I looked at my stormy grey eyes in the mirror, adjusting the silver-embroidered hem of my jacket. The navy blue textile down to my knees, held together by a leather belt at my waist, with a complementing dark shirt below. I nodded at myself, my braids jiggling with the movement, pleased with my appearance. This should be worthy of courting a lady.

After re-lacing my boots and putting the gift I had made for Raset in my belt pouch, I exited my room and made my way to the Ira's office. I paused in front of the solid wooden door, ear hovering next to it. Only one calm heartbeat sounded inside.

Though I rapped on the door, I entered without waiting for an answer. Sila turned away from the window, regarding me with a raised eyebrow as she noticed my attire. "You look fashionable."

I leaned against the doorway, crossing one leg over the other. "About that... I'd like to request to leave the territory for a day."

"Request granted. Where exactly are you going? Is it the Goddess' spirit?" Her amber eyes twinkled as her lips curled into a small smile.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that."

Her smile turned into a grin. "Some love in your life is good for you, Thoysal. Go on, go to her. You deserve some happiness too."

"Goddess be with you, Ira."

Without another word, I took a small step back and closed the door. Something inside me wondered if she cheered me on because she truly wanted me to be happy or because Raset was Esnain's chosen spirit, a mortal turned immortal by the werewolves' most important Goddess herself. It could very well be both.

I let my body dissolve into pure mana, reforming it just outside of Raset's clearing. Conducting a final check of my appearance, I straightened my clothing and smoothed over my braids, reminding myself this would most likely go just fine.

Back when I was alive, I hadn't done well with the ladies, but I now had many more years of experience to draw on. At least, that was what I told myself to create some confidence.

The wall of thorns in front of me parted to let me through, and I all but dashed into the clearing. I still hadn't forgiven the thorns for the damage they had caused me and gave them many a dirty looks. Zanixa was always far too happy to laugh at me when she saw me doing that.

Loud grunts of greeting assaulted my ears. A black blur dashed at me, jumping at my chest. Mimicking the huffing sounds she sometimes made, I caught the cub with my arms, holding her close. She settled against my chest, nuzzling it with her head.

Raset chuckled as she walked over. It sounded like I imagined a ray of sunlight would, light and fresh and cheerful. A bright smile graced her face as she looked at me. "Little Conai missed you."

"You did, didn't you? Yes, you missed me," I murmured into her dark fur as I pet her with my free arm. "I missed you too."

Shifting Conai's position so she was half laying on my shoulder instead, I turned to look at Raset. The spirit was looking at my clothing, her brows furrowed in a display of mild confusion. Gesta sat next to her, watching the both of us with a knowing gaze.

"What's with the clothing?" she asked. "You're not usually dressed this well."

I mentally steeled myself and looked her in her beautiful brown eyes, almost getting lost in them. Still balancing Conai, I let myself drop to one knee and extended my palm to her.

"My lady, I hereby offer to take you on a jaunt to get to know one another better. It will be long nor far, and I solemnly swear to treat you fairly. No harm shall befall you so long as you are with me, my blade will make sure of that."

She stared at me, dumbfounded. The seconds ticked by at a pace truly agonizing, and dread started to fill me as I watched her expression. Had I done it wrong? Had I said the wrong words? Did she not want to court me, like I thought she had? I hadn't looked in her mind to check.

The anxiety started getting to me. Maybe there was a reason why the ladies didn't want me, and I had just shown her the reason. Just as I was about to teleport away to avoid the awkwardness, she started speaking.

"You..." Raset paused, searching for words. She blinked rapidly a few more times before shaking her head. "You want to go on a date?"

"That is correct, my lady." My palm was still outstretched to her as I gave her a solemn nod. It was the one without the scar. Even though she had seen it countless times, I'd rather show her the best part of me, the part not reminding me of the beast inside of me.

"Well... Um..." Her bewildered faze found Gesta. "I'd love to, but I can't leave Zanixa, Conai, and the ambertails behind."

The corners of my lips curled up in a small smile. "I have made arrangements so that they will be looked after while we are gone, if you are to accept. They will be taken care of until evening. I plan to have returned by then."

