Legend of Ransera

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2020 1:56 pm**

53rd of Glade, Year 120

The day Riven arrived, now nearly two full days ago, the two of them laid together in Taelian's oversized bed for what must've been twelve hours. Maybe more. He hadn't managed to be so lazy in months -- the two of them didn't have a care in the world, only the simplistic desire to spend as much time as close with one another as they could. And they did. Certain stretches of their conversation had no conversation at all; just moments of silence, kissing, breathing, long stares and short bouts of laughter. It really was just like before.

The following day they'd awoken fairly early, though unsurprisingly considering how early they'd gone to bed. Much of that day was spent equally lazily, the two of them hanging around the cabin, briefly wandering the forested grounds surrounding it and discussing simplistic things. They still hadn't really spoken about everything that happened while they were apart -- but as of yet, neither appeared to want to. For another night, they slept, keeping no expectations of the day.

Now, it was early morning. Taelian's eyes slowly began to flutter open as light peered in through the window. He could hear birds beginning to sing, and the familiar rustling of leaves surrounding him. He felt Riven's arm beneath his neck, the Siltori curled around his Arlaed's chest. Instinctively, he kissed him on the lips, and began to rub his toes along the Avialae's muscular calves. The two of them slept nude together as they usually did. The major difference versus before was the lack of looming realization that the two would have to go their separate ways, Riven back to his small home in the palace gardens, and even Taelian at times to the enclave of the Black Remedy.

That part was nice. A not-so-nice part of things was that he had to work tomorrow; the Finla was holding court, and Taelian needed to attend. He'd only done so once before, and it had been maddeningly dull, particularly considering he could not even understand the native Atinorin language; either of them. Much of the speech had actively been translated into Vithmi, which he swore had some words familiar to his native language of Silvain, but...

"Riven," he called on the other man, hoping he might stir him awake. Whenever he did join him in the world of the living, Taelian would promptly kiss him on the lips, smiling softly afterwards. "Good morning, my dear."

Of course, he was waking him for a purpose: the Silver Elf had begun to worry. The more he thought about court, the more he realized he was unprepared. "We need to go into the city today," he said. "I need to buy things. Attire for court, maybe a book on the native language... something I can use to learn. That's one thing problematic here; people don't like it when you speak Common, even though a majority of them seem to understand. Not only that -- but my garbs are fairly inappropriate for Atinorin court. It has its own particular style... one that doesn't fit with what I wear in Melitene. And, also -- we should get something for you, too. As you said... a winged man in northern clothes. It's never good to stand out too much, I think."

The mage exhaled. There was a lot more, as well; they hadn't even begun to figure out what to do with themselves, their lives. They hadn't spoken about anything serious since their first reunion. That was fine, and Taelian wasn't particularly worried. Still, he didn't want for Riven to feel that he had no purpose here. He wanted him to be fulfilled, and as perfect as their relationship had always been, fulfillment relied on more than just one individual. Of all the things he wanted to do today, most prevalent was ensuring that Riven felt like he belonged, or at least beginning to move towards that direction.

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2020 11:41 pm**

A couple days had gone by since Riven had arrived to Atinaw, and he wouldn't be exaggerating if he said they had been heavenly. Paradoxical, since they really hadn't done anything at all, but after a week of travelling, there wasn't anything that Riven could have wanted more than just laying in bed, kissing and touching his lover whenever he felt like it. And, of course, that was more often than not. And banal conversations that allowed his mind to wander and his eyes to appreciate the beauty in front of him, and interrupt that beauty to kiss him, lift him up and enjoy his presence as much as he possibly could. Lots of playing, lots of laughter, lots of lazing around and little worries. Everything he needed and more.

And as the new day dawned, the first morning sunbeams peeked through the cabin's small windows and landed on both lovers' faces. They were gentle enough not to wake Riven up, who was sleeping soundly. Taelian's presence in bed had that effect on him: nightmares didn't visit him as much and he was able to rest peacefully, with no background worries. The elf's peck on his lips did manage to awaken him though. He smiled faintly, still half-asleep and with his eyes closed, managing to somehow kiss him back, although a little clumsily. Still a tad drowsy and bothered by the sunlight, he pulled Taelian closer, their bare skin sticking together. Knowing that he had nowhere else to go was really comforting; no place to separate him from his Bondmate. He smiled as he felt his feet messing with Riven's robust calves, blindly leaning in to kiss him again. Corner of the lips was good enough. He took a while to open his eyes and find Taelian smiling at him, leaning in for yet another kiss. "Mmm... Morning, Tae" He answered, though he caught on the increasing worry in his look. Maybe they had been a little too lazy lately. No regrets.

