Dungeon Walkers 3, page 12
Jon glanced at the others, then relaxed when he saw they weren’t gawking. He silently chastised himself for falling into old habits.
“We start with our legs,” Stern said.
~*~*~
No one strained anything during stretching, letting them push forward to sparring quickly. Cyra took Nicole aside to work with her on the basics, including falling.
“We’re going to work on boxing now. It’s a habit from Vulk,” Stern chuckled. “After that, we move onto mixed combat.”
“I know boxing and a few other unarmed forms,” Jon said. “I’m not a master, but I can normally hold my own.”
“I’ll go first,” Cammie grinned as she put on the padded gloves. “We have Cyra so we can patch up any accidents, but I doubt it’ll happen.”
Jon nodded slowly as he put the gloves on. He wasn’t against sparring with Cammie, but he was worried about her being shorter than him— she wouldn’t be going for his face so much as his body. “Got it. Rules?”
“Standard training rules,” Stern said. “The one not fighting will officiate.”
“Understood.” Jon finished getting his gloves on, then threw a two-jab combo. “Haven’t done this since the academy.”
“I’ll push you hard,” Cammie grinned. “Best way to learn.”
Jon nodded, pulling his hands up.
“Okay, on my signal,” Stern said, moving between them.
~*~*~
Nicole was on the mat, panting as she gulped air. “I think... I’m done.”
Cyra took a seat beside her. “That’s fine. How do you feel?”
“Drained. I don’t think I’ve ever worked that hard.”
“You did well,” Cyra smiled as she pulled her canteen over. “Have a drink, but sip.”
Nicole did, then glanced at the other three. When Cammie darted in low, Nicole winced. Jon got his shield down, but he wasn’t prepared when Cammie shifted, then kicked his blocking shield. Jon went stumbling back— Cammie’s legs were built strong.
She didn’t give him a chance to recover, either; she followed him, intent on ending it. Her twin training axes flashed time and again. Jon did his best to defend, but being pressed and off-balance, he stumbled again. When she stepped down on his shield, pinning it down, Stern called the match.
“Damn,” Jon panted, looking up at Cammie. “You kick like a mule.”
Cammie laughed. “My brother always says that, too.”
“She’s got powerful legs,” Stern agreed. “Kickboxing her, like you felt earlier, is not ideal.”
“I didn’t expect her to kick my shield there, either,” Jon admitted as he sat up. Seeing his wife looking his way, he flushed. “Maybe we should stop?”
“Nope,” Stern said. “One more round. Cammie versus me.”
Cammie backed off, spinning her axes over the backs of her hands. “Good for me.”
Jon got to his feet and took off the shield. “Let me set these aside.” He was back a moment later between the pair. “Long knives against hand axes?” he shook his head. “This is going to be a close fight.”
“I have reach, but she’s well under my normal attacking range,” Stern said. “I honestly give her an edge.”
“Since you’ve pushed me to adapt,” Cammie grinned. “Come on, lanky. Time to timber.”
Cyra giggled. “Careful, Cammie. You know he can be tricky.”
Nicole watched as the pair clashed. She was surprised at how aggressive they were, knowing they were going on a date later. “Are they always so intense?” she asked Cyra in a whisper.
“Yes. Stern has a saying: ‘train as you’ll fight.’ Normally, we’d bring armor and wear it, to get used to how it feels when fighting, but we’re going light today.”
Nicole exhaled slowly. “Because of me?”
“We like easy days sometimes, too,” Cyra smiled. “So not just you, but yes. He went easy on me at first, too.”
“It’s nice to see other people who love someone like me,” Nicole said softly.
“I feel so lucky,” Cyra giggled. “I have two people who love me, and now, maybe a third. It’s wonderful.”
“I can’t even begin to think what that would be like. Jon is all I can imagine needing or wanting, but the idea of more love is nice.”
“You two are so cute together. It’s obvious you’re the center of his world.”
“As he is mine. I felt so bad about his family…” Nicole trailed off, thinking back to that day.
Cyra touched her hand. “If or when, we’ll be here to listen. I figured out that family can mean those you want in your life, not just blood related.”
Nicole’s lips twitched up. “Maybe. Oh, she’s going to win.”
Stern grimaced when Cammie got his left leg. He dropped to kneel and tried to spin with her, but he wasn’t able to move fast enough. When her axe tapped his neck, he fell forward.
Cammie thrust her weapons over her head. “I am victorious!”
Cyra laughed, clapping for her.
“Winner is Cammie,” Jon laughed. “You okay, Stern?”
“She checked it,” Stern said as he hefted himself off the floor. “Okay, time to go clean up.”
Cammie was beaming. “And then someone was taking me out?”
