The Raven's Reflection

Chapter 10 - Lessons

"Gah!" Cerno jolted awake as something big and wet trailed up his cheek, twice before he was able to throw his arm over his face. He couldn't move his body as Kinsley still laid upon him but he heard her start laughing as she woke up from the commotion.

"Gritta, go lay back down," Kinsley instructed the wolfhound who huffed and retreated back to the tree. She giggled and stretched before curling back up comfortably in Cerno's arms after he finished wiping his face on his sleeve. "Sorry. That's how she tells me when it's time to get up."

Cerno smirked then reached up to gently touch Kinsley's cheek. "I could get used to this."

"Waking up to Gritta slobber?"

He laughed. "No. Waking up with you in my arms," he said softly as he leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were just as soft as before, but they were slightly cold in the morning air. His heart raced as she leaned into his kiss again and the weight of her body pressed down on his. It made his whole body tingle and he noticed he was starting to crave this reaction.

Samuel cleared his throat.

Cerno and Kinsley both froze and looked over to the blob of blanket under the tree in the corner of the garden. There was a set of eyes peering out at them. Kinsley blushed and quickly hid her face.

"Who's there?" Cerno asked, cocking his head to one side and watching the blanket with intent.

Samuel pulled the blanket down from around his head and slowly emerged from the blanket cocoon as he got to his feet. He stretched as far as he could with a yawn before walking over to the kids and sitting on a loose tree trunk used for splitting wood. "Glad to see you finally woke up some time last night," he started tiredly, refusing to yet address the kiss he just witnessed.

"Speaking of, what the hell was that you left for me?" Cerno groaned. "Were you trying to accomplish what that other person didn't?"

Samuel smirked. "You mean the rotten milk taste? I didn't have to flavor it, but you can be such an ass sometimes that I threw that in there just for kicks."

"What the hell, dude!" Cerno complained as he glared at Samuel.

Samuel laughed at Cerno's response. "From being asleep for so long, you no doubt would wake up feeling stiff, sore, and dehydrated. It was just a little thing I put together to help you combat that. Again, the taste was purely harmless payback for some of the hell you put me through."

"You studied alchemy?" Kinsley asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Mostly for medicinal and...defensive reasons," he replied with a half-nod to the side.

"Would you teach me?" Cerno asked suddenly, taking Samuel off guard.

"You want me to teach you alchemy?" Samuel asked slowly. "No."

"Why not?" he instantly retorted and slightly started to sit up.

As Cerno started to reposition himself, Kinsley also started to sit up. Under the blankets, her hand accidentally brushed across something hard and Cerno instantly let out an involuntary gasp. As both Cerno's and Samuel's eyes pinned on her, she quickly pulled both of her hands up to her chest and her cheeks flared a bright red as she quickly clambered to her feet. "S-sorry! I-I'm gonna go ch-check if Klaudie is awake... T-tea? C-coffee? Anyone?" she stuttered in embarrassment at realizing what her hand had just grazed across.

Samuel belted out a hearty laugh and shook his head as Cerno's cheeks were a red to match Kinsley's. "You're fine, Miss Kinsley. Take care of what you need," he advised as he wiped his eyes. As she turned to go, he thought better of letting her walk off just yet, "Actually, Miss Kinsley?"