Beyond the Barrier: Unraveling the Veil [Vekraihr/Juumbled]

[Jumbled]

Lilith gladly drank more of the water Silas had poured her. She smiled, feeling how it cooled her all the way to her core. It was far more comfortable for her when she was chilly. She looked at him with eyes that didn’t hold judgement, for once, and smiled fondly, handing him the goblet. “Thank you.” she said, her tone soft and peaceful, something far closer to what one might imagine a Celestial to sound like. It wasn’t often that she dropped her defenses. Perhaps it was the blush on his cheeks that had pulled it out of her. She wouldn’t ever know.

“Perhaps one day you can tell me that story,” she offered as she picked herself up from the ground, dusting off her white gown that never seemed to collect dirt. Wind blew, perhaps a breeze that she conjured herself, and the white fabrics and her lovely chestnut hair fluttered around her in a new little dance. She turned her head, her eyes meeting Silas’ once more. There was a certain sadness in those frosty blue eyes of hers, something deep and hidden within herself. One corner of her mouth curled into a half-smile and she looked away again, down to the glittering town.

“This may not be such a welcoming place for a human, such as yourself.” she warned him quietly. “Humans are not… realm travelers. Most creatures really don’t bother. Unless you’re running from something, or chasing something, realm jumping is rarely used. So. . .”

She glided forward, leading down a slope that would take them into the town. The wildlife took on more forms as they neared it. Trees twisted upward with some sort of purpose, leaning over the buildings in such a perfect way, it seemed intentional. Lilith took in the scene, fascinated by the beauty of it all. Her home was nothing like this. Every new color and smell seemed to open up a different emotion from within herself.

The town was not guarded or walled off like the castle had been where Silas had come from. She looked up at the shining pearl and gold hues in wonderment. Everything was beautiful. Her head tilted back even further as she considered the sky with its deep blue and purple tones, much like a child might see the world for the first time.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas poured himself the rest of the water as she began to drink what he'd offered her, gulping it down with a refreshed sigh. He saw how refreshed she seemed by the gesture, and it warmed him inside to feel the gaze upon him lacking in any apprehension. As he took the goblet from her hand, he placed it back on the ground with the pitcher and the goblet he'd finished draining along with her. Scepter still in hand, he muttered in the same arcane language as before and the tingling of magic ran through his body and out into the air around him. Slowly, the form of the earthenware craft began to soften and then melded back into the earth where he'd drawn it from, leaving behind not a trace of what he'd done.

"If it is a story which interests you, then I may tell you," he said with a chuckle as he reached his hand out to offer her a hand as she began to right herself, though it seemed she needed no assistance. As the wind danced around them, his white hair was pushed back a bit and his eyes narrowed a little to protect the fragile orbs from any debris which may attempt to enter. As their eyes met once more, he could see the look of an emotional trial within her, though he could not discern of what or where it was called forth. His gaze began to follow hers down to the beautiful town below and his emerald eyes flickered with curiosity.

"I see," he said softly with a nod as he began to tuck the scepter back into the toolbelt on his waist, adjusting the black material and patting his knees off a little from the kneeling in the grass he'd done. "I will do my best not to draw too much attention, then," he said softly as he looked towards her and began to follow her as she moved along. Silas' eyes scanned around, bewildered at how similarly his realm appeared as to this one, though now that he knew, there were subtle differences in things that he'd not been able to pick out before. The trees and how they were shaped, the wildlife which made their homes in the woods and near the lake. They were all different from what he was used to. He would hear the calling of birds in the background but was unable to hear anything which resembled a great degree of anything he'd heard back home.

They were beginning to pass through the walkways between buildings and Silas' concern turned to intrigue once again, his emerald green eyes staring around as he thought of all the discovery which could be made here. However, his idle thoughts wouldn't be for long, as when they'd pushed a little further into the town proper, a group of elven-looking creatures stood. Tall, divinely beautiful humanoids stood there with hairs of different shades of blonde, silver, and gold, with a few brown haired individuals here and there. They were dressed in some sort of light clothing, which could be armor, and on their backs were bows of different lengths and resistance.

A slightly more mature gentleman stood out from all the rest, he standing in front with clothes on of much finer construction, and his bow was a fair amount longer than any of the others there. He'd seen more combat, it would seem, or at the very least, received more training than the others. His thin hand raised up, coming next to his elegant but time-worn face and he looked upon Silas with disdain but didn't seem to so much as glance at Lilith in the same fashion. "Halt...You shall go no further here," he spoke with heavily accented common. He'd obviously not grown up speaking it and had likely learned how to from his escapades. However, the way he spoke seemed more rudimentary, as though when he learned the language it hadn't yet been fully developed into what it was now.

Silas stopped dead in his tracks and went a little pale in the face, the green of his eyes dimming a little bit. He didn't like this particular situation very much, as it looked like the group were itching for a bit of a fight. There were fingers already wrapped around bows, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Silas stood there, mouth agape as he struggled to think of what to say in such a situation, coming up entirely blank. The elven gentleman then cast his gaze towards Lilith and tilted his head a little bit. "You there, being from above. I am Illidrias. I apologize for addressing you directly, but we must know what this thing is doing in our midst. Have you brought him here for some purpose?" Illidrias spoke in his native tongue, a beautiful sounding language which flowed off of the tongue as easily as breath and as softly spoken as a whisper. His tone with Lilith was much different than when he'd been speaking to Silas, sounding much calmer, almost placating and demonstrating he was subservient to her.

Lilith responded, "This human is part of my mission. I was sent here by my people, please do try to ignore him," A Celestial's mission shouldn't be questioned. So, she'll hope that the subject will be dropped, or shut down, rather quickly. "My realm jump will need to recharge in the meantime, seeing as we have just arrived, and carrying a second person is quite exhausting, we will be here for some time." Illidrias gave a soft nod of acknowledgment in her direction as his sky blue eyes floated curiously over towards the orb which was hovering over Silas' shoulder. Silas' gaze was distant, however, as if his mind were far away. As he'd heard the speaking going on in a different language, he was suddenly hit with thoughts and ideas that weren't his, of how things would be conveyed and spoken of in a language entirely foreign to him. He saw it as if he were there, being tutored, out in the wilds, and in the town. He was entirely motionless for a few more seconds before gasping and his vision suddenly returned to clarity.

"Please do try and keep your pet on a tight leash...We would hate to have to cut his life short by him sticking his head where it shouldn't be," Illidrias said in Elvish with a bit of condescension in his voice, directed at Silas. At this, some of the elves brandished their bows as if giving a show of force, in an attempt at intimidation towards the strange human male. Silas scowled at this and he shot a firm look in the direction of Illidrias. "I am no one's pet. It would serve you well to treat others with respect," he said with boldness in his voice and a bit of regality from his noble heritage, his voice sounding practiced and disciplined, and perfect Elvish was leaving his lips. He didn't know how or why, but he was always able to speak a language if he'd heard even the tiniest fraction of it. Illidrias' eyes widened a bit as Silas spoke, unaccented, and with such brazenness towards him and he almost took a step back from the shock.

At this speech, the elves suddenly nocked arrows into their finely crafted bows and drew them back, the wood flexing with little noise as they were pulled by the force of their arms. At around the same time, a strange cloud cover began to billow forth as Lilith's eyes began to glow, threateningly glaring at the aggressive elves. Illidrias, eyes suddenly overcome with worry at the situation, raised his hand to tell his fellows to stay their weapons. Slowly, the arrows were released from the ready position, however, one got very nervous by the entire situation and her hand slipped, sending an arrow heading straight for Silas' throat. It was flying far quicker than any of them should have been able to react. However, Silas' gauntleted hand suddenly shot out and grabbed ahold of the arrow mid-flight, holding it by the shaft and arresting its momentum mere inches from his throat. The wood and feathers of the arrow suddenly burst into flame and Silas threw his hand out towards the elves, sending the burning arrow clattering to their feet, and intense glare in his eyes as he stood, beginning to draw his scepter from his toolbelt.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith sighed inwardly as the rest of the Elven warriors continued to show their dominance over their town. Men. She rolled her eyes, wishing her words had been enough, but she could tell there were those that simply were itching to fight. They were warriors, and probably bored. This town hadn’t seen the likes of battle in some time, the way it glittered so.

Illidrias made a quip about Silas being a pet, and although she intended to simply let it go and move forward, Silas suddenly retorted in perfect form. She turned to him with complete curiosity, suddenly far more convinced he somehow had Celestial blood running through him. Could that really be? Her people weren’t ones to fraternize outside of their own kind. People were banished for things like that. His comment stirred the Elves and as they angered, so did Lilith.

