The next morning, early as was his custom, Lucivar padded quietly around the ranch house checking that everything was in order. Even though he had no idea what should and shouldn't be going on in this place, he did it anyway.
At back of the house there were patio doors that opened on to the stable area and Lucivar stopped and watched as two boys walked into the barn and then came out a few minutes later with a line of horses following them out to the pastures beyond the buildings. Lucivar was no expert with animals but he knew that was not normal. Then he remembered Elizabeth had mentioned last night that she had given the staff the next few weeks off and had left the chores in the capable hands of the two angels that really kept an eye on things unbeknownst to the human employees.
Lucivar moved on and eventually found a secluded side porch on which to do his morning exercises.
Elizabeth woke slowly, stretching slightly, and then felt Lucifer tighten his arm around her waist. She squirmed playfully but he did not give in.
"It's time to get up," she said.
"No. Stay," he murmured and refused to open his eyes.
"We have guests, my love," she said smiling to herself.
"We have children to see to them, carina," he replied with a secret smile of his own because he knew she always blushed when he called her what in this context meant "one who is glorious."
He was in a strong mood today because of what he had accomplished for her yesterday and because she had encouraged his powerful and creative side in their love making last night. He had been the dominant partner, which he was half the time anyway, but this time it was inspired by Elizabeth's wonder and admiration, rather than simple to please her.
"Oh, come on," she said, eager to be on horseback.
"Mmmm," he grumbled.
"Just ask me!" She said.
"Not yet," he said and he nuzzled and kissed at her exposed neck, which did the job of getting her to relaxing against him perfectly.
Elizabeth was defeated and Lucifer was triumphant because they both knew that their day did not start until Lucifer had asked her what he asked every morning: "What would please you most this morning?" He didn't ask so that she would command him to fulfill her wishes but just to hear those things that would make her happy today if he found the time to sneak them in.
When Daemon and Jaenelle, lead by Malachi and Ella, joined Lucivar and Marian in the kitchen they stood there confused for a moment before Lucivar explained.
"Luke says that here the dinning rooms are often open to the kitchen," he said as the sat at the bar over looking the cooking area, "It's more of a family style arraignment so that the cook doesn't get lonely."
"All I can say is that the cook will get bothered by husbands and children in a set up like this," Marion grumbled quietly.
Jaenelle laughed, "I like it."
"You would," Marion retorted playfully and they both laughed.
"Where are our hosts?" Daemon asked, trying not to sound presumptuous. He had found that both Cassie and Elizabeth shared Jaenelle's love of the informal but sometimes his Court training did not allow him to be as easy-going as the Ladies.
"Still in bed!" Luke interjected from behind the counter with a twinkle in his eyes, "but don't worry, I've got the wife working on breakfast," he said as if she wasn't standing right next to him.
"Oh, do you now?" Sara laughed from her place at the stove, where she was skillfully making a eggs and bacon, "It would work out much better if you didn't tickle my while I'm cooking."
Marian laughed in agreement.
"Just think of it as an added level of difficulty, my dear," he said cheerfully and kissed her too deeply for this early in the morning. She shoved him away and he left her alone for a few moments before being drawing back to her to annoy her further.
"You're worst than your father Luke," Ella admonished him, "Leave her alone or we'll never eat."
"You could help," Malachi suggested and then got ready to duck a smack that never came. Ella just smiled sweetly and went to sit down at the table, but she was successful in getting Luke to stop bothering Sara.
"As the acting host, I order everyone to the table!" Luke announced with a mischievous smile that let everyone know that this was actually a suggestion.
Jaenelle jumped up like a little girl playing a game and dragged Daemon to the table. Daemon couldn't help bristling slightly at the light-heartedness of these young people, but he knew that they we right up Jaenelle's alley. Besides, he had been continuing to work on having bits and pieces of the childhood that Jaenelle had given him glimpses of when he had been her companion when she was young. He would be forever grateful for even the small childish moments they had had together then and the new ones they occasionally had now that they were married (she would never grow up completely), but it was harder for him when others were present.
Daemon reminded himself that they were here to have fun and that none of these new friends had any expectations with regards to Court manners.
