To earn a cloak and kiss (Attn: Bella)

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron walked through the streets of Hama Valon, the swordbelt his father had given him back on his waist, though he had learned to wield a longer blade since arriving. He had debated returning the sword his father had gifted him, but instead had made a gift of it to the Armoury.

Catching his reflection in the shop windows he adjusted the buttons on his new coat, the brass shiny as he had just purchased it. It felt unusual to be out of his Ji’val Grey, but one of the perks to his new rank was being able to wear his own clothes. He had been granted the fancloak after proving himself ready to the Warder Council.

And so he wore a grey blue jacket over a soft yellow shirt, a nod to the woman he was about to meet. Isla Sedai, he had looked for her all day finally just asking at the Infirmary; where he had learned that she was working in the city for the day.

And so he found himself making his way towards the clinic in the city, nodding to the passing guardsmen. He had decided against wearing his fancloak, but the distinctive stride of a Grey Tower trained Gaidin had the guardsmen touching their hat brims in respect. After moving through the streets he finally spied a small group of Novices, Accepted and a couple bored looking Drin providing escort. And in the center of them walked Isla, chatting with one of the other Accepted. They were engrossed in conversation, the two women clearly discussing a weave or patient and Beron smiled as he noticed the deference being afforded to Isla due to her skill.

“Good morning Gaidin,” one of the Drin said with a bow as Beron walked past, vaguely recognizing the young woman from his dagger class. Stepping forward, no thought to decorum or the learning ranks around him, he gently slid his hands around Isla’s waist, and gave her a kiss full of months of longing and passion. They could finally see what this would become, and he would be damned if he let a few learning ranks make him shy. One perk to being Saldaean I suppose, no one is surprised when you act forward, Beron thought as he held her close.

After a long kiss, he separated from Isla, looked at the shocked Drin and Novices averting their eyes, “You are dismissed Drin, I will take over escorting the Aes Sedai. Thank you, and if you hurry you can enjoy some free time before chores begin.”

Looking down at Isla he smiled, his cheeks flushed and catching his breath said, “I made my fancloak last night. I just got back from the Citadel and we should probably talk. Want to grab a meal?”

[Bella]

All in all, it had been a very average day. That wasn't something that Isla would ever complain about, however. She'd already had to many "beyond average" days to serve anyone, since several had been bad. However... Well... There had been many, more recently, that had been good, and that thought about brought a smile to her face.

Now that she was Aes Sedai, no one asked her what her smiles were about, though she was working to keep them to herself.

At this moment, she was walking through the city after a full day's work. She wasn't paying a great deal of attention to her surroundings, except to not walk into anyone or anything, but then suddenly, there was someone in front of her. It took her a moment to realize what was happening, but she recognized Beron's arms and lips in an instant.

She almost shoved him away from her, not wanting him to get in trouble again. What in the Light was he doing?! But then the emotion of the kiss took her over and she kissed him back.

Isla was a bit breathless and lightheaded when he stepped away, struggling to hold onto her composure even as she felt heat fill her cheeks and she vaguely heard him dismiss the rest of the group. She managed a small nod in the direction of her students to dismiss them as well. "Return to the Tower, work on your studies and enjoy some quiet time."

They curtseyed and then hurried off.

That was the moment that it dawned on her more completely. Fancloak. He said the word... That meant he was...

Gaidin.

She turned to him with her pale eyes wide. "You're Gaidin!" she breathed, swallowing hard as the weight of what that meant washed over her. Her throat threatened to tighten with tears, but she held them off. "Congratulations," she said, smiling shyly. "Yes... Let's...go get a meal together. Together."

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron watched as Isla caught her composure after their shared kiss. She dismissed the rest of her class, and Beron saw the light flood her bright eyes with joy as his news sunk in.

"Congratulations," she said, smiling shyly. "Yes... Let's...go get a meal together. Together."

Beron drew her in close once more, this time kissing her softly simply because he could. Then knowing Isla would likely feel embarrassed at the attention in the middle of the street, he simply offered his arm to her and walked beside her as he took them towards an inn he had heard about from a few of the Ji’val. “We certainly gave the class something to talk about,” Beron laughed as they walked into the inn and took a table.

After the girl came by and took their order, Beron asked her for wine to start, thinking of both celebrating and calming nerves. Now that Isla was sitting with him, both of them free to be together, he realized he was both excited and nervous. He thanked the girl when she brought the wine, and poured two small glasses for himself and Isla.

