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‘Shroud’s Kiss…’
The wisps lingered around the well maintained headstones, giving the necromancer and his companion space, yet their curiosity lingered. It had been a while since the frequent visitor had brought any company, especially one he admired as much as her. Even the dimmest shining spirit could see that. He spoke of the Fade as he casted a spell on the flower in the other Mourn Watcher’s grasp…
Renate felt the Fade draw closer as Emmrich summoned the same spell again, ethereal flutters of light passing through the veilfire-lit candles and up towards the embraced statues. Instinctively, she reached for Emmrich’s hand - the hold gentle despite the worn leather gloves they wore. He looked down at her, his gaze softening amongst his sharp features. Pulse quickened as he stepped towards her, and she stepped back until the stone plinth hit her lower back. Another hand held hers, gently squeezing her fingers between his. One quick gaze at his lips and he leant forward, her heart skipping as his warm breath brushed along her face.
A soft, chaste kiss was planted against Renate’s lips, and she breathed in the smells of moss and a floral cologne. Before she could register it fully, Emmrich had already moved away, piercing hazel eyes gazing down at her fondly.
‘What a day of unexpected splendor.’ Emmrich said in a hushed tone, his hands moving to tentatively hold her waist. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she felt his lips ghost along her pulse point, his thumbs rubbing along the curve of her torso. The necromancer’s breath sent a shiver down Renate’s spine as he spoke, ‘How you have bedazzled me, dearest.’
‘I don’t know what I’ve done to have you…’ Rook sighed out as she opened her eyes and admired the wisps flying around above them as they chirped excitedly, ‘but I must have done something good.’
‘My dear…’ Emmrich tenderly cupped her face in his hands and looked down at her as if his gaze had fallen upon the most precious relic, ‘You needn’t do anything. Either way, the fates would’ve drawn our souls together.’
Emmrich leant down once more and kissed her nose, his lips soft and warm against her cold skin. It ignited something within Renate’s chest - a surge of want with a hint of relief that No, she wasn’t imagining things. He really does care for her, and she’ll care for him too. He tilted her head in his hands ever so slightly to brush his lips against her cheekbone, the sound of his lips puckering against her face bringing her back to reality. She moved to meet his eyes once more, Emmrich’s expression changing the tiniest bit, reading her mood as well as he could.
‘I feel like I’m dreaming…’ she chuckled, her heart soaring when Emmrich let out a small laugh too. Gods the way his eyes creased, every etching of life igniting when his emotions spilled over his face, like an artist brushing over a canvas. A face she could admire as much as she wanted, ‘Kiss me again.’
In a swift swoop Emmrich’s lips were back on her own, firmer than before and drawn out. Slowly, he moved away only to capture her lips once more. Renate remembered to breathe and sighed as her hands ran along the short hairs on the nape of his neck. As their lips parted and fitted back together again, Emmrich wrapped her arms around her, cradling her not too tightly, but enough to cage her in. In his arms, she would always be safe. Timidly, Renate dragged her tongue along Emmrich’s upper lip, and he returned the favour ever so lightly. With a hum, Emmrich pulled away, both of their cheeks dusted a clear rose amongst the green lit flames.
Renate looked up into Emmrich’s hazel eyes, both their breaths slightly out of their usual pace. After such a tender moment, a declaration of their fondness sealed with a kiss, Renate let out a breathless giggle in disbelief. She stroked his hair - softer than she anticipated - and giggled . Never in her wildest dreams did she believe she’d find companionship while trying to save the world, let alone a fellow Watcher.
‘Everything alright, darling?’ Emmrich’s voice dropped low as he looked down at Renate with a half smile ghosted across his lips.
‘More than alright,’ she ducked her head down bashfully, ‘What a day, indeed…’
Emmrich’s finger tilted her head up against with a light chuckle of his own, ‘It’s all rather unexpected, isn’t it?’ His eyes flitted briefly over her reddened lips before meeting her gaze once more.
‘But definitely welcomed…’ Renate whispered back at him, ‘ More than welcomed.’
‘Then let us welcome it,’ Emmrich kissed her cheek once more before taking a step back, the absence of his body lightly pressing hers leaving her feeling colder. However before she could protest, he held out a hand, ‘I have more to show you, dearest.’
Dearest. Never had Renate been called such a tender word. Even in her past relationships, pet names were never something that was considered. But when Emmrich called her ‘dearest’, it struck a lovesick chord that left her thinking of what to call him in return. As she interlocked her fingers with his, she looked at his sharp visage and tried to think of something to match.
Honey? Too soppy. Angel? Too light for a necromancer.
Hand in hand, they walked quietly through the Gardens. Emmrich’s thumb gently ran along Renate’s knuckles, both of them silently reeling at the kiss they shared. She thought she was being slick, but even the necromancer could see her running her finger along her lips in his peripheral vision. Something he knew he’d think about when he needed a dream to slip away to sleep later. Bushes and stone walls fenced in the tombs, but they made way for a small clearing with a few cobbled steps. Beyond the stairs were more graves, and even curiouser wisps. Amongst the aging but impeccably maintained gravestones was a stone bench, surrounded by flowers at the feet of it. With a gentle tug, Emmrich guided them over, and they both sat down on the cold rock.
