Closed [Ice Masquerade] The Small Things (Rinya)

[Jorin Ertihan]

Day 80, Season Winter, 513 AV

Jorin liked to think he wasn't a nervous man. Still, he rarely did what he'd done that day, "borrowing" yet another costume from the Amphitheater for his evening out with his wife. It was a special occasion, the Ice Masquerade, and he'd floated the idea to her that they might attend together. Ever since their aborted attempt at a date a season ago, Jorin never really had a chance to try again.

Of course, the costume was not Jorin's to keep. To be perfectly blunt, what he'd done might have still been considered theft by some. Indeed, Jorin remembered much to his own chagrin that he'd occasionally scolded other actors for taking costumes from the Amphitheater for festivals without permission.

The irony of what he'd done was not lost on him, though he mollified himself by thinking that at least he'd ensured there was adequate supply at the racks before he... "liberated" one of the fancier dress costumes. Besides, he fully intended to bring the costume back after the Ice Masquerade was over anyway.

Jorin remembered how difficult it had been, to watch Rinya get dressed and pampered at Beautyfest, knowing it was not his arm she'd spend the night on. They hadn't been married yet at that point, but nonetheless he'd claimed her regardless and he still remembered the hot jealousy he'd felt when he saw her dancing with Rhys. Not that Kirsi was poor company - the Vantha was very gracious even knowing the situation.

Nonetheless, what could have been quite the engrossing affair - especially since against all odds, he of all people had been crowned the King of Beautyfest - had become one that tried his patience to the limit. He never once doubted Rinya. He knew she loved him, and only him. But still, it was never easy watching her on another man's arm. It was selfish, but Rinya was his, and he wanted her on his arm and no other's.

And now he would have that chance. The season hadn't been an easy one to deal with. What with the "Thief of Hearts" causing jealousy to surge from Rinya having to watch him kiss another woman, to Farline's unexpected reappearance, Jorin wanted to have a night where he could simply be with Rinya. Where they could be together and enjoy each other's company and forget all the crazy shyke that had gone down over the last season.

Rinya had been nervous all day though. As Jorin made his way to the Baha'Tian Resorts where the Ice Masquerade was taking place, he wondered why that might be. What could have caused his wife to be so nervous? Likely the same thing he was nervous about - it was their first proper date after all. It was odd that they'd been in love, and even gotten married, without really having actually gone on a date like this. At least one one that was not interrupted by former romantic partners.

Jorin noted as he approached the resorts that many people had on masks. Oh yes... it was a masquerade. He'd ... forgotten that. Jorin bit his lip and looked around, until he noticed a nearby table with an assortment of masks available. He chose a fairly simple one - a plain white mask with a golden trim around the edge, that could be affixed to his face with a simple cloth band.

Handing over the mizas in exchange for it, Jorin quietly tied the mask around his eyes, letting the extra weight settle before retreating back toward the front, taking a small turn at the grounds to enter the area of the falls and private alcoves. It was where he'd agreed to meet his wife, and he could tell from the bond that he was getting closer to her. But when he saw her, he couldn't help but freeze in his tracks.

She was gorgeous.

Jorin had always thought his wife was beautiful. Even when she wasn't dressed up, even when she'd just awoken and her hair was all messy and she hadn't had time to put on anything particularly impressive, he still thought she was the loveliest woman to have ever lived, and he told her nearly every day.

Even on days he didn't, the bond was always humming with his love and appreciation for her. But this... the light blue dress hugged her body in just the right ways, and in just the right places, and seemed to flow like water down to her heels. Jorin remembered the pretty black and gold dress from Beautyfest, which had been very attractive on her as well. But he'd been too busy being jealous of Rhys to fully pay attention to it. This time, his attention was completely focused on the woman before him.

Despite her mask he could make out the delicate contours of her face, and he noted once more that his wife, at least to him, seemed such a gentle and soft person. Absolutely no sharp corners, just smooth lines and gentle curves. It perfectly matched her loving nature, and it took a chime before Jorin realized, his jaw had in fact been hanging open the entire time.

Coughing just slightly, he finished his approach, cheeks flushed slightly as he sidled up to Rinya's side. He couldn't help continuing to admire his wife, even as he offered her his arm and smiled at her. Rinya was always beautiful but this night she was absolutely radiant, and Jorin could barely keep his eyes off of her.

