oh come forth
into the storm and rout
and be my love in the rain

The flush of her cheeks is not visible beneath the pale softness of her fur, but she displays her embarrassed pleasure in the flicker of her colorful orbs, the demure smile that blooms like a desert wildflower on her pretty face. Ilios' presence does not bother him, for even if the boy uncharacteristically let such information fall from his tongue, Kaj would be unbothered by the idea of expressing favoritism or affection towards a mare from another herd. Once upon a time he had lived here even with the Edge's title tied to his name. Such metaphysical borders did not present to him any sort of challenge or dissuasion. If he found Maren beautiful and intriguing, well, he did. He would not hide that sort of expression from her for the sake of propriety. Otherwise how could he claim to feel any affection for her sincerely, if he was too cowardly to risk his name and title in the pursuit of honesty? 

Instead, his pleasure at her acceptance manifested in a handsome smile, eyes warm and sparkling like the bright, shallow waters of the ocean nearby. "You're very welcome," he rumbled pleasantly, wings unconsciously spreading and preening at his sides in delight at her acceptance of his compliment. Her laughter was merely the icing on the cake, a beautiful sound that only had his smile stretching wider, his own low chuckle emanating at the ridiculous memory. He had appeared quite ridiculous with his stained nose and coated whiskers, but at least she had been privy to the truth of his personality rather than some macho exterior crafted for the sake of impressing her. That wasn't really Kaj's style in the first place. 

Ilios' question garnered a soft, regretful look. "I'm afraid I haven't seen much of her, liefje. Perhaps you should come and visit her soon," he advised softly, worry creasing gently in the corners of his eyes. He worried for Areli, for the absence of both her idol of a brother and the supportive force of her mother's presence. She did not deserve such abandonment, though perhaps that was too strong of a word to be fair to Ilios or Parelia. But he knew she must be lonely, and wished she felt she could come to him rather than hiding away in the shadows of the leaves. 

Luckily before the mood could turn too somber, Maren's pleased compliment towards Resplendence redirected both he and his mood. 

"Is this where I say I told you so?" he teased with a playful grin and a wink, a chortle humming in his golden throat. Kaj remembered distinctly the grumbled doubt on Maren's behalf that evening, and intended to tease her with the fact that despite the messy nature of the salve, he had still been correct. 

Of course this is where Ilios took his teasing departure, and Maren exploded into noise, her accent thick as she shouted after him indignantly. Kaj couldn't help it, he laughed loudly at her flaming passion and brutal honesty. It was endearing and delightful to see a stronger, unapologetic side to the prim and proper maiden. She certainly deserved the title of a tigress, and yet she became as tame as a kitten the moment her delicate nares scented the tea being uncorked. He nearly expected her to begin purring, which was a rather amusing notion. For a moment she received a backwards revenge, a flush appearing unto Kaj as she gazed up at him betwixt long pale lashes, eyes glimmering like the Mediterranean sea. 

His mouth seemed uncomfortably dry for a moment, but Maren blessedly provided a welcome distraction as she went sauntering down the beach (he would deny that he looked but really, even Kaj could not refrain from such a sight). "I knew it would be worth it if I could steal you away from your duties for a few moments," he confessed, crooked smile returning to his handsome face as he capped the jug once more and shouldered it to follow her down the sandy bank. The ocean was different here than the Edge, and far quieter than the Falls' cascading rivers. He sank upon the clay, depositing the jug between them and inviting her beside him with a gesture of one large wing. 

"When I lived in the Edge, I would stand on the cliff just to listen to the waves crashing against the rocks," he admitted with a nostalgic smile, eyes a bit wistful as Kaj stared into the ocean before them. "But the quieter waves here are far more soothing. Perhaps we can go for a swim after we've had our tea?" Pale blue eyes cast themselves over at the beautiful Diviner, a boyishly shy smile pulling on dark lips. Was she catching on to the subtle courting he was engaging her in? Was she aware of how intriguing and captivating he found her? Kaj was not sure which answer he desired most in that moment, but with how intelligent the maiden was, he doubted he would be able to hide his intentions from her for long.