Sweeter than Candy

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"Yes," I replied when she asked me if I wanted to walk. What else would we do, take a private carriage? However when she mentioned me trying one of the beasts, I scowled. I took it as a challenge, at first, but then I brushed it off. Anixiel wouldn't dare challenge me. "It' just a stone throw away as you said, best we keep you in shape if you're going to the candy store." I said and put my hand in the small of her back as I began to playfully push her in the direction. It really wasn't too long before we got to the small shack that was the candy shop I often frequented. As we got closer, a nobleman exited, carrying with him a bag proved that no matter how the shop looked in appearance, it was not to be underestimated.

I opened the door for her and allowed her to go in first where the glassy and lazy eyed Tsingano old woman sat behind the counter, giving us her trademark mischievous smile. The place smelled richly of sugars and all kinds of spices and small, hand sized barrels were propped diagonally on the wlal to allow people to open and observe.

"Sinclair, you brought a friend." Her voice was smooth, like chocolate but it had that hint of poison to it. "Where's Gabriel Shahrizai?" She asked and I stiffened, pausing for a second and I gave Anixiel a glance before I glared at the woman. "He's not here, obviously, it is just me and this is Anixiel no Valerian."

She gave Anixiel a double look this time, eying and observing her, sizing her up. If she knew that she was a veranja, she made no sign of it. "Come closer my dear. Mayhap I can find a loose sweetie for you, hm?" I gripped Anixiel's wrist quickly before she could walk any closer to her.

"Do you want it?" I whispered quietly. "Nothing's ever free from her and... well, you'll be ever thirsty for it once you've tried it." However, the one thing alluring about them even before the first bite was the fact she made each one specific to each person. Finding something so hand fitting was attractive in its own manner and the Tsingano woman did not seem to mind me warning her, she just sat there wit that smile on her face.

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

Well so much for my quip as he stuck me with one of his own. I frowned for a second, then stopped. It was Sinclair. For him that was mild, and playful, so I smiled instead. I had it in my head to respond back with the comment that my curves had not bothered him that night in the storage room. But that was not like me. Even the thought was not like me. It seemed that the more I spent time with Sinclair, the more his more forward side seemed to rub off on me. Or mayhap I was picking up on something in him that he desired in me. I could not say, it was really to early in this... this what... relationship? I blushed as we walked, listening to him talk, though my mind also wandered, thinking on what we meant to each other. Were we just daliances? No, I wouldn't believe that it was a mere dalliance, a one time instance.

But then... what was it? What is it now?

I didn't have much time to ponder on it, thankfully so, as it appeared we arrived at a small, rather run-down looking shack. THen again, it was Night's Doorstep, and most establishments and small homes looked not of what you would find in the night court or the boroughs of the City. It was more... real here. The hardships of the people that things didn't seem to trickle down to was so obvious it could have been comical. But it wasn't. Again, I dragged my mind from the morose topic as Sinclair opened the door for me. I stepped in, smiling thankfully at him before looking around.

The place was a little wonder inside. Ambrosial in fragrance, spices, savoury scentes, sugar, the scent of honey, everything, but it wasnt overwhelming. It was almost warm and seductive. My heart skipped a beat for a moment, then I spotted the odd woman behind the counter. She was obviously Tsingano, and looked to be full blooded. Her eye rolled around in her head it seemed, not looking at me, and it gave me a chill. But her welcoming grin put that to rest. She eyed me with her one eye, mentioning Gabriel Shahrizai. I raised my brows at that. He had taken Gabriel here? Why, when , whatever for? Why hadn't he told me? I felt a sense of jealousy rise up in me then fizzle out.

We are adepts, catering to a particular taste. One that is especially present in those of Shahrizai descent. I sighed softly, though. He seemed to like to tell me things. Why was it he had not shared this with me.

