22. The City of Love

[nyochhavar]

[It was just another day in Paris for Lilith Nightroad, another day in the perfect life that she had been blessed with. There was a definite chill in the air today, a precursor for Christmas Day (something greatly anticipated by her husband more than anyone, for when else could he play dress up and make the children look at him with such adoration

Comments

[echivoc]

[Having left the bar in capable hands, Cross departs from Éminence Rouge to take a walk through Paris. It is nice to walk through such familiar streets and hear a familiar language, which he discovers he can speak fluently instead of using Paradisa's native tongue for once.

Man, this world change is going to be great.

He is passing said park today, going through it and, like a gentleman, acknowledging every woman he passes by. World change or not, manners still count!

He spots that red hair from a distance and raises an eyebrow. Immediately he rules out Alexstrasza - the overall body shape plus the hair style itself does not belong to her. There is one other redhead that comes to mind, though, but he withholds judgement as he nears her.]

[nyochhavar]

[Lilith is just kissing her son's scraped knee better when Cross approaches, pushing him back off to play with his sister and straightening up to notice...

He looks familiar, is it someone she has met before? She can't help but feel that it is, though she can't put a name to the face yet.]

Good afternoon.

[echivoc]

[Now that he sees her face-to-face, his suspicions are confirmed. That is definitely Lilith.

Meaning that beanpole of a loser-twin-person Abel may or may not be around here somewhere, too.

He stops a few feet away from her, respectful of personal space as he nods back at her greeting.]

Good afternoon, my lady. Enjoying the day today?

[nyochhavar]

[Her smile for him is warm and genuine, she might not know how she knows him and yet she is sure that he is a good man.]

It's a beautiful day, and I cannot help but enjoy the opportunity to let my children play. And what of yourself?

[echivoc]

[God, that smile. He can feel the warmth and he can see why Abel is so smitten with her. Such a teenager, that Abel.

......hm. Well then, alternate universe version of Lilith? Unless Abel has kids in the future and didn't know it.]

I agree - it is too lovely a day to stay cooped up indoors, and children should be outdoors, too. They can run and skip away all of that built-up energy inside of them.

[nyochhavar]

Do you have children, Mr..?

[She feels as though she should know how to end that sentence, the name on the tip of her tongue and yet not quite remembered.]

[echivoc]

No, I do not, and my name is Cross Marian. Cross is just fine, my lady. [offers his hand to her]

[nyochhavar]

[She takes it, shaking it warmly.]

Lilith Nightroad, though please just call me Lilith.

[echivoc]

[Cross holds on to that hand for a moment longer to lean forward and set a light kiss on her palm before letting it go, straightening up and nodding.]

Lilith it shall be. The little ones are rather adorable.

[nyochhavar]

[She flushes slightly as he kisses her palm, gesturing for him to join her sat on the bench.]

Thank you... The boy on the slide is my eldest, Charlie, his sister on the swings is Etoile, and my baby here is Nanako.

[echivoc]

[And join her he does, following her identification of her children. The baby's name definitely makes him raise an eyebrow. Coincidence? Knowing the castle, definitely not.]

I know a young girl named Nanako, as well. I wonder if you know her.

[nyochhavar]

Ah!

[She brightens at once, nodding her head.]

I believe I met her earlier, are you also visiting from Japan?

[echivoc]

No, I simply know her well through another friend.

[nyochhavar]

It seems a lot of people are visiting this holiday, Cross.

[echivoc]

I usually travel around even throughout the holiday, so it is an unusual change to be in one place for longer than a few days this time.

[nyochhavar]

I would like to hear about your travels, it's been a long time since I have been anywhere but France.