The Dragon's Head Tavern, Vorland, 1438 ATC
Sanna held Rowena in her arms as she babbled and waved her arms, giggling up a storm as she tickled her as they sat at a table at the Dragon's Head. Happy to visit the place where they had met again.
"Gotcha, gotcha!"
Sanna laughed along with her as she waited for her lover, grinning as she was excited about the love of her life taking them for ice cream for a little family outing. Not the whole family, as Ceirra insisted she stay with Alex and baby Asher who was feeling under the weather. The twins were with their mother Kari, and her sister in arms Marvella.
The door to their room opened and Venser himself stepped in wearing a long crimson jacket, a waistcoat, a cravat and black pinstriped pants with fancy riding boots. It was nearing the end of the afternoon and getting into the evening for them and the weather was fair. ''Sorry about having to teleport you and Rowena all over the damn place... When we were home in Pryldahn we could have just taken a carriage into the city. I'm sorry I insisted we come back for this old suit and a few other things...'' He sighed and adjusted his tie, walking over to them and kissing Sanna on the lips, and then their baby daughter on the forehead. ''Ready to teleport?''
"You don't have to be sorry beloved. I don't mind the teleporting, I think it's fun!" She chuckled as she kissed him back, Rowena making a kissy face at him as he kissed her on the forehead. "Mhmm. All ready." She straightened Rowena in her arms and held tight, taking his hand.
''Rowena... Not too sure now that she's fully awake now." He nuzzled Sanna's head and sighed, squeeing her hand and wrapping his arms around them. All three of them disappeared in a puff of thick red smoke and reappeared in the Ten Traders district. There certainly were shops, but bars and eateries abounded and most importantly of all, a creamery that the rich, nobles from all different parts of the world and even the God Queen herself fancied. ''I always teleport us to this alley...'' He muttered looking out of it. Not too busy today. ''Have you ever had ice cream before, Sanna?'' He asked tugging on her hand as they walked. ''Common where I come from... Other places have never heard of it. And here, they used to send runners up to the mountains until they figured out how to make it with cryomancy became a big thing. Good for business...
"Like, imagine having the capability to use and learn magic... And you use it to make frozen treats rather than use it for healing or battle.'' He rambled.
Rowena squealed, eyes as big as dinner plates and clung to them both as they teleported, whimpering a little but settling down with a gentle shushing from Sanna. Soon she settled and they both looked around, seeing the alley and she tilted her head a bit at the question. "Honestly no, I haven't," she answered as they walked, holding his hand. "I've heard of it before you told me about it back home." The golden gypsy was wearing a simple black gown and their baby was playing with the lace on the front of it.
The handsome bearded man stopped for a minute to admire a poster of himself on the wall of the right of the alleyway, his handsome, confident mug on the front of it and above the words, ''Karkaldwin's Fine Cannabis'' above it.
''Heh. As I seld, aside from my home everywhere else it's either non-existant or luxery for the elite. He led them out of the alleyway into the streets of Capital De Seraphim.
''I was going to bring Soarin and Lucinda but their mom wanted to take them training with her and Marvella. Already...'' Venser cleared his throat and said, ''Little nice family outting... Ya know? Lucinda has cryomancy like her mom... She would make a killing here., especially from the tourists.''
"Ah, I see... Why training? They're still so young..." She asked, frowning a little in worry. Rowena babbled some more and played with the lace of her mother's dress, nuzzling against it and pulling on it. She chuckled and gently unhooked her hand from her long black hair, cooing gently to her that it was nothing to play with. She looked at the poster and tilted her head, reading slowly. "Can... Canna...bis? What in the world? Selling this to the whole world?"
''Just in case... Not kidding. She's the protector of the village and all...'' He sighed and shook his head. ''I don't want them to grow up to be warriors. I want them to be whatever they'd like... Though I suppose, yeah the exercise is fantastic. Let them be athletes for the Grand Games maybe. Good place to sell...'' The handsome barkeep looked back to the two and smiled warmly watching Rowena play with her mother's dress.
''And we want the same for our little girl, don't we?''
"I know. That's what I would want for them too. Of course! I don't want her forced into a fate she doesn't want... She should be happy." Sanna smiled softly and kissed her little girl on the head. The little baby grabbed her mother's face and gave a sloppy kiss to her nose, causing her mother to laugh.
''Reef restaurant, best in town uh huh...'' He said glancing to a rather large building across the street. At the creamery they stopped at several other merchants and their own familes, all wealthy were sitting out on the balcony chatting amongst themselves. ''Why don't you take a seat, I'll go in and order?'' He asked. ''Dunno if you have a...'' He stopped himself there and sighed.
"If I have a?" She asked, tilting her head.
''Preference for flavor... Compared to home, the stuff they have here is... Lacking.'' He cleared his throat. ''Variety. But... Here ice cream is in it's infancy.''