"Okay, don't worry too much, love. Too early in the morning to process all of that" He joked, though he nodded in understanding; his occupations were very important to Taelian, and he wasn't going to disrespect that. "I can do a trip to the city though; we've stayed at home long enough. And you're right... If I'm going to look like a weird oaf, better look the part of an Atinorin weird oaf. And we're running out of food... sorry for that." He said, sitting on the bed with an apologetic smile. He could see that there was more troubling his lover's head; he could feel it. They had so much to talk about... but Riven hoped it would roll of naturally; just trying to blurt it out wouldn't work, not really. He hugged Taelian and kissed his cheek, smiling at him; he didn't look that troubled anyway.

"Okay, I'm going to go and make us both breakfast. We're out of eggs, so toast will have to do..." He said, getting up, still butt-naked, and grabbed the only apron in the house. He wouldn't ever admit it, but he loved being a tease. He grabbed the two ingredients he was going to use and got into it, lighting up the fire with a swift move, and got into cooking, letting Taelian have some time to get ready himself.

Posted: **Wed May 27, 2020 1:23 pm**

The Siltori frowned. Riven was right; it was a bit too early to be... throwing all of his energy at the door, focusing on all of the things going wrong. But -- the weight of expectations on Taelian were grand, and he had a lot of people to let down. The Covenant had done a great deal to acquire him this position in court, to train him, to bring he and his fellow Remedials to Atinaw in the first place. As much as he failed to 'appreciate' Eloise's intel, which had taken him from Riven, he could at least admit flattery in how much she had invested into him. But that was what the group was like -- they only recruited from the best. Those with potential.

"You're right," he admitted almost solemnly, lowering his gaze to the soft blue blankets that covered his nude form. Taelian nudged his body into Riven's and clutched him a little more tightly, as he often did in bashful moments such as these. He could only admit a brief feeling of embarrassment.

Riven began to speak again. He agreed with him, stating his own reasons for wanting to go. Chief of them was likely their diminishing reserve of food, which Taelian also found somewhat worrisome, particularly considering he'd always loved Riven's cooking. It was somewhat basic compared to the grand culinary skill of some of the Covenant's chefs, but it felt cozy. He almost felt that it reminded him of home, but not one that he'd had before, more like the one he wanted to have. Scooting his seat next to Riven's as they sat around the dining room table, toast and jam halfway to their lips, had always felt idyllic. And now they had the opportunity to get even more silly, enjoyable foods. And -- Taelian could introduce Riven to his absurd Eloise-inspired diet, meant to create the perfect form necessary to represent her shallow group.

"You'll look handsome in Atinorin clothes, you know," the man remarked. "I've liked Kalzasern fashions on you, but... I don't know if they quite suit you. I think the fine, colorful Atinorin fabrics and the animal furs will compliment you, love. Also -- that reminds me." Taelian gestured to a wooden box, filled with supplies meant for tailoring. It was sat atop the drawer before his mirror, yet to be unpacked. "I need to buy some more things. I'm going to start designing and tailoring my own clothes, Riven -- and! Clothes for you, too. I know how hard it will be to find a tailor here who can make clothes for Avialae, so I'll be that for you. And I can make you look all handsome! Well," he blushed, "...even more handsome. I think I can make things that look good on you. Really good."

Or at least, he would be able to. Who knew how many seasons it might take? Considering Taelian intended to get into goldsmithing -- and jewelsmithing more broadly -- it would likely be nearly a year before he was a master. And even that was being optimistic. But they had time.

Riven offered to make them food, and then rose from the bed. Of course, he was still nude and didn't do anything to fix that; likely one of the issues was that he was lacking clothes, but even with a closet full, the man often enjoyed wielding his form around the house. Taelian knew why, but while Riven would have refused to admit it, the Siltori refused to ask. He liked it, obviously, and didn't see any reason to invoke a change. The Ebon Knight did the same, following his lover into the cabin's small kitchen with a similarly bare form, and wrapping his arms around the Avialae's chest from behind as the robust man moved to search the cupboards.

"Thank you, Arlaed," he said. Taelian was already smiling brightly, his eyes shut as he nuzzled his face into the other man's upper back. "Last time I'll say it, alright? I missed you. I missed you more than you know."

And then, after offering the man a few stray kisses -- the last of which quickly turned passionate -- he returned to his drawers, beginning to ready himself with herbal perfumery first, and then with clothes. Taelian decided he would wear some Siltori clothes today; a sleeveless draped vest, silver in shade, with some form-fitting pants that went slightly beneath his knees. He would wear laced sandals for his shoes.

