Hello! And this chapter was brought to you by Laramie. Well, technically the last one was too, seeing as it's my account, but I didn't write that one and I did write this one. Enough babbling! On with the story!

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"Cadvan! You spilled wine on my dress!" Maerad exclaimed.

"I'm sorry!" Cadvan said, quickly putting his glass on the ground and pulling out a clean handkerchief, which he used to try and remove the stain from Maerad's elbow-length sleeve. He had a horrible feeling it would leave a stain, which would not make her very happy with him. He bowed his head in sorrow, letting his hand drop. "I'm sorry," he repeated, more quietly.

Maerad put a hand on his arm. "It's alright," she told him. "I was rushing too. And I know you didn't mean to." She waited until he had looked back up at her, his expression tentative, then kissed him on the cheek and left to go back to her room. She would put her dress out for washing right away, she thought, and change her clothes. She did not desire to return to the ball.

Cadvan turned around, a smile taking over his face, and went back into the ballroom. Immediately, Erin approached him.

"I see you have changed your mind!" she said, smiling widely.

"A beautiful woman can do that to you," he replied, realising that Maerad kissing his cheek had scrambled his head such that he had re-entered the ballroom, even though he had decided to leave. He wondered why she was blushing as he said, "Just one more dance, and then I will leave." Erin nodded, and they began to dance again. All through the dance, Cadvan wished he was away from that room, with Maerad.

As the dance ended, he smiled at his dance partner and nodded his head in farewell, before turning and leaving the room. Climbing the stairs, he grinned again as he thought of Maerad kissing his cheek earlier.

His hand was on the doorknob before he became aware of the fact that he had made his way to Maerad's room and not his own. He removed his hand and fled down the corridor to his own room.

--

The next morning, Cadvan woke early. He wished he had asked Maerad to dance.

He decided to go for a walk, and got dressed. He walked along the high street gloomily, then cheered up as he saw Maerad walking along the same street. He followed her like a devoted puppy, not realising what he was doing. He saw her enter the pet shop, and entered too. He saw her tickling the nose of a black kitten, which raised one paw and batted at her hand. He saw her giggle, and walked over to her, his heart swooping.

"Hello, Maerad," he said with a smile. "How nice it is to see you here, I must say. How are you this morning?"

"Hello, Cadvan! I am fine, thank you. And you? I hope this morning finds you well."

"It finds me very well, thank you."

"Good. Well, I must be going. I only came in to see this little guy." She chucked the kitten under the chin, and turned to leave. "Goodbye," she said.

"Goodbye, Maerad," Cadvan replied.

"What can I get you, sir?"

--

Cadvan left the pet shop with a rabbit.

How did he let himself do this?! But if he hadn't bought anything it would have been glaringly obvious that he liked Maerad. But what was he going to do with the pale brown rabbit sitting in the cage in his hand?! He sighed sharply in annoyance, and leaned back against the wall of one of the shops. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall. After a minute, he heard one of the many sets of footsteps making their way past him stop a few feet away from him. He opened his eyes.

"Why, hello!" It was Erin. She tucked a strand of her shoulder-length blonde hair behind her ear before continuing. "How are you today?"

"I am fine, thank you, Erin," Cadvan replied, pushing off the wall to stand up properly. "And you?"

"I'm great." She took a few steps closer to him and hooked her arm through his. "I'm still thinking about last night," she told him, with a shy smile. "I really enjoyed it. That was mainly down to you." She blushed a little.

"Well, thank you," Cadavn replied, still wondering what on earth he was going to do with the little rabbit. "I enjoyed myself too."

"Erm, can I ask you something, Cadvan?"

"Of course you can, go ahead."

"Why are you carrying a rabbit?"

"Erm…I…Erm…I…It's…for…" And idea occurred to him. "It's for you!"

"For me?"

Cadvan congratulated himself on his spur-of-the-moment idea, then congratulated himself again as Erin grinned and threw her arms around him - obviously it had been a good idea.

"Thank you," Erin said as she drew away, her eyes shining.

"That's alright." I wasn't even thinking of you, he added a little guiltily to himself.

Erin looked more closely at the young rabbit sat snuffling in the cage, its nose twitching. "I can't believe it! You remembered! I said last night, just in passing, I said I loved brown rabbits, and this morning you come straight out and bought me one! Oh, Cadvan, thank you so much!" She put her arms around him again and hugged him tightly. Cadvan responded a little awkwardly; he wasn't used to people being so dramatic in their affections, plus he felt as though he had won it under false pretences.

Erin picked up the rabbit's cage. "I have to go now. I'll see you soon."

Cadvan nodded, then was surprised as she kissed his cheek.

He rubbed it a little irritably. Maerad had kissed him there.

-tags kiaga- your go!