Eye of Azuhaar (Broomhandel45 and Candira)

"You are a woman who is dedicated to her burdens, I see," Ithrel murmured, tucking a box under her arm. "I hope that doesn't cause you undue stress in your life, Isla." With Azuhaar, it would...but she supposed that every wife that he had handled him in their own way. It was only her job to make sure the happy couple lasted for more than a year, Azuhaar could be a...unique challenge to deal with, but they hadn't had a woman yet give up on him. All the same, she curled her fingers around the urn to help her lift it.

She did tell Azuhaar that he would meet his wayward wife today, assuming he remembered.

Isla was glad for Ithrel's help. Lugging this beast up the formidable stairs on her own would have been awful. Still, she and the eleven protector of Orkathel managed to haul the ungainly urn to the top of the stairs without incident.

"Phew. You know, I know that grand stairways really add to the impressiveness of a building like this, but I don't understand what would possess a person to create one, let alone want to climb it all the time," she said, huffing a bit. "Still. We made it." She sighed in relief and set the urn down with Ithrel rubbing her shoulders.

"Thank you for that. I might need a moment to catch my breath. Where do we go now?" She asked, looking around for the first time.

The manor was hardly something that could make a bigger city in awe, but around here it was something worthwhile. It was a building crafted with love and loyalty in every wall, only two floors with a modest number of rooms. Perhaps the most impressive display was the statues, two of them flanking the doorway were massive guardian dragons posed in mid-pounce. Ithrel remembered specifically just how amused that Azuhaar was at them, but he liked them so much he wanted them kept. Ithrel rolled her arm absently, giving her a faint grin.

"Inside," Ithrel said easily. "Allow the servants to get this for you, Isla...Lord Azuhaar would very much like to meet you."

"Well, I'll consider it delivered, then," she said, a little embarrassed that she hadn't been able to haul it herself the whole way. Still, not bad. Honestly, she was just glad it was out of her hands. Rolling her shoulders, she listened to Ithrel's instructions, surprised that lord Azuhaar even knew she existed.

"Really? Well, if you say so it must be true. Okay then. I leave it to you." With that, she turned and slowly, shyly, a little awkwardly entered the building, not really sure what to expect.

Ithrel could have assumed plenty about what went on when she opened that door for Isla as a proper guest to her home. She was in fact, extremely confident that she had told Azuhaar at great length that he would be meeting his new wife and that it would be nice if she was properly introduced. Why she still had these stupid, fanciful thoughts was anyone's guess, really...but she said them all the same in some strange hope that perhaps he would recall and do something to make the introduction less shocking.

Of course, she was a fool for thinking that. Because the very first thing that Isla saw when they walked in together and the red-faced maids was Azuhaar, wearing absolutely nothing. The tall, blue haired man with the piercing golden eye was showing off every inch of his fit, lean body that was practically bursting with toned muscle. To say nothing of the impressive manhood that seemed to rest lazily between his legs.

"Ah, Mela!" Azuhaar said cheerfully as Ithrel's eyebrows twitched faintly in irritation and the maids looked as if they had committed a horrible wrong. Their faces red with shame, only at being caught...of course.

Isla wasn't quite sure what she was seeing for a moment. The sexiest man she'd ever seen was currently naked as though it were the most natural thing in the world, standing in the grand foyer. Her violet eyes widened in shock as her face turned just as red as the maids'. Her jaw dropped and she felt the nosebleed seconds later.

Covering her face, Isla turned around and lifted her head, trying desperately to stop the natural response to the most surreal and captivating sight of the exhibitionist and his flustered maids. What was going in?!

"I'm so sorry!" It flew out of her mouth before she really knew what she was apologizing for. She knew that she wasn't at fault, yet she felt as though she had interrupted something she probably shouldn't have seen. And she had taken in the entire glorious image of him before she'd realized that. That had to be rude. She probably looked like an inconsiderate idiot.

"...My Lord," Ithrel murmured calmly. "Why are you naked?"

"I am not naked," Azuhaar said, brushing away his blue hair to show his finely crafted leather eye-patch. "As you can see, I am clothed. Who is this ravishingly beautiful young lady that has decided to grace us with her unmistakable bea-aaahhh! Ah!" Azuhaar hissed as Ithrel frowned and tugged firmly on his ear. "Mela! That hurts!"

