[ P ] enchanted by the fantasy

reuben serein

The war was finally over, but Reuben's mission to save his brother was not. He longed for nothing more than to smuggle Sulliven across the border. Dungeon walls and iron bars lay between them. His rank as a junior soldier didn't allow him to breeze into the dungeon without being heavily scrutinised. His plan had to be flawless. If both of them got caught then it would all be for nothing. Then there was the promise he made to Rayne. He couldn't let it get in the way of his plan to save his brother nor could he let himself get any more involved than he already was. Reuben Serein was a temporary existence and he would be forgotten in time when they parted ways, a promise fulfilled.

He had sent a jay with a bundle of daisies in its talons and a message to meet him in town. He’d found the flowers on his early patrol and was surprised that they had survived the first snowfall. Roses were the typical flowers to get for a date, but Reuben thought Rayne might appreciate ones he’d found and picked himself than ones bought from the market.

Dark paws restlessly paced the length of a cobbled path, feeling jittery as if he was actually going on a real date. Once again he reminded himself that he wasn't doing this for fun. It was a favour. All pretend. It did nothing to settle the nervous fluttering of his heart.

She had been wondering why a bird was following her, and found it odd that it carried a bouquet of flowers as well. It took her a second of trying to evade it that she realized she flowers were from her boyfriend of make believe. A small smile touched her lips, "how thoughtful," she mused as she than would follow the bird to the destination where the date was made. The cobblestone pathway was all too familiar, but yet he had been able to find a little hole in the wall. An inn she had passed many times before, but she knew of this one to be more fancy compared to the others that surrounded it. "What a lucky lady I am," she laughed softly, her gaze taking in his dark features. "Has anyone ever told you how much your eyes stand out against your dark fur?" She placed a gentle peck on his cheek before she backed away. "They're rather mesmerizing." At the compliment she could feel her heart flutter, the feeling of butterflies having a frenzy in her stomach made her shift beneath her paws. Why did she feel like this? It was all suppose to be fake, but yet the effort felt so real. What if they both forgot what their actual reality was? She cleared her throat to rid of the thought as she brushed against his side. "What are we doing today? Oh, and thank you for the flowers they're beautiful and well thought of." It would have been so simple for him to pick out a bunch from the market, but she could tell he took extra time on picking them out himself. Such a gentleman, even if it was all for show.

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reuben serein

They were led to their table by one of the inn workers, one that was tucked away in a corner of the room much to Reuben’s relief. At least they could have a little privacy during their date. The purpose of today was to perfect their act and figure out their story for when Rayne finally introduced him as her boyfriend to the songbird whose heart she had stolen. Smooth compliments rolled off her tongue accompanied with a kiss on the cheek. He was prepared for it this time, but his heart still felt a flicker of something that he dared not acknowledge. “Oh really? Well, why not take a closer look?” he replied and leaned in closer until his nose was only a few inches away so that she could take a good look at them. “Do you like them more than the fancy mainlander purple and the broody lowlander greys?” he teased her, wearing a playfully flirtatious smirk on his dark features. He tried not to think about the fact that his eyes were the only honest part about his appearance. Would she still like the mottled blue patchy fur over the solid darker blue? He banished the thought from his mind. It didn't matter because she would never find out that he wasn't who he said he was.

”What are we doing today?”
“We’re going to write our story. So how did we meet, m'eudail?” (my darling/my dear) he asked, testing the waters with a gaelic term of endearment. He wondered if she was still in touch with her gaelic roots and if the meaning would resonate with her. “I’m glad you like them. Do you have a favourite flower? I’ll try to find it next time,” he offered before he could stop himself from realising what a bad idea that was.

