Operation Totally Awkward!

The hot water came down in a soothing stream, splashing against her head and running through her raven black hair. It flowed down her tanned skin, warming her and relaxing every muscle. Belleri sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and just enjoying the feeling of the hot shower raining down on her.

The Knox residence had gnomish plumbing and magical heaters installed throughout the structure, and since Belleri needed to remain close by, she had opted to use the guest bathroom on the lower floor. When she first entered, she had been surprised to find the collection of brass pipes over the elegantly tiled floor; she'd heard of such devices but she'd never had such luxuries back home at the Giano family farm in Elwynn. After a moment's hesitation she had stripped down and stepped beneath the humming pipes, twisting some knobs until the almost heavenly flow of water had started.

Since reinforcements had arrived and she now had two additional rangers to station around the Knox residence, Belleri had given herself exactly six hours of off-duty time. This would allow her to bathe and perhaps catch a quick nap. She would follow-up with two hours of paperwork (she had so many reports to send in!) and then resume her guard duties. She could not stay up twenty-four hours a day after all, although if a spell existed to allow that she would surely try it!

She let the thoughts drift away as the hot, steamy water relaxed her. It glittered as it hung from the ends of her hair and her nose ring, and she found herself strangely bemused by the luxury of it all. After a time she began to hum softly to herself, an old tune that she'd been taught as a young girl. The moment was utter peace and relaxation; a stolen piece of time for the normally busy ranger.

It abruptly came to an end when she heard someone shuffling about in the room with her. Mortified and alarmed, she ceased her humming and reached out, grabbing the shower curtain and pulling it back forcefully, ready to confront the intruder. To her ever-lasting horror she beheld none other than Malandrae Moonwhisper, stripped down to her underwear, leaning over Belleri's pile of discarded armor.

As the shower curtain was jerked open Malandrae's gaze turned towards the source of the noise. Belleri had just enough time to bring an arm across her chest and shoot her free hand down to cover her nudity in a rather awkward fashion before the elf straightened and turned to face her.

"Oh my heavens, how much body jewelry do you HAVE?" Malandrae asked cheerfully. The ranger immediately flushed a bright crimson color; clearly she had not been nearly fast enough. The elf smiled pleasantly and turned back to Belleri's armor, speaking over her shoulder, "How in the heavens do you figure out all of the straps on these things? I totally asked Miss Kelliana once about her plate armor but I still just do not understand it!"

While used to showering in close proximity to others thanks to years of training, Belleri felt extremely off balance at the sudden conversation and presence of the elf. She managed to sputter out a short response, "Miss Moonwhisper, w-what are you d-doing in here Ma'am? A-and w-why aren't you wearing any clothes..."

Malandrae waved a dismissive hand at the human, still examining the armor. For a moment Belleri's heart leapt into her throat as she saw the elf reach out, thinking the woman was going to touch her rifle. Fortunately Malandrae simply picked up the chain top of Belleri's armor pieces while still speaking over her shoulder, "Oh Eldre'nor is using our main bathing room upstairs and she is singing offkey. I have a feeling she is doing it intentionally just so that I cannot take a bath. I thought I'd come down here and use this room. The ranger you assigned to me said you were down here so I figured you wouldn't mind since you'd know where I was and all."

Belleri blinked once and mentally made a note to assign a certain ranger to some rather extremely unpleasant duties later. After a moment she managed to speak again, "Ma'am, with all due respect, I'm nude."

Malandrae turned, dropping the chain armor and stepping closer to Belleri. Her eyes studied the human for a moment and then she smiled happily, "Oh yes! You poor thing, you must be freezing! Did you use the dryer yet?"

"D-dryer Ma'am?" Belleri asked, feeling completely lost now.

"Oh yes! Professor Knox put them in all the rooms!" Malandrae said with a smile. She walked closer, her almost nude body gliding across the room. She laid a hand on Belleri's shoulder and gently pushed her towards a wall. "Right here!"

Feeling utterly awkward, Belleri allowed the strange elf to guide her near a wall where Malandrae proceeded to rest a hand on a tile that was colored red instead of the white of the rest of the room. Immediately a small orb of flame appeared in the air over them, warming that small area of the room intensely. Belleri could feel the water drying from her skin almost immediately. She blinked in surprise, "O-oh. Dryer. Right. T-that's actually very nice Ma'am. Thank you Ma'am."

Malandrae nodded happily, and then paused, a hand running over Belleri's left shoulder. Her delicate elven fingers traced the line of a scar on the ranger's tanned flesh. "This is where the arrow was removed, isn't it?" she said softly.

Belleri nodded once, "Aye Ma'am. Please do not concern yourself with it. Such events are always a possibility when performing my duties Ma'am."

The elf nodded once, biting her lip and then slowly stepping away, her fingers sliding from the woman's shoulder as she moved back to the soft padded bench where Belleri's armor rested. She pushed a few pieces aside and sat, waiting for the woman to finish drying.