Dark clouds rolled across the once clear sky, and the temperature dropped significantly as her eyes glowed from her rage. This would be the only warning she would offer. Celestials were not to be questioned and she wasn’t about to let this race of pretty men think anything otherwise. Her nostrils flared, and as most of them backed down, there was one that loosed an arrow. Her eyes flashed at the elf, and a female troop amongst them backed away fearfully. Lilith couldn’t react to the arrow’s speed, but before she could cry out, Silas caught the arrow with a reflex she hadn’t expected from him. Was it the gauntlet itself, or him?

Thunder boomed loudly overhead and thick fog began to curl around Lilith and Silas. She walked over to him after he had miraculously caught the arrow and fizzled it out. She stood in front of him, like a shield, and spoke sternly to the group as a whole. Ice began to cover the ground, licking at the warrior’s boots and causing them to pull away, though they found themselves stuck. Lilith looked like an angry goddess about to smite a village.

“You would attack a person, not only under my guard, but very clearly also a Celestial? Do you think a normal human could communicate with you so effortlessly?” she hissed. It was a stretch, perhaps, but she was nearly convinced at that point that he was at least something close to what she was. And, if that really were the case, she envied him.

“I shall not tolerate such actions. And we are not here to fight, so, everyone,” she began, hoping Silas understood that he was included in her demand. “Will now sheath your weapons and go about your lives as normal.”

The icy ground began to thaw, though her eyes remained a piercing light in the stormy darkness. She shifted back, her body now touching Silas. Although she didn’t look it, she was now using him to hold herself up. Her energy was beyond stretched at that point. He might feel her labored breathing and arms softly shaking.

The sky began to clear and as Lilith exhaled, she caught Silas’ arm, steadying herself. That motion was more obvious to the Elves, however, she did not break her eerie stare.

“Take us to a guest house so that we may rest, Illidrias.” she demanded of the leading warrior. Hopefully Silas was stronger than he looked, because she was nearly ready to be carried off.

 

[Vekraihr]

Illidrias staggered back further as the dark clouds began to roll in through the sky and the sounds of crashing thunder made the elves clasp their ears, some even dropping their bows and they began to look around in a panic. Between the Celestial display of might and the fact that Silas had just spoken their native tongue better than half of them could, they hadn't any idea what to expect from these two. Illidrias began to steel his resolve and took a stoic stance as he raised his hands up into the air, spreading his fingers out a little bit. A gesture of submission, of surrender. Shivers rolled up the elves' spines as they felt the cold rush blowing away all the warmth which had once been in the area.

Silas, however, didn't seem to be affected much by the cold, his posture straightening up slightly and he finished pulling his scepter from his toolkit. With all three of his magical implements currently being wielded, his body began to very softly hum with the magical energy that flowed through him, though the noise would only be noticeable to Lilith in this chaos. Silas blushed ever so slightly as Lilith began to stand in front of him as if she were a guard and he was some precious commodity. His green eyes flicked to the ground as he noticed the rushing of the ice towards the warriors, who tried to stumble back further but could find no retreat from the icy grasp. Illidrias continued to hold his hands up, a little further this time and his eyes grew suddenly very aware and fearful for what may yet come.

"I-I did not know that this one was a Celestial! He certainly doesn't appear to be one befit of your kind, however, there are magics you are capable of which we could not comprehend!" Illidrias spoke with fear and a slight shakiness to his voice, beginning to lower his hands down slowly in front of them and he began to wring them with worry. Silas, hearing her compare him to her, blushed a little further and then at the demand to sheathe his weapons, very hesitantly began to put his scepter away and then pulled the circlet back down to his neck. "Please, spare us, mighty ones! We meant you no harm!" Illidrias pleaded once more, the desperation apparent in his voice as he looked between the two of them.

As the ice began to thaw, the group of elves clattered clumsily to the ground as they had been trying to pry their feet from the ice. All save for Illidrias, who merely breathed a deep sigh of relief and barked out "Get away from here, fools!" in a harsh tone unbefitting of the gentle language he was speaking. The elves quickly gathered up their belongings and took off, leaving Illidrias as the only elf remaining of the group standing before them. Silas felt Lilith's weight shifting against him and his concern left from its focus on the elves to her and her current condition. He very softly placed a hand on the middle of her back in a subtle way that would allow him to hold a bit of her weight up so she wasn't depending so heavily on the lean.

The elves were still close by enough to see Lilith faltering from the display of power, though they were still fearful of her, and especially so of Silas, who had accomplished a feat they had not ever considered to be possible. Illidrias, upon hearing Lilith's request, gave a nod and bowed deeply to the two of them. "Your wish is my command," he said, the smoothness to his voice returning as the rest of his compatriots took their leave. He turned on his heel and beckoned them to follow him and he began to walk slowly away from the two of them. Silas, feeling the need from Lilith, shifted his gaze to her again and his emerald hues softened with the disquiet at the thought of her extending herself that far to protect him.

Without asking and with a surprising show of strength, Silas lifted Lilith up off of the ground, his troubled look appearing no more strained by picking her up as he would merely walking along. Though he could have been putting on a front or secretly using some magic to make it appear he was more masculine than may have been anticipated. He was carrying her much like a lover would carry their flame, having scooped her legs up in one arm and he held her around the back and under the shoulders with the other, with her arm draped over his shoulder for support and ease of transportation. "Thank you very much for having my back," Silas said to her in Celestial, voice replete with gratitude and she could hear that same concerned tone that had plagued him but mere moments ago.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith was startled as Silas picked her up, though she gave away no signs of her surprise. She wrapped her arm around his neck, resting her head against him as she shut her eyes. Her face lay close to his neck, the cool air leaving her nostrils tickling at his flesh as she breathed. He smelled curious to her; there was an excess amount of magic that radiated out of his pores and nearly smelled of vanilla. She breathed him in, enjoying the scent, forgetting her place as his arms cradled her against him. It was best he was carrying her, she decided. It would give the elves the impression that they were lovers, and perhaps that would better extinguish any thoughts of attacking the inventor.

Silas thanked her, but his tone was that of concern. Although she wasn’t the most social of beings, Lilith was quite good at picking up shifts in attitude and demeanor even when they were subtle. She tilted her face up so that her lips were but a breath away from his ear, whispering to him. “I think you owe me a story.” She was far too curious about his ability to so smoothly roll from one language to another the way she could, and she wanted to know more about this man that she was trusting enough to carry her across potentially hostile grounds.

Compared to her brethren, she was much younger than most Celestials that went out on missions. Lilith wasn’t classically trained as a warrior, either, so using her powers in such a fashion stemmed from raw emotional reactions to what was going on around her. The only reason Lilith had even been selected for the mission was partly to do with her own personal discovery about the souls, along with her natural ability to gather them. Celestials all had different specialties, and there weren’t many like her. She wondered if somehow Silas was similar, though.

Illidrias guided the two down a glimmering crystal walkway of blue, pearl and gold bricks. On either side of the path, rolling vines with small white flowers that smelled of honey and morning dew, blossomed as they walked by, opening as if the responded to the mere motion of them moving past. The scent of vanilla plue honey was incredibly sweet and Lilith smiled as she settled in more comfortably against the inventor.

“This is an estate used for visiting ambassadors, you two may make use of it. I hope that pleases you.” Illidrias said, though it somehow seemed clear he was still speaking more to Lilith than Silas. He didn’t trust that boy with the wavy hair and strange clothes. There was something about him, and all of his strange armors and items, that he couldn’t quite shake. “I will have some gatherers stock the estate with food when I make my leave,” he explained.

Lilith finally opened her eyes, watching Illidrias’ back with a deep consideration. He was calm and cool, just as he had been, and she could tell he was an honorable sort of man, so she felt no need to suspect him of foul play. “That sounds lovely, thank you. My partner and I wish for some time alone after refreshments have arrived.” she said with a hint of flirtation in her tone. She was determined to sell the lovers charade for as long as she could, though she hoped Silas could control the amount of pink that covered his cheeks. They needed to look at least a little convincing.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas smiled as he felt her arm wrapping around his neck and her head resting against him. She would hear the sound of his heart accelerating, though the softness of the beating made it seem as though it wasn't from exertion. Blushing, he felt the cool air tickling the flesh of his neck, giving him goosebumps that were quite noticeable to anyone so close to him. His magical essence seeped out of him, giving him a warm, slightly vanilla-like scent, combined with a gentle masculine scent which smelled of various herbs, citrus, and woodsy smells. As she held him, he pulled her in closer to his body and held her a little higher on him so as to experience her a little more. He had the impression that it may be good if they present to them as though they were in an affectionate relationship.

