He laughed harder and leaned over to kiss her cheek “A true Nanite woman” He teased. Hawke wasn’t a bigot, he didn’t think men should rule over women and didn’t think women should rule over men. He was a strange creature who believed in equality between a man and a woman, but it appeared that no Age had such a thing so he preferred that a woman lead if it must be other than he lead. Just because he was a man did not mean he knew best, and it was clear already with Cece that he had no problem with her telling him what to do and him listening. A man was to protect and provide, but a woman did so much more. She cooked and cleaned and took care of the children…in his opinion, a far harder job.

He shook his head with a smile “No. I am going to stay” Of course he was, she wanted him too and he had no other choice. When she helped guide him he chuckled and felt silly “I told you I was horrible at this” He said, shaking his head and much preferred her tactics of painting then his. “Beautiful? I think it is a pit of mud” He joked and looked to her, pausing and giving her a playful look as she smeared the paint on him. He sat there, making a false look like he was angry before putting the canvas down and snatching the paint from her and trying to smear paint on her in return.

Cecelie enjoyed being around a man who gave her the utmost respect. He let her have her opinions and did not degrade them or belittle them. She was raised to speak freely and he encouraged it. Would the nobleman encourage it? No, she couldn't think that way. She was Hawke's and Hawke was hers.

"Such beautiful mud. If mud looked like that I would bathe myself in it." She smirked and pretended to preen herself before smearing the paint on home. The sight of his red nose made he laugh and she squirmed away to avoid getting painted on. All the while she laughed and tried to push his hands away. "No! No!" she begged and feigned a pout before gig in to kiss him. The kiss was a diversion because as she kissed him and let it frown more passionate she dipped her fingers in the paint and smeared it on Hawke's neck as she put her hand there while gicig him a kiss to stir emotions.

He was not a man that often laughed, he never had much to laugh about before Cece and now he found himself all but rolling at her sense of humor. He laughed hard when she said his mud painting was beautiful and shook his head before the war of paint began. He got a few smears on her but when she said no of course sweet Hawke obliged and stopped trying to paint her, taking the kiss with a smile…only to realize he had been fooled. He felt more cool paint be smeared on him and he leaned back, giving her a look of playful betrayal before grabbing at the paint again and showing her no mercy in painting of.

“You are devious!” He laughed as he tried to wrestle her enough to get her painted, leaning back and shaking his head as she tried to kiss him again “No!” He grinned “You will not trick me again with your womanly ways!”

It elated Cece to see Hawke in such high spirits. His laugh was music to her ears and his smile was a sight for sore eyes. When he was happy she was extra happy, and would go out of her way to keep him in such a good mood. Even with his hurt leg he was playful and she loved him for that.

The devious girl smirked when he gave in so easily to her saying no, only to have it thrown back in her face when he realized he had been tricked. Paint was colored here and there across her but she got him back, getting paint on his face and neck, and being polite enough not to get it on his armor. She struggled against him, though she was much weaker than him she had a feeling he was going easy on her. To even things up she sat up and straddled him, not quite putting her weight on his lap as she didn’t want to hurt his leg. She took ahold of his hands in hers and kissed him, laughing through the kiss as she wiggled to try and get paint on his arms. “You are so very lovely now, Hawke. My masterpiece.” As she spoke she calmed down from the painting and leaned into his chest as she kissed him, lowering herself to his lap but avoiding his wounded leg.

Hawke had never known he could be playful, he didn’t think he had it in him before Cece. Before her he had never played games or joked around or teased, but somehow she had either brought it out of him or created it in him, who knew. But he enjoyed playing with her since he had never gotten a chance as a child to do so. His like tweaked in pain here and there as he wrestle with her, making sure he didn’t use even half of his true strength so he wouldn’t harm her. When she straddled him he stopped, laughing hard and just let her keep painting him without fighting back.

“I am sure. They will hang me in a nobleman’s home after there is a bidding war for me” He joked. When she leaned in to kiss him he kissed her in return, his body very aware of the position she was. He paused in kissing her for a moment to gaze upon her face lovingly “You are extraordinary, Cecelie” He murmured, touching her face and brushing his thumb over her cheek.

All the while that they wrestled Cecelie laughed melodically. She tried her best to avoid his leg, but only ended pressing herself up against his torso even more. “You will fetch the highest price any piece of art ever has.” She took his hand and used the last bit of paint on her fingers to draw a heart on his palm, much like a little girl with a crush and she gave him a smile to match.

