She folded her arms and scoffed. "Well, go sit down! Your dinner's cold, but it's your own fault."
He chuckled as she flitted away, muttering indiscernible words. Sitting down at the table, he noticed Aldeth's hand gently placed on his wife's shoulder, his eyes full of concern. Yelene, on the other hand, beamed at him. "Good evening, Eramus."
"Good evening."
"Certainly is." Her lips pinched together as though she were attempting to contain excitement; for what, he didn't know.
Awkward silence ensued. Eramus took a bite of his cold potatoes. Yelene's intense gaze remained fixated on him, and he shifted under her stare.
"Are you certain you don't wish to rest, dear?" asked Aldeth.
Yelene swatted his shoulder. "Oh, will you stop it! This isn't my first vision. I'm just fine."
Eramus looked up. "Vision?"
Aldeth nodded. "She had one about an hour ago. Visions eat up a great deal of energy, causing her to pass out if they are long enough."
"I told you, Aldeth. I'm just fine." She leaned forward, whispering, though it wasn't enough to conceal her words from her husband. "He worries too much. I'm not some fragile old woman. At least not yet."
She winked, and Aldeth rolled his eyes. "Regardless, it wouldn't hurt for you to rest. And I only worry because I love you, so you'll just have to deal with it."
The two exchanged smiles and adoring eyes. Eramus looked away, feeling as though he were intruding on an unspoken conversation happening between them.
"What did you see in your vision," he asked when the silence grew too much to bear.
Yelene smirked. "Oh, nothing of consequence."
Eramus narrowed his eyes. "Nothing of consequence?" He didn't bother to hide his skepticism. Why did it always feel as though people were hiding things from him?
She nodded and hummed an "umm, humm."
Annoying. Eramus planted his chin on his fist. "I don't believe you. Tell me what you saw, and I'll decide for myself."
Yelene bit her lip. "You really don't want me to say it, Eramus."
"Actually, I really do."
Aldeth leaned back in his chair, his brows at the top of his forehead. "You may want to rethink this."
Eramus ignored him, keeping his focus on his aunt.
She sighed. "Very well. First, she's quite a beautiful young lady, and I'm over the moon for you. I can see how happy the two of you make each other."
Eramus's blood ran cold. "I…you what?"
"I'm happy for you, and I understand why deciding whether to leave is so difficult. And after a kiss like that—"
"What kiss?" Inara had appeared at Yelene's side out of nowhere. She bounced on her feet, waiting for an answer.
"Eramus kissed a pretty young lady in the meadow," answered Yelene. "You'll have to ask him for her name. I didn't catch it in my vision."
Inara's mouth hung open, and her eyes danced with excitement. "Eramus! Did you kiss Evree?"
His life held no mercy. Eramus planted his face in his palms and groaned. So much for keeping it a secret.
"I warned you," muttered Aldeth, half chuckling.
"Why in Virgamor would you have a vision about me kissing Evree?" Eramus asked, daring to meet their exuberant expressions. "What purpose could that possibly serve?"
