Clara
*In stark contrast to their last visit, Edvard entered the tavern without his signature plate, accompanied by Faelyth. He stood in the doorway for a moment, chuckling at the apparent awkwardness of the situation with the bartender before he made his way inside. It was strange to come back. He remembered it all. Not even a week ago, he was blinded and dazed by Faelyth, forcing him to declare that he would burn her at the stake. He promised to find this non-existant figment of a woman and let her burn Faelyth to death. All so she could avenge her non-existent son fictionally slain by Faelyth. And yet, here he stood, leading the Elf to the bar. He was glad she would at least foot the bill this time, though he didn't quite plan on paying for a drink. He just wanted the room, that was all. He enjoyed the privacy of the pond, but understood that sleeping on the grass wasn't exactly meant for everyone. He would've done it if she had asked, but he understood that she seemed to prefer the comfort of a bed. It wasn't too hard to get to, anyway. It was in arm's length from the pond, really. And arm's length would have to do.*

"Are you sure you don't want me to pay?" *He asked as he made his way off towards the bar, waiting for Fayleth to buy the room. He kept his coin pouch ready in his hand. He had the money to spare and wasn't averse to using it. He thought it the more chivalrous thing to do, anyway. He wasn't quite sure what awaited him in the coming few minutes anyway, but he had a feeling it would be nice to accommodate it.* "I did kind of threaten to burn you at the stake last time. I feel like it's the least I can do. Really." *He said, taking a quick seat on one of the barstools. His gaze refused to leave hers, consistently studying her eyes. They seemed more and more beautiful the more he looked into them.*

*He shot a quick glance back towards the stairs, though. He took note of those entering and leaving the few rooms boasted by the inn. Prostitutes, mostly. It was a busy night he guessed. He wasn't entirely looking forward to spending a night at this inn, but as long as he was with Faelyth, it seemed worth it. Besides, he couldn't really sneak her into the guard barracks without incurring the full wrath of the Winged Stag. What would Winrae think if she saw him trying to cuddle an assassin? He was trying to shake the name Edvard the Coward, not reinforce it.*
Eileen
Entering the tavern, Faelyth gently dropped the knight's hand and made for the inkeep. The warmth of the fire kissed the dark elf's deep grey-blue skin, causing shivers to run up and down Fae's spine. It was a welcome feeling, the chill night air having caused her skin to turn cold to the touch. She didn't mind the cold, just simply preferred the warmth of a building with a fire. Before she was able to pay for the room, Edvard's soft voice interrupted her causing her to slide those playful hues his way. "No, I will pay. You had every right to want to- well, kill me. After the tale I spun, who wouldn't." Embarrassed a bit with herself, Faelyth remembered the story she had told Edvard, of killing an innocent babe in its crib. Shaking her head at herself, the dark elf confirmed her answer. "If anyone owes anyone anything its me, so hush. One room, please. Just for the night."

The inkeep happily took Faelyth's coin and handed her a key. She had also managed to pay for two glasses of liquid, both turning out to be water. She had remembered the lack of alcohol Edvard consumed when they were first here. Perhaps he simply never drank, maybe it was a promise to himself or it could have just been he didn't wish to be inebriated near an assassin. Whatever the case, she's honor his choices and handed him the tankard of water in good faith. Faelyth's blue eye began to glow ever so slightly, and soon both she and Edvard's drinks would be as cold as ice and refreshing as snowflakes danced their way into each of their tankards. Curling her fingers into his, she led him once more, only this time to a bedroom in the tavern.

_ _
"Now, I know its a lot to ask-" Looking back as she tilted her head to look up at the large man that followed after her, "-but you'll have to trust me, okay?" A faint smile settled on Faelyth's face before she looked forward once more. Soon, the two approached their room and the dark elf quietly unlocked the door. Pulling her hand from Edvard's once more, she stepped inside of the room before looking back to Edvard, almost as if she wanted to check if he was going to follow or not.
Clara
*Edvard nodded, sighing heavily as he stared towards Faelyth. He tried his best to ignore the last time they had met, but the image still burned fresh in his mind. The story of baby murder, the blinding light she slammed into his pupils, and the kiss she planted on his cheek. They all remained fresh in his mind like they had happened yesterday. Honestly, they might as well have. It was clear that the bartender wasn't the biggest fan of Faelyth, offering a large scowl as he accepted the gold. Money was money, after all. Bartenders had to eat, didn't they? Especially in a town like Lerwick. With the slaves gone, work wasn't exactly scarce. It felt like people were snatching up mining jobs left and right. He was sure the bartender was making one hell of a profit, but everyone else was living off of copper stags. Not to say that he supported slavery. It was an abhorrent practice and he'd never condone it. But he still held sympathy for those hurt by the transition. It was never easy. It may be necessary, but it will never be easy. That's the thing about change, isn't it? It's hard at first, but better in the long run.*

*He grinned widely as she passed him a glass of water, chuckling as he took a small sip. For water, it was pretty good. Fresh from a nearby stream, he assumed. He could only hope that they'd boiled it prematurely to get the sickness out. He had always heard tales of ships where it was safer to drink beer than it was water. He'd never felt luckier to be standing on solid ground. Turning to Faelyth, he tipped his glass in admiration to her, taking another sip before speaking.* "I'm glad you remembered." *He said, smiling with his heart and soul bared out like the teeth of a dog.* "It means a lot to me that you took care to notice the smaller details of our encounter."