"Oh, I see. Well, what flavor do you like?" She asked. "Maybe I'll like it too."
''Vanilla, custard, lemon, honey, hazlenut... And that's pretty much it. And then topped with fruit like cherries.'' Venser answered. ''If I were to list all of the flavors from back from... Ya know, we'd be standing here all day.''
Sanna laughed softly and nodded in understanding. "Honey sounds lovely."
Venser leaned in and kissed Sanna softly again, nuzzling her head, his beard brushing up against her face, and reached out to give their baby's tummy a little tickle. ''Be back soon...'' He entered the building fumbling about for his purse.
The golden gypsy blushed darkly and kissed him back, nuzzling him in return and placing a quick kiss on his cheek before he left, while Rowena giggled and waved her arms out for her father. "Take your time."
It actually wasn't even five minutes before Venser returned with a metal tray with three metal bowls atop it. He sat down at the table and set the tray in the middle, setting Sanna's ice cream in front of her. Which was nothing but vanilla ice cream drizzled in honey and rose water with a few slices of apricot. Venser himself got custard. ''Pretty much all the same thing. Just eggs... More expensive..." He rambled tipping a spoon into Sanna's ice cream, though, only the tip and some of back of the spoon. ''I know Rowena hasn't had ice cream. But what about you, my love?''
Sanna chuckled and shook her head. "Never before." She looked at her bowl and grinned, dipping her spoon in and taking a little into it, lifting it to his lips. "Want a bite?"
''First, I think Rowena should have her first ice cream.'' He said offering the spoon to their baby daughter, a bit of the honey and vanilla standing at the tip.
She nodded in agreement as Rowena opened her mouth and ate the small spoonful, making a face at the temperature at first but then grinning like crazy at the flavor going "mmmm, mmm" in a babble.
''She loves it!'' The handsome bearded man smiled and looked up to Sanna, then back down to Rowena as she babbled and wiggled her little arms out at the spoon.
Sanna grinned and nodded, laughing as Rowena tried to eat the bowl now, babbling and squeaking.
Venser laughed heartily with Sanna and dipped the spoon back into the ice cream, offering the tip of it to Rowena again. The sun shined down upon them and it was a rather nice peaceful day in the city. Not too busy, not too loud. Just... Rather peaceful.
She ate the ice cream at the end of the spoon as Sanna tried some herself, moaning softly at the taste and grinning. "It's so cold, but so sweet."
''Thats the idea. When I was young I got cravings all the time... And can you believe some places ice cream doesn't even exist?'' His smiled weakened for a split second, but strengthened again seeing Sanna have her first taste of ice cream as well. He leaned across the table and pressed his lips to hers, whispering softly, ''Not as sweet as you.''
"I wish they knew that it existed. This is fantastic!" Sanna grinned, pressing her lips to his in return and nuzzling him gently. "Venser... Would you marry me?"
Those four words hit Venser like a train. He froze for a few seconds and smiled weakly, nuzzling her head. ''Shouldn't I be the one asking you?'' Venser loved Sanna, that was true. But he had other matters to discuss with her before marriage. Even though it had been on his mind for some time...
She flushed and chuckled softly. "Sorry, love...it just... Kind of came out..." She was red in the face, biting on her lip and she nuzzled him softly. Either way, officially married before the gods, ceremony or night when Sanna was with Venser she was happy. So happy it almost hurt
"I love you."
Venser kissed her on the forehead and wrapped his arm around Sanna. ''I love you too Sanna. So so much... I'm sorry we haven't been able to spend much time together lately on account of me traveling for business and running the tavern and spending time with all our other loves and kids... And yeah.''
She snuggled into his arm and kissed his cheek. "You know I don't mind, my love. I may miss you, but I know you'll always come home. I know you're always with me, and I know that you love us both very much. You work so hard to provide for us, and I can never repay that my love."
''You do with love and affection.'' He said snuggling into Sanna closing his eyes. ''And that is all I ask for...''
Rowena snuggled against them both and cooed, and Sanna smiled warmly snuggling into him. "Thank you. You both are my world... And I'd love to keep broadening our family, to be your wife officially... It's honestly what I dream of."
''Sanna?'' Her lover asked with a hint of concern, opening his snake like eyes to look at her, his eyebrows lowered.
"Yes?" Sanna asked, tilting her head.
The bearded man let out yet another sigh and spoke slowly with a more serious tone. ''You know I love you. And I can't imagine how perfect our wedding would be but...'' Venser pasued and swallowed before he spoke, speaking more clearly. ''You know I have other children with other women... So... By the void this is hard...'' He rubbed his temples and took a few more bites of his ice cream. ''What if I married you and other women too? How would you feel?''
Sanna smiled warmly. "I would love them as much as I love you, even to the point of considering them my sisters or even wives if they like that. As I already do you know... I would consider them a mother to our children just the same, and I would love you even more for having so big of a heart. You truly amaze me." She kissed his cheek as she took another bite.
