Curiosity Killed the Cat
Chapter 1
“Wow…” was the only word he could say. He’d have rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, but he didn’t want to risk that she was just an illusion and that rubbing his eyes would interrupt his fantastic imagination. He pursed his lips as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. He couldn’t decide what to do with his hands.
He slid them into his pockets, bit his lip then removed them from his pockets, crossing his chest with them. He took his right hand to his mouth and began tapping impatiently on his lips. The impatient tapping evolved into him biting his knuckles for no reason other than the girl that he hadn’t taken his eyes from since he saw her.

“What’s Chani doing?” Arthur cocked his head to the side, staring at his friend with a confused look painting his face.

Harmet glanced over at Chani and shook his head of fiery hair. “I don’t really know. I’ve never seen him like this.”

Arthur ran his fingers through his thin wheat hair, “He’s been staring off in one direction for a fair amount of time.”

Harmet tightened the ponytail that fastened his hair neatly at his neck, “How long?”

Arthur shrugged, “If I had a sun dial I’d tell you. But it seems like an hour. He’s been acting weird too. He kept moving his hands around, shifting his weight and as far as I can tell he isn’t blinking.”

Harmet glanced back at Chani who was ran his fingers through his silken ebon locks once before biting his bottom lip and shifting his weight again.

Harmet stood quickly and approached Chani who didn’t so much as acknowledge his presence. “Chani?”

“Hmm?” Chani replied, not shifting his gaze.

“You’re being mindless…and frankly I know that you’re happy when you’re not talking…but this kind of silence is just plain frightening….even from you,” Harmet waved his hands before Chani’s eyes and got a swift landing on his back. “You could have just asked me to sto-“Harmet trailed off when he saw the gorgeous young girl.

“What’s so interesti-“Arthur joined his companions and mimicked their silence and inability to sit still.

“Wow…” Chani managed to say again. He rubbed the back of his head and smirked, blushing slightly.

“Does she see us?” Arthur asked, sounding half mortified.

“Even if she was paying mind to us, you’re the last one she’d look at,” Chani glared at the thin blonde.

“Hey, if you like her, go talk to her…” Arthur said simply.

“Uh…” Chani blushed and trailed off his thought as she met eyes with him.

His eyes glistened in disbelief and with an appreciation for her beauty. He gasped in disbelief as she advanced toward them gracefully. “Hello,” Chani bowed, not losing eye contact with her.

“Hello, Chani,” she curtsied, still maintaining eye contact with Chani.

“Cendra,” he said quietly.

“You are the one I’ve heard of?” she noted.

“Did you need something?” Chani asked, a little more confident sounding.

“Yes, I need you to take a look at something, if you’re not too busy…” Cendra smiled brilliantly, her pale skin colored red from blushing on her cheeks, her eyes hypnotic, her hair flowing brown locks that caressed the dip of her back and her voice soft, that of an angel.

“Not at all,” Chani said simply. “Lead the way,” Chani blinked in disbelief when he realized that he had actually spoken to the girl. He followed her, motioning for his companions to follow.

Cendra lead them to a small room in the tavern that she was renting. “You three aren’t to tell a soul about this, okay?” She sat Arthur and Harmet on the bed and had Chani at her side. She opened a small pack and revealed a small cedar chest. “If Chani’s the only one that must be present in the room…”

“We understand,” Harmet nodded.

“We’ll be outside,” Arthur snickered, but stopped when Chani glared daggers at him.

When the door closed behind Arthur, Cendra sat on the bed with the chest. “Do you think you can open it? It was…an heirloom…”

“I’m not here to judge you,” Chani said simply joining her on the bed. “I just get paid to open boxes. I don’t ask for a certificate of ownership.

“Oh…” Cendra blushed when Chani’s hand brushed hers as he took the chest. She watched him examine the lock with curiosity. His eyes were deep, dark, cold and very mysterious. His skin tone was proof that he worked since it was a golden brown compared to the upper class with snowy white complexions. She normally was picky about the men that she associated with, but she found cuteness in Chani that she’d never seen before. There was something about the way his mussed black hair framed his face and fell into his eyes as he was deep in thought that she found striking. His hands were a little rough, but it was a new sensation with which she wanted to be familiar.

Chani smirked and pulled a dagger from his pocket. He placed the tip of the blade in the lock and wiggled it slightly. A quiet click followed and the lid sat, ready to be opened.

