Lorelei's POV
I am a melting pot of different emotions, and I don't know if I should regret what I said. All Lorelei says is, " look around." The moment I take my gaze off her beautiful skin I realize that we have teleported again. I am facing the most beautiful scene I have ever seen in my life. And everywhere is quiet but for the sound of nature and my breathing. Wow.
"I know, it is really something", Xan says.
"Can I touch you love?", now what type of question is that? What do I even say? "Um yeah…". She walks behind me, tucks my stray hairs behind both ears, and wraps her arms around me.
"Relax, everything will happen in due time, and anything that needs to happen now is covered", she says. Oh, so now we're speaking in riddles, great.
"Trust me, Lorelei, trust me to make sure everything is fine with your people".
Xan begins to lead me towards the door of the house still speaking, "trust that I am doing everything in my power to make sure they are okay. You… you have been through so much in so little time. And still, you choose to cope with it by accepting a responsibility you don't need to bear just yet."
There is silence. There is so much truth in those words. A truth that I had been avoiding myself. We have just reached the door to Poppy's house and she is about to open it when I ask, "What are you doing to help then?"
"Right now?", she raises an eyebrow. "Keeping the wider spread problems I have seen within your city hidden, and besides that nothing", she opens the door and waits for me and Poppy to get in.
"Your people need to calm down, and I need to be with you right now. Stop thinking about them for now, and trust I have them covered, Love", she says in addition.
Trust her, Xan wanted me to trust her. The mere fact that she didn't seem bothered by the situation irked me a little. However, she was my mate, and I understood her to need to bond, to get to know each other, but not now.
We step inside, and I'm mentally preparing a list of ways I can get through to the very strong, and very stubborn woman, but my will is weakening.
"How can you do that?"I ask.
"Do what?" she asks me back.
"Just not care about something so important?... "Shows Xan, what witchcraft means to her, and her family craft.
She chuckles a little, it's a beautiful sound, and her eyes crinkle a little. I feel a little flutter in my stomach, knowing I unknowingly elicited that response, and the attention of this beautiful woman.
"I care to a certain degree, they also need some time to process what happened. A few days of silence will not cause any more harm than what has already been done. My newly assigned beta is covering my duties for now. I've been around a very long time, my love, and if there's one thing that has kept me as sane as I am right now, it's knowing when to step back."
Silence on my end again, I sigh internally., "I'm never going to win any arguments in the future, that's for sure", I think to myself
She moves closer again, sweeps me up into her arms, and takes a seat, then continues," Right now, I just want to help my amazing mate find serenity, and learn what makes her tick"
"Is that okay?..." she finally asks. I nod yes, just wanting to sleep now, and the day had just started.
I suddenly remember Lady Poppy and look around the room for the wonderful elder. Before I notice her peering over at us from a different very comfy-looking sofa, I realize I am sitting in the most luxurious cottage I have ever had the pleasure to be invited into.
I try to ignore the fact that my skin must be doing its best impression of a tomato, due to Xan, Lady Poppy's reaction to us, and this beautiful house.
"You have such a lovely home", I say as I try to slip out of Xan's lap, in hopes of regaining more of my composure.
Xan does not let me go, no she tightens her grip just a little bit and then uses her hand to direct my face back to look at hers. Her gaze is boring into me, and the intense burn to complete the mating bond has never been as strong as it is now.
"Can I kiss you, my love?", Xan asks, although something in the way she says it implies my verbal response wouldn't matter. I nod yes again, and she brings my face closer to hers until our lips melt into each other. She kisses me harshly, with a desperation that I hadn't read on her face in the past few days. When the spell is seemingly broken, the face staring back at me is now one of possession, passion, and unspoken debauchery. I think I like it. This newfound interest.
"Ahem…", Lady Poppy fake coughs to get our attention again.
"The disrespect, I spent so many years raising, you can't even bring me, my future claim daughter, properly. If you just want to copulate with the young lady, find a room, preferably not in my house.",
Lady Poppy says with a straight face, and I think Xan and I are in trouble if this lady is really a parental figure to her. However, she breaks into a laughing fit, that turns into a coughing fit, but a smile is plastered on the old woman's face all the while.
"Very funny Poppy, haha", Xan replies in a mocking tone, then sets me down beside her on the plush couch.
"I'll stop teasing you, I'm happy you both found each other, and I am sorry it was in the wake of such a disastrous event little one", she says the last part to me.
"If there is anything I can do to help, you simply must tell me okay?", she adds.
"I'll do all I can to help you and Xan, although I'm sure she already has it covered. I understand all of your reservations and fears for your people, but Xan is nothing if not reliable to those she loves.", Lady Poppy says.
"Thank you so much, Lady Poppy, your words have helped put me at ease", I reply.
"Oh it's alright, and no need to call me "Lady Poppy", Poppy is enough, as long as you don't call me "Old hag Poppy", like this ungrateful child here", she replies, pointing at Xan.
Zan scoffs stating, "Only you in all the vast universe can call me an ungrateful child, not even my parents, I think that is grateful enough". I love the clear familial love that lingers around them when they talk.
Poppy redirects her attention to me," so tell me …", she pauses, then puts her hand to her chest.
"Oh dear, I still don't know your name, little one…", she finally says.
"It's Lorelei Seer Old. Hag. Poppy.", Xan remembers, also using the moment to make a retort to Poppy's former comment.
Poppy makes a sour face but immediately redirects her attention to me, " Lorelei Seer. Lorelei, that is such a wonderful name dear… Now, what was I about to say?..."
"Yes! Lorelei, so tell me more about your hobbies, passions, and whatnot. Do you like baking? What kind of magick do you mainly cultivate? Do you like embroidery?", she asks in rapid succession.
As I think of answers to her questions, Xan replies with, "you are just fishing for reasons she would need to come back here again aren't you?", as a light chastisement.