"Mmmmmm." Ayana moaned as she smelled the fruit of her labor. Okay more like the sweets of her labor but you get the point. She had been in the kitchen most of the day giving some of the hard working cooks a day off. Ayana took in a big whiff of the bread, sweet rolls that were fresh from the oven and were going to get some blueberry sauce on them and the muffins! Apple with chopped up nuts and powdered klah bark on top. They smelled very good too. They were still hot though so Ayana was protecting them as the cooled. Kora was helping too, she was pacing though as if she was worried but it was still helping.

"Whats wrong Kora?" Ayana asked as she knelt down by her chocolate brown dog as she bit into one of the muffins.

The tantalizing scent of sweets wafted from the kitchens, calling to a certain bluerider with an insatiable allure. Aleron inhaled deeply, savoring the delectable aroma as his feet automatically drew him to the source. Hey Knepth? Aleron called silently. A sleepy grumble was his only response. Knepth, could you ask Orvoth where Ayana is? he requested. Maybe he could snag a few sweets to bring to surprise her with and they could go on a little indoor picnic. Aleron grinned at the idea, but was forced to reconsider when he saw that the source of all the scrumptious smells was Ayana herself. Nevermind, found her!

“Ayana! I didn’t know you cooked!” Aleron exclaimed, tossing out his arms in gesture of all the fantastic foodstuffs. “And are you helping her, Kora?” Aleron asked, bending down to woozle the pup. He stood up to his full height and approached Ayana, typical broad grin ablaze on his face. “So is this some sort of special occasion or did you just have a lot of time on your hands?” Aleron asked with a chuckle, leaning over to inhale all the wondrous delights.

After petting her pup she went back behind the counter and washed her hand and continued with the sauce. She was startled though when she heard a familiar voice.

"Yes I can cook." Ayana admitted. Sometimes she hated being a Jane-of-all-trades sorta girl. She stirred the blueberry sauce that was still a bit to runny. She would have to let it thicken a bit more before she used it. She turned around and leaned on the counter as he chuckled.

"Too much free time and this was the only way I could keep my hands busy." Ayana admitted. "I have already oiled Orvoth, helped restock the infirmiry, talked to Kn'len and now I am here." Ayana let out a sigh. If she did not keep her hands busy then her mind would start to wonder. Kora let out a whimper that called Ayana over.

"What's up with you?" Ayana asked as her pup butted her head against Ayana's chest. Ayana sighed, again. She knew what Kora was trying to do, Orvoth was trying to do the same thing.

Hello Aleron. Orvoth said to the boy. Ayana and I have something to tell you but Ayana is to scared to tell you.

Orvoth! Ayana scolded her dragon. Then she went behind the counter and checked on the sauce. Orvoth was just outside the kitchens his head hanging in the open window as he kept an eye on Ayana.

Aleron raised both brows at Ayana’s explanation of her day, amazed at how widely her talents stretched. Shards, he really ought to start honing some skills of his own if he ever wanted a chance to actually impress the girl. “Gee, all I did today was get up, oil Knepth, and think about having a picnic,” he mused, fighting back a smile. Of course, his thoughts of a picnic had kinda gone up in flames upon discovering her to be the culprit behind the teasing smells, but maybe he could try to help her cook. It was a good skill to have, and besides, Aleron was open to anything that allowed him to spend some time with Orvoth’s rider.

“Ah, Aya, you’re so productive…like a mallard!” Aleron exclaimed happily, unable to help but throw his arms around her from behind. The boy had finally decided to embrace the fact that he really enjoyed holding her in his arms. Point in fact, he took every opportunity to wrap his arms around her, often in an attempt to surprise her with his presence. Ayana was such a warm and kind-hearted woman, intelligent and multi-skilled to boot, and her slender body fit perfectly cradled against his. “So do you need any help?” Aleron asked, holding her loosely in case she chose to break away and perhaps salvage a sudden flaming pot of who-knew what.

At her question, he tilted his head slightly, dark curls flopping over his blue-grey eyes. “Up? Not much really,” he replied with a slight shrug. His eyes settled on an unidentified point in this distance as Orvoth addressed him. “Well, except Big Blue seems to think you don’t want to tell me something,” Aleron added, no longer entirely surprised by the blue’s propensity to speak to him. He leaned his sideways head closer to hers, attempting to look in her eyes. “What’s he talking about?” he asked curiously.

