The Happy Couple (Tag: Alidia and Rahim) rated M

Elias hesitated, if only for a moment.  He wasn't sure if he wanted Lady Valeria to witness his weekly transformation.  But then, he caught the scent of raven around her; real raven, and it was getting stronger.
"That's very kind of you to offer, my lady.  I suppose I can accompany you on your walk.  I don't want it said that I was rude to a lady." he said, taking her hand.  He gave Catherine a reassuring smile before following Valeria outside, into the night time garden.

Elias felt the transformation coming.  He slipped off his mask, his fingers curling with claws.  His red hair began to spread all over his body.  A long bushy tail grew from the base of his spine.  He resembled something halfway between human and fox
But as he looked up, he noticed Valeria had gained a more raven looking appearance.  Her scent made sense now.  She too had a secret.

"I'm cursed too.  Every male in my family is." Elias called up to the raven-mocker. "This fox you see, it's me, Valeria.  This is why I was so edgy inside the party.  I'm sorry you had to see that, I never wanted anyone to see that."

"It sounds like what I need to free my family.  I have to perform an act of bravery to a girl I love.  Unfortunately, I don't know what I feel for Catherine.  I keep picturing how frightened she will be when she sees me...like this.  This curse over my head keeps me from letting her get close." Elias explained, his tail sweeping behind him.

"Do you know them, Valeria?" Elias asked her.  She reacted as if these people were familiar to her.  The young man had some similarities to her in the face, her human face anyway.

Elias followed the lady, tracking her by scent.  The smell of tears caught his attention.  He hurried to find Valeria, feeling very worried about her.
"Valeria?  Are you alright?" he asked.

Elias felt a little scared when he saw this.  But his species of lycanthrope, the werefox, had the ability to be a healer or calming presence for others by projecting good emotions on the other.  Praying he could tap into this, he slowly put his arms around Valeria, embracing her.
"Valeria, there is someone out there for you.  I'm sure of it.  You are not ugly; you are the most wonderful young woman I've ever met.  And I-" Elias paused as he came to a startling realization.  One that helped to strengthen his emotions.
"And I think I love you." he concluded.

"I understand.  This will be just between us." Elias promised.  He lead her in a dance around the garden.
"Valeria, how often do you turn into a raven-mocker?  I become a werefox once every week." he told her.

"Really?  I was just thinking that maybe you and I might spend time together during the nights when we transform.  We can have fun together on nights that would normally make us miserable separately." Elias suggested.

Valeria smiled and giggled. "We will meet here..." she said with her normal voice "This garden is a secret garden..." she whispered. Then out of the blue she kissed Eli's fox mouth. She gasped "I...I I'm so sorry I don't know what came over me..." her hazel eyes sparkled like rough looking emeralds.  

"Well, whatever it was, let's have some more." Elias joked.  This time, he kissed her.  It was a soft, tender kiss that made his fur bristle in excitement.
"And here I was thinking this night was going to be terrible." he said when he pulled back.

Valeria smiled as they kissed under the moonlight. "I love you my furry Eli..." she said between gasps of air. Then she heard her name. She gasped. As she heard Eli's name called. "It's them..." she whispered. She put her mask on. She wanted to help Eli so she placed her cloak around him. "Look down..." she whispered as she took the shortcut making it look like they came from the real garden. Jack and Cat were there. "There you are..." Jack said as he kissed her. "Eli is sick..." Valeria said as she looked at Cat and motioned her guards "Take him home..." they nodded as they leaded them home. 

Catherine's guards lead him out of the house.  He took small steps, not wanting anyone to see his pawed feet.  It made the illusion of being sick more real too.  But when one of them tried to take his arm and help him along, he pulled away.
"I may be sick, but I can still walk on my own." Elias told them.  As soon as he was back inside his house, he raced to his room and locked the door so he wouldn't be disturbed.  As the night hours ticked by, he slowly regained his human shape.

When the party was done Valeria was herself. No wings and feathers. She squealed with delight. But then she to her room and locked the door and pretended to be sick for Jack not bother her. She smiled as she looked at the sunrise. "Eli, Eli without my dear Eli..." she whispered. "Cursed we were and miserable but destiny threw us together...you're like a rose my Eli hidden by the shadows but no more cause I'm your new sunlight..." she picked up her rose and silently called a raven friend and told him to give it to Eli with a beck kiss. She smiled as she watched it go. 

The next morning, Elias woke to the sound of something pecking at his window.  He looked up and found a raven at the window.  He got up, went to the window, and opened it.  The bird had a rose clutched in its talons.
"Valeria." he murmured.  He offered the raven some food that was brought to him earlier as payment for the service.  It gave him a slight peck on his cheek before flying away.
"My dear dark beauty." he said to himself as he looked at the rose.

Valeria smiled as she saw her winged friend return. "Elias my furry beloved..." she whispered. She heard a knock on the door; it was her mom. "Mom..." she started to say. Her mom smiled "Good news you're going have a private lunch with Elias today...to discuss politics and being allies just in cause of war... Jack is going hunting with your father and Harry and Elias's fiancée is going overseas to see some wedding fashion show... So it'd be you and Elias and no monkeying around..." Valeria smiled as she secretly crossed her fingers. "Promise mother..." when her mom shut the door Valeria opened her closet deciding what do wear. 

A knock at the door got Elias' attention.  He hid the rose behind his back as his father stepped inside.  He looked presentable enough for his father to see him.
"Elias, my son, I need you to do something.  I'm taking Valeria's fiancé hunting with me today.  I would like you to discuss politics with Valeria, form an alliance between our families if there's ever a war.  It's just the two of you, so I expect you to behave." his father explained.
"Of course, father.  I can handle this." Elias answered him.  His recent moodiness concerning his curse helped to hide his true happiness about this.  Once his father left, he started getting ready for the day.