When he came in closer she could feel her heart flutter. Surely they had been close, but never this close before. It gave her a good view of his eyes and how green they actually were. The subtle way they glistened in the light and how intense they actually were with only inches between them. In truth she was lost until his voice broke the silence between them. Hurriedly she cleared her throat and offered him a gentle smile. "I like the way they fit you, and how they are yours entirely." She admitted in nothing than pure truth. It was hard at times to remind herself of what this actually was, but more so it was a wakeup call when he told her what their date was actually about. "Oh right, that..." she trailed off as if almost disappointed. There was a silence for a moment as she thought, the memory of how her and Riften had met was not one she would consider romantic. At all. Why he was hung up on her was beyond her understanding, but in a way she could see his side though she felt guilty that he thought he owed her anything. "How about after the war?" She began to brainstorm a bit. "Riften met me during the war, but it could be you who patched me up and we had spent some time together in my healing process?" Her shoulders pulled up into a shrug, "makes sense how someone can fall in love with the very being who put their life on hold just to make sure I turned out alright, doesn't it?" Her lips curled into a small smirk, "unless you have something better?" Rayne's gaze would drift over to the waiter who began to make his way towards their table. She had little time to view the menu, but had an idea of what she wanted anyways.

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reuben serein

Getting lost in someone's eyes? Reuben had always thought such a thing romantic nonsense that loved up couples talked about. Yet here he was swept up in a tide of blue and the endless possibilities within them. A vast summer sky shone back at him from her eyes and he wanted that sky all for himself. The pure, joyous aqua that was full of life and freedom. He wasn't deserving of it. He’d taint those cloudless summer skies and then it really would be raining for the both of them.

"I like the way they fit you, and how they are yours entirely."

A pang of pain pulsed within his chest like a heartbeat all of its own. Yours entirely. It sat heavily, reminding him of the one whose face and eyes he shared. His fate had been tied to his brothers since the day they were born and he didn't want that thread to become his brother’s noose.

“Blue is my favourite colour,” he admitted with a small smile, pulling away just before their noses touched. It was the truth and the first thing other than his name that he had revealed willingly and it was her eyes that had drawn it out of him.

Cute. The dangerous yet innocent thought surfaced when he saw how disappointed she was to be moving on to business. Fondness for the girl was already taking root in the heart that he should have thrown on the pyre along with Reuben Karsia. Her story for them was romantic enough for him to wish it was true. If only they had met under those circumstances where Reuben had been a healer instead of a killer then he would have done some good with his life. That version of Reuben could have been someone worthy of love. “I like it,” he hummed thoughtfully, green eyes wistful for a brief moment before the charming smile returned. “Who doesn't love a hero?” he laughed, ignoring the guilt that throbbed again and again. Fraud. The voices inside were throwing stones again, trying to condemn him for the debt of sin that he owed. It wasn't time to pay up yet. That was what kept the smile on his face and the false light in his green eyes.

If he could do even just a little good for someone before he found Sulliven again it might mean that there was a grain of truth in the faith he had in him. “I don't know anything about medicine so you’ll have to teach me sometime,” he suggested. It was a weak excuse to spend more time with her. “You know.. to make our story more authentic,” he added and even to him it sounded unbelievable.

In truth it was hard to remember what was fake and what was real, especially in moments like the one they were sharing. He admitted to liking the color blue, and while he was lost in her gaze for even the shortest amount of seconds she could hear her heart thumping heavily in her chest. It wasn’t until he pulled away that she cleared her throat and offered him a gentle smile back. Thankfully they were on the same page when it came to their story, although she wished it was more true than not, she took a step back to remind herself what this was. How badly she wanted to forget though, and the thought of mixing reality with fiction was so tempting. Her lips parted to speak, an admittance of something that maybe she should have kept to herself, but she was quick to pull it back. The nights she was alone she found herself thinking of him. When he was only inches from her she wished to place more tender kisses without the time limit or hesitance. Little did she know that a small, fake transaction of business would turn into something that began to lose sight of. “Medicine is easy if you can keep in mind what herb does what,” she did her best to calm her mind and maybe distract herself. “Because it is also very easy to make poison, though a lot of others don’t know that.” She leaned in closer to him, her blue gaze finding it easy to get lost in the sea of green. “Can I ask you something?” It bugged her and clearly her mind was not so open to letting it go. “Does this still feel fake to you?” She could feel the lump form in her throat as she asked, but she knew that wasn’t all she wanted to test and the closer she moved towards him the faster her heart beat. “Don’t answer just yet,” she softly spoke before inhaling a deep breath. Slowly she caressed his cheek with delicate, calculated kisses before working toward the velvet of his ear. Each movement closer towards the decent to his muzzle made her feel sick, but not with disgust, instead with nervousness. She didn’t know how he was going to react, and maybe he did not feel what she was feeling. How else would they know though? She pulled back for moment to meet his gaze, but she would return back to him, her tongue trailing the length of his dark lined lips and side of his muzzle. Then she would break the kiss, looking at him in silence while her cheeks flushed with heat.

