((OOC: We changed "naan" to "flatbread" to be a little less specific.))
Elk nodded as though chewing on her response. Maybe Jaz was being obtuse, but she didn't really have more to say just yet about the city she had come from. She had left it for a reason, after all. She wanted to start fresh.
“When you’re not cooking or doing chores for Gwen, what do you like to do for fun and merriment, Jaz?”
Jaz couldn't help the giggle that escaped her at that.
"Well..." Jaz said, trying not to say the first thing that had come to mind. "We have a lot of festivals here, and I do enjoy foraging and exploring the forest most days. But, mostly, I pride myself on my ability to keep others company." She smirked a little at that, wondering if the innuendo would come through.
Either way, they had just about come to the Guest House, and by the smell of it, Gwen had just finished making her own meal. Perhaps they would have other guests to entertain.
((OOC: I figure, maybe one more post from Elk and then we can set the scene for inside the Guest House. If you want any other of your characters there, maybe as short-term or long-term guests of the tell, feel free to include them!))
Part 1
Re: Part 1
Jaz turned to look at Elk, wondering for a moment if she had really just been so forward with this otherworldly being. Had their tattoos flared orange just then?
But then both of them were in the warmth of the lantern light at the edge of the Guest House, and Jaz couldn't quite tell. Still, wasn't it possible? Their tattoos had been quite reactive since they met.
Because of me?, Jaz thought. She was smirking again.
But then Elk started stretching, lifting their arms into the air until they grasped onto each other, one pulling the other. Jaz heard creaking--almost like tree branches in the wind--and her spine felt caressed, the sensation deep into her bones. The sudden relief made Jaz exhale a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in.
”This body is quite stiff & I am yet unaccustomed to its mobility. I’d welcome just about anything that would loosen these muscles up,” Elk said. Jaz's smirk deepened, and she looked away from Elk briefly, slightly bashful but trying not to show it.
"Well," Jaz said, a hand on her hip now, "you'll have to meet Gwen first."
--
Gwen had spent the day in the garden. She wore a hat that she had woven out of reeds herself, down by the river. She treasured it--worn out as it was now after six years of use.
She was growing accustomed to this style of life, this place. These people. Even now as she harvested beans and wrapped herbs for drying, she was smiling thinking about all the people she had come to know. But then, of course, the person who wasn't among them. Not anymore, at least.
Gwen stopped what she was doing in the garden, setting her basket down. She put a hand to her chest, trying not to sob.
Ah, yes. Here it was. The next dreaming.
Somehow, Gwen had hoped there wouldn't be another one. But, that was foolish of her. Anyone could call a dreaming. The tell would have dreamed together eventually.
Still...
That they were going to dream as a means to answer a dream, though--that certain sounded more holy to Gwen. The right response to the problem this time.
Not so with the judgment, Gwen thought bitterly.
That was all it took. And Gwen was back there again.
"Just tell me," Gwen had said. "Please. Will you at least tell me why you won't say what happened?"
"No," Hector said.
"Then I have nothing here for you," Gwen said.
The look in his brown-gold eyes.
Gwen looked to one side. She had started burying one hand into the ground alongside her. Back to the garden. She took a deep breath.
Several more hours went by uneventfully. She traded some of her crops for help with more of the harvesting, and Gwen was genuinely happy, despite the hole in her heart.
No new guests had requested rooms, but that wasn't unusual this soon after a caravan. Gwen cleaned off the counter and began to cook.
She lost herself in the chopping and preparation, enjoying the long, slow process of stoking the coals properly.
It wasn't until the soup was made that she heard someone come in.
A family from up the road. Five of them, all different ages. They were smiling.
Gwen nodded at them and scooped soup into bowls, setting it out for them. She then came back with bread as they settled in.
In the back, Gwen smiled to herself. She wouldn't need to eat alone tonight.
And yet, she couldn't quite go join in with the family sitting there. She was a little too tender for that. Will they be attending the dreaming? Gwen wondered. Should I? She wasn't prepared to answer that question.
It had been only six moons since Hector left, and yet Gwen had a strong feeling that she would never see Hector again.
Finally, she scooped a bowl of soup for herself and grabbed a hunk of bread, sitting at a table nearby to the family. They seemed rather absorbed in their own conversation, but they smiled gratefully in her direction.
