Have you ever seen somebody that has been changing his/her mood every three seconds? This was Gisele right now.

“Okay girl, you can do it! No, who am I kidding? This will be a disgrace! No, it won’t, you have been struggling with greater obstacles. On the other hand, I would prefer to face the elder terradragon without a weapon, naked and with target sign painted on my ass.” “What’s wrong, Gis?” “Zari can’t we skip this one? I am a terrible dancer.” “Is that so? How many times have you danced?” “NONE!” “So how can you know that you are terrible?” “Cuz’ Alesia was trying to teach me! Poor little thing, I have never seen her so disappointed in her life.” “Sweetheart, I will lead, so there should be no prob…” “EXACTLY!!! I am bad at following! I am a leader of every single party! I am bad at…” “Trusting somebody else?” “What?! No!” “Gisele, look at me, I know that you are strong. I know that you think that you have to be responsible for everyone around you, but just today, let it go. Relax, and follow.” “I am afraid that....” The music started playing “Wait! I am not ready! Let me prepare my heart!”

But it was too late. With a gentle push, I forced the dragoness to take a step back. I thought that she was exaggerating. When I was about to dance for the first time, I was also convinced that it was impossible, but pretty quickly I learned that all you have to know is those three or four basic steps that you repeat over and over again. That’s all about it! You can’t be that BAD at dancing.

“Not like that sunshine, when I move my left, you move your right.” I underestimated Gisele again. She wasn’t just BAD! She was TERRIBLE!

She was reacting… UNNATURALLY! When I made a move, she would wait too long just to force her to perform an awkwardly rapid movement. Well, if she has troubles as we move in her direction… maybe if we would try in mine…

That was a mistake. A painful mistake. I forgot that her legs are longer than mine, thus she makes longer steps. As result, instead of making her take a small step in my direction she placed her shoes killer-heel on my feet. WOMAN! DOES YOUR SHOE HAS SPIKE ON THE BOTTOM!? Is that some kind of weapon?! I am pretty sure you dislocated my bones!

“Sorry! Sorry! I am so sorry!” “Hm? Ah, nothing happened!” I smiled ignoring my inner scream “Happens to the bes…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. Why? The time has come for the pirouette, normally women would slowly rotate around just to finish in the same spot. So what happened? Somehow, I have no idea how was that even possible, but her elbow landed in my guts. “A..are you all right?”

I only chuckled as I wanted her to pay it no attention… still... HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!! THAT MOVEMENT DOESN’T EVEN REQUIRE YOU TO MOVE YOUR ELBOW!

My sufferings lasted almost an hour longer, as I didn’t want to run after first two-three dances, as those could make Gisele think that I wanted to get as far as possible from her which was exactly the case! As the outcome of our little dancing session, I had eight more bruises, two scratches, twisted ankle and dislocated shoulder. Ok, now I was the one exaggerating, but I had my own fair dose of pain!

As soon as I sat on the chair my legs yelled from bliss.

“Sorry once again…” I only heard a silent mumble from her direction. “Oh come on… you weren’t so bad…” You were far worse. “I was horrible, and I know it. You are just trying to be nice… Thank you.” I almost didn’t hear the last part. “Hey! Different people have different talents! For one it is easy to learn magic, another person is gifted at dancing. For example, I envy the way you fight with your swords! When I saw you last time it wasn’t just killing, I couldn’t stop looking at you!” “J…Jericho has been teaching me for past 15 years, of course, that I would be skilled.” “Same with dancing! I am sure that after few more tries you would be more than just great…” “So this is your plan...” “Pardon me?” “You want to force me into dancing for 15 years…” “I have no idea where did you get that idea from…” “You would attach to my body weights, undress me and force me into balancing at the edge of the cliff.” “I…is that how you learned swordsmanship?” “..and each time I would fail you would give me some humiliating side-dancing-practice… “

A look of pure terror appeared in her eyes as she started breathing heavily.

“I don’t want it… please, tell me you aren’t going to do that to me.” “Gis, please, look at me, calm down!” “SO YOU ARE GOING TO DO THAT TO ME!” “What!? NO!” “R…really?” “Really!” “Like, really really?” sparkles of joy appeared in her eyes “Really-really!” “Promise?” “Yeah. I promise.” “Why? Is that because I am not worth your time?”

… WHAT THE FUCK!?

“Ha-ha. Very funny.” So all this time she just tried to trick me. You almost could see her aura of pride around her.

The party lasted till almost till the dawn, Blackwood offered rooms for all of his guests, few politely refused, getting back to their carts as they started returning to their mansions, few were too drunk to refuse. After discussing it for a moment or two we decided to get back to the guild. Once again Archibald was the one that drove us back to the guild, he was even polite enough to ask me for a moment before we got to the carriage if I need some ice.

“Why would I need ice, Archi?” “Helps to reduce pain, also your swollen legs would be like new when you would get up.”

So he watched us dancing. Thanks for your concern.

