As the sun rose above the horizon, it marked the beginning of a new day for Rafayel.
If his night routine was dissolving into flames to appear in the lake and searching for captured merfolk, using stealth and expertise molded by his Masters; when daybreak arrived, the rhythm of his existence shifted. During the day, his regular activities took a different turn as the guards arrived at the mermen-shared quarters to collect Rafayel and escort him to Enoria's Tower, where awaited the princess, the inquisitive heart of the realm.
His everyday ritual with his beloved during the day was to answer the unending princess's questions, eat, rest, talk a little bit more, and repeat. Always, together with Enoria, Rafayel's primary responsibility was to provide answers to the princess's queries, as to fulfill her daily necessities. He would engage in long conversations with her, sharing his knowledge and opinion about many subjects, and replying to her questions with patience, not always with sincerity until the night arrived with a knock on the door from the guards to bring him to his room.
Monotony clung to Rafayel like salt to sea air. But beneath the surface, a seed of longing took root. He yearned for more than duty, more than a friendship... a connection that transcended obligation to satisfy her curiosity. Enoria held the key, and he vowed to unlock her heart. Rafayel had a plan to make her fall in love with him, or at least like him enough to feel their bond turn warm.
Enoria's words from previous days sparked an idea in Rafayel's mind. She mentioned some islands that were believed to be lost in the sea, where Humans revered the ancient city of Lemuria as a sacred place. Rafayel pondered the possibility of traveling to those islands, and maybe even establishing a base there to protect Enoria. He considered the potential of going back and forth between Lemuria and the islands, to ensure her safety and be able to live with her when the crown duties would not work against them. So, he also had to make efforts to try to convince her to flee away with him. Rafayel plotted.
His plan: sway Enoria, weave dreams of escape, and entice her to run away to said islands.
But as for now, alongside the rescue endeavors, he started to think about some kind of secondary mission for the sake of winning the princess's love.
He had the hair ornament hidden when the guards carried him to her chambers, somewhere inside the pants that appeared and disappeared every time he transformed, he still didn't know where the clothes went but was grateful for this power.
The guards as always, were talking to each other amicably now that the Hunter was not with them. The Hunter was out of the city, or so they said.
'People are afraid of traveling during the night' One of the guards said, the red-headed one, called Mark. 'Even myself, to be honest, feel bad for the guards that are protecting the Lemurian of our castle, they must be so paranoid and afraid of the dark'
The other one, hair full of grey, shrugged. He was called James.
'It's crazy how the patrols hadn't found any culprit but the merfolk keep disappearing...' He stated. 'I don't know how many are still safe, but it seems that in the end, Phitia will be emptied of merfolk and we will lose all of our power' He lamented. 'Our city bleeds power, our lifeblood seeping away.'
Mark nodded.
'But even though our mages warded all of the noble houses, with security inside and out... the guards posted within always fall asleep when everything happens, no witness of who the culprit was, or what happened to the overgrown fish, or who killed the family' Mark explained, what he heard whilst having breakfast with some other wardens.
James nodded.
'Witchcraft, I say. The sleep, the unconsciousness... it reeks of magic. ' He stated, convinced. 'Whoever is doing the savings is a powerful mage, or...' He side-eyed Rafayel. 'One of his kind'
'I don't think human mages would do so. There are only a few of them, and as far as I know, they don't have the power to make people sleep. Their abilities are limited to controlling elements. Experts said that these powers are passed down through specific families that have had control over Lemurian for centuries. It's not something that can be learned or acquired; it's just a random chance that a child from one of these families might become a mage' The other, James, explained. 'So everyone thinks that it's their fault' He signaled at Rafayel with a movement of his eyes. 'I bet that they just sing and everyone does what they want, scary but beautiful monsters'
It was at that moment, that even though acting as weak, Rafayel's orbs encountered his and the older guard felt a shudder along his back, how could such a seemingly defenseless young Lemurian possess eyes so captivating and... awake?
The older guard, accustomed to the mundane, felt a shiver down his spine. He signaled the other to shut up and finished the travel to Enoria's room in silence, glances given to the Lemurian resting and unmoving.
They opened the door of the girl after knocking, but it was turned into an everyday routine so the girl would already be dressed, cleaned, and waiting, breakfast prepared and carefully placed on her table.
