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Snowflakes fall steady and constantly. The sight of them makes Kael cling to the warm indentions of his red dress shirt, long-sleeved and closed at the collarbone with golden-accent ruffles perking up along the edges of the collar and the sleeves.
He turns his attention from the almost blinding view in the window to the relaxing environment of the coffee shop. Elven cashiers take orders. Some customers sit at tables, chatting while others prefer silence. A single elf sits on a stool and strummed solemnly on his acoustic. Not a single elf walks the streets and visits public spaces without an air of elegance about their manners and attire. Potted plants hover above the swept floors. Violet, transparent curtains accentuate the doorways and windows. Kael almost forgets that Jaina has returned from the ladies’ room.
“Kael?” Jaina asks, waving her hand.
“Right, my apologies,” Kael blushes, turning to face Jaina, who looks just as elegant as the elves save for the long ears and their glowing eyes--still filled with a sickly green fel taint that seemed to take centuries to vanish. She wore styled blonde hair, a violet blouse, and white pants with violet boots.
She smiles, takes a sip of her mana latte, and looks out the window. “Kael, you never told me it snowed in Quel’Thalas.”
“It rarely does. I can hardly believe it, myself.”
“It’s lovely, actually.”
“And cold.”
She laughs and pokes his nose with her finger. She tends to her small bowl of sugar, spooning the contents into her glass and swirling it around. Much to his surprise, her snowflake bracelet circled neatly around her wrist.
“Your Winter Veil gift,” Kael began.
She glances at the bracelet for a second. “Oh, I love it, Kael.”
Kael smiles. “I’m glad you do. I… thought it would suit you.”
“Indeed! It does, and although it seems rather odd for your people, I think the snow outside could not have fallen at a better time.”
“I suppose you have a point, there.”
“And my points are quite valid, I think.” She shoots him a smirk and sips more of her drink.
Kael chuckles. His ears twitch, causing him to turn to other elves.
A female elf, hesitant in her posture, walks up from her lone table to approach them. She smiles and takes a bow. “Your Highness. Excuse me for my impropriety, but I found this while in the bathroom a while ago.” She stretches out her hand to reveal a book. “I thought it belonged to your lady.”
“My... lady?” Kael repeats, a bit taken aback by the citizen’s assumption, much less her welcoming approach towards him. He looks at Jaina, who thanks the female elf and retrieves her book. A bit of blush rises from her cheeks, not knowing what to say in the presence of his people.
“Well,” the female elf begins. “I couldn’t help but notice from my table how peculiar you two looked together.” She had noted Jaina’s human characteristics. “But endearing all the same.”
Kael pauses. “I… thank you for your compliment. We have had the pleasure of knowing one another for years. She is a fellow mage.”
“Oh, I know who she is.” She looks around and says in a low voice for even Jaina to hear. “If I am allowed to say, Your Highness, when I heard rumors of your interest in her, I supported it. She would make for a well-balanced archmage and ruler, even if she is a human.”
Jaina blushes at her words and flips the pages into her book to hide her face, embarrassed. She looks like she wants to leave, scooting to the very edge of the seat as if about to get up. Kael turns back to the lingering elf. “Pardon me, miss. I am flattered by your comments, but you are causing my lady great distress.”
The female elf smiles. “I was departing, anyway. I bid you well, Your Highness.” She bows to him, then to Jaina, and walks back to her table.
“I am terribly sorry for the citizen’s invasion of privacy, Jaina,” Kael says. “I truly did not expect such comments of a nature to come from one of my people’s mouths.”
“Surprising, but no, it’s fine, really,” Jaina says, closing her newly-found book as the red faded from her cheeks. Setting it aside, she sips her mana latte and twirls her bracelet, smirking. “It might be the weather, I think. They’re not used to it.”