"Y-you were there every night...in my dreams." I said slowly, feeling my hands grow cold. I took a step back, my bare feet making no sound on the cool tile.
"I wanted to be there, so I could let you know...that somehow..." He bit his lip, I could see he was distressed. I took a closer look at him, this "man of my dreams". He seemed just as nervous as I, and with the feast he had spread before me and hs confession of sending dreams to me magically were ways of trying to apease me somehow.
"You...were always in shadow. I never saw your face..." I offered tenetivly. He looked surprised at my admission and nodded, a small smile on his fair face.
"It was difficult to send my image to you clearly. I know it must have looked shadowy, maybe even a little frightening. It is difficult to communicate without breaking the laws." He shook his head and sighed. "I could find no other way to give you the message then dreams. It must have been strange."
"A little." I agreed. "Sometimes I thought they were nightmares."
He looked downtrodden. "Those were the nights that I grew frustrated. I longed to see you and speak to you like this, face to face, instead f having to watch from afar. My emotions were portrayed through the dreams and I am sorry for scaring you."
"It's alright." I found myself saying. I felt as if I had to comfort him, he seemed suddenly so vunerable. I could tell he was sincere, even if I didn't want to believe it.
"S-so shall we eat?" I said at last. He nodded eagerly and took my hand that I shakily offered. His hand was smooth and neither cold nor warm, yet his touch made me feel calm. He seated me beside him at the long elegant table, carved out of a beautiful wood I could not name. He sat beside me and flicked his hand in the direction of the food, upon which the dishes were brought forth, piled with all sorts of side dishes and meats and sweets. A sparkling goblet that shone as if made from diamonds that sat beside my plate slowly filled with a golden drink, that looked the consitency of milk.
"Drink that, it'll make you feel so much better. I promise nothing here will poison you. I know you're allergic to blueberries and some sort of mortal medicine...pennicylin I think?" He said as I watched the goblet fill from thin air with facination. I turned toward him, the question of why he knew that information on my lips. He was taking a delicate sip from his goblet, then sighed, putting it down again.
"Is it good?" I asked instead.
"Oh yes very. I'm trying to think of what is might taste like in mortal terms...hmm. Ah like cane syrup and honeysuckle, but a little rich like milk. Try it. I promise, that myth about taking food from us is a lie. It's not going to make you my slave." He said, chuckling and giving me a wink as he downed a few more gulps.
I nodded and lifted the goblet carefuly with both hands, but it was as lighter than expected. I took a sip, the scent of honeysuckle filling my nose as the sweet nectar went down my throat. It made me feel warm and alive and I put it down after another sip, smiling at him.
"It is delicious." I said.
We ate the meal in mostly quiet, saying a little about the food here and there. Some things were familiar, others looked like they were from another planet. Yet everything was really good and I found myself eating with gusto, realizing how starved I was, realizing that I hadn't eaten all day. Yet after I realized that, I realized it was dark now and he had taken me in the morning...a whole day had passed and I was not home again.
I put down my delicate fork and sat back, suddenly struck with a wave of fear. He noticed my hesitency and put down his too. "Would you like to go out to the garden. It really is quiet beautiful." He said, standing and offering his hand. I took it, feeling suddenly numb, not saying anything until he lead me out a wide archway and onto a wide stone path.
