Sunlight, warm and insistent, streamed through the window, striking Elicia's eyes. The gentle clinking of metal against metal, the familiar sounds of her cooking pots and pans, roused her from her sleep. She stirred, a comfortable warmth enveloping her. A moment of disorientation followed, then realization dawned. She was covered in blankets, a thick, comforting layer far exceeding anything she remembered placing there herself.
Sitting up slowly, she saw Kaelen, standing in her kitchen, a picture of unexpected domesticity. He moved with practiced ease, one hand expertly stirring a pot on the stove, the other casually resting on his bandaged side.
He looked up as she shifted, his crimson eyes meeting hers, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Good morning." He greeted, his voice low and surprisingly gentle.
Elicia, still half-asleep, stumbled out of bed and walked towards him, her movements a little clumsy. Reaching him, she playfully but firmly grasped his arm, attempting to pull him away from the stove. "Easy there, dear patient." She chuckled, her voice still thick with sleep. "You're supposed to be resting, not cooking breakfast. Back to bed with you." She felt a surprising strength in his arm as she pulled.
Kaelen allowed himself to be led, but only a short way. He settled onto a chair, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Your herbs are quite effective, I must admit." He stated, glancing at his bandaged side.
Elicia, shaking off the last traces of sleep, conceded defeat with a playful roll of her eyes. "Yes, I know." she said "Let me cook. I don't want you to burn down the house before you even have a chance to properly thank me for saving your life." She took over the cooking, a smile playing on her lips as she surveyed the ingredients he'd already prepared.
The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the cottage. Elicia, efficient and swift, moved about the small kitchen, placing steaming bowls of stew and plates of freshly baked bread on the table. Kaelen, eager to help, reached for a plate but Elicia was already several steps ahead, her movements fluid and precise. He found himself momentarily at a loss, his offer of assistance rendered unnecessary by her speed.
With nothing else to do, his gaze drifted to Phaeton. The large silver Maine Coon was curled up on a nearby rug, observing the scene with an air of detached disdain. Kaelen's stare, however, seemed to irritate him. Phaeton let out a low grumble, his tail twitching in annoyance.
Noticing the silent standoff between the man and her feline companion, Elicia chuckled softly. "Phaeton just looks irritated." She explained. "But he's probably got a warm heart... Probably."
Kaelen chuckled. "I think he dislikes me, though." He watched as Phaeton shifted, his ears flattened against his head, a clear sign of feline displeasure.
Elicia smiled. "He'll warm up to you." She assured him. "It just takes time. He's... um... selective."
Letting the two settle their staring battle on their own, Elicia got back to cooking, a smile playing on her lips.
The morning sun streamed through the small kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the golden light. The quiet contentment of the previous moment lingered, a gentle hum underlying the clinking of spoons against bowls.
Between bites of the hearty stew, Kaelen's crimson eyes fixed on Elicia. "Where... Where are your folks, Elicia?"
Elicia paused, a slight tremor in her hand left unnoticed by Kaelen, as she set down her spoon. She looked out the window, at the whispering leaves of the woods surrounding her cottage, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I've lived alone for as long as I can remember." She said, her voice quiet but steady. "Not sadly, though. My life has been full." She gestured around the small, cozy cottage, her eyes sparkling with a quiet joy. "The woods have always provided."
Kaelen listened intently. He saw no trace of bitterness or loneliness in her words, a quiet acceptance, a deep contentment with her solitary life. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing he had presumed her solitude to be a source of unhappiness.
"I... I intended to land here... in the Whispering Woods." Kaelen admitted, shifting lightly in his seat. "It is infamous for being avoided by most in the empire, after all. I needed a place that could effectively hide and shelter me until my wound healed. I didn't expect to find someone living in its heart." He ran a hand through his silver hair, a flicker of surprise in his crimson eyes.
Elicia chuckled. "Ah, yes, the Whispering Woods has a reputation. It's strange really, it seems to only allow children inside. Something about their innocence, I suppose. It wouldn't let me leave when I was younger, not that I tried." She smiled "It keeps its secrets well."
She leaned forward. "But it's protected me, kept me safe. And it's given me so much." She looked back at her garden visible through the window. "It's my home."
Phaeton, having finally had enough of the conversation, let out a loud meow, a clear statement of his displeasure at the ongoing intrusion into his quiet morning. Kaelen and Elicia exchanged amused glances.
Elicia laughed. "Oh, Phaeton." She said, shaking her head fondly. "He's not usually this disapproving. He's just... particular." She glanced at her perpetually unimpressed feline companion, who remained curled on his rug, a picture of aloof disdain.
Kaelen leaned back in his chair, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm quite sure he dislikes me." He stated, his voice laced with a touch of amusement.
Elicia considered this, her gaze softening as she met his. "Perhaps. He's never been around anyone else but me, you see. He might just need time to adjust." She offered Kaelen a reassuring smile. "Besides, I don't think he likes me that much either." She laughed.
Kaelen's gaze drifted from Elicia to the vibrant herb garden visible through the kitchen window. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, highlighting the lush green expanse teeming with life. The vibrant colors of the various plants, their delicate shapes and textures, seemed to hold a certain magic, reflecting the careful, loving attention Elicia clearly lavished upon them. He saw not just the herbs but a reflection of Elicia herself – vibrant, resilient, and full of unexpected, quiet strength. A thoughtful silence settled between them, broken only by the quiet rustle of leaves outside and Phaeton's occasional, disgruntled sigh.