Open Doors

Kyliska groaned as a bright, magical light filled her comfortably pitch black bedchambers. She shook her head, burying it in the pillow, her voice coming out in a muffled huff of annoyance, "Go away, Biara. Get that light out of here I'm trying to sleeeeeeep...."

In the sudden glow Braeth'el's voice chuckled, his tone teasing, "Does the little baby Sin'dorei need her beauty rest? Get up, lazy! We've got something to do today!"

Kyliska rolled over, squinting in the light and surprised to see Braeth'el standing over her. She glanced out her windows, an eyebrow raised, "Have you gone insane? The sun's not even up yet. Even when I'm going to go practice my swordwork I don't get up this early!"

Braeth'el shook his head, a mock expression of sadness on his face, "Oh, then I guess you'll miss it. That's too bad..."

With that, he turned and started to walk away. Kyliska jerked upright in her bed, her curiosity piqued, "Miss what? Where are you going! Wait for me!"

She scrambled out of bed, just getting to her feet when a pair of her own pants collided with her face, Braeth'el's chuckle coming from her doorway, "Get dressed quickly so we're not late!"

Kyliska snatched her pants from her head and blinked in surprise; Braeth'el was already gone. In a rush she managed to somehow insert the correct foot into each leg of her pants, snatching up a shirt which she hastily plunged her head into. Grabbing her boots she made a rather ineffectual attempt to straighten her sleep-messed hair before dashing out of the door after him, her voice echoing through the hall, "Wait for meeeeeee!"

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Braeth'el had gone into the courtyard, and a now mostly-dressed and still sleepy Kyliska hurried after him. She found him waiting for her, two saddled hawkstriders ready and the gates of the estate opened. With a smile Braeth'el extended a hand, his head dipping, "Allow me, my Lady."

Kyliska smiled and took his hand happily, allowing him to help her onto her hawkstrider. As she seated herself, she watched him mount his own hawkstrider, her voice full of curiosity, "Just where are you taking me at this unholy hour? The sun won't be up for another hour at least!"

Braeth'el nodded and smiled, "I know, and that's just perfect. Patience my dear! I assure you that you will not regret the trip!"

With that he spurred his hawkstrider forward, the creature dashing through the gates and leaving Kyliska to follow after him, more questions in her mind than there were before, but a smile on her face none-the-less. He turned down a nearby lane that lead deeper into the heart of Eversong, and Kyliska steered her own mount after him, catching up to him a moment later. He looked back at her, a smile on his face that was infectious, and she realized that he had something delightful planned. Although curiosity burned within her, she held her tongue, simply enjoying the ride with him for the time being, allowing him to take her where he would.

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They had ridden for over thirty minutes before Braeth'el suddenly slowed his hawkstrider, waiting for Kyliska to follow suit. He nodded at her and then lead his mount off the path they'd been taking, plunging into what appeared to be the woods. Kyliska frowned for a moment and then shrugged, guiding her mount after him, the sky above them starting to lighten as sunrise approached, bathing the land in an eerie twilight before the dawn.

They moved deeper into the forest, the ground no longer a paved path but instead the rough terrain of the forest. Distant birdcalls echoed around them, and the sounds of night-time predators returning to their dens could be detected now and then. Kyliska kept her eyes trained on Braeth'el as he continued forward, a thousand questions on the tip of her tongue unasked. She needed to concentrate to avoid having her hawkstrider trip over the uneven ground before them.

Just as Kyliska's curiosity was about to get the better of her, Braeth'el brought his mount to a halt and lightly dismounted. He extended a hand again, helping Kyliska down and briefly holding her in his arms before letting her go. He gestured, as if to allow the Lady of the House to proceed ahead of him, and Kyliska turned to see what he was pointing at.

To her surprise, in the fading darkness she saw a small foot path leading through the foliage. Extremely curious now, she looked back at him and he nodded at her. She began to walk down the path, pushing errant branches aside as she moved, noting that the path now was well worn even though it had been hidden in the deepest part of the forest, protected from view by the hilly terrain around them.

