Love is in the Air

Another night at the infirmary. Cecilia had someone in early with a nasty gash that needed stitches, but now it\'s slow again and she\'s back to working on her embroidary. What is she working on? Why, a shirt. A shirt with some very nice stitchwork, that\'s what. She\'s curled up in a chair by the hearth, content as can be.

[Mogel(#30277)]

A light bobs outside, and the door suddenly bangs open. It\'s Mogel and his lantern again. His hair is mussed, his eyes looking bloodshot as they go straight to Cecilia. \"Are you alone?\" he asks abruptly.

Cecilia jumps when the door slams open, turning to look with brows lifting. When she recognizes Mogel she swallows, mixed feelings stealing her words. The young healer nods, quickly setting aside her work and standing. Finally she summons a smile and greets the man, \"Good evening.\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel shuts the door behind himself and sets down the lantern. He turns to face her and swallows. Finally he crosses the room toward her. \"I don\'t like you working alone here at night. And I don\'t like you working with Elaos at all.\"

\"What could happen to me here? Our village is safe, Mogel.. and.. \" She trails off as she realizes the deeper meaning in what he\'s said. \"Elaos is a skilled healer, he knows more than I do and has more experience.\" She says carefully, then reaches down to pick up the garment she was working on. \"Look! I am making you a shirt, do you like it?\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"I don--\" Mogel looks down, his brows lifting with surprise. \"You\'re making a shirt for me?\" There\'s a short, thoughtful hesitation. \"Thank you.\"

Cecilia smiles widely and nods. \"Yes.. I thought you might be pleased by it.\" She holds it up for him to see. The fabric is dyed a dark blue and there\'s white and yellow stitched patterns that she\'s been working in along the neckline.

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel studies it for a long while, his breath a bit heavier than it ought to be, then takes two more steps forward and places a hand alongside her face. \"Cecilia,\" is all he says, but he looks into the healer\'s eyes, his brows drawn together, as if he is searching for something.

\"You don\'t like blue?\" Cecilia asks with some concern now as he approaches with an expression that isn\'t delighted at her thoughtfullness. \"Maybe red?\" When her betrothed places his hand on her face she looks up with another small smile, \"Yes?\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"I don\'t like you working at night,\" Mogel repeats, quieter now as he watches Cecilia\'s face. \"And I don\'t want you working with Elaos at all.\"

\"If I don\'t work at night, my brother or father would have to. My brother has two children, and my father.. I couldn\'t ask him to work at night.\" Cecilia chews on her bottom lip, thinking hard. \"I will ask Elaos not to come by anymore in the evening.. is that better? He\'s just being kind. He is a nice man.\" She reaches up to trace her fingers down his chest.. then asks with a small grin, \"You should get out in the sun more.. get a tan.\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel still studies her face, his brows coming together again. His adam\'s apple bobs in his skinny neck as he swallows again once when she touches his chest. He bends down now to kiss her without answering, a question on his lips.

[Elaos(#30364)]

As if on cue, Elaos opens to the door to the infirmary, a linen cloth over one shoulder as he strides in. He turns, looking up between the two. \"Forgive me..\" He says, pausing at the door before his ever present smile returns. \"I had come to drop off some more herbs. How are you two today?\" He coughs and rubs at the back of his neck, his dark hair held back in a braid this day. He looks to the floor a moment, \"I will just go?\"

Cecilia gets no response for her suggest, but then he\'s kissing her and she makes no move to draw away, despite the unexpectedness of it. Her fingers on his chest tighten into a small fist, gripping his shirt. That is, until the door bangs open again and Elaos walks in. The healer draws back, startled. \"Oh.. ah.. hello Elaos..\" She says, a trace breathless with a flush to her freckled cheeks.

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel\'s head lifts as the door opens. His eyes narrow as he looks at Elaos. \"You could,\" he agrees. \"go, I mean.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Ahhh, I will just go set this in the back room..\" He says and moves far wide of them, not looking at either for the moment as he disappears to put the unjarred herbs in the storage room. There is a bit of shuffling and then he pops back out, lifing his hand with a cheerful wave. \"Cecilia, did you need anything, Mogel?\" He asks of them both, wiping his hands together as he shoots Cecilia a questioning look for half a second before looking to Mogel, then back between them.

\"Mogel.. \" Cecilia says quietly, frowning in disapproval at how he speaks to her friend. \"He has as much right to be here as I do.\" She flashes the older healer a warm smile, \"You don\'t have to leave.\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"Yes you do,\" Mogel contradicts Cecilia while looking steadily at Elaos. It might be a threatening look were his eyes not watering. \"Please go, Elaos. And stay away from Cecilia.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

The smile is slowly lost, mostly at the other man\'s words. \"I see, it makes it a bit hard when we both are healers, Mogel.\" He intones a bit roughly and rubs a hand against the side of his neck. \"But I will do my best.\" he states slightly, watching Cecilia a moment longer, then giving them both a nod before turning to go.