“And then, our date,” Stern agreed, meeting her smile with his own.
“Weird,” Jon chuckled.
“But cute,” Nicole said, getting up.
“Agreed,” Cyra giggled.
~*~*~
Stern took a long, slow, deep breath as he put his jacket on. Nervous... don’t want her to be upset or disappointed. I’d have to be a real asshole to not want this to be as close to perfect as possible. Making sure his jacket was on right, he exhaled slowly one more time.
Stepping out of the room, he was glad that Jon and Nicole weren’t there. He took a seat on one of the sofas and waited. Cyra and Trish had gone with Cammie to bathe and help her get dressed after. The fact that they were all this happy to assist one another helped relax him.
Cammie’s door opening had Stern on his feet instantly. Pawly came out first, meowing as if to make sure he was looking. Trish was the first person out of the room, a smirk on her lips. Cyra came out after her with a wide smile. His lovers stepped to either side of the door, letting him finally see Cammie.
Licking her red lips, Cammie came slowly out of her room. Her eyes darted to him, away, and then back to him. Her nervousness was clear in her actions, and her emotions were high. Her hands brushed at her black dress before she stilled them. The dress had a single shoulder strap that hugged her chest tightly. The sky-blue belt at her waist brought out her eyes, helping the dress transition from figure-tight to loose and flowing to her mid-calf. Blue heels, only an inch high, gave her some height and balanced her outfit.
“You look beautiful,” Stern said, meeting her eyes when she looked his way again. “Shall we?” He offered his hand to her as he moved closer.
Cammie flushed, but took his offered hand. “Please?”
“Don’t stay out too late,” Trish smirked. “And feel free to do everything I would.”
Stern and Cammie both turned red at her words.
“Trish, you’re terrible,” Cyra giggled. “We’ll be in bed before you get home. I promise.”
“That’s a promise I can keep,” Trish laughed.
Stern led Cammie out of the room. “I made sure to arrange dinner. I wasn’t sure what else you’d like to do, though?”
“I’m fine with just the night out with you,” Cammie said softly. “Maybe… a walk through a park?”
“If that’s what you want, we’ll do it,” Stern said.
“Where is dinner?”
“It’s a secret,” Stern murmured as they headed to the taproom.
The room went quiet when Stern led Cammie down the stairs. All eyes looked their way, and Stern was glad his empathy wasn’t all-encompassing right then. When he felt Cammie’s embarrassment and nervousness rise, he patted her hand on his elbow. “I think they’re jealous of me.”
Cammie jerked a little, glancing at him, then to the onlookers. She smiled brightly and lifted her chin a bit more. Feeling her emotions even out, Stern smiled as he led her outside, toward the carriage waiting for them.
The driver gave them a nod. “Sir, as instructed.”
“Thank you,” Stern said, helping Cammie into the open two-person seating space. “You know the way. Also, after the meal, the lady would like to be brought to the best park in the city, if you’re amenable?”
“Of course, sir. I will gladly assist.”
“Thank you,” Stern said, flicking the man a coin. “For you, since we’ll be using your services for the majority of the evening.”
Snapping the coin from the air, the driver gave it a look before he pocketed it. “As you say, sir.”
Stern climbed in. “We’re ready.”
A light snap of the reins got the cab moving.
Chapter Seventeen
The restaurant wasn’t the Goddess’ Delight, but it was the best the city had to offer. Stern helped Cammie down from the cab. “Dinner will take a while, but I believe they have a place to wait in the back,” Stern told the driver. “Your meal will be placed on my bill.”
The driver sat up straighter. “Are you sure, sir?”
“Easiest way to make sure you’re here for when we leave,” Stern said as he offered Cammie his hand. “See you after dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” the driver said, a little shocked, but eager to agree.
Cammie felt a little out of place as they entered Joyful Feast. The décor was as rich as the restaurant they’d gone to when her mother came back. This one was far fancier than any place she’d been to besides that one.
The smiling woman behind the podium waited for them to approach. “Good evening. Welcome to Joyful Feast. Do you have a reservation?”
“Stern, party of two,” Stern replied.
“Ah, yes,” she nodded, making a mark on the schedule in front of her. Reaching backward, she tugged on a golden cord. “Your server tonight is Griselda. If you have any requests, she will take care of it for you.”
Stern thanked her, then glanced at Cammie. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.
“I feel out of place here,” Cammie murmured back. “This is all too…”
“Dim compared to you, I know,” Stern whispered. “It was the best I could do to find a place I think was deserving of you.”
Cammie flushed, her hand tightening on his. “Please don’t lie.”
“I’m not. I think you’re gorgeous. Maybe you disagree with me, but I’m right.”
Cammie turned even redder, but a smile touched her lips.
