The next generation (The strings of fate)

Marocelli POV

Maro woke up in her bed with a soft groan. The bites from the night before ached, and his body was still sore from their last training session. He had come to like the feeling of his body aching as it built itself stronger. He groggily opened his eyes, rubbing them with both hands. His hands had become rougher as well. Calluses had started to build on his palms since he had not been able to soak in his underground warm spring for more than a couple months.

He carefully pulled the blankets off, trying not to wake Constance up as he rolled out of the bed. Maro ignored her familiar as he dragged on his pants, sleep still heavy in his eyes. He padded down the stairs barefoot. Once outside Maro let out a long sigh, the smell of the woods filled his nose and he stretched. The sun was barely fluttering through the trees as the woods sang their morning song.

Maro walked further across the grass until he stopped to stretch more completely. Maro began his work out, his hair still in knots from the night before as it fell into his face. Maro kept going, working up a sweat and bringing a pleasing and familiar burn to his body. Baldassare had convinced him to train his body to its natural limits, and so far it felt too good to stop.

Maro placed both hands in the grass as he pressed the top of his head to the ground. He let out practiced breaths, raising his legs slowly off the ground until he was upside down. Maro's breath puffed out shakily, it burned but he held the pose just as Baldassare had taught him. Maro grit his teeth against the strain as he brought both toes down to tap the ground and back up. He did this a few times before he rolled onto his back, laying in grass. He stared up at the sky as the sun slowly rose, his heart beating fast in his chest and his body still shaking from the workout.

Constance walked out of the house. Her hair was wet, she smiled at Maro "I made breakfast." She called out softly to him. Maro lifted his hands up and launched himself onto his feet in one motion. He wobbled slightly but grinned, he felt more and more agile. He walked over to her and touched her wet hair. She smelled good as he leaned in and kissed her softly under the streams of morning light. He took her hand and brought her inside.

She followed without qualm and sat at the table where she had two plates set out with food. Hungry after the exercise Maro quickly ate. He loved when she cooked, he was not very good at it so it always tasted even better than he could have hoped.

She smiled at him, seeming happy he was enjoying her food. "Should we check out the lake today?" She finished her food and waited for Maro to answer.

"Yes. I would like to try the potion too... Do we have enough to split?" He asked, cleaning off the tiny leftover bits from his plate.

Constance nodded. "I actually made two." She winked at him and when he was done she collected his plate to clean. "Is there anything you'd like to have for lunch in particular?" She looked over her shoulder to him.

"Deer jerky?" He asked with a grin. He liked the jerky she had made when she had fed him as a wolf. Sweet and chewy. She nodded at him before she waved her wand and everything she needed to prepare lunch appeared on the counter. She stared to prepare the food and hummed to herself. Maro leaned on the table, watching her.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep alone anymore. Something about her scent on his pillow, or how it felt to have her skin pressed up against him as he slept was intoxicating. Armando had spoken about how he used to feel about Baldassare and Maro found that it was the same way he felt when he looked at Constance. The warmth of the stomach, the skipping of the heart. The way his body moved on its own as if having to be close, to touch her. Maro stood going to Constance and pulled her around to face him, his mind full of her as he buried his hands into her hair and kissed. All the emotions he felt when looking at her poured into the kiss.