Evelynn let out a hum as she stretched a little, the sleep departing her body as she opened her golden eyes. She could hear a low, droning sound beside her ear and it caused her to giggle a little out of amusement. So her partner snores when he sleeps, how cute. The succubus nipped his jaw, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough so that his skin was marked by her canines. "Wake up, darling."

Daelys jumped from the prickling sensation on his jaw. "O-oh!" he sat bolt upright, his head turning from side to side in confusion. "Oh… good morning, Evelynn."

"Indeed. It is a wonderful morning, Daelys." Evelynn sat up too and ran her deft fingers through her hair, tidying the white swish before standing. She covered herself up with her black wisps of magic and watched as Daelys dressed himself. The succubus must admit that her little partner was a fine, male specimen.

"You're staring again." Daelys chuckled as he caught her gaze.

Evelynn let out a bemused huff. "As far as I'm aware, looking still isn't a crime."

"I still can't figure out if your 'looking' is a threat or an invitation." Daelys quipped as she smoothed his shirt out.

"Why not both? It's fun to keep them guessing." Evelynn smirked.

"It's not fun for them though. I'd go so far as to say it's probably quite terrifying actually." Daelys said with a sigh. "It's not… nice to terrorize innocent people for your own pleasure, especially when you can find greater pleasure that benefits the both of you." Evelynn crossed her arms defensively at this and opened her mouth to speak but couldn't as Daelys continued on to finish his thought. "I think last night shows that you don't need them to suffer or die to find pleasure. You look more relaxed and happy right now, Eve."

Eve. He just called her Eve. Evelynn stopped to process the nickname and decided that it was tolerable. It was endearing enough. "I do? Hm, interesting. Let's toil no longer, darling. Where are we headed next? Straight to Ionia?"

The mage chuckled at Evelynn's eagerness and naivete. How do I tell her Ionia nearly a month's travel by horseback and boat? I suppose demons aren't exactly learned with geography. "First, we need to find a place to get some food and a change of clothes." Daelys looked her up and down, "You wouldn't happen to have a more… human-looking form, would you?"

"I can manage. I don't like it as much." Evelynn admitted plainly as her hair grew long and turned black, falling to her waist as her skin took on a fleshy shade instead of the pale grey she preferred. She pouted and allowed her demon shade to turn into a black cloak and loose, flowing clothing.

"Perfect." Daelys smiled.

Evelynn batted her dark lashes, "I prefer going naked… but I guess this will do." She quipped as she turned around in her new clothing.

"Believe me, I prefer you going naked too but I'd rather not risk another trip to prison." Daelys chuckled but held a serious expression.

"The feeling's mutual." Evelynn replied with a chuckle of her own.

"Don't worry, you still look gorgeous… if that's what you're worried about." Daelys said with a playful grin.

Evelynn rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh but it was good-natured. "Oh I know I'm gorgeous, darling. You don't need to remind me of that." She flipped her raven hair back as Daelys laughed lightly at her comment. "Come, let's depart this place."

Their journey continued downriver. The morning was still early with the sun barely peeking out from beyond the horizon; dewdrops still clung to leaves and grass blades; the birds still sang their dawn tunes with crisp voices.

"How are you feeling?" Evelynn turned her head to look at Daelys as he spoke.

"A lot better than when we were locked up." The succubus looked at her new nails where her claws once were. "... and you?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible.

Daelys blinked at her question, "I'm alright. My shoulder's still a little sore. I can't exactly heal up the way you can."

Evelynn crossed her arms, "Humans… you're all so squishy. One or two stabs is all it takes for your kind to bleed out."

"We tend to have that reputation. But we are smart and hardy." Daelys looked at his calloused hand marred and mapped with the little scars of all the struggles he's endured in prison over the years. "We adapt and we survive."

"Yes, humans are rather good at that." Evelynn admitted as she walked alongside Daelys. "Even I noticed. I never paid much attention to humans, unless it was to feast."

"Perhaps you can tell me a little more about yourself." Daelys suggested, his curiosity reared its head as he imagined what the succubus could be hiding in that mind of hers.

"About myself?"

"We can start with the basics. Things like what's your favorite food, colour, what do you do in your spare time?" It felt as if the wind had gone still and the birds grew quiet as he asked Evelynn, Daelys' curiosity seemingly reflected upon them too.

"I like the taste of fresh blood, I like the colour red, and I'm always on the hunt. I never stop looking for my next meal." Evelynn listed as Daelys gave her a hand to clear a small rocky ledge.

"Ever tried human food or drinks?"

"Humans are my food and drink." Evelynn snickered as Daelys gave her a nervous smile.

"Well… you ought to try them sometimes. You'll be surprised just how good it can be." Daelys cocked his head in thought. "Perhaps you'll like candy made from the honeyfruits grown in the fields. Or perhaps you're more the type for a nicely cooked, savoury bit of meat."

"Or perhaps I'll just stick with feasting off my victims' pain and pleasure." Evelynn shrugged, "I don't actually need to eat anything to live. I just like the taste of blood, that's all."

Daelys shivered a little, "Maybe you'll like wine then? It's red, like blood."

"I'll consider it." Evelynn said back after a brief pause. "How do you remember the taste of food?"

"How do I remember?" Daelys' eyebrows scrunched together a little at her question. "What do you mean?"

"That prison didn't give me the feeling that they feed you particularly well." Evelynn glanced at his frame. He was tall and lean. A little too lean for his frame.

"Truth be told, I don't really remember. The last time I had good food was years ago, before my imprisonment." Daelys sighed, "My mother was a mage and she raised me alone. When the mage seekers came for me after they found out about my secret, she protected me… she tried to, and they took her life for it. My mother was kind. Innocent of any crime yet they killed her all the same. All because she was a mage and as a mother, she tried to protect her son: A little boy, free of any crime. One day, I hope the world can change so the innocent people no longer have to suffer for their differences. Differences they never had a say in."

Evelynn could hear the pain in his voice. Maybe that's why he cared. Pain was always a motivator. She would know. She can recall what her torture does to different people. Some plead for mercy, some freeze, and some fight back with teeth and nails. How one deals with pain revealed a lot about one's character to the succubus. Perhaps Daelys' pain brought out this noble and kind side to him.

Daelys and Evelynn walked on in silence after the young man finished his words. They brushed the foliage out of the way and heard the water of the river they've been following begin to roar louder and louder until it roared in their ears with a deep, resonant booming.

Evelynn peaked over the edge of the drop. It wasn't a particularly long drop down but it was still high enough for her to call it a waterfall. She lifted her head a little and looked past the frothing white water and the drop to see a small town which resided a small ways off from the base of the waterfall.

"I guess we found our first sign of civilization since our little escape." Daelys said, his voice just barely loud enough to overcome the thunderous noise of the waterfall which almost seemed to welcome them to the official start of their long journey.