Chapter 67 – A Subtle but Profound Changes to their Dynamic
Chapter 67
A Subtle but Profound Changes to their Dynamic
Date : Day 3 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren and Elise lay on their sleeping bags, hugging each other. There was a trace of sweat on their skins. Glistening. Even during chilly autumn nights. The starry sky acted as their roof. Their tents nearby were forgotten during the act. The night air was cool against their exposed skin. But neither of them cared. The warmth they generated was enough. More than enough.
Fire crackled beside them. The flames danced and flickered. Casting shadows across their tangled forms. And the only thing protecting their bodies from the weather was their blanket. Thin fabric. But sufficient. For now.
Elise rested her head on Hyoren's shoulder. Her fingers traced his bare chest. Felt the muscle and the trace of battle wounds unconsciously. The scars told stories. Each one a memory. A battle survived. Her touch was feather-light. Exploratory. Memorizing the landscape of his body.
Hyoren patted Elise's head. Slowly combing her silver hair. The silky hair felt smooth on his hand. Soft. Like water flowing through his fingers. The strands caught the moonlight. Glowing silver. Ethereal.
Elise looked up. Her expression was slightly tired, with beads of sweat visible on her forehead. But she looked content. Satisfied. The corners of her eyes crinkled with happiness. A soft smile played on her lips.
"That was... good, Hyoren..."
Hyoren, in the same state as Elise, nodded. He looked down to see her tired but sparkling face. Her green eyes reflected the firelight. Bright even in exhaustion.
"Yeah, Elise. That was really good."
Silence dawned on them. But it was a comfortable silence. The kind that needed no words. No filling. Just presence. Just being together.
They continued hugging each other. Feeling each other's skin. The rise and fall of breath. The beating of hearts. The warmth that passed between them. Skin against skin. Heartbeat against heartbeat.
But after a while, realization dawned upon Hyoren. A thought crept into his mind.
They already did the deed. He was truly glad they did it. The intimacy. The connection. The vulnerability. But he also knew what they did might have consequences.
He looked down. Worry laced his voice.
"Elise. Should we worry? About... will you get pregnant? Or is it impossible for us as we are different races? I was clueless about that..."
Elise on his shoulder chuckled. Her breath tickled his neck. Warm air against cool skin. The sensation sent shivers down his spine.
"Fufu. Silly Hyoren. Worry about that now? Fufu. What if I say yes I can?"
Hyoren steeled himself. His jaw tightened. His expression became serious.
"Of course I would be happy. And I will take responsibility. It will be our child."
He then looked up. His dark eyes scanned the stars above. The three moons watched. Silent witnesses to their conversation.
"But that means we might change our plan about adventuring. If you are pregnant, we definitely can't head to adventures together."
Elise smiled widely. The expression was amused. Fond. Her fingers continued their lazy exploration of his chest.
"Fufu. I love how serious and sensible you are, Hyoren."
She chuckled again. The sound was light. Musical. Like wind chimes in a gentle breeze.
"But don't worry. Yes, of course I want to get pregnant with your child sooner or later. But I know we need to hold back about the child for now as we still have a lot of things to be taken care of."
She then gestured to her belly. Her hand rested on her flat stomach. The skin was smooth beneath her palm.
"I don't know how your world handles pregnancy. But here, in Kresneger, we can manipulate Aethell to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Unless we truly mean it, we won't get pregnant. No matter how many times we do the deed."
Hyoren widened his eyes. Awed. The contraceptive in this world was way more convenient than on Earth. Unwanted pregnancy was non-existent. A simple manipulation of magic. No pills. No devices. Just will and intent.
Elise then added. Her voice was informative. Matter-of-fact.
"And don't worry about our different race. Race of Kresneger can cross-breed. We definitely could easily have offspring. If we decide to have children though, most of them will be born as elves."
Hyoren nodded. The information settled in his mind. Practical. Useful. A glimpse into the future they might build.
"I see. I'm glad. And yeah. Holding back about the child seems wise for our situation now. But… In the future I would love to have a child with you though. Definitely."
Elise smiled. Tracing her fingers on his arms. The touch was gentle. Loving. A promise in motion.
"Yeah. A child would be nice. That's a promise."
Hyoren then asked Elise. Curiosity flickered in his voice.
"Though, what do you mean our kids mostly will be born as elves, Elise?"
Elise stopped her fingers, and looked up. Her green eyes met his dark ones. The question was genuine. She appreciated his curiosity.
"Because a child being born from different race parents will be born matching the mother's race. Most of the time. Maybe more than eighty percent? I'm not sure about the real number. But four out of five, the race will be the same as the mother. Not the father."
