Heirot

"Oh, hello," Tenele smiled. "I hope I am not bothering you." Now that she was there Tenele had no idea what they should talk about, or what they might have in common, and she felt a bit silly. "I was just wanting to thank you for your kindness yesterday."

"Of course!" she said with a smile. "Want to come in? Are you feeling any better?"

Tenele smiled, giving the woman a nod and stepping in. "Unfortunately I didn't sleep very well last night," she admitted. "Hopefully tonight will be more successful. I think my nanny passed Tenara off to her father, so I thought I would get a little social practice in before my next date with him"

Ilya's eyes went wide. "You went on a date?" she gasped, pulling her by the hands to sit down on the couch with her. "What happened?"

Tenele smiled, "We took a giant hound for a walk, more of a chase actually. And then, we talked for a little by the fountain.... He played some sort of joke on a noble, but my balance nearly ruined it..." Tenele hesitated. "He ported us into the fountain stream to hide and he kissed me."

Ilya laughed. "The fountain?!" she burst out. "What about your clothes?"

"Completely drenched. I'm not sure he thought it through... But appparently he is no stranger to dunking me in fountains." Tenele pushed her silver hair behind an ear. "I ended it a little ubruptly, I think. I was afraid. But, I may have hurt his feelings or his ego. "

"I'm pretty sure you couldn't hurt that man's feelings with a harpoon," the girl muttered. "How was he afterward? Did you make him sleep on the couch?" she gushed.

"Actually he moved all his clothes out, except one set. He is staying somewhere else in the palace. I'm not sure where. I was a little shocked, I thought he would want to stay close so we could get to know eachother faster, but I also am appreciative of his respect to my privacy and condition."

Ilya pondered that for a moment. "He's known for sticking to you pretty tightly. But I'm glad he's giving you space. It's not proper for a man to enter a woman's bedroom when she's just met him."

Tenele smiled. "That is what makes this so hard and complex. He is used to being in my bed and used to kissing me. And I've cut him off from what he us used to. I feel like I'm being cruel, but I'm not doing it on purpose."

"He won't die going a few days without sex. All men are the same, making out like they're owed something when they're not. There's more to life than sex, and he needs to learn that," she huffed, crossing her arms. "It's nothing for you to feel guilty about. Men are just big babies.

Tenele nodded. "You are right. He can wait and be patient," she agreed. But, what if she was never ready? "You are very wise about these things for someone so young."

Ilya blushed. "I just have some experience," she muttered. "If we women don't stand up for ourselves, no one will. Men don't care about us, not really. They have their own agendas."

She looked at Tenele carefully. "You know...if you don't want to date him, you don't have to."

Tenele blinked at her. It was like the concept had never been presented to her. She didn't have to date Vlad... Her brow furrowed and her lips pursed together. "I don't know what to do," she whispered. Date him or not date him. "I suppose he could wait until I remember him, and then it won't better. I'll know and love him again. But, what if that doesn't happen? What if I don't get my memories back? What do I do then?"

Tenele put a hand to her head. "This is a tough decision. I asked him on the first date. If I tell him I don't want to date now, then it will hurt him. I don't want to hurt him. He seems to care a lot about me, even love me. I'll give it another shot."