Mias and Elle - Chapter 14

Elle descended the stairs, taking each step carefully in her moderately uncomfortable new shoes. The hem of her light turquois dress gently tapped against her knees, a meek smile curled in the corners of her mouth. It had been some time since she had worn anything nice. And though there wasn't much that was particularly fancy about the cap-sleeved dress, there was something in the way that Mias smiled at her form the bottom of the stairs that made it feel special. There was also a feeling that closely resembled fear that started to well up the closer she got to bottom, as if it would lose its magic.

Mias was grinning like a fool - he could not help it. It was incredibly refreshing to see Elle properly dressed, and it helped that her choice still showed a delightful amount of leg – it could use more bust, though. The small smile that softly light up her face as she watched him with uncertain eyes was an exciting addition to the lovely image.

Well aware of his watchful gaze, Elle fluttered the skirt of her dress when she reached the bottom. "Well?"

Mias stroked his chin, pretending to give a judgemental overlook, for the sheer purpose of trying to amuse Elle. "Hmm…" When she made a small huffing sound and covered a broadened smile he shrugged his shoulders melodramatically. "It will have to do."

"That's it?" The disappointment in her voice was quite obvious.

Taking several steps to close the gap between them, he stood inches away from her, and was impressed to see that she made no move to back away. "It needs more…" He paused, a wicked grin on his face as Elle looked at him, anticipating a response. Hooking his index finger roughly at the bust line of her dress, and pulled down, careful not to tear the fabric, only to reveal an extra inch and a half of her breasts. He lifted his chin to look down on her from a different perspective, still entirely enjoying what he was seeing.

"Really?"

He ignored her blatant expression of indignation, "Mm, yes. I'll send for it to be altered immediately…"

"Well, you can let go now." She scowled when he did nothing, "Please."

Mias hooked his middle finger in for extra hold, "Oh… Not yet."

Elle rolled her eyes, and before her vision could even realign itself it was shrouded in a dark blur and she felt Mias' nose brush against hers. Her eyes nearly crossed before they could focus in on his staring back into her, deeply. Taking in a deep breath through thinly parted lips, she could practically taste his scent, and could feel his fingers brush against her raised chest. He was practically stepping on her toes he was so close, the sides of their noses nestled together – why wouldn't he kiss her?

"M… Mias?"

He parted his lips and they ghosted over hers, she took another sharp breath in, as if trying to pull him towards her with the strength of her lungs. That all too familiar knot was starting to form in her gut again, making her uncomfortable; she needed to increase the gap. She shifted her weight onto her heels, but Mias was so close that her body quavered with a loss of balance. As soon as her swaying brought their lips together Mias held them there for a few short seconds before taking her hand.

Her trance was broken as soon as she felt the tug at her arm and she blushed bright crimson when she realised he had seen her just standing there with her eyes closed when he pulled away.

"Come," He wrapped her arm around his, keeping his one hand on hers. "Just through the opposite door."

Mias led her to a door near the back of the grand hall to a small door that she had simply dismissed as a pantry or some kind of storage. There was nothing very special about it, at least compared to the great doors at the entrance of the castle, but it was mostly composed of a very thick, almost opaque glass and aged copper. She could see that it led outside as the glass was illuminated to a soft yellow, though the glass was quite dirty. It looked as though it had not been touched in a long time. And she could not help but notice how Mias' hand hesitated before opening it.

Elle squinted as the bright sun assaulted her eyes as Mias pulled her out into the soft, warm breeze. She shielded her eyes until they adjusted, then let her free arm drop to her side and her lips parted in awe.

It was a small –by the castles standards, anyway- garden, forgotten and overgrown, but filled to the brim with familiar and strange flowers and a large fountain that no longer worked. There were roses of the most unusual colours, orange, blue, purple; stargazer lilies, far larger than any she had ever seen before; and fox glove, lightly scattered throughout the enclosed garden walls. There were others that she could not even recognise, but they were equally brilliant in colour and beauty as the rest. It was sad to see such a beautiful place so neglected, yet the overgrowth and tarnished stone walls gave it all a mysterious quality.

"It's been here as long as I can remember."

He let her arm go and took a step forward, fully in the sun. The intense light that shone from his hair and off of his multiple rings was almost hypnotic, and Elle stared at him; he looked so peaceful in the light.

"I never had any use for it, but I thought you might enjoy it."

"It's lovely…"

"Hm."

Elle sat on a marble bench that was lightly freckled with bright green moss, sliding her feet out of the shoes for a little more freedom. She played with the petals of a blue rose from the bush by her side, all the while keeping a careful eye on Mias. There was something strange about the way that he was looking at her; an aura of discomfort seemed to have settled about him. She tried to ignore it, but her gaze was fixed on him as she bent down to sniff at the rose.

Mias watched as Elle curled her toes in the grass and moss that had long overgrown the pathways that twisted throughout the garden's now practically useless shallow-walled soil beds. His vision trailed slowly up her bare legs, the bright sun shining off of her smooth skin - he had to admit that he was impressed with the precision she was able to achieve with a straight razor. He found himself desperately missing her being in his shirt, especially considering there was much more flesh to see – and explore.

