A Heuristic Honeymoon
Chapter 1: A Wedding Gift
"What does one do on a human honeymoon?" Elias looked point blank into Chise's eyes, and she could feel herself reddening. Surely Lindel had expected this, when he had sent them to this desolate retreat as a wedding gift.
It had started about a few days ago.
"Ah, what a lovely bride you are." Lindel beamed as the newly wed Magus and Chise smiled. Magus had refused to put Chise down for the last short while – whether it was out of protection or her newfound place as wife, after all that had happened, she wasn't persisting…yet.
"Is she not?" Elias' deep voice rumbled in a way she could feel it under his chest. She felt her face begin to redden in ways that felt new to her.
"It's just a dress." She smiled.
"Ah, no it is not the dress that makes the girl. After all of what we've seen I'd dare suggest you are quite more." Lindel smiled kindly. "As for a gift for the newly wedding couple, I would not dare suggest that you have not established a wedding honeymoon yet Elias?"
"Honeymoon? Why no, I suppose I have not thought that far ahead. I hope I have not already faltered in my role as husband…" A simple perplexed realization took over his face.
In all honesty neither had Chise. She'd try to relieve him of this later on, as he seemed to internalize his faults more as of late.
"All the more reason why I would not be such a good master to my own friend." Lindel took two tickets out of his pocket.
"What is this?" Chise looked hard at them, unsure of what they were for.
"An old friend of mine has a retreat – it is quite isolated but is wedged in the beautiful groves of an old mountain hill. I think alone time and silence is what the two of you need. Not to mention, she owes me this favour."
"If Chise is willing. I would not be opposed. Unless you would prefer another location?" Elias looked to her, putting her down finally, gracefully, as her dress billowed around her.
"I would of course…I've never been to a retreat. It is very nice of you…"
"Ah, think nothing of it. Least I could do." He stroked his chin. As he turned to walk by he whispered with a small nudge to Elias. "Be careful with her."
"Of course." Elias said, probably a bit louder than he intended, not quite understanding the context of what this meant.
It was about a day later they found themselves leaving. She had decided, after a grand amount of opposition by Ruth, that her and Elias would go alone.
"But if there is danger…"
"If there is danger, I will call on you."
Ruth, a dog in form, growled lowly. "Do you even know the danger you'd be in…"
"What are you grumbling about? I'll be fine. I think I need this. I'm sure Elias does."
"Just remember I feel what you do…if I sense anything…"
"Ruth, please just respect this. Plus, Silky will be alone. I feel terrible leaving her here."
"And not me?"
"Of course I do."
"Do you understand all it means to be a wife?"
Chise swallowed. Had she accepted all of what it meant yet? Perhaps not, but she knew what her heart had told her. She knew Elias' rough actions had been out of an innocent unknowing of his own feelings. He was wise and yet as daft as ever. And yet if she thought hard enough, she knew she was more knowledgeable to what he was daft at, and less wise for what he knew. Perhaps they were each other's yin and yang.
"Would you like to lecture me on it Ruth?"
He let out a snort of air out of his dampened black nose. "Anything, and I swear…"
"You're just a softy." She petted his pelt a bit. He let out another annoyed snort but stayed under her gliding hand.
"Are you ready to depart soon?" She heard Elias call up from below.
"Yes!" She put the remaining items scattered on her bed into her bag and patted Ruth tautly on his head.
As she left, Ruth yawned and stretched, trying to pull himself up in an attempt to see them off. "She has no clue what she is in for." Ruth whispered to himself, with a brief taste of jealousy touching his tongue. He'd only wished for what she had, but knowing her well enough, he wasn't sure she understood all that would come in her role now.
The pair left, Elias as always, with no bag or any signification that he needed a thing. And yet wherever they went he always had it all. If he knew magic for any kind of hiding of items, she was a bit upset she had yet to learn it.
They left to Silvy waving and Ruth sitting beside her.
"So how are we-"
"I will transport us to the mountain area we need to be. Unless you would prefer to take the human route by train and walk most ways. I know not the actual location, but I also do not know much of human based retreats. I would assume if Lindel is sending us here, his friend would not be too surprised by me."
"If she is we will simply honeymoon elsewhere. I think we should relax a bit."
"After what you went through, I would hope so."
Chise looked to him. As of late it was as if she could read his red glowing eyes as if they expressed emotion. Had he changed? He had developed feelings but had never come to name them as such. Perhaps whatever part of Elias was human was peeking out a bit?
She smiled warmly. After they had reached the top of a nearby hill, he pulled her close, and before she could blink, they were in their new surroundings.
A slight cool dampness filled the warm air. She took in the green groves of trees, willowing over a path. It was a bit mystical. Soft moss covered over some of the un-flattened stones of the path. Light peered through the trees just to reflect on the dew that covered the grass. Greens were in ranges and shades, with small, nearly waterlogged flowers peeked out from the odd corner, or from the unearthed knotted roots of the trees clearly encroaching on their path upward.
"I suppose a bit of hiking could do us some good." Elias said looking up.
"It will build suspense I suppose."
"Are you excited for our honeymoon?" He caught her eye.
She blinked. "Of course. I also meant…to see what this place is like."
"Ah I see." He seemed to internalize her statement a bit longer than she would have expected. "Are you happy to be my wife now Chise?"
"Of course!" She looked at him wide eyed, and felt her face get hot. What she hadn't seen was a small stone peeking from the earth a bit too far up and she stumbled.
He put out his hand to stop her from fumbling forward. "Are you alright?"
"Yes…I guess I should look down." She bit her lip.
"I could carry you again?"
