"Her pelt is actually a beautiful dark chestnut color, with what looks like a white diamond adorning her brow." Maric replied with a chuckle. "The flowers aren't his doing though. However, Faren does spend an odd amount of time brushing her hair, as well as taking care of other tasks. I swear, if that boy put in as much heart into his studies as he did with caring for that horse, he'd know more than I do.<br/>"Alas, I have not made a barn large enough for that. It is just a large gated shack without any stalls. Hephaestus loves his space." He replied as they made their way back home. "That would be a wise decision though. You should tell me your ideas more often Nimue."<br/>To be honest, he probably hadn't thought of that because he wasn't sure if they'd stay or not after the guild's representative came. If they decided that he was corrupted, him and Nimue would probably have to go on the run. And they never officially decided where exactly they'd stay if the representative affirmed what he had claimed. If they did stay here though, he'd probably have a new house built. Then he could turn this into a guest house instead of having them sleep in a barn. For the new house though he'd hire some architects and craftsmen to build one that Nimue would love, and would be good enough to raise children in. He could even hire a few servants to take care of some of the everyday chores so that he and Nimue could focus on raising the kids.<br/>At that thought, his mind began to wander. Was he already thinking of being a father? Of having children with her? Of course he wanted to have some eventually, but he was thinking of having them this soon? Smiling to himself, Maric thought that he was indeed. Who better to raise children with him than Nimue? She was wise, quick witted, skilled, kind, gentle, and strong in both body and heart.<br/>These thoughts were still with him as she returned with the water. Nimue had been hinting that she would like to get a bit more... Intimate in their relationship. And they have been living with each other for a while now. He even told himself a few times that he should probably stop being a stick in the mud about it. But how should he go about doing it? About letting her know that he was ready in a way that didn't make it sound like he wasn't giving something up. He wanted to do this.<br/>Swallowing his breath nervously, Maric got up from his seat near the fireplace and snuck up behind Nimue as she washed the table. Reaching around her waist with his arms, he gently pulled her back up against him as he kissed her cheek and down to the nape of her neck. It was not unusual for him to perform actions like this in an attempt to show her his affection, but this time his kissed drifted a little lower than usual, as did his hands. Most of the time, his hands never drifted further than her hips, but as his kisses drifted down to the nape of her neck, his hands slid down her sides just past her hips. Oh gods did he hope she liked this.