The day had come to a close; orange, pink, and dark purple clouds covered the sky. It appeared a storm was blowing in. The smell of rain blew in from the open back door filling the apothecary with a cleansing scent. Thankfully it was quiet and peaceful along the street, aiding in Cordelia's attempt to quell the anxiousness lingering in her from the previous night. The apothecary had been relatively empty that day, as the entire town seemed to have slept in after the festival's first night. Beni hadn't left her side for a single moment, and she felt grateful and steadied by his presence.
She had wanted to ask him why he had let Lyonis enter last night. What had caused her normally overprotective familiar to ignore her request to keep the man from Gresas away from her? While the thought lingered in her head throughout the day, she didn't ask. And Beni, who knew she was mulling over the thought and could've easily told her, chose to ignore the topic.
Sipping quietly from a cup of tea, she flipped through her a new book that had arrived in the post. Pouring herself into the creamy pages, she glanced over the delicate words without really reading them. Her mind was preoccupied, and nervousness returned to her as the day wained. A gentle ding rang through the shop as the front door opened, pulling her from her thoughts.
Lyonis stepped into the entryway of the apothecary. An apologetic smile crossed his face as their eyes met. "Good evening, Cordelia. May I come in?" She felt herself stiffen slightly and tried to force herself to relax.
"Yes." Words seemed to get stuck in her throat, and the simple, curt response was all she could muster. Lyonis pulled a large bouquet of brightly colored flowers from behind his back. He looked down at them and pursed his lips, almost embarrassed by his outward apology.
"This... These are for you. I... I know they're not enough for you to accept my apology... But..." He awkwardly stumbled over his thoughts. Seeing the normally confident man flounder over her pulled a small smile from her, and she couldn't help but relax at the sight. She had decided to forgive him, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Watching him struggle was cute and endearing. He placed the flowers in her outstretched hands, and she felt his eyes follow her as she magically pooled fresh water into a large vase, placing the flowers strategically one by one.
Beni had hopped up onto the counter, his golden eyes following Lyonis without a hint of emotion. He sat next to Cordelia and rubbed against her hand as she carefully rearranged the blooms. The orange petals of a large sunflower reminded her of Lyonis's eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. "They're beautiful, Commander. Thank you." He flinched and inhaled abruptly when she avoided using his name but said nothing.
"I was thinking... We could go for a walk? The streets are pretty clear today. Seems like everyone is exhausted from the festival..." Lyonis spoke, apprehension in his voice, unsure what he should say.
"Well... it is about to rain." Cordelia looked outside. The sky had grown darker and more gloomy as billowing clouds rolled overhead. "Maybe it's best if we stay here."
"Hmmm... well... I wanted to take you to the Chimera today..." She felt herself brighten at his comment. She had been eagerly wanting to see his ship, but she was supposed to still be angry with him, so she stuffed her excitement down. He caught on to her eagerness instantly. Smiling, he sat down at the counter as if to settle himself there for the remainder of the evening, "But perhaps another day..."
Beni's voice reached her for the first time that day. He was still sitting next to her, rubbing his head against her hand, 'You should go. You need to get out of the house.' Shocked, she glanced down at him. The large golden eyes peered at her - still devoid of any emotion.
'Who are you?' She thought, responding to the comment. It was so unlike him to encourage her like this. Especially with Lyonis, whom he had been so wary of. 'I thought you didn't trust him. Did something happen I don't know about?' Beni blinked at her and sat down to stare her in the face, flicking his tails calmly against the wooden counter.
'I trust him.' And with that, her familiar stood up and disappeared out the back door leaving her and Lyonis alone in the shop. Dumbfounded, Cordelia gazed out the back door even far after the cat had disappeared. Mulling over his words, she was perplexed and then... relieved. If Beni trusted Lyonis... could she allow herself to? Would it be ok for her to give in to him?
"Everything ok?" Lyonis spoke softly, cautiously, as he had watched the interaction unfold before him.
She abruptly turned to look unapologetically into his amber eyes. Her sudden movement caused him to jump slightly. Squinting, she tried to peer into him as if to discover what had happened between him and her familiar to make the wary cat change his mind. But that was impossible; Beni had his reasons, only he knew - she would interrogate him later.
"Yes. Everything is fine." She placed the last few stems into the vase before waving her hand over the blooms, settling little golden sparkles into the petals. They glimmered and glowed softly before fading. The blossoms grew fuller and livelier after her gentle, encouraging touch. With pleading in her eyes, she returned her gaze to him, "I'd love to see the Chimera. If you'll still take me tonight?"
...
The two of them had walked down the mostly empty streets, past the docks to the shipyard near the edge of the Central Quarter. Hundreds of ships of various sizes, shapes, and style floated peacefully alongside one another in the water. Thier colorful masts and sails neatly packed away as if they were all sleeping and dreaming of the open ocean. Swaying gently as the wind picked up, brought it by the storm brewing overhead.