Yet, the higher his gaze went, the more interesting she became. There was something about the way her soft eyes seemed to smile back at him over the flower she wafted under her nose. Pulling the small dagger he had tucked at his waist from its scabbard, he made his way towards her. He could not help but laugh when he saw her eyes widen, and rolled his eyes at her as he cut the rose at the stem. It felt like a completely moronic gesture, but he tilted the rose towards her.

"It is all yours, if you want it."

"Oh." Elle smiled at Mias with pink cheeks, "How sweet of you."

Mias scowled slightly. Being called such a name was entirely disagreeable; it would ruin his reputation. But it was hard not to take it as a complement when he looked into Elle's eyes; she obviously thought that it was. He set the dagger down and sat next to her, lazily trying to pass the rose off to her.

"Wow, Mias." Elle reached for the flower slowly, but he caught her by the wrist. "Um…"

Mias set the rose and dagger down on a cracked and useless sundial so he could use that hand to scoop Elle around the waist. Her brow furrowed in disapproval, she was not expecting things to go this way – or was at least hoping. Was it too much to ask that they simply have a nice outing and talk? Apparently. She needed to think of a distraction before she started getting swept away by him, again.

"When are you going to tell me… what you are?"

Mias kissed her hand, stroking her wrist with his thumb. "I told you – I'm a man--"

"Don't fuck with me," Her expression was cold and serious. "I know you're not just--"

He cut her off with a finger on her lips and an equally serious expression. "Well now! Such an inquisitive little bother you can be, my pet… Always searching for answers; so hungry for knowledge. It would find it admirable, if it weren't so damn personal!"

Mias stood, pulling Elle to her feet by gently holding each of her hands. If she was so damned curious, he was going to give her an answer in the most lavish way that he could think of. He knelt before her, and had to roll his eyes at the terrifyingly disturbed look that came across Elle's face; she wanted answers, but was always so quick to jump to the most rash of conclusions. Concentrating, his thumbs rubbed her hands and he closed his eyes, rolling them upward. Elle's nervous movements were making it more difficult than it really needed to be, so he squeezed his eyes closed tighter, and his grip on her hands. And then he felt it, she was getting her answer.

Utterly confused at first, Elle just scrunched her nose at Mias' odd behaviour, until she felt it – or didn't. The warm stone, the cold grass beneath her feet, she could no longer feel it. It felt as though she were being enveloped by a breeze moving at impossibly slow speeds as her dress slowly swayed about her legs and her hair felt as though it were lifting about her by the ends. And then she looked down.

The ground was not there – at least her feet were not where they were supposed to be, on it. It was as though she was just dangling in the air, or Mias were somehow supporting her with his outstretched arms, but it wasn't true. Yet, the real answer seemed as entirely unfeasible as any other explanation. It was terrifying, and exhilarating.

"Oh my god…"

Mias opened his eyes, "Stop squirming."

Elle bit her lip and made a small squeaking sound, staring at him with large eyes. Her heart was pounding and her mind was running a mile a minute, trying to make sense of it all was only making it worse.

Holy shit!

Sensing her confusion, Mias rose to his feet slowly and Elle's feet returned to the ground in turn. Her hair settled back along her shoulders and her eyes lost their sense of panic. Feeling satisfied, he loosened the grip on her hands, but did not relinquish it entirely.

"I am a magician, and a powerful one at that. Are you satisfied?"

"Uh-I…"

Mias stepped in close and stroked the side of Elle's face, loving the way that her eyelids fluttered and her breath caught in her throat whenever he did. Her eyes were full of awe, and no doubt questions, but he had no intention of answering any more questions for the time being. He slid a hand behind her back, taking advantage of her arching back to pull her even closer. The smell of her skin was intoxicating, and by the wavering look on her face, she felt the same way about him. Locking his fingers in the hair just behind her ear, he pulled her in to a hungry kiss.

For the first time, her mind made no objection; she was lost in the moment. Her knees felt weak and she let out a small puff of hair through her nose against his face. Her hands slowly rose up before gripping gently at loose folds in his shirt, and she closed her eyes. The way that his fingers massaged the side of her scalp and the hand on his back softly made circles made her toes curl into the large patch of moss that she stood on. No objections, only giving in to the sweet taste of his mouth and intoxicating effects of his touch.

When he pulled away, Elle tightened her grip on his shirt without thought, "Mias…"

"Mm. Yes, my pet?" He traced a thumb over her red, swollen lips.

"Th-thank you…"

Chuckling, Mias kissed softly, "Mmhm."

"I mean it…" She started to wander, making her way back to sitting on the bench as she bumbled with her words. "This was very thoughtful of you, and –wow- what you just did. I don't even know what to think, it was-!  I--"

Mias leaned down over her and pressed his lips hard against hers, "Shut up."

"Oh…"

Taking her up in his arms, Mias ran his fingers through her hair, kissed her passionately, and caressed any part of her that he could reach. She kissed him back, far more timid than he would have liked, but it would have to do. Her breathing was heavy, his own almost matching as the leaves and buds of the rose bushes surrounding the bench brushed against their bodies.

Maybe he isn't too bad after all…