#illycia

The Miqo’te took the time to enjoy her surroundings; her adventures did not oft bring her to this wing of the Crystarium, and she was taken away by its beauty. Idly, she wondered if there was a way for her to bring the plant life of the Lakeland region back to the Source, to be able to propagate seeds and leaves for her own garden. Just the thought puts a small smile on her face as she stands beneath the boughs of the great tree, reaching her hand out to catch petals and leaves as they fall.

Caught in her thoughts, she squeals as she is suddenly hyper aware of her surroundings, reaching for her weapon as she prepares to jump away from whoever managed to sneak up on her.

“Runi!” A masculine voice calls, and it takes a moment for her eyes to focus. Garnet colored hair that bleeds into silver enters her vision, a crystalline hand upraised as one of flesh is. Ruby eyes are wide in alarm, seeming as surprised as she was.

“By the Twelve, ‘Raha,” She breathes, placing a hand over her racing heart. “I don’t know how you managed to sneak up on me!” She huffs angrily, taking a few steadying breaths.

“Pray forgive me,” His gentle voice soothes her immediately as he slowly steps closer to her. Bending slightly, he caresses her face with his left hand, her neck already craning into its warmth as they rise together. “At the risk of sounding like a poet, I had found myself far too enchanted with your beauty as you stood underneath this tree.” He admits, taking her hand in his.

Runi feels her cheeks turn pink at his words, her eyelashes fluttering at his compliment. “Is that so?” She questions, allowing him to take her hand in his.

The Exarch, no, G’raha Tia, her ‘Raha, smiles so warmly that it makes her heart do flips. His full, pink lips pull into an earnest smile, accenting his youthful, yet wizened features. Despite how often she has looked at him, she cannot stop herself from being as equally enamored by him as he is with her; her eyes tracing his features, admiring what is still flesh, and what is now crystal. Her hand reaches out to caress his face herself, his ears flicking backward as he basks in her warmth, a low, rumbling purr vibrating through his chest.

“Quite.” He takes her hand to place a kiss to its palm, smiling against her skin. “Are you ready for our evening together?”

Nodding, Runi allows him to twine their fingers together, and lets him take the lead.

“So then, does my lady have any wishes for how she wants to spend her evening?” The Exarch prompts, their steps slow as they meander their way from the great tree.

“I thought I was here at your invitation, ‘Raha.” Runi huffs, her tail swaying happily behind her. Usually, she would not dare call him by name out in public, but so few people are around, she can say it quietly between the two of them.

His laughter is rich and welcome to her ears. “That you are. Might I offer you my own personal tour of the Crystarium?” he asks, giving her hand a squeeze. “We could spend bells here in the Trivium alone.”

“So you intend to bore me?” She teases. She has no doubt in her mind that he could easily go on for bells about the plant life in here alone; its many uses, its purpose, what it means to the Crystarium as a whole.

And even if he did, she would hang on his every word.

“My only intention is to spend my time with you.” He murmurs softly, the affection in his eyes so strong it nearly floors her. Face flushing red, she turns for a moment, unsure what to say. Already, she can feel his amusement behind her, knowing how she reacts when he loves her so openly. “I actually had the mind to ride the gondola here; if that is to your liking?”

“That sounds wonderful.” She tugs on his hand and he chuckles as she pulls him along.

The Exarch is ever the gentleman as he leads her to the water’s edge, offering his hand out to her to keep her steady as she steps onto the gondola. He immediately refuses her offer to help row, taking the paddle in hand. The setting is peaceful, with the sound of his gentle rowing as the water laps at the sides. “My love,” he begins, giving her a warm smile, “I have wanted to show you this for some time now.” Turning away, he gazes at the lavender leaves as they fall from the trees. “On nights where my mind is particularly troubled, I come here to clear it. I would row the boat to the center of the lake, finding myself calmed being surrounded by water.”

Returning his smile, she nods in agreement. “You’re right. I find it relaxing as well.”

“If you would give me but a moment,” he pauses, stopping his rowing. Raising his crystalline hand, he gives her a confident smirk. “There is something else I wished to show you…” With a snap of his fingers, lights flicker on around the lake, reflecting off the waters much like the stars in the sky.

Turning this way and that, Runi finds herself enchanted. “G’raha…” she whispers in awe, “The lights! They are beautiful…”

Clearly pleased with her response, she watches as he settles himself down in the gondola to sit in front of her. “I have but one request, if you will indulge me.” He asks, reaching for her hand which she eagerly gives him.

“For showing me this magnificent sight?” She beams, her rubellite eyes sparkling. “Anything is yours. What did you have in mind?”

Taking a breath, his cheeks have a faint dusting of pink. “Do you remember years ago, during our time in NOAH? Perhaps it is far more recent for you than I…” he trails off with a chuckle. “Do you recall how I would oft have nightmares, and how you would sing to me?” When she nods, he visibly relaxes. “In that time I have waited, I had never forgotten the sound of your lullabies to soothe me on many a sleepless night. To hear you sing again with my own ears, instead of solely relying on my memory…”

Runi swears her face goes as red as his hair. “You were awake? All those times? And you remembered?”

He clutches her hand tighter in his, giving her an earnest look. “As I had researched night after night on how to save this world, your lullabies would soothe me no matter how troubled I felt. Pray forgive me, if this is too much of a request.”

She had never expected him to hand onto a memory of those times, especially considering… “Nothing is too much, as far as you are concerned, my love. It has merely been what feels like ages since I have sung. I have not since you had...left us. But now, you are here, and I would be delighted to sing for you.”

