the Forest of Emmitaenu

Tea Time

Zeftx woke early before sunrise, and at dawn crept into the girls' room to wake Jade. He started tiptoeing to Jade's side of the bed after slipping into the dark room without making a sound. Before he could successfully wake her though, he became mesmerized by Lara's sleeping form.

Being a demon, he could see as clearly in the dark as Jade could during the day. He stared at Lara, her petite figure making the slightest impression in the quilts. Her long and shiny mahogany hair laid tumbling around her shoulders and against her pillow like a halo. He was frozen in place by her smooth rose-gold tan, thin pouty lips turned up at the corners in a secret smile, and long eyelashes hiding the most vibrant green eyes he had ever seen.

Before he could pull himself together, Jade had already become aware of his aura and awakened on her own. She cleared her throat and his eyes snapped in her direction. After a few blinks, Zeftx whispered for Jade to join him in the kitchen. Lara continued sleeping soundlessly as he turned from the room.

"Where did you find her?" Zeftx asked Jade in the kitchen.

"On my way back from gathering, Lara found me, she was lost in the middle of nowhere," Jade answered following a sip of tea. Jade had made tea for the three of them after boiling water using her Zuni style outdoor oven made from clay and stone, located around the back of the hut. Lara wasn't up to enjoy hers yet.

"So odd, at first I didn't see her, but she surprised me with a tap on the shoulder. Then she said excuse me ma'am, but where are we?  Flying Frogs! I nearly jumped out of my skin." Jade chuckled. "What are you, I asked her. I'm Lara, she told me, and so I said; what's a Lara?" Jade went on. Zeftx stared into his tea, deep in thought.

"How far from here?" He wanted to know.

Jade squinted one eye shut as if trying to recount the time in her head. "Let me think," she answered. "She said to me, my name is Lara. I was confused, the girl just popped out of nowhere. I couldn't tell up from down or remember which direction I was headed. I think we passed the same fork in the path...I don't know how many times, but anyway, she's something special. I've never met a mortal before and very few creatures believe they exist. I did, and just look who's here now!" She chuckled again and sipped her tea some more.

Zeftx was content for the moment with her answers and drained his mug completely. He wanted to know more about the fork in the path, but before he could ask, Jade held up her hand and he held his silence.

After a second of concentrating, she smiled and dropped her hand. "She's awake," Jade stated and finished off her own mug of tea. Zeftx was glad Jade could read and sense aura's so well. He would have been deeply embarrassed if Lara had come in on them talking about her.

Almost as embarrassed as I'd been telling her about my species the night before, he thought. There was a certain stigma that came with being a demon, though it was justified by their typical behavior, he wasn't at all comfortable with it. He took Jades mug from her and carried hers and his own to the sink in the corner under the pump to wash.

Slowly Lara entered the kitchen with her eyes squinting from the morning sun pouring through the singular window. Jade smiled and handed her a mug of tea.

Lara smelled the tea, breathing in the fresh scent, and stared at it hard. Would her mother totally freak out if she decided to drink it? If she didn't know what was in the drink, could she be sure it was safe? She hadn't shown much trust the night before when she refused the food and only accepted the two mugs full of water.

Lara looked at the basket of flat bread on the island counter next to where she stood. A tiny jar with a hand written label on the cap reading honey was placed next to it. Her stomach twisted in on itself, knotted and empty. Jade and Zeftx had both eaten the night before so it was safe to say the food wasn't tampered with. Considering that, and the fact that they had brought her into their home without knowing her any better than she knew them, Lara realized they had trusted her. They weren't obligated to help her but they were doing it anyway. She felt grateful.

Having made up her mind, Lara drank the tea and felt instantly relaxed from head to toe. Looking up from her mug she caught the nomad and demon trading glances. Don't think of them like that, Lara scolded herself, they have names. Both sets of eyes turned her way and she smiled her appreciation.

"Good morning Jade, morning Zeftx," she greeted them, making sure to use their names and felt better when she did. Jade gave her a warm smile before excusing herself politely to wash up. Lara watched her as she slipped through the bedroom door.

"Good morning Lara, I hope you slept well," came Zeftx belated reply. Lara turned her gaze back to her present company and her breath caught in her throat.

Zeftx tall and lean figure was outlined by the sunshine that poured in the window as he stood in front of it. His eyes were deep and full of gentle tones and his smile was just so warm and stunning. Wow, Lara thought in awe, how could one guy be so unbelievably attractive?

He was like the hot senior in high school and right now Lara was feeling a lot like the moonstruck little freshman gaping at him. He had the most captivating eyes she had ever seen. They shimmered in an array of colors that seemed to expose a depth of thoughts within him. It was almost impossible to look at a guy this beautiful and believe he is a demon.

"How, um... late is it? Did I sleep in?" She forced herself to form words. She didn't want to stare like a complete dimwit so she had to think of something to say but that also made sense and wasn't totally random either. He shook his head slightly to indicate that she had not as he pulled out a chair for her. She took it while he sat on the other side.

Seated, he handed her a baby papaya. Lara wondered how she'd failed to notice where he got it from or how long he'd been holding it but rather than question him about it she gladly accepted the small fruit and ate it hungrily.