“Thank you, but no. I am fine.” And I got into the carriage after Gis.

Awkward silence lasted for about half of our way back to the guild. I didn’t mind that, I had something to focus my attention on.

“Zari, you are starting again.” “Is that so? Are you sure? I was pretty confident that I was merely gazing once or twice.” “No. You are looking all the time.” “Oh my, oh my. And what will we do about that?” Gisele once again averted her eyes blushing.

I took her palm in both hands and started rubbing it over my check.

“W-why are you doing that?!”

I slowly left her hand alone.

“…” “Something’s wrong?” I asked in an innocent way. “I didn’t tell you to stop.”

Instead of that, I leaned over her shoulder.

“I just can’t believe that you are mine. It’s like a dream and I don’t want to wake up.” I purred in her ear. “I am not YOURS! I am not a thing that you can just…”

But I stopped her by getting my face even closer to hers and putting my hand around her waist.

“You are mine! You are my whole world, you are my greatest treasure, you are my sun and moon, and though I was thinking about you for weeks, now I can’t think about anything, but you.” “Stop saying such embarrassing things!” “Embarrassing? Which part do you find embarrassing? I want to know just so I would avoid talking about it in the future. Maybe you are embarrassed about your hypnotizing gaze? The one that makes me lost my mind while I am looking at you? Maybe the way you act? Helping everyone around you before you would even ask what they need help.” “That’s not true!” “Then mind telling me I managed to trick you into coming with me? Hm?”

She opened her mouth but quickly closed them, if she was blushing before, them now she was as red as her hair. I was only wondering if the reason behind her face’s color was the embarrassment or anger.

“You little sly rat, so you did that on purpose in the very end!”

So… anger.

“A-ha. And I will tell you more. I do not regret! I would do it thousand more times, and after that once again!” “Even as you know that you are about to get punched?” “Just so I could confess to you again? Yes.” “...You are fighting dirty.” Her whole irritation left her once again. “Both in love and in war, all techniques are allowed,” I said as I was brushing my fingers through her hair.

For a moment her gaze changed, she lost all of her confidence.

“Zari, would you be angry if I would ask you for something?” “Ask for anything you desire. Doesn’t matter if that’s the sea or stars, I will eventually give them to you.” “It’s nothing like that... Just, would you mind keeping what is between us a secret? I just don’t want people to start talking.” “Is that because I am not good enough for you?” I asked almost in crying tone, she was about to decline furiously, but once again I stopped her, this time by quickly kissing her. Just for a moment “I don’t mind, but I have to let you know. You won’t hide it even for five minutes. Such people like Jericho or Marika will see right through us in an instant. They will just… know.” “S…Still. If that’s ok with you…”

The carriage stopped and we slowly left it. The sun was rising at the horizon, we said our farewells to the old butler and headed to enter the guild. I grabbed the doorknob, yet before opening the door I turned once again and said to Gisele

“Five minutes, I tell you.” “Challenge accepted.” She chuckled. We got inside “SO!? How was it!?”

Right behind the door around the counter, a few chairs were placed on which quite a few people were sitting. Jericho, Marika, Mrogul, Siblings, Mike and few more adventurers. We were attacked from the very beginning.

“I told you they wouldn’t return before the dawn.” Marika only said grinning to the Mrgoul stretching her hand toward him. In response orc only growled in irritation and handed her silver coin. “Wait, Marika, Mrogul, you were supposed to be on a quest, weren’t you?” I asked remembering the reason why Marika refused to join me. “Hm? Of course, I lied, silly.” “WHY?!” “So you would ask Gisele.”

Women are frightening me. She made that story in an instant just to let me get closer to the dragoness! Marika! You are a true friend!

“Don’t change the subject! How! Was! It?!” “Great, I think that…” I started yet I was hushed instantly. “Zari, sunshine, forgive us, but we are not asking you. Gi-seeeleee? How was it?” she asked almost singing “I…I think… um…it wasn’t… I mean…nice. It was nice.”

Mrogul passed another coin to the fairy.

“So, if Zari would ask you again, you would come with him, would you?”

Be careful, Gis, that’s a trap question!

“I… I think that… yes, I wouldn’t hate it.”

Silence hit the room like a thunder from the clear sky. No one expected that. Glass from which Jericho was drinking fell on the ground, the siblings opened their mouth, yet said nothing, Mrogul, after a moment or two raised from his chair, moved behind the counter grabbed a whole bag from behind it and tossed it under fairy’s legs. Guessing by the sound it was completely filled with coins, and in same time Marika jumped on her chair, grabbed her head with both hands and started yelling on the whole guild.

“FOR THE GODESSESS SAKE! THEY DID IT! I REPEAT! THEY DID IT! CODE RED! COOODE REEED”

Someone used fire magic making all the torches in the guild light themselves up, from the floor above us someone dropped colored pieces of papers while banner with [Congratulations!] written on it was quickly stretched near the ceiling and rest of the adventurers quickly ran through the stairs while screaming and yelling words beyond comprehension.

