Choosing The First Dates
POV: Jess
The whole group was gathered at the hot spring in the middle of the retreat and we were all talking about how Alexandra was cursed along with the specific nature of the curse. Suddenly I felt the presence of a feeling that was coming from somewhere other than Blake. I looked over at Derek but his feelings were always more infatuation with Alexandra. His feelings were something he always believed to be a love towards Alexandra but that was more of admiration for her strength and love for her as a friend. I looked at Meldon next but he was looking at her more like he would a sister. I remembered saying that he preferred to be a Batiste so I was wondering if he wished his twin sister was actually Alexandra. They just met but they quickly got along. I looked over at Lucien, it was slowly building within him. I was staring at him because he was building up this feeling, likely trying to make up in his mind how he felt about her. He widened his eyes and looked over at me. I think in that moment he knew that I was observing him from when the feeling first came on. I smiled then nodded at him.
Blake spoke up, “So, brother, when do we do these dates?” Lucien looked over at Blake, “Well, I have set up for each of us to have one date tomorrow. All that is left is to determine who goes with who.” Blake sighed, “I don’t like having rotating partners, I have one or two people I want to date so could I not go on the dates with them.” Lucien rolled his eyes, “No, you have to broaden your horizons. You really aren’t giving Litha and Alesha a shot.” Derek spoke up, “I really don’t mind personally. Four dates with four beautiful ladies. I could only be so lucky.” Internally, I was feeling quite annoyed with his playboy attitude but I also knew he was trying to be considerate. Alesha smiled at him, “Well I appreciate the compliment.” Meldon spoke up next, “While I have my eyes on one woman, I think it would be pleasant to get to know the other ladies more. I don’t know Alexandra very well but I feel like we could really get along.” He smiled at her and she smiled back, I could feel the two could have a great friendship. This “date” for them would definitely help that to grow and I was all about it. Lucien nodded, “I am curious to see if I can get along well with all of these ladies. I feel like one of you could likely win the competition so I feel like it is getting a head start on getting to know one another better.” He smiled at each of us ladies until he landed on Alexandra but he smiled broader. He was slightly more aware of his feelings than he was before but he was not fully there so this idea would give him the push he needed.
Meldon asked, “So how do we choose who goes first with who?” Alexandra started to laugh, “Do we draw names from a hat?” Derek looked at her, “Another human thing?” She smiled and nodded at him, “What? We don’t do that in Vellum?” Blake shook his head, “I think there is something like it. It’s called the fire draw.” She looked at me and knew that meant she wanted an explanation in Alexandra was raised as a human terms, “So what you would do it take a piece of magical paper and write your own name on it. The person with the highest level of magic power does a spell on the paper which burns it. The ember would then land in the hand of a random person. It won’t burn you either.” She nodded, “Okay so then let’s do that. Seems like a valid way to pick, that way it is random and no one will get annoyed with someone picking for them.” Lucien looked at Blake, “Looks like you’re the spell caster then. No tricks though brother. Blake sighed and rolled his eyes, “I am insulted.” He may have acted like he was insulted but as I was explaining to her, he was thinking that this way of picking would be beneficial to him. He still thinks it even though he was called out by his brother. Lucien grunted, “I will know if you cheat you know. I have my ways.” I knew he was talking about using my gift and knew I wouldn’t object because I wanted the decision to be just as fair.
We all got out of the spring to get the choosing of the dates done. Lucien said, “I think the ladies should write their names and the men can hold out their palms.” I nodded at him, “Sounds like a good idea to me. Remember all, no cheating. There is a way to tell that it is going on.” Lucien went to his room to grab some magical paper and some pens. He handed some to each lady. Alexandra spoke, “Can I shorten my name? Or would it not work?” I smiled at her, “As long as it is something you go by and written in your own hand.” She nodded and wrote Xan on her paper, I opted not to write anything at all. Lucien looked at me, “Aren’t you going to participate?” I shrugged, “I figure it would be pointless to have one of us do this if we all know who the last two are that will be paired up.” He nodded, “Oh, yeah, that makes sense. So, you are okay with being the default?” I nodded at him; I really didn’t care about these dates. I was only looking forward to spending alone time with Derek. I figure it would happen eventually so it didn’t matter when it happened. All of the other ladies finished writing down their names. Blake cast the spell on the Xan’s paper. He quickly opened his hand but the ember fell into Meldon’s hand.
A trio of disappointed feelings rushed at me at once, like I was getting slapped in the brains from all sides except one. Meldon wasn’t really disappointed and I think he was kind of feeling the same I was. That he would get to date the one he really wanted to eventually. He smiled at her, “We can have that talk we were promising to each other earlier.” Her face lit up, “Oh yeah! That’s perfect!” She ran over and hugged him and pulled her hand up. He looked at her hand confused. She giggled, “It’s called a high five, you just slap my hand with yours.” He looked horrified, “I would never strike a lady.” I laughed, “It’s okay Meldon, it’s a human thing.” He nodded, “I guess I can do that.” He high fived her and she laughed, “This is going to be so fun tomorrow. Looking forward to getting to know you.” Litha’s paper was the next to be burned and the ember fell into Derek’s hand. She was disappointed and I remember Alexandra telling me that she had a huge crush on Blake. Alesha’s was next and her ember fell into Blake’s hand and Litha shot her an envious glance but Alesha wouldn’t have known it. The glance was heavily veiled with a smile but I could feel the heat of the envy exuding off of her like a thick cloud of heaviness. I hated the negative feelings because they were really exhausting.
I looked up at Lucien and he smiled at me, “Look like you and me tomorrow, Jess. I am honored to escort the Birthday Girl on a date.” I smiled back at him, “I look forward to the conversation and company.” Blake looked at him, “So what are the dates any ways?” He looked around the room, “I actually tailored the dates to the couples going on them. Grand Pretre was the one to help me set them up so these are the dates each couple was supposed to go on.” Blake groaned, “Stop calling us couples, none of us are dating someone here.” He looked over at Alexandra and was exuding so much love towards her that it cleared the cloud of envy coming out of Litha. Lucien cleared his throat, put on his glasses and started to read out of the notebook he brought out, “Let’s see. Jess and I will go on a nature walk in the meadow nearby.” That actually sounded like a quiet, pleasant and peaceful date so I smiled at him and he smiled back. He continued, “Derek and Litha will have a candle lit brunch in her room.” The envy subsided and I had imagined that the date itself was pleasant sounding to her. Lucien cleared his throat again, “Meldon and Alexandra will have a lake side picnic for brunch.” The two started giggling and Alexandra said, “I think that should be pretty fun. Food is always a good thing to bond around.” Lucien then looked over at Blake, “I don’t know if you should do this date.” Blake gave him a pointed look, “What? Is it going to mess with my stitches?” Lucien looked over at Alesha then doubt and worry was really creeping in to him. He looked at Blake, “Yes, it likely would. I think she picked this date because of your personalities.” Blake grunted, “Just let us know and I can determine for myself if it will be okay.” Lucien sighed, “Fine, your date will be a gym date with an instructor on how to spar in the ancient art of zemalden.” Alexandra spoke, “What’s zemalden?” I looked over at her, “It’s pretty similar to martial arts but this involves the use of magic as well.” Blake looked over at Alesha then at Lucien, “We can do it.”