"You... you look amazing," he breathed, with a little grin as she took his arm. "I love that dress... you look so beautiful in it." Jorin couldn't help the appreciation in his voice as he led his wife quietly to the falls. Eventually, he wanted to bring his wife to one of the private alcoves so they could be alone, but for now he thought it might be nice to have a quiet stroll through the delicate ice carvings that littered the place.

Stopping in front of an ice sculpture of a couple dancing, the man twirling his partner underneath his arm, Jorin leaned over to nuzzle Rinya's neck, smiling against the skin there as he planted a soft kiss. Pulling back, he smiled at her again, the warmth of love settling in his heart like a cheerful hearth. "I'm really glad we got to do this," he sighed, as he drew a bit closer to Rinya. "I've been wanting to have a nice romantic evening with you for... a long time."

Jorin glanced over at the dancing couple carved in ice in front of them. "They look so happy and carefree..." he mused, continuing to look. "Just like us, huh?" he added, smiling at Rinya as he said so. The sculpture was quite pretty - obviously carved by a skilled manipulator of ice. But still, Jorin continued to think that Rinya was, and would continue to be, the prettiest thing he'd seen all night.

Jorin's Costume (borrowed) :

Ledger-8SM large mask

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[Rinya]

Day 80, Season Winter, 513 AV

Really Rinya had no idea why she was so nervous. There was a great many things she was with Jorin, but since they had become intimate nervous didn’t tend to be one. But for some reason going to the Ice Masquerade with her mate and husband made her nervous. Perhaps because their first technical outing… to actually just spend time together had been such a disaster. Hai they hadn’t even spoken to each other a week after that outing and while Rinya knew it wasn’t likely someone was to come between them this night… it still reminded her of her own jealousy when Farline threw herself at Jorin.

It was also possible that reminder stung so much as to the fact that apparently Farline had not left town with the rest of the troupe. Jorin - being a rather kind soul - was trying to help the woman despite all the things she had done to them. Regardless of the fact that there was no chance between Jorin and Farline, she still didn’t like the idea of him helping her. The woman was known for her nasty barbs, particularly aimed at her mate. She caused damage and destruction wherever she went, and yet her mate still couldn’t say no to someone in need. If she didn’t love him so much, she probably would have been far more angry than annoyed at him. After all… the woman had tried to destroy her using Jorin.

Either way it wasn’t the kind of thoughts Rinya wanted to focus on. Jorin was hers and this was the perfect opportunity to spend time together that didn’t involve weapons or combat… or even just staying at home. She could be attached to her husband’s arm all night without fear of someone thoroughly interrupting them. The only other time she could count as to being out with her mate was the after party of his job… and while that had actually turned out well - she hadn’t exactly appreciated the stolen kiss that went with it. When Rinya tried to add up the sum of their outings… it wasn’t looking too good. Even Beautyfest had ended in a small disaster with Farline’s little poisonous words.

In the very least Rinya didn’t have to hunt down an outfit for the night. Right after she had first met Jorin, she had made a visit to Rosela’s shop, and at the time bought a dress she wasn’t sure she was ever even going to wear. She rarely dressed up, and Beautyfest had been a far more serious event to her, so she had bought a seperate dress for that. Tonight however it seemed the dress would fit the theme perfectly. Rinya had insisted that she would meet Jorin at the resort in order to get ready. Honestly she had no idea how he was going to react to her dress in the first place.

Jorin wasn’t a man that centered on one’s looks, and he would love her regardless of what she would wear - but that didn’t mean she didn't want to look impressive. And those thoughts simply added to her nerves… she really didn’t have any idea how to look impressive. The dress was beautiful in it’s own right, but she didn’t own makeup or anything of the like. Not that she was fond of the stuff in the first place… it always sat on her skin and made her feel like she was wearing a mask… and she was already going to be doing that for the evening. So on this one aspect she relented to ignore the makeup at least, but her hair was going to be another story entirely.

Rinya had spent the day trying to figure out just how to do her hair… something she never did. In the end she had simply wet her hair to just barely damp and braided her hair back carefully. The result a few bells later was just a simple - her hair had been given loose waves and from that point Rinya just decided to leave it that way. As she slipped into the light blue dress, and carefully brushed her hair out around her, she felt rather… feminine. The girly things in life usually did not thrill her, but for some reason dressing up for Jorin was different. She just hoped he liked it…

It didn’t surprise her actually that she would beat him to the resort however. She didn’t have work, but he had, and in some ways Rinya was happy for that. She wanted it to be a surprise for him, dressing as she did. So Rinya had made her way to the resort just a bell or so early, given that the walk would be much more dangerous for her in the dying light. None of the guards seemed particularly upset by her early arrival, and as soon as the light began to fade from the sky, Rinya watched the resort come to life. Her interest however was caught on the table of masks - she still needed one and apparently they were readily available.

