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Madeira was going to propose to Chiona Dusk tonight.
As she stood in the door of the Lover's Retreat, arms open to present her surprise romantic getaway to her lover, who was just sliding out of the saddle of her Okomo, she wondered what this penultimate moment felt like to others. She supposed it depended. Some proposed marriages were arrangements, some were for love, some for partnerships. Nerves seemed like a common thread between all of them. In that way, she was glad she wasn't alone, because she was so scared it felt like her insides were turning to liquid. This was two years of effort that came down to a single, decisive, yes or no question. This was the last obstacle between her and the life in Lhavit she wanted, and to stumble now would ruin everything.
"Madeira! Happy Aviakittis." Chiona, with a big smile, let go of her high-born propriety and ran the last few steps to give Madeira a crushing hug. From over her shoulder, Madeira could see her servant Maro lumbering to a stop on his own Okomo, Chiona's, and his luggage tied to the saddle.
"What I don't understand", Chiona continued, rocking in a slow circle with Madeira still crushed in her arms. "Is how you managed to book the Lover's Retreat during Aviakittis, of all days. The place is booked seasons in advance for this holiday." Her smile was alight and a little wicked as she stared down at the woman in her arms. "Be honest, who'd you have to kill to get this?"
"Absolutely nobody" Madeira mumbled evasively. "It just took a little savvy charm."
"And?"
"And little money."
"And?"
"And a small threat of eternal haunting."
"There it is."
Chiona laughed as she shifted her weight, trying to keep them both from toppling as Madeira struggled to find the balance point as they rocked in this bizarre little dance. "Thank you", Chiona whispered warmly. She kissed the top of Madeira's head. "This is a wonderful gift."
The Okomo were left to the hills and Maro with the luggage. Madeira and Chiona were free to race through the Retreat like little girls, laughing with delight as they threw open every door they passed. There was an enormous kitchen, multiple luxurious bedrooms, every surface was marble or skyglass, and every corner sparkled with tapestries and masterful paintings depicting stars they couldn't name and gods they didn't know. Multiple balconies were thrust out of the sheer face of the building, and with the mountain at its back, it showed nothing but an uninterrupted view of the sea and sky. While inside three more balcony stories looked down on an interior grotto that made Chiona gasp with wonder.
Madeira had brought flowers and chocolate because that's what Guinevere told her to do. Chiona had taken one look at the mess of rose petals in the bath and the candlelit, intimate, meal-for-two set up in the extravagant dining room and had rolled her eyes.
Instead, as Syna started to set, they dragged the blankets off of one of the beds and out onto the balcony. They sat on the floor sipping wine from the bottle, eating cheese from its paper shell and olives out of the jar. As the evening wore on Chiona described the constellations she knew as they appeared in the open sky, and Madeira told the sad stories of the tragic lovers who had died there. Then, when the stories ran out and the wine was almost gone, they kissed each other breathless.
As she stood in the door of the Lover's Retreat, arms open to present her surprise romantic getaway to her lover, who was just sliding out of the saddle of her Okomo, she wondered what this penultimate moment felt like to others. She supposed it depended. Some proposed marriages were arrangements, some were for love, some for partnerships. Nerves seemed like a common thread between all of them. In that way, she was glad she wasn't alone, because she was so scared it felt like her insides were turning to liquid. This was two years of effort that came down to a single, decisive, yes or no question. This was the last obstacle between her and the life in Lhavit she wanted, and to stumble now would ruin everything.
"Madeira! Happy Aviakittis." Chiona, with a big smile, let go of her high-born propriety and ran the last few steps to give Madeira a crushing hug. From over her shoulder, Madeira could see her servant Maro lumbering to a stop on his own Okomo, Chiona's, and his luggage tied to the saddle.
"What I don't understand", Chiona continued, rocking in a slow circle with Madeira still crushed in her arms. "Is how you managed to book the Lover's Retreat during Aviakittis, of all days. The place is booked seasons in advance for this holiday." Her smile was alight and a little wicked as she stared down at the woman in her arms. "Be honest, who'd you have to kill to get this?"
"Absolutely nobody" Madeira mumbled evasively. "It just took a little savvy charm."
"And?"
"And little money."
"And?"
"And a small threat of eternal haunting."
"There it is."
Chiona laughed as she shifted her weight, trying to keep them both from toppling as Madeira struggled to find the balance point as they rocked in this bizarre little dance. "Thank you", Chiona whispered warmly. She kissed the top of Madeira's head. "This is a wonderful gift."
The Okomo were left to the hills and Maro with the luggage. Madeira and Chiona were free to race through the Retreat like little girls, laughing with delight as they threw open every door they passed. There was an enormous kitchen, multiple luxurious bedrooms, every surface was marble or skyglass, and every corner sparkled with tapestries and masterful paintings depicting stars they couldn't name and gods they didn't know. Multiple balconies were thrust out of the sheer face of the building, and with the mountain at its back, it showed nothing but an uninterrupted view of the sea and sky. While inside three more balcony stories looked down on an interior grotto that made Chiona gasp with wonder.
Madeira had brought flowers and chocolate because that's what Guinevere told her to do. Chiona had taken one look at the mess of rose petals in the bath and the candlelit, intimate, meal-for-two set up in the extravagant dining room and had rolled her eyes.
Instead, as Syna started to set, they dragged the blankets off of one of the beds and out onto the balcony. They sat on the floor sipping wine from the bottle, eating cheese from its paper shell and olives out of the jar. As the evening wore on Chiona described the constellations she knew as they appeared in the open sky, and Madeira told the sad stories of the tragic lovers who had died there. Then, when the stories ran out and the wine was almost gone, they kissed each other breathless.
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