He had left word with a lioness to mention to @Talisa to come to the Hot Springs, where he would meet her. He'd left well ahead of the time the female was to find her, and tell her and prepared. Eskel had hunted that day, slaying a small gazelle, and he'd left most of it in the neutral lands- but had carved out the haunches of the beast. Prior to that, he'd picked some flowers from the Gardens, the day before and brought some of them up to the Summit to his den- before he began moving everything down to the hot-springs. A lot of others, judging by the scents, came to this place but at the moment it seemed empty.

He would wait, after setting up the food and flowers- noting with a frown of annoyance that the first flurries of the fall snow were beginning to fall. "Oh don't ruin this please, Maua." He'd pray out loud, trying out this prayer thing to see if the deity would hold off on the snow- so they could have this date night. "I just want everything to be perfect for Talisa." He would breathe out-loud, eyes falling closed as he prayed.

ART COPYRIGHT IRISH

You know what they say about the Hot Springs, she mused quietly as she approached @Eskel from the West. Her gait was sure and true, already having surmised at least a small fraction of why she had been summoned here by him. The Hot Springs was generally a place of raunchy business and giving how busy their lives have been as of late, she feels that her senses are not too far off the mark. Though even as everything began to come into view, it was clear that she did not detest the idea in the slightest — flowers and food? Oh, you shouldn't have! Talisa exclaimed, easing to his cheek and pressing her nose to it, but I am glad you did.

^{ART BY CUSH, CODE BY CALA}

you know what they say about the hot springs, her voice breaks through his silent prayer- his meditation and his eyes opening, snapping to her. always to her- his gaze rests on her as she approaches, a brow quirking in a quizzical look. "what do they say?" he asks her, curious. he wasn't sure that he'd ever even been here before, he thought perhaps he had... but, phew- he was getting old. she moved towards him, speaking that he shouldn't have and pressing into his cheek. the rumble of content adoration left him, and he grinned, pulling up only to look down at her. "i wanted too. it's... hard to get some free time as busy as you are, and i..." he trailed off. "i missed you, and wanted to spend some time with you." any time really, he didn't care what they did- though, he did have a few creative ideas -- but he missed her - the conversation, the comfort, the easiness of their relationship.

"eat, please- the flowers, they came from the gardens, but i wasn't sure... well, i'm still not sure that they'll make it as cold as it is." he says, a bit of heat flushing his cheeks, and he is surprised by the embarrassment, the feeling of it. after all of this, he still got a bit flustered, trying to do the little things for her?

@Talisa

ART COPYRIGHT IRISH

The fact that he did not immediately know the truth about the location that he had picked only proved how truly innocent he must be. How little he got out but then again, Talisa had lived in Amaryllis her whole life and knew almost everything there was to know about Maua's lands. A lot of intimate relations are created here, she says without shame or embarrassment because it was not in her nature to feel either of those things about the events. Talisa had always been a relatively open individual about her own sexuality and thus, did not feel the need to covet it in @Eskel's presence either.

The mere knowledge that he had set out to make an evening for the two of them, no matter where, was enough for her. More than enough, really. Talisa was just happy to have him even if it were only for a moment or two. The flowers will last so long as we need them to, they would not survive if they stayed here but they would be alive long enough to be enjoyed. Talisa did as she was bid and laid herself down next to the gazelle meat that he had acquired. Taking a hefty piece and dragging it into her paws before giving her mate a grin and then moving in to take her first bite.

^{ART BY CUSH, CODE BY CALA}

for what he could have thought of this place, talisa's words are a bit of a surprise. though, he isn't a stranger to intimacy, he is a bit... unsure about being overtly bold in his affections. there is always the thought in his mind that it'll be taken away- that he'll mess this up. "oh." he murmurs, his eyes glued to his mate, taking her in- as she speaks. "that... wasn't exactly my intention but..." a small smirk finds his jaws. "i'd never say no. never say no to you." he starts off teasing, but his gaze is serious as he studies her. the words held more meaning than just the teasing gesture about intimacy. he would never deny her anything.

her words about the flowers broke his intense gaze, and brought them to the weeds. his brow furrowed a bit, and he grinned at her words- watching as she settled into the meal. only when she'd taken a piece for herself, did he rest upon the ground and take some of what was left for himself. "out of all the territories, the neutral ones... what would you say is your favorite?" he asks, content to talk- to learn anything about her she may be willing to share. this was a date night, after all- and he was sure he could think of an endless amount of questions to ask while they ate.

@Talisa

ART COPYRIGHT IRISH

While it may not have been his intention, Talisa was now most certainly feeling as though her body was telling her something. The walk here she had thought that he had set the date here with a purpose in mind and while slightly disappointed that he hadn't been his initial intention, she knew now that it wasn't entirely off the table, either. Talisa had always been a very openly affectionate woman who was very comfortable with herself physically and thus humbly delivered.

Taking a few bites of the meat, she feels quite excited by the question that he poses to her and she gives a hiccup of a 'hm'. Lost in thought for she had always known that her heart called specifically to the Rainforest. When she was younger, the Rainforest was considered a neutral territory but now it wasn't. So what was her second favorite? The Lake, I think. The one that was not too far from where they lay now. The frozen-over lake had always been a peaceful place that she did not believe many lions ever ventured too and if they did, they were braver than most. @Eskel

^{ART BY CUSH, CODE BY CALA}

okay, it wasn't that he was innocent, as much as sometimes he was clueless. romance and love had never been something he had considered for himself. he'd always been a knight, a player in the political game- only to gather information to present to a king. Talisa, though, seemed to view him as much more and that sometimes was a daunting feeling. he did not want to disappoint her. he never would want to do such a thing, and now that she'd mentioned it- he would never deny the appeal of such a thing to him. foolish, he chastised himself. you should have planned for that. but then would that have been presumptive?

as she offers the lake as her favorite, he considers that and nods. "the lake is a breathtaking place." he agrees. "i like the grove, quite a bit. the towering pines... it is... nice." he adds, rather lamely- as he watches her eat with a sense of pleasure, before taking his own bite and chewing it thoughtfully. "have you ever tried to cross the lake while it's frozen?" he asked, curiously, his eyes on her- a small, boyish grin on his face.

@Talisa

ART COPYRIGHT IRISH

The Grove is a fantastic choice, and while she did not put it in her list of favorite places, it was because it was a general given in her life. Outside of Vermeda, the Grove was the next best place but it had become that because it was now essentially the family graveyard. Nearly, if not all, of her family resided their in the afterlife forms. If she ever needed them, that was where they were and it was relieving to hear that it gave him peace.

As for the lake, well. Talisa chuckled for she knew the story well in her head that @Eskel was not yet privy too but he would be now. When I was very young, Nymeria and I had tried to get across. We had talked a big game of being able to do it but once our legs got on it, we were both scared out of our minds. As a child and being swooped away and not in control of your limbs anymore? That had been a terrifying moment for a couple of girls that had no concept of the difficulties that life would bring them as they got older. Not having control over one's limbs would do that.

^{ART BY CUSH, CODE BY CALA}