Chapter 19: Tea and a Promise

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After their initial conversation, they had moved from Samuel's bedroom and back into the main space where Samuel set about making something called, "tea" as Erelah looked on from the table.  She watched him with curiosity, he looked so comfortable despite the ancient being watching him from across the room.  Erelah was so out of touch here.  She recognized a few things but up until meeting Samuel, Erelah had never once stepped foot inside a human's house much less treated as a guest and served "tea".

It was still early, but soon the moon would start its descent as the sun came up to mark the new day.  She felt a little guilty for waking him but it had been too long.  This was long overdue...There was a piercing whistle that startled Erelah out of her thoughts, magic instinctually rising to the surface as she looked at Samuel in alarm.  His face was as calm as ever and Erelah felt a little silly for her reaction as he walked over the hearth and carefully grabbed a strange shaped container with a handle, a lid, and a spout off the fire rack.

"What is that?" She asked with a raised brow.

"It's a kettle," Samuel responded absently, hands working in a skilled but subdued manner that spoke of how many times he had done this before.  "You boil the water in the kettle, pour the water into a cup, and then put in the tea leaves..." He did all this while he spoke, leaving Erelah in slight awe as she watched.

"Do humans drink tea a lot?"  He nodded giving her a small smile.

"Some teas are considered medicinal depending on the herbs."  She nodded, feeling like a small child learning how to navigate life.  Within a few minutes, Samuel placed a warm cup in her hands, the brownish translucent liquid rippling as Erelah looked at it in suspicion.  "It's not poisoned Erelah, do you really think so little of me?"

"Oh no, its not that...I just don't know how to feel about this.  Angels have no need to drink or consume food, so this a bit of new experience."

Samuel just smiled at her, before deliberately taking a sip of his tea and holding her eyes.  Erelah smiled back before raising the cup to her lips.  The liquid that coated her tongue was earthy and just slightly bitter, its warmth sending a delightful shiver through her body as she took another sip.

"Do all human's know how to make this?"  Erelah asked in-between sips.

"Most of them do, I take it that you like it?"  She nodded happily, their eyes meeting for a prolonged moment before Erelah broke the contact and returned to her seat at the table.  Erelah glanced at the window.  The sky was getting lighter with each passing moment and the thought of leaving made her heart sink.

"I know that look..." Samuel stated quietly.  Walking over to the table, he sat across from her but did not say anything more.

"I have to go soon..."  He sighed and nodded, her eyes focused on the scattering of papers.

"Where will you go, Erelah?"  The question hit her like a punch to the gut.  She didn't know...it had already been so long, too long, she would have to go home eventually but the thought was sickening.  "You need to go home..." Again with the gut punch.

Frustrated tears welled and tumbled down silently as she stared into her tea cup.  She was being a coward.  She was acting like a child...Squeezing her eyes shut, Erelah knew what she had to do.  "I will go home...but it doesn't solve anything, Samuel."  She realized her hands were shaking, immediately putting down her tea cup before she crushed it between her fingers.

"It might not solve anything, Erelah but it doesn't change the fact that you don't belong here."

"You don't think I know that!" The anger was quick to bubble to the surface and Erelah immediately regretted it as Samuel flinched away from her and Erelah's tea cup shattered under the pressure of her spiritual energy.  The remaining liquid spread across the table in a growing puddle as Erelah rushed to save the sketches.  She saved most of them, stacking them in a neat pile away from the spilt tea.  "I'm sorry, Samuel.  Please forgiven my suddenness of anger."  She bowed her head to him instinctually.

Fingertips brushed against her shoulder and it was Erelah's turn to flinch.  The touch disappeared, "I won't pretend to understand your plight but I refuse to let you run away from your problems like the rest of the human race does..."  There was a pause and Erelah's eyes traced a tear drop that plopped onto the surface of the table.  "Go home Erelah, face your mentor, but make me a promise..."

Finally, she raised her head.  Erelah looking up to Samuel in slight confusion as he knelt beside her and held her eyes.  "Promise me you will come back..."  Her eyes widened in the slightest movement, wings twitching involuntarily despite wanting to pull him into a hug and curling her wings around them both.

"What if I can't keep that promise? What if I break it just like the last one?"

"You didn't break it though...you came back just a little later than expected."  She couldn't help but smile.

"Ok then...I promise."

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