After all of their adventuring, Mazerine’s stash of gold coins had been rather depleted. She was running low, and she and Douken had been working on their own tasks and research, rather than working for coin to replenish what they had spent on travel. This created a bit of a hardship for them, and Mazerine had finally suggested, to which Douken had agreed, travelling to visit her family in Endapano. It was a thought that had crossed her mind more than once, but it had now become necessary.

They had secured passage on an airship with most of their remaining coin, but it was nowhere near the luxurious accommodations they had been using while travelling – which, truth be told, was probably part of the reason that the coin was running so low. Mazerine was less than thrilled, but Douken had gotten her to stay in ‘normal’ conditions before and it was never nearly as bad as she thought it was going to be. And besides, there was that little voice in her head that was telling her that it wouldn’t matter where she was staying or what the accommodations were like, because Douken was with her and frankly that part of her life was making her pretty happy.

That thought, however, spurned her to think about something else again. What was her family going to think? She and Douken hadn’t exactly discussed whatever the relationship between them was or if it was going somewhere, but they weren’t exactly making an effort to hide it from anyone, either. She would cross that road when it came time, she supposed, and put it out of her mind until it was to become an issue, if it even did.

-

The boarding process had been quick and seamless, and the pair was now in their room onboard the airship with what belongings they had with them. The room was average sized, not much bigger than one you would find above a decent inn. It had a small changing room off to one side with a wash basin and chamberpot, and one large bed in the middle. That was not an issue, as the pair had been sharing beds for a while now, anyway.

”This isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” she said to Douken as the two laid out their things. The journey wouldn’t take more than two days, they had been informed, so there was no point in unpacking too much. ”You know, I’m quite hungry,” she said to him, after she had arranged her belongings in a manner she found suitable. ”Do you think we could go find something to eat?” she asked him, hoping that he would agree with her.

It was actually very odd taking on a commercial flight, all things considered. For so long, he had been enjoying more first class stays in the sky with Mazerine and almost grew accustomed to the flash and care they tended to offer, but with how light their wallets were getting, the shock was… actually quite comfortable. A fair reminder of his roots. This was how he got things started and despite the rich life he had in the lax, he could never forget about the struggles to get here.

The room was actually a bit bigger than a normal room would have been, considering they did not have to worry about the shared bath for clean up. Still, at the very least, that was not on Maz's mind as her stomach spoke for her. "We are passengers of a transport ship, not stowaways in a cargo. I am sure there will be something." Once they were sure their items were secured, the two headed out to investigate the ship for what would be the dining hall.

While it was nothing spectacular for Douken, to Maz, it was a completely foreign sight. Tables were scattered about with guests coming and going at their whims and instead of fancy-dressed waiters and waitresses offering their food, there were basic maids at most handling drinks and cleaning tables as the guests gathered around the buffet tabled littered with a variety of basic meals.

"Greetings," one of the maids stated. "Two plates?"

"Please," he replied back, giving her a nod before she led the pair to a freshly cleaned table aside from the pair of plates and silverware waiting for them.

"Tap be fine?" Another nod, and she was off to get them.

"Now then, shall we?"

Mazereine had, of course, not been expecting anything nearly as fancy as they had been getting lately while traveling, having booked the lower fare class. She was expecting that the food would perhaps not be as flavorful, and that maybe the drinks would be a bit less strong, having been watered down to cut costs for the airship company.

The elf’s eyes fell upon the bare wooden tables that filled the room before them, not yet noticing the buffet lines of food where people were currently helping themselves to whatever looked appealing. She was too busy noticing that the tables did not have any linens – and some of the tables didn’t even have actual chairs, but rather long benches lining each side – it seemed that was where the single travelers dined, making conversation with the others who were traveling alone if they so pleased.

She followed Douken, eyes a bit glazed over from the overwhelming normalcy everything seemed to carry. When they were led to the table, she listened rather carefully to the exchange between Douken and the maid, watching the woman as she walked away to get whatever it was that Douken had requested from her.

