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And now, as I sit in my chair and inhale paint fumes, I see Nexus and Althia running through the long sweetgrass on the far side of the estate.
Althia’s face is stretched into a broad smile, and Nexus is practically bouncing in the air as I stand from my chair, and go to lean on the windowsill.
I watch as they disappear into the woods at the edge of the estate, before they reappear moments later, covered in twigs and leaves.
I look over at the painting and then make the decision before I am even really conscious of it.
Within seconds, I am jogging down the stairs and through my quarters, toward Althia and Nexus.
I meet them as they’re coming up to the mansion.
“I saw you from the window,” I tell Althia before I brush a kiss against her cheek.
Nexus winds in and out between my ankles, his tail high in the air, and he lets out loud, high-pitched chirrups every few seconds.
“We’re going to the other side of the estate now. I think Nexus wants to teach those mean old mynah birds a lesson,” Althia says breathlessly. I take her hand in mine with a smile. “Why don’t you join us? You’ve been painting since before dawn.”
The three of us start to walk to the east side of the estate, to the grove where we had our picnic, as the day heats up more and more.
The sun is hanging fat and heavy in the sky when we reach the grove, and we’re sweating and gasping when we make our way under the tower for some shade.
“We’ll need to go back soon,” Althia says, her face flushed and red. “All three of us need water.”
“Yes, but the walk was nice, though,” I reply.
When I look around, Nexus has disappeared, so I grab Althia by the waist and start to plant soft kisses all over her sweaty face.
But a high-pitched chirrup from outside makes me pull away from Althia, and we both walk outside to see what Nexus is up to.
“Oh, Nexus, that’s wonderful!” Althia exclaims with a laugh as Nexus brings a large mynah bird and drops it at her feet.
“I think that’s a gift for you,” I tell her and reach down to pet Nexus, who throws his head back and opens his mouth in a yawn.
“Well, I’m pleased, but I don’t think the zagfers will be willing to cook this up.”
We start to walk back to the mansion, and when I look back, Nexus has the dead bird in his mouth and is trotting to catch up.
* * *
Althia and I are in the market district, and we’ve both stopped caring about the stares we receive from the dark elves who look down on us for being together.
I cannot take my eyes off her today. Her long hair is loose and hangs to her waist, and she is wearing a pale blue dress that falls to the middle of her calves and shows off much more of her body than is considered fashionable.
The dress’s neckline is also lower than what is considered proper, but I am certainly not complaining.
“I think we’ve gotten everything we need,” Althia says, huffing slightly as she wipes sweat from her glistening forehead. “I didn’t realize mating ceremonies are this expensive,” she continues.
I shrug. “If we need it, we need it. No sense worrying about money.”
I slide my arm around her waist and kiss the top of her forehead as an older dark elf woman – clearly a noble – frowns at us.
Althia stares right back at the woman before reaching up to kiss me full on the mouth. The woman practically spits at us before storming off.
My hands wander to her ass as we kiss, and I slap it a few times before she pulls away, smiling.
“That feels good,” she tells me, and her voice is a low gasp.
“I could do that all day. Your ass is made to be slapped,” I whisper in her ear.
