The Winds of the Past [Rune Factory 4]

Chapter 26

As soon as I sat down on the sofa and picked up my cup of coffee, he looked over at me and said, "I guess what she said before about me being her only lover, physically, isn't true anymore."

I smiled, then leaned back and grinned as I thought back over that first time with her. "You've got that right," I said a moment later, still grinning. Then I looked over at him, took a sip of coffee as I watched him thoughtfully, and said, "But you knew it was just a matter of time, anyway. The timing was purely coincidental—it had nothing to do with your behavior."

Dylas looked skeptical, saying, "Oh? How can you be so sure of that?"

I shrugged. "For one thing, if it had been some sort of retaliation, Avani would have initiated it. But instead it just started off with me teasing her, as usual, only I allowed things to escalate beyond the usual level. Far beyond. Besides, you know she's not that petty."

"Still," Dylas said, looking away, "she might not have wanted to if we hadn't... if I hadn't...."

"No," I replied, shaking my head, "if that was the case, she wouldn't have sought me out as a lover in the first place, would she? Our friendship would have more than sufficed if chaste companionship was all she desired of me."

Dylas looked down at the floor and sighed. "I suppose you're right. I... I wanted to believe that if anyone else ever came along, I'd be able to let her go... that I could be... I guess, more noble about it. Happy that she's happy—that sort of thing. But now that it's really happening... it's not as easy as I'd hoped."

Before I could reply, Avani burst through the back door.

************

Avani never managed to simply walk into a room, or enter a room. Whenever she appeared, she somehow did so with such energy, such vivaciousness, that one almost expected to hear trumpets blaring or fireworks exploding or a choir singing something loud and triumphant. It would almost be comical, if it wasn't so damned endearing.

I stood up to go get her some coffee, but she tackled me before I'd taken more than three steps towards the kitchen. "Leeeooo!" she exclaimed, leaping onto me and wrapping her arms and legs around me. "I'm back! Did you miss me?"

I laughed at her enthusiastic greeting, saying teasingly, "The ninety minutes you were gone were the longest of my life, My Lady. But I should warn you, we aren't alone."

She slipped down, looking behind me with a surprised look, then blushed slightly as she saw Dylas rising from his seat. "O-oh! Dylas, you're here already? I didn't expect you this early."

"So I noticed," he said, flatly.

I cupped her cheek in my hand, murmuring, "Why don't you tidy yourself up, My Lady, while I get you a cup of coffee?" before kissing her forehead.

She nodded, smiling up at me, and said, "Would you also bring me some of those cookies that Kiel brought us yesterday, please? I had a lot to do this morning, and I hurried as fast as I could, so I'm already hungry again!" I laughed again as she opened her wardrobe, then I headed to the kitchen.

************

When I returned a few minutes later with a tray containing the coffee pot, a cup for her, and a plate of the delicate little butter cookies, she had changed into clean clothing and sat down in the chair opposite Dylas, who was looking even more ill at ease by then. I set the tray on the table and poured a cup. "My Lady," I said, handing the cup to her.

"Thank you, Leo," she said with a smile.

"Refill?" I offered Dylas. He nodded and thanked me as I topped off his cup.