Ceci\'s frown deepens when she looks back at Mogel. \"Stop it! Why are you being so rude? Elaos is bringing herbs that will help our people.\" Maybe she truly doesn\'t see the reasoning behind her fiance\'s attitude, or perhaps she\'s deliberately refusing to acknowledge it. Her expression softens and she says in a quiet voice, \"Please Mogel.. he is my friend.\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel looks down at Cecilia, a brow raising beneath his messy hair. \"Do you honestly want me to discuss my reasons with him standing right there?\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"No, it won\'t matter. I am going. Cecilia, your husband to be is asking this of me. It would be rude for me not to comply to his wishes. But I will come to the infirmary when I wish, and if you are here, then so be it. I will not keep myself from my duties or my job. Once you are married, then perhaps this won\'t be such an issue.\" He pauses near the door to say these words, giving a shake of his head slightly.

\"What? No Elaos.. \" Cecilia is growing more upset, her gaze shifting between the healer and the skald\'s son. \"What reasons? Why can he not be here right now? He is only working and he is a kind and honorable man.\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"Cecilia,\" Mogel says, taking a half-step away. His voice is growing sharp. \"There are rumors. Think of your reputation. I\'m thinking of it, even if he isn\'t!\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Excuse me?\" asks the elder healer suddeny, brows furrowing at Mogel\'s last words. \"If I did not care for Cecilia\'s reputation then I wouldn\'t be leaving now. I am sorry you feel so threatened, Mogel, son of the Bear Skald, but this is my job, this is what I do for our people. If I need to bring things here I will, but for now, I shall leave on your wishes.\" FOr once Elaos looks somewhat ruffled, his usual smile replaced by a look of frustrated sadness.

Cecilia realizes that this isn\'t going where she wants it.. not at all. The girl locks her gray eyes on her betrothed. \"Mogel.. \" She says in a soft, sweet voice as she reaches to rest her hand on his arm. \"Rumors are just.. well, rumors. We\'re to be married and we will be together forever. You said you don\'t want me to be unhappy. Why can\'t I spend time with my friends?\" Slowly her fingers drag down his arm to his hand, where she tries to twine her fingers within his. \"I know I\'ve made a mess of things, but I\'ll fix it, okay?\"

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel\'s eyes narrow as Elaos speaks. He starts to step toward the other man when Cecilia\'s touch is felt. He looks down at her.

Mogel takes a breath. \"If you are to fix things, then tell me what you did, so I don\'t need to rely on rumors anymore. Please?\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

Elaos watches the two of them, when something like acceptance passes over his gaze. He nods then as to affirm something and turns, taking the door and opening it. The elder healer closes it behind him and leaves for the passing of the wind and freedom away from such a heavy air. His face turns a bit sour outside.

\"Well.. I mean.. you are upset with me, so I must have done something. Why do you dislike Elaos so much?\" Cecilia asks softly, carefully dancing around admitting anything. She wraps her fingers around his more tightly. \"I am yours, remember?\" She starts to give him a rather coy smile, then hears the door close and looks over sharply. \"Oh.. he left!\" The disappointment in her voice can\'t be mistaken.

[Mogel(#30277)]

Mogel\'s hand starts to shake a little. His fingers start to tighten around hers and then abruptly jerk away. \"If I hear you are spending time around him again I will call it off, so help me, despite what our fathers will say!\"

Cecilia draws in a sharp breath, his threat firing some of the willfulness in the young woman. \"You can\'t tell me who I can and cannot be friends with! I want to be with you.. and I want to marry you! Isn\'t that enough?!\" She balls up the shirt and throws it at him in protest, then hurries to rush out the door, abandoning her responsibilities to the infirmary, her fiance.. just about everything.

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"Cecilia!\" Mogel shouts. He catches the shirt and then flings it to a cot. He strides across the room, not as fast as her. \"Cecilia, come back here!\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

A little ways down the path, Elaos turns at hearing the muffled voices, worry apparent in his gaze as he lingers to watch the door. Tilting his head, the older man places a hand against the tree next to him.

Cecilia rushes outside, not slowing down when Mogel yells after her. Instead she races off south into the village, not paying much attention to anything around her and only wanting to get away by herself.

[Mogel(#30277)]

\"CECILIA!\" Mogel shouts from the door. He looks around, the darkness swallowing her up quickly. He makes a growling, dismissive sound and then snatches up his lantern. He walks briskly away to the north.

[Elaos(#30364)]

The elder healer watches keenly the door as it opens, the woman rushing away to the south and past him. He does not move at first, instead he hears the yell of Mogel. Elaos watches the other man go the opposite way and then decides to turn and follow the fleeing woman, his lips pressing together in concern.