Silas continued to smile, blush slowly starting to fade as he began to get used to Lilith's feminine presence. Putting his nose a little into her hair, he inhaled slowly and softly through his nostrils, pulling cool air along her scalp as he took her in. She smelled like nothing he had ever experienced, a cool, almost mint-like sweetness, with hints of tropical fruits and exotic flowers and a tone of something uniquely her that he couldn't quite place his finger on. She would hear a shaky breath leave him as he exhaled her essence, then he felt her pulling up close to his ear to whisper to him. The sensation of her breath gave him another shiver up his spine, but he didn't blush as much this time and he smiled warmly down to her, his green eyes incredibly vivid and warm.

"Indeed, you shall get the story you desire," he whispered back to her as he put his warm lips next to her ear, just a hair's width away, the warmth of his breath flowing along her skin, followed by the coolness of the soft intake of air as he pulled his head away. He'd noticed how Lilith seemed so drained right now and it concerned him for her as he didn't know how she would hold up in a true fight. He wanted to protect her, especially since he felt responsible for dragging her into this whole affair. Hell, he was responsible for it. Though, as he thought this, he couldn't help but be drawn in by the beauty of their surroundings. The walkway made of beautiful contrasting colors, and ivy which seemed to bloom as they approached, giving off a sweet smell which he couldn't help but notice complimented and amplified Lilith's to his nose. He felt her settling in against him, and she felt him squeeze her softly in response, as though he were embracing her in that position.

As Illidrias spoke, Silas' eyes trained on him intensely and the warmth and affection that had been in them just a second ago were replaced by a stern seriousness which was piercing from his verdant hues. He could feel the judgment being thrown his way, though not quite the full extent of it, and it didn't quite sit well with him. Though, he did not voice any concern or opinion as he listened to him speak a little more.

As Lilith piped up to answer before Silas could, he listened to her as she referred to him as her "partner" and a coy smile spread over his face. He knew exactly what she was angling at, and he did his best to contain his excitement as he looked down towards Lilith and gently grabbed the side of her face with his palm and dug his fingers up into her hair slightly. "Yes...My paramour and I have been too long since we have enjoyed each other's company in private...At least in such...Welcoming quarters," he added along, his voice suddenly warmer and subtly sensual, playing off of her flirtation.

 

[Jumbled]

Illidrias eyed the two skeptically, confused by the pairing he saw before him. He resisted arching a brow at them, then looked away, clearing his throat, as he saw Silas embrace the celestial woman. The man was so puny, even if he could carry the girl effortlessly. She should be with a warrior, he pridefully thought.

Lilith’s eyes were drawn to Silas’ as he held her face with his fingers sliding into her hair. It felt far more intimate than she had expected, and frankly, she never imagined him capable of this level of suave words and gestures. Although she had worried about his face flushing, it was, in fact, her own cheeks that turned a bright scarlet. She couldn’t look away from his gaze, his green eyes pulling her in like he’d cast a spell with them. Was he not acting? She couldn’t tell.

Illidrias gestured to the estate. The building was huge with marbled steps leading to the entryway, and pillars towering up to the length of the second story. Golden vines wrapped around them artistically, though they were indeed real, living flora. From the looks of it, there were already people bustling about inside, getting ready to have guests.

“I suppose I can tell the help to leave if you require, that much privacy.” the elf said, his tone just a little judgmental.

The entryway opened into long staircases, also marble, lined with royal blue carpets that covered the centers. The building stretched on for some while, and as Lilith’s attention finally focused on the estate and not where Silas’ hands wandered, she shifted in his arms to indicate she’d like to be set down.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas grinned a little more as he noticed Lilith was blushing, and at him no less. He then felt the judgemental stare of Illidrias and his eyes lingered for a little while longer on Lilith and he stroked her cheek a little bit before pulling his hand away. Clearing his throat a bit, he looked up at the prideful elf and gestured to him a little bit, as if telling him to go away after he'd spoken his peace. Silas continued to carry Lilith until they were through the threshold of the estate before he sighed softly and smiled at her warmly, the soft, gentle way he looked at her returning to his eyes now that they were in private.

Inside the foyer, he couldn't help but gasp in awe at the large, open space where the stairs ran parallel to each other along each wall, and then up towards each other to meet on the second story above a beautiful arched doorway, the wooden trim gilt with golden leaves. Feeling Lilith grow restless in his arms, he chuckled a little bit and cradled her a little bit more towards himself. "What's the matter, my dear? Shouldn't you rest a while longer?" he asked her with a playful tone, there being a slight bit of concern present but in truth, he'd liked carrying her along in such a manner. Going towards the left first, Silas' shoes lightly clopped on the floor as he carried her into the first room, a large room with several tables arranged in no particular order, carved from lovely wood and stained beautifully. Pillows of all sorts of regal purples, red, blues trimmed with silver gold rest around the tables, looking like places to have casual meetings and discussion. Large windows were built into the walls, though they were covered with thick curtains that were only slightly drawn open in order to let some of the natural light in order to accent the lighting from the sconces around the walls. Taking his time to stroll around with her to appreciate all the room had to offer, pausing to touch and feel things, enjoying the plush feel of the white carpet under his feet.

Moving along towards the back from the front door, they entered a giant dining hall with a banquet table which could easily sit 30, it seemed. The table itself was massive and ornately decorated, having depictions of nature and elven hunters carved in along the edges of the table, some of the weapons, leaves, and animals trimmed with gold, making those areas glitter beautifully from the light from the massive crystal chandeliers that hung over the table. Three in total, in a row, each chandelier holding rows of crystals which seemed to flow down from the ceiling like waterfalls. The chairs were carved as though they were still living wood, or maybe they were fashioned as such from living wood, with high backs rising taller than Silas, Lilith, or even the taller elven folk would have been. The cushioned seats were padded with a comfortable plush fill wrapped in fine, deep red cloth. At each end of the table were slightly more ornate chairs, two to each side, them having antlers that spread up over the rest, the dark-stained wooden floor adding a bit of ambiance to the room.

There were two doors from there, one continuing towards the back of the estate, and the other going to the right, signifying a potential divergence. Silas walked them about the room before continuing on towards the door to the rear. Opening up to a large kitchen with lots of storage, cooking and prep surfaces, and several sinks. The cooking tools, cooking devices, and sinks were made of a beautiful, darkened wrought iron which had a lovely shade of oxidation over it for the cooking surfaces and sinks, though the pots and pans seemed well cleaned. The dark color contrasted with the light wood with which the other objects in the kitchen were constructed, and there were hanging lanterns in the middle of the room, all lit and sconces of bronze lined the walls, all also lit, providing plenty of light in the kitchen. Silas continued to walk around, looking towards the beautiful metalwork which twisted its way up from the floor in various areas. The floor was made of polished wood, seeming almost like one flat surface as opposed to the slats of wood that it was made of.

Continuing on, there was only one other door from the kitchen, which appeared to lead into the same area that the door to the right in the dining hall opened up to. Walking through it, Silas was met with another marble floor, and upon the walls would hang fine Elven art. There were depictions of beautiful Elven females, majestic creatures in nature, and particularly beautiful trees. Every few paintings, there was a sculpture of some Elven persons who must have been important at some point in time. Silas would take a slow stroll through this hallway, there being another door across from the dining room which he'd slowly come across. His green eyes were twinkling brightly at all the new information he was taking in, though she would see that he'd be glancing quite frequently at her, possibly to see if she was as excited as he was to be in such a place, or maybe for other reasons. He continued around the room until he reached the door, heading on through slowly. This entire side of this estate that wasn't occupied by the kitchen in the back was a large library, floors made of a less plush carpet, though it was woven with such a pattern and color as such that made it feel as though he'd have an easier time focusing. Large bookshelves towered above them, with ladders on wheels attached to rails in order to reach the top shelves, the bookshelves being stained a medium-dark color and filled with books, mostly of Elvish design, though some seemed to come from the other realms.

The inventor's eyes were alight with curiosity as he walked his way much more slowly through this room, taking his time to circle around each of the several bookshelves. She could see his eyes scanning over the spines of the books, though his grip on her didn't loosen even a little bit. Large windows allowed plenty of natural light filter in, and there were lots of large sconces and gaslamps at the tables arranged around the study in order to allow night reading. Slowly, the two came back towards the door which leads them to the foyer, Silas stepping within and then going up the stairs slowly, stopping at the balcony overlooking the foyer. Silas took a deep breath, looking over at her and his eyes were beaming with energy and intensity. "This home is much more extravagant than most of the places I've been," he said with a chuckle before blinking slowly at her, as though he were taking a picture of her in his mind in this moment of their embrace, overlooking this beautiful foyer.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith was far too weak to fight against Silas, so when he didn’t put her down, she didn’t struggle. Instead, she just watched him with those icy eyes, trying to guess what he was thinking. He continued to toy with the idea of them being a couple, calling her dear, and she looked away from him, as if to hide the embarrassment painted across her face. “We’re alone now, Silas.” she mumbled. She had pulled her arms free from around his neck, and sat in his arms, her fingers toying with the ends of her hair.

