After she had said hello, he had just stood there, staring. It was only when he began to notice the slight look of discomfort on her face that he broke out of the trance-like state that he had seemed to slip into.

It actually took him a moment to find his voice and he whispered softly back to her, “Good evening, fair one.”

Most of the women he had complimented and greeted in such a manner usually giggled and blushed, instead, the beauty before him merely smiled and a slight twinkle entered her eyes as if she enjoyed the compliment, though she was not overcome by it. Her impish grin only brought a smile to his lips.

When he was finally able to pull his gaze from hers, his eyes drifted to the man that she had been speaking to earlier. “Your…companion seems anxious.”

And yes, the older man did seem apprehensive, watching them closely, fidgeting and hesitating as if he wanted to come forward and intervene. The beauty in front of him barely turned her head and she smiled. “He worries.”

He could not prevent the chuckle that escaped from between his lips at her words. “Do you believe he has reason to worry?”

She gave him that same impish smile and simply said, “Yes.”

The surprise caused by her answer was evident on his face and it was then that he heard her laughter for the second time, a sound more pleasant than a forest full of songbirds. At his surprise look she laughed even more, but the sound only served to make him broaden his own smile, his lips curling upwards to reveal his gleaming teeth.

“Shall we?” was all she asked as she held out her hand to him.

Back in his room he finally looked away from her portrait and looked at his hand as his fingers curled softly against his palm, as if he were closing them around her soft, fragile human fingers again. For a moment it was almost as if he could remember the warmth of her human flesh against his own hard, cold skin.

Sighing he closed his eyes and stood there, as if reaching for the hand she had offered that day so long ago. Here in his room he could let the façade fall away, he could remember. Here, he could hurt.