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Somewhere in the world (Candira and runawayninja)

Candira smiled at his little blush, finding it to be more charming than he would know. She chuckled at the smirk he gave her though. My what that man could do to her heart with a glance. Since when had that happened? Well, it had, so she'd best learn to deal with it. She rolled her eyes at his question to Nora. "Subtle."

Nora blushed a little and shook her head. "I don't know. It's hard to tell with him. One minute I get the feeling he really likes me, and the next he's closed off and stubborn. I don't know what to do with him sometimes." She sighed and turned to Rafe. "I'm not sure your talking to him would help at all. Poor guy would have to be drunk to the heavens to get that kind of information. Especially since he's not too happy with you at the moment."

Leaning back on the bench the princess shrugged. "I'm trying not to get too attached. I don't want to get my hopes up for no reason..."

Candira frowned and put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Well, at least he knows he's missing out on one hell of a girl." She smiled and and looked up to Rafe. "Wouldn't you say so?"
 
Rafe nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "Yes, he is a tight-assed fool." He grinned a bit. "But I might know a way to loosen him up, and his ass." He chuckled softly and tapped a finger to his chin. "The castle has a large storehouse in the basement of beer. It is there in case anything should happen to the well, but...they occasionally let some out for enjoyment. I'm sure I can get Lionel some..." He chuckled a bit more, looking at the other girls.
 
Candira raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "I honestly can't see him drinking anything to excess....but good luck," she said shrugging, turning to Nora. "So why do you think he likes you so much?"

Nora blushed. "He remembers the first time he saw me....it was in a garden...and he thought I was a forest sprite." She smiled softly and leaned back. "But even if he does like me, there's no way he'll ever let himself do anything, despite the fact that he might want to and might tease me about it. It just doesn't seem fair to either of us."

Candira frowned. "Sounds like we could all stand to loosen up a bit." She looked at Rafe and shrugged. "It's worth a shot. Maybe you can get back on his good side...assuming he has one where you're concerned."
 
"That's why we'll need the two of you to do it. I think Lionel has enough faith in Candira and enough feelings for Nora that the two of you could get him to get some drinking in. Just distract him with idle conversation, then leave him and Nora alone and I'm pretty sure he'll be too distracted to notice how much he's been drinking." He grinned and rubbed his chin like some kind of evil mastermind. "Yes...it's almost too perfect...besides, no guy says stuff like that unless he's really into you, Nora. I think he likes you, a lot. He wants it, I bet, he just needs to let his guard down a bit."
 
Nora frowned. "I don't know...somehow I think this plan is bound to fail...but why not? I guess it's worth a shot." She shrugged and sat back.

Candira chuckled. "Aww, it'll be okay, hun. We'll take care of it tonight for dinner. I hear someone's coming back from killing spider demons. Why don't we convince the abbey to throw him a little celebration?"

Nora sighed. There was no stopping them in any case. She only wished that it wouldn't take a large amount of alcohol to prompt Lionel to just do what they both wanted him to do.
 
Rafe frowned, just a bit, noticing Nora's down mood. "Nora...are you alright? You look sad..." He wanted her to be happy, the plan was concocted for her.
 
She smiled at Rafe and shook her head. "It's just very tiring, that's all. It's frustrating to know that you could have what you really wanted if it weren't for one tiny thing." She shrugged. "I'm not sad though. And I thank you both for thinking of me. Let's do the celebration thing. Who knows? Maybe I'll lighten up a little too." She smiled and picked up the tray with her dishes and Lionel's. "In any case, I should probably get back to work. There are a few things I have to finish. You two should eat something since you're out and about." With that, she bowed and made a graceful exit.

Candira frowned. "What a bummer. He's being foolish to ignore the attention she gives him though. It's not like he'll have many chances like this again. Just wasting time." Shaking her head she shrugged and looked up at him. "She makes a good point about eating. Why don't we go down to the kitchen and get something while we suggest the plan? I bet you could charm someone into doing it for you." She smirked.
 
He grinned softly at her. "How do you think I found out about the storehouse? I charmed a young priestess..." He smirked, obviously pleased with himself as he helped her up and walked with her. "I have to say, I kind of see Lionel's position. I doubt her family would let her marry him unless he really distinguished himself. He might just not see a point to it if they have to end up pretending like nothing happened when they go back. I don't agree with it, but I understand why..."
 
