Shafir was lounging on a couch in one of the manor’s many studies. A book in his hands as he read. It didn’t entertain him, but the content kept his mind off things. The house had quieted as Eliqinor had been called back to work. After that late-night chat, they argued. Over insignificant matters, mostly. Like how Shafir held his bow, or how Eliqinor lacked basic knowledge in wound care. 

The distance between them seemed to shorten, but Shafir still felt odd when they got close. The most recent instance was when he was shooting his bow against doctor’s orders and missed the target. Eliqinor was bored and came to watch. However, he overstepped his bounds and tried helping Shafir. The high elf pressed himself too close as he helped Shafir and it ended up with the younger elf stomping on his toes. They got into an argument, but everything returned to normal after. 

Elven horses are a mix between mythical Equus and regular horses, still taking after their less-than-mythical counterparts. They have three phases of sexual behavior, these are-

“Sir Shafir?” A quiet voice called out. From his seated position, Shafir looked over the couch. A maid stood in the doorway meekly, looking around. 

“Idalia, what brings you here?” Shafir asked from where his head popped up from behind the couch. Idalia jumped at the sudden appearance of Shafir. 

“Th-The Empress has sent a missive. It is a command to return to work.” Shafir received a letter from Idalia after she had moved closer to him. He took it from her and looked it over. “Shall I arrange for someone to prepare Nabu?” 

“I would appreciate that,” Shafir said and pulled himself from the comfy couch. The book and its contents were long forgotten as Shafir readied to go back to work. 

~ ☽ ✧ ☾ ~

“Ah, Shafir. It’s so nice to see you again,” Orpha said as Shafir sat down in the seat next to the young woman’s bed. How long had it been since he saw her? Five? No, six years? 

He and she have both remained the same throughout time. The Empress’ pampering was sure to put weight on a person, but Orpha seemed still as thin as ever. Perhaps it was the sickness. If memory served him after they had found her, the royal physicians called her condition chronic. 

So even the slightest use of magic caused her to fall ill. That was what caused her to become bedridden and without being able to support herself, Aila took it upon herself as the Empress to take care of the maiden. Soon enough, the two became an item not long before they had reassigned Shafir to work with Eliqinor. 

“Nice to see you too, Lady Orpha,” Shafir said and bowed his head to her. The human perked up and chuckled at how Shafir greeted her. 

“Now, now, why so formal, hm?” Orpha prodded. Her station was much higher than the knight’s, even if she wasn’t royalty or an elf. 

“I dare not disrespect the Imperial Consort.” Shafir looked up at Orpha and she smoothed the blanket that lay over her lap. There was an almost solemn smile on her face as if she wasn’t ecstatic about that. 

“I’m not even sure if I’m her woman, she’s been so busy as of late…” Orpha waved about the cottage and the place was spotless, as if a maid had cleaned it. Though there was no trace Aila had been there in a while. When they would visit Orpha when he was still Aila’s guard, she would leave a giant mess showing that her presence had been there.

“I can assure you, her highness cares only for you.” Shafir tried to reassure her. Orpha’s smile brightened slightly, and she looked at the cottage door. 

“She told me she would be busy for a while… So, I worried. Being trapped here with this body makes it hard not to be nervous.” Orpha missed being able to walk and see the outside. Shafir could tell by how her eyes lingered on the door. If Shafir had been bedridden like she was, he would have gone insane a long time ago. The only pleasant distraction she had was probably Aila’s presence. When the Empress was around, even the most tedious situations would become exciting.

“I should apologize. I feel that Her Highness’ busy schedule is mine and Captain Eliqinor’s fault,” Shafir said and bowed his head. Orpha chuckled once again and sighed. Shafir lifted his head. Orpha seemed much happier now that Shafir was here. The loneliness must have been unbearable. Everyone who came and went probably had to be careful of the Imperial consort. As if tiptoeing around the bedridden beauty. 

“It’s honestly fine. I miss Aila, but you know what they say. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. I’m sure her stubborn love will help her return to me sooner than later,” Orpha said. Shafir wouldn’t call love stubborn, but Aila herself was stubborn. Trying to get her to do something she didn’t want was like trying to drag a mule through the mud. Impossible. 

“The distance would make her desperate to get back to your side, don’t you think?” Shafir asked. He stood up and grabbed the empty cup at Orpha’s bedside. He went into the small kitchen area and filled it with water from the well bucket. 

“It would. Just like it makes Eliqinor desperate to be by your side,” Orpha said. The comment made Shafir dropped the full cup into the bucket and his head snapped in her direction. 

“What does the captain have to do with this!?” Shafir stumbled over his words as he grabbed the cup out of the bucket. He returned the cup to her table, albeit wet. 

“Oh, you don’t know?” Orpha took the wet cup and suspiciously looked away from Shafir as she drank from it. “Aila wasn’t kidding. You lot are stubborn…” Orpha whispered as if to herself, but Shafir’s ears picked up on it. 

“I’m not stubborn,” Shafir protested. He sat back down in the chair and Orpha nodded patronizingly. 

“Are we not all stubborn?” She put her cup down. Shafir really couldn’t understand where the conversation was going. How was this all connected? Going from love to Eliqinor, and then calling the dark elf stubborn, was throwing him for a loop. 

“What are you talking about?” Shafir wanted her to explain. He wanted to know why she would say something like this unprovoked. He would have to tell Aila that Orpha’s mind had rotted in her absence as he couldn’t understand her train of thought. 

“There are those who are stubborn to let go of love that are not returned and then there are those who are stubborn to believe that they don’t deserve to be loved,” Orpha said, ticking them off on her fingers. Love? Stubbornness? He still didn’t know what led her to speak about that, but he couldn’t say she was wrong. Love and stubbornness could go hand in hand for some people. 

“My Lady-” Shafir began. The human woman interrupted him quickly, cutting off his thoughts and speech.

“Of course, not everyone falls into one of these categories, but you know-” Orpha rambled on as she spoke and Shafir had to put his hands up to draw her attention. As he started talking, she kept silent.

“Lady Orpha, I’m not following what you are saying,” Shafir stated. There wasn’t a better way to explain his confusion. Not just that, but he hadn’t come here intending to talk about his love life. 

“I’m saying your stubbornness is preventing you from being loved, Shafir.” Orpha’s comment made Shafir’s heart hurt. Perhaps she was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. He was stubborn for a variety of reasons. Though he never equated those to affecting his love life, but just his shitty personality. 

“I-I think you have it wrong, my lady. I really don’t need to be loved.” Shafir had to make sure she knew that romance and love were not something he was looking for at this moment. 

“That is specifically what I am referring to. That obstinate attitude is exactly what deters potential suitors away.” Orpha said and threw her hands up in an exasperated show of expression, a lot like Aila did. Seemed she picked up some of her lover’s habits. Shafir couldn’t help but wonder if he would eventually do the same with whoever he ended up with.