"Then there's really no reason for me to reject this," she said, her confusion finally turning into something positive; pleasant surprise. When she took my hand, I cheered inwardly, rising back to my feet in a fluid movement.

Raset put a finger on my lips, stopping me from speaking. "But, please, drop the formalities. It's just you and me, there's no need for it."

"Your wish is my command, my lady." A chuckle escaped me as she gave me a weak glare.

"Where do you plan on going?" she asked, readjusting the bow on her back. "I'm not going anywhere without my weapons."

"I know that, and I've kept that in mind. Just be patient and you will see. Do you need anything before we leave?" Walking over to Gesta, I gently lowered Conai to the ground. The blacklion cub gave a sad little mewl, but quickly snuggled into the firefox's warm fur.

"It's probably wise to take some coin..." Turning around, she started walking to her hut, but I stopped her by lightly grabbing her shoulder.

"That won't be necessary. I have everything taken care of in terms of money. Is there anything else?" The smile I gave her looked far more confident than I felt, or so I hoped.

"No, that's it, then. Lead the way."

I turned her around and held onto both her shoulders. Leaning in close, I whispered, "Close your eyes." A second later, we both dissolved into mana, darkness engulfing us.

When the light returned, we were standing in a clearing near the bridge to the biggest city in the entire Afreiton region. I had made sure the area was safe to teleport to the day before. Teleporting the both of us into a rock or tree was the last thing I wanted to do on this special day.

I took her hand and walked towards the bridge on a leisurely pace, enjoying the feeling of her warmth in my palm and her floral scent in my nose. Although she let me lead her, she was looking around with curiosity.

"We are going to Astos, the City of Stars?" she asked, looking at the deep blue with golden orange banners spaced evenly on the broad stone bridge. They waved gently in the breeze, proudly displaying vibrant colors as the clear water of the Afreiton river sparkled far below them.

I gave her a mysterious smile. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who can tell?"

The smile she returned was rather devious. "I can still throw you off the bridge and run back home, you know. I'm sure you'd enjoy a nice little swim."

"You'd never." My eyes widened in mock surprise. Gathering some more courage, I added, "You like me too much."

I didn't have to wait anxiously for long. She squeezed my hand. "That I do."

"I wanted to show you Astos because I lived there half of my living life, and I wanted to share it with you. You have shown me the beauty of the forest, so I want to show you the colors of the city," I explained as we walked through the gates and into the city.

The guards glanced at us but let us pass. They were still used mostly for prevention, watching the stream of people going in and out. Each of them had an orange eagle emblazoned on their chest, its wings spread out proudly, its torso replaced with a crescent moon and a star in a midnight blue sphere. The marks of the Ialura family and the Moon God, Daskil, combined.

"Is it much different from when you were here?" she asked, looking around with eyes wide in curiosity and wonder. People filled the streets, of all races and colors, their clothes a jumble of cultures. Orcs, vampires, pureblooded forest elves, humans, shifters - everyone was welcome here, and it showed.

I guided her towards the center of the city, knowing the way by memory. "Times have indeed changed. When I came here, the Ialura family just came to power, and it was chaotic. Not everyone agreed with their arrival, and the Nestrians jumped on the opportunity to attack. Still, there were more jobs here than in my small village, and I enjoyed it here."

"Haven't they been in power for over three centuries now?" Raset raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you that old?"

"I call that 'experienced', thank you very much. Wisdom and knowledge come with age. Now, do you want to know why they call Astos the City of Stars?" I asked. When she nodded, I pointed at the cobbled road beneath our feet. "Look beneath you."

She glanced down, eyes widening in surprise as she realised she was walking on a trail of stars. They were engraved in the stones and easy to miss if you weren't looking at them, but a true Astonian knew exactly where they were and what they stood for.

"Where do they lead?" she asked, voice filled with wonder.

"See those towers there?" I pointed at the three golden spires reaching to the sky in the middle of the city. When she nodded, I continued, "That is Daskil's temple. The stars start at every gate and lead to the square in front of the temple, to the Fountain of Stars. If you're ever lost, just look down and you'll find your way again, just like the stars in the night sky will guide you."