When she kissed him she could feel her heart race, for she wanted things from him that she hadn’t wanted from any other man. Her eyes were half hooded when he spoke to her and she blinked slowly, a blush rising in her cheeks. “You are so wonderful to me.” Cecelie spoke before closing her eyes and touching her nose to his, then pressing her forehead against his. “I never dreamed I would meet anyone like you.” Then her hands ran slowly down his chest, feeling every groove in his armor and she moved to kiss his neck (the side she had not turned into a masterpiece). Her heart raced so much she wondered if he could feel it. “I want to be yours,” She spoke softly, kissing his neck a few more times. “And only yours…”

“I can sell the glorious art you have bestowed on me and feed all of Eder Kemo” Even when playing around in silly scenarios he still thought of other’s needs. If only he could do such a thing, he would to ensure other people’s health and well-being. When she drew the heart on his hand he chuckled and wished it wasn’t just paint that would wash off easily, for he would have kept it there permanently if she had wanted it, even though his own heart belonged to her already. And yet he still had not officially asked to court her, which he knew he should, but Hawke was shy and took his time with such things.

“And you are wonderful to me” He replied. When she kissed his neck his body stirred in the familiar way, but this time he could be glad she wasn’t putting pressure on his lower body because of his wound. It was impossible to feel her heart racing when he own was pumping madly at what she was doing and he ran a hand through her hair “You are mine” He murmured, sighing contently.

If only feeding Eder Kemo was what the people needed. She laughed and touched his nose playfully. “They will name you King of the slums. Kind King Vezzan, he who gives to the poor.” She giggled again, grinning from ear to ear at their playful story. Her eyes were warm as she looked to him, loving every feeling that he made her have. If he had told her that he hadn’t officially begun to court her she would have been lost. In her mind he had already courted her, and he had already won her over. Now it was her time to work to keep him.

Cecelie was content to do everything in her power to make Hawke feel good. She breathed slow and deep, kissing his neck and running her hands over his protected body. “No,” she started and kissed his jaw. “You did not hear me.” Nerves ravaged her stomach and made her weak in the knees, but the two glasses of wine she drank gave her the confidence to do what she did next and speak as she did. She leaned back just enough to look to him and touch his chest. “Make me yours, Hawke.” Her voice was lower now and her gaze relaxed into what could only be considered bedroom eyes, though still had a playful spark that she always had. She reached to unbuckle his armor, watching her hands undo a few clasps before she looked back to him and bit her lower lip. Would he jump up off the couch as he had before? This time would be differently if only because he most likely could not jump.

He laughed at her nickname “I like that. It is very catchy. I think you should call me that from now on. Even in public. The entire title” He joked. He didn’t think he was courting her until he officially asked her, though by the affection they had for one another and the exchanging of I love you most would expect them to be engaged at this point and not entering courtship but he didn’t know if they were ready for it yet. Most courtships lasted a few months at least before there was an engagement, and now with this nobleman issue lagging around them he would have to deal with it before courting her, right? He wasn’t sure, but for now he just enjoyed her company.

He looked confused when she said he didn’t hear her, not understanding what she meant. He thought he had heard her fine….had he missed her saying something? But her next statement…he got that one loud and clear. He stared, his eyes widening “Oh” He said simply, suddenly feeling very nervous himself and uncertain. Was she truly asking that? He was surprised. He glanced off for a moment and took in a breath before looking back to her and touching her face, sitting forward and taking her hand in his “Cecelie I…I do not think we should…” She had had much wine and he wasn’t…he didn’t know if they should. She was a innocent and he didn’t want them to rush into something.

Kind king Vezzan, feeder of the people and the only king in history to accept all blame for others. Most kings would blame others for their trouble, not the other way around. She continued to giggle and grin. “King Vezzan.” She chewed the nickname and crinkled her nose playfully. “My king.” She said quietly before kissing him.

And before she even knew it was happening Cecelie was embarrassed. She felt the pink in her cheeks, but didn’t want to accept that he was denying her. She frowned, pouted even, and unbuckled another one of his clasps on his armor. With her bottom lip pouted slightly she sighed, looking at his chest. “But…” But what? Where could she argue from here? Cecelie was not a veteran at this. She did not know how to persuade a man other than what she had just done, and she assumed that would have been enough! “I,” her brown eyes finally looked up with him with a puppy dog expression. “I thought I was yours… “ With that she sat down upon his lap, barely missing the wound in his leg, and began to idly toy with his belt. "You don't want me?"

