Adventures of Jessa

14

After talking to her parents and making sure that the humans are settled into their camping spot, Jessa returns to the spring. Soon after she gets in she hears noise along the path. She watches curiously to see who is coming. They are making plenty of noise so she knows it isn't an animal and they want to be heard.

When the female steps out of the path and into sight of Jessa, "Mom, what are you doing here?" Jessa had decided that she's going to call Kallen and Sorid her parents and to hell with what the elflings or others have to say. They deserve it after raising her and being punished for it by the other elves.

"You said that you are the prince's partner tonight. I just wanted to make sure that you look your best." Sorid says going over to the pool. "Besides, I need to get myself ready and I would prefer doing so while spending time with you and hearing more about the human world you now live in."

Sorid slips into the spring after taking out some cleansing items. She motions for Jessa to turn around and start talking while she washes Jessa with the same things she uses to be purified before Lady Zira.

She listens enthralled even as they both get ready for that night.

Once Jessa runs out of things to tell Sorid, Sorid catches her up on things there in Silva. By that time they are out of the spring and Sorid is plaiting Jessa's hair into a complicated braid that her partner will release should she decide to finish the rites.

It is while Sorid is doing the braid that Dhiren shows up.

"Prince? It's still a bit early for you to join Jessa. She said that you are meeting an hour before moon rise. That's still some time away." Although, Sorid does look nervous at the darkening sky. She still needs to fix dinner for her and Kallen before she needs to attend to her duties as high priestess.

"Relax Sorid. When Kallen told me that you are here helping prepare Jessa for the ceremony I sent help to cook for you and Kallen. Take your time, the food will be ready for when it's time for you to eat." Dhiren says relaxing in the spring as he prepares his body for the celebration as well.

"Dhiren, why are you here? Don't you have a bathing room in the palace?" Jessa asks him more than a little tartly.

Dhiren chuckles before ducking himself below the water to rinse off. Once he gets off all the soaps and water from his face he replies. "Yes, I do actually, quite a nice one too. Yet, it lacks something this spring has." Dhiren is careful to keep his back to Jessa so that she can't see the smirk on his face at his reply, but he can't keep his amusement out of his voice.

Jessa feels that he is mocking her somehow, although, she's not sure why or exactly how even, but her tone shows her irritation. "Oh, and just what does this spring have that your fancy bathing chamber doesn't?" Jessa was going to say prince but remembering how angry he got last time she used his title she manages to bite that part back. Her words however, are more than a little tart showing her irritation at his interruption.

Dhiren turns around to face her before answering, "It doesn't have you."

Sorid gasps. Before the words were just flirtation. The prince is a master of it, the females keep vying for his attention and have done so for more than a century since Illiana was killed. He has kept the flirting, has had many partners in the celebration and rites, but never has he said anything like that and he never repeats partners, ever. Much to the disappointment of many elf females.

The prince also only chooses the prettiest of the females to partner with. For the last few celebrations he hasn't partnered with any one. So when Jessa mentioned that he asked her to be his partner, Sorid knew that she had to help her beloved daughter get ready.