“Stern?” a woman called to them.
“Yes?” Stern glanced up to see a dwarven woman in a uniform waiting for them.
“I’m your server tonight. My name is Griselda. If you’ll follow me?”
“Of course. The driver is pulling around back. If you can make sure he’s cared for during our meal, please?”
“Of course, sir,” Griselda smiled.
As they followed Griselda, Stern gave Cammie’s hand a light squeeze. She yanked her gaze off the silk tapestries they were passing to him. “I’m still correct.”
Cammie went red again, but her smile grew. “Okay... I won’t fight your view of me.”
They were escorted into an intimate room— a table for two, with soft candle lighting. There was enough room for the server to move around them, but it was obviously set up for a romantic dinner. Stern seated Cammie before taking his own seat.
“We have a choice of entrée tonight, with the rest of dinner being paired around it,” Griselda said. “The first option is braised bunnicorn. It is succulent, tender, and delicious. Our second option is a flathead salmon, grilled with herbs. It’s a favorite of our regulars.”
Cammie glanced at Stern, silently asking for his opinion.
“I think the bunnicorn would work well. What do you think, Cammie?”
“Yes, please,” Cammie exhaled in relief.
“Very well. I’ll have wine brought out to suit the meal, unless you’d rather something else?”
“Wine is fine,” Cammie said, though she was normally ambivalent about it.
“Very well,” Griselda smiled. “I’ll return with the wine.”
Stern gave Cammie a soft smile as Griselda left the room. “You do look beautiful tonight.”
“I feel silly,” Cammie said softly. “Besides the dinner where you surprised us with mom, I’ve never been one for dressing up. You look very handsome, though. I see what Trish and Cyra meant about how dashing you look.”
“Always felt like a corpse in a suit,” Stern said. “But now, all three women I’m interested in have told me I look good in a suit. Who am I to disagree with their wisdom?”
“Who, indeed?” Cammie giggled.
“Which means you can’t argue with them, either,” Stern grinned. “What did they say when you were dressed?”
Cammie blushed again. “They both complimented me. Cyra called me exquisite, and Trish said I looked delicious.”
“I have to agree with them both,” Stern said, a smirk touching his smile.
“I’m not ready to be delicious...” Cammie whispered.
“That’s fine. I’d rather we enjoy tonight than try to force it.”
Cammie glanced at his eyes. She searched his face for a moment before looking back down at the table again. “I know you’re okay with waiting... but I’m worried that if I make you or them wait… you’ll change your minds.”
“Unlikely,” Stern said. “None of us are that shallow.”
“I didn’t mean—!” Cammie started to quickly reassure him, but cut off when a knock came on the door.
Griselda came in with the wine. “Your meal will be ready shortly,” she announced upon entering.
“Thank you,” Stern told Griselda.
Griselda poured a little wine into Stern’s glass. Stern took the moment to do what his mother always did when they ate at fancy restaurants— he took a deep inhale from the glass, then sipped the barest amount. With a nod, he smiled at Griselda.
She poured for both of them before setting the bottle aside. “I will return quickly.”
When she left, Cammie finished, “I didn’t mean it like it sounded...”
“I know,” Stern said gently. “You’re overthinking. Just breathe, sample the wine, and know that I’m very happy to just be here with you.”
Cammie met his eyes, then closed hers. Taking a few deep breaths, she slowly opened her eyes again. “Thank you. I just worry that I’m going to mess this up.”
“Nothing you do or say will make tonight horrible,” Stern told her. “Because you and I both want to be here. That’s all that matters.”
Cammie smiled, then sipped her wine. Looking at the glass, she licked her lips, then sipped again. “That’s good.”
“It is,” Stern agreed. He set his hand palm up on the table. “Thank you for being here, for continuing on with us.”
Cammie placed her hand in his, her smile widening. “Thank you all for giving me a chance to be more than just a friend.”
Their exchange seemed to relax Cammie, and dinner progressed with both of them smiling the entire time.
~*~*~
With dinner done and paid for, Stern escorted Cammie out of Joyful Feast. The driver was grinning broadly, waiting for them. “I have the perfect place for you, sir.”
“Thank you,” Stern said as he helped Cammie into the cab. “They took care of you?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, again.”
Stern just waved him off. “The park, please.”
“Of course, sir,” the driver said. He waited for Stern to be seated before he got them moving.
Stern beamed as Cammie snuggled into his side. His arm went over her shoulders naturally, and he let her get as close as she wanted. “Did you enjoy it?”
“It was delicious,” Cammie murmured. “The dessert was even better, and I hadn’t thought that would be possible before it came out.”
“Agreed,” Stern murmured. He bent his head forward, kissing the top of hers. “I’m glad you’re enjoying our night out.”