Hyoren nodded. Understood the concept. There was no mixed race. And a child being born based on mother's race meant the influence of the mother was stronger here in this world. The mother's body. The mother's essence. The mother's lineage.
He then hugged Elise closer. Wanting to feel her warm skin. The contact was grounding. Real. Proof that she existed. That this moment existed.
"I see. So that's why... though in the end, either way is fine. Elves, or Humans. Our child will still be our child. And I would love them equally."
Elise smiled. And snuggled closer to him. His bare skin felt warm on her own. The heat passed between them. A circuit of warmth and comfort.
"Fufu. I love you, Hyoren."
Hyoren smiled. The expression was soft. Content.
"I love you too, Elise."
They spent some time hugging each other like that. Minutes passed. Or maybe hours. Time was fluid. Unimportant. The night deepened around them. The stars wheeled overhead. The fire crackled and popped. A symphony of the night.
But as night went deeper, the winds blew stronger. Carrying chilly air. The autumn cold crept in. Insistent. Unrelenting.
Elise shuddered in his embrace. A small tremor ran through her body. He noticed that. The slight quiver. The goosebumps rising on her skin.
"Elise, should we enter our tent? We might catch a cold if we sleep here in our state on this chilly autumn night."
Elise pouted a bit. The expression was cute. Childlike. Endearing.
"I would love to keep feeling the warmth of your skin under moons like this. But maybe you are right..."
Hyoren chuckled. He felt the same as her. The desire to stay. To linger. To exist in this moment forever.
"We can continue doing this inside the tent though."
Elise beamed. The suggestion sparked joy in her eyes. A possibility. A continuation.
"You are right. Fufu. Then let's go. Before we catch a cold."
Both of them then separated reluctantly, and exited their sleeping bags. The separation was brief but unwelcome. A moment of absence. A pause in connection.
The chilly autumn wind started to lick their bare skins. The cold was immediate. Biting. Sharp against their exposed bodies.
Both of them shuddered. The warmth fled rapidly. Replaced by the encroaching chill.
"Hurry, Elise, to the tent."
Elise nodded. She took the closest clothes she could reach from the discarded piles of clothes nearby. Covering her body. A temporary shield against the cold.
"Brrr. You are right. Let's go, Hyoren."
Both of them ran towards their tent. Their feet padded against the grass. The cold urged them forward. Faster. Faster. They quickly went inside. The warm air greeted them. The temperature inside their tent was controlled with the runic arrays. It was comforting. A cocoon of warmth in the cold night.
Elise entered first, quickly followed by Hyoren. The tent’s warm air enveloped them.
"Ahh. It was so warm..."
Hyoren heaved a relieved sigh. Hugged Elise from her back. Their skin contact amplified the warmth. Erasing every chill from the autumn night outside. The heat spread between them. Thawing the cold. Restoring the comfort.
Elise chuckled. Then turned around to hug him back. Her arms wrapped around his waist. Her body pressed against his.
"Hey, Hyoren. Want to do it again?"
Hyoren smiled. He didn't need to be asked twice. The night was long. And they had each other. The warmth. The connection. The love. All of it was theirs. To explore. To cherish. To share.
Both of them then repeated what they did, now inside the warm tent. The fire crackled outside. The moons wheeled overhead. And the two souls became one once more. Lost in each other. Found in each other. Together.
***
Hyoren and Elise woke up the next day. They stirred at almost the same time. Woken up inside their tent not because the light of dual suns touched their face, or sounds of humming pinewoods whistling outside. The tent blocked most of the external stimuli. The runic arrays kept the temperature comfortable. The fabric shielded them from the dawn.
But because they slept enough. Their bodies had rested. Recovered. The exhaustion from the night before had faded. Replaced by a lingering contentment. A deep satisfaction that permeated their bones.
Elise sat up. Her disheveled silver hair cascaded around her back. Creating a curtain effect to hold the view of her bare and unguarded form. The strands caught the faint light filtering through the tent fabric. Glowing silver. Soft. Her skin was pale in the dim light. Smooth. Unmarked by the world outside.
She stretched, raised her arms. Her joints cracked. The sound was quiet. Satisfying. Her body unfolded from the curled position she had slept in.
Hyoren saw that. The curve of her back. The slope of her shoulders. The way her body moved in the morning light.
His gaze lingered longer than it should have. He knew it. Still, he didn't look away. Couldn't look away. The sight was too beautiful. Too captivating.
He then sat up. His own body protested slightly. Muscles that had been used in new ways. Limbs that had been positioned in unfamiliar angles. But the discomfort was pleasant. A reminder of the night before.