Candira shook her head. "There's a saying about that: 'tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." She shrugged and walked with him, ignoring for the moment that he'd charmed a priestess. "I'm not saying that he's not being logical, but actually, Nora can marry who she chooses. It's David who inherits the throne. From what I remember of the king, he was actually rather fond of Lionel and his family. Then again, I don't know if that's changed at all." She shrugged and held Rafe's hand.

"He makes sense, but there's a point where logic should take a backseat."
 
He kissed her hand softly and nodded slowly. "I agree with you. I mean...a year ago, would you have imagined us together like this?" He smiled softly at her. "Now you are my noble lady, my Dima to my Sin..."
 
She grinned and squeezed his hand as he kissed hers, staying close to him. "I never would have thought it. But let's hope our tale ends less sadly than Dima and Sin's." She smiled and sighed. "In any case, what will happen, will happen. Let's just charm our way into a celebration and go from there, shall we?" She smiled and kissed his cheek leading him to the kitchen for some lunch.
 
He nodded and smirked at her. "I doubt Sin and Dima's tale is over...I think stories rarely end permanently, all we hear is fragments of them. The beginning is usually not the very start and the end is usually not where the story stops."

He followed her into the kitchen and grinned at her, biting his lip a bit. He was saying nothing, letting her take the lead on this one.
 
She smiled at what he said and nodded. "You know, I never really thought of it that way...but you've got a point." She smiled and squeezed his hand and once they arrived, she let it go to speak with the head chef of the day.

"Oh! What a brave man to have done that! And he's staying with us? Wonderful," she said with a clap of her hands. "I think a little celebration would be a wonderful idea...but as for the store...I'm not quite sure about that..." The little chef frowned in thought, obviously conflicted. It was then that Candira motioned to Rafe to finish off the little lady.
 
Rafe smiled softly, approaching her as he softly took hold of her hands. "You did say it had been awhile since the last holy day." He smiled ever so softly as he took one of her hands, slowly running it along his cheek. "I've been so impressed by all the care given here and how nice and busy all the priests and priestesses have been, don't they deserve a break? And..." He looked away, looking a little sad and downtrodden. "Well...we were going to try to get one of our companions to confess his true feelings for a woman and...well he's so knotted up with his emotions, he's being more grim than Morr's touch and tighter than a rock. We know he has feelings for her, but...he won't confess them." He then pulled her hand to his lips and softly kissed it. "Will you please help us, Ashley?" He pleaded to her with his eyes. Apparently, this is the one he charmed the existence of the storehouse out of.
 
Honestly, Candira was more impressed than she was jealous about the way he handled the priestess. The little thing was blushing so deeply, Candira thought she might need help soon. She hung back and smiled a bit, watching as Rafe behaved like the quintessential rake. And they said women were manipulative. Impressed as she was, she couldn't deny that she was just a little jealous as she watched him shamelessly flirt with a woman he'd probably never see again.

After a small bout of giggling, severe blushing, soulful staring, Ashley nodded. "Well, alright. I couldn't very well stand by and do nothing when you're trying to help...and we do need to air the stores...Alright. I'll do it! I'll make sure we have a special meal tonight."

Candira smiled and gave a little cheer with some other priestesses and seeing her made some of the priests cheer as well. "Wonderful. Thank you all so much."

Ashley nodded and handed Rafe a tray of food to carry out with the two of them. "Make sure you save room for food tonight!"
 
Rafe smiled warmly and he leaned close to her, giving Ashley a long kiss on the cheek. It was so long that one might've thought he was kissing her lips. "Thank you Ashley..." He said, looking longingly into her eyes. "Oh, food! You know, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, hehe. Thanks again, I'll be sure to save room just for you!"

As they walked away, Rafe was all grins. "Maybe I laid it on a little thick? But hey, it was the truth, we want to get Lionel to lighten up. We weren't deceiving her, we just...put it very nicely." Rafe looked back and smirked at Candira. "We could have fun with her, together, hmm?" Probably the most shocking naughty thing that left his lips since she had known him.
 