"A mallard?" Ayana had to chuckle at that. "Now am I as colorful as one." Ayana said jokingly. She left out a soft, quiet moan when Aleron took her in his arms. She liked how they felt around her, and how she fit into them. Her tense body even relaxed and leaned into him when his arms were around her. Something that she never really felt comfortable doing with anyone.

"I already am pretty much finished everything else but now I have an idea about the picnic you were talking about." Ayana said as she tilted her head back so it rested on his shoulder.

"I was talking to Kora, no offense. She has been acting rather strange lately." Ayana said as she brushed his hair from his eyes. She liked to look at his eyes. A rumble could be heard from Orvoth.

Why don't you tell him? Orvoth suggested.

Fine. Ayana resigned trying to resist the urge that was coursing through body. "I love you Aleron." Ayana said as she turned around in his arms. "I love you almost as much as Orvoth."

“Nahh, mallard as in pro-duck-tive,” Aleron teased, not wanting her to take any offense. He certainly hadn’t meant to imply anything with the silly comment. Though such misunderstandings were a common and carefree part of his day-to-day interactions, it was oddly important to him that Ayana shouldn’t take it badly. “Although you do look pretty nice in those colors,” he couldn’t help but add, though he was rather more interested in the way the clothes draped about her than the exact shade of the fabric.

“Oo, an idea?” Aleron asked with interest. “Maybe snatch a few muffins and head out to enjoy the spring air or maybe convince the blues that they need a bath in the lake and trick ‘em by just eating there?” he suggested mischievously, waggling his eyebrows at her. Though he rather doubted that Orvoth would require much persuasion, Knepth on the other hand… Well, he was kinda an odd duck, and not exactly in a homophone-like sort of way. The blue could probably go days without saying a word if Aleron let him, even going so far as to appear to be ignoring his own rider. But at other times, Knepth was practically uncontrollable in his enthusiasm. It certainly made for interesting times, but it was somewhat worrisome that Aleron found it difficult to predict his bipolar lifemate.

At Ayana’s words, Aleron glanced at the brown pup thoughtfully. “Strange, huh? Well, today I betcha she just wants to try one of those delicious concoctions you’ve been working on,” Aleron grinned. His eyes followed her hand as she gently shifted his dark locks. It was such a delicate gesture, one that could easily just be a casual movement but one that Aleron couldn’t help but feel meant so much more. He gazed into her ice blue eyes, almost instantly losing himself in those dazzling depths.

So devoured was he by just the force of her gaze, that at first Ayana’s heartfelt words didn’t quite register. “Huh?” he asked vaguely, suddenly aware that he was staring at her really quite foolishly if not in a downright rude manner. And then her words hit him, plunging into the very depths of his soul. And Aleron’s oh so eloquent response?

The boy burst out laughing.

His arms dropped from Ayana as he clutched at his sides, his body bending nearly double with the force of his mirth. The frothing hysterics bubbled from his mouth helplessly, and it was not long before tears blossomed in his eyes. He couldn’t seem to help himself, and he was unable to so much as draw himself up and see the effect of his reply on poor Ayana’s face. “Ay-Aya-hahahaha!” he tried and failed to get a hold of himself, the laughter consuming him entirely.

Wise move; yours has broken mine, Knepth informed Orvoth calmly.

"Opps." Ayana admited her mistake but the way Aleron said it was so funny.

"The lake sounds good, I have enough time though to make one more thing before the cooks come back." Ayana knew something that she loved to eat and normally she only made it for herself. However this was a special occasion.

Then in responce to her words he started laughing. That was not what I hoped for. Ayana said to herself, shocked. Then she stepped out of his arms as he bent over laughing. Ayana then turned around to a bowl with a mixture of flour, eggs, milk, water, salt and a bit of butter. She would let him catch his breath while she made the last desert. She poured some of the batter in the pan so it was a thin layer and let it sit and cook for a few minutes. While she waited for that she stirred the sugar coated strawberries. Behind the I-am-too-busy-to-notice-the-guy-laughing-behind-me facade she was blushing and severly embarrased. Maybe that was the reason she had never gotten close to a guy before.