“How much do I owe you?” Cendra asked.

Chani stood. Still holding the box, “50 gold coins.”

“I don’t have…” Cendra hung her head.

Chani blushed, “But...” Cendra met his eyes, “I’ll wave the fee.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that…” Cendra said quietly.

“Then how about we barter?”

“Barter?”

“A walk in the woods with me?” Chani suggested, holding the box out for her to accept.

“A walk?”

“Just a walk,” Chani assured her.

“I suppose I owe you something for your kindness,” Cendra replied, accepting the box.

“Tonight?”

“Sure,” Cendra blushed as she watched Chani leave.

“So, we can eat tonight?” Arthur asked hopefully, getting up from his seat to greet Chani.

“Not exactly,” Chani said simply.

“You got services for your service?” Arthur asked in shock.

Chani knocked Arthur to the ground, “Don’t ever talk about Cendra like that…”

Harmet shook his head in disbelief, “You didn’t wave the fee?”

“Oh, I did,” Chani smiled, staring dreamily at the ceiling.

“You are no longer left alone with the pretty girls,” Harmet demanded.

“I still have money. If you two wanna eat, get a job, or rob somebody,” Chani said coldly.

“You can’t consider picking locks, pockets and garbage a job…” Arthur rubbed the back of his head.

“It’s a living…” Chani shrugged, “And when did I ever pick through garbage?” he asked incredulously.

“You’re a street child…you’re better suited at surviving on people’s foolishness than a squire,” Harmet motioned toward Arthur, “And a woodsman.”

Chani bit into an apple and continued staring at the ceiling, “So?”

Arthur bit his lip, “Hunger pangs…”

“You could be eating scraps from the King and Queen’s plates…” Chani glanced over at the blonde, “After their dogs got to eat a bit, of course.”

“But servicing the ones who talk down to me wasn’t for me…” Arthur whimpered. Harmet opened his mouth to speak but shook his head, stifling a laugh instead.

“Not going to point out the irony either?” Chani asked Harmet between bites of his apple. Harmet just shook his head. “I’ll buy you both a meal if you make sure there’re no bandits in the woods tonight.”

“So we shoot you on the spot?” Arthur asked. Harmet and Chani exchanged glances of disbelief. “What?” Arthur asked.

“Why do you think I’d be in the woods tonight?” Chani asked.

“Because Cendra and the box you opened are heading there now,” Arthur said matter-of-factly.

Chani stood quickly, “Doesn’t she know how dangerous the woods are?”

“Yeah, she could have met up with you before you fell in love with her,” Harmet teased. Chani blushed and shot Harmet a glare. “I had to take a shot sometime,” Harmet said in his own defense.

“So Chani is in love with her…” Arthur nodded. “That’s why he didn’t try to sleep with her…” his tone was in realization.

“Why didn’t you say something before she reached the woods?” Chani asked, darkly.

“Well, one I didn’t know you were in love with her, and two I think the last time I got slammed to the ground you gave me a concussion,” Arthur replied.

“Are all humans this dense?” Chani asked Harmet.

Harmet shrugged since he was a human like Arthur he didn’t know in what aspect he was insulting Arthur’s intelligence, so he figured an ambiguous reply best, “Weren’t you wearing a bandana?”

Chani blinked and felt the top of his head to reveal that he’d lost his means of covering his face if the need should arise. “No time to go back for it, now…”

Chapter 2
Cendra skipped through the entrance of the woods, still holding the chest tightly beneath her arm. She also had a trinket from Chani, his bandana wrapped around her wrist. She sniffed it twice and blushed. He smelled so good. She’d wanted a reason to talk to him for years, but she never had an excuse until today.

She smiled when she found her friends frolicking around in their usual spot. “Good afternoon, sisters,” Cendra smiled happily.

Calli smirked when she saw Cendra, “You’ve got a boy, now, huh?”

“What are you talking about?” Cendra asked, confused. All of her friends knew that she liked Chani for years. She didn’t think that they’d know before her that she’d get a chance to be his.

Raven cocked her head to the side and motioned toward Cendra’s wrist where Chani’s bandana was fastened. “You do know that wearing something from a boy is a sign that you’re a couple, right?”

“I-it’s not like that…” Cendra shook her head and sighed, trying to hide her blush. “He dropped it and I didn’t see him to give it back, yet…”

Peyton glanced up from her reading, “We all know that only one boy can get her that red just from thinking about him.”