Getting ready didn't take long -- getting ready for court was another thing, but Riven would see that tomorrow. Hopefully. Taelian needed to make sure he had everything necessary, as last time he didn't feel ready, worrying the whole time that whispers would reach Eloise's ear of the poorly dressed ivory-colored man. That first meet had already inspired nightmarish fears.

"You ready to go?" he called on his beloved. "Ah, Riven!" Taelian exclaimed. "You can fly us! I haven't gotten to fly with the new wind streams you have, and it would be so fun. Then, next time we go -- maybe -- I can show you what I can do, with my portals. I'm not there yet, but I will be soon. You should see how wondrous it is to go through one; it's so fast. It's... like, hundreds of miles in a second. You don't even recognize the world around you at first; everything's changed. It's incredible, Arlaed."

Posted: **Thu May 28, 2020 4:09 pm**

Riven grinned as Taelian kept talking. The offer wasn't bad; getting free clothes, for a man his size and his race, was rather hard. Actually rather impossible. But he always managed to make a couple cuts and knots if necessary, so that wasn't the thing that made him that happy; it was Taelian talking about geting into sewing and looking so excited and so willing to do it for him. Of course, with the characteristic lack of diplomacy the elf did exhibit from time to time (that backhanded compliment about Riven's Kalzasern clothes stung a bit, they had met wearing those), but if Taelian wanted him in Atinorin clothes that bad he'd have to obligue. And he was right, although it might have not been the best moment to put on furs. The Glade sun in Atinaw was especially heartwarming, or so it felt since two days ago. He tousled the Siltori's hair as he finished getting up, teasing him a little. "I'm sure you could make me look good on anything you chose, handsome." He was inclined to agree; mentioning his warrior kimono might have not been the best idea at the moment anyway. He chuckled as he got breakfast started.

Taelian's bare form stuck against his back, his arms sliding under Riven's wings, Riven's rear end over... He felt his hot cheeks and nose in the sensitive space between his wings; made it hard to focus on some toast, though Riven did his best. The siltori's hands had found Riven's solid chest, and were bothering him continuously, caressing, grabbing, rubbing and playfully bouncing them, placing his whole hands on the flat mound as riven lifted his arms to fetch the jam. Only one side was done when the incessant, cute back kisses, the excessive flondling and the kind words were too unbearable to ignore and he conceded, closing his wings to turn around and kiss Taelian deeply. Once, and twice, and five times more, the last one lingering for a while and making both men have to catch their breath.

He let Taelian love as the Siltori almost ran to his drawers to get ready, and tried to put his attention back on the toast. The apron and facing the wall did help, of course, but the slight flush on his cheeks was betraying him. He tried to focus, but he was smiling too much and the fire under the pan suddenly grew wild and blue for a moment before he controlled it. Fuck, slightly burnt toast. It'd have to do... He passed the generous amount of bread and butter to a plate and served it on the small dining table, kissing Taelian on the way. He then rushed to his own little backpack, being careful enough not to disturb anyone and took his simplest clothes, a white wool sweater adapted for his wings, and slightly baggy brown pants that fit great under his boots. "Okay, good to go!" He rushed to devour his toast as Taelian calmly ate his, and two minutes later, they were headed outside.

"I mean, I could, yeah. It's a really short trip, so I didn't..." He started; he thought they'd just walk. But Taelian wanted him to fly both to the city, and Riven... well, if he asked like that he couldn't really say no. "Alright. I'll fly us there. Come here, Tae." He said, gently pulling from his wrist and placing the Siltori in front of him. He crouched and ran his arms under the Siltori's chest, holding him tight and lifting him up. "Okay, hold on tight love, we're taking off!" He said with a smirk, pulling him tight against his chest, and started flapping his wings as usual, not using the Jetstream to ascend; he wanted to surprise his boyfriend. They were already several meters over the ground when he activated the Jetstream, his wings releasing a soft, high pitched whistle and they zoomed forward, Riven spinning through the air and looping at high speed with barely moving his wings, rising high above the city of Loregard before they nosedived into it. Riven laughed along the way, his heart pounding fast with adrenaline as he enjoyed his newfound high speed freedom and celebrated flying with Taelian again. Maybe stopping his heart for a moment as well. They both landed in a large square, softly and standing, an air stream cushioning their fall. All acrobatics included, it had been less than a couple minutes up in the air.

