Leap of Fate

Chapter Two

We sit at a small picnic table together, silent, watching the birds fly above. It's mostly quiet except the soft sound of the wind whistling in my sensitive pointed ears. His leg bounces under the table and he picks at a chipped spot in the table, I can feel him thinking of something anything to say to me. Small strands of hair fall free from my loose bun, sticking to my slightly sweaty face.

"Would you like to accompany me on a walk down the Sidra, and if you're hungry we could go out to a restaurant." his heart rate picks up, but his face remains calm and collected. 

My heart pounds in my chest, blood filling my ears. I think for a moment. What's the harm? Going out on a walk and out to dinner. It's not automatically accepting the bond. It's just us getting out together. Nothing more. I smile at him warmly and hold his sweaty hands in mine, and stroke them with my thumbs. 

"I'd love to. Can we go out tonight? Getting out of the house isn't really my specialty." I giggle, and his eyes light up at me. 

"Of course!" I lean over and give him a peck on his cheek softly before standing.

He follows suit and gives me a quick hurried hug. "I will see you at 7?" he asks. 

"Sounds good. I look forward to seeing you then." His smile is so full of hope and eagerness, his eagerness is contagious. He leaves and I garden for a bit longer before deciding to retire. I float upstairs of the house and go to my room. 

It's 5:30 right now. I have an hour and a half to get ready.

Quickly I strip off my clothing and hop into the shower. I shave my legs and wash my hair. Lucien drifts into my thoughts as I wash my body with lilac body wash. I remember the look on his face as I tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. The shocked expression, his breathlessness, his eyes of gold and one of russet, the scar along his eye. The tug in my chest grows as I think of how happy he was when I accepted the....well... what is this? A date? We can go on a date right?

Worry fills my stomach and butterflies roam around my belly. I don't want him to get the wrong idea or give him false hope. I chew on my lower lip, rinsing the soap off my body. I turn off the water and grab the towel, wrapping the towel around myself, I dry my hair, my golden brown ringlets falling around my chest, I apply a clear gloss to my lips, and a light coat of khol to my lashes. I latch a necklace around my neck and let the gold heart fall in the center of my chest.

Emerging from the bathroom I see I have only 20 more minutes until Lucien will be here. I slide on a deep velvet midnight blue gown, with a sweetheart neckline, and tight fitting sleeves that ends in a V atop my hand. Slipping on a pair of elegant black slippers on my feet. I look in the mirror at myself and smooth down my dress. The butterflies return as I hear the door belly ring. 

I walk down the stairs and open the door, revealing Lucien. His hair brushed and tied into a braid, black pants fitting to his muscular thighs, a white button up shirt accompanied by a navy blue tunic. Seeing him knocks the wind out of me. His eyes look me up and down and my cheeks heat up and I lower my lashes. 

"You... you look absolutely breath taking Elain." It seems literal considering he doesn't seem to be breathing. 

I take a step towards him and smile at him, the earlier eagerness filling me. "You look amazing Lucien." 

His metal eye whirls and he smiles broadly. He holds his hand out to me. "Shall we my lady?" I blush and lace my fingers in his, my hand scraping his hard earned calluses, I squeeze his hand, and we head out to walk the beautiful city of Velaris.