“What’d you talk to him about? I mean, you’re excuse for not talking to him is that your family would kill you, after of course killing him, making you clean up the mess after watching him die,” Calli brushed her blonde hair from her eyes.

“I had him pick a lock,” Cendra said coolly as she sat on the ground, presenting the box to her friends.

Raven continued braiding her silky black hair and shaking her head in disbelief, “If you were just going to give it back, why were you smelling it and wearing it on your wrist?”

“Can we focus on the box?” Cendra asked, blushing badly.

“Sure,” Calli smirked. “We’ll get back to Cendra’s life-long love in a moment. What’s in the box?”

“A scroll,” Cendra opened the box, holding the scroll triumphantly.

“We’re capable of magic, but we need more than just a scroll to do a spell…” Peyton said simply.

Cendra unfurled the scroll and revealed the spell that was written eons ago. “The spell we’ve been waiting for…”

“What’s this do?” Raven asked.

“Mind control…” Cendra said, pursing her lips.

“I wonder how in depth this spell is…” Calli began stroking her chin thoughtfully.

“What are you thinking?” Cendra blushed.

“Imagine if you could make Chani do exactly as you pleased…down to your very last thought with his hands caressing you…” Calli’s tone dropped a few octaves, “His lips on yours, trailing down your neck…”

Cendra’s eyes widened with embarrassment as her cheeks were bright red again, “That’s not fair!”

“What isn’t?” Peyton asked, twirling her fingers through her caramel hair.

“Why does Chani have to be the voodoo doll?” Cendra pouted.

Cendra’s friends exchanged glances before Raven came up with a reply, “What if we each pick one—a voodoo doll. It’ll better prove the spell’s effectiveness, right?”

“Does mine have to be Chani?” Cendra asked.

“Yes…” Calli nodded. “Since you want him you’ll be more inclined to try it out…”

Cendra gasped, “You really think I’d make him do that?!”

Peyton shook her head, “No, I know you’re too shy to do that. But I’ll be manipulating whoever is tending bar tonight so we can get some free drinks.”

“Nicely thought out,” Raven nodded. “I’ll be using this spell to make the perfect squire,” she grinned wickedly.

“Out of a royal guard, by chance?” Calli asked Raven who nodded vigorously.

“I’ll need some time to think of a good one like you three…” Calli sighed.

“Hell, why not pick him while you three are drinking tonight?” Cendra asked as she memorized the spell.

Calli accepted the scroll and also began memorizing what was written on it before glancing up at Cendra, “Won’t you be joining us?”

“I’m going herb collecting tonight. I mean, this spell is gonna clean me out of herbs and spices,” Cendra said simply.

“Planning on using it a good bit?” Calli asked as she passed the scroll to Peyton who followed suit.

“No, I’m about out of fresh stuff,” Cendra said simply.

“You always forget to go herb collecting before too late. Seriously, we’re going every new moon from here on out,” Peyton promised as she handed the scroll down to Raven.

“Alright, consider it a date,” Cendra smiled as she acted like her nose was itching so she could sneak a sniff of Chani’s bandana.

“Date? While you’re sneaking a smell of Chani’s bandana?” Raven giggled before continuing her reading and memorizing.

“Uhhh…” Cendra’s cheeks reddened again. Cendra replaced the scroll back in the chest, locking it with the skeleton key she had around her neck.

“You didn’t need him to open it to begin with?” Raven asked.

“I could have had Calli use a spell to open it if I didn’t have the key,” Cendra said simply with a smirk.

“Didn’t see that one coming…” Calli admitted.

Cendra stood up, replacing the key beneath her robe before turning into five men with their faces covered. “W-what are you doing here?” Cendra asked, trying to sound confident.

Calli, Raven and Peyton scrambled to their feet and stood with Cendra. “You’d better leave…” Calli hissed.

“Or what? What are four wenches going to do?” the first one asked as he unsheathed his dagger.

“Get the hell away from them…” Chani demanded.

“Ch-Chani!” Cendra’s eyes lit up when she saw him with a blade wielded in each of his hands.

“Cendra, are you okay?” Chani’s tone grew soft.

Cendra nodded, “Uh huh…”

“If nothing else the boy has excellent timing,” Calli muttered.

“One man is going to take five?” Another bandit asked.

“If you’d like me to go one on one so it’s fair, we can do that, too,” Chani said simply with a shrug.