"We can teleport next time, sure" He said with a smirk, kissing Taelian's head before gently placing him on the cobblestone.

Posted: **Sun May 31, 2020 10:03 am**

Riven was right, again. Taelian could make him look good in anything he chose -- but that was because his Arlaed was a stunning man. One of a kind. "You would look good wearing a sack. My job isn't all too difficult. But I'll get good at it, my dear." The Siltori nodded, shortly afterwards immersing himself into the other man's back, fondling his chest. Riven attempted to continue working at a respectable pace, despite the distraction, but to no avail. Taelian had seemingly outdone the willpower of his Arlaed.

"Ah!" he began to laugh as the other man turned to face him, offering Taelian his just dues. They began to kiss. Several times, the last one a prolonged exchange that saw their tongues maneuver against one another, the two men passionately caressing one another's lips. Riven's hands found their way to Taelian's waist.

The Siltori shyly turned tail and left, returning to his drawers to finish getting ready. His heart was beating quickly and his desires for the other man had begun to swell, as they often did. As much as he was certain both men would be keen on indulging them, they had obligations to fulfill. As Taelian had made clear, he no longer could afford to lie down, as much as laying with the other man brought him fulfillment. For a moment, those two conflicting narratives called into question whether he even really wanted to work. Or needed to. He had enough money for a while, and -- they were talented people. It was the common difficulty he faced of choosing between Riven and the other things that mattered to him. For now, he tried to banish the thought.

The two quickly ate. The toast was somewhat burnt, and Taelian was perhaps more keen on noticing it than before, as he was no longer eating the Remedy's shoddy cooking as his primary source of sustenance. Still, mostly it was good, and he blamed himself for distracting the man if anything. The Eldhan quickly scarfed down the food regardless, going so far as to suck on the tips of his fingers to get the last bits of flavor from them. It was far from courtly manner, but he wasn't at court right now.

Things were wrapped up before long, and the two of them left the interior of the humble cabin, overlooking the countryside from the knoll their temporary home sat upon. Loregard was within view at the far end of the grassy field, and truth be told it was among the largest cities the man had seen. The view was spectacular. Flying to it directly would make the journey even moreso.

"It is," Taelian confirmed as his beloved commented on the short distance. "But I want to fly with you. Just to remember what it's like."

Luckily, and like he thought, the other man found it difficult to deny him. Shortly after his request, Riven conceded yet again with a soft smile on his lips. Riven pulled his lover into his chest, before lowering onto his knees and grappling the smaller man with a firm grip. The hold quickly grew tight, the smaller man encompassed by the other wholly; he began to gleam, remembering the satisfying feeling the initial moment had always given him, as well as the cherished feeling he'd always had while they flew like this.

The two began to take off. At first, the ascent was normal, though the other man's Quirk quickly began to take hold. It was certainly unique. Riven was perhaps the only Avialae mage that Taelian knew, and his magic so definitively mutating his wings was something that had fascinated him. The sharp whistle began to howl with the wind, creating an impressive and beautiful sound. The Siltori's eyes lit with intrigue.

What came after was -- fast. Their upward ascent was quick, Riven diagonally steering them towards the clouds until they hovered directly above the city. Taelian was shaking from within the other man's grip, nervous at how high they'd gotten and how they must have appeared to others below. However panicked his thoughts, he had no opportunity to hold onto them. The two quickly made their descent, and Taelian effectively screamed with exhilaration as they did so, the speed of the drop filling him with a confused, startled elation.

The experience was amazing. Brief, but undeniably wonderful. He already wanted to do it again; particularly the drop, even though he felt terrified of what the slightest loosening of Riven's grip could have done.

He was let down with a kiss, Riven stating that they could indeed teleport the next time around. Taelian clumsily nodded, appearing somewhat dazed by the experience. "That was wonderful," he simply said, before falling silent. His eyes were wide, though eventually he began to inquisitively blink as he caught the imagery around him. They were in a central square, with crowds of people all around. The large buildings with all of their signs held many, many shops. Too many to know where to begin.

"Let's get the clothes bit out of the way," he said. The Siltori quickly pointed to one of the shops with a needle and a thread as its icon, titled... something he couldn't read. It wasn't even in the same alphabet as his other two languages. But from the icon, again, he figured it was where the two of them could start.

