I am the flea you cannot flick! [Aeyt!]

[Rhindeer]

Another Wolf? Thank Kia she had at least been expecting more to show up with her clothes, and thank gods he didn't linger. Catching the cape, Einin rose from her bed and crossed the room so she could shove the cape under the floor board with the rest of her costume, and once that was dealt with, she sat back down on the edge of her bed.

With her elbows on her thighs and her chin propped on her hands, she flashed Rufus a little smile. "It was fun," she said. "It was...it was interesting! And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. With some changes here and there, but I think I'd know how to handle myself better next time. And I think...I think I don't really want to be known as a suave flirt after all." She shook her head. "I didn't realize how, ah, wrong that could go, I guess. But it was also really interesting to see things as a man--I mean, to be treated as one.  And...haha, no one else would have let me be a fool like that. I think I needed that."

Sitting up, she leaned back on her hands and tilted her head thoughtfully. "Thanks. Honestly. No one else would have trusted me on a mission like that, and...it was really nice to see a happy ending this time."

[Aeytrious]

"Happy for Lulu perhaps," Rufus said soberly, "but that weasel will likely hang in a few days." Rufus cracked his back, eying Einin as he did. She was quite pretty when she smiled. He liked her happy, it was a good look for her. He stood, and went through a series of stretches, that he did regularly to keep himself limber. While he carried out the routine, he talked about the future.

"I'll be by tomorrow, and every day after, to continue your training. I'll let you know, at the latest, the day before if I'll not be by. Unless of course there is an emergency, then you'll receive a message as soon as I can send it," Rufus bent to touch his toes, his sheathed blades sticking out oddly as he did so. "Any nights you go out, you'll have a shadowed escort, but try not to get into any serious trouble."

Another Wolf arrived as he finished his stretching. Strikingly beautiful, even covered in the ash of a Soot Wolf, she brought Rufus Einin's folded clothes and gave the young Lady a wink and a grin before she quickly departed. Rufus checked for the key, and found it safely tucked in a pocket. He handed it over to Einin, and set her clothes on her bed.

"So would you like to see your hidden room? I think it was a sorcerers chamber. Did you have a sorcerer in your family? Maybe they kept it a secret."

[Rhindeer]

"Happy for Lulu and every other girl we saved tonight," Einin corrected, smile fading with the gravity of the subject. "I know death isn't to be taken lightly, but I don't feel sorry for the man. He was a murderer. He sealed his fate when he started knifing women."

As Rufus began to stretch and talk, Einin pretended not to watch. She adopted a bored expression, but it was a little too forced as Rufus went through his routine, showing off his flexibility and the nice lines of his body. He was definitely a man in his prime, and one couldn't live such an active lifestyle without being fit. Honestly, she could see why women liked him--and, abruptly, she remembered how he felt when he held her, and the memories of that sensual kiss came flooding through. Glad for the darkened room, she cleared her throat and looked out her window.

"Since when do I get into trouble?" she said with a playful grin, right before yet another Wolf entering just about had her jumping clear of her skin. She pressed a hand to her heart, sucked in a breath, and let it out slowly as the woman departed.

"Gods. I really wish they'd give some sort of warning," she muttered as she took the key and slipped it inside a drawer in her bedside table. Raking a hand through her hair, she turned her attention back to Rufus. "Anyway, yes! Of course I want to see this, and any other rooms you know of. This is an old home, so I can't say I'm surprised that it has secrets--though I would be surprised if we had any sorcerers in the family."

Rising to her feet, she straightened out her gown. "I don't know if you've noticed, but while my family's old and important, magic is a little...fickle with us. It skips around." With a little shrug, she gave a lopsided smile. "I'm the first mage in a while."

[Aeytrious]

Rufus knew the importance of human contact when building up a seduction, so he removed his thin thief gloves, and tucked them behind his blades. He then reached out and took Einin by the hand and led her to the wall behind her door, that 'T'-ed with the hall. When in the corner, he guided her to the secret panel with his hands on her hips. He moved her hand against the edge of the molding that ran up the height of the wall.

"Do you feel how it's slightly uneven there," he said the words softly, whispering right into her ear. "If you put pressure on that raised spot," he pushed on her fingers gently, and there was a soft click. The mechanism inside activated and the false panel moved in, then quietly slid down to reveal a very narrow passage. Rufus slipped passed Einin, and once again took her by the hand leading her into the dusty chamber. The room was at most, ten feet across, but ran the entire length of her room, all the way to the exterior wall. It had vials and jars and bottles of all shapes and sizes filled with so many different random things, most of them unknown. There were a couple shelves with dusty tomes, and small table with what looked like a scrying globe, or crystal ball. An assortment of other things sat on shelves and tables along both walls, and several staves stood in a corner.

"So, an interesting find?"