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reuben serein

Even with the distance between them and the flirtatious flames no longer being fanned, Reuben still couldn't keep his eyes from meeting those forbidden blues. They teased him with a promise of what ifs and why nots? One good deed. It was what was supposed to happen. A chance to be a hero for once, to not be thought of as a screw up. He wanted to leave behind at least one good memory before the head man’s axe came for his neck. The problem was that Reuben was selfish. The guilt ate into his heart like worms in a rotten apple core was something he was desperate to escape. As much as he wanted to suffer he also wanted to be loved.

The tug of war between his morals and his desires continued as she spoke about herbs. She seemed a little distracted and he couldn't help wondering what was on her mind. ”Can I ask you something?” The distance was closed again and almost like magnetism he was drawn closer. He nodded, feeling the thudding of his pulse sounding like an alarm through his whole body. ”Does this still feel fake to you?” The door that he tried so hard to keep sealed came crashing open and reality snapped its jaws in his face. She didn't want to pretend. That shouldn't have made him happy, but it did. “Ray-” “Don’t answer just yet,” Her request silenced him.

Do you really want to be responsible for ruining another life? he asked himself, his carefree mask faltering for a moment and exposing the frightened boy beneath. When her lips touched him, he stiffened, feeling warmth skittering across his skin and tingles making his hair stand on end.

He should have pushed her away and ended it right then, but still he didn't move. It was the first warm touch that he had felt in almost a year. The fact that it came from a girl he liked confused him even more. Once she pulled away he felt restless breaths flowing free from his chest. “Rayne,” he finally spoke in a breathy voice. Slowly he leaned closer, tenderly touching his nose to her cheek. “I can't promise you tomorrow, only today. Now is all I have to offer,” he murmured, green eyes reflecting his regret. “My life is complicated. Knowing that, do you still want to do this?” he asked. He wasn't offering her much. A fleeting romance that he foolishly hoped would leave them both with happy memories instead of bitter ones.

He tried to retort, but he was met with silence instead and allowed her to place the gentle kisses upon his lips. When he finally did catch his breath he met her gaze, her name rolled off his lips as if he was hesitant about the whole thing entirely. She waited, the words she expected to hear were not the ones that fell from his lips and yet she only found herself drawn closer to him. "If it is so bad are you willing to make me a part of it?" What was so complicated? This? She knew she was poking fire and wishing to get burnt, but if they never tried how would they know it was meant to happen. What started out as something so simple, so innocent, had brewed into something real that just felt right. "I have told you complicated things about me, so let me in. You know my past, some of my history, the things I want to do moving forward. I want to know more about you, it just feels like I am meant to." She admitted, her gaze did not once linger from his features. While they were still coming to learn of one another he made her feel like she knew him for a longer time than that, and her curiosity only pushed her to want more. If he was concerned about even their friendship, she expected he would have said something, so what was one step further? "Don't you wanna see how this ends?" It was risky, for if they didn't last than that meant the friendship would diminsh too, surely. If they didn't try, however, who was to say they were not meant to be soulmates in such a world?

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The war was something that Riften had told himself he was ready for, especially after his first interaction with it had been handled very well. He was saved by an angel, a goddess. She protected him and after that first battle of meeting her, she found him and they spoke. He was able to profess his undying affections for her, and though she was not unkind about her reaction, she didn't really go for it like he thought a female would. In all the love stories he had ever heard, the females always loved a romantic male. And so he wanted to be that. He wanted to be that for her, for his Rayne. When he had joined the second battle, it was much worse than the first and there was no sign or tale of his Rayne. Perhaps she was off, keeping safe from the ever pressing bastards that wanted their heads on a silver platter. Maybe she was waiting for him? The only thing that had kept the male going was the thought that she would be waiting for him on the other side.