”Um, I’m sorry, but shall we what?” she asked, though as Douken laughed a bit at her and gestured to the lines of food off to each side of the room. ”Wait,” she continued. ”You’re telling me that I have to serve my own food? From those troughs?” she asked, sounding not quiet disgusted but at the very least a little concerned.

She followed Douken’s lead, however, and soon her plate was heaped with all different kinds of food, including some that she wasn’t really sure she could identify – but it seemed that she was rather pleased with the fact that she was in control of the size of the portions on her plate. ”You know,” she said, as they sat down. ”When you eat in all the fancy places and have hired help to cook your meals at home, you don’t get to choose how much they give you, and it’s very improper to ask for more if you’re still hungry when you’ve finished it,” she added, staring wide eyed at the amount of food on her plate.

Just then, the maid came back and set down two mugs in front of them, full to the brim with some sort of ale. ”Enjoy,” she said rather cheerfully and walked away. Mazerine reached for her mug, almost grabbing it, before something nagging at the back of her mind stopped her.

”Douken,” she said quietly. ”I’m nervous… about seeing my family again. I left without their blessing, and it’s been a long time. I don’t know what it’s going to be like,” she admitted. ”Promise not to judge me by their actions?” she asked, looking at him with a rather hopeful expression. Her family, being Elvish, were not exactly the largest fans of humans – and if they found out about the budding relationship between the two, they would most likely be even less happy than they would about the fact that a human was her traveling companion.

Well that was one way to put it, causing Douken to snicker a bit. "It may not be as high class as what we had prior, but it does let guests eat when they please and fetch what appeals to them as much as they wish… as clearly demonstrated," chuckling at the mounds of food that decorated his Elvish companion's platter. For the human, though, it was certainly kept to a much higher degree: a thick plate of pasta stirred with a tomato sauce that also housed in sausage, bell pepper, and onion and sided with a couple garlic rolls. "Of course it means that the cooks can be busy all day with prepping all these items and the waitresses keep an eye on the buffet for what needs to be swapped out."

Though before the two got to eating, a snag caught on Mazerine that she felt needing to address: family. After all, this was not just some random trip or a clue to their next destination about the relic: It was one part refilling their coffers while the other is meeting of the family, and if the rumors about high elves were true, then things may be a bit of a pickle… All this time together, and never once really mentioned what her family was like outside of the drinking game her brothers taught her (behind her father's back, no less). Not only that, but a "long time" for the two were vast differences… For a human, it was 5 years… May be the same for an elf, but even 40 can seem like the same amount of time as far as he thought about it.

Ultimately, though, Douken's response was simple: a flick to her forehead. "Your actions are yours and theirs are theirs. Are you saying that you will become a completely different person in front of them based on their actions?" Diving his fork into the pasta before him, he swirled it together before pulling it out and added, "We shall deal with it as it comes, and I am sure that if I get uncomfortable, you can help ease things up, as I would for you."

Douken’s response caught Mazerine a bit off guard, and she paused, her fork in midair as she had been about to take a bite. She set her fork down rather gently, and an expression cascaded across her face – it was almost an expression of disappointment, but there was something else mixed in with it. Worry, perhaps? “No, Douken, that’s not what I meant at all,” she said, her voice quiet a she watched him load his fork with pasta. “I know that you’ll be there for me, and you know that I’ll be there for you – that’s what we’ve done since we met,” she added, and she could not help but smile as she briefly thought back on all of the things that had happened, both between them and to them, since they had went out on their first expedition together. She certainly hadn’t expected things to end up the way they were currently.

“I will have to make some attempt at speaking properly, or at least the way that they view as properly, when we arrive, at least at first,” she said. “Remember, I must be diplomatic during this venture because I’m asking them for more money. It is a family fortune, after all,” she said. “And of course, while we are there, I’m going to have to dress in much more… formal attire, as well. I suspect my family will make sure that you are supplied with the necessary outifttings as well,” she added, and it was clear that she was rather nervous about seeing her family again, and was beginning to clamor on and on.