“Chani…” Cendra whispered as she stared into his eyes, “Be careful…”

“I’ll be fine,” Chani assured her.

“Or we could all just charge you and take the lassies,” another suggested.

“You can try…” Chani said in sing-song.

The first one raised his sword in the air and slashed down, missing Chani by a long-shot. Chani knocked his assailant to the ground, disarming him and placing his blade at the man’s throat.

“He’s amazing…” Raven whispered.

“Wow…” Cendra blinked in disbelief.

Chani blushed at Cendra before glancing down at his defeated opponent, “I do believe that you had better start running since I have no problems attacking an unarmed man who was going to attack four helpless women.”

The man let out a cry as he crawled away from Chani’s icy glare more than his blade, leaving his four underlings to fend for themselves.

“The boss said it was gonna be easy taking out four women…” the second whimpered.

“You didn’t think I was stupid enough to face five of you alone, did you?” Chani nodded to the one who was reaching for a hidden dagger. “The second that knife is unsheathed…” Chani nodded to his left. The bandits and women flanked over to Harmet who had three arrows on his bow with his bow ready to loose them at the highwaymen. “And on the off-chance that he’d miss…” Chani nodded above them to where Arthur had his sword drawn and was crouching in the canopy, waiting to be cued.

“Chani…why’d you come here?” Cendra asked.

Peyton chuckled, “He was worried that something like this might happen…”

Chani nodded once, and turned his eyes back to the four remaining highwaymen. “Well, three on three is fair. So…” Chani poised himself, ready to attack.

“We’ll leave…” one said simply.

“On the off chance that Chani didn’t show up…” Raven cracked her knuckles and punched threw a tree. Peyton lifted several stones with her telekinesis and began juggling them with just a thought. Calli transformed into a wolf and bayed once before taking her human form again.

Chani turned toward Cendra, “What can you do?” Cendra smirked and lit a fire around her fist and began blasting a barrage of embers at the three fleeing highwaymen. Chani blinked in disbelief, “So…you didn’t need my help after all…”

“No…” Cendra smiled warmly, “But your fighting skills are amazing and I do appreciate it.”

“Thanks…” Chani eyed the other girls quickly as they started to leave before glancing back to Cendra.

“Oh…you dropped this…” Cendra unwrapped Chani’s bandana from her wrist and placed it in his hand. “I was gonna give it back to you tonight on our walk…”

Arthur crashed to the ground and stood up, recovered swiftly, “You traded a lock picking for a date?”

Harmet joined the three as well, setting his bow at ease. “What did Chani do, now?”

“He traded a lock picking for a date!” Arthur shouted.

“So, can you two ever stay out of my business?” Chani asked, blushing. He took Cendra’s hand and stepped away from his two companions, glaring at them before softening his gaze and tone when his attention fell back to Cendra. “You had it around your wrist…”

Cendra blushed and nodded, “I did.”

Chani place it on her palm and curled her fingers around it. “I like that. Would you mind always wearing it?”

“N-not at all…” Cendra smiled as Chani tied the bandana around her wrist. She undid the sapphire necklace from her neck and secured it around Chani’s neck. She blushed when the glint of blue and silver hit against his chest. “So long as you’ll wear mine….”

“Of course…” Chani smiled as he caressed the stone.

“We are still wondering why we don’t get to eat tonight…” Arthur said darkly.

“You’re a page and a forester. You’ll figure it out…” Chani said dreamily.

“You really traded a lock picking for a date?” Harmet asked desperately.

“They hate me, don’t they?” Cendra asked.

“No, miss, our anger is directed at Chani,” Harmet assured her.

“I’m surprised you both didn’t try anything when you were alone in her room. I mean you both wanted to, and you still do,” Arthur rolled his eyes.

Chani glared at the scrawny blonde human, “Arthur…”

“What?” Arthur asked.

“This is what Chani meant by minding our business…” Harmet said quietly.

“Oh, come on. I’m just trying to help. I mean, please….normal people have sparks…the way she lit up when she saw you was beautiful…even though she was more than capable of defending herself she was still glad that you came to save her—classic sign that she’s falling for you. Plus: she was very selective when she gave you that necklace. She’s hiding something under her robe….”

“Hiding something?” Chani asked.

Arthur sighed and began walking back toward the tavern, “You’ll both thank me later for being the one to point out the obvious.”