As he walked her through the estate, her long white gown and all of the laces and fabrics hung down around them, looking much like a human bride might. Each room had its own unique features, she noticed, however, they all seemed to fit together as well. She especially loved the long dining chairs, finding them beyond elegant. The further they explored, the more Lilith realized this place was drastically different from the buildings of her own home.

Once they’d reached the books, Lilith curiously looked back up at Silas, not noticing before how he’d been looking at her again and again. She could see the wonder in his eyes, and she was interested in knowing what he was actually able to understand.

“You speak languages quite perfectly.” she told him, speaking in Celestial. She preferred it more than most things she could speak. Although the Elven language was light and airy when spoken, there was something far more exotic about her common tongue.

As he neared the stairs, Lilith shifted in his arms again, expecting him to put her down. “It’s alright, I can walk--” she began, but still, he held her against him. Panicking, she wrapped her arms back around him, looking down at the stairs as the number behind them increased. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if he fell backwards while holding her, but it likely would have involved an ice slide, she thought.

The reached the center-most point where the stairs met, and she could see some form of passion welling up in his eyes. What was with him? There was something about his expression that made him look far more masculine and mature than she’d noticed before. The glint of the golden orb caught her eye, then, and she shifted her stare to it, wondering whose soul decided to match-make them in such a way.

“Silas, I’m fine. You can put me down.” she said softly, his name rolling sweetly off of her lips. She slid out of his arms and walked over to the railing of the balcony, leaning forward against it as she looked down in wonderment. “It is quite lovely. The marble is quite cold but all of the colors really bring it to life. It’s far different from most places I have been, as well.”

Turning around, she scanned the upper floor quickly. “It seems like the living quarters are up here. You’ll-- probably need to… stay in the same room as me.” she said, her words losing volume as she spoke them. “I’d rather there be no questions asked here, and they will likely be in and out of this estate throughout the days. Though, I don’t know how long we intent to stay here. Do you suppose their books will be of aid to you, Silas?” she asked suddenly. She wasn’t sure why she’d said his name again, but she seemed to be growing fond of it.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas smiled at her as he gave a light blush as she complimented him on his command of languages, and he replied to her in warm and appreciative Celestial, "You're very welcome." He began to walk up the steps and felt her embracing him once again as he went up the stairs, sensing the panic in her making him chuckle softly and warmly. "Don't worry, I wouldn't drop you," he said to her in a comforting tone of voice in Celestial as he marched onwards. As he stood in the center of the balcony, she protested to him once again at his carrying and he began to reluctantly let her down as she slid from his arms, easing her descent onto the floor. She'd noticed a blush form across his face from the way she'd said his name, he feels the heat rushing to his cheeks and he bit his lip. "I hope you didn't mind, Lilith," he said to her, a bit of concern in his voice, though somewhere in him he seemed to quite enjoy carrying her in that manner.

Beginning to look out over the balcony, he leaned over the edge himself and he let his curious green orbs scan around, taking in the wondrous architecture. "Indeed, this is very lovely...Definitely one of the nicest places I've been, if not the nicest," he said with a sigh before running his fingers through his hair, starting to attempt to straighten it back a little bit, though he only succeeded a bit at taming the wild hair of his. As she spoke again about the necessity for them to share a room together, his cheeks turned a deeper crimson color, though his eyes betrayed the excitement that was coursing through him at the thought. He nodded slowly, however, as if affirming her assertion and chewed on his lower lip's corner, it apparently being a habit he had while being nervous. As she continued to speak to him, his excitement grew into thoughtfulness as well and his brow pinched together a little bit before he gave a nod. "Yes, yes, I believe it will be of some use to me, Lilith," he said, repeating her name to her once again as she repeated his. How odd that she was using his name so much, he thought.

He began to walk along into the living space upstairs, his green orbs once more alight as he peeked his head into the two doors adjacent to the main entryway. He'd find two nice bedrooms, each with a large, single bed and done up with extravagant bedspreads and large, fluffy pillows. The color scheme was regal, as with the downstairs pillow room, and the dressers and other furniture were crafted of high-quality wood inlaid with beautiful and natural designs. Each room was exactly the same, however, and seemed large enough to fit several people, let alone one. Continuing on and to the left, Silas found a large bath built into the floor, complete with knobs and a faucet to fill it, his eyes narrowing a bit at the contraption. "Hmmm...I believe I may have heard of something like this somewhere..." he wondered out loud to himself as he looked about, there being a large mirror on the wall, spanning almost the entire bath and there were several vanity sinks in front, each stocked with different types of soaps, perfumes, shampoos, and colognes. There was also a large rack which held fluffy white towels in quite a large abundance of quantity.

Backing out of the room, Silas went towards the door opposite, finding a nicely crafted toilet with a privacy screen, a couple more sinks with smaller mirrors and a rack which held a smaller towel that he presumed must be for the hands. Slowly, he went down to the main door on the end of the hall from the entrance and opened the door to a grand master bedroom. He was in awe at how large the bed was, sitting in the center of the room at the far wall, the beautiful carved wood coming up in four posts and a canopy of fabric draped around the bed, obscuring it partially from view. However, he could see inside to the mound of pillows that rest at the bed's head, the room having a little more muted and refined color scheme than the other two. There were several large, beautifully carved wardrobes, a couple of dressers, and several bookcases in the room as well, packed to the brim with books. Beside the bed on each side were two night stands, crafted of the same wood and hand as the other furniture, everything having this incredible detail that looked as though it could still be living, despite its lack of leaves and any greenery. The handles on everything were an aged gold, its beautiful color subdued but still quite appealing. Silas' jaw practically hit the floor as he looked about this room, looking back towards Lilith and beckoning her to enter with him, if she weren't on the way already.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith eyed Silas as he reacted to her suggestion of sharing a room. She was right in thinking they should, wasn’t she? If the elves thought they were being deceived, though technically the two of them weren’t telling a whole truth, it could cause problems. Her current, self-assigned mission, was to protect that silly soul-orb from being discovered by anyone else. If that meant she’d need to become closer to Silas in order to achieve that. . .

Lilith’s gaze rolled lazily to the side, watching Silas wander from door to door. He was a curious sort of person, but she supposed that was why he was a scientist. She straightened herself, though she was tired, and moved down the hall at half her normal speed, eventually appearing behind Silas as he beckoned for her to come.

She peered around his wiry frame, noting the lush furnishings and decor that filled every space to perfection. This was a race that not only understood the importance of room placements, but how to craft nature in such a way to keep it alive. It was remarkable.

Lilith placed a hand on Silas’ arm as she walked by him, stepping through the doorway first. Eyeing the bed, Lilith wanted nothing more than to dive right into it. Never before had she seen such a beautiful, plush bed. Her people back home all slept in tubular devices that suspended them in sleep. It was quite different from what most races did for sleep, she discovered over time. “I’ve always wanted to try one.” she whispered quietly to herself. With a swift pivot around, Lilith looked back at Silas. “I’ve never slept beside a person before, but I’ve seen it done. So, it shouldn’t be a problem, okay? I’m very exhausted.” she admitted quietly.

She walked over to the bed, her fingers trailing along the comforter and pillows as she brushed over them. “It’s lovely.” She pulled at the pillows, tossing them to the side, finding the rim of the blanket and sheets to open up a space for her small figure. The bed would surely eat her alive. “You don’t have to sleep now, Silas, but don’t wander far.” she warned him as she climbed onto the bed.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas smiled warmly at her as she started to walk around him and into the room and he followed suit shortly thereafter, shutting the door behind him as his radiant green hues focused on her. He felt where her hand had been as a pleasant coolness on his arm, and he looked towards it a little and smiled happily at the feeling it gave him. He then watched as she began to approach the bed, enraptured by it before speaking softly, though he was able to hear her in this quiet chamber. As she pivoted, she would see he was staring at her again, a look of warmth and intensity in his eyes as he drank in her femininity with his deep pools. He'd blush at her comment about sleeping next to a person and he tried to find the words to say in that moment which he felt may be the most right.