Lucivar, fitting in more easily, rose and gave Marian his arm in mock formality and led her in state to the table, depositing her in her chair with a small bow, before sitting himself. This performance earned smiles of appreciation that he was willing to play the game which apparently entailed making fun of everything you could possibly think of.
Sara had finished her cooking and Luke was helping her bring the food to the table when Bryan and his angel came in and sat down together.
"No, no, no, this will never do," he scolded, again with mock seriousness, "I knew I should have had place cards done up. You've got to mix around. You can't sit by your husband or wife. That's just not…"
"Stop bossing everyone around, boy," Azazeal said ominously from the entrance to the dining area with Cassie on his arm, giving his real meaning away with a roll her eyes.
"Ah, well, now that the boss has arrived, I leave you in his capable hands," Luke said quickly and then took his seat, looking a little relieved.
Azazeal smiled at him and shook his head. Then he murmured to Cassie, "He's just like his father."
"I know," she responded.
If left on his own, Luke would mess around like his father, getting his hands into everything, making a mess, but the moment some one he trusted took charge, he yielded. Of course, letting him loose had its advantages because he was highly creative and intelligent, it was just when he occasionally strayed from the norm that Sara redirected him. Azazeal just liked to push all of the children around...it made him feel fatherly and they all knew how much he liked to keep all his ducks in a row.
They were twenty minutes into breakfast before Elizabeth and Lucifer arrived, acting as if there was nothing interesting about the fact that they were so late for breakfast. They probably would have gotten away with it if Elizabeth wasn't smirking at the look of amused resignation on Lucifer's face.
"What are you wearing?" Cassie flat out asked him, "I thought we were going riding this morning."
As evidenced by the breeches, and jeans, and boots all around, including on Elizabeth, Cassie had clearly not misunderstood this morning's plan. However, Lucifer was conspicuously in black Nike shorts with their signature white strips down the side and a black wife-beater tank-top. No shoes.
Elizabeth answered for him, "You're lucky he's wearing anything at all…we compromised."
She and Cassie shared a look. There were times, Azazeal was less prone but still susceptible, when the angels would get stubborn about some strange thing that meant something completely different to them. Clothing was a common issue and generally Elizabeth and Cassie could find a way to indulge these moods but sometimes…not…
Elizabeth had spent the majority of the twenty minutes that they had been late trying to convince Lucifer to dress himself. She didn't know why she tried, she would never win, but she felt that the effort was necessary before she compromised, which meant she ordered him, but picked something that left him more…accessible.
His main arguments were that he didn't need clothing, clothing came between them, and that he was beautiful for her so why wouldn't she want to look on him and be pleased. You just couldn't argue with an angel when they came up with things like that…hence the compromise.
"Alright," Cassie said, knowing the exact kind of conversation Elizabeth had had with Lucifer.
"Besides," Elizabeth said, "Invasor won't throw him, no matter what he's wearing."
Cassie nodded and suppressed a giggle.
After breakfast was over, Elizabeth led them proudly out to the stable area where, Hayyel and Sofiel, were waiting with everyone's mounts. The horses waited patiently, tacked up but not hitched to a post, in a neat semi-circle around the boy angels, as if they were guides and not horses.
Lucivar rustled his wings a bit in agitation, he'd never been a horse person, not liking a best nearly as big as he was. A few of the horses shied and pranced around a bit but Hayyel calmed them with angelic words and stroked their heads.
Azazeal turned to Lucivar, who looked guilty, "They're used to wings actually. He explained to them at your wings are just like angel wings only they are black, so it should be fine now."
Hayyel nodded to Lucivar and gestured for him to come close. When Lucivar reached him he said, "This is Storm in May. Would you let him look at your wings?"
Lucivar brought one wing around in front of him towards the horse and the animal sniffed at it noisily before snorting, as if in approval, and then proceeding to lazily chew on his bit. Hayyel smiled and nodded again and then Sofiel made the other introductions.
When Elizabeth was on her white Arabian, Echao, and Lucivar was on his black Friesian, Invasor, they headed off for the hills and a leisurely ride around the property.