Elise turned her body to face him. Her emerald eyes met his. Still hazy with sleep.
"Morning, Hyoren."
She then looked away, towards the small opening on their tent. The dual suns were already bright outside. The light poured through the gap. Illuminated the space in golden and silver tones.
"Seems we both overslept."
Hyoren smiled. Her words registered on his mind.
"Good morning, Elise."
He then twisted his body. Stretching. His joint popped. The sound was loud in the quiet tent. A crack. A release of tension.
"That might be true. We did a lot last night, so it was understandable we overslept today."
Elise chuckled. The sound was light. Musical. A morning melody.
"Fufufu. That might be true. I loved every moment of it though."
Hyoren smiled. The memory of the night flooded back. Every touch. Every kiss. Every whispered word.
"Me too."
They moved closer and closer, and then kissed. The act came naturally. No hesitation. No second-guessing. They just said their morning greeting, and the next moment, their lips were already connected.
They separated after a while. The need for air. The need for the day to begin. Hyoren looked around. He tried to reach for his clothes. But remembered everything was discarded outside last night. The memory made him smile. A chuckle escaped his lips, and he turned to Elise.
"Wait a bit here, Elise."
Elise tilted her head a bit. Then nodded. Affirming him she understood with a gesture of silence but full of warmth. She reached for the blanket to cover her body before he went outside. Modesty returning. Practicality taking over.
Hyoren saw that before he went outside. The intimate and domestic sight warmed him. A glimpse of new life together.
He looked up. The dual suns were already quite high in the sky. The autumn wind was still carrying chilly air despite that. The morning was bright. Crisp. The forest was awake. Alive with sounds and movement.
He quickly went to their discarded pile of clothes. Quickly wore his trousers and tunic before the weather gave him a cold. The fabric was cool against his skin. A shock after the warmth of the tent and the blanket. His fingers worked quickly. Buttons. Laces. Layers. And then gathered Elise's green leather tunic.
With her clothes in his hand, he went back to their tent. The walk was short. The air was cool. The day was waiting.
Inside, Elise patiently waited. Watching everything with a serene expression. Her eyes followed his movement.
He gave her clothes to her. And she took it. Grateful. Her fingers brushed against his as she accepted the bundle.
"Thank you, Hyoren."
Hyoren smiled. The act was small. Insignificant. But the gratitude was genuine.
"Don't mention it."
He then waited until Elise was done changing. He scanned the surroundings. The campfire had already died. Glowing embers and ash. Remnants of the night. The glowing of flowers receded, losing intensity compared to the suns. But the clearing was still beautiful even in daylight. Whisper of wind through the Humming Pinewood. Gushing water from the ancient rock formation spring. And crystal clear water. The scene was different in daylight. Less ethereal. More real. But no less beautiful.
Not long after, Elise emerged from the tent, the cool air brushing gently against her. She was fully dressed now. Her green leather tunic hugged her form. Her silver hair was still loose. It was rustled by the gentle winds.
Hyoren, hearing the sounds of her movement, turned back. The romantic moment was nearly over. The practical moment needed to be caught up.
Their quest. The reason they were here. The task that awaited them.
"Elise, what should we do now? Pack the camp. Or gather herbs first?"
Elise smiled. The expression was practical and efficient.
"Let's pack up first. We need to move quickly or we need to spend another night in the wild. And I prefer not."
Hyoren nodded. The preference made sense. A bed was waiting for them in Akela. A warm bath. Proper food. The comforts of civilization.
"But how about our herbs gathering quest?"
Elise scanned the surroundings. Her eyes moved across the clearing.
"Don't worry. They are everywhere in this Whispering Forest. We will gather more than required by the time we exit this forest."
Hyoren nodded. Elise knew the area well. This was her favorite place. She had walked these paths before. Knew where the herbs grew. Knew how many they needed.
Elise then went over to the spring. She washed her face, removing every trace of her sleepiness. The water was cold. Refreshing. It shocked the last of the drowsiness from her system. She fixed her tangled silver hair before tying it in a ponytail as usual. Practical. Familiar. Ready for the day.
Hyoren followed her and did the same beside her. The water was cold against his skin. A shock. A wake-up call. He splashed his face. Rubbed away the sleep. Ran his fingers through his dark hair. Pushed it back and tied.
After both of them finished fixing their appearance, Hyoren faced Elise. He was clean and focused.
"Okay then. Let's eat our breakfast then pack our camp."
Elise's hands went over her storage bag. And produced enough jerky for both of them. It was starkly different compared to last night's noodle feast. Simple. Practical. Portable. But it was enough to fill their belly. To fuel them for the day.