Gwen tilted her head, and the grandmother nudged the youngest of the group. Iosef, Gwen remembered. Just turned eight. They gulped for a minute, looking over at Gwen shyly. At last, they came over to Gwen and held out one hand.
"I found this is a cave, and I wanted to do something special with my family." Gwen brought her hand to her chest again, looking into the kid's palm. It genuinely looked like he had found a small ruby." Gwen nearly started crying. This kid was going to be all right.
Maybe what my child might have been like?
Gwen's other hand flew to her belly for a moment, and she flinched. Awkwardly, she realized that Iosef was still waiting. She did her best to recover.
"You are an extraordinary gift to your family," Gwen said, loud enough so they could all hear it. She nodded at Iosef, and he scurried back to the table, giggling slightly.
Gwen finished her meal and took her bowl back to start cleaning up. One of the men in the group, Jan, came to help Gwen with the dishes. She nodded gratefully at him, recovering herself slowly.
Soon enough, they had come and gone. Gwen put the rest of her soup out on the side window with some bowls so passerby could have the rest before it went to waste.
The door then opened again, revealing Jaz and a robed fellow with thick tattoos, orange and golden in the light. They were red and blushing and--strangely familiar. Gwen narrowed her eyes for a moment but then quickly dropped her gaze and smiled, nodding in toward the tables and turning around.
"You hungry?" She asked with her back still turned. Another one so soon? Gwen thought, bemused.
"We ate already," Jaz said, smiling reassuringly at the robed figure. "Elk is looking for a room."
Gwen turned around and raised an eyebrow, looking at Jaz. Not quite that friendly yet, then, huh? Or maybe Jaz was playing a game of some kind. Gwen shook her head playfully. She looked over at where she had put Iosef's tiny ruby and then back at Elk.
"You're in luck. We have three to choose from right now." After a short pause, Gwen added, "Pleasure to meet you, Elk." And still, she could not shake off a strange sensation of familiarity.
But then both of them were in the warmth of the lantern light at the edge of the Guest House, and Jaz couldn't quite tell. Still, wasn't it possible? Their tattoos had been quite reactive since they met.
Because of me?, Jaz thought. She was smirking again.
But then Elk started stretching, lifting their arms into the air until they grasped onto each other, one pulling the other. Jaz heard creaking--almost like tree branches in the wind--and her spine felt caressed, the sensation deep into her bones. The sudden relief made Jaz exhale a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in.
”This body is quite stiff & I am yet unaccustomed to its mobility. I’d welcome just about anything that would loosen these muscles up,” Elk said. Jaz's smirk deepened, and she looked away from Elk briefly, slightly bashful but trying not to show it.
"Well," Jaz said, a hand on her hip now, "you'll have to meet Gwen first."
--
Gwen had spent the day in the garden. She wore a hat that she had woven out of reeds herself, down by the river. She treasured it--worn out as it was now after six years of use.
She was growing accustomed to this style of life, this place. These people. Even now as she harvested beans and wrapped herbs for drying, she was smiling thinking about all the people she had come to know. But then, of course, the person who wasn't among them. Not anymore, at least.
Gwen stopped what she was doing in the garden, setting her basket down. She put a hand to her chest, trying not to sob.
Ah, yes. Here it was. The next dreaming.
Somehow, Gwen had hoped there wouldn't be another one. But, that was foolish of her. Anyone could call a dreaming. The tell would have dreamed together eventually.
Still...
That they were going to dream as a means to answer a dream, though--that certain sounded more holy to Gwen. The right response to the problem this time.
Not so with the judgment, Gwen thought bitterly.
That was all it took. And Gwen was back there again.
"Just tell me," Gwen had said. "Please. Will you at least tell me why you won't say what happened?"
"No," Hector said.
"Then I have nothing here for you," Gwen said.
The look in his brown-gold eyes.
Gwen looked to one side. She had started burying one hand into the ground alongside her. Back to the garden. She took a deep breath.
Several more hours went by uneventfully. She traded some of her crops for help with more of the harvesting, and Gwen was genuinely happy, despite the hole in her heart.
No new guests had requested rooms, but that wasn't unusual this soon after a caravan. Gwen cleaned off the counter and began to cook.
She lost herself in the chopping and preparation, enjoying the long, slow process of stoking the coals properly.