Holding Riven's hand, the Elf drew both of them to the front of the store, peering inside. They had uniquely colorful garments, and suspended before the windows was one particularly regal suit - satin green with golden embroidery - that Taelian loved. "That would look very good on me," he began, "don't you think?" The courtier pointed towards the feathered cap at the top of the display, glancing back to his lover for his perspective. "Do you think I'd look good wearing a hat like that? Or maybe a circlet? Or should I just display my hair? Sometimes I feel like it's too unkempt. Ah, maybe we could see a barber..." he began to think. Taelian's mind was racing with thoughts, adding more and more to his agenda. He realized that his lover was going to need to be a very patient man.

Posted: **Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:02 pm**

Riven smiled. He knew that what he just did, that sort of heavy acrobatic flying could be a shocking experience for someone who... well, didn't have a pair of wings on his back. And there was nobody else in the world with wings like the ones he flew with. But Taelian did ask for a short flight there, and he did it because he trusted him; Riven would never drop his beloved elf, and they both knew that; the Bond that locked them together was solid proof. He smiled as he watched Taelian look around; the only thing Riven knew about Loregard was the small walk he had taken around when trying to find a Siltori, but he really knew nothing about the city; he had just aimed for somewhere pretty and big enough not to step on some of the city folk. Seemed like it was the right place though; several businesses and their windows full of beautiful handmade products: pottery, pastries, knives and other blades... and clothes, of course. The Siltori's eyes gleamed; Riven wasn't a sucker for shopping, but seeing Taelian almost excited about it made him want to give it a shot.

He felt Taelian's hand on his; grinning, amused, he was dragged to the window of a clothing store. Atinorin fashion was unusual for Riven, having grown up watching the fancy, solemn looking fashion of the Lorien nobility, and then the elegant, traditional silk and linen Kalzasi fashion. And that shiny satin fabric was none of that, and yet... it was enticing; it drew eyes to it. No wonder Taelian had picked that outfit. The hat... eh. Anything covering his boyfriend's face in the slightest was a mistake, in Riven's honest opinion, but he would look amazing in it. Or in anything he chose, really; it was part of his allure. He could make an armor elegant, he could make a simple shirt expensive looking. He knew Taelian's playful side, not afraid to look foolish, but in public he had an eerie elegance to himself; no wonder so many doors opened for him. The oaf Riven was seemed to be a bit appreciated in atinaw though, even if he was clearly a foreigner. The wings gave it very much away. And the clothing. And his Lorien accented common with some Kalzasern drags.

"You would look amazing in that. The hat is a no though; look at this handsome man's face." He said with a grin, hugging taelian from behind. The siltori's face rested on Riven's chest as he pointed at the window, their faint reflections in the glass looking back at Taelian's face. "Would you cover that up? And this hair?" He asked, smirking, and ruffled his Arlaed's hair with a naughty chuckle. "See? still fabulous. You'd look amazing in that as well, though" He said, pointing at the inside of the store, past the glass and the mannequins behind it. On a table laid a beautiful felted wool jacket, dark red in color, with silver buttons and embroidered details.

"So... we're going to go in and see if we find something you can get to look all pretty for court. And then maybe we can find some epic tale that you might not understand. Pretty boy first though!" He said, laughing, pushing Taelian softly towards the front door, knocking gently himself, opening and pushing Taelian in again. He knew his boyfriend was probably getting a bit embarrassed at the silly display they were offering the kind looking man inside, but he didn't care. He knew he was still having fun. And he missed having an excuse to laugh and be dumb.

Posted: **Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:16 pm**

Riven had his way of making the Siltori feel handsome -- a lot of it was overt, but there was also the kindly and playful teasing that followed. The man was right, though; perhaps it wasn't right to hide his face, or his hair, or his sharp ears. He was smothering a part of his identity in doing so, while the goal should have been to make his features known to the court. To remind others of his presence, and what lied behind it. For more than just aesthetic reasons, a hat wasn't a wise idea. He didn't want to blend in or disappear.

Of course, Riven had his own way of saying that. He held him from behind and had him peer at his own reflection in the mirror, glancing first at himself -- but then to the mischievous eyes of his lover as he teased him. The Ebon Knight began to brightly blush, the red shades clear even from his reflection. Seeing them he only grew more flustered, particularly as the rustling of his hair came. "A-alright," he said shyly. "I'll purchase it sans hat. But... don't tease me so much," he frowned. He wasn't being genuine. Taelian liked the way Riven treated him, though if there was one odd feeling that came from it that he had a difficult time voicing, it was that the other man made him feel small and delicate. As powerful as a mage as he became, Riven always brought him back down to earth.

With him, he felt like his tender Arlaed. And that... was humbling -- and even beautiful. Even if it made him feel a bit shy.

