Briss gazed in awe at the dark room she stood in beside Ridder, "How did you find it?" she asked, overwhelmed by the idea of having a place all to herself.
"I own the building, and I spent a lot of time alone here before I met Mab." Ridder explained, bending down to light a fire in a lamp. With a little friction created by rubbing his thumb and ring finger together a small fire lighted then with anxious orange fingers the flame grabbed the wick and illuminated the room. "There is more down here, I didn't investigate much. But I am sure you could find all of it." Ridder handed the lantern, watching her ovalish face light up with a smile. "Thank you Ridder..." Briss put the lantern on the ground then with a snarl, she changed into her massive wolfish form. In this form, she didn't need light but she wanted the lamp there so she could find the ladder again. With a swish of her tail she took off through the nearest arch. Ridder watched her go, then turned around and climbed the ladder. He soon found himself back in the hall, he reasoned that Mab should be awake by this time.
Ridder made some tea, the kind that Mab liked and carefully padded down the hall with the steaming cup. He nudged the door open with his foot, as expected, Mab was at her desk. "Hey, Beautiful!" he greeted, watching Mab jump in alarm and throw her pencil at him. He dodged it without spilling his gift on himself, "Easy, I just have tea."Mab stood and greedily grabbed the cup in both hands. Looking down at the steaming amber liquid, "How did you know I like this blend?" she asked quietly, closing her eyes and inhaling the fragrant vapors. The sweet smell of vanilla coupled with the dark and rich scent of roibos filled the air.
"I think it's nauseating. " Ridder shrugged, "But I know you like it because those two herbs go missing faster than all the others." Mab smiled, getting on tip-toe and giving Ridder a soft kiss. She sank back onto her heels and took a long draught of the heady tea. "Thanks."
Ridder grinned like a fool, walking around her and peering at the desk. "What's the architecture for?" he asked, sitting down and taking the ruler and another pencil. Then he started making marks and other lines, "Hey! What are you doing?" Mab exclaimed, stepping so that she was standing over him. "It wouldn't be sound if you did it that. You have to have more support if you want to have a ceiling like that. "Since when are you the building expert?" Mab muttered into her cup, she knew he was right.
"Since I am the son of an architect." Ridder sighed, making annotations. "Oh." Mab said, watching him. She struggled against tearing the pencil from his hand, she hated other people changing her plans. After her tea was long gone and the candle on the desk nearly out Ridder stood, "If you need more help I am just across the hall. "
Mab followed Ridder out of her room, still gripping her teacup in her hands. "Ridder..." Mab began, thinking of what she wanted to say. Ridder turned around and took her cup, "I know." he said, then sauntered down the hall. Mab frowned and was about to say something rude when Briss crawled out of the floor through a hole. Mab screamed in alarm and jumped back, Briss laughed at this and dusted herself while she kicked the cover over the hole. "Relax, yikes woman." she teased, looking up at Mab. Their eyes locked, Mab found herself drinking in the warm green of Briss' eyes.
It reminded her of the tobacco growing on the roof, it was a unique tone of verdancy. She shook herself of her trance and made her way to the kitchen, greeting everyone. Jayleen, Kenneth and all of their children, Ridder and soon Briss joined them.
"I vote we go on an adventure!" Briss said during supper later that night, shoveling potatoes and carrots into her mouth hungrily. Mab thought about this proposal carefully, she hadn't said anything for the whole meal. "But who would stay with the chicks?" Ridder countered, Jay cleared her throat "I would! You guys should go, where do you think you should go, Briss?"