It wasn't until the soup was made that she heard someone come in.
A family from up the road. Five of them, all different ages. They were smiling.
Gwen nodded at them and scooped soup into bowls, setting it out for them. She then came back with bread as they settled in.
In the back, Gwen smiled to herself. She wouldn't need to eat alone tonight.
And yet, she couldn't quite go join in with the family sitting there. She was a little too tender for that. Will they be attending the dreaming? Gwen wondered. Should I? She wasn't prepared to answer that question.
It had been only six moons since Hector left, and yet Gwen had a strong feeling that she would never see Hector again.
Finally, she scooped a bowl of soup for herself and grabbed a hunk of bread, sitting at a table nearby to the family. They seemed rather absorbed in their own conversation, but they smiled gratefully in her direction.
Gwen tilted her head, and the grandmother nudged the youngest of the group. Iosef, Gwen remembered. Just turned eight. They gulped for a minute, looking over at Gwen shyly. At last, they came over to Gwen and held out one hand.
"I found this is a cave, and I wanted to do something special with my family." Gwen brought her hand to her chest again, looking into the kid's palm. It genuinely looked like he had found a small ruby." Gwen nearly started crying. This kid was going to be all right.
Maybe what my child might have been like?
Gwen's other hand flew to her belly for a moment, and she flinched. Awkwardly, she realized that Iosef was still waiting. She did her best to recover.
"You are an extraordinary gift to your family," Gwen said, loud enough so they could all hear it. She nodded at Iosef, and he scurried back to the table, giggling slightly.
Gwen finished her meal and took her bowl back to start cleaning up. One of the men in the group, Jan, came to help Gwen with the dishes. She nodded gratefully at him, recovering herself slowly.
Soon enough, they had come and gone. Gwen put the rest of her soup out on the side window with some bowls so passerby could have the rest before it went to waste.
The door then opened again, revealing Jaz and a robed fellow with thick tattoos, orange and golden in the light. They were red and blushing and--strangely familiar. Gwen narrowed her eyes for a moment but then quickly dropped her gaze and smiled, nodding in toward the tables and turning around.
"You hungry?" She asked with her back still turned. Another one so soon? Gwen thought, bemused.
"We ate already," Jaz said, smiling reassuringly at the robed figure. "Elk is looking for a room."
Gwen turned around and raised an eyebrow, looking at Jaz. Not quite that friendly yet, then, huh? Or maybe Jaz was playing a game of some kind. Gwen shook her head playfully. She looked over at where she had put Iosef's tiny ruby and then back at Elk.
"You're in luck. We have three to choose from right now." After a short pause, Gwen added, "Pleasure to meet you, Elk." And still, she could not shake off a strange sensation of familiarity.
Re: Part 1
“Likewise, friend. You must be Gwen? I’ve heard so much about you. You mention three rooms?” Gwen nodded, quickly determining which of the three to visit first.
“I’d be more than happy to earn my keep," Elk added. "If you have use of some healing poultices, for instance, I have the means to make them.”
Wiping her hands off with a towel, she said, "Those are always useful." She didn't feel concerned about gifts just now. The guests had more than provided for her needs this year. Still, it was a kindness she wasn't about to turn down.
Jaz smiled at her with a glint of mischief that made Gwen cock her head to one side. Jaz winked at her. Gwen shook her head with a smile.
"Well, one of the cabins are free. They're out back if you'd like to see one and get settled in for the night. We all take care of our own places here--don't expect cleaning duty from me." Gwen liked being matter of fact. It saved time and hardship. Those were lessons Gwen learned early on, doing this.
Gwen gestured her head toward the back door and starting walking there. By now, dark had more fully fallen, and Gwen grabbed an extra torch and lit it from the glowing coals of the hearth. When they were outside, a light rain had begun to fall, but Gwen didn't hesitate. She walked through the winding paths of the garden and stopped by a log structure. "This is the bathhouse. The rule is, at least three people need the opportunity to use it if you're going to fire it up," Gwen looked pointedly at Elk, allowing herself to pay just a little more attention to their tattoos. She didn't want to stare, but she had never seen tattoos move like that and craved a closer look. Still, she held her curiosity in stride, moving on past the bathhouse.