"N-neither have I...Slept next to someone, that is..." he admitted softly with a bit of a nervous stutter as he rubbed the back of his head bashfully, casting his head downwards a bit, though his eyes still tracked up towards her. As she began to approach the bed, he watched the way her frame moved through the air and a light chill ran through his body as he bit down upon his lip lightly once again to keep himself from breathing too loudly. Instead, he focused his breath slowly through his nostrils, intent to keep his face from flushing anymore than it already had. As she began to trace the bed, Silas began to step slowly towards her and he smiled a little more as she began to open up a spot for herself and climbed in.

"I'll stay right in here," he said to her reassuringly and he leaned over towards her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead with his warm, firm, soft-fleshed lips. "Rest well, Lilith," he said to her softly with a sweet caring tone in his voice, his bare right hand reaching up to lightly stroke her cheek as he began to gently coax her back until she was laying onto the bed. He then grabbed the sheet and blanket and began to pull it around her to comfortably tuck her in. Once he'd finished, he began to wander over towards the bookcase nearest the bed and he began to pull several volumes forth, setting them on the desk in the corner of the room.

Pulling up a chair, Silas sat down and the slow sound of pages being turned occurred every few moments as Silas began to pore through the tomes in order to glean any knowledge or lore within in an attempt to better understand this realm, its denizens, and potentially the things that had been discovered here thus far. He read for a few hours before he felt fatigue weighing on his eyelids and making his thoughts sluggish and dull. He wiped his hand over his weary face and looked over towards the sleeping Lilith. A blush began to creep across his face again as he thought of sharing the bed with such a fine example of a female, though he didn't let that timidness overpower his desire for rest.

Standing from the desk, he took off the outer layers of his clothing and the various magical implements he had been wearing as well, setting his shoes, pants, shirt, and belt in a neat pile next to the nightstand. Pulling the circlet off, he placed it atop the others and then finally placed the gauntlet last. His thin figure was firm and toned, a pair of longer undergarments adorning his waist and stretching almost to his knees, seeming almost like a pair of shorts. His chest had hair covering the middle, and a trail that covered no more than a couple of inches of his midsection bisected his abdomen and terminated through his waistband. Silas walked his way over to the other side of the bed from where he'd tucked her in, opening the covers there and climbing within slowly. Once in, he began to move his way over until he was close to her, but not quite within touching distance, his blush deepening as he thought of how she might react to him in this state, uncertain if she would appreciate the half-naked man getting too close to her.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith sat on the edge of the bed when Silas approached her. Her feet hung just shy of the floor on the tall bed. He told her he’d keep close, then leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead. As he pulled back, she stared at him, looking frozen in place with wide eyes. Why had he done that? What did it mean? She stared for a while more, bewildered, but he soon placed a reassuring hand against the warmth on her cheek, petting her in soothing circles while edging her back into the cushions of the bed.

She settled the way she was certain she was supposed to, resting her head back on a pillow; it was very soft. It wasn’t long after Silas had covered her that she felt her eyelids grow heavy. She watched him choose a book, and flip through it until her eyes were closed and as she could hear was the occasional turning of a new page. Something about him reading put her mind at ease. She enjoyed him being there like that.

Hours passed, and as Lilith’s body regenerated its energy while she rested, she soon found herself out of sorts in the bed. It was so large, and too cushiony. Although she slept, it was no longer soundly. Her body had too much space to move about, and she rolled to one side, then tossed back over to another. She shifted several times, thrashing as if she might have been having a stressful dream, then with one last movement, her body rolled into the warm skin and weight of Silas.

It seemed, finally, the young Celestial found a cozy spot that kept her comfortable, and she lay there, with her hand on his chest and her body touching his with every one of her subtle curves. She lay on her side, snugly beside the inventor, all while still sleeping, having no knowledge of the position she had placed either of them in. She breathed on him in her deepened slumber, her breath nealy freezing to the touch.

Hours more passed and the light filtering in from the windows illuminated the room softly in an orange glow. The morning had brought Elven house keepers and a chef as well. A small rapping at the door sounded, and Lilith, instead of waking, reached up, her arm wrapping around Silas’ neck, as if the noise had unsettled her but she readjusted to become comfortable once more.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas felt the unfamiliar sensation of a female's physique pressed against his slight, masculine figure and he felt the blood rushing to his cheeks as he felt her pressing against him with those subtle curves of hers. However, he found the coolness of her skin incredibly comforting as he'd always needed it to be a little cooler for him to rest well, and he soon found his own eyelids growing heavy as he started to adjust himself to be more comfortable. His arm shifted a bit until her head was resting against his firm shoulder and his hand began to gently trace down her back until finding a spot on her lower back which left his arm and wrist at a comfortable angle.

Her chilled breath felt wonderful on his skin and his body just seemed to ooze warmth in response to her as he began to drift asleep, his thoughts and worries fading slowly as darkness took him away. His other hand, as the night went on, found its way up to the one she'd placed on his chest and lightly took hold of it. He hadn't had such a deep and restful sleep for as long as recent memory served him, and his weary body welcomed the respite. His chest rose and fell slowly with each deep breath he took, each passing moment allowing him to heal a little further. His burnt finger, still covered by his strange concoction, began to feel a little warmer as inflammation set in to help aid in the healing process.

He had never been so comfortable in his existence, in such a grand bed and with such an ideal partner for resting. Silas sleep was peppered with dreams, though most of them were just random asinine theatrics put forth by his mind in order to further understand all which happened during the day. His hand on her back would occasionally come to life, gently stroking over her form and tracing delicate patterns of strange origin, though it seemed to follow an order of sorts.

As daylight broke through the windows softly, the light filtered by the curtains and not casting too much brightness into the room, Silas' slumber continued unabated as he shifted a little closer to the Celestial he'd intertwined his destiny with. As a knock rang out on the door, Silas stirred a little bit, one of his eyes fluttering open. He opened his lips to say something but felt her arm reaching up to his neck and lightly tugging him back to sleep. His hand that had been around hers had slid its way down to her upper arm as she moved hers upwards, a broad smile slowly forming on his lips as he began to gently breathe once again.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith was growing to like the soft warmth that radiated off of Silas. Her eyes began to flutter open, slowly coming to focus as more persistent knocking disturbed her sleep. She inhaled deeply, hooking her arm around Silas’ neck more firmly as she stretched, and in turn, he shifted onto his side, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer to him. Lilith became far more aware of her situation, however, at the hard bulge from his pelvis pressing against hers. “Uh--!” Lilith could only make a noise, unsure what the proper words even were for such a situation.

Silas was just as wide awake as she was in that moment, and the two seemed to simultaneously jump away from each other in the process. Lilith, perhaps, went a little too far and tumbled out of the bed, backwards, landing with a thud and the wind knocked out of her. Her hair flew about, landing fanned out on the floor with other large strands lying across her face. Her feet were somehow tangled inside of the blankets from the bed.

Again. There was a knocking at the bed chamber door, and Lilith growled an angry response. “What?! Come in!” her words were in Celestial, however, as she forgot herself and where she was.

Eventually, the door began to open slowly with a lanky elf woman hiding behind the bulk of it, only peering in with one eye. Her fingers slowly curled around the opening door, as well, and soon she stood, almost completely visible in the entrance. She eyed Silas, a man wearing little clothing, for longer than she should have, then quickly looked away, down at the ground as she stammered out her words. “W-welcome to the Es-Espellna E-Es-Estate.”

Lilith lay on the ground, unmoving from where she’d landed originally. She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the ceiling. Why had this impossible elf woken her up from such a sweet slumber? Her mind traveled back to the warmth of Silas; his bare skin at the touch of her hand. She shook the thoughts out of her head. What was wrong with her? She wanted to get up, but how could she after what had happened in the bed? Was it her fault that had happened? She hadn’t meant to sleep that close to him.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas much appreciated the coolness that was flowing into him from Lilith and his eyes began to open slowly as well as the knocking on the door became more incessant. He inhaled deeply as he began to turn, getting into a comfortable position against her and he felt himself pressing against her in a way that he'd not meant to. Evidence of his masculinity came to brunt up against her pelvis and the shock that escaped her lips came as a soft "Oh!" from his own as his face began to rapidly fill with crimson. He was quite a bit larger than his size might have hinted at and the area was quite a lot warmer than the rest of his flesh, being as engorged as it was in the moment.

His entire face was reddening, along with his ears which were barely visible in the wild strands of his white locks. He quickly pushed away from her, covering his face and groin simultaneously while muttering "Sorry!" over and over again, half the time in Common and the other half in Celestial. He heard a soft 'thud' as Lilith hit the floor and instinctually dropped his hands away to move over towards the edge of the bed to see if she was alright.