The carrier that they used now was attached to his tank, being able to move it all when using straight corridors and the biggest elevators used by the service of the castle. They always left it in Enoria's room, with Rafayel inside, waiting for the guard to come back to check on them both during the day and bring him downstairs in the afternoon, just before dinner.
They bowed and closed the door, leaving fast to tend to other duties.
Enoria approached the tank with a warm smile. The last few days, Rafayel felt like they had finally turned friends, Enoria felt comfortable with him, similar to when they met under the stars many years ago. All the questions were answered and curiosity turned Enoria unwary of him, as she trusted him with her worries and complaints. Rafayel sensed a shift, an intimacy that transcended duty.
'Let's have breakfast together' She stated, looking at Rafayel strangely. 'What are you waiting for? Get out of the tank!'
Rafayel's smile played at the corners of his lips. 'Bossy, now?' he quipped, acquiescing to her command with lazy grace.
Enoria nodded, her impatience palpable.
'You can move as you wish, and I'm hungry. So hurry up...! I've been waiting for hours already!'
His eyebrows raised and he remained quite still and as if summoned by her words, Rafayel willed his transformation, wished for legs to appear, and moved out of the tank, water dropping into the floor.
'As always leaving a mess of water on my floor' She teased. 'Remember to clean it before you go!'
Rafayel smirked.
'As you wish, your Highness' His voice was a velvet whisper.
They moved closer to the table, Enoria sat on one chair whilst Rafayel stood next to her, taking an apple into his hand and biting it, his teeth sank into the fruit, the crisp sweetness a welcomed distraction.
Enoria took a toast and started to put some orange jam on it.
'So how many did you save last tonight?' She asked, curious.
Rafayel blinked, considering her question, and tilted his head slightly, as he responded to her query.
'Just one' He replied, voice soft.
'One?' She asked, teasing tone dancing in the edge of laughter. 'You are losing your pace, our mysterious savior'
Rafayel shrugged again, the apple core discarded.
'It's getting more and more difficult' He confessed, his gaze drifting toward the window.
Enoria drank some milk, gulping.
'Difficult how?' She probed, always curious for answers.
Rafayel paused for a bit, as he blinked and he tilted his head to the side. His voice was gentle as he kept answering her questions.
'They put more guards outside and within, the windows are now kept closed and the... nobles are too paranoid to sleep, so I need to be extra careful' He explained, eyeing the other fruits. 'Now that every citizen is aware of the occurrences, saving my people involves a lot of careful planning and thinking' He stated, his gaze flitted over the other fruits, assessing their potential, deciding to take a lone strawberry and biting into it.
Enoria's eyes darted towards Rafayel's mouth, watching as the strawberry juices escaped from between his lips. They were so beautiful and shiny. Rafayel hummed, eyebrows raised and his cheeks going flush, he remained silent when eating the fruit in small bites. He didn't move, but Enoria noticed his breathing became more irregular and his gaze was fixed on her... pink ears and flushed.
His hum, the arch of his eyebrows, enticed a vulnerability between them. He decided to be brave and level up his game with her.
'Enjoying the view?' And took another strawberry, placing it on top of his lips but not biting, eyes looking straight at Enoria's orbs, waiting for her reaction. Even though he felt shy, it was amusing to watch her retorts.
He hummed, his self-consciousness prickling at him. His body, every inch of it, seemed to shimmer with vulnerability. His hair, a cascade of amethyst waves, hung around his face, and he wondered if it was perfect enough for Enoria's discerning eye. Was he handsome enough? Likable enough? Could he be more? These thoughts swirled in his mind, even though Rafayel knew that he possessed a rare beauty. Among his people, the mermen, perfection was the norm, a symphony of pearlescent skin, lustrous hair, and perfectly balanced features. Yet, he knew that most of his sisters friends considered him a lot more than other merman, with his lithe yet strongly built body and mysterious personality, yet, everything seemed a testament to his aquatic heritage. He couldn't use Lemuria courting techniques because Enoria would never understand the significance of it all. She was a human, after all. But still, as he stood there, waiting for Enoria's gaze, he couldn't help but question himself. Perhaps, in her eyes, he could be more than just a beautiful creature, but something more.