Approaching the table, Rinya stared at the different colors and sizes of masks. Honestly they looked rather heavy, but she didn’t exactly want to carry one around on a stick either. She almost gave up on the idea when she spotted several different masks at the far end of the table… thin masks looking to be made of metal. A black one that fixed that would fix to her face, but looked to be much lighter than some of the others caught her eye. The metal was twisted delicately, but honestly would not actually hide her identity much. Regardless, Rinya fell in love with it instantly and handed over the few Mizas required, before tying the mask to her face.

The only thing left to do was wait for Jorin really… so instead of waiting it out in the main hall, Rinya headed back outside. One of the guards pointed her in the direction of the caves, suggesting it would be an interesting spot to wait for someone, and she took the advice readily. Anything rather than just standing around and letting her nerves build more. She had to repeat to herself over and over again that no one was going to interrupt their night together… This setting was perfect, and Rinya was determined not to let past grievances ruin their night.

She was so busy telling herself this however, that she didn’t even feel Jorin’s approach… much less see it. She had been staring at the ground, nibbling on her bottom lip and attempting to keep her fingers from twisting around each other. It was the surge of emotions across the bond that actually told her Jorin had arrived and Rinya twisted on her heel to face him. Her mate was… staring at her. Jaw literally dropped and the bond flooded with several different emotions at once, making it difficult for her to pick out just what he was feeling - other than the fact that none of them were negative.

Her face flushed immediately, and she glanced down at her dress in order to try and hide the effect of his staring. "Uhm..." Despite how long she had been around her mate already - she still had trouble with words. She knew he loved how she looked… that much was obvious, but for some reason she felt like she should say something. Perhaps about how handsome he looked himself, or even hello… but there were no words. His apparent pleasure made it impossible to think of anything to say. In the very least she wouldn’t need makeup, as she had no doubt tonight she would spend most of the night flushed red for one reason or another.

Luckily Jorin seemed to snap out of his daze. He finished his approach and offered her his arm, and she took it without hesitation. His words however caused her to glance back down at the dress shyly. "I’ve actually had this for awhile… just never had the chance to wear it." Rinya coughed herself before shaking her head slightly. "You look rather handsome yourself love." Rinya had considered pointing out that he must have borrowed the outfit himself, but she didn’t really care one way or the other. Jorin was already leading her into the caves, and she followed without complaint - especially since she couldn’t see the ground all that well. While the lighting of the ice sculptures was enough for perfect detail, the shadows the lanterns lit across the ground made it hard to see.

This kiss Jorin placed to her neck caused her to hum slightly, and she closed her eyes for several ticks, before tilting her head to look up at him. He was happy, she could see it on his face and feel it across the bond. That fact alone could have made her happy, but she did have to agree with him - a romantic night out together seemed needed between the two of them. Jorin glanced to the ice sculpture in front of them, mentioning they looked happy and carefree… much like they did. Rinya nodded slightly before turning to fully face her mate.

Without much of a thought, she released his arm in favor of placing both her hands on either side of his neck and leaned up to press her lips to his in a gentle kiss. Regardless of the light pressure and the barest brush of her lips against his, she felt her heart speed up and tighten at the emotions a simple kiss could bring. She let herself linger for several ticks before pulling back just enough to grin up at him. Apparently her mind had caught up with the rest of her body. "Hi..." Her face flushed once again and Rinya released his neck and let her fingers rest on his shoulders instead.

Glancing back at the carving for just a moment, Rinya observed the elegance trapped in the ice before turning back to her mate. "You’re right, we do deserve this night. After all, we haven’t had much luck with them thus far." Rinya commented wirely with a grin. She wasn’t trying to bring up bad memories, but rather point out that their track record thus far wasn’t impressive. Releasing his shoulders she linked her arm back into his, but let him lead with his eyes. "How was work? Tolerable today?"

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[Jorin Ertihan]

Having Rinya on his arm felt like a dream. It wasn't that Jorin was a particularly vain man. And he loved to spend time at home alone with Rinya quite a lot. But it wasn't very often that the two of them had the opportunity to spend a romantic evening out and about. When he complimented Rinya's appearance, she blushed prettily and glanced down at her dress, demurely insisting she'd had the dress a while and merely didn't have the opportunity to wear it.