''You would even though to other's it sounds almost despicable? I mean I told you multiple marriages is common in Pryldahn..." Venser said eating more of the ice cream too, offering another bite for their little girl. But at the same time not making eye contact with either of them. ''You know... With sex, and love and ...'' With his free hand he made awkward hand gestures and he wasn't too sure where he was going. ''I think in the end it's all about love and family. Like,'' He paused and put on a mocking voice, ''These women are stuck loving this one person who has several other women loving him too when they could be loving someone else.''
Their baby daughter took another bite and cooed again at the taste as Sanna listened and chuckled at the mocking voice, nodding in understanding. "I don't care what others think of us. I consider it an honor, a treasure to be with you. Whomever you choose to be with, I will love with all of my heart."
''Even if I were married to three or four girls along with you like all at once?'' He asked, his smile growing a bit more as he wiped honey off of Rowena's face.
"Yes." She smiled warmly as Rowena babbled in agreement, or so it seemed.
That was true love right there. Venser held is face to Sanna's and looked into her bright, intense green eyes with his own emerald slitted ones, looking over her beautiful features. He set down his spoon and raised his scarred hand, placing it on her cheek. He tilted his head to the side and felt her breath against his, before kissing her as softly and sweetly as the night they had met.
Sanna of Krimeakhet felt the same as she looked into his slitted eyes with her own intense bright green ones, resting a hand on his cheek as she returned his kiss while a happy tear slid down her cheek. She remembered how they had kissed the night they met and smiled warmly against his lips, sighing contently as she snuggled them close.
''It'll be a full house soon...'' He chuckled as their lips collided, biting her lower lip.
Sanna blushed with a soft moan and grinned at him evilly. "Yes, yes it will... But I'm going to enjoy that."
''Not mentioning the servants or the... Hired guards who watch over the fields.'' Venser added. ''And there was something else I was going to mention... But... Eh.''
"What's that, love?" She chuckled, tilting her head.
''I travel a lot between the tavern and Pryldahn and the farm, which isn't too far from here, and Wicked Port but... I've been wanting to travel more. Explore, adventure, raid tombs! Travel time and space. Ya know? But... Family obligations and business... And I mean, Brea and Kira the tavern when I'm not there.'' It almost sounded like he was rambling now.
She listened as he talked and Rowena began babbling back as if speaking to him too, causing her to chuckle a little at their daughter. "How about your up and coming business?"
''Yeah and... Hire more need to find more coin... Part of the time, or handle things in Wicked Port like warehouses and such when I'm not there.'' Venser replied, he finished his ice cream and held his hands out. ''May I hold Rowena?''
The golden gypsy grinned and happily handed him their daughter, who proceeded to reach out to hug his neck with a squeal.
''There's a happy baby.'' Venser said holding Rowena close on his chest, rubbing her back. He sighed and said, ''I wonder...'' He looked to Sanna and said, ''Living in an estate as opposed to living in a gypsy carriage, or a tent with your gypsy family. And with a few other siblings and servants and other mothers...''
The golden gypsy smiled warmly at the thought, nodding gently. "I think that would be wonderful," she answered as Rowena cooed and rested her head on his chest, eyes drooping.
''What do you think she'll grow up to be? Being raised way differently than either of us.'' Venser said rubbing her back still.
She tilted her head. "If we have our say, anything she wants to be. I'd love for her to dance, though." She chuckled softly as Rowena fell asleep on her father's chest.
''Yeah... A dancer like her mother... That would be nice.'' Venser said holding their daughter close. ''Shall we go home now? Well, I mean the tavern since the bedroom and the nursery is still being renevated at the estate...''
She nodded with a grin and stood, setting up her empty bowl next to Venser's as their daughter slept soundly. "That would be very nice. What would you like to do once we get home and get her put down?"
''Just lay in bed and enjoy each other's company? Just... Embrace it for as long as possibe before I have to run the bar or speak to the Guild of Merchants again in here in the southern part of the city. I'm out own my own right now with a cart and posters and that's it but... Taxes and advertising and all.'' He suggested.
"I would love that. It's been so long." She said softly as she kissed his cheek, relaxing as she stood in front of him. "Sorry for blurting out that question. I know you probably wanted to ask when you were ready, it just...came out. But everything I said, I meant. I love you no matter what."
''I love you too, Sanna.'' He said looking down to kiss Rowena on the forehead. ''And our child too... So so much...'' Venser extended his right hand for Sanna, getting ready to teleport.
The golden gypsy smiled warmly again, taking his hand, and in response he leaned in and kissed her.
Not a hard kiss, not a rough kiss or a hungry kiss. Just a simple loving one. He started off slow and gentle, brushing his lips against hers, their hearts beating rapidly as they sat with their lips locked together.