They quickly ate in silence. Chewing the spicy, but tough jerky. They washed it down with water. The meal was functional. Not elaborate. Just fuel for the journey ahead.
They moved with practiced efficiency next. Hyoren quickly dismantled the tent. The pole and stakes were pulled. The fabric rolled. Not long after their sturdy tent was back in packed form. He quickly rolled up their sleeping bags and blankets. And put them all in a neat pile. The process was smooth.
Elise meanwhile, already done taking their four square ward stones from the corner of their camp. She doused the fire with water next. Making sure no embers were left. The hiss of steam. The blackened remains cooled. Then she erased the last of their camp traces with sand. Covering the ashes.
She then crouched to the piles of camping gear beside Hyoren, activating her storage bag. The hovering void took everything. Freeing them from carrying the bulky camping gear. One by one the items disappeared into the dimensional space.
Both of them stood. It was now empty and the clearing was back to its natural state. No trace of their presence.
***
Elise looked at the position of the suns. Calculating direction. Her eyes traced the arc of Azure and Crimson across the sky. Her face then turned to Hyoren again. Decision made.
"Let's go, Hyoren. Time to head back to Akela, while gathering herbs along on the way."
Hyoren nodded. The practicality of the plan was sound.
"Let's go, Elise. Lead the way."
They started walking. Slowly. But steadily. Leaving the beautiful and ethereal clearing. Which became the witness of a change in their relationship. The glowing flowers seemed to dim slightly as they departed. The spring gurgled behind them. Like saying goodbye to them.
It was Elise's favorite place. But after last night, it became a fond place full of memories for both of them.
After they walked into the forest, Elise's eyes scanned the ground while walking. Looking for the herbs they needed. Her gaze was sharp.Not long after, her eyes found what she was looking for.
"There, Hyoren. Patches of Whisper-grass and Moon-flower."
She crouched. Her body moved fluidly. Hyoren followed her. His movements mirrored hers. Less graceful but functional.
"You are right, Elise. I noticed it already yesterday, but damn, this forest is full of them."
Elise chuckled beside him. The sound was light. Knowing.
"I said so. Fufu."
Her hands moved with practiced efficiency. Carefully taking the herbs without destroying the nature around them. She easily distinguished the herbs they needed from weeds with a glance. The silver streak on Whisper-grass leaves gave a distinct visual marker compared to bare weeds. Impossible to miss once you knew what to look for.
Moon-flower, which glowed blue with distinct petals, was also taken. The luminescence was fainter in daylight. But still visible.
Hyoren beside her did the same. His movement was not as quick and graceful as hers, but he already experienced harvesting the herbs after his survival in the wilds, so he did almost as quickly as her.
After a while, a pile of herbs was piled up near them. Stacked into two. One pile of Whisper-grass. Another pile of Moon-flower.
Hyoren's eyes landed on the pile. Awed. The amount was significant. More than he expected.
"Wow. That's a lot. And this is only the first patch we found."
Elise chuckled. Amused by his reaction.
"Fufu. Don't just stare, Hyoren. Please bundle them in ten stalks each."
Hyoren nodded. The instruction was clear. Practical.
"Your wish is my command, Elise!"
He joked. The words came naturally. Playful. Light.
Elise burst out laughing. She punched him on his shoulder. The gesture was full of affection though. A tap of intimacy. A touch of connection.
"Fufufu. Mou. Stop joking."
Hyoren rubbed his nose bridge. A smile played on his lips.
"Hehe. Sorry, sorry."
Both of them carefully tied the herbs in a bundle. Their hands worked in tandem. Separate tasks. After they were done, Elise counted them in, before she put them all in her storage bag, to secure them. The time dilation runes inside would make sure the herbs were still fresh when they handed them to the quest issuer later.
She then stood. Dusting her leather stockings. Her motion was graceful.
Hyoren also stood beside her, and asked her.
"How many herbs just now, Elise?"
Elise smiled. The expression was satisfied. Proud.
"We already gathered six bundles of ten each, Hyoren."
Hyoren widened his eyes. The math ran through his head. The total was impressive.
"Woah. That's more than a quarter of what we need. In just a few minutes of work. You are not wrong to call this forest a treasure trove."
Elise chuckled.
"Fufu. Don't spill the secret to other people, okay?"
Hyoren nodded multiple times. He understood.
"Yes. Of course I won't. Even though I don't really care about the herbs..."
His voice trailed off. The real reason was deeper. More personal.
"But I don't want many people flocking to this forest. And find our cherished place, Elise."