“I’ll go sober him up…” Harmet muttered as he dragged his feet behind the intoxicated blonde. “That explains why he fell out of the bloody tree. For Pete’s sake, he’s got good balance and poise usually. That’s where all of our money went…”

“Are you hiding something?” Chani asked.

“Maybe one little thing…” Cendra admitted.

“What is it?”

Cendra blushed, reluctantly pulling out the skeleton key from around her neck, letting it fall to her chest. “I had the key the whole time…”

“Oh…” Chani blushed. “So that walk tonight was your ultimate goal?”

“I…” Cendra glanced down at the ground, “I’ve wanted to for so long…”

“Why not just talk to me?” Chani asked, placing his finger under her chin, leading her eyes to meet his.

“I couldn’t sum up the courage,” Cendra muttered. “So…” she started walking back toward the town.

“So?” Chani laced his hand with hers.

She glanced up at him, “I have to buy some reagents…and pick some others…”

“Then I’ll help…” Chani said firmly.

Cendra bit her bottom lip, “I also have to mix a potion.”

“I’ll be your taste-tester…” Chani offered.

Cendra laughed lightly, “You don’t think less of me for misleading you?”

“Not at all. I mean…you at least had the courage to talk to me eventually,” Chani said simply.

“So did you,” Cendra muttered.

Chapter 3

Cendra rattled off the ingredients from her mind as she began instinctively tossing pinches of this and dashes of that into the mort. She placed the box on the shelf above her so she wouldn’t be tempted to open it and reveal to Chani the reason that she hadn’t let him see what was in the chest.

Chani watched patiently as Cendra crushed the herbs, spices and mojo into a fine powder. “You’re really a witch…” Chani shook his head.

“I am,” Cendra agreed,

“And what is this you’re making?” Chani asked as he felt the fine powder between his hands. “Is it safe to eat?”

“It won’t hurt you if you do ingest it…” Cendra replied and finished her sentence when she saw the disdained expression of Chani’s face, “But it won’t taste too appetizing.”

“I think it needs salt...” he said, disgusted.

“I think it needs flavor…” Cendra laughed as she mussed his hair affectionately.

“Maybe that’s what it was missing…” he wiped his tongue clean on his sleeve and continued wrinkling his nose. “I think it soaked into my taste buds…”

Cendra giggled and handed him a bottle of blue liquid, “Here, this is safer to ingest. And it has flavor.”

“What is it?” he asked after taking a long drink and sighing in relief.

“Moon Foam.”

“Moon Foam?” he asked, looking back and forth between her and the bottle.

“It’s what you get when you ask for a piece of the moon,” she said simply with a smile.

“It is better tasting than it sounds,” he commented as he leaned against the counter. “I mean this is magical…”

“Obviously. Normal women don’t keep the moon in little vials in their homes…”

“Normal women don’t catch my eye either,” Chani whispered.

Cendra blushed, “I heard that.”

“I was hoping you had,” Chani replied.

“How much of our girl time did you hear?”

“I saw you blush after scratching your nose, but then I had to put my hand over Arthur’s mouth so you didn’t know we were there. I didn’t hear anything except a comment about my timing which makes me think I was the topic of conversation before I showed.”

“You were mentioned,” Cendra admitted.

“Were they teasing you about me?”

Cendra nodded, her cheeks still colored from embarrassment. “I wish they all couldn’t read minds sometimes…”

“They all can read minds?”

“Not all of the time. They can’t control what they read,” Cendra explained. “I on the other hand can’t read minds at all.”

“But you can control fire.”

“And ice, water…lightning…earth…wind…metal…darkness, light…sound, psychic energy and wood.”

“Full Elementalist…” Chani blinked in amazement.

“Yes…”

“And you spend time in the woods so you can be at one with nature?” Chani asked.

“I do,” Cendra replied. “Where did you learn to move so agilely?”

Chani frowned, “Someone of your stature doesn’t want to know, believe me.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know,” Cendra smiled at Chani and caressed his cheek affectionately.

Chani sighed, “I didn’t grow up with money, or a family for that matter….” Cendra climbed onto the counter top and crossed her ankles, her eyes never leaving Chani’s. “And so I didn’t want to be stepped on all of my life. I started hitting back when kids would beat on me—Just swinging at them after they’d swing on me. Sometimes I’d see it coming and duck, or move. After being in the middle of so many fights at the orphanage I had enough and just ran away.”

Cendra frowned, knowing how fortunate she was to have had a family and money, though she despised both.

