Smokey Windows

The Ash and Fire

The Creme Republic was a glorious, refined, technology advanced city. At least, it was normally. There had information that had recently come to the attention of the Creme Republic citizens. Information about our current Consul, Custard the first. He has recently shown his... less than noble side. I had known for a long while that he was overly racist (as most elders are), but I never expected him to admit it, especially on live TV. He told the reporter, upon prompted, that he didn't believe they deserved rights. Honestly, it was embarrassing as someone of a different house. I couldn't imagine Clotted Cream - his son and next Consul in line - and his unimaginable shame.

The people of the Cacao Kingdom, excluding the Milk Tribe, had long been treated less than cookies. They were forced to live in 'The Catacombs of the Republic' as the higher citizens called it. It was what I called it, at some point in my life. At the time, the cookies who lived in that area weren't cookies at all. At the most, they were servants to my house. Worth nothing more than the dummies I trained with; worth nothing more than the job they fulfilled and easily replaced.

Now, things are different. They aren't nothing anymore. They're cookies. They're human. I no longer call it the Catacombs of the Republic. The people who live in the city fondly call it the 'Underground' or, more commonly, the 'Undercity.' I only knew of this due to one of my closest friend's relation to it.

"Madeleine." I smile at the accent of the voice. Speak of the devil; or angel in this case. I always enjoy it when I see him on my patrols. It's onlu then when our conversations are not adhered by his incessant need to work when he's around his lab equipment. Of course, being in public does have its downsides. I cannot love my mage in public. 'It would ruin my image and start unneeded rumors,' Espresso had said stiffly, despite the fact he was leaning into the hug I was giving him.

"Hello, my friend!" I say cheerily, swerving to look at Espresso. "How has your day been." I stop to talk to him with a bright smile; Espresso returns it with an even darker frown, as is customary of my mage.

"I don't belong to you, Madeleine," Espresso says calmly as if he can read my thoughts. Maybe he can. I haven't a clue what the limits of the coffee magic he loves so much are.

"Of course you don't, dear. I never meant you were mine; It was a greeting, that's all." Even if Espresso is my mage, he doesn't need to know that. "How have you been doing?" The dark mage raises an eyebrow. "With the protests, and all. I'm sure some of it has made it to your side of the Undercity." Espresso shrugs as he begins walking. I have to speed up my normally leisurely pace to match the quick walk of my dearest coffee mage. "I'm sure you've heard of the violent protests. From what I gather, they're burning buildings." Espresso scoffs.

"As if you don't know who they are." As we walk, houses turn smaller and darker, the architecture something reminiscent of the Cacao Kingdom, I'm sure. We have left the City of Elders and have entered the Undercity. Espresso lives on the richer side of the Underground. He could live in the City of Elders, but he much prefers his house. 'If you were to hear an explosion in Kingstown, there would be paladins to investigate. If you hear an explosion in the Undercity, you hope that the after blast doesn't reach your home.' As my dear once said. I frowned at his use of 'Kingstown' for the City of Elders, but my Espresso doesn't take lightly to being corrected.

We arrive at his house in a short time. He unlocks the door and allows me inside. I'm glad I have caught him in a good mood. As much as I love Espresso, being thrown out of a three-story window does hurt a bit, even if he pads the ground so I don't break anything. I follow him up the stairs and into his lab. He starts up the equipment and turns to make coffee.

Being in private has its perks. For example, I can wrap my arms around my dearest coffee mage and place my head on his shoulder. Espresso attempts to shrug me off, but there's no real heat behind it. He even leans into my hold around him. And yet, despite the romantic intentions for the embrace, Espresso refuses to go on a date with me. His excuse for accepting touches such as this is that he's accepting it for the sake of me or that he simply needed a hug. I suppose he could be telling the truth, given there's never been a kiss exchanged between us. The one time I tried, I was slapped hard on the face. It left a red mark for three hours. One of the reasons I try not to anger my beautiful mage is that, should he be triggered to do so, he does not resist his punches or slaps. I've once seen him break a nose just from one punch. It's one of the various things that made me choose him as mine.