“Thank you my love.”

Closing her eyes, several lullabies run through her mind, until one in particular from one of those late nights outside the Crystal Tower comes to the forefront. Taking a deep breath, the melody flows forth with ease, as if she had never let go of the habit. He hangs on her every note, every rise and fall of her song, his own eyes closed to surround himself in her song. With time, eventually G'raha stands to begin rowing them back to shore, listening to her lullabies the entire way.

Once again, he helps aid her out of the gondola, laying a steadying hand on her back as she holds her skirts while they make their way back up the stairs.

“Runi?”

“Yes, ‘Raha?” She inquires, finding they’ve somehow stopped at the markets. Mostly everything is closed save the bar. Midnight was fast approaching, and most stalls had closed up for the night.

“Are you hungry?” He asks, already beginning to tug them toward a table. “And before you say no, I swore I heard your stomach growl quite audibly a minute ago.”

She can’t help but giggle, having already prepared herself to decline as she didn’t want to impose any further on his hospitality. “Did you already know I was going to say no?”

“Of course.” He pecks her on the cheek, enjoying the way she flushes red. “Which is why I already came prepared.” He leads the two of them to a nearby table, the both of them sitting down as he reaches into his pack that lies somewhere in his robes. In seconds he pulls out a small basket, filled to the brim with homemade sandwiches.

Runi’s eyes light up immediately as he places them on the table, his fingers deftly undoing his careful packaging. Gesturing to the basket, he pulls a sandwich out, offering it to her. “Well?”

Taking it from him, she smiles warmly. “Thank you.”

Companionable silence settles between them, allowing Runi time to her thoughts. Sneaking glances, she watches as Exarch even stands to head to the bar to request glasses of water to help wash their food down. His care for her speaks volumes; it is a wonder how he came to be a Tia rather than a Nuhn.

It is an even greater wonder how she ever saw him anything less than the man he was.

That wasn’t to say she never saw him as a man; but not one she saw herself being interested in romantically. He still retained the boyish features of his youth, but even though the tower had frozen him in time, there was no hiding the knowledge and wisdom of a man who had waited a hundred years for her. Back then as a young adventurer herself, it was easy to see him as nothing but a younger brother. Though she had to wonder, did she really?

She had fallen so hard, so fast for “The Exarch”, even though her heart of hearts knew who lay beneath the cowl. No amount of mystery and vague wording could shield him from her, and perhaps he had known this as well. The conversation they had by the cliff still plays in her mind's eye sometimes, amusing her at how hard he had tried to protect her, and ended up giving himself away anyway.

A giggle escapes her at the thought, prompting his ears to perk up in question. “What’s the matter?” He asks, swallowing a final bite of his sandwich.

“Oh, nothing much,” Runi begins, taking a sip of her water. “I was merely lost in thought, and remembered how hard you had tried to conceal your identity from me, Crystal Exarch.”

It is the Exarch's turn to blush bright red now, which in the time she has known him as older and wiser, is not so easy a feat. It is times like this his boyish features shine through the man he had become. “Well, it certainly was not without great effort on my part.” He laughs, scratching the back of his head. “What had given me away? I am curious.”

Reaching across the table, she traces patterns on the back of his left hand. “The conversation we had on the cliff.” She answers, watching as he turns his hand over so that her fingers trace the lines in his palm.

“Ah, was it then?” He muses, resting his chin on his spoken hand. She can feel him staring at her again, most likely giving her that starstruck look. His was different from the masses, though. Runi was used to being looked at with awe and wonder. But the way he looked at her…

“Your wish to adventure with me was the big give away.” She chirps, giving his hand a loving squeeze. “But, it worked in your favor still. It had helped me realize…my feelings for you.” She admits shyly.

“Well. Full glad am I that your perception was as strong as ever. I don’t know if I could bear to spend another century of wishing to be by your side.”

“Oh, stop it…” She grumbles, feeling like a blushing maiden. “You say such embarrassing things.”

“I’ve not been one to consider myself overly romantic,” he begins, twining their fingers once more, “but I find myself needing to express how much you amaze me. She, who I summoned across the rift to save this shard from certain doom, managed to do just that, while also saving the one who intended to sacrifice himself for her.” He does not hide the reverence in his voice as he praises her deeds. “Perhaps they are things you’ve oft heard before, but know that they come from the heart--”

Unable to take it anymore, she rises just enough to press her lips to his across the table, uncaring for the moment if anyone will see. The Exarch responds in earnest, his lips pressing against hers just as fiercely. When he nips her bottom lip she gasps in surprise, tasting his laughter as he deepens the kiss. She whimpers into his mouth, breath coming fast as they finally part. Nothing is said for a few moments as they merely breathe each other’s air.

A cough from the bar grabs their attention, the two of them turning red as a rolanberry as they seemed to forget that while the markets were empty, they were not that empty. “Perhaps we should,” he stammers as he stands, bringing her along with him. The two of them clean up and scuttle off like adolescents caught by adults.

"Do you think they'll tell anyone?" Runi asks as they stroll slowly through the Crystarium.

"Unfortunately my love, I believe our relationship is possibly the worst kept secret through all of Norvrandt," he chuckles. “Maybe we should continue the rest of our evening in the Ocular?” He proposes, already directing them to the closest aetheryte shard.

“Well then, are you inviting me back to your rooms?” She teases, to which the Exarch gives her a sly look.

“To discuss educational, scholarly topics of course.” He grins, linking their fingers together, choosing to take the scenic route instead, allowing him to spend extra time with her.