The potent alcohol mix had already begun to affect him, spreading warmth through his extremities. He dreaded to think what affect it was already having on the slight, slip of a faerie.
“I need to pee,” she announced unceremoniously, getting to her feet. She had clearly forgotten she was sat under a cover and hit her head on the lean-to before stumbling out into the snow.
He laughed. Are you going to be alright? Be careful.”
“Yeah.” Lori grinned, her cheeks were rosy. Was that with embarrassment or intoxication? Lephas couldn't tell.
He watched as the girl disappeared out of view behind a tree and gazed up into the night sky to watch the large flakes of snow dancing down.
Lephas dragged his satchel closer and untied the water skin. He tipped the dregs of the contents out into the snow before reaching for the now cool metal pot. He carefully poured the fresh water in.
As always, his unoccupied thoughts turned to Lori.
If someone had told him a week ago he would be sat in the middle of the woods, getting drunk with a faerie princess, he would have laughed and asked what they'd been smoking.
Yet he couldn't feel unhappy about it. Lephas supposed it was probably the warmth of the fire, the full stomach and the alcohol, but he was strangely content.
He had a broken rib and was lost in the forest, things were far from ideal, and yet he sat with a smile on his face.
“I survived!” Lori exclaimed as she approached the camp with her hands raised above her head triumphantly. She stumbled a little in the deep snow but remained standing.
The faerie knelt and crawled back inside the makeshift tent before flopping heavily onto her back.
“Wow, I’m spinning,” she remarked.
“I think you’ve had enough to drink for one evening.”
“Yeah, maybe you're right.” The princess sighed sadly. She tugged her jewelled hair tie from her hair and clumsily shook it free.
Though full of debris and knotted in places, Lephas still enjoyed looking at her beautiful golden hair when it was loose. It was so different to anything he had ever seen.
Lori noticed him watching her but the demon didn't look away, just took a moment to appraise her.
“What are you looking at?” Lori laughed with a dazzling smile that made his stomach churn.
“Nothing. I just like looking at you.” He smiled and turned back to the fire.
After a few moments, Lori sat up and tucked her feet underneath her. She crawled on her hands and knees towards him. Without hesitating, the faerie leaned in and placed a soft kiss against his cheek.
“What was that for?” he asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.
“I just realised I hadn't thanked you yet,” she said softly, her voice was almost a whisper.
“For what?”
“For everything,” Lori’s large, beautiful eyes gazed at him with sincerity.
Lephas felt embarrassment flaring up once again. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, unsure what to say. Thankfully Lori took the option of speech away from him, leaning in once more to kiss his mouth.
She pulled away and surveyed him with a thoughtful pause before decisively creeping closer. She lifted a long leg over his body to sit gently in his lap, facing him.
Whilst his tired, moonshine-addled brain caught up with the situation, Lori took his face in her hands and lifted his chin to kiss him again.
When they broke momentarily for air, Lephas finally found his tongue.
“You're very welcome,” he whispered. Lori pressed in for another kiss and he felt her lips curve into a smile against him.
Taking back some control, Lephas sat forward and grasped Lori beneath her bottom. The faerie arched her back, draping her arms over his shoulders and deepening the kiss.
