Her linkpearl ringed when they left the Studium and Surr ignored it at first, too busy admiring new marks on Raha's throat. When he assured her that it wasn't painful at all, only thing she could think about was tracking the lines of new tattoos with her tongue. And she was right in the end, he did look even hotter with them…
Really time to up her game on the battlefield, it seems…
She already had to growl at some girl that dared to look a moment too long on her mate. The gal…
When it rang again she stopped, pulling Raha under the tree in Tranquility when it suddenly started to rain slightly, then immediately wrapping her arms tight around his waist and glaring at any passing females who dared to stare toward them.
"What's…?" Raha started, looking at her with surprise but wound his arms around her shoulders, pulling her against him harder.
She put her finger by her lips meaningfully, winking at him. She picked up the call with a frown. Who…?
"Yes?" she asked softly.
"Surr! Finally… How are you, baby?" she blinked hard at her mother's cheerful voice.
Oh gods… She totally forgot to call her parents and tell them about the fact that she was mated now… Oh… she's in so much trouble… And when papa hears about it…
She must have blanched quite hard because Raha frowned with worry, pressing his palm against her cheek.
"What's wrong?" he whispered, but she just shook her head and smiled stiffly, focusing on the call.
"Hi mom," she saw her mate's eyebrows shoot up, but he relaxed considerably. Yeah… he didn't know her mom yet… Twelve… "I'm… okay. I'm… I'm taking a ship home tomorrow, so I'll stop by when… we land in Limsa. Say hi to papa, by…"
"Not so quick, young lady," T'meto's voice hardened instantly and Surr almost whimpered. "You're coming back by ship? Why not teleport right back, hmm? And which 'we'? You think your father didn't mention your last talk? I do hope that you're not thinking of just blowing me off, Surr."
Now she did whimper, resting her forehead against Raha's chest, relaxing only slightly when he put his chin on top of head and started to run his hand up and down her back, sensing her agitation.
"How much papa did already tell you?" she finally said with resignation. "So I don't have to repeat myself… We have to get to packing and all…"
"Surr…" her mom was clearly losing her patience and she felt her ears fall flat against her head.
There's really no avoiding that… Maybe it's better? They'll have three weeks to… cool down, before she'll have to face them…
"I met someone…" she finally said, swallowing hard and feeling Raha twitch against her, his arms tightening around her. "And… I'm bringing him with me to Eorzea. He wasn't there before, so we're going to travel by ship."
"Oh…?" her mom sounded excited now… which was worse. "Who is he? Is he cute? Is he going to stay long? You'll bring him home, of course? How does he look like? He's a student there, right? Must be smart. Surr, are you still there?"
"I am, mom," she banged her head slightly against his chest, then sent him quick apologetic smile. Raha chuckled, brushing her hair back gently. "His name is G'r… Raha," she corrected quickly when he shook his head, his jaw tightening. "He's a Seeker, too. He's extremely handsome…" she smirked slightly when he blushed and looked away. So cute! "… with red hair and red-cyan eyes. And yes, I'll bring him home…"
"Red-cyan?" her mom hummed. "That sounds… unique."
"He is one of a kind," she sighed dreamily and grinned when his blush darkened. "And he's super cute too, you'll love him," that earned her a pout and she barely stopped herself from squealing with delight. "He pouts, mom! Gods…" she might have squealed… a little. Then laughed out loud when that earned her a delicate slap on the bottom. "Raha, don't…!"
"Ohhh… he's with you now?" T'meto sounded amused now… and even more excited. Surr swallowed hard again, trying to focus. But he was so silly! "So, how long he will be staying?"
"Ah…" that's the tricky part… "For good, actually… He's joining Scions with me."
"Oh? They invited him? He really must be something else, then…"
"Well… not exactly…" she hesitated… but she never lied to her parents. She's not going to start now. "Actually… I told Minfilia that he either joins or I'm staying in Old Sharlayan."
"Surr… why would you…?" she could imagine her mom's frown as gears turned in her head furiously. Yeah, she's in so much trou…" He's the boy you told your father about, isn't he? Your soulmate," that wasn't even a question. "Oh, baby, I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to meet him! We can start planning the mating ceremony as soon as you arrive…"
"About that…" she swallowed tightly, resting her forehead against his chest again. "… that won't be necessary," she waited for the explosion with a sinking feeling.
Three… two… one…
"You didn't…! Oh Azeyma… Kirh is going to kill you! You mated that boy already?! Twelve preserve… What were you thinking…?!"
