▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 6, 2021 21:52:38 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 6, 2021 21:52:38 GMT -5
nostalgic
If Ezra was not haunting the kingdom grounds, attending to his guard duties as well as extracurriculars, there were only three other places he could be found: In Vela, where he enjoyed provoking local tourists into duels; in the prisons in Vela, mostly because he provoked local tourists into duels; or out in Pyxis' famous woodlands. He'd erected a cabin of sorts for himself to retreat to when the tides were high enough to keep him on the island, but today was just pretty enough to have drawn him out of it and into the sunshiney forest. Daylight streamed through the canopy and dappled the ground with golden rays, a welcome breeze flowing gently through the leaves, and there was a stream trickling nearby that he ventured out toward, checkered cloth tucked beneath one arm and two fishing poles in the other. He went about setting up the date spot he'd invited Aela to-- with a clear instruction not to come till the sun was at its midpoint on the sky-- then lapsed back to the cabin to grab a basket from which emanated an...unpleasant smell. He'd given it his best attempt, he really did, but cooking was never his strong suit, which his unsuspecting consort would soon find out when she arrived. Once he was back to the riverside, he plopped himself down on the blanket and leaned back against a tree trunk, the sun at its zenith which meant that, very soon, Aela would appear.
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Feb 7, 2021 9:51:58 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 7, 2021 9:51:58 GMT -5
Aela was enjoying the day so far, as it meant she could shed her responsibilities for a while and pretend to be normal- and spend an afternoon with Ezra. She was not dressed in finery for once, but in plain clothes- a dark red skirt and flowing white shirtwaist, a black cloak hanging from her shoulders as she walked through the woods.
The sun on her skin was pleasant and warm, the breeze fluttering the curls of her hair, her freckled nose tilted up to catch the flowery scents of the woods. When she finally reached the river, she smiled widely, glad to see Ezra. "It's a lovely spot for a picnic," she said as he stood and moved to greet her. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him deeply, happy to pretend they were two ordinary lovers meeting by the riverside. For all intents and purposes today, they were.
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 7, 2021 10:18:13 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 7, 2021 10:18:13 GMT -5
His arms were a combination of gentle and possessive when they cradled Aela against him, enjoying this moment that was scandal-free. They weren't sneaking around the hallways and meeting in dark corridors, nor were they at risk of wandering eyes, but instead they could act as they pleased and kiss without reservation. "Thank you. It was tough work carving the river out and filling it up, but I think I did a pretty good job," he teased as he pulled away, tugging her across to the arrangement.
"So, on the menu today, we have nice, quick-smoked chicken sporting a rich charcoal flavor, paired with a side salad of similar quality." He revealed his attempt in the kitchen as he spoke, a completely blackened bird that, somehow, looked more appetizing than the scorched lettuce leaves. He grinned brightly at Aela's effort to appear unfazed, then tossed the massacred meal over his shoulder and pulled out a different container. "Just kidding, I stole some leftover stew and a pie for later."
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Feb 7, 2021 11:07:25 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 7, 2021 11:07:25 GMT -5
Aela rolled her eyes at his joke, but the smile on her face was bright as she sank onto the blanket. She couldn't help but laugh at the burnt food he pulled out- after he acknowledged his own folly, of course. "I'm no cook, Ez, but I'm pretty sure you don't cook lettuce."
The queen probably shouldn't be eating stolen food, but the growl in her stomach spurred her on. She reached out to take some stew, sniffing it. "Smells good," she said, taking the spoon Ezra held out to her and spooning the first bite into her mouth. "What kind of pie?"
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 7, 2021 13:54:30 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 7, 2021 13:54:30 GMT -5
"I thought food was supposed to be cooked?" His face was incredulous at this claim, as preposterous as it was that some things just existed to be eaten in their most basic form, but that was neither here nor there at this point. "Whatever, I'm not paid to cook or else maybe I would be better at it. Maybe not. You could pay me to cook for our enemies; kill them off one by one. I don't think they'd see it coming."
Ezra withheld the answer to her question with little more than a taunting grin, each time her insistence manifested into verbal curiosity prompting him to shovel a few spoonfuls of stew into his mouth. Other than her persistence, they made idle chatter over their meal, Aela mostly guiding the conversation with the nitty-gritty of the recent events that Ezra's guard duties prevented him from partaking in, relegated mostly to the sidelines and observing the going-ons for any signs of threats. He smirked across at her as he withdrew two slices of pie from the basket, both of which oozed a sweetly cherry-flavored filling. "The kitchen never seems to be short on cherry pies, for some reason. I think the king likes it or something."
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Feb 7, 2021 23:43:37 GMT -5
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Post by nostalgic on Feb 7, 2021 23:43:37 GMT -5
“You’re such a tease,” Aela protested with a grin, but nevertheless she kissed Ezra’s cheek as she took her slice and set in. Over the course of their last few hookups she had grown increasingly comfortable transitioning away from friendship to something more, something she expressed with gentle touches and frequent kisses.