"Uhhh...Lilith? Shit...Uh...I'm so sorry...I...Uhhh...I just...We were close...And I was sleeping...And you felt so nice...Not that you provoked it or asked for it in any way!" he was starting to blather off again, though in his stupor and embarrassment, he was cycling through Common, Elvish, Celestial, and Dwarvish, for some odd reason. As the door began to creak open, Silas' already red face seemed to deepen in hue as he'd seen the lanky elf peering in and starting to enter. He'd seen her staring at his exposed self, for a bit longer than he appreciated, before casting her gaze away and he quickly grabbed a pillow and slammed it down over his groin to hide the protruding fabric.

"Uhhm...I uhh...Thanks?" Silas muttered in Elvish to the elf woman who had intruded in upon them, sort of regretful that she'd interrupted such a wonderful sleep far too soon for his liking. His thoughts meandered back to how pleasant it had been to be embraced by Lilith. Her feminine curves pressed up against him so softly; the chill which balanced the warmth in him and made him far more relaxed. He felt a warmth growing in his lower abdomen and he shook his head to clear the thoughts away, thinking of how this wasn't the time nor the place to be dwelling on such things.

Slowly, the Elven woman fidgeted back and forth on her feet and messed about with her hands as if trying to distract herself from something. "I-I'm s-sorry to di-disturb, y-your exce-excellencies...B-but y-your pre-pres-presence has been reque-quested," she stammered out nervously, both at the fact that she'd intruded upon them at such a vulnerable moment and the fact that she was under the belief both parties were powerful Celestial beings as rumor had gotten around of their arrival.

"O-oh...Uhm...V-very good, very good...Please, allow us to...Uh...Prepare," Silas stammered out with deep embarrassment rich in his voice, his vivid green hues alight with the frenzied thoughts of one who was incredibly self-conscious at the moment. Silas sat upon the bed as he looked over at Lilith and he bit his lip before saying, "You are dismissed unless Lilith here has anything to say...Darling?" Silas said, trying to reinstill confidence into his voice as he spoke towards Lilith in an attempt to keep up the illusion that they were lovers.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith blinked slowly at Silas as he called her darling. It looked as though she was going to say something rather snarky back, but she pursed her lips, instead, as if to keep her comments from slipping out. She then turned her head to the side, facing the door where she could clearly see up to the knees of the elf, in her position on the floor. Sighing, she bent her knees toward her middle, freeing her feet from the confines of the blankets, then flipped herself over backwards, away from the bed, eventually standing. She brushed her hair down with her fingers, clearing her face of any strands, then cleared her throat.

With a soft, but demanding tone, she asked the timid elf, “Who demands an audience with the Celestials?” The elf looked up, rather shocked at that, with wide eyes and her face going pale. Lilith couldn’t tell if she thought she’d be frozen to death for disturbing them, or if she was simply always in a state of panic. “T-The… Adresin, Head Druid, council member. This is n-not a request.” she finished shakily. Lilith started at her with much consideration before speaking again. “Fine. Leave us.” Her answer was commanding and to the point.

As the door closed the two back into the privacy of the bedchamber, Lilith rubbed at her eye, yawning slowly. It completely destroyed any image of a fierce and intimidating Celestial she’d had moments before with the elf. She blinked hard a few time, then glanced around the room, walking to the ornate dresser. She held the handle of a drawer before opening it, her eyes glowing as she did so. Her hand glowed a soft yellow, and as she finally opened the wooden drawer, the contents inside were from that of her own realm, called forth by her will. She glanced to the side without turning her head, catching Silas’ frame just in the corner of her eye.

Shuffling through the, now magical, dresser, Lilith called forth two standard dress outfits commonly worn by Celestials when they attended formal affairs, one for a man, the other a woman. As soon as she pulled out the clothing, the light from her hand faded and the drawer sat open, empty and plain looking without a trace of how she’d done it. Lilith draped the man’s attire neatly against the backing of a chair then finally looked directly at her comrade. “If you would wear this, please,” she said as her eyes trailed down the inventor’s face, down his chest, following the line of hair that disappeared where his pants met his hips. She bit her lip in the slightest, looking off to the side, hugging her own clothing to her frame. “I’m hesitant to go to such a meeting but we won’t have a choice in the matter. So, let’s just get ourselves ready and be on guard, okay?”

Lilith wandered past Silas, walking behind a privacy screen that was settled in a back corner of the room, then changed into a rather elegant gown, with gradient hues of darker purples fading into rich blues, much like the sky. A golden headdress with a veil fell over the back of Lilith’s hair and as she emerged from the screen cautiously, she slipped back into her comfortable white shoes, completing her frilled and fancy attire. “Almost ready?” she asked Silas, sounding a little nervous. She fidgeted in her gown, perhaps feeling shy around the inventor.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas watched on as Lilith untangled herself from the blanket, continuing to cover himself until he'd relaxed enough that he wasn't so exposed. Slowly, he let the pillow away from his body and stood up slowly off of the bed and gave a stretch as Lilith tidied herself and then firmly demanded of the elf the information she desired. As the elf answered, Silas gave a deep sigh and pushed his fingers into his forehead. He didn't like meeting with these stuffy aristocratic types so early in the morning. It was never good if it were so early in the morning. Watching again as the door came to a close, his gaze returned to Lilith as she began to yawn and rub her eye. He felt his heart flutter a little bit and he couldn't help but smile at the cute and vulnerable display the Celestial was putting on before him now that they were alone.

Watching on as she went to the dresser, he began to run his fingers through his wild hair in an attempt to calm it a little before starting to rummage through his tool belt to reapply the salve to his finger to ensure it would heal properly. He could then feel the familiar flow of magic in the air and he looked back just in time to see that she'd enchanted the dresser to pull clothes from another realm. "That's fascinating," he said quietly as he looked at Lilith and the dresser, his green hues brightening with inquisitiveness once again. He'd turned to face her with his entire body as he watched, intrigued by the specific type of magic she'd use to that effect. He watched as she began to pull out some formal wear, a set of female and male clothing and he looked as she'd draped the male clothing on the back of the chair as the traces of magic in the air began to fade.

As she began to look over him, Silas could feel his body warming under her inspection and a light blush formed on his face as he felt her eyes raking along the front of his masculine form. "Of course," he replied as he walked over towards her and he took the clothing off of the chair as she began to go towards the privacy screen on the other side of the room. Silas began to dress himself, pulling on a pair of black slacks which were quite tight on his figure. He then pulled on a long, ruffled light purple shirt which had a deep cut neck, exposing a bit of his chest and outlining it with gilded trim with an intricate pattern. The shirt reached down to his thighs and had triangles of darker black reaching up from the gold trim on the bottom to his waist. He pulled on a nice dark purple coat with gilt trim and folded cuffs which were buttoned against his forearm. The shoulders had long epaulettes which had golden streams radiating down his arms, looking like stardust. A collar rose up behind his head, framing his neck out a bit and giving him a bit of a radiant look as the white of the coat's inside complimented his light complexion and hair. Fastening little golden ropes across his chest to the buttons which rest on the other side of his torso, he sighed a bit at the stuffy wear and began to pull on the black boots which came up to his shins just under his knees.

"I'm ready," he announced as he fidgeted a little with the regalia he had adorned, and he slowly picked up his circlet, placing it on his head and he pulled his gauntlet on and hung the sceptre from a loop in the waist of the pants he was wearing. He found himself much more eager than he'd admit to see Lilith, seeing as how he'd had such complimentary attire on, he couldn't imagine how radiant she must look. He shook his head a little bit as if trying to chase the thought away, attempting to return himself to the serious business at hand to which they needed to attend.

 

[Jumbled]

Stunning as she was, Lilith crept out from behind her changing screen with her gown gliding like a cloud over the floor. The dress, ruffled and light, fit snugly at her waist, defining her figure where it mattered. A golden piece of metalwork lay beneath the Celestial’s cleavage, which was far more than most of her kin ever had to worry about. These gowns always reminded Lilith of her proportions. The other women didn’t have so much fabric touching the ground, nor did they fill out the tops the way she did.

Tucking her hair behind an ear, one of the large sleeves fell down, exposing her bare arm which had several golden circlets cuffed to it. Her gaze finally fell onto Silas, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. He looked quite handsome in the colors and fit of the attire. She walked over to him, carefully adjusting his collar to straighten it a little. She gazed upward, looking at his green eyes, shyly, though she didn’t break the stare. “There.” she said, though her hands stayed fixed on either side of his neck, holding his collar.