He felt like he needed to take a run with all the energy that was suddenly bursting in him. Of course he wanted her, what man in their right mind did not want to bed the woman they loved? But sex was meant for marriage, and he feared she would regret it if they did this now. The look she gave him killed him and he kept stroking her cheek “You are mine, Cecelie, of course you are. But you have had much wine” Then the question and it was like twisting the knife already in his gut “I do want you, I do but I just don’t think we are ready yet. It is a very big step. You have never been with a man”

He let out a breath and tried to think of what else to tell her but he couldn’t, he was terrible with words and expressing himself, she knew that “We are not even courting yet. We should take our time with one another”

There were times when Cecelie thought she could pull off acting like a vixen, but now was not one of them. Even with the wine in her it still hurt her to be rejected, and that hurt was now showing in her sweetly embarrassed eyes. She looked down as he touched her cheek then got off him, feeling foolish for sitting on his lap to begin with. Inwardly she began scolding herself, but outwardly she was quiet as a mouse.

Everything he said was true but after a drink it seemed more like cold rejection rather than just truth. When he spoke of courtship, however, her eyes shot up to him and her brows knitted. “Not even courting?” That was the wrong choice of words. She felt her heart race but now it was a mix of agitation, mistrust, and hurt feelings. “Is this how you treat every woman that you spend time with, Hawke? How many others do you kiss and tell them that you," She sneered. "That you care for them..." The expression on Cecelie’s face was a far cry from her normal cheery self. She looked downright mad, and she stood up from the couch as she was no longer able to sit by him. “If you think that you can treat me this way and touch me and lie and say you care for me, when you are not even courting me then… then… Get out!” Yes, she was mad enough to kick the crippled soldier out onto the street, and she made that clear by pointing to the door. “Go.”

He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, not at all. In fact he wanted to keep her feelings intact by not making her feel guilt or regret for them being intimate before marriage. He knew to girls like Cece a moment like that was important and he didn’t want to take it away from her too soon. But the look on her face…oh boy, he knew he was in trouble and he realized why men said women were complicated. He was saying no for her yet, she was upset and he was clueless on how he should fix it. He stood up, wincing at the pain before he steadied himself “Cece, wait, let me explain, please?” He begged, wanting to try and elaborate before she got angry. But too late.

“What?” He stared at her in surprise “I…what?” He was so thrown. How did this turn so quickly against him? “Cecelie, if I didn’t care about you then I would have already forced myself on you’re a long time ago. It is because I care that I do not want you to do something you may regret. We should not do this until you are absolutely certain” But then his eyes widened as she kicked him out and he stared for a few moments before frowning, hurt in his eyes but he glanced away. He merely nodded respectfully and went to the door.

The mixture of hurt from being rejected and light headedness that wine gave her was ignited when he said they were not courting. Cecelie probably wouldn’t have reacted so quickly had she not drank and hardly touched her dinner, but it was too late to change now. She had already been shot down when trying to give him something so special, but most of all she was upset that he did not see them as courting.

She stood still and crossed her arms, feeling like a fool. “I was certain, but you do not even consider us courting. What am I to you? I don’t understand what you want from me if you do not even think I am worthy of courtship.” The words made tears come to her eyes but she looked away to mask them. Oh lord, she was going to regret her actions and words like no other when she was well rested and level headed. For now she remained upset at the simple fact that she thought he assumed her only as a friend and nothing more. She watched him go to the door and frowned, her eyes resembling those of an upset puppy. “Are we simply friends? That’s it?” Her J'nanin heritidge shining bright, since no woman from Uru would dare question a man and have the nerve to kick him out like this, but she was still so much softer than more Nanites.

He paused at the door and looked at her “I have not asked you yet” It was just that simple. He hadn’t officially asked so, it was not official, but he didn’t think that was bad. He wanted to take things slow with her, he didn’t feel there was a reason to rush. “You are the woman I love and I do wish to court…” he sighed “If I could only figure out the proper way to ask you without being attacked by nerves” It had taken him time to tell her he cared for her, and then had taken him time to say he loved her. He needed to go at an easy pace or he was going to fumble all over himself.

