#nicandro

Nicandro by Tiffany Ann

  Book Blitz: Nicandro by Tiffany Ann Mar 2nd – Mar 9th

    Mickie was happy to find a small house in the exclusive Historic French Quarter of New Orleans. She thought nothing of guarding the ancient building she’d purchased, protecting it from the many tourists that might try to break into the famous “Vampire Monastery,” as it was called. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love with…

[A reintroduction to my sin'dorei boys: Malsunstrike, Nicswiftblade, and Lightmorn.]

The fighting was finally over. It was time to go home. But before we would all go our separate ways, I requested Deyin and Nicandro’s company for one last evening. We returned to where it all began: Quel’Danas. While Deyin and myself had been friends since childhood, we first met Nicandro during our service to the Shattered Sun Offensive. 

Stealing away to the northeast corner of the island, the three of us sat by a cliff overlooking the Forbidding Sea. It was a place that I often would visit for a chance to clear my mind, but it also became a spot where I could share a bottle of rum with good friends.

Night had fallen over the island, stars twinkling as the moon hung low  in the clear sky. The calm breeze rolled from the ocean, a chill settling over the island. The familiar sound of friend’s laughter filled the air, an open bottle of rum passed between the three of us. The auburn-haired rogue kept the bottle in hand, Deyin always reluctant to give up a free drink. After long swig, Deyin finally relinquished the rum, passing the bottle to Nicandro. The hunter took a drink before resting the bottle atop his knee.

"Can’t believe it’s over." Nicando muttered before passing glances between Deyin and myself. I nodded wordlessly in agreement.

"Yeah," Deyin interjected causing Nicandro to give him a critical look.

"Yeah, I’m sure you’re looking for a nice long break after defending all of those taverns in Pandaria. Not a wasted drop of beer while Lightmorn’s on the job!" Nicandro teased, a hint of drama in his tone.

Deyin smirked to the black-haired hunter as he placed his palms on the grass behind him, the rogue leaning back against his braced arms. “Yeah, Chris and I’ll be heading back soon. I have some unfinished business with a couple of virmen in the Valley.”

An injury had kept Deyin from joining Nicandro, Jasolei, and myself during the siege. I could tell it bothered him, but Deyin never gave voice to those thoughts. Thinking it best to quickly divert attention from the rogue, I turned to address Nicandro.

"So what are you and Jasolei going to do now that the fighting is over?" I asked the hunter, offering him a warm smile.

"She wanted to take me to Kun-Lai before all of this started. I’m looking forward to taking her up on that." Nicandro returned my smile, his gaze turning skyward toward the stars shining brightly in the cloudless night sky. "We’ve spent the last, what? Half a year fighting at each other’s side. Which is all well and good, but it’s left little time for just the two of us."

His smile rapidly changing to a devious smirk, Nicandro looked back to me before adding, “If you know what I mean.”

Deyin swat a heavy hand against Nicandro’s back, jolting the black-haired elf forward and briefly knocking the breath from his lungs and nearly knocking the bottle of rum from his knee. “Now you sound like me,” the rogue announced proudly, offering a knowing grin to Nicandro who simply rolled his eyes in response.

Chuckling to the both of them, I shook my head. Deyin’s grin softened to a smile as he addressed me.  “I bet you’ll be glad to get home to Rory.”

I nodded slowly, turning my attention thoughtfully to the ground. “I just hope she still feels the same. I’ve been away for so long, I hope she still loves me as I love her.”

"She does," Nicandro spoke softly before passing the bottle of rum to me. "If anything the time apart should help you appreciate each other all the more."

Accepting the open bottle, I took a long drink of rum. I knew he was right. Aurora and I wrote to each other as much as possible during my service to the Horde. I never stopped thinking about her — fighting for her. I know she’d fight for me in return. I passed the bottle of rum back to Deyin, the rogue always quick to take a drink.

Nicandro quirked an eyebrow as he looked to me. “So when are you two getting married?”

My heart leapt into my throat as I felt all the color drain from my face. Nicandro must have got the reaction he was looking for as the pair of them broke into laughter. Struggling to swallow my heart to its rightful location, I shook my head quickly. “I’m not ready yet.”

I must have absentmindedly glanced down to the black ribbon still tied to my left arm, because the reaction that followed was a very different one. Deyin’s laughter ceased, his brow creasing in concern as he shoved the bottle of rum back to Nicandro in an effort to quiet the hunter. An awkward silence ensued, threatening to change the course of our conversation to much more unpleasant topics.