Lilith exhaled slowly, finally withdrawing her hands from Silas. She looked away nervously, then straightened her posture, turning toward the doorway. “I suppose we must get this out of the way.” she said hesitantly. She didn’t like the feeling she had in her gut. This meeting felt far too sudden, and most people were not so bold as to summon a Celestial. However, it was in their culture to always agree to such things, and she couldn’t refuse.

Lilith walked outside of the room, finding the elf from before waiting further down the hallway near the center-point of the stairs. She eyed the creature suspiciously, noting her dull blonde hair and freckled face from before. Her eyes were a dull blue, as well, causing them to look almost gray. She was not the picture of elegance the way that most of her kind was. Lilith wondered if she was only a halfling, and a servant because of it. It was possible, after all. Maybe of the high classes in the realms forbid breeding outside of one’s race. Still, these things happened. Lilith glanced back at Silas, suddenly wondering about his origins again. He never did tell her that story…

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas felt his breath stop for what felt like forever as Lilith walked out from behind the privacy screen. She was beautiful, to be sure, but in that attire she was ravishing. After the urge to breathe finally broke through to his brain, he inhaled sharply and suddenly, alerting her to the way her sudden appearance had affected him. She was accentuated in all the right ways by the gown and he had to admit that he was incredibly lucky to witness her in such a way.

She looked upon him, and Silas felt like there were butterflies fluttering about in his stomach and he shifted a little, nervous as he bit his bottom lip and his green hues were a little more subdued with his shy demeanor, though there was an intensity directly pointed at her. As she approached, he shifted a little again and straightened his posture a little more, giving him a more regal appearance as she came up to him fully. As she reached up to adjust his collar, his head subconsciously leaned towards one of her hands, not quite touching but moving noticeably enough.

Silas reached up with one hand as she fixed his collar and he gently tucked another lock of her hair behind her ear and then traced his fingers affectionately along her jaw. "You look beautiful," he whispered to her, his voice a little shaky with nervousness and he blushed lightly. "N-not that you didn't before...J-just..." he began to spew again before stopping himself short, just inhaling deeply and then exhaling slowly to calm himself.

Steeling himself, he followed along with Lilith as she exited the room and looked over towards the Elf girl as well, sighing a little bit as he waved his hand a little. "Lead the way," he said as he started to walk towards her, his long stride carrying him quickly though he walked at a much more slowed pace so that Lilith could easily keep step with him. Going down the steps and out of the building, he watched the fidgety girl with suspicion as they were lead along and back towards the path that they had taken into the estate. They were being lead towards another grand building, though this one was much larger and seemed to be simultaneously carved from stone and beautiful wood, the building reaching up higher than the others, though it still wasn't as tall as the castles back in his land. The large windows were made with stained glass, with beautiful art depicting elves in natural scenes. The wooden parts of the structure seemed to glow, almost, as if replete with some unseen energy. There was a large double door made of thick wood and banded with metal to keep the wood from warping or shifting in any way, it opening slowly as they approached, the sight of a few large figures pulling the door open from behind, just half of their bodies visible as they held onto the edges of the large fabrication.

Silas didn't feel good about this whole thing as he walked in, his eyes scanning back and forth as he saw pillars on each side of this long walkway which ended with another set of double doors that were slowly being opened as well, inside being a large, semi-circle table where the head druid and some other Elven elders were sitting at the far end of the room from the walkway. As they entered the room, Silas was on edge, his green eyes intense with inquisitiveness and caution as he slowly scanned around the room.

 

[Jumbled]

Lilith stayed close to Silas as they walked. It was strange, seeing him in such clothing, with the little soul-orb floating near him like it was his pet. His hair even looked a little more tame than normal, but only just barely. She felt a sense of both needing to protect him in this place, but also being protected, herself, by him. Such feelings were foreign to her. Why did she care so much to protect someone in general, especially a man she barely knew? Her cheeks quickly flushed a bright pink as she remembered him hard against her that morning. Indeed, someone she barely knew. Even so. . .

Lilith smiled softly to herself as she walked, noting that this time, the inventor was keeping pace with her instead of being yards ahead of her. She glanced down at his hand, and his silly finger covering. She wished she could just heal it for him, but it simply wasn’t one of her skill sets. The path they traveled took the straight to a large building that looked elegant in its way. Lilith was sure she felt a darker energy than what she’d expected to find there, but even so, she stepped inside the double doors, following the timid thing to the main room.

Lilith stood in the center of the room, in front of the table, and now Silas. She did not bow, nor speak. Celestials did not bow. She stared as she waited for some word as to why they had been brought there. The elf in the center of the table stood, pushing back a chair that was tall, similar to the ones in the estate. She had long red hair that was braided and twisted in random places with no real order to it, while other chunks fell down toward her feet. She was dressed in fine furs, and wore a headpiece that had antlers hanging toward the back with ornaments strung about them, dangling down toward her hair. There were other elves surrounding this one, but none that looked the way she did. Druids of this land were always dressed to be part of nature, and she certainly looked it.

“You visitors came unannounced, which is not customary to our lands.” She began. “However, it was brought to this council’s attention that you are. . . both. . . Celestials.” she stated, her words laced with suspicion. Lilith still chose not to speak. She wasn’t going to waste her breath playing the druid’s games.

“Now, the display in the courtyard yestermorrow was quite a scene. I, myself, was witness to the shift in climate and knew that once again our lands was host to one of your kind. However, the last Celestial we had here was quite the. . . permanent fixture. . . you see.”

Lilith’s posture had shifted in the slightest with a foot more behind the other, readying herself into a defensive stance. She wasn’t sure what a “permanent fixture” was supposed to imply, either, but the very words made the hairs stand on the back of her neck. Lilith’s eyes were fighting not to glare at the woman. It was very difficult not to react.

“You see, our people simply do not like outsiders. The very thought of them dirtying up our homes is unbearable. Celestials are no different from anything else, yet, we do not care to grant them the immunity they claim to have. We learned a lot from the last Celestial, really.”

The druids face twisted into a sadistic expression as the corners of her lips turned upward in a grin. Lilith took a step backwards, but before she understood what was happening, two elves came from either side of her, each with a contraption in their hands that looked like something that could have come out of Silas’ workshop.

Large beams of orange light flew forward at Lilith, boxing her in a forcefield of heat far stronger than that of the desert. The force of the temperature was like a punch to the gut, and Lilith instantly fell to a knee, holding herself up with a hand as she attempted not to make a sound of agony. She wouldn’t give them the pleasure. She wondered if they’d tortured a Celestial to understand them better… to create such a trap. Perhaps, now, she was going to die. Maybe Silas, too. So long as whoever created the traps didn’t find that orb of Silas’. . .

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas watched Lilith as they moved along through the hallway, making sure he didn't outpace the Celestial, confident that they must keep their appearance as a couple before these elves. As they approached the room, Silas couldn't help but to feel on edge. The hair on the back of his neck was standing and his eyes began to dart around inquisitively even further. They were up to something, he was absolutely certain of it now. Nothing was ever good in this early morning meetings, and they were always meant to catch the people being invited off guard. Silas, however, was far too used to this type of political chicanery and had fully donned his arcane implements, though they were quiet and didn't hum with any sort of life at the moment, just looking like regular adornments.

As they entered the room, Silas felt a shift of energy and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, his green hues darkening with intensity as he stepped forward, though not quite as far as Lilith had. Silas' gaze turned up towards the female druid which was now standing to greet them, her form adorned with all things natural and once living. He did not like the feeling that was emanating off of her and his eyes trained on her intently as if attempting to discern her motive before she even spoke. However, as she did speak, Silas' suspicion grew into confirmation and his uncovered hand began to reach down for his scepter. He'd see Lilith beginning to take a more defensive posture as well and his eyes stayed narrowed but kept from glaring as he tried to be more open. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding, he thought, though the thought didn't last long at all.

Two elves came forward towards Lilith from each side and each held contraptions in their hands that hummed with a similar energy and tune as one of his implements, though the frequency was a bit different. The work was somehow familiar to him, he thought, as beams of orange light burst forth and Silas felt the immense heat radiating off of the forcefield which now surrounded Lilith. She would die in such conditions, he was sure of it, and the once inquisitive look in his eyes turned into a blinding rage as he pulled the sceptre from his waist. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of arcane energy overtook the inventor's body, before ebbing back into an aura which hung around him. A glimmering purple and black sheen with orbs of gold circling him, specks of white flowing throughout and his feet were no longer touching the floor. Every one of the arcane devices he had brought with him were now humming powerfully with the surge of magical energy that was now running through him.

