Not everything is Dark and Light

Home (part 2)

Vuren sat at a closed off table in the corner of the bar. His sipped away at his mead casually while an empty greasy plate sat beside him the contents of which were now weighing heavy in Vuren's stomach.

Arbargin played merry tune in the background with a bunch of locals stomping the tune around him. He called forth allowing all to join in in the songs chorus with a loud "Hoorah!". Vuren did not join in in the chants instead was sitting in thought. He played with his fingers by pressing his thumb down on each nail till it turned white then moving on. It was a stress relief for him and it usual worked but in this particular night it was only a mild distraction as nothing could distract his mind from the whirlwind of emotion that plagued his mind.

“Why so glum?” Arbargin asked as he approached the table with his lute in one hand and a fresh pint in the other.

“Weren’t you just performing?” Vuren asked snapping out of his trance.

“I finished a while ago Vuren.” Arbargin informed him as he sat down across from the brooding demigod. “Have you really been that distracted?”

“I guess.” Vuren said sombrely as he took his pint of mead and finished it.

“If I were a lesser man I would be offended for you not paying attention to me and my pitch perfect set. No matter though as I am not a lesser man.”

“Quit tooting your own horn. It’s a bad look.”

“For you maybe.” The bard wittily remarked. “But for someone of my stature it looks rather good. Anyway that’s not what I’m interested in. What I want to know is what has got you so sour?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Vuren coldly dismissed Arbargin’s attempt at conversation.

“Is it about you and Nifeerein?” Arbargin casually said before taking a sizable gulp of his pint.

“What?!” Vuren spat at him. “How do you know? What did she tell you?”

“Right firstly calm down, we’re in a public place. Can’t be making such a scene. Secondly, I didn’t need to ask her anything as you two were eying one another up enough. It was adorably. Like watching a little schoolboy glance distantly at his crush from afar.”

Vuren did not like the nonchalant way Arbargin threw away his words especially in such a public setting where anyone could overhear them. He knew that was the type of person he was but he did not enjoy it none the less.

“Thirdly, she told me everything once she got me alone. Well not everything, mostly just the stuff about you two.”

“What did she say?” Vuren perked up his attitude intrigued as to what Nifeerein had to say about him.

“Oh, interested are we?” Arbargin jested as he took another large gulp from his pint.

“Maybe.” Vuren mellowed his tone both to not seem as eager to Arbargin and also as he knew getting too excited over what Nifeerein had said about him was fruitless as whatever she said it would never be about them. He surmised it would be some apology message Arbargin was to pass onto him. A note saying how she got lost in her emotions when they were together and that she needed to go back to being a queen. Vuren knew he and Nifeerein would never be together so his excitement faded quickly.

“Oh, come on. Do you not know how bad at acting you are? I can see it written all over your face. You’ve taken a fancy to her haven’t you?”

“Arbargin, I like you. Please don’t make me punch you to get a straight answer.”

“Fine. Fine.” Arbargin raised his hands in defence and leaned back in his chair. “She told me about how close you got, the night you two spent together and how odd you got after she said she needed time to think about it.”

“That and she told me to keep you here till she arrived.” Arbargin’s final words echoed in Vuren’s eyes and his eyes shot up at Arbargin’s.

“What?” He questioned the bard while leaning heavily into the table.

“Oh don’t worry. You won’t be waiting long.” Arbargin grinned as he finished off his drink. Vuren looked at him curiously before a figure appeared over his shoulder. The cloaked figure had their face covered but Vuren could tell by the size that it was a female humanoid underneath it. He studied the cloak and tried to remember it before Arbargin got up from his seat abruptly.

“Well I’m going to love you and leave you.” He said taking his cup with him. “Vuren. M’lady.”

As he left Vuren caught a glimpse of who was under the cloak but he was quickly silenced by her softly commanding voice.

“I know the cloak draws attention but so does my face so shall we go up to your room and have this conversation?” the soft and reassuring voice of Nifeerein struck Vuren’s ears but confusion was the only emotion he could find. Why was she here, was the only questions he was asking himself.

“Eh, em, eh,… yeah. Yeah, let’s do that.”

*

As the cold night washed inwards through the open window neither Vuren nor Nifeerein desired to get up and close it. They were too busy holding one another just like they had in that cave just a few nights ago. Nifeerein has her head on Vuren's shoulder and her body lay curled into him while Vuren lay flat on his back cradling Nifeerein in his arms.

"So…" Vuren somewhat awkwardly said unsure as to how he wanted to continue his sentence but knowing the location he wanted to get to conversation too.

"Shut up Vuren." Nifeerein commanded as he shuffled her body atop Vuren's and lay upon his chest. "I'm going to do the talking.

Vuren did not answer, just nodded and swallowed.

"I know what you were thinking. I know you think that I need to marry a light elf, but you are wrong. I can make it work in other ways. I like you and I want you to be around me more."

Nifeerein's confession was somewhat clunky but she said that with a conviction Vuren could not help but admire. For a man like himself that bottled up his emotions so much he was in awe that Nifeerein could so casually bringing her own up.

"I know in the cave I did not give you a straight answer, but I am now. I like being with you and I want to be with you. Back then I was thinking about my people but now I'm only thinking of you."

"You're gonna make me blush if you keep this up." Vuren wisely remarked trying to save face and remain witty while under the surface us was a quivering wreck of emotions.

Nifeerein, somewhat annoyed somewhat amused with his comment, lightly slapped his chest before she lay down on top of it. His chest hairs irritated her skin so she found the large scar and nestled her cheek against it. Vuren moved his hands around her waist and comforted her as she rested.

“I like you Vuren and I want you to stay. I want us to try this. I want to try us.” Nifeerein said softly as she smiled.

“So do I.” Vuren answered as he studied the individual hairs on Nifeerein's head wondering just how each one could be so perfect.

The two lovers lay there for a while neither wanting to break the blissful silence they had for one another. Vuren wanted nothing more than to know everything that had transpired. What Nifeerein and Arbargin had discussed to get her here. What her parents opinion of this was or if they even knew. Nifeerein too wanted to make a witty remark about Vuren’s non-verbal communication skills and to know more tales he had as Arbargin had touched on so many interested ones when they had talked. Neither opened their mouths though as each desired to enjoy the moment of happiness they shared together.

“I’m sorry for being an idiot.” Vuren finally broke the silence with a soft but heartfelt apology.

“It is OK.” Nifeerein answered before she leaned up and locked lips with him once more. The kiss was warm. It was Passionate. It was different. Different in a sense that now there was not only l**t behind it but also love.

The two’s lips eventually parted and Vuren held Nifeerein still for a few moments just so he could look into her emerald’s once again. Nifeerein said nothing only looking straight back at him with a love and desire unmatched by anyone in the city.

The two were broken. Damaged by their experience together in a way no one could fix. But with that shared trauma came an understanding. An understanding that made them perfect for each other. While others would try to break them apart and the world would try to keep them separate Vuren and Nifeerein knew that they would also have one another and that was all they needed to get them through to the next day.