It was not my idea, it was hers. Orvoth stated.

At long last, the laughter died down. Aleron wheezed for a moment, trying to catch his breath, then returned to an upright position. After wiping the tears from his eyes, he realized that Ayana had completely turned away from him. “Hey, Aya! I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean, I wasn’t laughing at you, I just…” Aleron stumbled over his words, suddenly horrified that he had alienated. He hastily ran to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her so that he could look into her face. For once, the blush on her face didn’t exactly bring him joy.

“Aya, I…I was only laughing ‘cause I was happy. It’s what I do, you know? I laugh when I’m happy, and you saying that…that you love me, it…it makes me really happy,” Aleron said hastily, trying his hardest to get her to understand, to not close off and hate him forever for his unorthodox response to her confession. “Aya…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, I just can’t help the way I act sometimes,” he tried to explain, feeling like he was failing miserably. What if his foolhardy laughter had scarred her forever, what if she hated him, what if she never trusted him again? Aleron’s brow furrowed with concern as he tried his best to console her.

By the time Aleron had stopped laughing and got his breath back Ayana had finished with the first thing in the pan and had made five more. She left them sit on a plate and covered them to keep them warm. Then Ayana was about to lean on the counter again when Aleron spoke up and then she heard his footsteps as he ran to her. She may not have been able to see it but with the speed of the footsteps she could tell. She felt as his hands went on her shoulders and turned her around.

"I understand that but there is one thing you don't understand about me." Ayana said as she brushed the hair from his eyes. "Nobody seems to understand that I have issues expressing my feelings sometimes. Especially with guys." Ayana leaned into him a bit. "How about I finish these up and we go out to the lake?" She asked as she looked up into his eyes. She was happy that she had finally told him and happy that he was happy. She was just embarrased because he had just suddenly burst into laughter. Ayana was just going to have to get used to it because that was Aleron, and Ayana did not want Aleron to change.

({Sorry for the delay! Winter break has been strangely busy o.O})

The moment she turned her head, Aleron’s eyes sought hers, desperately seeking to comfort and console her for his foolish response. Instead, whatever he saw in those green depths assured him. He sighed softly at her words, tilting his head as she brushed strands of his hair aside. “I-I didn’t realize,” Aleron admitted. He gently put both hands on her shoulder, staring into her eyes with uncharacteristic solemnity. “I’ll try to do better. I hope you never feel like it’s hard to talk to me, Ayana,” he said. Then he promptly hugged her, holding her as close as he wanted and savoring the feel and the scent of her.

When he released her, Aleron’s typical happy-go-lucky grin had returned. “Sure, the lake would be great!” he agreed enthusiastically. The bluerider peered over her shoulder at the baked goodies. “Do you need any help?” he asked, scratching the back of his head. Sure, he didn’t really know much about cooking, but any way to further interact with Ayana was a prize indeed.

Ayana made the hug last as long as she could get it too. "All I need to do is put the strawberries in these and roll them up, which I can doo in a blink of an eye." Ayana said with a wink. "Plus you may not want to touch these." Ayana pointed at the strawberries. "They are red and may remind Knepth of something and we don't want him to freak out." Ayana knew that Knepth did not like the site of blood, Ayana already had to clean up Aleron a few times since both had impressed. Just as Ayana said she would she spooned the strawberries into the center of each pancake like thing she had made. It did not take her that long at all, maybe a minute and she had finished filling all six. Then in like three or four seconds each she had them rolled. She wrapped them up in a towel to keep them warm while they made their way to the lake.

"Just in time." Ayana commented as the cooks started to come back into the kitchens. Ayana gave a smile to one as the old lady came and gave Ayana a hug with a quick thank you.

"Well I really need to get out of here. I have been here since after breakfast and I know it is past lunch." Ayana did not know how long she was in the kitchen but before the cooks left and Ayana took over they had already made lunch. Grabbing Aleron's hand she started to lead them both through the crowd of women towards the exit and towards the lake.