Sheer In The Firelight

She lies in Sheer Beside Firelight

Earlier Flashback to before the banquet party

Riftan's vision was obscured with the towel he rubbed over his head to dry his clean wet hair but he saw a brief glimpse of cream-colored skin and crimson. He took his time rubbing down his hair so he could fully take in the view of his beautiful wife having had a bath before him. Her hair had only just dried up with its thick mass but she sat near her vanity which was close to the fire at least. She was already partially dressed, her hair already done up in an elegant up do with a few strands hanging down. A small hairpin with a couple of pearls stood out starkly against her deep crimson hair. She had her head lowered, obviously looking at something in her hands, maybe two things as her head kept turning slightly as if unsure.

Smiling softly, keeping the small towel hanging over his shoulder he approached her as her eyes lifted up, meeting his through the mirror and she smiled.

"I-I can't...d-decide." She held up two pieces of jewelry; an earring and a necklace. Riftan quirked a brow at her. "Isn't it...t-too much for tonight-"

"No, it's not. You can wear neither of them and look stunning." She flushed at his praise but her brows furrowed as she stuck out her tongue slightly still deciding and Riftan groaned internally at that. How does she look so adorable no matter what she does?

"But I love when you wear something you want to wear, so what do you want to wear?"

As if coming to a decision, she placed the earring she held up away in her jewelry box and pulled out another pair and his throat tightened.

Shit, not those!

The earrings were simple enough but a style that wasn't very common but he bought them because he thought Maxi would love them and she did but she had yet to wear them out. She didn't wear jewelry often but took a liking to them immediately and he hated himself for getting them.

It drove him fucking nuts.

They were mismatched styled earrings he'd gotten in passing after coming from Dracchium and in the markets a jewelry stand had some simple but nice stuff at reasonable prices. He could instantly see Maxi wearing them and thought it was a sinful image. They were simple off-shaped diamond flower earrings the size of her thumbnails. It was mismatched because the right earring was just the diamond flower with small pearls. The left earring was a cuff earring with a delicate silver band that curled behind her ear out of sight and clasped on a pearl hooked over. The left one also had a dangling silver branch that just tickled her jawline as she moved. It was an absolute tease to look at especially with her hair up and the diamonds with the damn lighting made her skin shimmer as well.

Fuck, she's killing me.

Adding on her earrings, she stood up and turned to him with an excited smile and held out her arms as she stepped out from behind her vanity.

"H-how do I look? Is it okay?"

How could she ask something so obvious?

"You look beautiful Maxi." He took her hand as she smiled wider at the compliment. "Give me a twirl, love." He gently tugged her forward, slowly spinning her under his arm so he could watch her move. Her laughter was music in his ears; he was in the audience listening to music beyond his comprehension. The strands of hair, her earrings, and her dress, everything fluttered as she moved like she but a faery.