“You know, they’re going to ask me… who you are,” she said, and she glanced up at him with a sideways look. “I don’t mean like, who you are in general, but… they’re going to want to know who you are to me,” she said, hoping that she would get her point across to Douken. She took this moment to take a rather generous bite of some sort of cheese she had never seen before, and she was not disappointed in its flavor, though she took her time chewing as she waited for his response to what she had said. It was not as if she had not thought about it before – oh no, she certainly had – but she was curious what Douken considered her, and had been for sometime. It was not as if she was looking for something as trivial as ‘oh, we are going steady!’ or anything along those lines. She knew that the pair were partners, but she wanted to know to what extent, to what end? Were they merely business partners who happened to take advantage of the fact that they were in close proximity? Or were there feelings involved? Of course, feelings were most certainly involved on Mazerine’s end, but she wasn’t sure that Douken felt the same – and she was sure that she would not be getting a single coin from her family if she didn’t have a good explanation as to why she was travelling with a human – let alone a human male.

As Mazerine went on, giving suggestion as to about what would come forward, he rested his fork down on his plate and began to process out everything that had occurred. Sure, it started out as escaping a storm to forging a business pact, and sure there were some awkward moments tied between the dealings, but he would easily be a fool to say if any of this was still just business. They were so open with sharing their cultures, lifestyles, and entertainment with one another, and every night, they slept comfortably together in the same beds, no walls forged between the two. Sure, there was that one night of drunken intimacy, and that easily was the only time they had gotten that close, bu that that was probably more due to this awkwardness between it: What was really between them?

As Douken looked up, a blush came over as his azure eyes met with her emeralds. Honestly, it was hard to tell who was even more nervous about the subject. Though he had no clue as to what was holding her back, to Douken, it was a small speck of a voice that came up whenever he thought about the topic, one that was coming up even now. A devilish little whisper that often felt more like a scream, but it was only at this time was he able to shake it away. A hard swallow went through his throat as he mustered himself up before taking her free hand into his own, though it only caused him to blush even more as he mentally worked on steeling himself.

"L-Listen… I know our paths had its ups and downs, and that stating things started in an awkward foot would be an understatement, but I do now that… that I want to be with you. That I don't want to see you doing such ridiculous stunts that places your life on the line so easily. I am blessed to be by your side for these passing nights and morns, and it would be foolhardy to say that all of it simply means nothing.

"Mazerine… I… I…" His face was easily redder than any ale had made him be as he hard swallowed once more. "I love you." And with that, his hand was laid open on the table. There was no going back from this.

Mazerine hadn’t meant to put Douken into an awkward situation by bringing up whatever was between the two of them, but it was probably for the best that it was being discussed. She felt a pang of guilt for bringing it up as she watched him slowly rest his fork on his plate, as though he were gaining composure to discuss the inevitable.

Her cheeks turned pink much in line with the way that his own blushed. She listened intently as he began to speak, allowing her gaze to lock with his when he directed at her. She nodded a few times in understanding of what he was saying to her. At first, she wasn’t entirely sure of where he was going with his words, but when he stated that he knew he wanted to be with her, what felt like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders.

What he said next was not expected in the slightest, though as the words hit her ears, she felt her heart flutter. She had not expected him to feel the same way about her as she felt about him but hearing that he was seemed to be exactly what she needed. “I love you, too, Douken,” she breathed, her voice coming out much quieter than she had intended to. However, the smile that spread across her face gave way that she was indeed happy with the outcome of their conversation.

She laid her hand in his as it lay on the table and intertwined her fingers with his. She spent a good moment just looking at him, the smile on her face, not really sure what to say or what to do. After a moment she let out a laugh and looked away for a moment, her free hand pushing her plate out of the way, as she no longer had an interest in eating. “What do you say we head back to our cabin? We hit dinner rather late and I’m getting tired… plus, I wouldn’t mind curling up next to you, especially not right now,” she added with a little bit of a devilish glint to her smile. Of course, there would be more for them to discuss in the future, such as what their love for each other meant, but that was for a later time.