[Rhindeer]

It was so stupid, but when Rufus lead Einin to the wall and showed her where the mechanism was, she couldn't help but tense, her heart fluttering nervously. He was...really close, his hands on her hips, his mouth near her ear as he whispered the instructions to her. She could feel his breath on her skin and the heat of his body, and a little chill went down her spine that she hoped he couldn't feel. Way too close. He wasn't even doing anything, but she felt on edge after that kiss, and when the panel opened and he walked past her and lead her inside, she felt she could finally breathe again.

Gods, this was ridiculous.

Thankfully, what lay behind the wall was enough of a distraction, and she rolled her shoulders and forced the confused muddle of thoughts out of her head as she took in the wonder that was this room, hidden right within her own room. It was...both amazing and unsettling, to think this had been here all this time, but from the layer of dust and cobwebs settled over everything, it looked like it had been unused for quite some time.

"Very interesting!" Einin breathed, tugging her hand free and stepping around to the shelves. She blew dust off the cover of an old book before flipping it open. It was written in Old Serenian, a language nowadays used primarily by scholars, of which she only knew a few words here and there. Enough to recognize the language.

"Wow," she said, went over to inspect the jars, wiping dust off one with her fingers and picking it up. She made a face, nose wrinkling, and held it out for Rufus to see. Inside was a dead lizard of some sort, preserved and floating in some clear substance. "Well, I'd say you're right. This place certainly screams sorcerer. Or madman."

[Aeytrious]

"Well as fun as looking through all this stuff will surely be for you," Rufus said, as he looked at the preserved lizard, "I'm more interested in what a night time crime fighter could do with this space." He waggled his eyebrows at Einin, in her adorable nightclothes. "Outfitting it properly will be an undertaking," he stepped over and took the lizard, intentionally brushing her hand with his as he did. He pressed himself against her only slightly, as he reached passed her to put it back in it's place. The movement knocked a few stray strands of hair into her face and he tucked them behind her ear, his fingers grazing her cheek, before stepping away. "I have a few secret rooms of my own in the Wolves Den. They are very handy. The next time your parents are out, I'll be sure to show you the rest of the ones in this manor."

Rufus eyed a small wooden case sitting on a small writing desk. It was open, and a few wands were laying within. He again pulled a trinket from some hidden place on his person, a monocle, and placed it in front of his eye. The wands glowed to his newly enhanced vision, and he quickly glanced around the room, finding many other glowing items, including a few of the staves. "There's remaining magic in here. Perhaps we should bring in an expert to examine everything before we start moving it out to outfit as your Owl Nest."

[Rhindeer]

Argh.

Cheeks coloring in the dark, Einin crossed her arms over her chest, once again feeling that nervous flutter when he touched her. The room suddenly felt very small and cramped, and she was suddenly very aware of the fact that she was just in her nightgown. Sure, the material was thick and it wasn't sheer or immodest or anything--heavens, no!--but it hit her in a rush, an odd sense of vulnerability that she didn't like, a sudden awareness of how much larger Rufus was (perhaps not in height, but definitely in build), and that he was fully clothed and armored in contrast to her.

She swallowed and shrank away, her bottom hitting the edge of the table and, unbeknownst to her, leaving behind a dark line of dust against the white.

"Owl Nest, hah! I like the sound of that!" she said with a grin, doing her best to play it casual. "This can be like my super secret crime-fighting lair or something! Hm. I suppose I should also do some research on the estate, see if there are any records that would explain this. Ah, the magic you're seeing? Is any of it dangerous, do you know? Or is that something for the experts?"

[Aeytrious]

Rufus slipped the magic trinket away and turned back to Einin. "That thing just shows me there is magic, not its power or use," he walked over and tapped a couple vials of liquid gently. "Chora would probably be best for the oils and ointments. I call her my salve-master, she uses some fancy word. Kemist, I believe," Rufus scrunched his face at the word. "She says it's part magic, part art, all science. She's talented, and that's all that matters to me." He strolled over to the staves, and blew on them. He was careful not to touch them, you never knew what something might do. Even with the eye patch, some magic still worked. "I'll find a good wizard or sorcerer to come look at the rest of the stuff."

Rufus then walked back over to Einin and casually looked at few things on the shelves near her while he continued to chat. "I got your father and a few of the other nobles to endorse a faire across the city next week. I was hoping you'd give me the honor of your company in the morning."

[Rhindeer]

Wisely, Einin kept her hands to herself at Rufus's announcement. If he couldn't figure out the type of magic, it was probably best not to fiddle with these trinkets until she knew what was what. She had been about to ask him more about it, like if he knew which items were magicked, specifically (because gods, she did so want to sift through this stuff!), but then he mentioned the faire.