At the edge of the forest, set back among the trees, was a small one-room house with a wool-stuffed bed and a stove of its own. It was the roomiest cabin she had and the only one used through much of the cold season. Somehow, Jaz had talked her into building this little place back here only this year, even though Jaz still almost always insisted sleeping in the main house herself. Still, it presented the opportunity for solitude and peace, and perhaps Jaz thought this newcomer needed that. Gwen trusted Jaz's judgment. Then again, maybe it was just the size of the bed that appealed to her. Gwen half-smiled again, turning around to face her guests once all three of them were in the room. It was cozy, but they could fit comfortably. Jaz immediately sat down in the chair that Gwen had crafted, simple but sturdy. Gwen smiled--she was proud of that chair, and Jaz looked damned good in it.
Holding her torch gently outside the door, Gwen said, "I have two smaller rooms inside, but I had the feeling you might like this one." She raised her eyebrow, wondering if Elk would accept it. In the meantime, Jaz winked again, this time at Elk.
“I’d be more than happy to earn my keep," Elk added. "If you have use of some healing poultices, for instance, I have the means to make them.”
Wiping her hands off with a towel, she said, "Those are always useful." She didn't feel concerned about gifts just now. The guests had more than provided for her needs this year. Still, it was a kindness she wasn't about to turn down.
Jaz smiled at her with a glint of mischief that made Gwen cock her head to one side. Jaz winked at her. Gwen shook her head with a smile.
"Well, one of the cabins are free. They're out back if you'd like to see one and get settled in for the night. We all take care of our own places here--don't expect cleaning duty from me." Gwen liked being matter of fact. It saved time and hardship. Those were lessons Gwen learned early on, doing this.
Gwen gestured her head toward the back door and starting walking there. By now, dark had more fully fallen, and Gwen grabbed an extra torch and lit it from the glowing coals of the hearth. When they were outside, a light rain had begun to fall, but Gwen didn't hesitate. She walked through the winding paths of the garden and stopped by a log structure. "This is the bathhouse. The rule is, at least three people need the opportunity to use it if you're going to fire it up," Gwen looked pointedly at Elk, allowing herself to pay just a little more attention to their tattoos. She didn't want to stare, but she had never seen tattoos move like that and craved a closer look. Still, she held her curiosity in stride, moving on past the bathhouse.
At the edge of the forest, set back among the trees, was a small one-room house with a wool-stuffed bed and a stove of its own. It was the roomiest cabin she had and the only one used through much of the cold season. Somehow, Jaz had talked her into building this little place back here only this year, even though Jaz still almost always insisted sleeping in the main house herself. Still, it presented the opportunity for solitude and peace, and perhaps Jaz thought this newcomer needed that. Gwen trusted Jaz's judgment. Then again, maybe it was just the size of the bed that appealed to her. Gwen half-smiled again, turning around to face her guests once all three of them were in the room. It was cozy, but they could fit comfortably. Jaz immediately sat down in the chair that Gwen had crafted, simple but sturdy. Gwen smiled--she was proud of that chair, and Jaz looked damned good in it.
Holding her torch gently outside the door, Gwen said, "I have two smaller rooms inside, but I had the feeling you might like this one." She raised her eyebrow, wondering if Elk would accept it. In the meantime, Jaz winked again, this time at Elk.
Re: Part 1
As Gwen suspected they would, Elk said, “I would be honored to stay here, thank you. This is a beautiful space and it feels to be well tended. I’ll be sure to clean up after myself.”
But then they looked from her to Jaz, saying, “Is there any assistance I can offer this evening? There’s been talk of a group dreaming ritual, which I imagine would be challenging to prepare for.”
At the mention of the dreaming, Gwen's neutral expression fell considerably, and she looked at the packed earthen ground of the small cabin, completely caught by surprise and not handling it well.
Before she could think of something to say, Elk added, "If not, that bathhouse is calling my name… though I suppose I could simply let this drizzle refresh me instead." Gwen tried to smile and managed to crook one side of her lips.
"You're welcome to the bathhouse. Leave the candles lit when you're done, and I'll come use it later." She decided not to answer their earlier question--she didn't know how. Maybe she would try again in the morning. Putting the torch in the metal holder outside the door, Gwen turned to walk out of the cabin.
"Rest well. I'll have some tea and breakfast in the morning if you want some." And with that, she took her leave, winding her way through the dark alone with ease in her body but not in her mind.