I dragged my attention back to the woman as Sin nigh spat at her. But it seemed she had become used to him. She murmured, her voice so much younger than she appeared, and I moved towards her, and gasped when Sin grasped my wrist, warning me. I sniffed at him then, the only sign of defiance I had, then blushed and lowered my eyes.

"I will be fine," I murmured. "An innocent addiction never hurt anyone," I said as I moved again towards the counter and the mysterious little Tsingani woman.

"What do you see, madame?" I inquired, looking at her. I don't know why I had asked her that, I wasn't asking a fortune, and I knew nothing of her methods for this candy business she ran. It just seemed fitting.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"What do I see?" Alangora mused out loud and looked into the distance past Anixiel. "A true Tsingano indeed..." She murmured though it was impossible to tell if she was talking to Anixiel in jest or in lack of knowledge or talking to herself.

"Kushiel's Apple isn't for you," she said and looked straight at me before turning back to Anixiel. "It's too strong and has a bite. Only those who are suited for Kushiel's Apple are suited for one another." I felt myself bristle. Was she telling Anixiel not to be with me? I wasn't sure, but I chewed on my lip. It took everything in me to not grab her and drag her away. She gave me and Gabriel an "Intertwined" and gave Anixiel this irritating spiel?

"However... Kushiel's Apple is partially matching with another palette." From that, she pulled a small silver box, large enough to fit only one of her candies and placed it delicately in Anixiel's hand. For a store as rundown as this, the quality of the packaging material seemed out of place. "Sinner's Relief. When Edom ate the apple, he was punished severely but Yeshua was the Sinner's Relief." She smiled gently. "Sinner's Relief knows how to cool some tongues and the only the ones they are meant for will feel the light bite and sweetness that comes with it."

She wagged a finger at me now, but turned to caress Anixiel's cheek. "Be wary now. Playing with fire is dangerous, even if it claims to be tamed like a dog."

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

She looked at me, but past me and through me and I knew that she must have the ability to call upon teh dromonde. It made me shiver, to watch her, and then she pulled herself back, her eyes coming back to life. Her words confused me. I was not a full Tsingano girl, what had she meant by that. I shook my head, confused by her words, but before I could interject, even mildly, she went on.

Her voice, smooth and beautiful in its mysterious way, seemed to entrance me, my attention given only to her, the room seeming to fade away as she spoke, but her words nigh made me cry. Kushiel's Apple was Sinclair's candy, it was suited to him. Was she saying that he and I were star-crossed? That we would not suit each other? That my feelings were misplaced and it was all wrong? Or was I reading too much into an old kinswoman's musings. I shook my head again mildly, the tendrils falling across my cheek. She continued on, pulling a small silver box from .. somewhere, I know not, I had not noticed it until it seemed to materialize in the palm of her hand. Partially matching?

"Sinner's Relief," I murmurd. I looked to the candy, then looked to her as she reached forward. I would have normally flinched but stood, staring, as she brushed her thumb against my cheek in a motherly caress. "But... I like fire," I murmured back, unaware that I had said it until the whole thing was past my lips and spoken into existence. I felt my cheeks heat as I looked down, knowing full well what I had just admitted to.

But, I like Sin was how it sounded to my ears, and I wondered if he would have read into it the same way I did. I looked back to meet the woman's eyes, or rather eye, and reached gingerly for the candy. "How much for it... that I might taste to see if it suits?" I asked dragging my eyes back to hers.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"The first taste is always free dear, a gift from me to you. If anything, I would let everyone get their first taste. Every deserves to have something meant entirely for them even if others..." She looked at me and I wanted nothing more than to bark at her but I held my tongue. At least I was wise in that matter and could abate my fury for the Tsingano.

"Are not."

She turned and waved a hand, dismissing us and started to whistle an old tune on her wavering lips while she worked, making someone else's trap. "So, this is it," I said simply and stiffly. I loved the candy shop but I felt uneased when Alangora started to speak of us. "You ready to go or did you want to look around more?" I asked, trying to hide the irritation in my voice.

