L [o/i] ve is a journey

The Girl with the Fox Mask (The First Day Part 7)| Sweet Slumber

He waited a while, until her hiccups really stopped, as she said, before he dared to ask the next question: „You used magic in the bath..." he suddenly went red and held the block up, trying to hide his blush behind it.

„Do you want me to ask how I did that?" she asked and Lunaris nodded.

„Well, that's a little more complicated. To make it short, people can only have one attribute. Mine, usally, is fire, so I technically wouldn't be able to use anything other than fire spells. But I learnt a spell that lets me move water, like in a bucket, without the bucket. But I need a magic item to do that." She showed him her bracelet, that held a blue pearl made out of crystal, next to a few other. „That means, I cannot fire it, like a projectile."

He quickly wrote more words on the paper: „Transport water? Fire attribute?"

„Yeah, it's... hum." She thought a moment about it, before she continued, „Well, everybody can only have one attribute, which is the element as a source of magic. These are seperated into light, shadow, earth, fire, water and air. And you are born with an affinity to it, which can be strong or weak. You cannot use fire if you have an affinity to another element, except with the support of a magic item, and weak spells. And then, you can only use what is there. That's what I did, when I moved that water from the floor into the sewage. Or filling the tub with fresh water „And it's quite difficult for me to do. But what is very easy for me is this:" she held her index finger up, and a small flame appeared, „just much, much larger!"

The flame vanished when she put her hand back. „And, of course, the fire can take every form I want to. With water, that just will follow it's natural form. Which in nature, is a ball. Thus, the giant water bubble."

Lunaris watched how the flame appeared and vanished: „I wish, i could do that too." He told her through his writing.

„I am convinced you can. I think, when we go to the adventurer's guild tomorrow, they can check the element and affinity to it. From there, we either find somebody who can teach you the basics or go to the libary and read books. We might end up with both, probably." Neri started rubbing her eyes. It became late, and even if she slept a bit before that, she wasn't as rested as she hoped she was. Especially with a belly filled with a good meal.

„You look tired." Her handsome companion wrote.

„I am, unfortunatly." She dropped her hands and smiled, „Shall we go back, or do you want some dessert? The creme cake was really delicious. I don't mind to stay a bit more. I really enjoyed talking with you." She said, with half closed eyes.

Lunaris considered her offer for a moment before he shook his head, and filled the small page with what would not be the last words: „I am really full."

Nerivie chuckled: „Well, that is good then! Too bad the dessert stomach got compressed by that meal, too. No comparsion to a dessert from the city of Yuno, but still very good. I think, we should come here tomorrow and grab the desserts only. What do you think?" she asked, trying to giggle, but then fell into a big yawn she barely disguised with her hand. „I apologize. We should probably go to sleep." She said, trying not to nod away.

Nerivie was getting quieter and quieter, and she felt like she was losing control over her body's need to sleep. She stood up, holding herself up at the table and taking a breath, which sounded like she just surpressed another yawn.

Lunaris just nodded, watched, as she paid the tab on the table, and grabbed everything she left in her sluggerish attempt to stay awake.

Nerivie grabbed his hand on the way back and just as in the beginning, pulled him through the streets. Like an instinct, that only seemed to work when she was tired, and yearned for a safe place to rest, she walked through the streets: Left, right, straight ahead, left, left right... Until they reached the hostel again, which was the designation of her sleep driven body.

Nerivie didn't see Lunaris anxiety level rise and rise the closer they came to the hostel, and reaching cap level when they stood in front of the door, while she opened it. She didn't see him nearly tremble in anxiety when she opened the door, and sluggishly tottered into the room, getting rid of the boots, of her cape, of the outer layer of her cloths, leaving white knee long pants and a loose shirt, while walking torwards the bed and falling onto it, face first.

She lay there, for a few seconds, before she got up again, in the same sluggish manner, and slowly, like the weight of the world was pressing her back into the mattress. „I am so sorry. You go to sleep in the bed. Just let me gather the second blanket and cushion." She slowly mumbled and then pulled said items from the cabinet that stood on the opposite wall of the bed. He watched her- taking her cape again she threw on the way to the bed onto the ground and pulled the woolen, beige coat like a heavy chain behind her, before she lay on the makeshift bed on the ground, using the coat as a blanket.

Because she slowly faded into slumber, she couldn't see how Lunaris' anxiety changed into confusion, even disappointment. He took a few more moments, before he approached her.

„Please take the bed. I will get a second room tomorrow. I couldn't take another room, being so tired." Nerivie quietly mumbled.

Lunaris stopped in his steps before he kept approaching her.

She still had the mask on while being asleep. Did she forgot to put it off? He reached out his hand torwards her face to remove it for her, but she grabbed his hand. He tried to pull his hand back, startled: „Please, don't do that. I don't feel good without it. It's hiding....my curse." She mumbled, smiling sadly.

Nerivie let go of his hand, when the exhaustion tightened the grip around her, and Lunaris retreated his hand.

Then, from one breath to another, he grabbed her, gently, lifted her up and put her on the bed.

„No, please take the bed!" she struggled, being suddenly awoken from the beginning of her slumber. He shook his head, grabbed the blankets and put them on the bed, pushing her down and throwing the blanket on her. He quickly scribbled the last words on the free area of the paper: „I have nightmares. Please share the bed with me." He held it up, looking at her with puppy eyes, bathed in the light of the moon, when she freed herself from the blanket.

Nerivie looked at him, stunned. Then, she nervously started to pull a strain of her hair and rolled it around her finger: „Are you sure? I am a bad sleeper." She mumbled embaressed, with red cheeks. Lunaris smiled and nodded.

„Ok. But if I am becoming a burden to your sleep, please put me back on the ground. I don't mind. I wouldn't even realize it." She said, still a bit awkward and rolled into the blanket, rolling further to the wall: „I...give you the other side. So you have it easier to stand up, if you need to." She mumbled, and Lunaris couldn't see her face. He lay down.

Overwhelmed, full to the brim with food, and at leastfor the moment with a lot less anxiety...