Shaking my head quickly, I did what I could to redirect the souring atmosphere. “What about you, Nic?” I asked the black-haired elf. He grinned slightly, shrugging his shoulders.

"I’ve thought about it, but only in passing really. Kinda hard to plan a romantic marriage proposal when there’s a Kor’kron swinging an axe at my face." Nicandro chuckled as he shook his head.

Deyin cleared his throat quickly, drawing both of our gazes to the rogue. He paused expectantly, however his intentions were lost on both Nicandro and myself. “Aren’t ya gunna ask me if I’m gunna pop the question to Chris?”

"No," Nicandro and I spoke firmly in unison, warranting a look of playful offense from Deyin.

"If you get married before I do, I’ve officially failed as a man," I clarified, clearly teasing Deyin, the jest in a good nature.

”Hey!” The rogue protested in mock offense, though immediately paused thoughtfully before quickly shaking his head. The smirk returning to his lips, Deyin shrugged as he continued, “Nah, yer right.”

The three of us shared another laugh, passing the bottle of rum for another round. The rest of the evening was filled with conversation, laughter, and reminiscing on our days with the Shattered Sun. I missed these days. I missed sharing a drink and retelling battle stories with Deyin and Nicandro. But as much as I wanted to stay on those peaceful shores of Quel’Danas, I had to allow myself the opportunity to move forward. Rory was waiting for me.

Nicandro curled up against Jasolei’s back, slipping his arm under her neck to pull her body close to his. The elf lifted his head up, placing a soft kiss against her earlobe. Nuzzling against her ear with the tip of his nose, Nicandro brushed past her piercings, each ring shifting slightly as he worked his way up the length of her ear.

A wicked grin peered over Nicandro’s lips as he reached the final metal earring. “Oh, you don’t have to get up, beautiful,” he purred to the sleepy elf in his arms. His free hand brushed golden locks of hair over her shoulder exposing her soft skin beneath. Dipping his head down, he placed feather light kisses against the side of her neck. He trailed his hand down to her bare stomach, his fingertips running in lazy circles around her navel.

[Dragon Tattoo by Tatsu87]

Jasolei stood at the crossways of Runeweavers Square, mesmerised by the large gleaming statue that had been erected since her last visit to Dalaran.  Previously her visits had been cursory; often no more than a pause at Krasus' landing to change steeds and barter away the excess of her travels.  Consequently, she had no sense of direction in the city.

"Excuse me," she began in poorly accented common, approaching a human bearing the Kirin Tor tabard. "Could you point me in the direction of the Legerdemain?"

The man grunted, throwing down the butt of his cigar and extinguishing it against the pavement before lifting a hand and jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"That way and hang a right." He answered gruffly, scowling at her as he looked her up and down. "If they'll serve the likes o'ya."

Jasolei curtseyed politely in thanks, and made her way to the Legerdemain. The building seemed mostly empty despite the travelers on the street, and Jasolei slipped into a seat at the far side of the room so she might watch the door, doing her best to ignore the two Kaldorei eyeing her and whispering behind their hands to each other.

Holding a small wooden box in his hand, Nicandro made is way into the Legerdemain. Eyes falling to Jasolei through the doorway, his smiled softly to her as he clutched the box tighter in his hand.

As he passed through the threshold of the inn, his eyes immediately fell to the Kaldorei. Quirking an eyebrow, Nic walked over to the elves, resting his palm firmly against the table as he leaned down to mutter a few words in Darnassian. With a huff, one of the Kaldorei quickly rose from his seat to storm out of the inn. The second elf shot a glance to Jasolei before following suit and exiting the Legerdemain.

A smirk playing about his lips, Nicandro walked to sit down next to Jasolei at her table. His hand reached up to rest the box against the table. "Hey there, beautiful." He spoke in Thalassian as his smirk softened to a smile.

Jasolei had taken the liberty of ordering tea and two cups in anticipation of Nicandro's arrival.  Her tome rested on the table in front of her, and she idly penned some new sketches as she waited, resting her chin in her free hand.

The scraping of the chair against the floor as the second Kaldorei stood to pursue her companion made her glance up from her work, and she smiled softly as her gaze settled on Nic as he moved to slip into the chair beside her.

