Beautiful Delusions (on hiatus)

Ch 10: Nothing Like a Root

Violett POV:

I... I cannot even begin to comprehend what I am seeing right now.

Hunter was in the kitchen stirring something in a pan on the stove, Phoenix was some distance from the window chopping wood. Shirtless.

Heat rose into my cheeks as I tore my eyes away from his tattooed chest, focusing instead on hunter. "Whatcha cooking?"

He glanced at me smiling, "a vegetable medley. The seelie are fond of dishes derived of the earth, meats are for the most rare of occasion. I hope you do not mind my preparation of the food, I thought it may ease the burden upon you even if just slightly."

I smiled at him, filing his particular dietary preferences away for next time I went shopping.

I glanced out the window as a loud thwack sounded through the air. Phoenix had embedded the axe deep into the trunk he had been cutting wood upon. "I...I see Phoenix has taken it upon himself to replenish our wood stores."

"Phoenix cannot go a day without cutting something."

I nodded as hunter went back to cooking.

Phoenix stepped through the side door, "good morning halfling."

I did my very best to keep my eyes upon his stupidly pretty face rather than...the rest of him. "Good morning Phoenix. Thank you for chopping the wood, we were running low."

He hummed softly, "how did you sleep, I presume well after your strange drink."

"Yeah...you?"

His lips curled up at the corners ever so slightly. "I had the most fascinating dream."

I perked up a bit at this. I adore dreams and all the little secrets the hold. "Really? About what?"

That smile remained as he tucked his fingers beneath my chin, "caramel hair and freckled thighs." He paused, "and the downfall of the seelie court. But that little halfling is in all my best dreams."

Hunter growled something to himself at the stove as I felt my face growing red, "two dreams then?"

He shook his head, "no. Just a pretty halfling in a bed of ashes. Quite tempting actually, despite your mortality."

Okay. This conversation needs to end. now. "Right uhm well Hunter has made breakfast, he explained to me that most Seelie dishes are primarily grown from the earth... is its uhm the same for unseelie?"

Phoenix prowled past me into the kitchen, brushing against me as he walked by, "no. The unseelie eat for taste, we care not where it comes from." He paused, "most of the unseelie enjoy sweets made from fairy wine and heavier meats. We fight more than the Seelie court and care not if we over indulge."

"Oh."

Hunter turned off the stove, "the unseelie lands cannot easily grow vegetables, it is a cold sort of place most times and their kind are much too fond of hunting to grow decent food."

"Food is like women hunter, the ones grown next door lack the sweetness of the ones you find when one the prowl, the sweetness of an unknown being. Meant to be savored, to dance upon your pallet." He shot the blonde a condescending look, "not that you know what it truly means to please a woman. A hint. She is nothing like a root. You cannot just get her hot and hope she softens at your touch."

I would have laughed at his root analogy had it not been so condescending.

Hunter gently placed a plate in front of me before practically dropping one in front Phoenix, "of course Phoenix, I should just take in women as your kind take in wine, with gluttony and no regard to actual quality."

"I do not drink low quality wine."

I carefully began to eat my meal as the two men glared at one another.

Hunter huffed, "put on a tunic Phoenix your ruining my appetite."

"Mortals call them shirts. And I do believe Violett rather likes the view."

"You are insufferable."

The unseelie male just shrugged, "you are a terrible cook."

....personally I thought Hunter did rather well, "I like Hunters food. Is a light breakfast that wont sit heavily in my stomach."

Hunter smiled at me, "thank you Violett."

Phoenix just hummed, "she says that to stroke your ego. Mortals do such a thing."

I frowned at the dark haired man, "Phoenix do you find fault in everything?"

Another almost smile, "No. I am rather satisfied with my own appearance, are you not little halfling?"

I accidentally glanced at the toned planes off his chest, the strange tattoos scattered there, flush rising high in my cheeks. "I don't think anything of it."

He just rose a brow, "Violett. As a halfling you are gifted the ability to lie, at least attempt to be good at it."

I blushed harder as the two men started bickering again.

I wonder if they will get sick of one another and go home soon... I hope so.

Honestly its been a day and these two are already more trouble than they are worth.