"That's quite poetic for such a violent god." In awe, Raset looked between the engraved stones and the rapidly approaching spires.

"As a human, I worshipped the serenity of the moon and the stars, but as a vampire, I faced the ire of his darkness. The people of Astos have seen both sides of the deity and know better than to cross him. Now, enough about the Moon God. I brought you here for your Goddess."

The crowded street turned into an even busier square. Colors, sounds, and scents assaulted us from all sides. A giant fountain towered above the people, the statue of Daskil keeping a watchful eye on everyone below. He was depicted with his Rodria, his mortal lover, an arm around her waist. Water flowed from his free hand.

Temples surrounded the square like sentinels, watchful and serene. The biggest was dedicated to Daskil, followed by five almost just as large for the other the two Primordial Goddesses and the gods of the First Generation, although Nestrawas excluded. Her temple was stowed away somewhere in the back corner of the city, hidden from sight.

I guided Raset to one of the smaller temples. Its pillars were chiselled and painted to look like vibrant vines and colorful flowers grew on them, with birds and other small animals hidden between. Above the entrance, a lifesize statue of Esnain stood, bow in one hand and a flower in the other, a rainbow above her head.

"This is beautiful," Raset murmured, taking it all in. She glanced inside the temple and patted her hair, trying to make it cover up her small antlers.

"Why do you try to hide your antlers?" Gently, I caught her wrist, halting her movement. Her expression told me everything I needed to know. "They are beautiful; you are beautiful, just the way you are. And if any stranger will accept them, it's them."

Her cheeks turned red as a nervous smile graced her lips. "I'm not used to being around a lot of humanoids. Intelligent animals and occasionally small groups of shifters, but not cities. Animals don't judge you."

"They won't judge you either, and if they do, they have to deal with me. I will protect you like I promised I would." I gave her wrist a reassuring squeeze before letting go. Taking a breath, she nodded and started moving forward, up the stairs and into the temple. I matched her stride, walking beside her.

When we crossed the threshold, the noise from the square seemed to fade away into silence. Sunlight in the colors of the rainbow fell through a colossal stained glass roof, partially obscured by plants. Birds sung their quiet and peaceful song, and water trickled somewhere nearby. Hymns and prayers drifted over to us from deeper within the temple.

Raset started humming along with the melody of the voices. This particular prayer was foreign to me, but I didn't mind. I could listen to her hum or sing all day. Her voice was as beautiful as the rest of her and equally alluring.

She padded forward, moving deeper into the temple. Signs guided us towards the altar. Here and there, priestesses were at work, but they paid us no mind. They most likely assumed we were just another pair of visitors here to pay our respects to the Nature Goddess.

We came to a stop at the great bowl of fire in front of the large statue of Esnain. The serene figure stood three times as tall as me, her bow decorated in gold, her healing sceptre in silver, and her dress in the most vibrant paint. A stone wolf lay at her feet, also three times larger than its living counterparts, with its fangs bared in a snarl. The statue's head was graced with a flower crown, a rainbow above it.

Raset looked at the statue's long black braid and the dress of flowers. The corner of her lip tugged up into a smile as she said, "Would you believe me if I said Esnain looks nothing like that?"

"I'd believe you. The gods are often shrouded in disguise." I followed her gaze, listening to her calm heartbeat. "What did she look like?"

"She came to me looking like a normal healer. Olive skin, dark brown eyes, dressed in commoners' clothes. The only thing that tipped her off was how nature seemed to be singing around her, but I was too far gone to notice that." Raset shook her head. "She looked so normal compared to this statue."

"A chosen spirit of the Goddess has graced us with her presence?" a low, reverent voice spoke up behind us.

I almost whirled to face the priestess, but forced myself to turn at a normal pace. Her approach had been far too quiet for my likes, and by the look on Raset's face, for her likes too. She was now kneeling in front of us, barely daring to look Raset in the eye.