Riven referred to another outfit, and the Siltori's eyes glimmered for a moment. He grinned. The felted wool, the color, the embroidery, every aspect of it was regal yet in a militant sort of way; fitting for an Atinorin court. He thought for a moment and realized he would probably like to buy both, though of course they would need to be fitted properly.

His Arlaed started speaking again, though Taelian's focus on the outfit cut out half of what he had begun to say. The gist of it was -- they would focus on making Taelian pretty. Then... something; whatever else. Food, he supposed. Riven began to push him toward the door, playful as he always was -- to the intrigue of the shopkeeper. Upon noticing that the man inside was looking at him, Taelian did in fact respond with some level of embarrassment, attempting to regain proper footing before lightly jabbing Riven with his elbow in revenge. "Knock it off, birdboy," he teased back, grinning. "I know where you live."

Taelian stepped through the door and nodded his head at the clothier, or at least -- he assumed that the owner was the tailor. "Hello," he said in Kokalath. Taelian looked around to see if there were any displays or... anything that might've been remotely appropriate for a man of Riven's size. There were not. But they had come here for him, too.

He switched to Common. "Do you think you would be able to make attire for... him?" he referred to Riven. He had thought about calling him at least a few names in jest, but didn't want his lover to feel slighted by his humor. And Riven's own games had been nothing but kind and affectionate. Thinking on that, Taelian leaned into his lover and kept close to him, the two remaining tightly side-by-side. "Could you also re-fit the felted wool outfit for my size, as well as the green one paired with the feathered hat? But without the hat. And -- could you make for me a silk black gambeson? Preferably with silver or platinum details, like along the collar."

The Elf appeared to have a few ideas in mind, and rather than one outfit he wanted three. "I'm six foot eight," he added. "Thirty six inch waist. My measurements are..." Taelian continued. He realized he was being cold, and treating the shopkeep like an order-taker. But truth be told, that was how he was in public with other people. It wasn't just store-owners or their employees, it was everyone. Taelian was a haughty man. In that way he blended with his race.

"Well..." the shopkeeper started to reply. He pressed his palm into his chin, and narrowed one eye as he peered closely at Riven. "You have quite the... ah, partner," he called him. "The size requires only an adjustment, but the wings add complications to the process. How do you normally get into clothes?" he asked the Avialae.

Taelian glanced up at his Arlaed and curled his lips. He remembered how rare Riven's kind were outside of Kalzasi -- Taelian had only seen one, ever, before coming to the Free Cities. Tailors must've had little experience in dealing with them. "Perhaps you should bring him one of your shirts? He can figure out how to construct one like that. I... don't know. Does that sound feasible, Ser?"

"Mmm. Perhaps. It certainly would not hurt, though a simple look at what he's wearing now might be enough. I'm assuming you put on multiple segmented pieces? Or..."

Posted: **Sat Jul 04, 2020 8:16 pm**

"Yeah, yeah yeah. Save the threats for later; you know I live wherever you go now." He said, kissing his head as he pushed him, smirking. He had no shame when he was around Taelian, and he didn't care in the slightest. He couldn't afford it if he wanted to have fun, and the Gods knew Riven needed some fun. There was no curious Atinorin tailor able to take that away from him... but some manners were due, even in that situation. "Hey, that nice man is waiting for you to say something, don't be rude" he whispered to his ear with a smile, then stepped back.

He rose an eyebrow with surprise as he heard Taelian greet the man in Kokalath; he wondered about how much he could have learned, since he hadn't been in Atinaw for that long. The surprise ended quickly; the Sil switched back to Common with his slight Silvain accent right after that friendly greeting. The first thing Taelian did, was ask for something for Riven. It was surprising; his body was usually too much work to cover, since one couldn't do it properly without the right sewing patterns for an Avialae. They weren't hard to figure out though. He smiled as he listened to his lover go on about what he wanted after that; had he always been so demanding? He was getting a little concerned; the man was following, but Riven could bet they could use a little breather. He was going to lay a hand on Taelian's shoulder and squeeze, but somehow he knew that his Arlaed had realized too, stopping in his tracks. He half-grinned and did it anyway, as a little compliment.

The description the shopkeeper gave him, almost as if he weren't there, didn't surprise him much. Being his size came with a few downsides... like being the biggest piece of furniture in the room and being treated as such. At least he thanked the tall ceilings. He just wanted Taelian to be happy with his choices, and an extra shirt wouldn't hurt. Taelian suggested bringing one of his shirts; not a new situation for the Avialae anyway. "Wait a second, it's not the first time I've had this issue..." He said with a soft smile.