"You will apologize to your new wife, immediately," Ithrel frowned. "I told you that I was bringing her here, and this is how you greet her!?"

Isla was not really sure what was happening. She had a really hard time focusing on anything but the nosebleed she currently had going on. How embarrassing! She glanced back over her shoulder as the beautiful man was cut off by an irate Ithrel.

She turned a few shades darker red as she saw Ithrel take him to task. But she couldn't quite fathom the fact that "new wife" had been uttered. Wait...he was greeting her now. Was he waiting for his new wife? He must have been. Of course! Now his state of dress made more sense. Still, he was quite forward wasn't he?

But the bride to be wasn't here yet. Was she? The only other woman here was Isla herself, and there was no way Ithrel would have brought her here for something so important without telling her...right?

"Um? I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm a little confused," she said, thanking a maid who'd come with a handkerchief for the blood. Isla cleaned herself up and kept her head tilted back. "What's going on?"

"You are his new wife," Ithrel stated, once she finally was done attempting to rip his ear off. "He has been looking for someone like you, Isla...I apologize that you have to see him like some idiot so early."

"Idiot," Azuhaar snorted. "PLease, I am showing her all of my best features!"

"If those are your only good features, then gods help her for dealing with you, and gods help me for tolerating it," Ithrel sighed.

And that was when Isla realized that she had spent the morning creating her own flower arrangements. Her entire body froze and she forgot how to breathe for a moment. But wait...she was? And he? WHAT?!

And then the sweet little florist fainted, collapsing just as suddenly as she'd realized what had happened.

It wasn't surprising, really. Azuhaar's penchant for surprise and dramatics often resulted in people being overly emotional, he forgot how often that these people appreciated what his 'ancestor' had done and how much honor it was to actually be chosen for his bride, to even be considered as such. To say nothing of just how handsome he was to most people, drifting between that realm of too handsome and almost frightening...because a dragon was a vain creature indeed.

At any rate, Azuhaar at least looked a slight bit sympathetic over his own amusement as he scooped up his would-be bride and decided that it was his time to care for his wife. There were few scenes as irritatingly familiar to Ithrel than the spontaneity of Azuhaar rushing his newfound lover to his personal bedroom to care for her in her hour of need. With little choice, Ithrel followed after with a light sigh.

"Please inform the Lady Cecilla that Lord Azuhaar will be occupied," Ithrel murmured to the humiliated maids. "And...perhaps, we should wait for the wedding until she has proper collection of her senses." she said, following after him into his bedroom. There wasn't much to say of Azuhaar's personal quarters, except for the fact that the walls could have been purely bookshelves and nobody would have noticed the difference. Azuhaar laid down his bride to be gingerly, fingers running faintly through her hair. She was beautiful, wasn't she?

Ithrel's fingers gripped his ear and yanked harshly away as Azuhaar hissed in irritation, jerking away with her. "Melllaaaaa!" he whined, rubbing his ear as Ithrel's normally calm countenance was replaced with an aura of icy irritation, pursing her lips a moment with a weary sigh.

"Get dressed," she said dryly. "I will not have you embarrass this poor flower any more than you already have, Azuhaar."

"It's not my fault," Azuhaar sighed, fingers running through his hair. "Come now, this way all expectations are removed! What does she have to be nervous about now?" Every generation, it seemed he forgot just how different he looked compared to everyone else. It took time, time that he didn't seem to want to give any of his wives.

"Get dressed," Ithrel said flatly, eyes roaming down his body. Obnoxiously handsome idiot, but he nevertheless sighed and sulked off to slip something on from his closet. Sometimes, Ithrel felt more like a mother than a friend...

Isla opened her eyes shortly after Azuhaar disappeared into his closet. She woke with a start, disoriented due to the shock. As she scanned the room, nervously, she remembered that she was in the mansion of Lord Azuhaar...and she'd received some pretty spectacular news. She might have believed it to be a dream or something she'd misheard if it weren't for the ornate surroundings. The reality of her life slammed into her again as she realized what that meant.