Renate still felt nerves and excitement bubbling through her veins like a potion bubbling over the flask. As she looked out at the quaint Gardens she knew what was waiting when she looked back at him, but still her heart leapt when she turned her gaze to find Emmrich looking back at her. That slight smile on his face, his eyes softening as she met them.
‘Hi…’ Renate’s lips curled into a grin back at him.
‘Hello, darling…’ Emmrich replied softly. He took a breath as he took her other hand in his, ‘How radiant you look. It’s a relief I can finally tell you.’
Handsome? No, too obvious.
‘Never stopped me,’ Renate chuckled, ‘but I’ll always tell you how good you look.’
‘You flatter me,’ he chuckled, looking down at their hands, ‘Do you know when I first grew fond of you?’
‘Do tell.’
‘When you made those ridiculous hand jokes in the Arlathan Forest,’ Emmrich chuckled. An unguarded, genuine laugh that hit her heart harder than any arrow she’d shot.
‘Really?’ she laughed back, squeezing Emmrich’s hands, ‘I knew when you wanted to bring back that silly killer plant!’
‘I still wish I’d gotten a sample!’ Emmrich sighed out with one last chuckle, and gently cupped her face, ‘Oh my love… my Rook.’
‘It’s Renate.’ Rook said softly as Emmrich’s fingers gently caressed her jaw.
‘Pardon?’
‘Rook is a nickname. My name is Renate…’
‘Renate.’ Her name rolled off Emmrich’s tongue like a soliloquy, as if it was a delicate ancient spell that wielded the strongest power, ‘A name to match your beauty.’
Renate ducked her head bashfully as Emmrich stroked through her silver hair.
‘Thank you for trusting me with your name,’ Emmrich spoke softly.
‘It’s the least I can offer you,’ Renate looked up, ‘You deserve to know it.’
‘Renate…’ Emmrich whispered with a smile, ‘I will savor every time I can speak it.’
‘Emmrich.’ Renate whispered back, her hand covering his and lacing their fingers together again, ‘It’s good to hear you say it, especially here…’
She looked out at the graves among them.
‘One day I’ll be buried in the Necropolis,’ Renate spoke frankly, knowing that lichdom was on the horizon for Emmrich, ‘and while that won’t be for a while, I would love to rest here.’
‘The Gardens would be blessed to have you,’ Emmrich looked out at the rested dead, ‘but death is not going to take you for a long time. Let us enjoy it as mortals, for as long as we both live.’
Renate turned to him, seeing a slight flash of fear cross his eyes. As always, death was simple to her and she’d accept it when it comes, but she could feel Emmrich tense for a moment.
‘Exactly,’ Renate cupped his face, ‘it won’t be for a long, long time.’
‘I’ve felt your heartbeat, it’s too precious to be taken away just yet,’ he leant towards her a little bit. She could say the same for Emmrich’s, but whatever path he chose in the future didn’t matter right now. One of her fingers drifted down to his pulse point on his neck and she felt his own heart beating, more rapid than it should be.
‘Either way, let us be here. For a long time, for a short time…’ Renate rested her forehead against his, ‘I just want to stay here.’
‘We can stay for eternity if you wish,’ Emmrich leant in closer, his lips grazing hers, ‘My dear…’
‘My treasure.’ Renate replied back. Yes, that was what he was. As soon as she uttered the words Emmrich sighed and closed the gap.
Emmrich’s arms enveloped her as he leant into her, his lips savouring every kiss that he placed on her. Their mouths moved together in an unspoken dance, neither wanting to part. Renate was used to kissing as an impulse - something that was an explosion of passion, messy bites and licks, nothing more - but she quickly learned Emmrich liked to take his time. When she tried to hasten her kisses up he would slow down half of her speed, a hand moving up to gently tangle in her hair. She wasn’t used to it, but she could get used to the languid kisses his lips placed on hers, the sighs that fell out of their mouths involuntarily, the whispers of ‘darling’ between kisses, it was all so precious and gentle. Like caressing the petals of the rarest flower, Emmrich cradled Renate and she did the same, her hands resting on his chest and feeling his heart under his coat.
A wisp chirped by their ears and they pulled away startled.
‘Hello there,’ Renate smiled at the curious spirit, ‘Can I help you?’ The nosy wisp flew around them a few times in a happy dance before flying off. She chuckled at it before turning to Emmrich who was once again simply looking at her, his hands still gently around her. A look of infatuation that made Renate’s stomach feel like it had a thousand wisps fluttering inside her.
‘It seems I’m not the only one enjoying your presence,’ Emmrich grinned as he watched the wisp settle in a bundle of moon blossoms.
‘How do you know it’s interested in me and not you?’
‘Because nothing is quite as captivating as you, my dear…’
Before Rook could protest, Emmrich kissed her again.