"Hey yourself," she replied in Thalassian, laying down her quill and brushing the hair back from her face with her now free hand. She tilted her head to one side to look at him more easily, reaching out to squeeze his hand gently. She nodded to the box that he rested against the table. "What've you got there?"

He chuckled softly, leaning over to gently kiss her cheek. "That would be your pendant. Or what's left of it." He whispered against her skin, smiling as he leaned back in his chair. His thumb softly caressed the back of her hand as he reached with his free hand to push the box in front of her. Nodding toward the box, he smiled softly to her. "Go ahead and open it."

She smiled and leaned in to him slightly as he kissed her cheek, squeezing his hand lightly. The waitress approached with a tray bearing a teapot and two cups, which she set silently down on the table as Nic straightened and pushed the box towards her.

Reluctantly she pulled her hand from his, quirking an eyebrow and pulling the box closer. "Now I feel sheepish. I feel like in a roundabout way I've made you give me a gift." She chuckled softly, carefully opening the box to reveal the contents.

He chuckled softly as he leaned in toward her, watching as she opened to box. Inside was a writing quill, a long black feather carefully resting in the box. The pen nib was fashioned from the silver of her pendant, an intricate pattern molded into the side of the metal. It was nothing extravagant, but it was evident that a good amount of time went into carving the mold that was used for the pen nib.

Nic glanced up to her, tilting his head as he attempted to gauge her reaction.

She gasped softly as she set the lid of the box to one side, pressing her free hand to her chest and taking a moment to simply appreciate the features of the quill resting inside.

"It's beautiful." She murmured after a moment, reaching for it and carefully turning it over to look at the pattern more closely. "How did you...?" Her eyes ran up the length of the sturdy feather as she twirled it between her fingers, it was well balanced and obviously crafted with great care. She smiled warmly and glanced to him, reaching her free hand to his opposite cheek to pull him closer so that she might kiss the one closest to her. "I love it."

He smiled brightly to her, his eyes closing only briefly as she kissed his cheek. "I carved the pattern for the nib from wood and asked Malric to melt down the silver and cast it for me." His arm slipped around her shoulders as he leaned close to her. "Now instead of a reminder of the past, it can be whatever you want it to be. Research notes for the order. Poetry or literature. An ink sketch. Anything, love. Because it can't hold any power over you anymore. You have all the control."

The smile didn't fade from her lips as he pulled her closer, leaning more against his shoulder as she continued to twirl it slowly around in her fingers, not wanting to miss a single detail.

"I really love it. I have to admit, I was skeptical about having it turned into something else.. But I'm glad that you did." She paused to reach up and kiss his cheek again. "Thank you for doing this for me. You're amazing, you know. Don't hold your breath for poetry from me though."

She chuckled and looked back down without pulling away from him. Reaching to dip it into the open inkwell, she drained the excess ink carefully before drawing it across the blank page with a flourish. As she sketched, the lines bled together to form a bird of sorts as she spoke.

"It writes beautifully. If Vex breaks this one? I'm not sure how many lives she'll have left."

He smiled at her hands as she penned the bird. Chuckling softly, he glanced back up to her. "If Vex gets the feather, it's a simple fix. Just need another feather. The nib should be indestructible -- by cat standards, at any rate."

His eyes fell back to the drawing as he nodded in approval. "I love it, beautiful."

She chuckled softly, glancing to him before nudging him with her shoulder. "You don't have to love it just 'cause I drew it, you know.  Just the first thing that came to mind for some reason." She shrugged, tilting the book to blow on the page and hasten the drying ink.

"Suppose I should show you some of the other things I've sketched up. I cut down on them, though. There was too many, and some of them just didn't make sense."

She flipped the pages back to a place she had earmarked before pushing the tome closer to him so he could turn the pages at his leisure.

His eyes poured over the sketches, smiling as he glanced over each one. He paused as he reached the final drawing -- a dragon fashioned of softly merged lines. His lips parted slightly as he reached a hand up to the paper. Gliding his fingertip along the edge of the dragon, he nodded slowly. "That one."

She glanced up to him after he turned each page, gauging his reactions. She smiled as he turned the final page and decided on the dragon, looking back down to his fingers resting on the page.

"You're sure? I can change it, or think of something else if you've a preference." She shrugged softly, brushing the end of the quill feather absently against her chin as she looked back to him. "Though like I said, it'll only be temporary anyway, with the ink I have. So you can always change it later. You still need to choose where you want it to go, though." She smiled up at him.

