Untold

6. Of All People

The rain poured down and soaked us to the bone. Thunder clapped and lightning struck in the distance. I was shivering and bracing myself against the howling wind. Evaris somehow managed to plod on ahead of me against the raging wind. I shook my head and chuckled to myself. The Shadowtip Mountains were a dark blob on the horizon. We were gradually getting closer, our progress slow but steady.  "C-can we s-stop unt-til the r-rain's g-gone?" I whined, my teeth chattering.
Evaris waved his hand and the tent appeared in a copse of trees close to us. He went off the path and rode Lucy into the tent. I followed him and found him in a stable by the entrance of the tent, taking the tack off of Lucy. He helped me with Grace's tack. 

I had left the stable and was headed to the bathroom when Evaris raced past me in the same direction as me. "No, you don't!" I leapt over the back of the couch and grabbed his waist, tackling him to the ground. I was up as soon as he was down, but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back down again. He was already in the doorway to the bathroom by the time I had gotten to my feet. He grinned at me and I lunged for him again, laughing. He stepped out of my way and danced back into the bathroom. The bath filled with water, steam rising into the air. "Too late," he smirked and dropped the curtain into place. Grumbling, I went and flopped on the sofa to wait for him. 

After that night at the ball, we had become more comfortable around each other. We used to rarely touch each other and now I seemed to be finding little things to make contact with him. Like what had just happened. I looked down at the couch to find a large wet spot beneath me, caused by my clothes. I snorted and wrung my cloak out on the cushions. Serves him right, I grumbled in my mind. 

He had been in there for at least ten minutes. I got up and went over to the entry to the bathroom. "Hurry up!" I demanded. I was still freezing and shivering. "I'm cold! And wet!"
"You can come and join me if you're so desperate," he purred. Right. And we had gotten more flirty. I groaned and went back to the sofa. He was out a few minutes later, a towel wrapped around his waist. I dumped my cloak on his head as I passed him and darted out of reach when he tried to grab me in retaliation. 

I was wrapped up in a sweater and soft trousers now. Evaris was sitting at a piano that had appeared in the corner by the fireplace. He was playing a soft, tinkling melody. The music in front of him turned by itself. The fire crackled and popped, mixing with the rustle of the paper and the music, the rain dripping on the tent to create a peaceful ambience. I curled up in the armchair closest to the fire to watch him play. His hands moved over the keys, nimble and deft in their movements. A soft smile was on his face. His hair was falling into his eyes, but he didn't seem to notice. He was so absorbed in the music, I could tell by the way he barely glanced up at the sheets in front of him, his head bowed over the keys. It was tranquil, sitting here, the thunder rolling outside, the music, and the fire.

He finished the piece off gently. He looked up at me, seemingly eager for approval. I smiled warmly at him. "That was beautiful." He flushed and rubbed the back of his neck, grinning awkwardly. "Thanks."
"I didn't know you played the piano."
"Yeah... I haven't played in a while though." He smiled sadly. 
"That's alright. It was still amazing," I said softly. 
"Is there anything you want to do?" He gestured vaguely to the piano. "Now that we're digging up old hobbies?" I bit my lip.
"Actually... Could I cook dinner tonight?"
"Yeah. Sure." He flicked his hand. The tent 'wall' was pushed outwards, a tiled floor and counters appeared, a large sink sitting atop them. Cupboards and an icebox popped out of the walls. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, and a large wood-burning stove appeared in the corner. A large grin spread across my face. "This is perfect! Thank you!" I flitted into the kitchen, pulling open drawers and cupboards, familiarizing myself with their contents. Herbs, spices, utensils, plates, bowls, ceramic dishes, more pots and pans.