“You are worthy of courtship. You are worthy of everything a man can offer you. I just do not want to rush” There was pleading in his voice, he just wanted her to understand and not behave so…oddly irrational. He shook his head “Of course we are more than friends, of course. I just do not think we may be ready to be lovers, that is all. Does not mean I care for you any less. I want you to be ready”

They said women were complex creatures and confusing, but men were more baffling in Cece’s eyes. Hawke left her standing there hurt, confused, and somewhat desperate. She didn’t like that mix of emotions at all, so for a moment she did what she should have done in the first place: she shut up.

Her shoulders dropped some as he spoke, still giving him sad eyes as her confusion lingered. Once he finished she stood still, her mind running a thousand miles a minute until she was able to gather herself and she walked towards him. “I am still lost.” She stepped closer, reaching out to touch his chest gently. “I thought you meant we are just friends… and I worried that you…” No, she couldn’t say it. It sounded silly. She stepped closer to him and tilted her head up, an apologetic look in her eyes. “I am sorry. I have had too much wine. I only wanted you to be all mine, and for you to know you may have all of me… but you cannot have all of me if you are not courting me.” Her hands slipped around his waist and she rested her head against his chest, feeling stupid and lost with their communication. For a moment she stayed silent and sighed against his chest, only to look up at him and laugh quietly. "Were you truly going to leave here looking like this?"

It seemed that he so often messed things up and he never meant too. He had never had a relationship before, not like with Cece, so how was he to know how to properly go about things? He could only follow his heart and instinct, but apparently those were better suited for being a soldier than love. She was lost? He felt lost as well, so how would they both get themselves out of this? He had his hand on the handle to leave but stopped when she came to like, just like she had done before. He turned to face her and looked hesitant, like he expected a slap. “No Cecelie, I did not mean that at all. That is not what I said” What exactly had he said that she thought that to begin with?

He sighed “You are mine and I am yours. We do not need to rush in sleeping with one another to prove it to each other.” He touched her face “I know you did not mean the way you reacted” He knew she had had too much wine, that was exactly why he hadn’t wanted to go as far as she did. He then smiled and chuckled softly “Of course. You wanted to me to leave and I would leave” He touched her hair “Perhaps I should sleep at the inn, let you rest” And sleep off the wine.

Cecelie felt like she had majorely screwed up. She felt like some stupid, foolish girl who was running around feeling jealous of a boy on the playground. All she wanted to do at that moment was stick her foot in her mouth and take back the words she had just said, but he had left her confused! Wasn’t there some right to her being upset and lost? Yes… there was… and she would remember why later.

For a few moments she pressed her forehead to his chest, scrunching her face against his armor as she swam in her guilt. Soon she was back to her playful self and she looked to him sheepishly. “I am sorry, kind king Vezzan.” She reached up and touched the paint on his face. “I took the words you said in the wrong context, and tried to seduce you,” she blushed with an impish smile, “because I thought that’s what you would want.” Then the girl stood on the tips of her toes and kissed his nose. “I only want to give you what you want.” There, would that clear the air between them now? When he said he should sleep at the inn she shook her head. “Please stay. I promise to stop trying to seduce you.” There was laughter from her again and she shook her head. “Though with my record that seems unlikely… Nevertheless, I will behave.” She took hold of both his hands and gently pulled him to get him towards the couch. “Besides, you cannot leave looking like that. Let me clean you off.”

He wasn’t upset at her or thought she was stupid, he understand where this was coming from…sort of, in a way and he didn’t blame her for it. He petted her hair as she kept her forehead against his chest and after a few moments a soft chuckle left him “You are going to get an imprint on your forehead” He teased but when she looked up he grabbed her hand and kissed it “Do not apologize. Your head is not clear and you misinterpreted me. I am not angry. Everything is well” He reassured her. “I do want you, I do…but when the time is right” And he didn’t think that time was now. Perhaps when she was clear headed down the road, ideally after marriage, then they could share that experience with each other but he just wanted to be a hundred percent certain it was the right time so she didn’t feel wrong afterwards.

When she insisted though he stay he decided to not argue it so he would not make her anymore upset “Alright” He agreed quickly and let her pull him back towards the inner of her home. He went to sit back down on the couch to give his leg the rest it truly needed and began to take off his armor, deciding it would alright now to do so.

The thanked whatever God would listen that Hawke was not upset with her and didn’t just storm out. She really had found a good man, a patient, good man. She laughed against his armor when he told her she would get an imprint, and there was a tiny little dent in her forehead but it quickly went away when she rose her brows while looking at him.