It didn't really matter to Jorin though - new or old, the dress looked absolutely stunning on her. However it was Jorin's turn to blush when Rinya mentioned he looked handsome himself. Jorin had rarely been called "handsome" before. In fact, the only person to consistently say it was Rinya. Jorin didn't need the bond to know she meant it too - that somehow, he was handsome in her eyes.

"Thank you, Rinya," he murmured, before leading her into the ice caves. It was an interesting feeling, leading Rinya through the caves. Having her on his arm made his whole body tingle in a pleasant way, and he could feel warmth spread throughout his body just being there with her. It was almost the same feeling he got when they were cuddled together in bed at night. Pure contentment and joy.

Jorin hardly noticed that Rinya was not wearing any makeup. He was not one who really put much stock in such things - it was his belief that if a woman needed makeup to look beautiful, then she wasn't beautiful; not really, anyway. Rinya had done something with her hair though - it fell down her back in soft waves. She'd clearly taken time to do this, and Jorin appreciated the effort she went through to look nice for him.

Jorin knew his wife's eyes were not particularly good in the darkness, and so he made sure to lead at a steady pace, glancing over at her every few moments. If he was being honest, the glances weren't strictly to ensure she was ok, though that was certainly one of the reasons. But for the most part... Jorin just couldn't get enough of how pretty she looked. He loved seeing his beautiful wife on his arm, and it almost made navigation impossible as he couldn't help glancing over every few ticks.

The kiss he planted on her neck made her hum contentedly, and he couldn't help feeling glad he could give her such happiness. He knew that sometimes, his wife could get stressed or upset. She tried mightily to never bring such negative emotions home - he knew she felt it was horribly unfair to take out her frustrations on him.

Oftentimes, Jorin felt helpless in such circumstances - all he could do to help her was to be there for her, to comfort her and love her. He always wished he could do more. But still, ever since he'd bonded to Rinya, he'd never felt such contentment and joy from her when she was with anyone else. It pleased him to know that only he could make her so completely open and happy.

In response to his comment about the ice sculpture, Rinya turned to face him and placed her hands on the sides of his neck, leaning up to kiss him gently. Jorin's own arms moved almost on their own, wrapping around her waist and pulling her in closer. It wasn't a deep kiss - neither of them slipped their tongue in to enhance the intimate contact. And yet... Jorin felt his heart clench pleasantly.

The tingle that had spread through his body just from having her on his arm intensified, and warmth flooded across and through him. Jorin kissed her back, holding her to him just a tick longer as he closed his eyes and let the love, happiness, and contentment wash through the bond and his heart. Even though Rinya let herself linger for a few ticks before pulling back, Jorin found himself still following her lips, not wanting the kiss to end.

It was Jorin's turn to have his mind lag behind his body. He remained in his daze for just a tick longer as their lips separated, only to see his wife grinning up at him. He was absolutely sure his face was as flushed as hers, and he was barely able to register her greeting. "Hi..." he replied, gently stroking her back with his hand. Jorin was exceedingly glad his wife had become so much more comfortable with initiating kisses with him.

Rinya was right. They hadn't had much luck with their dates. Jorin still vividly remember the nervous excitement he'd felt that first time, when he'd brought his wife to the antique society for their first date of sorts. Their relationship had grown steadily closer by that point and he'd wanted to take it yet another step forward. But Farline had appeared and everything went to shyke thereafter. Jorin and Rinya had given to calling it the "lost week", when she'd blocked their bond and seemingly every bad thing that ever happened to them occurred in the span of six days.

But he knew she wasn't trying to dampen the mood. Far from it - she wanted this night between them to be a success, and so did Jorin. So he shrugged and grinned, continuing to hold his wife up close to him. "Well then, I suppose we'll just have to make this night a special one to remember," he replied gently, as he released her so she could link her arm back with his.

Once again Jorin could feel the gentle tingle all across his body. The bond hummed and buzzed with the love that surged across it, a soft gentle thing that didn't burn like their passion but nonetheless warmed his heart. He knew when he'd felt this before - when he and Rinya were alone at home, not necessarily even saying anything to each other. Just enjoying one another's company.