“I don’t need sympathy…” Chani assured her with an affectionate rub on her leg. “I saw you my first day in this town, you know that?”

“You were the adorable little boy with the cut on his face…” Cendra realized.

“You remember?” Chani chuckled.

“I had the biggest crush on you,” Cendra admitted. She laughed, then covered her face when she noticed how red she was.

“Had?” he asked, disappointed.

“Don’t you think crushes are silly at our age?”

Chani shrugged, “I still have a crush on you.”

“Still?”

“You were the only beautiful thing I ever remember seeing. You still are,” Chani tried to hide his blushing. “I mean…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s nothing…” Chani shook his head. “I did go in the woods when Arthur told me you were headed toward the woods…I wasn’t in there before hand.”

“Why when he pointed it out?”

“The woods are dangerous…”

“I worried you that much?” Cendra folded her hands onto her lap.

“My heart fell to my feet when I saw those five men, armed and facing you….” Chani admitted.

“Tell me what you wouldn’t tell me just now, please?”

“After you’re engaged…better yet, married…” Chani said, crossing his arms.

She smiled at Chani’s gorgeous eyes and perfect looks. She wasn’t shallow, but his looks did withhold some kind of tempting charm. “What if I don’t want to be married…”

“You don’t?”

“I might change my mind…” Cendra said coyly.

Chani brushed a hair from Cendra’s eyes and gently kissed her lips before staring into her eyes and smiling, “I hope you do.”

She glanced down at the floor, “Are you going to finish your story?”

“Tonight on our walk,” Chani promised. “But I’ve got to go apologize to Harman and Arthur for everything. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye…” Cendra whispered.

“Bye…” Chani whispered before kissing her again.

Chapter 4

Cendra poured her fine powder into her mojo pouch and slipped it into her pack. She thought entirely about Chani’s kisses and how they were just what she wanted. The spell only instructed her to grind the ingredients while thinking about him. It didn’t require being in a mojo bag, or with her at anytime past it being created. She just brought it for safe measure.

“It’s already working…” she said as she sat next to Calli.

“Cen, you can’t be serious…” Calli looked at her friend and shook her head, “Never mind, she’s blushing and quivering.”

Raven looked up from her nap, “Working how?”

“I had Chani’s perfect lips against mine…twice…” Cendra replied.

Peyton looked up from her reading, “Complaining?”

“No, I just don’t think I can last through my and his walk tonight…” Cendra said simply.

“Hold the telegram…” Calli said simply.

“What now?” Peyton closed her book.

“I thought it was odd that you had 50 gold coins on you to pay him,” Raven admitted.

“The date is the payment for his services. It’s not like I didn’t want to or anything…” Cendra smiled, still reliving the kisses shared.

“Why wouldn’t you be able to last through the walk?” Calli asked.

“Because Chani’s a great guy and I don’t want him this way. I want him to love me for me…not because some damn spell takes over his mind.” Cendra slammed her mojo bag onto the table and pulled the box containing the scroll and the skeleton key placing them before her comrades. “Reverse the spell I put on him,” she said before turning away from them and heading back toward the woods.

Calli stared down at the things Cendra had left, then picked up her mojo bag. She emptied the contents onto the table, “She doesn’t know that Chani has been in love with her?”

“Apparently not…” Peyton replied.

Raven crinkled her nose, “My mojo bag smells different than hers.”

Peyton and Calli sniffed the mojo bag and blinked in confusion. They chorused, “So does mine.”

“Before we burn it, what say you to investigating?” Calli asked, poking the mojo bag suspiciously.

“We owe it to her,” Raven agreed.

Cendra wiped the tears from her eyes as she started toward the deepest parts of the forest. She was staring at the ground since she couldn’t dare to look at the beauty of the forest.

She stopped when she found herself at the lake. The sun was just setting, its reflection a mixture of the gorgeous pallor of reds, golds, pinks, purple, orange and the incoming blue black. She settled down at the foot of the only tree that grew near the lake. She cradled herself against the tree trunk, hugging her knees.

Chani smiled when she came into view. Somehow, he knew that she would be there. He blushed, his embarrassment becoming more and more obvious as he approached her. He cleared his throat, “Would you prefer this to a walk?”
Cendra blushed, and met his eyes, startled, but happy to see him regardless. “I was just enjoying the view…”

“It is gorgeous,” Chani said, still holding eye contact. “I love this place.