When Douken agreed, the pair headed back to their cabin. It didn’t take them long to get ready for bed, and to slide beneath the blankets, curled up and holding one another close, several gentle kisses exchanged, before they both drifted off to sleep.

That night's rest felt different from all the others, despite how things had progressed to where they were. The air of doubt… Unknown feelings… Concern on what it all actually meant… All of that was out the window as Mazerine rested her head in the nook of Douken's neck. It was simply amazing on how much such a minor moment could have such a drastic change, but with the relief that both of them felt the same way led to a sleep without the ghost of doubt watching over them.

That feeling was almost a bit of a high as the worry about meeting with family was almost gone, letting the pair explore and test things out in a bit of a new light. Seeing the world from the sky deck, competing in contests hosted by the crew to aid the passage of time, but most of all, simply enjoying being each other as they seemed t have been readying for what this chapter in life would entail. It was only when the pilot announced that Endapano  was coming into view did they actually remember why they were heading there in the first place. Then again, they saw just about everything the ship could provide for passengers, so the change of pace alone would be comforting.

Despite the armed guards double checking their items for items such as poisons and explosion scrolls, heading into the city was a smooth transition, and a welcoming sight for sure. It was as if a forest and a city was merged together as homes and shops were forged around and through the trees that held the land together versus what other populations would have done and cleared the land before any construction. Then again, the fact that the elves did it as such though did help symbolize their ideas of being one with the land.

With a deep breath, Douken commented, "The air feels so refreshing here," before finding him pounced by a wolf pup. Seemed like this one LOVED meeting outsiders and greeting whatever new scent it picked up before the owner of the nearby stable that it rested came to pick it up and return it back over, his face saying that this was easily a common occurrence.

Once the human found his composure once more, he chuckled before looking at Mazerine, asking her, "So when's the tour?" a bit cheekily as he took her hand, netting his fingers through hers.

While Douken found the air refreshing, Mazerine found it to feel rather oppressive. She hadn’t planned on returning to Endapano this soon, and the thought of meeting with her family was not all that relaxing for her. She knew they would not approve of her travelling with a human, though they would never say that to Douken’s face – they would just make it very apparent to Mazerine. They would be even less pleased when they learned of the romantic relationship between the two. Even further, the fact that she was going to ask for more coin out of the family vault wouldn’t come as a surprise, but they wouldn’t be pleased by it at all.

When the wolf pup ‘attacked’ Douken, Mazerine let out a laugh, allowing herself to be amused by the situation. She laughed even harder when the owner of the stable came to retrieve the escaped canine. She calmed down a bit and saw that Douken was just as amused as she was, if not more. “Tricky little fellows, they are,” she said, with a laugh.

She gripped Douken’s hand as he laced his fingers with hers, letting a smile cross her face and allowing herself to relax just a bit as she thought about the fact that she at least had Douken there with her. “The tour might have to wait,” she said, with a sigh. “If my family catches wind that I am here and I’ve yet to arrive to see them, they’re not going to be happy,” she said. “The Alaudriel family is rather… well known here,” she said, and she nodded her head toward a group of people that seemed to be looking at her and whispering amongst themselves. “My father is… well, he is a very high ranking noble,” she added. “Elariamel Alaudriel,” she added, and with a gentle tug she began to pull Douken towards the center of the city, winding through the walkways that surrounded the trees.

After a while, they reached a large manor situated in the residential district. It was intricately and ornately decorated, reflecting that the owners were rather wealthy. Mazerine slowed to a stop and she turned to Douken, placing her hand on the side of his face gently and giving him a kiss. It wasn’t a deep, passionate kiss, but a gentle one, as though she were almost doing it to calm herself down. “This is it. House Alaudriel,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Are you ready?” she asked him, before knocking on the door.