When he was captured and thrown into the jail cells, his own sister did not even try to save him. She taunted him with emotions and feelings as though she even ever really loved him. He was heartbroken, broken down, emotionally exhausted. But thoughts of Rayne kept him eating, drinking, thinking of a new ballad to sing for her. She was his reason to breathe and to push through these desperate times. He loved her and he wanted nothing more than to be with her. He wasn't sure how much time had passed with him chained behind the iron bars, but he knew that during the final battle, he was released by a member of the Jacob army. He didn't know the wolf, but he made a mental note to find him later and properly thank him for what he had done. He knew his family was in the Highlands, or had been headed there. But he had to find his Rayne first. He wanted to bring her home to his family. Then he could prove to his father that he didn't know what he was talking about.

Sure Rayne was not the Princess he had left his home for and supposedly "betrayed" his family - as so claimed by his dear sister. He went to the town, not sure where he would even think to find her. Maybe he could ask around and see if anyone had seen or known of his angel. He would search the whole city if he needed to do so. The young wolf held his head high and wandered the streets. He was searching for her scent, and though it was bogged down with so many other scents, he thought he could be able to find her with ease. It took a long time, and he was starting to lose hope. Maybe she was gone? Maybe she went to live in the woods and the wild? Then a soft breeze picked up the slightest whiff of her scent and cast it over his onyx nose. His eyes sparked with life and he regained the pep in his step.

He wasn't really sure where he would be led to, but he was not going to stop until he found her. Then he heard his name coming from her lips, but nothing else was really legible for him to hear. After all, what really sounded like "Riften"? When she was finally in view, he saw his angel, his Rayne, with another man. Riften froze in step, his body unable to move him from the scene that was playing out before him. His eyes locked onto her, not really paying much attention to the ebony male that had currently held her attention in a chokehold. He saw the expression in her eyes, he saw the way she was so close to him. His heart pounded deep in his chest, and part of him wanted to attack the male, to tell him off. But soon enough, Riften realized it was not the male that was going after his angel - more so... his angel was going after the male. As her lips moved closer to the black wolf's, he let out a gasp. Tears swelled in the corners of his eyes.

His heart was beating like the sound of a thousand drummers. Not just one kiss or two, but several gentle kisses were placed upon the strange male. "stranger danger" rang in his ears from his mother warning him of something like this. Never this exact situation, but pretty close. "Rayne!" His mouth allowed for him to shout. As her name escaped his lips, he could hear his blood moving through his body. He wanted to move his legs, to move closer to her. But he didn't have the ability. His heart was breaking into a million pieces, and his courage was fading. "How could you?" he asked as the tears were now streaming down his cheeks, wetting his fur. His eyes could barely stay open. He wasn't even sure she heard his voice. Before either of them could respond to him, he was able to run back the direction of where he had come from. He didn't want to see her anymore, he didn't want to believe that this was reality. He needed to go home.

[Exit Riften.]
@Reuben @Rayne

art: raven & code: clae

reuben serein

The line that he had drawn between them had been erased and redrawn so many times. Every time she pushed, he fumbled, and those dangerous blue eyes drew him in. Reuben couldn't risk making her his accomplice. She had a bright future ahead of her and he did not. Even this temporary romance was pushing things. As long as Rayne remained an outlier then she wouldn't be in danger and when they did eventually part ways she could find someone better than a liar like him.

He prepared himself to turn her down, to convince her that they were better as they were when a masked sandstone figure was approaching. At first he thought it was a newbie server who couldn't read the mood until he saw those stricken grey eyes. Riften. He didn't need to ask to know it was him. The song bird had come calling for his chosen mate and found her preening another's feathers. He felt a vague sense of pity for him, but he wasn't concerned about his reaction. It was Rayne's response that he was worried about. She had worked with him to set up this ruse in the first place to let him down gently and now even that had exploded in their faces. “Do you want to go after him?” he asked, reaching across to her and patting her with a paw on hers consolingly. “I don't mind,” he added, just in case guilt for him would hold her back. Of course he didn't like it, not entirely, but what he wanted didn't matter in this situation. It was Rayne who did.