Yet, Rafayel noticed that with their new friendship, Enoria's eyes kept wandering around his body, and he felt glad and honored that she found it attractive. Rachael bonded her so he would only ever feel attracted to her, it was nice to be reciprocated. Even though Enoria would never admit it, the attention she gave him was a silent confession.
Enjoying and working on turning the colors of her bond to somewhat pink and red, he chewed the strawberry... some of the juices kept running down his chin.
'You, are a mess' She stated, a blush coloring her cheeks and the bond turning finally, pink mixed with green. Rafayel smiled inwardly knowing that she liked him for a second whilst Green showed embarrassment. She teased, and he played along.
Enoria was starting to joke and dropped her barriers a lot when talking with him so it was obvious that after becoming more comfortable together, she would feel attracted to him. He was one of the most beautiful creatures to exist and would be strange if she didn't. Rafayel himself had to fight urges every day to touch and... caress her hair, constantly!
Rafayel's mouth twitched slightly, a small grin appearing on the corners of his lip.
'Why, do you like it when I am all messy, hm?' His voice was more playful and teasing, enjoying this situation a lot and trying to keep the colors in her bond a constant warmth for a while.
Enoria blushed in front of him, pink and green being more and more prominent.
A small smirk appeared on his face as he continued to chew the strawberry, the juice traveling down his chin but he didn't wipe the mess away. He blinked lazily as he observed, her facial expressions. Enoria blushed, her cheeks a delicate pink. Her gaze met his, and Rafayel's smirk deepened. His eyes, half-lidded, traced every nuance of her expression. Enoria's blush intensified, and Rafayel reveled in it.
'Stop looking at me' She said, looking down and hissing her face. She felt unexpectedly feverish.
Rafayel giggled and then swallowed the strawberry, he remained silent but he continued to look at her. His gaze became intense and since he had noticed her increasingly flustered mood, he decided to tease her further.
Rafayel continued to smirk.
'Hmmm... why would I do that?' His tone turned flirtatious, teasing. 'It's so fun seeing you blush.' His eyes crinkled, and Enoria exhaled, still hiding her face. His next words were a gentle challenge. "Do you like the mess on my face? Does it complement my looks in some way...?'
He swallowed. He wanted her eyes to always follow him. He agreed to top up this little game. 'Besides, is this strawberry bothering you? Shall I dispose of it?' He said, showing her another strawberry that suddenly appeared on his more and more pink lips. Enoria's breath hitched but she kept her face hidden.
She was still unable to see him. And he was staring don't like that. He approached one of the hands hiding away her face and laughed when she tried to fight against him. With the other hand, he approached the strawberry to her lips.
'Eat up, princess' He ordered, voice soft. She almost drowned, eyes finally looking at him. Pink was more and more prominent. Her eyes glanced at the strawberry, that was still waiting on top of her lips, his long fingers close to them.
Why was this happening?
Enoria enjoyed reading romance. It was one of her favorite genres of books, mostly because she thought that she would never be able to experience what these free girls out of Towers could enjoy from princes, pirates, and mages.
She knew that this was flirting. Rafayel was flirting with her, and it had happened too suddenly!
Enoria knew that Rafayel was a flirt, she noticed it on her first day together, when he went inside the bathroom nude even though knowing that a girl was just behind a closed door. He was also touchy with her, caressing, holding, and keeping close at every chance that he had.
At first, she was wary, she always considered herself not a super pretty girl, just a regular human girl. Compared to her, Rafayel was the most exquisite being she had ever seen. He was after all a Lemurian. So when it kept happening, hidden touches that were somewhat corresponded, warm smiles, and playful teasing, she felt herself content. Happy because she never was able to experience what other girls of her age felt when dealing with the other gender. And it felt kind of good, yet embarrassing.
The weight of the strawberry on her lower lip was waiting for her to decide if to keep dragging this... act or stop it and hide away. Rafayel patiently waited for her to decide. When she did decide, and parted her lips, feeling more embarrassed than before... her insides did a victory dance when she heard Rafayel exhale.
He put the strawberry inside and closed her lips with his fingers, covering her mouth with his bigger hands. She chewed, trying not to be messy. It was already mortifying as it was and she didn't want to fuel the fire that already consumed them.