Jorin suspected that the bond probably greatly enhanced their love. It allowed them to have moments like this when the bond was really all they required - no words needed to be said for the meaning to be transferred. And Jorin knew exactly what Rinya meant. She wanted this as badly as he did. A night where they could be spouses, and mates. A night without Farline, or some over-eager understudy, or Rhys. Their home was nice, but this was different.

And Jorin couldn't help the tiny bit of pride he felt, as he felt Rinya's arms wrap around his. This beautiful woman was on his arm tonight, and he knew she'd be there for the whole evening. What was more, she was there willingly, and she loved him with all her heart. Jorin was not naturally a possessive man, but when it came to Rinya... everything was special about her. She was his everything, and he knew she felt the same way.

Rinya mentioned work, and Jorin chuckled slightly. "Well, at least the stage master is past his whole 'Thief of Hearts' phase," Jorin mentioned in response. "I really do wonder sometimes what he sees in that play. Besides Mizas, I suppose - both productions generated more revenue than the last three plays combined." Jorin supposed there was something to be said about a play specifically catered to pander to a specific demographic. But he didn't want to spend the evening talking about that.

Placing one of his hands over Rinya's, he smiled as she leaned in a bit closer. "I missed you..." he commented softly as they strolled past a few more delicate ice carvings, depicting deer and antelope and other woodland creatures. The light from the torches reflected off the crystalline creations to create interesting light patterns on the walls, and Jorin might have noticed them if he wasn't so distracted by his wife.

"I know, I go to the Amphitheater every day. It should get easier," Jorin sighed. "But it doesn't. Every day I miss you. Every day, the highlight is coming home to you." Jorin smiled and leaned over to kiss Rinya gently on the cheek.

"Thinking of you is what makes every day tolerable, no matter what happens at work," he insisted, before turning to one of the crystalline statues, this one apparently depicting a small family of deer. There was a buck with large antlers standing off to the side, and to his right was his mate - a large-eyed doe with modest antlers, who stood off to his side.

And between them... between them was a small fawn, looking to be barely a year old, nestled protectively between his parents. The three of them stood proudly in the middle of a small alcove and Jorin smiled at the image before him, releasing Rinya so he could slip his arm around her waist instead, pulling her up to his side a bit. He kept them in front of this particular carving for a few chimes, not saying anything, but the bond hummed with love and a bit of want.

Jorin wondered if Rinya knew what he wanted. As he was looking at the carving, he couldn't help but want it with Rinya too. Children... a family. With her. Even though they'd already agreed to try for a child in spring, which was in fact rapidly upcoming, Jorin still could help being a bit impatient. He wanted it so badly. He was not seeking a legacy, like his father. He loved his wife, and he wanted a child with her because it would be physical proof of their love.

So engrossed in his thoughts, Jorin hadn't noticed that he'd muttered "A happy family," out loud. He hadn't said it very loudly, but it wasn't exactly under his breath either. But the words carried the same want that was floating across the bond. After a few more ticks of looking, Jorin turned to Rinya again.

As before, he was still struck by how beautiful she looked. Especially with the ambient light reflecting off the ice, casting odd shadows and lights onto her, Rinya had an almost ethereal look to her. The light blue of the dress blending well with the surroundings, and he once again was distracted from his thoughts by her. Realizing he was staring again, Jorin blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he apologized. "You just look so beautiful..." he breathed. Smiling, he leaned in. Placing one arm around her waist and another behind her neck, he held her gently but firmly against him and kissed her. Once again, the action was soft and gentle, filled with the tender emotions that they both loved so dearly. He could feel a surge of warmth through the bond as he did so, and he smiled against her lips.

The kiss probably only lasted a few chimes, but to Jorin it lasted bells. Wonderful bells he wished would have lasted forever. But nonetheless, when he pulled away, he knew his face was as flushed as Rinya's. Nonetheless, he did not release her, keeping his hand on her waist and neck and nuzzling her neck with his nose, breathing in the scent that he'd come to associate only with her.

After a few moments, he pulled back and gently allowed her to take his arm again. If they'd allowed themselves, they would spend all day just kissing and making out, and they'd miss out on all the beautiful carvings that the Vantha of the city spent such effort to create for them. They would have plenty of time later for such things.

"What about you?" Jorin asked softly, almost as though if he spoke too loudly, he'd break the comfortable silence that had descended on them. "How was work for you these last few days? I remember you got a new partner... Trynmal if I recall correctly." Jorin blushed slightly. "I hope my being there didn't cause you to get into any trouble..."

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