Cassa saw Fenta and Gro then decided to climb into my lap and faced the table causing Fenta to giggle. I scrunched my nose a little because her hair was directly under my chin. Fenta shook her head, "I 'ave a hot bath in me 'ouse. You all are welcome to it." I nodded to her and put my hands on Cassas' shoulders and gently squeezed causing her to make her churring sound in contentment. "Feels good." and she closed her eyes. I could feel every tough little muscle in her upper back and shoulders. I gently gripped and loosened my hands and every time i felt a muscle or bone i instantly knew what there names were. I looked over towards Alzi and nodded, "Thank you for the anatomy book, Alzi." The Dragonkin just smiled from under his large hat and nodded back to me.
We sat and enjoyed each others company for the rest of the evening. Laughing and eating and just relaxing. Later on i asked Fenta about the hot bath and she motioned for us to follow. Alzi politely excused himself and went back to his shop which doubled as his home. We arrived at Fentas' shop and went inside after she opened the door, "Me fatha built this shop 'afore i was born. He was a Human and me mum was 'alfling." We followed her to the back and down the hallway. "Mista' Quickshot and Miss Hound may go first. I 'ave ta start the bath fires. Be back in a bit. As for you Mista' Grey, you can wait in me room." She kissed his cheek as he had to slouch inside the house then she ran off. Gro chuckled then lightly hit my arm before he disappeared into Fentas' room and closed the door behind him, i just shook my head. After a few moments Fenta came back and showed up where the bathing room was and gave us a couple of drying cloths, then went to her room.
The inside of the bathing room was very spacious that had a small pool in the flooring. A bench was made against one wall and the water area took up the rest of the space. Cassa scrambled out of her clothes and threw them on the bench then jumped into the water. I undressed as well and placed them neatly on the bench then gathered hers up and placed them next to mine. I could see her eyes glowing just above the water. The room was lit just enough that we could see but i wnted it just a bit darker so i blew out a few of the candles so that there were only two left burning. I slipped into the warm water and felt it got hotter closer to the bottom. Cassa had to stay on the steps because of the depth of the water that came up to my chin in the middle. I figured that after last night there was no more reason to be a prude around her and it didn't bother me anymore to see her naked.
I sat against the wall on one of the lower steps and she walked on a shallow step over to me so sit in my lap. I was a little apprehensive but i wasnt embarrassed anymore around her. "How old are my Princess?" i asked with a smile. "I am old enough to challenge for rule in my family." She sort of lost her smile after she spoke and looked down in sadness. "Cassa." I put my finger under chin and lifted her head so i could gaze into her eyes, "You can be part of my family." Then i kissed her on the lips and she wrapped her arms around my neck.....
Nearing the end of our bathing, the candles were almost gone so i stepped out long enough to take flickering one and lit a few more. Cassa returned to my lap with her back to my chest. I took the end of her braid and untied the little piece of string holding the whole mess together, "Fenta can help you braid it back. I just wanted to see it flowing around loose for a little while." She took my hand and put it against her face and started to nuzzle it. "You let your hair grow long?" I smiled to her when she asked and nodded, "Yes, my Princess. I will let it grow for you."
We must have stayed in there for a few hours just soaking and relaxing in the hot water and enjoying each other. I felt all the tension in my body just melt away. I felt rejuvinated like I had slept for a week straight. "Its getting late now. We should get going." I picked Cassa up in my arms as i stood up and stepped out of the water. She grabbed my neck and kissed me again. "Don't let go of Cassa." I smiled at her, "I will never let you go." we got dressed after that and headed out the bathing room. I gave a quick on Fentas door, "We are going back now." I didn't hear a response so we just left for the Inn.
"...Ered...Ered, my son..." I looked around for the voice but all i saw was the darkness of a star filled sky. "Mother? Is that you? Where are you?" I was almost panicked because i so very much wanted to see her again. "Please don't be frightened. I am here with you. Always with you.....
I woke up and squinted at the daylight coming in my room window. I started to sob and Cassa rolled over and looked at me with a hint of worry in her face. I saw this and snifled a few times, "I dreamed of my mother again," I smiled to show her that i was ok, just sad. Cassa just nodded to me and smiled. I stretched as i yawned because i felt better then i ever had and Cassa yawned right after i did. "I want to learn all i can about Magic. It was something that a part of my mother, so i want to keep that alive, for her." Cassa just crawled up close to me and kissed my nose, "You must really love your mother?" I nodded to her and i kissed her nose. That seemed to be our cute little way of greeting each other for the morning.