"She's something else, isn't she?"

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

Her words did unsettle me a little bit, and I could feel the tension in the air as Sin bristled beside me. I knew he did not like being told what to do, so being told what he should and should not have was probably just as bad, especially when it came to matters of the heart.

But there was something else that bothered me about it. It was my mother and father. Her father had told them both they were not matched, that they did not belong together, and seeing how their marriage ended with mother running off, or .. well only the Gods know what happened there, and seeing how bitter father got, well her words struck a chord with me, and I worried my bottom lip between my teeth. Was this her seeing down the long road, or was this just some silly woman's words not to be heeded. I shook my head, looking to the candy before taking it up and putting it between my lips. I sucked on it, tasting the sweet taste she ahd mentioned, as I turned to Sinclair.

"Well... there was something I wanted to do here before we left," I said with a soft smile. I wasn't terribly sure how I was going to sneak this past him. Mayhap if he got to looking at other things around the shoppe then that might divert his attention. Or mayhap I would have to get it another time. I sucked thoughtfully, looking from Sin to the silver box that had held the candy, when I felt the slow burn, the bite she had spoken of, a burst of cinnamon, still sweet but sharp on the tongue. It startled me at first, as the spices started to come out, the flavours bursting along with teh ever prsent cinnamon. My eyes shot wide and I gasped softly, feeling my cheeks heat and a burn that moved slow down my throat to my belly.

It was perfection.

"My Gods," I murmured, touching my fingertips to my lips. It made me feel.. alive. I looked to Sin, wanted to grab andkiss him to let him taste it, wondering if he would feel it teh way I did, but refrained, feeling my cheeks grow hotter at teh sudden thought.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

"I know, right?" I murmured when she touched her lips and gave me that look of pure ecstasy. It was an anti-depressant or something of that sort, perhaps a drug, I did not know but the Tsingano's candies had to be borderline illegal for the addiction they left on someone and their exorbitant prices. I began to steer her away from the store, lest Anixiel decide to go back inside and spend her money on more. That was why Alangora always only gave one full one. Just enough for a taste and nothing more. Anixiel would be consistently thirsty for them now, even at moments when she did not realize and I frowned, wondering why I let her even eat the damned thing.

"What did you still want to do?" I asked with a raised brow. It seemed she was taking me on her errands, not that I minded. Alangora was something else. I did not know if she had the dromonde or was faking it, because quite frankly, I did not like the things that she said. Beware of Naia Shahrizai, me and Gabriel were "intertwined" whatever that meant and me and Anixiel were going to be horrid for one another? Or, if not horrid just... not perfectly suited? I mused this. I supposed... I wasn't good for her. Surely down the road I was going to hurt her?

I sighed a little at the thought. What we were doing was wrong and yet... I couldn't stop. I gave her a confused sort of look before I wrapped my arm around her once more, waiting for her to tell me where she wanted to go.

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

He wrapped his arm around me with such ease, and I couldn't understand how that woman felt we didn't fit. I mean, sure, we were two Valerians, and in that sense we would not be able to fit together completely, but, in other ways, we seemed, well, perfect for each other. I had all the understanding in the world, and the tender side of him really needed someone like that, and he needed to express that side, regardless of how much of a strong and abrassive front he put up for others.

I leaned into him, feeling more at ease in the streets of Night's Doorstep than I had even in our House amongst our own people, embracing him as we had done before.

The tingle of the candy I tasted was still on my lips and tongue, not as harsh as Sin's, but having a bit of the same bite and quality to it. Daring, for once, to take a chance, I leaned in closer, tilting my head to place a gentle kiss on his lips before pulling back. I could feel my cheeks heat intensely, and then I knew why the candy suited me so well. It reacted just as I did. Sweet at first, then burning with a passionate intensity. I cleared my throat, wondering if he would taste the lingering flavour of the candy as I leaned a little off of him, so as not to be too terribly close and set him off for my tenderness.