“A toast, to making our way together,” Beron said as he raised his cup and toasted the beautiful woman sitting with him. After the toast, he was content to sip the wine, holding her hand and idly stroking the soft skin of her arm. “When I had offered to take you to Hama Valon, I have to admit I didn’t think it would take quite so long,” Beron said as he put down the goblet and looked at Isla, “Thank you for the patience and support the last while. I would have been buried under my classes and chores if not for you, and the walks we were able to take.”

Beron smiled and waved a hand at his clothes, “Is it as strange for you as being a Gaidin suddenly is for me. Half the Grey Tower freezes when I walk by, and the other half seem to stare at me like I’ve already found my place in songs. Still it is nice to be free to teach, and figure out how I can best serve now,” Beron mused quietly as he shared with Isla, his voice soft enough to not carry beyond their table.

[Bella]

Isla sipped her wine, not wanting to drink it too quickly and become overly affected, but she also hoped that it would help calm the way every nerve was alive. It wasn't that she wanted the feeling to go away, but it was a sensation that made it hard for her to focus, and to remember herself and where she was.

After all those months... Their walks, and stolen moments in the gardens... Kisses and confessions... All that time he spent at the farm, and the letters they had shared... It had all been building to something, and now that something was here.

She felt as thought she might just fall into pieces, having worked so hard to hold herself together all this time.

"Yes," she said softly, leaning forward enough so that her low-pitched voice achieved privacy while still being audible. "The responsibility does not feel less than it was as an Accepted, in many ways, but the deference is...unnerving. I do enjoy the freedom of it, though, and even more so now that it's a freedom we will share."

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron's cup sat on the table before him, almost forgotten until the serving girl swung by and offered to refill their goblets. After that they ordered their meals, and Beron sat near Isla content to wait for the girl to return with the platters of chicken and finely roasted taters. Tasting a small bite, he was pleased to see the food was as good as he had heard and he was glad of the afternoon he had spent with Andraste Seda, as it let him converse and eat without wearing his meal on his new jacket.

"The freedom is the greatest part for sure. It is strange after so long with classes and chores to suddenly have time to spend as I wish. Although if the other Gaidin are anything to go by, much of that time is spent the same way as before. Weapon practice, honing skills and knowledge, and for those with bondmates serving their ward," Beron paused to enjoy a few more bites of the crisply breaded chicken, and then turned once more to Isla.

"Is your meal good? I know Gaidin and other full ranks can have meals brought to them, but I have yet to try that. This meal is excellent though," he asked between a sip of his wine. "I was going to say as well, that one good thing did come out of Riahana Gaidin trying to bury me under a mountain of work. I found that I enjoyed teaching students. So I suppose that will be one thing to keep me busy, there is a never ending stream of Drin who need their heads shaken once in awhile. Have you taught at all Isla?"

As the meal ended, and the sun was beginning to set he could see the lamps being lit at the various tables and saw a pair of musicians beginning to set up to entertain those who arrived for a later supper. Looking at the woman beside him, he knew he would enjoy nothing more than an evening of dancing and laughter, though he recalled her saying she had never really danced. Still he knew that Healing could be exhausting, and he had caught her at the end of a long day. And so he slide beside her, looping his arm around her shoulders and holding her close against his side. "It looks like there will be music tonight Isla. We can sit and enjoy, or dance, or if you are tired I am happy to walk with you to the Grey Tower and spend an evening there," he whispered as he stroked his fingers through her curls.

[Bella]

The food was probably good, but Isla barely felt like she'd tasted it amid the gentle swirl of her thoughts.

Now they sat in this inn's common room, having eaten a meal and drunk the wine, sitting and touching one another like...well, any normal couple. Any couple that could do this without getting into terrible trouble. There was something distracting about the endearment of it all, even down to the conversation.

She smiled at him. "I like the music," she said. "I'm still making up for a dearth of it in my previous life. I wouldn't know how to dance, though, since I've never done it before."

[Lugh]

Beron

As Isla mentioned that she was enjoying the music as the duo performed, Beron smiled and leaned back against the chair. If Isla was enjoying the music, and Beron was pleased to see that the duo had strong clear voices, a rich baritone for the male singer and a sweet soprano for the woman. They were singing a well known lover's song, the words and melody sweet and tumbling, and Beron listened to Isla over it's tune.