She rounded a bend in the path and blinked in surprise, an ancient stone wall rising up just above her head. The stones must have once been put there by trolls long ago, but the structure had crumbled and was covered in blooming roses now. She reached out to touch the stones, noting that the path turned to travel along the wall and then through an opening in it. Braeth'el came up behind her and smiled, his voice whispering in her ear, "Go ahead, take a look."

With a smile of her own, Kyliska walked along the ancient wall's edge, coming to the opening and turning to pass through it. There she paused, her eyes wide in shock as she stared and gasped.

The wall had protected a small dell, the edge of which plunged off of cliffs to the roaring ocean far below. Snuggled within the protected location sat a much newer structure; a small cottage of Sin'dorei construction, its golden walls reflecting the light of the rising sun and two small windows showing the light of a merry fireplace alight within it. But that was not what had stolen Kyliska's breath, for beyond the cottage and the dell the sun was rising, the glowing orb having just crested the horizon, its rays of light playing across the flowing ocean far below the dell and dancing across the wall and cottage. The sky above it was a glowing, gorgeous pink that faded to bright orange closer to the sun.

For a moment Kyliska simply stood there, in awe of the gorgeous view, Braeth'el moving up behind her and wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly as they watched the sunrise together. He smiled, resting his head against her, his voice a whisper, "Just in time for my beauty to meet the world's beauty."

Kyliska turned, finally tearing her gaze away from the view to look up at him, her eyes meeting his, "Braeth'el, what is this place?"

He smiled at her, his voice soft, "It is my home. My private place to which I have never brought another soul. No one knows of its location, not even your sister. Long ago I purchased the land, and built the cottage here with my own two hands. It is here I planned to retire, if ever that becomes an option. This is the first time I have ever wanted to show it to someone, to bring them here to see it."

Kyliska's mouth opened and closed for a moment, words escaping her as she realized how important such a gesture was to a person whose life by necessity had been shrouded in secrecy. She leaned towards him, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss as she wrapped her arms around him. When she finally broke away, she simply stared up at him, her voice low, "I know how much this place must mean to you. It is a place for you to be free of everything. That you've shown it to me... I will never forget this, and I will never tell another soul of its location."

Braeth'el nodded, holding her in his arms, his tone tender, "I believe you, Kyli. You have opened doors within me that I thought long closed. It is only fitting that I open my door to you, to let you into those most secret places."

Kyliska smiled, leaning her head against his chest and simply holding him for a time, hearing his heartbeat against her as they were bathed in the early morning sunlight that filled the small dell. He held her tight, planting a kiss on her head as he whispered to her, "There is more to the surprise you know."

She smiled, letting go of him, feeling happier than she could ever remember, "You're so good to me. Go on then, surprise me further. I must warn you though that you've utterly stolen my heart."

He grinned, nodding at her, "Wait here a moment and I shall fetch it for you, my Lady! As an aside, I am a spy; sometimes I steal things, you know?"

Kyliska laughed as Braeth'el moved away from her, walking towards the cottage. She turned and watched the rising sun as he rummaged around in the small structure. When he emerged, he had a grin on his face and a basket in his hand. She looked at him in curiosity as he moved to a flat area near the opening of the cottage, setting the basket down and opening it.

Kyliska laughed with delight as he took out a blanket, spreading it across the dew-laden grass. He began to pull out various fruits, a few delicious looking egg dishes that he'd cooked, and of course a lovely bottle of wine and two wine glasses. With a bright smile on her face, Kyliska walked over to where Braeth'el was making his preparations and sat beside him. He smiled at her, taking the wine bottle in hand and popping the cork before filling two glasses.

He handed one to her, taking another in his hand and offering her a toast, his glass raised, "To us, and to our future together."

Kyliska sighed happily, her own glass raised, "To us! To two hearts who have found each other in all of the disasters around us."

They both tasted their wine and then Braeth'el shifted, moving beside Kyliska so that she could lean against him. She lay her head on his broad shoulder, feeling his arm around her as the two paused for a time to simply watch the sunrise together, their shadows behind them combining into one across the green stretch of lawn hidden within the secret dell.

In all her many years, Kyliska could not recall a time that she had been happier than that moment.