Straightening her posture a little, Raset nodded at the priestess. "Yes, I am indeed a spirit of the Nature Goddess and I am indeed here. However, I don't plan on staying long. I want to pay my respects to Esnain, that's all."

"Please, stay a little longer to rest. It's warm out today, and we have cold refreshments. We offer our full hospitality to chosen spirits." The woman remained in her kneeling position, but now she was looking up with a hopeful expression. Instinctively, I moved a little closer to Raset.

Her brown eyes met my gray ones. Discomfort was painted all over her face. "No, thank you. I think we're done here." She weaved past the priestess and made her way outside, quick and light footed like a true huntress.

I moved to her side, fighting to keep from fidgeting nervously. And I had thought showing her the temple of her goddess was such a good idea. How could I have been so far off the mark? I bit the inside of my cheek as we were engulfed by the crowd on the square.

A few times, I almost lost her in the din, but I took care to stay close. Even with all these people, her scent still stood out to me like a beacon in a desert night. By the time we'd made it to a quieter side street, I was still at a loss for words, and she didn't seem to be much better.

"I'm sorry," I said, looking her in the eyes. "I thought you might want to be closer to your goddess, but hadn't realised the priestesses would want to do the same through you."

She squeezed my hand in much the same way I had squeezed hers before we'd entered the sacred building. "It's fine. The temple was beautiful, and I'm glad you showed me. I'm just not that used to large amounts of people, let alone people that look at me like... that." Unable to describe the priestess' expression, she waved with her hand.

"You're sacred to them."

Raset nodded. "Strange to think about, isn't it? It's one thing to have the shifters treat me with utmost respect, but quite another to stand in one of the largest temples dedicated to Esnain."

"You'll always be just Raset to me, not Esnain's chosen spirit." With a smile, I put my hand on her shoulder in what I hoped came across as a loving gesture. I hadn't exactly studied what the mates in the pack did. They were far too quickly to shed their clothing and proceed with actions I had always found to be repulsive.

"I'm more than happy being just Raset." Sighing, she shook her head and looked up at me. "Where do you plan to go next?"

"Oh, you'll see. Are you hungry?" I asked. The heavenly sweet scent of some of Astos' most famous street food already found its way to my nose, though I doubted if Raset could smell it too. There were too many other scents that would cloud it for her. Incense from the temples, unwashed people, smoked fish, the salty ocean breeze.

"A little," she answered, breaking my chain of thought.

"I'll show you something. I'm sure you'll love it."

We continued walking down the side street. Here and there, I pointed out small things to her. A sculpture hidden in a nook, a colorful mural on a wall, an engraving in a building. They all had a small bit of history behind them, a story, and I was happy to tell it for them. Raset seemed enchanted by my every word as I told the tales of the art.

We settled on a bench in a quiet park. It was one of the smaller ones in the city, enclosed by a tall stone wall. Bees buzzed in the flowerbeds around us as birds chirped merrily in the trees.

A butterfly fluttered over to Raset. She held up her hand, a smile gracing her face as it landed on her delicate finger. Its brightly colored wings opened and closed in a slow hypnotic pattern.

Raset sat still as a statue, watching the small creature with intent focus. The smile never left her lips, not even as it took off and flew away. Her gaze followed it until it disappeared between the bushes.

I rose to my feet, stopping her from doing the same. "Stay right here, alright? I will be back in a few minutes. Please have faith in me," I added when I saw her dubious look.

She glanced around the peaceful park before nodding. "Alright. But you better be back soon, before a handsome bear shifter comes and sweeps me off my feet."

"I won't be long," I promised before turning around and walking away. When I was out of sight, I picked up speed, dashing to the closest street food vendor. The thought of a handsome, muscled, and most importantly, living bear shifter hitting on Raset was not one that sat well with me.

Without wasting time, I purchased a pastry that had been my favourite treat my entire life. Until I turned into a vampire. Then, I swiftly returned to Raset's side, warm bun in my hands. I almost breathed a sigh in relief as I noticed she was alone.