After a few moments, the door opened, an elven woman who appeared even younger than Mazerine answering it. “By the gods, is that Mazzy?” she shrieked, before pulling Mazerine inside and embracing her tightly. Mazerine let out a little yelp, dropping Douken’s hand as she was pulled in, but motioning for him with her eyes to follow.

“Hello Luciana,” Mazerine said, catching her breath as the woman let go of her. “It’s been quite some time, but you haven’t changed at all,” she said, smiling. “Luciana, this is Douken, my… partner,” she said, pausing as she was unsure of how to refer to him. She gave Douken a coy smile.

Luciana looked Douken up and down, and Mazerine could see the approval in her eyes. “I knew time with the humans would be good for you, girl, and I was right – he’s a catch,” she said, adding the last bit in a hushed voice with a wink. “Your father isn’t going to be too pleased,” she added, to which Mazerine frowned.

“I know,” she said. “I’m hoping mother will at least understand,” she added. The moment she mentioned her mother, however, Luciana’s smile left her face. Mazerine caught this, and she furrowed her brow. “What is it, Luciana?” she asked, though on the inside, she knew.

“Mazzy, your mother… she got sick about a year ago,” Luciana said. Mazerine immediately felt her eyes stinging, and she knew the tears were coming. “I… I shouldn’t say anymore, sweetie. Why don’t you and Douken go to the parlor. I’ll have some tea brought in, and your father can fill you in on the rest. He’s meeting with an ambassador from Adeluna right now, but he should be done shortly,” she said, motioning for them to head towards the parlor, walking off in a different direction.

“Okay,” said Mazerine, though her voice caught slightly. She could feel a huge lump in her throat, very nervous about what she was going to find out from her father. “Come on,” she said, taking Douken’s hand again and leading them into the parlor.

It did not take much to feel Mazerine on edge as her grip tightened slightly with each passing moment, and when they reached their destination, a quick kiss aimed to steady the two's hearts. After all, they were in this together, and while he knew they could easily earn whatever silver they needed to get by, the expedition costs were getting up there the more and more they sought after the relic that began their relationship.

Still, he did not expect her to be pulled into the arms of another, seemingly cuddling her as Maz introduced him to her. Though she muttered low enough, the fact of her action sort of gave an idea on what they were talking about until things got more vocal: her mother not exactly in top shape. It was not like he really had an idea on if it was a chronic disease or a sudden one, but being down for a year certainly seemed intimidating. The worry was enough to throw the maiden into a small bit of turmoil before offering them down to the parlor to relax, saying another maid would tend to them as Elariamel was held busy.

Again, her nerves could be felt through her fingers as they made way to the parlor: a spacious room decorated by the wildlife that came from the earth along with a small table with chairs surrounding it. The pair easily took to the seats that rested close to each other as they waited, one that did not take long.

"Lady Mazerine. I am glad to see that you are well," a voice echoed from behind, though the hint of spite was laced in with her tongue. "With company no less." She moved over to set down a kettle of tea down and cups before giving them a bow. "I welcome you to House Alaudriel. I am Llorva, the head maid to this household. Please, enjoy," she stated before pouring the pair individual cups of tea before pushing cups their way. Giving the maid a quick thanks, Douken picked up the cup and gave it a careful whiff before taking in a small drink. Assam, he figured from the taste and color of the drink.

Still, to send the head maid in? Someone's being very careful. It simply meant that this would be his main hurdle of a first impression.

"We have time before Lord Elariamel is finished, so if there is anything you wish to know, Mister…"

"Douken. Douken Sota." May as well get introductions out of the way. Still, what to ask? Asking about how they came to such wealth or trade that earned it would be red flags for anyone, so that was a no go. "From what I understand, when the chaos between the gods spread across the land of Revaliir, Endapano was one of the major cities talked about that suffered some serious damage. However, from the looks of things, it seems this family has survived it quite well."

"Almost well," Llorva corrected. "Everyone was able to come out unscathed except for Lord Loras. Let's just say that his expectations of outsides have, well, increased…"