The desire for monopoly came unbidden without Hyoren noticing. The honest words slipped out.
Elise smiled. Her gaze was serene. Understanding.
"Yeah... I feel the same, Hyoren."
She also wanted to keep her favorite place, now also full of memories with Hyoren, to herself. The clearing. The spring. The flowers. All of it was theirs now. A shared sanctuary.
She then looked forward to the direction of Akela. And started walking towards it. She glanced back for a while, calling Hyoren.
"Let's go, Hyoren. Time to go back to Akela."
Hyoren nodded. He quickened his pace to catch up to Elise. And walked side by side with her. Their footsteps fell into rhythm. A shared cadence.
They spent the morning walking through the Whispering Forest. Stopped here and there to gather herbs. The forest was generous. Willing to share its treasures.
They laughed at each other's jokes. Gathering. Tying herbs into bundles. Elise wiped off sweat from Hyoren's forehead. A gentle touch. Caring. Hyoren caught Elise's hand when she almost tripped because she was excited about a particularly large patch of Moon-flowers. Then they laughed it off. The moment was light. Joyful. Easy.
A natural gesture which did not exist before. The touches. The laughter. The shared glances. All of it was new. Yet somehow familiar. As if they had always been this way.
Both didn't say anything about the change. They didn't need to say anything. Without their realization, their dynamics started to change. Slowly. But surely. The partnership was evolving into something more. Something deeper.
After a while, the dual suns of Kresneger started to descend from their zenith. The golden and silver light shifted angles. The shadows lengthened. They finally arrived at the edge of Whispering Forest. The scattered Humming Pinewood trees were at their back, and Dark Oak trees started to replace them. The murmur from rustling leaves started leaving them. The ethereal whispers faded. Replaced by the ordinary sounds of a regular forest.
Both of them stood at the edge. A threshold. A boundary. Behind them lay magic and memory.
Hyoren looked back at the Whispering Forest. His mind wandered to the ethereal clearing deep inside. Before turning back in. The memory was fresh. Vivid. Precious.
"We left..."
His words were laced with a nostalgic tone. It just happened last night. But it already made him sad leaving the place. The connection was strong. The attachment sudden but deep.
Elise beside him smiled. Her voice was content. Reassuring.
"Why sound sad, Hyoren? We can go there from time to time when we are free, are we?"
Hyoren was captivated again by her smile. The curve of her lips. The warmth in her eyes. And he finally smiled.
"You are right, Elise. And to be honest. What actually matters is not the place. But the fact is I'm with you. My Lover."
Red crept to Elise's pointed ears. It twitched uncontrollably. She punched Hyoren's shoulder lightly. Embarrassed. The reaction was immediate. Visceral. Cute.
"Mou! Don't say such embarrassing lines with a flat face!"
She then smiled. Widely. Content. The embarrassment was genuine. But so was the joy.
"'Lover'. I liked the sound of that though... truly..."
Hyoren smiled back. The word was new on their tongues. A new label. A new reality.
"If you liked it so much, I would keep using it then, Elise."
She averted her eyes. Embarrassed thinking about the prospect of being called his lover many times. The thought was overwhelming. Flustering.
"No. Please only say it in private. I don't want to melt in public..."
She pleaded. Her ears were still red. Her expression was caught between embarrassment and happiness.
Hyoren chuckled and smiled. The request was reasonable. He would comply.
"Okay, Elise."
The practical question then formed in Hyoren's mind. Replacing the intimacy. The moment of softness shifted to practicality.
"Okay then, did we have enough herbs with us to clear the quest, Elise?"
Elise came back from her daydreaming and focused. Her pointed ears betrayed her though. They were still reddish and twitching. The blush hadn't faded completely.
She put her hands on the void of her storage bag. Counting in her mind. The space runic arrays made sure she understood everything in the bag just by doing that.
"We are fine. We got twenty-five bundles of Whisper-grass and twenty-four bundles of Moon-flower. Way more than we need. We are going to get extra payment."
Hyoren smiled. The news was good. The quest was complete. Success.
"That's good, Elise. Okay then. Let's head back to Akela?"
Elise separated her hands from the storage bag. The void disappeared. She then nodded.
"Okay, Hyoren. Let's go. Follow my lead."
Both of them then started walking. Leaving the Whispering Forest. A place full of fond memories. The trees watched them go. Silent witnesses to their journey.
Carrying the weight of two completed quests. Akela waiting for their report about Stonewell Village. Oria waiting for the shipment of the herbs. Responsibilities. Duties. Obligations.
But for now, the two walked side by side. Holding hands. Fingers intertwined. Enjoying their moments leisurely.