He was the person she was closest to, the person who understood her best. Ezra had listened to her worries and struggles as she had approached her wedding day and in the weeks that followed. The queen chatted now about the upcoming spring gala, before wiping her mouth with her napkin and setting her empty plate down. “What about you? Gotten into any scrapes lately?”
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 13, 2021 8:25:33 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 13, 2021 8:25:33 GMT -5
"Barring my perilous encounter with one of your horses recently, no scrapes to tell of. The tides haven't been low enough for me to, ah," a sly grin found his lips, "sightsee in Vela." Aela was no stranger to his bad habits of street fighting in their neighboring cities, seeing as she quite often had to send someone to bail him out of jail, but he liked the mystique of being...mysterious.
Stuffing the stolen silverware back into the basket, he extended his hand to her and helped her to her feet, like any stately gentleman would. "How many guests do you anticipate will come to the gala? I've heard the tickets have gone quick," he mused, leading her over to the water's edge.
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Feb 13, 2021 14:12:32 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 13, 2021 14:12:32 GMT -5
"Too many to count," she said, slipping herself under his arm and resting her cheek on his strong chest as she looked out at the water. "And yes, the tickets sold out faster than ever. People are anxious to come see the royal couple."
"Let's not talk about it, though," she said, smiling up at him. "I'd rather pretend to be normal, out here. We can fish, or go for a walk, and talk like there's no castle awaiting us at the end of the day."
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 15, 2021 15:26:33 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 15, 2021 15:26:33 GMT -5
"Very well," he chuckled, reveling in the way she would glance up at him, in the way she perfectly slid into place in the crook of his arm, in her illuminated smile. "Have you ever fished before? I heard it's good weather for fishing-- something about they like when pretty girls come down to the riverside." The charm whistled past his lips as they brushed her temple, then Ezra unwound from her embrace to collect the fishing poles and hook bait to the end of them, extending one to her.
He'd asked if she were the one equipped for this experience, but he'd been short on tutors throughout his lifetime and had never fished himself. It had never looked too hard, though, so he supposed it would come naturally.
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Feb 15, 2021 17:09:53 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 15, 2021 17:09:53 GMT -5
"No, I've never fished before," she said with a laugh, handling the rod somewhat awkwardly. "But I suppose I'll learn." Learning apparently meant casting the line poorly and getting it stuck in a branch, then watching Ezra climb up to get it down.
The second time was better, and she watched the hook bob in the water. Sitting on the rocky bank, leaning into Ezra's side, she could pretend this was all there was to life. "Do you suppose we ought to have baited the hooks?" She asked, pursing her lips thoughtfully after a moment.
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 16, 2021 14:28:33 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 16, 2021 14:28:33 GMT -5
Even though Allie couldn't read, since it was her birthday, Ally decided to let that slide and Ezra simply ran a bashful hand through his hair at his slip. "That could have helped, but it's too late now. We'll do this like men-- poorly and improperly!"
Aela had way more success than he did. To his flimsy singular catch (even though he didn't actually catch it), she reeled in several. "I think you're cheating," he pouted.
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Feb 18, 2021 8:32:00 GMT -5
Post by nostalgic on Feb 18, 2021 8:32:00 GMT -5
"You told me yourself that the fish like pretty girls," Aela said with a grin, elbowing him. "Don't be mad because you're losing." Despite her squeamishness around the live fish, she quite enjoyed their chosen method of spending the afternoon, sunning themselves and casting out fishing rods.
Alas, she could not stay forever, and the illusion of normalcy had to be shattered. "I should probably head back to the castle," she said, setting her rod down with a sigh. "Are you coming, or staying here a while longer?"
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▲ ezra collier & luce feyre
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Feb 19, 2021 14:08:00 GMT -5
Post by fleur on Feb 19, 2021 14:08:00 GMT -5
He laughed at her rebuttal, warmer than the sunshine on their skin. "Alright, alright. We'll just tack it on the list of things you're better at than I am. Fishing, reading, kissing." His arms wrapped around her, cradling her against him, as he pressed a quick peck to her forehead before his smirk grew more mischievous, his eyes more suggestive. "Riding." At the playful smack he received for that one, he ducked away and sputtered something about horseback riding being what he meant.
He never fully released her from his grasp though, unwilling to let the moment end. He tried everything he could-- puppy dog eyes, hundreds of tiny kisses on her face, even hoisting her into his arms bridal style-- but Aela's persistence won out eventually. "I suppose you can go back. This time." The threat hung playfully between them. "I'll stay back a bit and clean up. Bring all this back to the cabin later. Go on before it starts to get chilly and you don't have a big, sexy guard keeping you warm anymore." A final kiss before he watched her leave, and then Ezra turned to collect the remnants of their day together, knowing that when he did return to the cabin, his skin would feel the kiss of a knife.
It was the only way to reassure himself that this day, and all its little perfections, was real.
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