At least, no humanoid was near her. Instead, it was the small animals that inhabited the park that had surrounded her. The bench was covered in birds, squirrels, butterflies, and other animals. Mice sat at her feet, looking at her with adoring eyes as she told a story to them.

"It seems like you have garnered quite the crowd," I said as I walked up to her, careful not to step on any of the little creatures. Charmed as they were by the spirit, they barely even noticed me.

Pausing her story, she looked up at me with a bright grin, her hazel eyes sparkling. "It's not often someone can speak of them and tell them stories about the gods. They're just as curious as we are." Her eyes fell on the package in my hand, and she cocked her head in silent question.

"It's for you. I can't eat it, but you can." Gently scooting over the animals on the bench, I took place next to her again and gave her the rodian. She eyes up the wrapping curiously, sniffing it to guess what was inside. After a second sniff, she shrugged and opened it.

Powdered sugar drifted to the ground as Raset held up the half-moon made out of dough. "It smells good. What is it?"

"It's a ronian, a famous local pastry. Legend has it that Rodria made one out of pure love for the Moon God, and that her love can still be tasted in the ronians to this day. That's why it's so sweet," I explained. Although I had never believed that her love was still in them today, it hadn't worsened the taste any. Until I died.

Raset took a hesitant bite. Honey and bits of fruit and nut almost fell out of the gap, threatening to drop on her lap. She only barely managed to keep it in the bun, chuckling lightly as she chewed and swallowed. "Fruit, nuts, honey, and sweet dough. I can get behind that."

My lips curled into a smile on their own volition. "It tastes great, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I really like it." She took another bite under the watchful gaze of the park's critters, humming in pleasure at the taste. 'Accidentally', some crumbles from the bun fell to the ground. The mice, birds, and squirrels scrambled to pick it up, but somehow, they didn't fight over it.

I watched her eat for a little while, simply enjoying seeing her enjoying herself. At least I had done something right today. I glanced around us, checking our environment. It was still as beautiful as before, the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky, and we were the only ones in the park. This was just perfect.

My hand slid into my pouch, closing around the gift I had made for Raset. It was right where I had left it. I folded my arms again, watching as she licked the last of the honey and fruit juice off her fingers. The critters had dispersed by now, gone back to their respective trees, flowers, and dens.

"That was amazing. Thank you." She closed her arms around me in a hug, her sweet floral scent engulfing me. At first, I froze, startled by the sudden contact. Then, I relaxed, patting her back in awkward movements. I wasn't even sure if she felt it, between the armor and her quiver covering her back.

"I haven't finished yet," I whispered in her ear. Pulling back, I took my present from my pouch, careful to keep it concealed within my hands. "I made you a little something."

"What is it?" Taking my cold hands in her warm ones, she tried to pry my fingers open. I let her struggle before a few seconds before giving in letting them come apart. A small wooden carving stood on my palm, its bright blue eyes looking up at Raset.

She picked up the ambertail figurine, looking at it closely in silent admiration. From the amber-colored bulb at the end of its tail to its spread out wings, and from its fluffy paws and tall, feathered ear tufts, it resembled the small fire creature as closely as I could manage. I had even painted it in the correct colors; White face, chin and neck, as well as the underside of its belly and paws, while its feathers and fur were in various shades of brown and orange.

"To commemorate the ambertail that you, we, lost," I clarified as she turned it over, rubbing the pads of the figurine's feet in gentle circles. She was silent for a while, playing with the carving, looking at every part of it. I let her, content to simply watch her. Her expression was an odd mixture of grief and joy that I couldn't quite comprehend.

"Thank you," she said eventually, breaking the silence. "For everything."

Instead of answering, I put my arm around her neck, resting my hand on her far shoulder in an attempt at comforting her. With a sigh, she rested her head on my shoulder, looking at the ambertail in her hands. I brushed some loose hairs out of her face with my thumb, watching as her eyes closed. She looked stunning in the sunlight, but then, she was breathtaking every second of every day.

"No problem. I'd do anything for you."

Well then. I wrote romance. My sincerest apologies to anyone who read the entire thing. Please don't kill me for it.
   I'm going to go continue my life as a single Fantasy writer now.