“You are too good to me.” She said softly while guiding him to the couch. After he sat down she went to get a wet rag and small bowl of water, then returned and sat on the couch next to him. “Does your leg hurt? I could get some herbs for you.” As she carefully wiped the paint off from his neck and face she studied his expression. “Will you lay with me?” After the words were said she smiled and laughed. “And I do mean just lay. Will you sleep in my bed with me?” She paused and kissed his shoulder. There was no trickery behind this, her meaning was simple. “I want to feel safe in your arms.”

“I want to be good to you. I want to treat you right” Perhaps if she hadn’t had wine and acted the way she did he would have been put off and a bit upset for her to get so angry, but he knew it was probably just the liquid gone to her head that made her act out and he wouldn’t fault her for it. He shrugged about his leg “At times, depends if it gets to the right time for it to pull against the skin” If he rested enough it was alright, but Hawke hardly rested enough. He sat patiently as she wiped the paint off of him, then went still at her question.

Only to relax when she explained what she really meant. Yes…Cece should learn how to better word things. He shifted and looked uncomfortable, but who could blame him? After what had just happened he wasn’t sure if they should push their luck tonight. “I do not know” Again he didn’t want to tell her no, he didn’t want another fiasco, but he didn’t know if doing that would be a good thing with emotions high “Perhaps if…if we were not touching, perhaps…”

Cecelie was not used to being in he dog house. She could ably hope she hadn't offended Hawke past repair and he was only staying until she fell asleep to honor her. She smiled sweetly at him but remained quiet for the most part as she cleaned him off.

When he hesitated to stay the night she glanced down and cleared her throat. The paint was mostly off of him now and she scooped back then rose to take the painted water back to the kitchen. "I understand." Not really. she was still left confused. Were they courting or not? What would she say to any other man if he asked if she was being courted, then further asked if he could court here she was technically a free woman! Poor Cecelie was left confused and it showed on her face as she let the room to change into a might gown and wash the paint from her face. Once she came back out she leaned in the doorway between her bedroom and Hawke, tpyig wot her hair idly. "Coming to bed?"

There was nothing completely wrong with sleeping in the same bed if they did not touch, right? It still felt wrong, still made him nervous that things could escalate but he wanted to make her happy especially after she obviously felt guilty for her outburst and he wanted her to know he was not angry in any way. He’d put pillows between them and keep his clothes on, it would be fine…he hoped. He didn’t want the wine to try and make her attempt another seduction he would have to shoot down.

He kept on the couch until she returned and asked if he was coming to bed. His male hormones went haywire to see her in a night gown asking that question, but he told himself firmly that nothing was going to happen and he needed to behave. He nodded and slowly got up and walked over to her and the bedroom, keeping his eyes everywhere but her in her nightgown.

The nightgown was a pale lilac that draped over her curves then hung down to the floor loosely. It accented her hips in a lovely way and had traveled all the way with her from … from… oh lord where had she gotten this gown? Cecelie wasn’t one to boast over dresses, but she did like her night attire.

Cecelie smiled at Hawke as he approached and outstretched her hand to take his. She guided him into the room and lit a few candles, but left only two going and it left a romantic hue in the room. “Please do not tell me that you plan to sleep in your clothes.” She asked over her shoulder and sat down on the bed. “I want you to be comfortable, and not frightened of me.” She laughed softly and began to braid her hair slowly in a side braid. “You can relax around me, king Vezzan. You can trust that I will not bite nor have any regrets.” The long black braid draped over her shoulder and she moved up to fluff the pillows, readjusting so the most comfortable one was on the side that he would sleep on. “Lay down... please.”

It was a very pretty nightgown, but if someone had spun him around and asked him to describe what it looked like and the color, he wouldn’t be able to recall anything other than what he could see her body looked like in it. He hated thinking and feeling that way though, he felt like a hound dog and he didn’t want to behave that way or have Cece think he was a drooling fool but even the strict Hawke Vezzan had a hard time hiding what he thought of her in that dress. Hawke had very, very, very much planned to sleep in his clothes. Like most soldiers, they just stripped down to nothing to sleep, it was the only relief of the armor they got in a day.

He looked at her surprised “Of course I do” She didn’t expect him to not wear his clothes, did she? What else would he wear? He needed to stay clothed. Hesitantly he moved to the bed and laid down all the way to the edge on the side she indicated for him, lying there like a stiff tree, as if he was going to be examined by a doctor and not lying down to sleep.