*Quickly, Edvard marched up the stairs, chuckling as they made their way to the door. He wasn't sure what the pause was for. His hand slipped from hers as she entered, and he stood in silent admiration, his eyes fixated entirely on her. The room was nice. Certainly nicer than what he had expected. Better than sleeping by the side of the pond, he guessed. He felt like a man standing on the edge of a cliff. He could just take a step back and forget this ever happened. Or, he could walk forward, and take the plunge. Dive headfirst into the risks that lay ahead without knowing what could possibly go wrong or right.*

*He smiled that heartfelt smile and stepped into the room, gripping Faelyth's hand.*

"I trust you."
Eileen
Faelyth's smile never seemed to leave, and if not for her darker skin Edvard would surely see how flustered the dark elf's cheeks had become. Thankful for her race for once in her life, Fae gently tugged on the knight's hand, wasting no time to pull him into the bed they'd soon share. It was big enough for the two of them of course, the barkeep was kind enough to ensure they'd have a single bed after assuming the two were a couple. The lights in the room were dim, but bright enough to allow each of them to see their footsteps. Not that it mattered, Faelyth could see in the dark. Depending on the elven races that made up Edvard, he likely could too. Nevertheless, she pulled his larger body into the safety of the bed and laid him down, the feeling all too familiar.

Countless nights had Faelyth shared a place of slumber with strangers, wishing to feel something from each experience. It left her more drained each time, but still she wished for more, hoping the next time would be different. Her body was just as much a contract as the ones she completed for the Sisterhood, but instead of coin in return she hoped to gain feeling. Love, compassion, anything. Yet time and time again, it proved to be fruitless. At some point, it simply became a habit. One that she indulged in to forget her woes and sorrows, and to simply live in a night of nothingness. How this night would go, Faelyth was uncertain. But the 'how' she spoke of before was well on her mind.

_ _
As she laid Edvard down in the dim bedroom light, a candle flickered on the bedside table. It began to cascade shadows over the dark elf's form, and while the knight lie in wait for Faelyth to join him she circled the bed, just as she had circled him twice before. Now on the other side of the bed, the assassin finally joined the larger knight, ensuring the blanket was well enough out of the way but ready to cover them should they get cold. Without so much as a word, Faelyth allowed her hands to run over the knight's shoulders as she took her place next to him. Before he could make any sort of move, Faelyth did something she never expected herself to do in 90 years.

Running her hands up the back of the knight's head, she pulled Edvard into her neck and chest. Laying on her side, she cradled the man's head and gently ran her fingers through his messy hair. No advancements were made this night. No removal of clothing, no ulterior motives. Perhaps subverting expectations was a specialty of Faelyth's. Closing her eyes, Faelyth rested her chin against the top of Edvard's head and let out a more than content sigh. She still did not speak, for she knew no words would amount to the feeling she felt in her heart.

*Safety.*
Clara
*Edvard's grin remained plastered on his face. The lighter tone of his skin made it quite apparent he was blushing, but he made no attempts to hide it. The main draw of this relationship to the knight was the brutal honesty both put on display, and shame was not on the emotional itinerary for Edvard. He marched into the room, quietly shutting the door behind the two as Faelyth moved to grab his hand. He held onto her tightly, voluntarily crawling into the bed. It was confusing for him to be wearing clothes, but he wasn't sure he cared. To be sharing this moment in the dark was enough. The bed seemed far more comfortable than he had ever expected, thought knew part of that comfort grew solely from being in close proximity to Faelyth. He made himself at home immediately, his head crashing down on the pillow harder than the Hewman's axe crashing into the thick base of an old oak tree.*

*Edvard hadn't laid with another in decades. Romantically or otherwise. Of course, his wife was to blame. He still felt a married man. Or at least, he did. There was just something that held him back for infinity. He would proclaim that none could hold a candle to his lost love, but he knew it wasn't true. He had fallen for more women than he could count on two hands after the death of his wife. It was that destructive fear that kept him in isolation, laying in his bed sleeplessly every night for years and years. He was convinced he had spent the most active time in the barracks than anyone else in the history of Alynthi, simply waiting and hoping that his love would come back to him. Only now did he realize that she already had. His 'love' wasn't a woman anymore. It was a feeling. And that feeling transferred now to the elf he shared a room with, who circled the bed like a lion waiting to pounce.*

*As she crawled in, he sighed softly, nervous about what was to come. Her hands made their way to his shoulders slowly caressing him like an infant. He appreciated Faelyth's attempts at calming him, but they fell flat almost entirely. It wasn't her fault. It was entirely his. He was still terrified of spending the night with another. Of sharing that sole warmth in the arms of someone else. He yearned for it terribly, but he still felt terrified. His breath seemed to spill from his lungs faster and harder and she grew closer, clearly showing his nervousness. He couldn't handle losing another. It felt like all he'd been doing is wasting the time spent with others around him. Losing Faelyth because of his inexperience was so impossibly terrifying he didn't dare imagine it.*

*And then, in an instant, he felt pure bliss. He found his face cradled by Faelyth, brought into her warm embrace with the light and love of a thousand suns. His eyes seemed to automatically shut as the blood rushed to his cheeks, bringing intense warmth to her neck. He wasn't sure what to do at first, but as her fingers slowly made their way through his hair, he smiled widely. His arms slowly reached out across the bed, making their way to Faelyth's back. Softly, he pulled her into a tight embrace, not daring to say a word. There was nothing to say that could describe the feeling in his heart. That feeling he had longed for all along.*

*Home.*