Slowly, she sat up and brushed her dark hair behind her ears, violet eyes settling on Ithrel. Immediately she realized what must have happened, embarrassed that she'd reacted so poorly. A rosy flush tinted her pale skin as she scrambled to get out of bed and stand once more.

"L-lady Ithrel, I'm so sorry," she said, bowing contritely. She wasn't exactly sure what she was sorry for, but she was embarrassed, that was for sure. "I must have fainted, huh?" she said, straightening back up. "I just wasn't expecting...any of this. I hope I wasn't a burden to you. I hope Lord Azuhaar isn't offended."

"I don't know if Lord Azuhaar understands what 'offended' means," Ithrel said flatly, hands on her shoulders to make her sit. "Take a deep breath, Isla...all is well," she promised easily. "My lord is simply...well, my lord is simply Azuhaar," she sighed after a long moment. You would think after the many generations that she had taken this role, the explanations would come easier...and sadly they did not. "I apologize for not telling you, but that was Lord Azuhaar's wish...he often doesn't like it when people come knowing they are to be his wife to keep the tradition alive."

Meanwhile, Azuhaar was currently trying to dress himself and Ithrel hoped that it meant actual clothes. His deep hum filling the room.

Isla frowned as she sat due to Ithrel's guidance. She watched, still a bit confused, as Ithrel tried to sooth her and hide her annoyance. It seemed that she wasn't terribly pleased with his behavior. It would have been funny if the situation weren't quite so serious.

"He didn't want me to know? Why?" She tilted her head as Azuhaar's deep voice resonated throughout the room. As she realized that this was Azuhaar's room, and, likely, his bed, she turned a little bit red. Flashes of the naked man she'd been confronted with in the foyer only deepened the rosiness of her complexion. And now, she was in his domain. Oh. Well, that made sense. Where else would they take her? A little less numb to reality, she settled back and waited for an explanation.

"Because love should be a surprise, a wonderful surprise," Azuhaar said once he finally arrived, thankfully in clothing. Or...clothing of a sort, he was wearing pants, which was as much as Ithrel could hope for, but the white shirt he was wearing was open and loose. He looked very much like a lazy noble, content to spend his days drinking and charming women on every chance that he got. Which was painfully accurate to his day to day activities, and Ithrel hoped that Isla would give him a chance.

"And you, my dear..." Azuhaar said, kneeling down in front of her to take her hands. "Are the most surprising flower that I have seen in my village as of late, Itrhel tells me much of your prowess in herbalism, and I always favor the hands of a woman who works with nature." he purred, his golden eye glimmering with happiness. Not entirely a lie, but...not entirely true either. Ithrel chose to let him try to work his magic, however.

The words that escaped Lord Azuhaar were the words she might expect from an older woman, but she wouldn't be saying that any time soon. It must have been nice to see things from such a light-hearted perspective though. He must have the heart of a romantic. But there was a slight difference, she thought, between love and marrying someone. She was about to say so when he appeared before her in all his splendor--every bit as sexy and handsome as he had been when she passed out.

This time, at least, she didn't get a nosebleed from it. She was a little stunned as he got on his knees and took her hands, her face still a bright shade of red. She couldn't quite get her mind around the warmth and size of his hands as they held hers. He was really Lord Azuhaar.

His compliments brought her back to her senses, at least a little. "T-Thank you," she said softly. "I'm very flattered, but I'm not really sure I understand why you chose me, my talents aside. Would you please tell me more?" She had many questions, but maybe letting him explain in his own time would be best. The idea came as a shock, but it was not an unpleasant surprise at all.

"I would be honored," Azuhaar said with an easy grin, hands over hers. "You see, it has been a tradition since the dragon himself came to save your fair city of Orkathel that a daughter from the village is to wed the descendant, chosen by Ithrel...who knew Azuhaar better than any of us could, it is a marriage of tradition and politics to some...but I assure you, my dear," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her knuckles, his golden eye shining with love. "I am fully committed to making you the happiest woman in the world when we are wed."

However overdramatic and obnoxious it was, Itrhel cracked an amused smile all the same. That, at least...she knew was true. No matter how the woman came to him, he loved them like no other and they were always happy at the end of their lives.