"Dancing is less formidable than many people fear it is, although now that you mention it I wonder how a Ji'val I know made out with his practicing. And there is no rush to fill the boards with our feet, you and I will have many nights to enjoy music, then dancing," Beron said softly, smiling to himself as he felt Isla relax a little against him. He had never imagined their first meeting would turn into these feelings, but he also knew that if his stomach was a flutter with the excitement of it all; Isla was probably reaching for any calm to be found.

Not too surprising given everything that happened with her father and brothers in arms. Soldier's can be the coarsest of beasts, and yet when they deem someone an innocent, that lad or girl could be sheltered beyond belief, Beron mused to himself as he sat with Isla. Her hair smelled of herbs and soaps, and the fabric that separated his hands from her was soft and supple compared to an Accepted's white. Her neck was inviting under the curls that seemed to always tumble from her head, but with a soft laugh Beron reached for his wine instead. If he thought dancing was too much right now, kissing her soft neck was probably not the best idea.

Sighing in contentment, with the woman he loved on his arm, Beron simply settled for saying, "They are a good duo, I could sit here and listen to music with you forever, love."

[Bella]

"I could too," she agreed, her voice soft. But she looked up at him with a small, amused smile. "But I would rather not sleep on this seat, and I think we might want to do other things sooner or later." As the words slipped out of her mouth, she realized the unintentional possible meaning to be pulled from it and glanced away with a flying blush.

Perhaps she had sipped a bit too much of the wine.

Isla had once drank more wine than this, when she was with her father, on a regular basis, but since she had come to the Tower, she had done so far less and she seemed to be feeling the effect of that now.

After a few minutes more of listening to the music, she felt the heat in her cheeks finally begin to diminish. "This still feels surreal," she said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear her. "Promise me that I'm not going to wake up in the morning and discover that this all has just been a dream?"

[Lugh]

Beron

“I could too," she agreed, her voice soft. Beron matched her smile with his own as he again tasted the wine. “But I would rather not sleep on this seat, and I think we might want to do other things sooner or later."

As the words slipped into Beron’s mind through the haze of wine, he choked out a small cough of surprise, the last dredges of his cup spilling out onto his hand. Clumsy from the wine, Beron realized he had enjoyed more than he had thought, and judging from the flush in her cheeks, so had Isla.

"This still feels surreal," Isla said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear her. "Promise me that I'm not going to wake up in the morning and discover that this all has just been a dream?"

Beron smiled warmly at Isla, the wine and his joy combining to make a heady brew, and with a sudden thought he took Isla’s hand, and pressed it against his shirt. Underneath his jacket, his skin felt warm as coals and he held her hand against his chest so she could feel his heart in it’s excited pulse.

“I know what you mean. Our letters said so much, and all our other moments have been stolen and fleeting. I know we are just beginning, but I promise you this is no dream. My chest beat for you when I was toiling in the fields. I am here for you Isla, and there are many firsts ahead for us. I would love to show you Saldaea one day, but for now, know that where you walk I follow. You will never have to face anything alone,” he said as he felt her hand linger on his chest, and he kissed her with all of his passion and feeling. The wine removed his reserve, and his hands slid into her curls as he showed her how he felt.

After a long kiss, his hands exploring her neck and shoulders gently, he pulled away with a shaky breath. In the heat of the moment, with the kiss as heady on his lips as the wine he spoke softly, “There are many ways to show devotion Isla, your letters and hard work were sure signs of your love, and one day I hope you wear more rings than just the Serpent...” Beron stopped suddenly as he realized his words had run ahead of his brain. He felt his cheeks grow red, and hoped Isla had not heard in the rush of the music and commons.

[Bella]

No such luck, Beron. She heard everything.

Isla started up at him in something like shock, and an expression that she was sure was entirely unbecoming of an Aes Sedai. She swallowed hard and forced some calm into her expression. Perhaps he hadn't meant what she thought he'd meant...but then, given the moment and the circumstances, what else could he have meant?

She turned back to the table and picked up her glass, downing the last of her wine in one go. The energy it was taking to remain outwardly calm chewed through the effects of the act very quickly.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and then leaned her head against his shoulder. It didn't seem like he had meant to say that, or had wanted to say it at this point, so she wasn't going to refer to it or answer him...yet. Instead, she leaned against him and focused on her breathing. "I am getting tired," she said softly, realizing the truth of it in that moment.