“The Guild was originally an establishment located in Dralarag that dealt with several spheres of business, encompassing the workload of a mercenary recruitment, magical training, trade center, transport service and crystal refinery. The establishment spread outside of Dralarag and the word Guild entered the Lyndarian language, the Guild exuding influence around the World, with prominent members requiring entry into the Great Council.
In recent times the Guild became more known as the Seeker’s Guild, after the bulk of its responsibilities turned toward catering to the Seekers around the World.”
̶ The Sociopolitical landscape of the Mainland, Volume 1, Cerolus Tartaran, 1950 AS
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Cerolus pushed the large wooden doors, decorated with streaks of gems and metals, illuminated by the gems that hung from the ceiling and the torches that warmed up the hallway significantly. The doors squealed lazily before giving way to my husband’s palm, opening to reveal the room behind them.
The large bed dominated the interior of the room, red silken covers laid on top of it. The bed posts were heavily ornamented and the covers vibrant in color, giving the room an extravagant feeling. The room was decorated by a table with heavy looking chairs, the lone window on the wall providing what little light was left of the day, the lamps starting to be lit around the town. A huge mirror stood in the corner, allowing me to look at my entire body, the dress slowly getting dirtied from the travels. A smaller door was set on one side of the room, presumably for the service to go through.
While I was enjoying the interiors of the room, Cerolus has managed to lose most of his clothes and lie on the bed, his ample forearm providing a resting place for his head. I walked over to the other side of the bed and sat down, the comfort of the bed already taking over me.
“So, do you like it?”
“Why are you undressed?”
“Why not? It isn’t like we’re going to go anywhere.”
“But the food is supposed to come soon!”
“So?”
“You’re almost naked! What are the people going to think?”
“That I’m having a lovely time with my wife in a bed. Which I’m not.”
I cannot do anything but scowl at him. Is he that comfortable with other people watching his body? Is that how Demons generally are? And what’s with the last comment? The room enters a deathly silence, neither of us conceding a point.
“Fine.” Cerolus gets up and dressed, the shape of his body filling the clothes.
A knock on the door ends the pointless squabble. Why was I even bothered? I have seen him like that almost every day since the marriage. Am I jealous of other people seeing him like that? We haven’t even done anything! I’m not even certain he likes me that way. I don’t know if I like him of all things. My line of thinking is getting me nowhere, that’s for certain.
The doors open after Cerolus has allowed entry to whomever it is. Several Demons walk in carrying trays of food and drink and preparing the table in the room. The entire scene happens without a word uttered, Cerolus gently sitting down at the table.
The Demons leave after the table has been set, the same woman from before being the last to stay in our room. “Have a nice meal.” I respond with a small nod to the woman barely acknowledging me while Cerolus uses a more verbal way to respond.
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The doors close and we are left alone in the room. Silence lingers in the air before Cerolus decided he had enough of it.
“So, will you join me or can I start eating alone?”
I take a chair by his side, and sit to eat. The meal passes in eerie, as only utensils can be heard scraping across the plates.
“Look I’m sorry about earlier. I generally don’t care what other people think of me, since I’m well known anyway, and any reputation I have had is not going to go away. I’m trying to make everything comfortable for you, so if you have anything you want to talk about, don’t hesitate to ask. “
He then flashes that bright smile at me. Heat flushes against my body in an instant as my stomach churns. Cerolus notices me clutching my stomach, the smile dissipating from his face.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m… fine…” I stagger between some ragged breaths as the pain slowly dissipates. I haven’t had them in a while and the medicine they gave me seemed to work so well. I hope it doesn’t happen again.
“Well take something small to eat and rest. I’m always here if you need anything.”
The meal ends on a lighter note than it began, with the Demons coming back to take everything away.
“Let’s go to bed early now, we can go around the town tomorrow in the morning. I did tell you you’re going to find out how the town got its name, and I don’t plan to back away from that.”
Cerolus strips to his clothes and helps me lose my increasingly overbearing dress.
“Would you like to get a bath first? I’m not going to look I promise.” He winks at me with an aloof grin on his face, me forgetting most of what happened today in the process.
“Yes.” My words couldn’t have been more timid if I wanted to.
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The bath is drawn in the adjoining room and I bathe while Tiana helps me lose the grime from my body. The warm bath helps me relax as I slip out of it and into my sleeping gown, ready to embrace the softness of the bed.
Cerolus awaits in the room with nothing but a thick strip of cloth covering his groins, his tail swinging side to side behind him. I still can't fathom how tall he is, despite the time we spent together. The hooves and the horns only make him taller than he is though. “I thought me getting a bath as well would be a good idea.” My eyes wander over his dirtied sweaty body, my mind rushing through thoughts, heat rising to my head.
Cerolus walks past me, completely unaware of the mess in my head, his tail brushing against my skin, sending shivers down my spine, weakening my knees. Before long, I am left alone in the room, breathing audibly as I ponder what to do with myself.
Relegating most of the thoughts away, I lie down in the bed. Should I just try and see what happens? Is it too early? Or was it supposed to happen even earlier? Weddings in Leonia usually end with the couple spending the night together, but he didn’t do that with me. Is the time now?
The image of Cerolus’ body is carved into my mind, but the heat slowly fades away. Before long, a hand glides across my body and Cerolus crawls into the bed, resting peacefully after his bath, the lack of smell noticeable.
“Good night, Sophia.”
Maybe the time is not right. Maybe I still need to know him more.
“Good night Cerolus.”