Riven run both hands under his wings, unbuttoned the few fasteners that tied the fabrics on the two spaces under his wings and pulled the wool sweater up, exposing his torso in the middle of the shop; it was just Riven, Taelian and the keeper anyway. "I hope this is okay... It's been a while since I didn't have this kind of problem." He turned to Taelian with a smile "This is rare in Kalzasi, but this used to happen all the time in..." his expression suddenly darkened a bit, flashed by a memory, though he recovered his smile a bit, although damaged. "Well, in Lorien."

He turned back to the tailor. "Ser, see. These two rows of buttons fasten the fabric under the sweater. Then I wear it like I would any other tunic or closed shirt; pull up, and off it goes." He explained, placing the soft sweater on one of the tables. Though it was a fairly large piece of clothing, it seemed fairly normal, except for two cuts in the wings' place on his back that went all the way down to the waist; the space under the wings was closed using buttons. "I've also worn fasteners based in holes and laces, or metal fasteners. Traditional garments in... eh, the north use sashes to keep all the clothing in its place." He said, and let the shopkeeper examine the piece; it really wasn't hard to make, as his nodding confirmed.

"It can be done. A few quick measurements would most certainly help, if I may." He said, looking down at his measuring tape as he handed Riven his sweater back; the Avialae grabbed it and swiftly slid it over his body again, a couple quick moves closing the buttons. He then closed his wings as much as he was able to, sticking both to his back as the older man ran around him, pulled him down into kneeling, turned him around, all while noting all the numbers muttering something in Kokalath in a clear tone of disbelief. Riven probably looked too human for a Rathari, because he had definitely seen some big beastfolk out there...

"Done. At once, young sir" He said, turning to Taelian. "About your partner's garment... is there any preference on the type? Fabrics, colors..." The shopkeeper stared at Riven, but he looked back at Taelian and shrugged for an answer. The Siltori had gotten him in that situation, and he would get Riven out of it.

Posted: **Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:28 am**

Taelian's brow raised as Riven stated that it was not the first time he'd had an issue with a tailor not knowing how to make him clothes. What was worthy of his eyebrow-raising was the fact that his lover decided then that he should simply pluck his upper attire from his body as a result, flaunting his muscular torso to the shopkeeper and anyone capable of seeing them through the frame of the storefront. The Siltori bit his lower lip, glancing at his Arlaed and -- naturally -- staring for a few moments at his chest. As if he even had any agency to look, or not look, away from him.

The other man briefly mentioned his home -- how he'd had a similar issue there. As always, he mentioned even its name with some level of disenchantment, an underlying bitterness that portrayed much more than Riven perhaps understood. His tone, his expression, his hesitation. It all spoke of both sorrow and fear.

Taelian's eyes now looked downward, somewhat solemnly, as his lover continued to speak. Quickly he allowed himself to become distracted by the fine details of what Riven said -- describing how his outfit was assembled and segmented. He took mental notes for when he got into tailoring himself, as he'd always wanted to make Riven clothes. It would be nice if they didn't have to teach a tailor everywhere they went; Taelian could do it all for him, make his partner fanciful and simple clothing for whatever season, to look however he wanted.

The mage's eyes glimmered as he thought of it all -- though again he became doubly distracted, this time by the man's attempt to take his measurements. The Siltori lightly laughed as he observed the man's disbelief; it was akin to his own upon the two first meeting. He'd never met a man so giant as him before, at least at the time. Since coming to Atinaw he'd encountered a few Jastai, such as Iridith, who were at least roughly equivalent to Riven in height. But certainly not as broad or defined in build.

The shopkeeper turned to him to ask questions regarding Riven's garments. Taelian already had a few answers prepared, as he had begun to think of what might look good on Riven while the man was performing his measurements. He nodded once, and began to reply.

"I would like to commission three outfits for him: a white fur outfit, a simple cotton one, and a dark blue one centered around a gambeson. As for my own -- a red felted wool one such as the one I referenced earlier, a black silk gambeson similar to Riven's, and a green satin outfit for court during the summer months. I'll go deeper into explaining them -- one moment."

The mage began to write down their details, such as the specific trims, embroidery, linings and other fine aspects to each outfit. He was doing so on a blank piece of parchment he'd brought with him, though with the merchant's pen and quill, clearly without specifically asking whether he could use them. He was about to pay him enough money to subsist for probably a season -- it didn't matter if he borrowed his pen. That was what he thought, at least.

Once detailing all six of the outfits in full on the parchment, he handed the paper to the merchant. The other man looked the pieces over and began to nod, then marked estimated prices beside them, inscribing something akin to a ledger.