He could hear it, the frequency of the crystals within the devices being used to ensnare this girl he had begun to feel such a strong need to protect. He could sense resonant tone as they poured the heated forcefield around her. Lifting his gauntleted hand towards Lilith and the elves, he began to speak in an arcane dialect which was difficult even for a Celestial to understand. It was an ancient and long-forgotten language which Silas had come across in his study some years ago and as he spoke, symbols began to appear around his hand of the same shimmering arcane energy, forming a circle around his hand before they collapsed into his palm. Suddenly, a shrill, almost deafening sound began to blast out from his hand, causing all who were on the other side of it to grasp at their ears as the tone pierced deep into their minds. However, that was not the intended effect, as the Elves holding the contraptions would soon find out. The devices in their hands began to glow with far more energy than they should have before the crystals inside exploded at the feedback caused by the arcane tone which matched its frequency to their implements.

Silas was beyond furious, his hand grasping shut as the contraptions ensnaring Lilith exploded in the elves' faces and as soon as the forcefield went down, Lilith felt an arcane hand grab hold of her and push her behind Silas, keeping her just above the floor so she wasn't scraped along the stonework. "You dare to attack a Celestial and my companion in my presence?! You will now suffer my wrath!" Silas' voice was augmented powerfully by the influx of arcane energy, the once deep and resonant voice now booming and powerful, as it had been before, though there was much more raw energy within. Every piece of glass and metal in the room vibrated with his speech and Silas set Lilith on the ground and began speaking that powerful arcane language once more, runes appearing around her on the floor before a shimmering blue barrier appeared around her.

 

[Jumbled]

The orange, magical cage, looking like multiple triangles circling around her in the air around her, was dry and hot. She could feel all moisture leaving her body, sizzling off of her flesh as soon as beads of sweat formed. She gasped, trying to breathe, but even the air seemed to be on fire, and it burned her lungs. Lilith shut her eyes, trying to protect them from also drying up. The pain was unbearable. How had the morning shifted so drastically? Why were they so desperate to destroy her? And how did they have the knowledge and technology to do it? She wanted to start over, laying there with Silas where their biggest problem was. . . his big. . . problem. Lilith was beginning to lose herself as she grasped onto any pleasant thought she could.

The druid laughed maniacally and motioned for the attackers to ease up on the heat now that the Celestial was completely debilitated. As they lowered the heat with their devices, the energy in the room shifted, and although the light in the room was once bright and shining through the large painted windows, the room was cast in a darkness, the center point being the enraged scientist, Silas, standing behind the captured girl. The elves wavered a little, but corrected their stances so that they did not disrupt the forcefield around the woman.

Lilith’s arm shook. She locked her elbow in place in hopes to keep herself from completely falling. The heat had become less intense, which would have been a relief, but she was still unable to recover. It still felt like she had her own personal sun floating right over her head. There was a voice muttering things behind her, a voice she did not recognize with a language she also wasn’t sure she knew. That wasn’t possible, though, Celestials were able to understand all words, so perhaps the heat had warped her sense of... Everything.

Something happened, then, and there was this pressure in the air that felt similar to the pressure back in her home realm. Other species could never go to her realm, because such pressure caused them to topple over in pain, or worse. So, what was happening now? Was some Celestial there, channeling an open portal from the Celestial plane? Or was it… Silas?

Small blasts and the sounds of shattering glass and metals hitting the floor filled the room, along with cries of agony and pain. The heat surrounding her ceased and for the first time, she could breathe properly. Lilith felt a strong pull as Silas spoke in a tone far different than his normal voice, and before she could understand what was going on, she had been lifted up and was now behind Silas, her feet not touching the ground.

Slowly, her body lowered and her feet met the ground. She still felt weak, however, and her knees shook, threatening to give out on her. One after another, runes appeared in a brilliant blue light on the ground, circling around her frame. Each symbol seemed to give her a new found strength, and as the last one appeared, completing a circle, a blast of light shot out from beneath her, covering her in a circle of blue energy. The air was suddenly much colder inside of the magical protection Silas had given her. As if a direct reaction to such power, her eyes lit up in that eerie, glowing blue that pierced through the darkness created by Silas’ aura. The barrier itself began to frost over from the inside, creating a thin layer of ice along the inside of it.

The Druid had taken the time to grab a staff, creating a barrier of her own around herself. She glared at the two, furious that they defy her will. She would have them if it was the last thing she did.

 

[Vekraihr]

Silas could feel the energy pouring back into Lilith's being and the energy exuded by her as she began to create a frost around herself within the magical barrier he had constructed. He looked upon the druid with righteous indignation as she began to draw a staff and craft a barrier of her own making around herself. He saw the other elves were defenseless at this moment, however, and he gave a malicious grin as he held his gauntleted hand up. "You dare to defy us?" he spoke in Elvish and his voice was chilling, full of power and reverberating through the chamber, and there was this arrogance to it. It was nothing like Silas had been previously, everything about the energy about him and the way he spoke to the elves. As if they were ants beneath his feet.

Beginning to speak again in that arcane language he had spoken before, his voice shifted pitch to a higher melody, and his words echoed with power in the air as runes began to form once again around his gauntlet. "Mekron shi'ash histral xerro creshtiak medgromor dultras," he canted, a violet and vibrant arcane lightning surging around his arm, glove and the runes forming around his hand. It took but a split second before the spell released and a powerful arc of plasma bolts streaked forth from him and towards the nearest elf. The moment it struck, it began to leap to the next closest and then the next, spreading to each individual in the room before splashing violently into the barrier formed by the druid. Lightning magic wasn't very effective against barriers, but it was incredibly effective against living, breathing creatures. Worst case for them, they would be fried instantly and best case they would be paralyzed and helpless for some time.

The golden spheres began to orbit Silas a little faster as he began to drift towards the druid, the air around him humming and crackling with the overwhelming amount of energy he was channeling through himself. He'd never had to go this far before, and he wasn't quite sure how it would affect him later, but that didn't matter to him right now. Lilith needed his protection, and he was certainly going to provide it. As he approached the druid female, he somehow seemed like he was growing larger in her perspective, until it seemed he was a giant, towering over her and his previously green eyes were completely black and looked as though they were filled with distant stars and galaxies. The seemingly massive gauntlet of Silas reached out and poked her barrier with a finger and a brilliant flash of energy overloaded it, making it shatter into pieces as a grin spread over his face.

Panic rapidly set into the druid woman as she had no contingency plan to deal with something of this magnitude at the moment. Slamming her staff down onto the ground and speaking a different arcane tongue rapidly, a sudden gust of wind rushed around her, seeming to coalesce into a whirlwind before the wind split off into all directions, leaving an empty space where the druid once stood. Silas growled angrily and yelled out with rage, his powerful voice causing the glass in the room to start to crack from the deafening reverberations which pierced the air. Turning in the air, he faced back towards Lilith, who would see his expression contorted with a mixture of anger, concern, and frustration as he began to glide back over towards her slowly.

 

[Jumbled]

The ice around the barrier grew so thick that Lilith soon became encased in a solid ball. She could feel everyone of her pores opening up, absorbing power from the runes and light that surrounded her on the ground. She had never experienced power like this before. It wasn’t typical human magic, that much she understood. What was Silas?

The power that swirled around Lilith caused her feet to lift from the ground once again. She folded her legs in a meditative position, hovering inside of her frozen barrier. Her hair floated around her body in slow waves, the soft silks of her clothes also fluttering around beside her. If one could see through the ice, she would have been a majestic sight to behold.

Large cracks began to cut through the ice around her, and as this happened, Lilith floated higher into the air. The ice split apart into piercing daggers that raised up above her head. She and the newly formed weapons continued to rise up, and for the first time, Lilith got a good look at Silas in all of his might and power. The aura and lights that swirled around him were beautiful. No, he was clearly something more than a human.

Lilith’s legs unfolded and she hung in the air effortlessly, like a suspended doll. She raised a hand, then shot it forward. The ice followed her wordless command and spearheaded through every elf that lay on the ground after Silas’ initial attack. More of her weapons remained hovering above, and as she saw Silas destroy the druid’s barrier with the touch of a finger, she sent a spiraling attack of the remaining ice toward the evil woman. The ice spun in the air, looping around Silas effortlessly as it zoomed toward its target. One of the icicles managed to pierce through the druid before she vanished, the winds of her teleportation guarding her from the rest. It was unclear where the ice punctured the woman.

As Silas turned around, Lilith tilted her head to the side, and her small frame lowered with pointed toes until she touched the ground. She reached forward with a cool hand, touching his cheek gently as she stared into his eyes, finding herself quite mesmerized by them.