Lyonis was nervous. In a way, he had never felt before. The feeling made him restless, and he had been up all night, pacing the room. Theodora was furious with him. He made her sit in his room while he rehearsed and mulled over what he should say to Cordelia. Finally, his young underling snapped as large bags grew under her eyes, "This is ridiculous, Commander! Just fucking talk to her! Go to sleep and leave me alone!" She had stomped out of the room in a huff and refused to speak with him the following day.
But here he was now, with Cordelia, walking down the narrow wooden dock toward the Chimera. He had offered her his arm as they walked down the street, but to add insult to injury, Cordelia denied his offer. The space between them suddenly felt vast and empty. Lyonis kicked himself for allowing such a space to even grow. He had been careless with her feelings, and now he was paying the price. He only hoped he could remedy his mistake.
The Chimera came into view as they rounded a corner. Even among so many stately ships, she stood out like a beautiful red flower, floating peacefully in the water. Cordelia spotted her, and her pace quickened. They hadn't said much as they walked toward the shipyard, and thier silence couldn't help but fill Lyonis with worry.
As they neared, Cordelia gasped, "She's stunning." She walked along the dock and placed a hand on side of the redwood hull, closing her eyes and running her fingers over the polished wood. Her shiny, soft black hair was braided out of her face, running down the length of her back. She held the large black-rimmed hat steady against her head as small gusts of wind whipped through the docks. The dark red dress she wore fluttered around her waist. Her beauty and wildness seemed to match the Chimera. And Lyonis couldn't help but think it was as if they were made for each other.
Lyonis climbed up onto the deck with ease, reaching out a hand to pull Cordelia up beside him. The boat shifted suddenly in the water as a gust sent larger waves crashing against the hull. Cordelia slipped slightly and fell into his arms, and her ears reddened. Was she embarrassed to have slipped, or was it the sudden closeness that caused her face to flush brilliant pink? He couldn't help but smile as he steadied her before letting her go and turning to walk along the deck.
Cordelia was engrossed in the ship. Her hand touched and caressed every rope, every wooden knot, every expertly crafted detail as if listening to a silent story. He leaned against the center mast, crossing his arms, trailing her with his eyes as she fluttered around the deck. She climbed the steps at the far end of the deck to stand atop the elevated platform at the front of the ship.
Lyonis carefully looked around. He silently checked all the knots, ropes and gear that were securely fastened to the catwalk as he walked toward the front station where Cordelia was standing, her hands running over the carved wood, taking in every detail she could. Everything was pristine, and not a single line was out of place. He beamed with pride for his crew. At least they were good enough to impress her. Cordelia's eyes sparkled with awe and curiosity.
Lyonis climbed the stairs, stopping just shy of the top step. He reached his hand out to her when their eyes met, "Shall I take you below?" The light grey-green eyes fell to gaze at his outstretched hand. Smiling, she ignored his offer and walked to the far end of the platform, taking the steps on the opposite side down towards the catwalk. A gentle rain started to fall, but Cordelia didn't seem the least bit affected.
"Let me guess..." She pointed at the doors under the front deck, "Quarters..." Then she pointed to the large row of heavy hatch doors along the floor of the catwalk, "Storage?" She walked the length of the catwalk toward the rear of the boat, her hand touching the wide center mast in the center, disappearing behind it a moment before walking around to the opposite side. Lyonis followed her cautiously, giving her space to roam and explore as she pleased. The rain was falling harder now, and Cordelia's red dress was getting soaked, though she didn't seem to mind. She held the hat to her head securely as the wind continued to pick up.
Gracefully stepping across the length of the ship, she neared the rear quarter-deck. She pointed at the large steel door under the platform, "Captain's quarters?" Rouge raindrops carried by the wind managed to cling to her porcelain cheeks. She gazed up at him as he neared, sticking his hands in his pockets.
Lyonis stepped up beside her, the rain running down his face, "Would you like to see inside?"
"But only the Captain is allowed... Commander." Cordelia teased him. A coy playful expression sparkled in her light eyes.
"Who do you think I am?" Lyonis leaned down, mere inches from her face. She seemed to have relaxed significantly since they arrived at the Chimera, and he couldn't help but feel relieved. Perhaps he hadn't ruined his relationship with the witch of Ville Marais just yet.
"I don't know. Who are you, Commander?" The tone in her voice gave away a tinge of bitterness. Of course, she would be cautious. He had kept his true identity from her, and she knew he was hiding something. Part of him selfishly wanted to keep her in the dark. What if things changed between them as a result? He didn't want to risk it. But when he looked down into her grey-green eyes, ablaze with seriousness, it seemed apparent that if he wanted to keep her around, he would have to come clean at some point.
Lyonis took out a single iron key from his pocket and shoved it into the lock, turning it with an audible click before pushing it open. "It seems we have much to talk about. After you... my lady."