--
Jaz shook her head as Gwen left. She understood why Gwen was being sensitive about the dreaming, but... Gods, she could be moody sometimes. She looked over to Elk, seated as they were on the stuffed mattress. "She'll come around," Jaz said. She looked down at the ground, wondering if she should provide Elk with some more context.
"Gwen... had a history with the person we condemned during the last dreaming. He... left her without a word, only a dead stranger on the doorstep. She didn't have any idea what had happened before he came back years later to confess--none of us did. But he refused to tell her anything when he came back." Jaz decided to leave out the part about taking Gwen's previous lover into her own bed that night. It wasn't really a necessary part of the tale.
"Gwen had been with child when he left, but the child... didn't make it to term," Jaz said sadly, still unable to meet Elk's gaze. Finally, she looked over to them, hoping she had done right by Gwen in telling Elk. She hoped it would help Elk understand her quick departure. "She's had a difficult time recovering from it all."
Jaz sat quietly for a moment, listening to the rain as it drizzled down onto the trees, and from the leaves to the roof. She would happily take a bath with Elk, but she didn't want to be presumptuous or hasty given what she had just offered them of Gwen's story.
But then they looked from her to Jaz, saying, “Is there any assistance I can offer this evening? There’s been talk of a group dreaming ritual, which I imagine would be challenging to prepare for.”
At the mention of the dreaming, Gwen's neutral expression fell considerably, and she looked at the packed earthen ground of the small cabin, completely caught by surprise and not handling it well.
Before she could think of something to say, Elk added, "If not, that bathhouse is calling my name… though I suppose I could simply let this drizzle refresh me instead." Gwen tried to smile and managed to crook one side of her lips.
"You're welcome to the bathhouse. Leave the candles lit when you're done, and I'll come use it later." She decided not to answer their earlier question--she didn't know how. Maybe she would try again in the morning. Putting the torch in the metal holder outside the door, Gwen turned to walk out of the cabin.
"Rest well. I'll have some tea and breakfast in the morning if you want some." And with that, she took her leave, winding her way through the dark alone with ease in her body but not in her mind.
--
Jaz shook her head as Gwen left. She understood why Gwen was being sensitive about the dreaming, but... Gods, she could be moody sometimes. She looked over to Elk, seated as they were on the stuffed mattress. "She'll come around," Jaz said. She looked down at the ground, wondering if she should provide Elk with some more context.
"Gwen... had a history with the person we condemned during the last dreaming. He... left her without a word, only a dead stranger on the doorstep. She didn't have any idea what had happened before he came back years later to confess--none of us did. But he refused to tell her anything when he came back." Jaz decided to leave out the part about taking Gwen's previous lover into her own bed that night. It wasn't really a necessary part of the tale.
"Gwen had been with child when he left, but the child... didn't make it to term," Jaz said sadly, still unable to meet Elk's gaze. Finally, she looked over to them, hoping she had done right by Gwen in telling Elk. She hoped it would help Elk understand her quick departure. "She's had a difficult time recovering from it all."
Jaz sat quietly for a moment, listening to the rain as it drizzled down onto the trees, and from the leaves to the roof. She would happily take a bath with Elk, but she didn't want to be presumptuous or hasty given what she had just offered them of Gwen's story.
Re: Part 1
Elk nodded, taking in everything Jaz had said. Their tattoos moved, and if Jaz trusted her own senses, she thought they hummed in the stillness. Playfully, she wondered if they also vibrated to the touch, but she managed to prevent an inappropriate smile from gracing her face just in time.
It was probably for the best, as Elk's face had fallen significantly, and Jaz worried that they were taking Gwen's departure hard. Finally, they responded. “Thank you for that added bit of context Jaz. I can imagine why she’d have a hard time with circumstances such as those. She has my earnest empathy & care…perhaps while I’m here, I can do some to help her?”
Jaz tilted her head, unsure what kind of help Elk meant to offer. She didn't think she could help them with that, and she was grateful when they moved forward without an answer.
“I suppose we shall see what will arise at this next dreaming. Perhaps a hint towards her healing of comfort will arise…” It wasn't out of the question, Jaz supposed, but she did think it was unlikely. Could Gwen's state have anything to do with the dreams the people of the vows all shared? Jaz thought of Sage, awake during what was already a difficult vigil, suddenly overcome by a waking dream of devastation. She shivered.