His warm hands completely enveloped hers and she blushed a little bit. It was hard not to when he was so close to her, being so familiar without really even knowing her. It was an odd experience, but she wasn't complaining. As Isla listened to his explanation, she found it harder to focus than normal because he was being so...affectionate.

"I see," she said, still a bit dazed. "I hope I can make you happy, too, then." Smiling, she tried to wrap her head around everything but came up short. "I'm at a bit of a loss, though. I'm not sure what to do now."

"Yes, Azuhaar," Ithrel finally said as she came up behind him with a sigh, hand settling on his head. "Can you at least let the girl breathe before you lay your charms on her?"

"My charms are quite good, thank you very much, why would I deprive anyone of them?" Azuhaar sniffed, head tilted up to regard her as she leaned down, hands settled on either side of his head. For a moment, the atmosphere seemed almost endearing and romantic...before Ithrel started to press her hands against his head and he grimaced miserably.

"Behave," Ithrel replied coldly. "Isla is feeling overwhelmed, give her a moment to comprehend everything."

"But she's so beautiful!" Azuhaar sighed. "Ow! Ow! Mela!" Her nails were razor sharp, weren't they?

"Stop whining," Ithrel purred. "She wants to make you happy, so let her think about this before you start trying to charm her dress off."

Ithrel's affection for Lord Azuhaar and the playful way the two interacted brought a smile to Isla's lips. Their relationship dynamic was...complex. Ithrel's chose Azuhaar's bride, but she based that decision on her intimate knowledge of his personality and preferences. She was sure that Ithrel's consideration included the woman in question, but Isla had kind of been tricked into coming here. She would have been just as shocked and thrilled, but she might have been better able to cope with his... quirks.

Still, Azuhaar's seemed genuine in his desire to make her happy. He seemed just as delighted to have her present as she was surprised to be there. She freed her hands and chuckled a bit as Ithrel's told him to stay calm.

"I appreciate your concern. You're both very kind. But, I suppose we should get to know each other at least a little better before you make your final decision. Would you tell me about yourself?"

Ithrel's eyebrow twitched faintly as Azuhaar's eye lit up with a mindless joy as she let go, his grin returning without a second thought. "Why...I would love to, my dear," he said, elbows propped up on the bed. "I am an open book, ask me anything you wish!" he stated happily. "Anything at all! Don't be shy!"

Well, she supposed this was better than Isla passing out from the shock of everything. She really needed to talk to him about his methods of introducing himself to his wives...

His enthusiasm seemed only matched by Ithrel's annoyance, but Isla decided to try to embrace the situation she was in. After all, Lord Azuhaar was a handsome, kind man who was descended from the greatest hero of her people's lore. What was so terrible about that? Besides, he seemed happy to have her here.

"Well, why don't you tell me about what you do? I don't know very much about that. Or you could tell me about the things you like?"

"I would be glad to," Azuhaar said, looking very much like a man who could preen himself if he had the opportunity. "I am the acting mayor of Orkathel, as my father and so on have been since the beginning of my ancestor's arrival to this village. It is a tradition set forth by the very first Azuhaar that the women of this town will assist the acting leader in whatever capacity he sees fit, and procures a wife from the village proper to show the bond between us is strong and that my loyalty to the people never wavers."

Isla knew her lore well. Azuhaar's job was well-known, but she had somehow imagined him as more of a figurehead than anything. It pleased her to know he had done with h a fine job of governing the town she loved so much. His mention of female helpers made Isla curious as to what their duties were, but she wanted to know more about him right now.

"I see. What is it you do to enjoy yourself?" She asked, all too naive. "Do you have hobbies?"

She was focused completely on him now. If she was going to be his wife, she wanted to know as much as she could about him. Obviously, she couldn't learn it all in a day, but it was a start.

"Well, I have a particular passing for music...I enjoy painting, I have studied numerous languages in my time, Ithrel has been a wonderful tutor in Elven." he said, his eye lighting up more and more at the mentions of his numerous hobbies. "I quite enjoy the woods, to be honest...have you ever simply enjoyed the sounds of nature? It's so wonderful! I have found the most relaxing thing for me is hearing the people of this fair city, I am also somewhat talented in fencing...and magic," he mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

Of course, that was hardly all...but he was trying to remember the most recent.