We got up and dressed and went out to our table and ate breakfast. After that we decided to take a walk around the town. We came to the trinket shop, a blue painted building that had stone floor and wooden walls and a pointed roof. It was slightly taller then one floor so we guessed the extra space above was for storage. "No touching please." I looked at Cassa and smiled, she just stuck her tongue out at me. I saw a small matching pair of gold earrings and the shop keeper let me have them as a gift for helping the town.
'Very generous folks here' i though as i put them in my leather bag. I dont think Cassa noticed because she was looking at a simple gold chain necklace. I inquired about it and the shop keeper quoted a price and i paid him for it. I asked to have it shortened a bit and he obliged me and added two posts to each end. I loved the way her dark purple hair moved when she walked. It was permanently wavy because of how long it had been braided.
We walked around a little longer then arrived back at Fentas. The door was open and we went inside. Fenta was rearranging some of her display stands for the day. " 'Ello Quickshot an' Miss Hound. Your friend is still sleeping." I just smiled at that. "Can you braid hair?" Cassa walked up to her desk and beamed her toothy smile at the tall lady. "Why yes I can Miss Hound. Come with me." and Cassa followed her to the back of the house.
A little while later they both came back and i was pleasantly surprised by Cassa. Not only was her hair in four narrow braids now down to her feet but she was wearing her new leather armor that Fenta had made for her. She ran to me and jumped towards me and i caught her against my chest, "You look absolutely beautiful." then she kissed me. I need to ask Fenta something now. Cassa jumped off me and proceded to dance and jump around the room, not just in excitement but she was also feeling how her leather armor moved on her body and how her hair moved around her.
"Miss Fenta. I will pay what ever you want for that armor. I know she loves it, but i have a favor to ask." She leaned in close to me and waited for me to ask. "I pulled the little chain from my pocket and the little gold hoops and showed them to her, "Can you pierce our ears? The chain for her left ear and one hoop for her right, and also, one gold hoop for my right ear." Fentas eyes almost bugged out when i asked and she happily agreed.
"Cassa like new braids. But, they move to much," Cassa forwned when she finaly calmed down enough to stop jumping around. Fenta reached under her desk and pullout a few strips of leather cordage and tied the goblettes braids together in a few places, efectivly containing them. She also had Cassa and I sit on a couple small chairs she got from her kitchen area and one of her lacing needles. "Miss Hound. Master Quicshot has a surprise for ya' deary." then she showed Cassa the needle and I held out one of the gold hoops. Cassa gripped the edge of her chair and started bouncing in it.
She tilted her head to the left and Fenta placed the needle against the bottom of her right ear then i grasped her hands in mine. "Might urt' a bit at first." Genta steadied the needle against her ear and right as Cassa was about to say something, she shoved the needle through causeing a little squeak from the green goblette. "There we are now. Your next." Fenta looked towards me as she removed the needle. I did the same as Cassa, not letting go of her hands. Emerald green eyes were fixated on mine as Fenta pushed the needle through my right ear lobe and i winced a little at first but felt nothing after a few seconds.
"All done now. I'll give ya a moment then. Is that man still sleeping?" Fenta left the needle on her desk then disappeared to her room down the hall. I smiled at Cassa as i let go of her hands, reached into my pocket and pulled out both gold hoops and showed them to her. Her eyes lit up and she froze in place. "Cassa. I have been thinking about this for a while now. Yes, i said you are my mate and i meant it." I fitted one the gold hoops into the new hole in her ear and smiled. I gave her the other hoop and she did the same for my ear, "Cassa love Ered. Mates for life now."
Is that why i was feeling like this every time she was around me? Obviously she cared a lot for me. Even more so after the drunken celebration and now the bathing room. She loves me? Maybe I do to? I wasnt so much confused as i was worried now. a Human and a Goblette? How would other people see that? Why should i care? Come to think of it, i really dont.
My life to choose how I live, right?
I smiled at her and leaned close to kiss her lips after she was done with my earring, "I love you, Cassa"