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

"Oh, it's just a cup, Cora.  You don't have to worry yourself over this." Baelfire told her from where he sat.  He really didn't know how he gave such a mild response.  Normally, he would have given her a tongue lashing, but that wasn't possible.  He found traces of his true personality coming out.

Cora smiled. "Okay time for tea...then I'll get to work..." Cora poured the milk and sugar in the teacup. She stirred it and handed it to Baelfire. "I hope it's okay..." she sat down.

He took a taste of her tea.  It was a little hotter than he was used to, but she had gotten it right.  The combination made the tea taste just lovely.
"You did well.  Though I might suggest you let the tea cool for a minute before you try to serve it to me next time.  It's not good for someone to eat or drink something with a burned tongue." he told her as constructive criticism.

Cora nodded "As you wish Baelfire...I'll defiantly do that now if you excuse me I have books that need some TLC...tender love and care..." she smiled as she curtsied and began working.

"I'll leave you to it then." Baelfire replied as he excused himself.  He left to let her do her work in peace.  When he was alone, he pondered the strange feeling in his chest.  It made him feel...warm and cheerful inside.

Cora felt so alive with Baelfire around. She finally had control of her fate and destiny. She made the library spotless she decided to open some windows and then she saw an empty vase. She wrote a note 'be back soon going to get you a surprise...going to the forest...Cora.'

Walking through the forest Cora never knew that someone was watching her.

Baelfire came into the library a while later.  He was amazed to find that Cora had followed his directions to the letter.  As he walked to a shelf to get a book, he noticed a note in her writing left for him and read it.
"What could she possibly want to get me?" he asked himself after reading the message.  He shrugged and went to read a book.  Maybe she would be back by the time he finished it.

Cora smiled as she picked wild white roses. "Oh Baelfire is going to love these..." she giggled as she ran home put them in a vase unaware that someone was following her to Baelfire's house. She placed the white roses in the vase and saw in the library Baelfire. She hid the flowers behind her back as she saw his nose in a book so she sat the roses down. "Tada..." she giggled.

The sound of Cora's voice snapped him out of his concentration on what he was reading.  Baelfire looked up to see her standing by a vase that now had wild roses in it.  He gave her an astonished look.
"You didn't!  You didn't go into the woods to give me wild flowers?!  Cora, you are thoughtful." he said, with much gratitude and surprise.

Cora smiled & blushed. "It's no problem. Consider it has a thank you..." Cora looked at one of the curtains and noticed she missed a spot. She climbed up with a ladder. She began fluffing it and there was a hard spot. She tried reaching it and she lost her balance, she began to fall. "Baelfire..." she screamed.

Baelfire didn't even remember getting up from his chair.  All he could remember was running to catch Cora.  The next thing he knew, she was in his arms.  He was astounded that he'd been able to catch her in time.  He was also astounded that he was able to do it at all.  What kind of affect was she having on him?
"Are...are you alright?" he asked her.

Cora was blushing like crazy. "um I'm okay..." she locked her eyes into his. "Thank you. You saved me..." she kissed his cheeks.

"You're...You're welcome, Cora.  I'm just...glad that you're not hurt." Baelfire stammered as he set her back on her feet.  His hand came up to touch his cheek where she had kissed.  That moment left his heart racing.

Cora's green eyes sparkled as she blushed, "Well...umm I'll get back to work. If you excuse me." Cora curtsied and left the room. She leaned her back on an abandoned wall. 'What am I thinking? I'm engaged to George...though I don't love him...could it be? I'm falling in love with Baelfire? The way he saved me back there...ugh focus Cora focus...I have to get back to work'

Meanwhile not that distant from the window, a figure witnessed the whole thing and a smile crept on their face. "My the beauty and the beast...delightful...a perfect match and the beauty would add an addition to my heart collection..."

Baelfire watched as Cora went back to work.  That feeling of warmth in his chest was still there.  but what was it about her that caused it?  What was she doing to him?

Cora smiled as she made dinner for the both of them. She made roasted duck mashed potatoes peas and for desert she made an apple crisp. "I hope you like it Baelfire..." her eyes sparkled as she poured his tea and made sure it was prefect this time. She placed a book on his side of the table. "I found this book and it was barely worn and I was hoping that after dinner and desert if you'd like to join me in reading it?" Before she heard his answer there was a knock on the door. "Want me to get that?" Cora asked as she rose from her seat.

"I think it best if I come with you.  And about that book, I'd be glad to join you." Baelfire answered her.  He got up and walked to Cora's side at the table.  He offered his hand to escort her to the door.
"Shall we?" he inquired.

((occ: sorry about the late reply we had some storms and lost our power but we have it back...)) 

Cora smiled as she took Baelfire's hand has they walked to the door and Cora gasped as she opened the door. "George...what?! Why are you here?!"  The well-built man stood there. "I wanted to see my fiancée see if she's okay..." Cora nodded as she held her head down. "I'm perfectly fine...and..." she began to speak again but George held his hand to silence her. She continued to hold her head down. "you're not...now let's go home..." he held out his hand. Cora shook her head "I'm not going..." "So be it..." George grabbed her arm and put her on his horse. "Baelfire....help me...." Cora cried out but the horse was too fast. Her necklace of a winter rose fell off. 

The figure watched from a distance. "Prefect...everything is falling to place...now soon I will have the girl and her heart..." The figure rubbed her temples. "bring me the girl..." George nodded as he rode.  

Baelfire let out an annoyed sigh.  He snapped his fingers as he stared in the direction George had gone.  Not far away, the jealous fiancé was turned into a simple gemstone, an emerald ironically.
"They never learn, do they?" he asked no one in particular.  Then, walking out to the gates with carrots to reward the horse, he tried to connect with the animal.
"Now turn around and bring her back." he commanded.

The horse came back. Cora smiled as she got off the horse and hugged Baelfire. "Thank you...you're my hero...now let's continue with dinner..." 

Meanwhile the figure growled. "Stupid I forgot about his powers...how to get the girl? And her heart? I'll cast a spell to make him non-magic when he's asleep.." 

"Just let me reward this handsome steed for doing what I asked." Baelfire told her.  He offered the horse at least two carrots.  The animal was quite glad for the reward.
"Now then, let's get back to dinner.  We don't want it getting cold." he joked, taking her hand.

Cora happily took Baelfire's hand. "Indeed not and after I'm done with the chores we'll read the book..."

Meanwhile the figure took off her hood. She had midnight black hair and blue eyes. "You will be mine Cora and your heart will belong to me..."

"That sounds lovely.  I look forward to it." Baelfire stated.  When they reached the dining room, he held out her chair for Cora to sit before he took his own seat.  He had to admit, she had outdone herself in cooking this meal.  He cast her a grin from across the table.

Cora smiled as her and Baelfire ate. "I hope everything is to your liking. By the way I noticed as I was cleaning one of the empty rooms there was a spinning-wheel. What's it for?" Her green eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Oh, the wheel.  I sometimes use it because it relaxes me.  Some find that doing a slow activity can ease the mind and help one to push away what troubles them." Baelfire explained.  He took a chance to try some of the roast duck.
"You have a talent for cooking." he complimented Cora.