"Miss Belleri, do you ever take any time off?" she asked the ranger. For her part, Belleri had remained standing perfectly at attention, still covering herself.

"Ma'am?" she stammered. "I-I'm off right now Miss Moonwhisper. You have another Ranger assigned to you, as does Mixx Knox."

Malandrae shook her head and sighed, "That's not what I meant Miss Belleri! I mean time OFF. You're still thinking about your duty right now! There must be more for you to think about than that."

Belleri mentally groaned, not wanting to have such a conversation at all, let alone completely nude with mostly nude elf that was tens of thousands of years older than her. "Ma'am, I have duties to attend to. I s-should probably get dressed so you can use the shower."

Malandrae waved her hand again, "Oh don't worry, I'll use it in a moment! Really though, you should think about taking some time off! I have heard other people tell you this same thing! Maybe when you go on your date with Mister Karrsen!"

If possible, Belleri became yet a deeper shade of red, "Miss MOONWHISPER! I am NOT going on a DATE with Mister Karrsen. He is a PIRATE and I'm trying to make sure he is safe to be around YOU!"

Malandrae giggled at the woman and shook her head, "Don't be silly, of course he's safe! I'm a VERY good judge of character! Also I don't think going for a drink with him or going fishing is really a good way to check up on a person. It's definitely a date! Besides, he's SUPER cute isn't he? All those muscles, and those tattoos!"

Belleri audibly groaned aloud this time, shaking her head, "I-I'm sure Mister Karrsen is pleasing to the eye Ma'am. That is not what my intentions are tho-"

Malandrae cut her off with another giggle, "Miss Belleri, it's quite alright if those WERE your intentions. I think he's cute but it's alright if you do too! Besides, maybe relaxing would do you some good."

Belleri scowled at the elf; the situation had become too strange for her to handle any longer, "Miss Moonwhisper! I am NOT going on a date with Mister Karrsen! Now if you would PLEASE excuse me, I would like to get dressed!"

Completely not getting the hint, Malandrae gestured at the pile of Belleri's clothes beside her and nodded, "Oh sure! And by the way, it's alright you know."

Belleri rolled her eyes and stepped towards the elf. Having no other option, she quickly snatched up her undergarments and began slipping them on, ignoring the fact that the elf was staring at her. "What is alright Ma'am?"

"To like someone, or to want to like someone. Or even to love someone," Malandrae said happily. "It adds something to your life, enriches it you know? Even if you don't want to admit it, or if you CAN'T."

Belleri, now at least in her underwear and able to stop covering herself, frowned at the elf, "I have loved in the past Miss Moonwhisper. It was some time ago."

The elf bobbed her head, acknowledging the comment, "Oh that's super good then Miss Belleri! That means that you know that it can be good! I'm happy to hear this! Maybe there is hope for you yet! You don't have to admit things to me of course, but if you ever want to talk about such things...well I'm here!"

Belleri groaned again, "Thank you Ma'am. I'm sure that will not be necessary Ma'am."

Malandrae giggled, "Of course it is silly. I will tell you a secret so when you feel ready you can come to me. We'll be like secret friends! I TOTALLY love someone did you know that?"

Belleri shook her head, "No Ma'am, I did not. Do you want to tell me the person's name so I can give them security clearance?"

Malandrae shook her head, "Nope! I don't! Because she doesn't belong to me. That doesn't matter though you see? I love her anyway, and when she's happy I'M happy, even if someone else is making her happy. Do you know what I mean? Love itself adds something to us! She may never know how I feel, but I will always try to make her happy, and I'll be happy in return."

Belleri studied the elf carefully and then shook her head, "Ma'am, I don't think we should be discussing this. Such a topic has no bearing on my duties and they come first and foremost."

Malandrae studied the ranger silently for a moment before sighing, "You are a tough one Miss Belleri, but one day we will see a peek beneath your duties to the real you. Anyway, totally think about what I said okay? It's alright to feel things you know! It makes you stronger, not weaker silly!"

With that the elf rose and began stripping the rest of her clothing off, leaving it in a pile on the floor and stepping towards the shower. Belleri averted her gaze, steadfastly focusing on getting her armor on as quickly as humanly possible. Behind her, the water started going again and Malandrae's beautiful voice rose up in a song of her own. The ranger simply shook her head and snatched up her rifle once she had finished pulling her boots on. Holding the weapon seemed to steady her, giving her a moment to balance her thoughts.

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A moment later the door to the downstairs guest bathroom opened with a thump and Belleri stalked out. A small gnome woman in combat armor with pistols strapped all over her gave Belleri a salute, which the Ranger Captain returned. The smoldering look in her eyes promised the gnome that she would become quite familiar with potatoes in the near future. The ranger captain stalked away, even as the the faintest hint of a smirk crossed the gnome's lips and the sound of Malandrae's singing filled the lower floors of the house with a haunting melody.

The melody, and the words, would remain with Belleri for the rest of her day.