It’s secluded, beautiful, peaceful…” he joined her next to the tree, twiddling his thumbs nervously.

“Why so anxious?” Cendra asked simply, not taking her eyes from the reflection on the lake.

“Because you’re beautiful, and you actually agreed to the date…” Chani whispered.

“You act like you worship me,” she smiled coyly, meeting his eyes. The shock in his motions, and his lack of argument embarrassed her further. “Maybe it’s not acting?”

“Maybe it’s not,” he agreed. “I mean, I’ve never been able to stop thinking about you. You have no idea what it means that you’d accept a date with me…”

“Care to give me some idea?” Cendra asked, placing her hand on his and caressing gently.

“Uhh…” Chani stammered, trying to find words. “W-well…”

Cendra smiled before pressing her lips to his. She eased him onto his back and continued kissing him, her hands running through his hair. His hands were resting on the small of her back as she continued to kiss him passionately. “You know…you can touch…” she whispered.

Chani’s embarrassment showed again, him becoming the aggressor. He kissed down Cendra’s neck gently, holding her comfortably against his body, reacting to her every movement and moan.

She arched her back as his hands ran down her perfect body. He bit his bottom lip as he watched her graceful movements, each of them more arousing than the last. Her hands joined his in curiosity, tracing his lithe body both up and down slowly. Her index finger found comfort in tracing his happy trail up and down his abdomen, his hands caressing her back as their lips met and parted gently.

Their eyes met and locked. For what seemed a perfect eternity they smiled and stared into one another before following through with passionate kisses each of them more arousing than the last.

Chani nipped playfully at her lip between the kissing and slipped down to kissing her neck. She moaned gratefully as the point of her arousal grew, lust finally breaking through with a single playful bite. She grasped his shirt desperately as he continued trailing teasing nibbles over her body. He threw his shirt off eagerly, welcoming her following kiss. Between her moaning he slipped her shirt off, and took her into his arms again.

They took turns tracing each other’s ideal bodies with their disbelieving hands and anxious lips. With every movement Cendra made he adjusted himself and shifted his weight. With each reaction he had, she arched her back more, throwing her head back, messing her hair sensually to match her moans.

Not wanting to fight off provocation any longer, Chani slipped the remainder of his clothing off and watched eagerly as Cendra did so as well. He laid her on her back gently, easing himself above her. “I love you, Cendra…” Chani whispered as he slid inside of her.

“Chani…” her eyes twinkled with deep emotion, “I love you.” He smiled the happiest man in the world before caressing her lips with his. She maintained eye contact with him, save when they kissed. She ran her fingers all along his body, surprised at how much of a turn on he was. He rocked his hips gently, in a strong, steady motion, enough that she remained aroused the entire time.

Cendra bit her lip and moaned loudly as Chani pulled her to climax. Every movement either of them made sent a shock of pleasure through her body. She arched her back, rolling her eyes into the back of her head in pleasure, “Chani…” she sighed as she grasped desperately at his back.

Chani stopped, paralyzed when he felt her contract with pleasure, her perfect voice calling his name with satisfaction. “Cendra...” he whispered, cradling her against his body protectively. She glanced up at him and stared into his dark eyes lovingly. She kissed his nose before nestling closer to him, Chani smiling his charming grin. “I meant that,” he stroked her hair.

“Mean what?” Cendra asked dreamily.

“I do love you,” Chani kissed her forehead and brushed the stray strands of hair from her eyes. His eyes flickered back and forth between her eyes and smile.

She blushed, “I love you, Chani. I always have…”

“Me too,” he agreed. He cuddled up to her and continued to admire her perfections.

Cendra walked into her room in the inn, flopping down on the bed. She sat against the wall, hugging her knees, and biting back tears. “He thinks he’s in love with me…” her lip quivered.

Chani sat at the bar, resting his head on his arms. “I can’t believe she loves me, too…” He blushed, remembering every second of pleasure he experienced and that he had helped her to experience. “I can’t sit still…” he decided as he left the bar, heading toward the outskirts of town.

Cendra slipped into a fresh pair of clothes and darted out of her room, hoping to find Chani and come clean. “I don’t want him like this…” she muttered. She looked around the bar where he was when she started up the stairs, but he had left.

She saw his friends and cautiously approached them, “Have you seen Chani?”

“Did you two have a fight?” Arthur’s stupidity and usual annoying nature was replaced with sympathy and understanding.

