To Claim A Crown Book Two: The Winter Harbinger (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Ae-turn

Naomi trots down the stairs after Raurlin and she falls into stride beside him. He holds his hand out and she accepts it. The two walk in silence to the bottom of the driveway and slip out the gate together.

Once they're a little down the road Raurlin slows his pace and Naomi follows suit. Raurlin tugs Naomi under his arm and presses a kiss to her temple.

"You holding up okay?" He asks gently.

"If Sarah spelled the rooms then why do we need to leave the house to talk?"

Raurlin chuckles. "I just wanted to get out with you. Why don't we go into town and get a coffee? Like a date?"

"So you brought me outside where it's freezing to ask me to go on a date?" Naomi nudges Raurlin with a short smile.

Raurlin tilts his head to one side with a pensive soft smile. "Come on, let's walk. We can get coffee and lunch." There's a flurry of wind that grabs at their ankles and the two set down the road.

At the end of the road, a left turn, a few feet down and a right turn later Raurlin pulls the door open of a coffee shop. There's a bell that jingles as the door is pulled open and he ushers Naomi in. She smelled the coffee from a block away and he followed her guidance until they came to a neat street with a coffee shop, a restaurant and a green grocer.

There are a few cars parked on the outside. The coffee shop itself is dark and moody with dim lighting and scattered tables. There are a few people inside, some hunched over on laptops and others chatting quietly. There's slow jazz music playing and it's purely instrumental. Raurlin guides Naomi to an empty booth towards the back of the establishment.

Naomi shrugs her coat off and she rests it against her lap as she slips into the booth. Her nose is coloured pink from the harsh winds outside. Naomi shakes her hair then runs a hand through it. She looks up at Raurlin with raised eyebrows.

"You're not going to sit?"

Raurlin shakes his head, "let me order our coffee, want a slice of cake? I know you're a sucker for sticky buns. Should I check if they have?"

Naomi grins then chuckles. "You know me so well. I'd love a sticky bun and I think I'd like the-"

"-Mocha but with no extra sugar. Got it my sweet, I'll be back in a bit."

Raurlin walks to the counter. There are three teenagers standing behind the counter peering over a tablet in a burst of giggles. Raurlin watches them with a soft smile, not wanting to disrupt. Remembering all at once his youth with Jackson. He exhales a sigh of relief, his shoulders dropping. One of the three a young girl looks up and immediately hops off her stool.

"Hi there, sorry about that. I hope you haven't been waiting too long, sir. What can I get you?"

"That's alright. I'll get one large mocha and a large cappuccino. Do you have sticky buns?"

The barista nods her head as she types at a screen.

"Then I'll take one sticky bun as well please. When the coffees are ready please bring them with the sticky bun. I'll be in the booth with my...wife. Thank you." Raurlin fishes inside his pocket then pulls out his wallet. He flips it open and hands the barista a note. "Keep the change," he states as he turns and walks back to where Naomi is sitting.

He slides into the seat beside her and Naomi looks at him with an amused smile.

"You called me your wife."

Raurlin glances at Naomi. "Yes I did. You're my aeturnum. It's basically the same thing."

Naomi drums her fingers on the table and she shakes her head. "Oh it's not, the last time I checked I don't have a ring on my finger." Naomi examines her hand then shows it to Raurlin.