Walk from the Greywind

Her smile was bright and gentle. "Thank you. I have enjoyed your company. Please tell regards to your mother." Bright rubies were following him, like trying to catch his eyes.

"I shall. Thank you for your hospitality." Rikica bowed stiffly, trying to stay polite. He stared at his feet and was ready to take his leave. It was late already, and he was just waiting for her approval.

She stood there quietly, then chuckled to herself, leaning forward and pressing a small kiss to his cheek. "Good night", she finally said.

"G-good night."

As soon as he felt he had done his due diligence, Rikica started to briskly take his exit from the yard of Greywind manor, his heart beating fast and unsteady. She could hear her chuckle in the back of his head. Confusion, embarrassment, and guilt were mixing in his stomach again, but it was very different from the kind he had brought with him from the Snakewalker sisters. This was a different beast entirely, and he couldn't make up his mind what to think about it.

He had tried to keep his spirits up though. As he walked down the road on the side of the lake, he would stop for a while in front of the Palefury manor. He kept wondering if Dragoness had arrived back to the city safely, yet he dared not to go and check, or send her message in this hour. But if everything was alright, she was here again, and that gave him a sense of security, at least for a while. He felt the memory of little twirl in his hair and the fresh good night kiss on his cheek, and anxiety came back.

This… this could turn into a pickle, he realized. For a moment he considered if he could get over the fence and climb to dragon's window, yet he knew that wouldn't help anything so with a frustrated huff he continued towards the palace.

Alright… we'll figure this out. We have to. We really have to, but this was… complicated. Much more complicated than he had hoped, and it felt tiring. Well, maybe he would get a moment soon with his Dragoness, work this out, though he wasn't quite sure what to tell her.

Walk to the palace felt long and dreadful. His steps were heavy, yet eventually, he found himself in the lobby, deep in his thoughts.

"There you are a treasure."

Rikica bounced, surprised to hear his mother's voice. She had been in the great hall, judging by the lights, and had now stepped to the entrance hall as she had heard him enter. "Evening mother", he replied reflexly and bowed to her. She wasn't usually up this late, yet it wasn't his place to question her.

"I take an evening with lady Iraequiri was successful?" She asked very sweetly, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around her son's shoulders. "I know sweetheart, you must be tired. I'm sorry to pry. Apparently miss Poisotouch has been asking to meet you again as well. See, treasure, I knew you had it in you."

Rikica tried to muster sheepish smile to his mother, feeling uncomfortable from her praise. "Lady Greywind sends her regards."

"As expected," mother smiled, not prodding forward. "Now, I need you to rest and look your best tomorrow. We will have a dinner guest."

Riki swallowed his annoyance. Again? How many more? "Who will we meet?"

"Well, miss Palefury of course", mother answered so, so sweetly.

Rikica felt how his heart stopped and words got caught in his throat.

"Yes", matron Spiderbane replied, like she wouldn't have noticed her son's stunned expression, "she told she was in town again and was requesting to meet you, dear. That is of course, very sweet but it would be awfully irresponsible for me to send my son out so often to see someone whom I haven't had a chance to properly introduce myself yet," she mused.

Rikica looked at his feet, so he wouldn't trip himself.

"My dear, don't be scared. Mother knows you like her, her gifts have been generous and I can see that you appreciate her company", she continued. "I just want to see how special she is with my own eyes, treasure. Now, off to bed. It's a busy day tomorrow."

"Yes mother", Rikica muttered, still stunned as he hurried to the stairs.

This was getting awfully complicated...

---

This piece of the story worked as epilogue/teaser in the game of May'chalithra Palefury, to inform she was going to meet her boyfriend's mother, as well as inform how poor Rikica was starting to get stressed of his mother showing him around to different ladies, while his heart was already chosen his Dragoness, May.

Sadly, as a male part of drow nobility, he has very little say on this.