"I don't see why not," Einin said after a moment's thought, and laughed. "Sounds like a lot more fun than what I'd normally be doing during the day! And I need a good reason to be out and about. I suppose it might be...a little strange to be with you and not around Jarrett, but I guess that will make our fake engagement--" She stressed the word fake. "--less of a blindside."

Brushing dust from her hands, she regarded him curiously. "So, what's the purpose of this faire? That's a rather big event to stage just for fun."

[Aeytrious]

Einin had collected a little more dust than she was aware of. Rufus couldn't see the back of her, where she had bumped into the table, but she had acquired some on her sleeves and where her sleeves had brushed her front. Even after brushing it free of her hands, it clung to the fabric of her nightgown. He reached for her sleeves and brushed the dust away, then the dust from her front.

"If you're not careful you'll come out of here all grey instead of pink," all the dust he could see removed, Rufus told her about the faire. "A large event like that will make money for the city, taxes and permits will fill the pockets of the politicians. The middle class will mostly work, perform, or sell their goods. The rich will overspend, and overpay, filling the pockets of those of lower birth. It makes the money flow down." He didn't also include that there would be Soot Wolves everywhere, lightening the purses of many unsuspecting victims, and that many stalls would be selling counterfeit goods. The Soot Wolves would come out ahead on this one, and that was always an important goal.

[Rhindeer]

Einin batted his hand away when he went for her front. "You know, you can point," she said. "That works just as well. Anyway, that is...a rather more mundane reason than I expected. And here I almost thought it was another hunt or some...some--"

She cut off with a sneeze, and waved the floating dust particles away. "Maybe we should continue in my room," she said, and headed back out the passage.

[Aeytrious]

As Einin turned and exited, Rufus could see the dark smudge of dust across her butt. He followed her out, and once he closed the panel back up, simply by releasing the pressed in mechanism, he approached Einin. "No impropriety intended, if you please..." He half turned Einin and brushed the dust from her bottom. Likely drawing her ire, but at least it wouldn't be tracked into her bed, and he got a subtle butt grope.

[Rhindeer]

Einin nearly yelped, but clamped her teeth together before the sound could escape her. Jerking around, she grabbed Rufus's wrist and glowered up at him.

"What did I say about pointing!" she snapped. "Or maybe try saying, 'Einin, you have something on your tush!' And then I can take care of it. Has that ever occurred to you?"

[Aeytrious]

"It just seemed polite to remove the dust since I could see it and you could not," Rufus whispered to Einin. He paused to listen for footsteps in case her odd squeak drew attention. It seemed unlikely, as it wasn't very loud. "You need to not react so intensely from a little human contact. I was not crude in my removal of the dust from your very modest nightgown." He turned her grip on his wrist around on her, but holding her hand much more delicately.

"Well you have an intense day of sword training tomorrow," Rufus bowed in a very gentlemanly way, brushing his lips just barely across the back of Einin's hand. "I hope your sleep will be pleasant, and your dreams comforting. I bid you goodnight Lady Beirne. Until I look upon your beautiful face on the morrow." He leaned forward as he released her hand, placing a very innocent kiss upon her cheek. Then he turned and headed toward her door, his exit was in her basement after all.

[Rhindeer]

"It's not the human contact," Einin said, keeping her voice down. "It's the point of contact. Which seems to be my bottom, all day long."

But even as she said it, she wondered if maybe she was overreacting in this instance? It wasn't like he'd smacked her as he had before, and he had been brief. But all those butt smacks, and that earlier kiss, had thrown her off balance. Now she was jumping at a touch on the hand, or the brushing of dust off her gown. Maybe because she wasn't sure what to expect from him anymore; that kiss, like the one when she'd first met him, had come out of the blue.

And now he was being rather gentlemanly, though her skin still tingled where his lips brushed her hand. And then, a kiss on the cheek. Einin blinked at him, face warm and once again feeling off balance, and as he turned to leave, she rubbed her face.

"You are so confusing," she said, just loud enough for him to hear.

[Aeytrious]

"I'm glad you feel that way." Rufus smiled at Einin one last time before disappearing into the darkness outside her room. He hoped she would dream of him.

[Rhindeer]

Einin scowled after him, and waited several minutes to be sure Rufus was gone before she crawled into bed. And though she felt exhausted after a busy day and night, it was a while before she wound down enough to fall asleep. She laid there for nearly an hour, staring at the shapes on her ceiling and replaying the day in her mind, trying to make sense of everything and failing--and trying to calm the strange, anxious flutter in her belly that kicked up whenever she replayed certain parts.

This was dangerous, and she needed to be careful. This was Ryk--Rufus--and both had reputations. She needed to be on her guard, and Kia damn him for her sleeplessness!

When Einin finally did drift off, her dreams were awkward, to say the least.

[Einin and Rufus's shenanigans continue HERE!]