A Good Book

Writers: Bree, Dana
Date Posted: 13th September 2005

Characters: Ar'lis, Lenala
Description: Ar'lis brings Lenala a gift that both surprises and pleases her.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 3

Lenala

When Vilarth announced calmly that Ar'lis was on the ledge, Lenala was busily trying to find a way to tumble her newly cut curls around her face in a way that looked sultry or sexy or _anything_ but cute. It was proving to be near impossible... no matter what she tried, she couldn't seem to achieve anything but fresh-faced wide-eyed innocence, which was _not_ the look she had spent turns cultivating.

Giving it up for a lost cause--at least until her hair grew back-- Lenala moved to the door of her sleeping chambers and grinned across her weyr at Ar'lis. "Well, don't just stand there. Vilarth's decided that you belong here, so you might as well come inside."

"Well what about you?" he asked with a lazy grin as he made his way across the space between them. "I take it you don't mind me being here?" Once he reached her, he wrapped one arm around her waist - the other stayed behind his back, concealing something - and bent his head to kiss her lightly on the lips.

She smiled when he pulled back and lifted on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek in return. "I suppose I don't mind... especially when you're always so nice to me." Settling back down on her heels, she tilted her head to the side and regarded him with a glint in her eyes. "So. What do you have to say about my new haircut?"

He gazed at her thoughtfully, then smiled. "Actually, Lenala, I think it becomes you nicely." He lifted a hand and brushed a few of the curls behind her ear.

She wrinkled her nose at him and slid away. "You're going to say it's cute, aren't you?"

"No..." He watched her. "I just said it becomes you nicely. It brings out your eyes."

"If you say so." Her eyes narrowed as she realized one hand was still behind his back. "What have you got there?"

A slow grin spread across his lips. "A present." Ar'lis extended his arm, and in his hand was a book. "Just for you, Lenala."

For a moment Lenala hesitated, long standing habit being hard to break. When she took the book and looked at the cover, her cheeks flushed. Clutching it against her chest she gave him a betrayed look. "You said you weren't _looking_!"

"And I didn't _look_! I just got a glance. But I figured with the way you were devouring it, you'd finish it in no time. So I wanted you to have something when you finally did finish." He slanted her a look. "And did you?"

She hesitated for a moment, still looking disgruntled. Then she rolled her eyes and peeked at the cover of the book again. "Yes. I did."

He grinned knowingly at her. "Don't look so sour, lovely. I'm not going to tell anyone."

"You still shouldn't have looked," she retorted, but it was hard for her to resist taking another peek at the book. It was one she hadn't read, and she couldn't help the temptation to open it up and just look at the first page...

He grinned at her. "Why don't you curl up over there," he pointed to her bed, "and start reading it. And I'll get you some wine, hmm?"

She gave in and laughed, standing up on her toes to kiss his cheek again.
"You're so sweet to me." She paused only long enough to pull the blankets straight before she stretched out on her stomach across her bed, the book open to the first page in front of her. By the time Ar'lis returned she was engrossed, nibbling on her lower lip as she read and kicking her feet in the air like the girl she hadn't been in turns.

He paused to silently observe her for a moment, and he smiled. He would've said she looked downright _cute_, but he had a feeling she wouldn't appreciate that very much. "Here you go, beautiful," he said as he perched on the edge of the bed, holding out a glass of red to her.

"Thank you..." Lenala reached out for it without looking away from the book and missed the glass completely.

Chuckling, he caught her hand and guided it to the glass. "Here, love.
Right here."

Lenala laughed and rolled over onto her side, taking a sip of the wine.
"It's a _good_ book, Ar'lis."

"I'm glad you approve. But I must admit, I only chose it because of the cover..." His grin was teasing and he winked at her.

She took another sip of the wine before setting it carefully on the floor next to her bed. Taking note of the page she'd read to in her book, she carefully closed that as well, setting it on the bedside table. "What about me?" she asked in a teasing voice. "Are you choosing me because of my...
coverings?" Not that she was covered in much right now... she _had_ been in a slip of a nightgown when he'd arrived, but she'd gotten comfortable enough around him that she hadn't much noticed.

He watched her. She really was such a lovely woman. Setting his own glass aside, he reached out and caressed those same locks behind her ear again.
"I'm choosing you because of _you_, love."

Part of her wanted to believe him... but she could still remember her first meeting with him, when he'd chosen her without having the slightest idea who she was aside from a beautiful woman. Not that she could blame him... she'd done the same thing countless times... and even now she knew less about him than he did about her. But it was that niggling little bit of doubt that kept her from getting too wrapped up in it. Maybe she could learn to be the sort of woman who men wanted because she was brilliant or interesting... but for now she could be the woman who men wanted because she was beautiful.

And she _did_ like Ar'lis... liked that he seemed to like her even when she wasn't putting on an act. So she smiled her inviting smile and leaned into his touch. "Would I have to beg you for a kiss?"

He grinned. "You? Beg? I won't have it," he chuckled, drawing closer so he could kiss her.

She moved quickly, knocking him over on to his back on the bed and stretching out on top of him, grinning down at him. "Oh, I don't know... if you do things right I'll be begging a lot." With the world arranged as she liked it, Lenala leaned down to kiss him.

Last updated on the September 13th 2005

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A Good Book