Carol
Lord Elroy Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

Elroy's eyes remained on his wifes face from the beginning, even though she refused to meet his eyes initially.

*I was in so much pain, I wanted -* She had not finished the sentence, but Elroy knew how it would have ended. His jaw clenched at the thought.

If Elroy wasn't worried it would feel insincere, he would have protested when she drew her hands away to wipe her tears. The man hated seeing her in pain, reliving the worst weeks of her life. He hated himself for asking, but knew it needed to be done. Her Trials... What she went through was causing a rift and he would be damned if it forced them apart. 

Silence hung in the air as she finished, the word heretic echoing like a phantom through the room. Gently tugging at her hands, Elroy guided her into his arms, kissing her head as it rested on his chest. "If doubt creates a heretic then we are one and the same." He said quietly.
Erin
Lady Jasmine Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

The soothing thump of Elroy's heart played in Jasmine ear as she rested against her husband's chest. She felt mildly embarrassed, but was glad to have gotten that off of her chest. It was unusual for her to get so emotional, especially in front of Elroy. She knew how it upset him to see her teary, and she did not like being a burden. Elroy had enough of those already.

*"If doubt creates a heretic then we are one and the same."*

His words echoed in her mind, and the gravity of them slowly sank in. Elroy, so devout to Xolile, had his own doubts? Jasmine never would have guessed. Perhaps an occasional doubt here or there, but she assumed they were washed away almost as fast as they came. Not lingering.

*For him to admit something like that to me...*

"Oh, Elroy..." She wrapped her arms around his torso as she nestled her face against his neck, feeling safe in his strong arms and supported by his words. Despite the circumstances of the plague not changing, she felt better somehow. As if something important had changed. She knew now that, despite their different views, he still loved her. He still loved her, despite her heresy. Jasmine kissed the underside of his jaw as she moved to close what little distance was left between them. "I love you."
Carol
Lord Elroy Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

A sigh of contentment left him as Jasmine nestled her face against his neck. The last few days had been a trial for their marriage - a struggle between love and duty. The admittance of struggle was not one Elroy expressed to many. His doubts... They had to remain private. His role within Araedian society demanded strict faith in Xolile and the Circle no matter how much he disagreed. 

Her intoxicating scent took him back to the day they had first met. She had smelled the same as he lay on the bed in her academy shocked at his second chance at life. At the time, he attributed the scent to her medicinal mixtures, but as they fell for eachother it had become comforting. Elroy smiled at the memories. Their arguments and her stubborness had scared him because Elroy knew the punishment of unbelief and her death would be his undoing. 

His thoughts quieted as she kissed his jaw and solicited a knowing smile from him. "And I you, my love." Pulling her onto his lap, he lifted her chin so she could see how true his words rang. "I am flawed, Jasmine, but you have made me whole. There is nothing," He paused, nipping at her lower lip,"*Nothing*, you could do to lose or lessen my love."
Erin
Jasmine Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

As Jasmine heard those words, a rush of love for her husband made her feel as though her chest was fit to burst. *He is too good to me,* She thought sadly. The list she had been previously making came into her mind, along with a twinge of guilt, but she pushed it out of her head. She only wanted to think of Elroy at this moment.

"And I you, my darling." 

She let her fingers glide across his broad, bare chest as she kissed him, pushing him gently so that his back was on the bed. "You know," She said in between light, teasing kisses, "Your bathwater is most likely cold by now."
Carol
Lord Elroy Thèvenet 
Private Quarters, Provincial Thévenet 

A shiver rippled through his muscles as her fingers trailed along his chest and she gently pushed him onto the bed. His hands found her waist and he firmly squeezed before letting them caress her back as she teased him. Chuckling suggestively, he lifted his head to meet her lips. "They can redraw when we are done." Smiling, Elroy rolled them over and the two put the disagreement aside, choosing instead to envelope themselves in their love.
Erin
Jasmine Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

Jasmine awoke early the next morning in her husband's arms. For a moment, things felt peaceful as she gazed at her husband's face as he slept. So effortlessly handsome. She gently pushed back one of his dark curls from his face, her finger falling to trace his cheek. 

Her eyes were drawn to the lone paper sitting on the desk behind her husband's sleeping form. Reality came back to her.

Carefully, she moved herself not to wake up Elroy as she rose out of bed, putting on her robe as she went over to retrieve the list she had been previously making the night before. She reread it, biting the inside of her cheek as she did so. *Is this a good course of action?* She wondered as she stared at what she had previously written the night before. There was not much else she could think of doing without endangering those in her hospital or going against the Queen's orders.

Glancing over at Elroy, she felt a wave of love. She longed to go back and lie forever in his strong embrace, but she could not. There was work to be done. She silently changed into a simple blue dress and pulled her hair back. As she gazed at her sleeping husband once more, she reached over and grabbed another piece of parchment, quickly writing down a note: 

*'My love,*

*I have to leave early to do some business at La Gruador. I cannot bear to wake you to say goodbye, as you look so peaceful asleep. I will see you later this evening.*

*I love you.*

*Forever yours,*

*Jasmine*

After making sure the ink was dry, Jasmine placed the letter on her pillow beside Elroy. She blew him a silent kiss, and then quietly left the room, shutting the door with a click behind her.
Carol
Lord Elroy Thèvenet
Private Quarters, Provincial Thèvenet

The sun flirting with his eyelashes through the window was coaxing him to wake up and face the day. In an effort of retaliation he turned to the side with a groan, arm expecting to rest on his wifes side. Perplexed by the feeling of satin sheets caressing his arms instead of a warm body he opened his eyes to find his wife gone. "Jasmine?" Elroy bolted straight in bed, eyes searching the room for a sign of her. Panicked, he began to climb out of bed, but paused as his eyes found a letter on her pillow. It was addressed to him in her hand. 

Wiping the exhaustion from his eyes, Elroy squinted at the paper to learn its contents. As it concluded Elroy let the paper dangle from the hand that rested on his upturned knee. He recalled her making a list of things for La Gruador the night before and he wanted to believe that she had left to take care of business. Jasmine was not only the lead healer, but a teacher, and in charge of their inventory - she did so much that it was conceivable she had gone without an alternative motive. Sighing, Elroy rose and called for a bath. 

As it was being prepared he sat at his own desk in their quarters, deep in thought. He still needed to send out orders for the pilgramage. Elroy knew the pain it would cause his wife to know what he was going to do. The calls he was going to make would disgust her. Which was why he was going to make them while she was gone.