He leaned in to steal a soft kiss, smiling as he looked back to her sketch. "Where would you recommend?" He drew his arm more tightly around her shoulders, pulling her close to him as he rested his head against hers.

"I was thinking..." He muttered softly as his hand reached up to his chest, running over his heart, down the length of his torso. "Here."

She smiled as he leant in for a kiss, her free hand still caressing his opposite cheek gently. Her eyes were full of affection for him, though her attention was drawn downward as he brought his hand from the page to his chest.

"Mmm.. I think that would be perfect. Facing inwards?" She chewed on her lip thoughtfully, glancing to the drawing and then back to his chest. "Not sure how big to make it, though. But if you're sure it's what you want, love, I'll gladly paint it whenever you like." She quirked an eyebrow up at him. "Black? Or a different colour?"

He reached his hand from his chest to rest gently against her jaw. "Facing inwards. And black," he whispered, smiling to her. Leaning in, he nuzzled his nose to hers, smiling softly.

Her eyes closed for a moment as he leant in, and she stole a quick, soft kiss from his lips.

"I assume we can have the tea taken upstairs, if you want, though I brought wine with me. We can relax, and I can paint whenever you'd like." She opened her eyes to look at him again, brushing his cheek with the backs of her fingers.

"I love you." She whispered against his lips before capturing them lightly again for a moment.

Jasolei set down the cup on the other side of her as he tugged her closer, one arm resting across his and the other reaching back to knead gently at the back of his neck.

"I don't know really, after that. I thought things were okay for a while; I tried as hard as I could not to focus on the things that'd driven me to Pandaria in the first place.  I learned calligraphy, cooking... I learned about the history of the Pandaren, along with their culture. But in doing so, I suppose I did as many of the Pandaren did - I avoided what I felt, what I thought, and let it all fester.  I needed only step into the darker parts of the continent for the corruption to really take hold of me, for my fear and doubt to meld with the very shadow that's a part of me. I barely noticed it, the transition was so gradual. I guess I got a taste of my own medicine... And that in itself makes me afraid of who I am – what I am - and the things I've done to others."  She sighed heavily, gently scraping her nails across the back of his neck.

He scooped her up, sitting her against his lap as he wrapped his arms around her. "I have to admit, it's that darkness that draws me to you. It's enticing," he whispered softly to her, brushing his cheek against hers before gently kissing the piercings in her ear. "But tell me more, beautiful?"

"Oh, so that's what's got you interested, huh?" She chided playfully, shivering as his kisses across her ear spilled goosebumps down her skin. "Not me, just the shadow?" She chuckled, snuggling herself into his embrace.

One of his hands released its’ grasp of her to reach up and rest gently against her cheek. Drawing back a little, he gazed down to her face. "Not just the shadow," he whispered softly, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I fell in love with you. Every part of you."

She froze completely, her fingers tangled in his hair as she stared at him in disbelief.  Her heart thudded erratically against her ribs and it took a few moments for her body to function again. Her nostrils flared slightly as she struggled to remember to breathe and she swallowed thickly; her mouth dry from having fallen open.

"Y-y... You..." She gave a soft snort of laughter at her awkwardness, her eyes closing for a moment as colour flooded her cheeks. "You can't... mean that..." she managed to whisper around the bounding of her heart in her throat, her eyes opening to fall on his chest.  She clenched her teeth around the stud through her tongue, squeezing her eyes shut again quickly as a shuddering breath threatened to overwhelm her.

Nic smiled at her reaction, leaning in to kiss her forehead briefly. "I can't what? Love you?" When he leaned back to look upon her once more, he smiled to her, his eyes filled with adoration. "You make it easy. From the way you chew at your lip ring when you're nervous, to the way you gaze at me when you think I'm not looking."

His thumb stroked gently against her jaw as he leaned in to press his lips to hers in a soft kiss. After a few fleeting seconds, he broke the kiss to whisper against her lips. "I love you, Jasolei. For all that you are."

She started to shake her head, started to find a way to say he shouldn't love her; that if he was smart he wouldn't -- much as it hurt her heart to even think that. But his lips were upon hers before she could find her voice, and her arms went around his neck of their own accord.

She rested her elbows on his shoulders and smoothed back the hair from his face as he broke the kiss, licking her lips slowly and brushing his own with her tongue as he lingered in close. Whatever she intended to say was gone; and she looked deeply into his eyes for a long moment as her heart thudded against her chest.