"I love him, mom," she whispered and exhaled softly feeling his hand smooth along her back again.
Her mom stayed quiet for a long moment, then sighed patiently.
"Of course you love him, baby. He's your soulmate. But there's traditions to follow with those things. Not too mention you should have at least… waited to introduce him to your father first. He's going to be furious when he hears about it, Surr!"
"I know," she whimpered, squeezing her arms around her mate. "But you don't understand… He's mine!" she growled.
Another silence, and then…
"That bad, huh? It happens sometimes, I guess…" T'meto sighed softly, and she could imagine her rolling long strand of white hair around her finger and narrowing her green eyes. "Okay, baby… I'll try to soothe your papa before you get here. We don't want him to scare your boy off with his temper, after all," she chuckled softly. "We can always remind him that you get your rash… attitude from him."
"Thank you, mom," Surr relaxed slightly.
"You're not out of the woods yet, young lady," her mom chuckled softly. "I expect you'll tell me every little detail when you get here! And really can't wait to see your boy. He sounds gorgeous!"
"He definitely is," she grinned, her tail going wild with enthusiasm. "I swear, mom. You'll adore him."
By the time they came back to Surr's room in Leveilleur's mansion, Raha was barely shambling, nearly dizzy with exhaustion.
After her call with her mother, they went to Baldesion Annex to pack rest of his things… though it wasn't like he had much in the first place. His books would be the biggest issue, but Thancred and Alphinaud offered to take most of them straight away.
Still he grinned toothily at how surprised Surr was at the sight of his bow… which didn't last long as she immediately started to grill him if he maybe had any bard training to go along with that… He refused to answer with a dark blush.
Which was probably answer into itself, if he thought about it now. Especially considering suspicious glint in her purple eyes…
Once inside, he just collapsed face first on top of her bed with a deep, relieved sigh, still fully clothed. Surr giggled softly behind him and he felt her pull off his shoes.
"Aww, my poor mate," she cooed softly… then rolled him to his back seemingly without effort.
"Twelve… you're so strong for your size," he more of mumbled, drowsiness pulling at his senses.
She stilled for a moment, then sighed softly, brushing his hair back gently and then moving to open and remove his vest. Raha guessed he should be more surprised when she manhandled it off him quite easily, without any of his help, but he was seriously too tired to care at this point.
"Can I tell you something I never said to anyone else, my Raha?" she whispered, leaning in and brushing her lips gently against his stomach before she put her fingers under waistband of his pants and also pulled those off him easily.
"Of course, my love," he sighed, sleepily watching from under lowered lashes as she undressed quickly, then climbed the bed and splayed on top of him with a soft, pleased purr. He lifted his hand and sank his fingers in her glorious pearly-white locks, enjoying how they felt around his fingers. "Always."
She stayed silent for a long moment and he almost drifted off before she finally whispered something against his chest.
"Huh?" he hummed questioningly, struggling to stay awake. "Can you repeat that, Surr?"
"I said…" she hesitated, swallowing hard. "I met Mothercrystal… and since then, I'm stronger then I should be."
His eyes shoot wide open and he stared numbly at the ceiling, his heart suddenly pounding furiously.
"You met Hydealyn?" he gasped, realizing…
"Yeah… I thought… that it was just a dream at the time. But then I started to get… stronger. Faster. And I can cast more… than should be possible," she run her nails gently along the lines of the tattoo on his shoulder. "I never told anyone about it, because I don't really want to be… different. I don't like the thought that it's not something… that I chose. So I… hide it, as much as possible. Stumble, ask others to pick things for me… picked a dead art, Summoning, so no one notice… that I'm a freak."
"You're not a freak, Surr," he growled softly, hugging her tightly against his chest though his gaze was still stuck at the ceiling, gears in his head turning furiously.
"Thank you, Raha. I love you, my mate," she hummed, nuzzling against his chest and purring. "I'm so glad… that you're not… freaking out about it. Goodnight, my love," she tilted her head and kissed his skin, then settled to sleep with a soft sigh.
"I love you too, my beautiful, goodnight," he answered numbly, kissing top of her head.
He was not freaking out…?
Oh, he was…
He sooo was…
Because he realized that Surr… his beloved mate… was Warrior of Light… even if she didn't realize that yet herself.
And if all the stories he ever read were correct… being Hydealyn's chosen always came with a heavy price.
