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

Cora was so into her book she didn't notice any nonfimilar noises until she heard a twig snapped. She put her book back in the basket. "W...Who's there..." she asked trying to be brave.

The sound of a voice reached his ears.  Baelfire looked up to find a girl by the stream he had come to.  She was a pretty thing with raven black hair and green eyes.  Eyes rather like a cat.  That told him to be alert.  Women with eyes like a cat tended to be as curious as one.
"Little girls shouldn't play in the woods alone." he told her as he knelt to get the water.

Cora saw what seemed to be a man around her age, gathering water. She looked up from her hiding place, behide a rock. She formed a frown when he said little girl. "I'm not afraid of you nor I'm a little girl..."

"The way I see things, any girl who wanders somewhere alone is a little girl inside, regardless of how old they appear." Baelfire retorted as he did his task.  She had a fighter spirit it seemed.

Cora continued to frown. "I...I..." She growled under her breath. Who does he think is calling me a little girl and such Cora took a deep breath. "Okay we got off on the wrong foot," she held her basket around one arm and held out her free hand "I am Cora Witman..."

For some reason, this got Baelfire's attention.  He had expected her to have a different name.  One that matched the beauty he saw and the personality she was displaying.
"Cora.  Not exactly the name I would expect from a pretty girl like you.  It sounds almost wrong for you." he commented, more to himself than to her.

Cora forced a smile. 'The nerve...' "Well my mother named me that and sadly she's not alive but you still have to tell me your name..."

"Then I'll expect you to laugh when I tell you.  My name sounds rather...unusual, shall we say?  The name is Mills, Baelfire Mills, at your service." Baelfire said with a bow.  However, the gesture looked more theatrical than gentlemanly.

Cora tilted her head. "I like its very unique..." she smiled as she curtsied. "You're probably wondering why I am here..." she took out her book from the basket. "peace and quiet to read this...Romeo and Juliet..."

"A lover of the classics?  There's not enough of them around.  It can be enough to make me glad I live apart from others, always so wrapped up in the latest fashion that they don't bother with what's really important.  There are shepherds and there are sheep, and it seems the sheep take up the majority of the populace." Baelfire ranted aloud with a hint of bitterness.

Cora was shocked. "I agree but sadly there's only a few shepherds...and I am one but I mostly keep to myself well except with my fiancée George...but thats a different story I guess..." Cora sat down on a boulder. "It was planned before I was born..." Cora picked up a pebble and threw in in the water "stupid fate..."

"Fate never plays fair, dearie.  If it did, I would be a different man, and you would be free to make your own choices about what you want.  Nothing any of us can do about that." Baelfire reminded her.  With that, he picked up the bucket of water.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a garden back home that needs tending.  And I've taken up enough of your time as is." he excused himself before turning in the direction he came from.

Cora felt bad for him. Fate did mess him up. She wished she could do something. She secretly waved goodbye as she picked up her book and wiped it clean. She began walking back to the village she knew something wasn't right. She ran home. And there was her father & George. "Cora..." her father said "everyone's come down with a deadly sickness and I can't bare losing you...so I'll send you somewhere safe..." Cora had an idea. "Send forward a Mr Mills...he'll protect me..."

By the time a letter arrived at his house, Baelfire had finished tending to his garden.  The letter had been left on his door.  Someone was summoning him to protect their daughter.  He laughed at the idea.  Until he saw the name of the daughter.  It was Cora!
"Well, I guess we haven't seen the last of each other, dearie." he said, as if she was right there to hear this.  Without further ado, he left to find where she lived.

When he arrived Cora smiled a little bit. "Father...George...this is Mr Baelfire Mills...the man I trust to protect me in this time of need..." George didnt like him. Cora's father looked at him "Will you watch over her and protect her...if so you can have anything I own..."

"I'll certainly watch over her.  But what I want kind of ties in with how I'll keep her safe.  She must not be in close proximity to this plague you seem to have.  What I want is that she live in my house until it passes.  It's either she stays with me or forget it." Baelfire insisted, laying out his terms immediately.

Cora's father nodded. "You have a deal..." George began to protest. Cora stopped him. "George look I am finally controlling my fate...Baelfire will protect me I trust him..." Cora wrapped her arm around Baelfire's.

He let her hook his arm with hers.  They started to walk out together.  But then, a thought occurred to him and he turned back to Cora's father.
"Oh, one last thing.  If you want to save anyone who's not to far gone from this disease, you might want to consider getting some dragon's blood from the apothecary.  Dragon blood may be toxic in large amounts, but in small portions it cures a sick body or mind.  It causes a day's worth of agonizing pain, but the results are worth it." Baelfire informed them.  Then, he took his leave with his soon-to-be guest.

Cora smiled as they began walking. "Thank you for doing this Baelfire...its very gallant and chivalrous of you...If theres anything I can do to help around your house I'll do it..." She rubbed his knuckles with her fingers.

"I wouldn't call that gallant.  I'm just doing what is requested of me.  And as far as something you could do, there is one thing I can think of.  Follow me." Baelfire instructed, leading the way up the stairs.  He came to a room that was rather dark.  When he snapped his fingers, the candles lit up on their own.
The room he brought Cora to was a library.  There was a vast collection of books there.  And they were in need of care.

Cora gasped at all the books. "Theres so many..." she looked at Baelfire. "Did you do this because of me?" her smile widen as she saw 'Romeo and Juliet' on the table. She picked up. "What do you want me to do in here?" her eyes sparkling with adventure and excitement.

"Oh no.  I've had this for some time.  But other things got in the way, and I haven't been able to take care of them as often as needed.  So, I am putting you in charge of them.  I expect there won't be a single speck of dust on these books." Baelfire told her, pressing his hands together.

Cora smiled as she curtsied "It will be done Baelfire...now I'll make us some tea...how do you take it and where should we met when I am do making it?"

"Perhaps, in view of the circumstances, we could meet here.  And I prefer my tea with sugar and milk, if you don't mind." Baelfire replied, a little surprised by the modicum of polite manners he was showing.  He hadn't been able to act like that in a long time.

Cora nodded as she ran downstairs and began making the tea and when she made everything neat on the tray she came back up. She carried a cup to give Baelfire but she tripped and it cause the cup to have a tiny chip. Cora gasped "I'm so sorry Baelfire...I'll pay you back for that..."