Soon, though, Elk's expression grew hopeful, shy even. "Would you like to bathe with me, Jaz?" Their tattoos immediately burst into a bright orange. Jaz couldn't help the light laugh that bubbled out of her.
"I thought you'd never ask," Jaz said, standing from her chair and gesturing back out toward the bathhouse, grabbing Gwen's abandoned torch as she went.
It was a short walk back to the bathhouse, but the rain had certainly picked up, so Jaz hurried through the garden paths more quickly than she had before. By the time they arrived, she was quite wet. She swung open the door to the bathhouse and giggled, reaching to light the nearest candles with her torch as she did so. Once they were both inside, Jaz made quick work of lighting the fire connected to the wooden tub, pulling in the nearby prepared kindling and adding some larger logs. The water would be hot soon, but it would take some time. Jaz picked up a couple clean cloths from a shelf and handed one to Elk. She set her own on one of the two benches in the somewhat cramped, dark space and began to take her clothes off. Better to be out of her wet things and near the fire now.
She set her clothes up to dry on some hooks to one side of the bathhouse and smirked in Elk's direction. Then, she bent close to the fire, which was catching quickly and already warming the space that doubled as a sauna. Though the stove had an outlet in the roof, there was also a flap they could open at the top to let some of the heat out if needed. Not yet, though. Not until the water was hot. Jaz traced the plumbing of the tub with her eyes, still impressed with Gwen's ingenuity. The bathhouse was built on a slight hill so that she could water the garden from the tub when it needed cleaning. Gwen wasted nothing if she could help it.
Jaz tossed a look to Elk from where she crouched by the stove, curious about what they thought of her and what else they were thinking. Or perhaps she was just admiring the glow of their body in the candlelight.
It was probably for the best, as Elk's face had fallen significantly, and Jaz worried that they were taking Gwen's departure hard. Finally, they responded. “Thank you for that added bit of context Jaz. I can imagine why she’d have a hard time with circumstances such as those. She has my earnest empathy & care…perhaps while I’m here, I can do some to help her?”
Jaz tilted her head, unsure what kind of help Elk meant to offer. She didn't think she could help them with that, and she was grateful when they moved forward without an answer.
“I suppose we shall see what will arise at this next dreaming. Perhaps a hint towards her healing of comfort will arise…” It wasn't out of the question, Jaz supposed, but she did think it was unlikely. Could Gwen's state have anything to do with the dreams the people of the vows all shared? Jaz thought of Sage, awake during what was already a difficult vigil, suddenly overcome by a waking dream of devastation. She shivered.
Soon, though, Elk's expression grew hopeful, shy even. "Would you like to bathe with me, Jaz?" Their tattoos immediately burst into a bright orange. Jaz couldn't help the light laugh that bubbled out of her.
"I thought you'd never ask," Jaz said, standing from her chair and gesturing back out toward the bathhouse, grabbing Gwen's abandoned torch as she went.
It was a short walk back to the bathhouse, but the rain had certainly picked up, so Jaz hurried through the garden paths more quickly than she had before. By the time they arrived, she was quite wet. She swung open the door to the bathhouse and giggled, reaching to light the nearest candles with her torch as she did so. Once they were both inside, Jaz made quick work of lighting the fire connected to the wooden tub, pulling in the nearby prepared kindling and adding some larger logs. The water would be hot soon, but it would take some time. Jaz picked up a couple clean cloths from a shelf and handed one to Elk. She set her own on one of the two benches in the somewhat cramped, dark space and began to take her clothes off. Better to be out of her wet things and near the fire now.
She set her clothes up to dry on some hooks to one side of the bathhouse and smirked in Elk's direction. Then, she bent close to the fire, which was catching quickly and already warming the space that doubled as a sauna. Though the stove had an outlet in the roof, there was also a flap they could open at the top to let some of the heat out if needed. Not yet, though. Not until the water was hot. Jaz traced the plumbing of the tub with her eyes, still impressed with Gwen's ingenuity. The bathhouse was built on a slight hill so that she could water the garden from the tub when it needed cleaning. Gwen wasted nothing if she could help it.
Jaz tossed a look to Elk from where she crouched by the stove, curious about what they thought of her and what else they were thinking. Or perhaps she was just admiring the glow of their body in the candlelight.