Once again I leaned to the Gisele whispering:

“Told you. A minute and twenty-four. What did I win?” “W..W.WAIT! It’s not like that! I.. I am sure that you got your facts wrong.. w..we did nothing! N..Nothing happened!” Gisele desperately tried to calm everyone down. Marika shifted her gaze over dragoness shoulder, on me. I, hidden from Gisele’s eyes, only raised both my thumbs and nodded. Marika smiled. “You may say that, but we have a witness that saw you picking longer route as you were getting back here. We know that as you were in carriage, present here Zariel, leaned to you, told you how he couldn’t live without you, kissed you, and then both of you proceeded to… is somebody under age here? Rus? No? Good, then both of you proceed to have long and passionate…” “NO! THOSE ARE ALL LIES! FIRST OF ALL HE DIDN’T CONFESS IN THE CARRIAGE BUT ON BALCO…” That was the moment when Gisele noticed that she screwed up.

And the guild? The Guild turned mad. Jericho jumped on the counter, grabbed a bottle of champagne and opened it violently while laughing and splashing liquid over everybody around. Marika, with a gesture of her hand, shushed everyone around, grabbed a chair, got closer to Gisele, put a chair in front of dragoness, jumped on it and put both hands on Gisele’s shoulders. Even with the chair, she was over head smaller that dragoness.

“Gisele, I never lost my hopes for you. Ok, I am lying, there were times when I thought that no one would ever want you, that all males would be discouraged by your lacking woman’s charm body...” “HEY!” “… your apodictic nature…” “One more word and I swear..!” “… by your actions that completely lack planning, by your behaviors that were driving nuts everyone around you! Yet, I never stopped praying, that one day you would meet some crazy masochist that would love you despite all of your many, many flaws, and see everything that is good in you. We have to mention that there aren’t many good things about you. Yet, here we stand, in this joyful, oh so joyful day! When Gisele was actually loved by this man! He is just the man I was praying for! He is crazy for no one that knows him wouldn’t claim otherwise, and he is a masochist. For I saw with my own eyes, not later than two days ago, him under Gisele holding a whip! Oh, he could pretend that he was terrified, he could ask for help, yet I never have seen greater joy in his eyes than I saw in that very moment! Everyone, please forsake a minute of your life, to pray for this foolish man, for he does not know what he is doing. May the goddesses be merciful for him. Amen.”

And everyone in the room clasped their hands and lowered their heads.

“I…I told you that you are wrong.. Z…Zari, tell them!” She was almost crying as her face was… well, even fire from the core of the world wasn’t as red as her face “Listen now, you little pieces of shit!” I stepped in gazing over everyone around “From today onward, none of you, I repeat – none of you, is allowed to joke, mock or annoy Gisele in any possible way. The reason is simple. From today she is my…”

I turned around facing Gisele, grabbing her by a piece of her clothing and pulling her toward me, my rapid action and her uncomfortable clothing made her stumble and fall directly in my arms, I wasted no time and kissed her passionately. For the moment I felt her tensing up as if she was about to run away, but without parting our lips, I gently put my hand on her head patting her gently. I embraced her firmly, with confidence, yet also as gentle as it was only possible. [There, there] my hand on her head was saying [It’s ok now, see? Nothing to worry, just stay with me], while my other hand on her back was letting her know a slightly different thing [You are safe with me. Do you understand? I am not letting anyone harm you!]

Ant those were exact things that I wanted to let her know. She gave up, sinking deeper, surrendering more and more. And despite all my efforts, pretty quickly I did the same. I forgot about people around me, all that existed was me, and Gisele, especially those partly closed eyes of her directly in front of me. Those… gentle, jade green eyes, eyes that made you melt, eyes that were sparkling more than most beautiful emeralds in the world, her gentle face, partly covered with scales near her jaw bone, that quiet sound, her purring as she was losing herself in sensation.. and orb of heat slowly rising near my heart.

Once again, how did I get myself here? No, I am not asking about the guild, for me, it didn’t exist right now, I am asking how did I get myself in front of those eyes? Those partly closed eyes? What did I ever do to make them look at me like that? Whatever it was… oh, I was unworthy. I felt so small in front of those, gently, caring, filled with love eyes.

Her skin… so hot…

Her gaze… like piercing arrow…

Her existence… so… overwhelming…

Yet the time has come for our kiss to end, slowly, gently, as if we regretted the moment that parted us, there was something I was supposed to say… yes, I am pretty sure that I was talking something moment ago… was what that? To who was I talking that? To who? Silly me, there is only Gisele in front of me, only she was important… so I must have been talking to her. Then, what I was talking? Does it matter? If I can’t remember what I wanted to say, then I will simply say what I am thinking right now… but what am I thinking?

I once again grabbed her face in my palms and whispered quietly.

“You are my everything.”

The roar that could be heard all around us once again remembered me that we were not alone. I didn’t mind that thought. I just embraced my love even tighter.