Candira blushed just a little as she watched, feeling like he'd laid it on way too thick. Poor Ashley looked like she was going to combust if Rafe touched her anymore. She wondered if he was actually attracted to her, but it was so over-the-top that she knew he was just playing with her. Still, there was a twinge of jealousy as he flirted with the chef. She'd already agreed; he didn't need to keep going.

When they finally left, she was relieved to get away from that situation. He looked far too pleased with himself. Perhaps Ashley had stroked his ego, but he didn't need to carry on, did he? "I thought maybe you laid it on too thick at the end there. Poor girl looked like she'd explode if you kept it up," she said frowning just a little. His rather risque suggestion made her blush a little, but she somehow felt inadequate. It was foolish--this she knew--but she couldn't help it.

She shook her head. "I don't think she could handle the both of us--she could barely handle you," the redhead teased in return, her comeback sounding natural and playful instead of a little defensive, which was how she felt.
 
Rafe was in shock at her last statement and he stared at her with his jaw slightly agape like he was impressed with her. "Wh...what...?" He laughed softly and smiled, hugging her. "Wow! I didn't expect that from you! Hehe, maybe I'm corrupting you...but..." He smiled and kissed her softly and quickly. "I'm sorry if I made you feel a bit jealous...you know you don't have to worry about me. I'm yours...now and forever and beyond eternity."
 
She chuckled at his expression, pleased that she'd caught him off guard. When he hugged her, she hugged him back, careful not to knock over the tray. She smiled at his compliment and was about to give him a little come-back, but found herself kissing him instead. She looked up at him, unsure of what to think. And then came the apology. If he had been on her bad side before, he was quickly redeeming himself.

She smiled at him and shook her head. "Well, just because you weren't expecting it, doesn't mean that it wasn't always there," she teased. "Of course, you might be corrupting me anyway." Her arm wrapped around his waist and she stayed against him as they walked. "I know I shouldn't worry. I know you love me," she said with a smile, looking up at him. "But I think part of loving you is going to be me getting jealous when you pay so much attention to another woman," she said with a chuckle. "I know it's silly..."
 
"Nah, its not silly. Its how you show someone you love them. It's natural to be afraid of losing something or someone you're attached to. But its how you deal with it that is important. If you let it dominate you, then you become possessive and selfish. But, if you acknowledge it but do not let it rule you, you show your selflessness. Much like fear. All people fear and only fools say they do not. To be without fear is to be without emotion or humanity. Fear lets you know that you have something to be fearful for. That you are alive, thinking and feeling. Feeling or not feeling fear is not what is important, it is what you do with it."
 
She chuckled and nodded. "So wise of you to say," she said, squeezing his waist. "I know you love me Rafe, but after something like that, a girl needs to be reminded." She smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I won't let myself get jealous over just any little thing, but you laid it on a little too thickly that time. And anyway, I thought I handled it pretty well, all things considered."
 
He smiled just a bit. "But it was fun...well...tell you what, next time you talk to a guy, you can flirt with him to get back at me, if you want." He grinned at her. Somewhere in him, there was a mischievous little fox just waiting to get out. He leaned on her when she hugged his waist and he kissed her cheek lightly until they reached her room. He set the tray down and lifted their food and drinks from it.
 
She leaned into him and chuckled at his suggestion for payback. "Two wrongs don't make a right, dear...but maybe if I'm feeling playful enough I'll see how much you can take." She was only teasing, but the glint in her eyes was very convincing. She smiled as he kissed her cheek and opened the door for him when they reached her room again. She sat down on her bed and took the food and drink he handed to her.

"So what's the plan for tonight's celebration then?"
 
He shrugged softly. "I don't have a clue. I figure most celebrations aren't planned and take their own course." He chuckled as he took in a mouthful of fresh vegetables. He looked at her and smiled softly. "You seem to be in good spirits at least, that's a good sign. They say the happier you are, the further you are from Morr's gates."
 
Candira chuckled and took a sip of her water. "I didn't mean that. I meant what are we going to do about Nora and Lionel," she said, sitting next to him. She smiled back and kissed his cheek again. "Really, you act as though I was on death's doorstep," she said with a laugh. "And I'm in good spirits because I'm with you."
 
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