He remained silent whilst watching her. Enoria still had her eyes closed. She felt it when he moved even closer, as she was still sitting when he was standing next to her, his breath tickled her skin and Enoria felt his warmer breath on her face.
'I see that hiding behind your arms wasn't enough to hide your blush from me' He whispered, sounding super close. 'I suppose... your lips are better at hiding that blush of yours'
She braced herself to open her eyes and saw Rafayel very near to her, his back arched to be closer, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her. Rafayel was there, so close that she could see the sparkles in his irises. His face was a dark red color, and his breathing felt heavy. His words became more flirtatious with each passing moment, they danced on the edge of being friends and more than buddies, teasing her defenses.
'Now, you're not hiding that blush from me... but what will happen next?' He asked, trying to imitate Enoria's voice when asking him questions. 'Will you blush even harder?'
Enoria gulped the strawberry. She wanted to hide in a hole until the situation was normal again, but she didn't know how to stop it... whatever was happening right now. She decided to keep waiting, for Rafayel to stop flirting and act as if it never happened, but he wasn't doing anything at all, kept looking at her with stupidly sparkling multi-colored eyes.
Rafayel noticed the way Enoria kept glancing at him and her body language. He looked down and grinned at the way Enoria looked at him, how he could feel her feeling all bothered... he was enjoying every moment of their little game.
He felt his voice getting deeper and low.... but kept the power of his siren voice trapped, he didn't want Enoria to feel as if this moment was provoked by his powers, not her body's reaction.
'Why are you looking at me like that?' She managed to whisper, voice trembling a little bit.
Rafayel's eyes remained locked with hers, a playful grin was still present on his face.
'Like what?' He asked, still teasing her.
She gulped again.
'Like you want to eat me alive' She said, voice soft.
His eyebrows raised slightly and his body leaned even closer, not noticing his siren powers wanting to take control but keeping them locked in, as he spoke in a lower voice.
Lemurians were used to empower their voices with their allure when in love, enjoying that kind of power-play, whoever had the strongest voice and desire would have it all. But he was dealing with a Human, so he couldn't use his voice at all, at least, on their first moment flirting together. It was new to him as well, he had never felt like doing so with nobody but the girl in front of him, at that very moment.
'Eating you alive?' He repeated, laughing a little bit. 'How curious... do you mean by figuratively, or... literally?'
Enoria blushed even more. Rafayel could feel through the bond that something inside of her wanted for their little moment to finish; so she could resume asking questions and gaining valuable Lemurian knowledge, but a little part of her also wanted to keep feeling... wanted.
'Will you ask a question back every time I ask you something?' She asked back, continuing with whatever was between them.
Rafayel inhaled. He kept waiting for her to hide behind his defenses, stopping this moment from lingering. But her eyes were staring back at him, her unending curiosity turning interested for something more. Rafayel paused for a while as he looked away, even though he felt a little shy.
This was also the first time that he flirted with someone for so long, his flirtation corresponded with someone he wanted. He was also fighting with instincts, who wanted to keep playing this little game forever with her, to prolong their more than just friend moment. His eyes went to her lips, for just a second.
'I guess, I could ask just one more question...' He paused, letting his gaze linger on her lips but going back up to meet her gaze fast. 'Why do you look so tasty...?'
Enoria blushed a lot more, deeper red than before, suddenly screamed in embarrassment, got up fast from the chair, and ran around him to hide inside of the bathroom, feeling too mortified to keep remaining in whatever was forming around them. Rafayel heard her close the door with a loud bang, hearing her slide down until she fell to the floor, resting her back against the closed door.
She was using the door as a barrier between them, ending a moment that had been too brief for his liking. He sighed, sitting on Enoria's chair and trying to reign his instincts, the internal voice that lured him to use his flames to get inside that tiny room and hug her forever.
He closed his eyes and exhaled... trying to control himself. Yet, Rafayel's eyes glazed, and a low and soft chuckle escaped his lips as a small grin formed.
He fought against instincts making him walk over to the door, stand close to it, and listen to her breathing.
But thanks to their brief moment, he knew that there was a lot more to that blush he saw on the princess's lips than he had previously anticipated. And even though he was very tempted to see her reaction further...... he leaned on the chair, breathing in and out, not wanting this game to finish.
The game wasn't over—not yet.