicious he couldn't help but feel the slight bitterness from it.

A breath filled his lungs, and he decided not to dwell. He knew that this was their last day, their last night. If he kept his thoughts on her leaving it would ruin what little time they actually had left with each other. "How about a game?"

He asked quietly.

"Cards." Talus offered. "Or maybe Chess."

He'd carved his own board as one of his first ever projects.

 

[Zana]

Zana kissed a crumb from his lips wishing she could take the sadness away from him. For the first time in her life she wished she had Sloan's gifts.

"We can do anything you want my darling," she kissed another kiss to his lips then left him with the remainder of the cookie to go and take the last two batches out. There was enough to last him a good few days unless he was a 20 cookie a sitting kind of man. Though, thinking about what he was like with other food she had to wonder.

"Though I have to warn you games are a little hard with someone who can see your next three moves," her lips twitched as she tried to insert a little humour into the situation.

 

[Talus]

He smiled for a few seconds, considering the words. "What about games of chance?"

Talus supposed it wasn't much of a chance if she could see the future, and he quickly shook his head as though already dismissing the idea.

"Alright what about..." Allirian Poker? That was a game of skill, but...well if she could see his cards that wouldn't be for much anything. A sigh escaped him. "I'm going to find a way around this for next time."

He waggled his finger at her. "Mark my words."

 

[Zana]

Zana laughed softly though there was a pang of guilt. It was why she didn't join in on games of cards with colleagues too and it drove an unspoken but quiet line between them and her. She was interested in how he thought he might come up with a way that could stop her magic working in its odd erratic fashion.

"If you find something I might be able to go a full night without waking up every few hours," wouldn't that be a luxury? She had finished plating the cookies up and washing up when she pulled herself up onto the side and stole one off the top.

"Mmm," her eyes closed briefly. "What about... truth or dare?" her eyebrow raised. It was the only game she knew that she couldn't unintentionally cheat on.