Now onto the second issue. How was I to return to the candy shoppe without him noticing, without him knowing that I was up to something and then ruining my surprise for him that I had worked so hard to get the coin for. Then it came to me. The one place, aside from l'Roche, that I was certain he would never enter. And even if he did, he would not be so daring as other men had been with other women I had seen to enter the change room with the me.

The lingerie store.

"Well, I wanted to look for something... um in the lingerie store," I murmured. My cheeks heated, even though there was little truth in the statement. "I um... is that okay Sinclair?" I asked, my voice small but smooth and sweet as I asked him. I knew he would say no, and probably none too nicely either, but it would give me the time I needed, being close enough to the candy shoppe that I could sneak out the back entrance of the lingerie store and run back to it. I looked sheepishly up into his face as I leaned into his arm.

Then again there was always the possibility he'd like to join me ... no, not likely at all. I hid the grin that came to my face by looking away, though my hair did not quite cover my blush, being bound as it was.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I smiled a little when she kissed me, though it was soft and fleeting. It was the thought that she kissed me as if I were going to bite her, yet still dared it that endeared me to her. I knew I was a bit intimidating, if not downright frightening to certain personalities of people, but she didn't care, just as I overlooked some of the other areas in which she lacked in what I would consider an "ideal" mate. We seemed to fill each other in this way, by covering over areas where the other was lacking and I wondered what Alangora saw, if anything, of why it was wrong for us to be together.

It was a nice walk until she told me where she wanted to go and I made a face. It wasn't of distaste at her, per say, but I was more than positive that I looked a tad irritated and uncomfortable. "Yeah, it's fine." I grumbled through slightly gritted teeth. Did she have to go when she was with me? Honestly, she couldn't go with one of her... girl friends and look at frilly undergarments? I sighed a little bit and leaned on the wall outside of the lingerie store, wondering what it must look like with me standing there and obviously waiting for someone else.

"I'll wait outside. Elua knows I won't be caught dead browsing in there." Lest someone think that I actually wanted to BUY something there. My height made it hard enough to maintain my toughened reputation. However, my thoughts drifted a little to WHAT exactly Anixiel was buying in there and WHY. Well, I knew WHY but WHAT. I flushed, feeling a bit uncomfortable to be thinking about such a thing and rubbed my neck.

Naamah, help me.

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

"Caught dead," I said with a pout, "well they would most likely think you are looking something for your lady friend," I said with a soft giggle.

Had I just referred to myself as his lady friend?

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I stood in front of him, bowing my head. "Either way, mayhap it is best for you to remain out here," I murmured, noting the way his face reddened and he shifted his stance. His reaction only made me blush further.

Ah yes, it was definitely Kushiel who would think to bring two Valerian adepts together.

I passed by him with a nod, my fingertips trailing lightly across his chest. "I shall be out quickly, I promise," I murmured as I walked in. I browsed cursorilly through the racks, some items were on sale and in order for this facade to work, I would need to purchase something. I took a look at the panties the boutique had for a fair price. They were a soft cotton with lace trim, and black. They looked like they might fit, so I took them to the front desk and purchased them, taking the small pouch in my hand before asking to be pointed to the back exit. The proprietor raised her eyebrows archly at me but pointed, shaking her head as I walked out the back, glancing behind me to make sure Sin had not changed his mind and decided to join me afterall.

Although somewhere in my mind, I would have welcomed that.

I smiled at the thought though brushed it from my mind before I darted around the side of the store and sprinted out of Sin's sight and headed back to Alangora's shoppe. I walked in through the front door and she turned her head, her steady eye piercing me.

"From one Tsinagano to another," she said, stopping me in my tracks, "you be careful." I looked to her, slack-jawed for a moment, before approaching the desk.