Harmet looked the girl up and down, “If there’s something you need to tell him, I’ll be glad to when I see him.”

“It’s nothing personal. I just would rather him hear it from me,” she assured them sadly. She turned away from them and started out the door.

“He’s bad at sex,” Arthur crossed his arms and nodded confidently. Harmet shot a glare at the blonde human before sighing hopelessly.

Chapter 5

“We were right!” Raven shouted. She slammed the book closed and grinned happily. “What time is it?”

“The sun’s just setting. We still have time,” Calli declared.

Peyton shook her head, “That’s the west window. It’s sunrise…we’re too late.”

“This could be detrimental if she says too much and is wrong…” Raven said desperately.

“We’ve got to find her!” Calli bolted for the door with Raven and Peyton hot on her heels.

Harmet and Arthur followed closely behind Cendra. Something was off about her and they were determined to figure out what.
Cendra paced through the busy town street, looking for her beloved thief. She smiled faintly when she watched him elegantly steal a wallet and blend in with a crowd. “Chani…” she whispered, blushing slightly.

Raven pointed to Chani, “We’ve got to get to him before she does…”

“This crowd doesn’t make it easy…” Calli complained, shoving through a group of people.

“We’ve got to try. One of us has to get to him first,” Peyton said as she began pushing through the market.

“Damn, I lost him…” Cendra muttered, trying to keep her balance in the busy swarm.

Chani grinned happily as he tossed yet another wallet into his traveling bag, then another and another. Since it was a busy day, nobody would notice a single scoundrel looting everything he could get his hands on and it was best to not let opportunity pass.

Growing bored with the unlevel playing field he called it a day and retreated to a small hill overlooking the town. Chani exhaled sharply, “I guess I’ll buy the guys a meal.”

“Chani!” Cendra called as she started up the hill toward him.

He smiled warmly, “Cendra…” his grin faded, “Why do you look so sad?”

“I have to tell you this…” she flung herself at him, her arms wrapped around his waist and his hands trying to soothe her dark emotions.

“Cendra! No!” Peyton shouted.

“Hmm?” Cendra wiped her welling tears.

Peyton, Raven and Calli huffed as they climbed the hill. Raven spoke next, “We need to talk to you, Cendra…”

“This is important, girls…” Cendra muttered.

“This is even more so,” Calli’s usual upbeat nature was replaced with seriousness and a clear mind.

“Excuse me, Chani?” Cendra asked, trying to regain her composure.

Chani nodded once, “Go ahead, Cendra,” he smiled before kissing her cheek quickly as she stood.

Peyton and Raven pulled her out of earshot from Chani and sat Cendra on the ground. “What’s this about? I’m coming clean to Chani, so make it quick.”

“There’s nothing to come clean about!” Calli threw Cendra’s mojo bag on the ground.

“I’m pretty sure mind controlling somebody into thinking they’re in love with you and to have sex with you is worth confessing…” Cendra said with uncertainty in her tone.

“You did the spell wrong,” Raven said simply.

“Wait, hold that thought,” Calli motioned to Raven, “You had sex with him?”

Cendra glared at Calli who simply continued, “Was it good? Does he have a great body?”

“He’s fantastic…” Cendra blushed, “But no, I followed the instructions…”

“Apparently not,” Peyton interjected. “This spell doesn’t call for moon foam.”

“Moon foam?” Cendra asked. She gasped when the previous day played through her mind, “Chani or I must have spilled a little on the powder when he took a drink of it!”

“That little accident spared you actually doing the spell,” Raven said simply.

“He loves me…” Cendra whispered. “He loves me…” she repeated. “He really loves me…” her eyes glistened with happiness.

“Do you love him is the question…” Calli crossed her arms and gave Cendra a sly grin.

“Is that a rhetorical one?” Cendra smiled brightly. She hugged each one of the girls before darting back over to Chani. The girls slowly joined her, along with the guys.

“You needed to tell me something?” Chani asked, taking Cendra’s hands in his.

“Remember what we talked about yesterday?” Cendra asked and Chani nodded.

She leaned toward him, “I changed my mind about it.”

Chani’s cheeks flushed a deep red, “Did you?”

“Definitely,” Cendra caressed his cheek gently. Chani wrapped his arms protectively around her and gently initiated their next kiss.

“What did you change your mind about?” Calli asked.

“I want to be married,” Cendra replied, staring into the eyes of the man she had always wanted, and always had.