"I can walk. I appreciate it though." Why had she suddenly felt more rigid around him? She had been excited all week to spend alone time with Elias. After all that had happened…
"I think I can see the tips of the resort." He looked forward without another word about the situation.
She felt her stomach tighten with excitement. Again, her feelings were moving too fast and sporadically for her to manage.
As they reached the top, she began to get a better sense of the grandeur of the location. One might think after seeing the mountains Lindel lived on this may not have phased her, but the winding water and lush earth greens over rocky terrain made her appreciate their location all the more.
As they reached the top, a modest yet long wooden building with sloped roofs looked back at them.
"I was thinking, perhaps in case I should revert to this." She looked back at Elias and he saw that he had taken on his human form. "We are far from home."
She was surprised by his tact but nodded. She panned the area for any inclination as to what the resort was.
Instead, they continued inward. They entered the quiet space and noticed the inside had the same earthen beauty as the outside. Wooden walls, ornate decorations calling on floral or leafy patterns. Windows which stretched to the outdoor views. They stood at the front desk and patiently waited.
"AH, so you two are the newly couple ol' Lindy wanted me to take on?"
The voice surprised them both, as Chise couldn't help but jump a little in her shoes. She turned to see an older woman who was rather short. Or perhaps she was just hunched? She had nearly closed eyes, with folds sitting around their edges, and a rounded face. Her hair seemed as if her bun twisted on her head for days, and her hands were kept tightly behind her, as if inspecting them. Her mouth turned into a wide grin.
"Lucky I have no other guests." She smiled, rather knowingly.
"Why is that?" Elias asked.
"Of course, the newly wed would want all the privacy in the world." She merely flung her hands up and scooted behind the counter. "Of course, Lindy did tell me you were a different type, so do not worry, I take no judgement of any of ol'Lindy's friends."
Chise caught a glimmer in her eye that made her suspect this woman knew perhaps more than she was letting on. Did Lindel tell her of Elias' true form? She doubted he would show that part of him, especially his monstrous form. Why did she have a suspicion she was missing something?
"By Lindy, do you mean Lindel?" Elias continued.
"Ah yes. I guess old habits die hard. Now, I suppose your room…" The woman looked down into a little recipe box which she assumed had keys in it, each card making a small clank as she flipped through each tag.
"Uhm…If you don't mind me asking, what is this place? Or resort?" Chise finally found her words.
The woman cocked her eye up. "Well, a hot spring of course. And don't you worry, I have a personal hot springs room just for the two of you. Just watch out, if you go too far off my grounds, I can't promise any dryads' or fairies won't cause trouble."
"Ah so you do know of them…I thought I sensed something in the forest…well thank you." Elias remained unmoved by this revelation, however Chise had grown a bit surprised.
"A hot spring?" She repeated.
"Ah, so the blushing bride has not been to one?" The woman placed the key into Elias' hand. "Believe me when I say, I may be desolate out here, but my place here has the most beautiful views and the most private dwelling of them all. The fireflies at night twinkle and I can promise you not a soul will interrupt the dwellings of the newlyweds." She led a knowing wink to Chise, as she trotted down to guide them down a long hall to their room.
Chise had suddenly felt more tense. She trusted Elias… but a hot spring? Together?
They approached the room to open it to a spacious room. It reminded her of a cabin, with a strong warmth to it. She realized there was a fireplace already lit. A long set of curtains covered the far wall.
"And it is yours to do whatever with Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth."
Before Chise or Elias could thank her, she had disappeared off down the hall. The strange sound of Mrs. Ainsworth was still new to her ears. Perhaps she had hesitated. Had he too?
"Well this appears to be nice. You have not been to a hot spring before?" Elias interrupted the silence.
"No…I haven't been to many places before you." She willed her voice out, still overcome by the incidence of the day so far.
"It makes sense." Elias took to the curtains to reveal a window which moved out to a rocky path of steps to a hot spring pool. "Ah, our own. I still wonder how she knows Lindel."
She looked outside to the view. It was beautiful, beyond the rocks was a rolling escarpment of hill and waterfalls. It was magical.
"You should enjoy the spring. You deserve it Chise."
"Perhaps later…" She was moved from her thoughts by Elias' words.
"Is it strange, I know we are married, but I still feel as if something is missing?" Elias looked to the ring now on his finger.
She was relieved by his forthcoming statement. So, it wasn't just her that had been in limbo between what was and was to be. She sat down on a nearby chair, near a table, not far from the flicker of the fireplace.
"I am content that we can simply enjoy each other's presence here…I don't want you to think I am unhappy. Perhaps I am too eager for what is to come now." Elias stepped to her and put his hand to her cheek.
Ever since their wedding she found him approaching her with a soft hand of kindness and delicateness. It brought a different spark to her, even as he looked human, to feel his skin on her cheek.
"You could change back you know?" She asked.
"Perhaps soon." He sat on their bed. A single bed. He seemed to be internalizing some thoughts.
"Chise…I have wondered, and perhaps this is where I fail to be a good husband…but I want to be open and communicate with you…"
She looked up at him confused. He hadn't done a thing wrong, if anything she just wished to fall back into that warmth without this feeling of hesitation in her stomach. If anything, she found herself noticing how she wished to see his red eyes. She knew more than well his human form was a façade. She had fallen for all of Elias. She felt her cheeks grow warm at this realization that she could be content here with him. Her nerves seemed to settle.
"What is it that you want to know?"
"So, what does one do on a human honeymoon?" Elias looked point blank into Chise's eyes, and she could feel herself reddening. Surely Lindel had expected this, when he had sent them to this desolate hot spring retreat as a wedding gift.
Chise felt herself looking for the right words.
But then, she had once told him communication was the key. She couldn't lie. Not on the brink of happiness.