"I will," I murmured though I knew I wouldn't. There was something about Sinclair that lured me in, that I couldn't deny, that I wanted.... terribly.

"I would like to purchase a small box of Kushiel's Apples," I said with a smile.

"They are no cheap candy dear," she chided, though lightly.

"Yes, I am aware... I ... I saved for it," I admitted, feeling my cheeks blush. She grunted and shook her head, rolling her one eye while the other wandered. She moved behind her counter and procured a little dark red box, the colour of blood, wrapped in a silver ribbon. She must have had some sort of wizardry because I scarce saw her move for the little parcel. I picked up the box and put it in my small lingerie pouch before paying her with the rest of the coin. I still have some left over, it had been a generous patron gift.

"Thank you, and I shall return for Sinner's Relief. Something tells me mayhap I will need it."

She laughed at that, knowing, it seemed, all too well that I spoke the truth. I sighed softly and ran back to the lingerie shoppe. Sin's back was turned away from the entrance, so I sneaked up behind him to make it appear as though I had exited through the front.

"Done," I murmured as I tapped him gently on the back.

[Sinclair nó Valerian]

I thought that waiting outside would be better than going in, but I daresay that I was better inside rather than letting my imagination wander as it did. What was she getting? I wracked my mind about it, unsure of why I cared so... for what business was it of mine? She was a fellow adept and she probably bought something for a patron. It wasn't like she bought a pretty little gag at L'Roche's to amuse the likes of me. I continued to think for whom and why she would be getting this. Surely Valerian House offered enough for her needs. Maybe she wanted something more exotic? The thought of Anixiel getting ANY piece of clothing that fit that description made me red from the neck up and I rubbed my neck.

Oh dear and sweet Elua.

Maybe it was something more... fancy? Lacey? Again, I felt myself heated, in more ways than one. A different color? Enough Sinclair! I took deep breaths, trying to clear my head. Maybe it's something nice and simple, just like Anixiel. And that, more than anything, made me feel a twinge in my pants. When Anixiel tapped me on my shoulder, I felt like I had been caught red handed as a peeping tom and I could only jump, turning to face her and looking guilty and submissive. It was in this way, I was sure, she first saw the true Valerian in me before I was able to cover it up.

"Th-That was quick," I grumbled, though my voice definitely had that hint of anxiety to it as I grabbed her arm. "C'mon... let's go. No more errands, right?" I didn't even know where we were going, but I instantly started walking towards Mont Nuit. Anyway, even if that wasn't where we decided to go collectively, we could always switch course. "So uhm... er... what did you get from there?" I asked as casually as I could but my voice was completely dripping in curiosity.

[Anixiel nó Valerian]

When I tapped his shoulder he jumped, turning slowly to face me, and he seemed small, looked like a child who had just been caught with his hands in the biscuit jar, blushing furiously, eyes downcast before they rose to meet mine. My heart skipped a beat for a moment, and for that moment I felt as a kindred spirit to him.

Never again will I doubt his choice in House.

I cleared my throat, wondering what had brought him to such a state, but before I could ask what the matter was, he grabbed my arm and steered me in the direction of Mont Nuit as if our lives depended on it. I had to giggle a little, he was just too adorable when he was mysterious like this.

Which was almost all the time. I felt my cheeks heat as I thought on it and heat even more when he threw me off guard with the question. I hadn't expected really that he would ask, but then I remembered how he reacted when I purchased the gag for a patron, and wondered if he thought this was something akin to that.

"Just... something simple... for myself and... um well..." I couldn't bring myself to say it, to say 'and you Sinclair'. "You'll...." and I stopped myself short of telling him he would see eventually, snapping my mouth shut as I felt the heat smolder up my neck from my chest to my face and also between my legs. I didn't know if it was that candy, or what it might be, but my want for him... it was getting harder and harder to contain. I cleared my throat and walked in silence before slipping my arm in his after removing myself from the grasp of his fingers.