"For all of this... you will be spending roughly one hundred thousand farthings, Ser," said the merchant. If you would like to pay me via instrument from the Imperial Bank, that would be perfectly sufficient. I'll begin drafting sketches of the outfits right away -- and I'll get to designing them this eve."

Taelian nodded. "Perfect. I'll get a blank check from the bank right now," he said. "Riven -- get your shirt back on," the mage's brows waggled, "...and let's get going. There's one more thing I was wanting to do at the bank, anyway -- I read that they were holding property auctions today. Arlaed... I want us to buy a home together. Something we own -- you know? I think that would be wonderful." He stepped through the doors of the store, back onto the main street. Looking back and taking his lover's hand, he flashed a smile at him. "I read in the city... paper, I think they call it, that there's a cabin on the fringes of Loregard - near Alfsos - that's for sale, in the middle of a sort of valley and lake. I know I said that I wanted to buy clothes, food, all that... but I keep thinking that maybe the city life isn't really even for us. It would be nice if we could do things on our own; I could make clothes for us, cook, you could have a garden or gather us food via hunting. I don't know. It sounds a bit odd and extreme, but something about it feels refreshing to me. It's why I thought that perhaps living somewhere remote might be nice. Not that we're ever too far away from anything, with your ridiculous wings," the Siltori chuckled again.

"I don't know," he added. "What do you think, Arlaed? I know it might seem soon -- the two of us buying a place out in the woods together. But, ah..." Taelian trailed off, nervously. "I just think it would be nice."

He had more he wanted to say, but he realized that Riven had only just come from Kalzasi to be with him. There was only so much he could ask for -- so much that was reasonable for the world to give. A home for the two of them was enough, for the moment. He was content with that.

► Show Spoiler

Posted: **Sun Jul 05, 2020 3:16 pm**

The Avialae couldn't do much but stare while the shopkeeper and his Arlaed discussed the commissioned work. He just waited as he listened to the clothes he'd be getting, all Taelian's choice. A Frost outfit, seemingly, lined in white fur. Great camouflage if it weren't because of Riven's huge, blue-glowing black wings. Of course. As an Avialae, he really had no need for winter clothes; cold didn't especially affect his race since they were used to the freezing winds of the skies, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate the warmth, and the gesture. Cotton sounded ideal for the upcoming Searing months; something light, mobile and chilling, and the Gambeson... he knew what they were; he wasn't used to wearing one though, as he never wore armor in the keep, and Kalzasi's light armor style didn't need one. Still, he had a hint this would be something different, not exactly combat-inclined.

Riven almost spitted his guts when he heard the price. He didn't have that much money on; he had quitted his job after Taelian and Talon had left, and as a result his savings (which weren't much to begin with) had only gotten smaller. He was relieved to hear that Taelian would take care of it; it didn't feel amazing, but at least... Well, he could think of many ways to repay him. He could tell that Taelian didn't look back when he was ready to go out, and he poked his side, smirking. "I've been dressed for a while, dork." He said, and followed him muttering a brief "thank you" and a squeeze in his left hand; he wasn't the big love gesture type of guy, but he had ways to express his gratitude. The Bond helped immensely, of course. He followed him outside, where the Siltori started talking about his plans for both men's future.

"Oh... Tae, that would be wonderful. I'll work hard to pay my part, but the last days in your little house have been amazing. As long as we keep that kind of life, I think I'm ready to stay here. It'll be home as long as you're around, and..." He said with a large grin, lifting Taelian up in the air into a kiss, not really able to help it. "I love you, Arlaed. You're right, I'm done with city life for now. In Kalzasi I couldn't go anywhere without having a pair of eyes on my back, and in Nivenhain..." That small facecrack, again. Moving for such a long distance had brought back memories for Riven; painful ones. Some he was actually dealing with, somehow, but he deflected them as fast as they came. "Well, I'm ready for that kind of freedom. And my ridiculous wings don't hurt, either. Only condition, I'll cook. You tried to make toast once, Pyromancer." He said with a teasing smirk, leaning back in to kiss him again.

"There's nothing else I can think of when I think about a nice place. Wind, water and earth around us, and fire right here." He said, blushing a little as he pointed at the middle of Taelian's chest, and then at his own. He then put an arm around the elf's shoulders, squeezing him in lovingly. "I didn't know they had papers in here; Kalzasi had a distinct lack of daily news." He mentioned, distracted, as both of them walked into the bank's offices, a large building with a few people gathering. Didn't seem like such a remote location was very popular.

Legend of Ransera

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