There was something magical about the number three. Really, in any culture both near and far, such a numeral holds much power. Perhaps this was the reason Lilliana had chosen the third night of Beltane for her gift giving, or perhaps it was because she?d missed Zayveon due to his duties elsewhere that evening, maybe it was even the shield of a mask in the face of her lover that helped steel the witch?s resolve?

Whichever the reason, it was this night amongst the whirl and glitter of the ballroom crowd that the fiery buxom had chosen to bring with her a most precious gift. One she?d been secretly crafting for some time.

As the night began to hit it?s prime, the season?s Green Man, the enigmatic draconian wizard, Zayveon, stole the seasons May Queen, his buxom, boisterous gypsy witch, Lilliana across the glitz and polished gleam of the dance floor. Though the curly haired dame bore a weight and curve quite unlike those about the bulk of the realm, her lover took it all without ever batting a hairless lash; twirling and leading her along, he took her as easily as if she weighed nothing more than a passing breeze he could catch and cradle to his liking. And though quite far from the classic definition of a Lady, Lilliana could very easily adopt the movement of one. Matching Zayveon step for step, she turned her eyes up to meet his red gaze with a slow, leisurely smile. Apparently she wanted to ruin the peace though with that mouth of hers.

"I'm glad t'see ya' don' have t'wo lef' fee'." Teasing softly.

?Not at all?? Began his quiet, throaty reply. ?Formal dances were quite the norm upon gatherings after peace talks in years of the past my dear.? A grin touched down at her from him.

"I can only imagine how many o' yer ex wives an' lovers who?s hear's ya' st'ole jus' like this..." She replied with an almost conspiratorial, half whispered reply. Her feet were light, and the steps they bore even lighter; Zayveon may have practice, but the gypsy had soul; she met his smile inch for comely inch.

Her words brought a subtle, but knowing smile to the draconian. Then there came a slide from one of his large hands along her arm toward the pale digits at it?s end; lifting and casting her out into a spin, he then reversing her back into him before casting her into a series of four slow, successive spins as his hand lifted hers above her head. ?I've had my moments? my love.?

That gypsy soul to continued to keep par with the four spins Zayveon had twirled her in, for as the room spun, she kept the draconian as her focus point each time 'round. Laughing merrily, she moved back in to fit herself within the poise of his arms. It was a neat space that she was quite fond of.

"Tha' ya' do... Bu', so do I m'love. So do I." The last half was murmured almost too low to be heard, and she ushered him silently away from the dance floor as the waltz ended. There was a decorative alcove not far off, in passing, she spied a passing cousin?s bee line for his evening?s lady and couldn't help but giggle softly. Without looking, she added in that still-quiet tone. "I have somethin' fer ya' if ya' would indulge me a momen', darlin'."

Without another pearl from the ruby of her lips, they were off the dance floor; Z?ev made sure of that with little more than a sudden, airy whirl of her across the dancer?s squares. His gaze fell upon her before lifting to the others about. They were all easy to see from his height above the crowd. His May Queen?s words, however, warranted a perk of his attention down at her. ?Indeed??

"Mhm." Humming back up to him almost impishly, it was only the gentle pride in the witch's voice (a sign of her excitement) that softened her tone.

Hidden behind the sound of many voices and many faces, despite Zayveon's height and Lilli's splendor, she was certain they had a moment of privacy near that alcove. She crooked a finger before holding out both her hands for his larger ones.

Curious, his hands would slip forth for her, and there was a slow shift of his tail behind him gently; just barely hovering above the floor.

?You don't have to give me anything you know.? He said with the soft perk of a smile to his curious snout.

"I know... I know.? She paused, finding and feeling herself foolish? The sudden realization that they were both baring bejeweled branch broaches from a generous guest in passing earlier hit her. They were so much finer and richer that she felt her own gift seemed paltry by comparison. Magic yes, but quite plain by comparison. Despite these thoughts, she pressed on, though a soft flush took her cheeks beneath the cover of her mask.

??bu' I saw the gem a' the marke' an' I though' i' looked lonely w' no sett'in'." She shook her head and moved to cover her hands over his, slowly closing his long, scaled fingers around one another to form a closed bowl with the guidance of her own pale digits. The Green Man would feel a pulse of his May Queen's wild, Goddess touched magic quake warmly between his closed hands.

"I made i' w' yer image in mind w? a bi? o? magic an? raw materials." She finished softly. Removing her hands meant he could open his.

Still curious tilt of his head down at her, then his gaze went to his scaled hands as her own slid back. Opening his fingertips, a perk arced one of his eye ridges, and paused. During these slow moments of unveiling, his tail rose upon the air behind him.

Along with the magic that'd filled his closed hands, a slight weight made of metal and jewel also had appeared. Upon opening those large, red hands of his revealed a craggy, seemingly mountain-etched and pit-born setting of thick gold. Out from that artfully craggy mount a dragon's sharp claws rose out and closed around a large, deep, deep red ruby. The ruby in question seemed to flicker with a light one might only claim to find within the gypsy's molten eyes. Swallowing quietly, she watched his gaze weigh upon her gift.


?Why Lilliana?? Zayveon rumbled softly as he turned the ring over in his palms. But wait, ah, yes? he slipped it on and found it fit just right. A smile perked his snout which was then aimed down at her and with a lowering of his head, he nuzzled warmly against her cheek before moving towards her neck and whispering. ?Thank you my dear, I love it.?

Lilliana, encouraged by his reception for the piece she'd crafted, but only just slight, she cleared her throat softly. How could she still be feeling a bit silly? How was it she felt all but five years old in his presence so suddenly? Inside she was toeing the proverbial ground and hoping the boy she was giving a token to wouldn't pull her hair and throw mud in her face.

"I's? I's no' really as all lovely as wha' the Doct'or gave t'us earlier t'nigh'? Bu', ah, i's go' i's own uses." She nodded her head to the ring, glad for the fit. "Whisper t'i? as though ya' were whisperin' t'me." She instructed carefully; it would be a test of its working order, really.

A cant of his head at the ring, whispered tone taken as he could sense something different then that of a normal ring.

I love you, Lilliana McClae?

The result was almost instantaneous; the closeness of his lips to the ring felt like the closeness that breathed against her ear. A small trickle of excitement fell through her. A shiver was not far behind. It was clear she'd heard her endearment, and she laughed softly; pride was in every inch of her smile, as was a degree of the sentiment he'd whispered. "I' works!"

A smile perked his snout as the draconian bowed his great head down at her. ?Truly delightful. Thank you my dear Gypsy. I'll have to use it when away?? Teasing smile upon his gaze to her.

Seeing his gaze and reading it very clearly, Lilliana felt indignant for a moment as she moved to give him a pinch. "I's no' jus' fer tha'!" Really, it wasn't! "Tha' will help ya' when yer away? W' business even, or wha'ever secre' st'uff ya' ge' yerself int'o." Oh yes, she knew he did SOMETHING, but just what, she wasn't sure. It wasn't as though the witch was keen on being with someone so saintly as he seemed anyway.

"Secre's, messages, a word t'someone far away w'ou' others hearin' or if somethin's happened?" And then there was what he was teasingly smiling to her about too, of course.

He took to examining the ring upon his finger, ruby? ah so fitting to his red scales. Nodding down to her as his free hand slid over her hip and in turn around her waist to draw her in close to his form. ?It's perfect, though I can say the same about what else my limbs hold at this moment.?

... And though chaos touched the edges of their evening in that grand ball hal, it was not long before either lover, the draconian and his fire, found their night taking them out into the Beltane wild. There in the seclusion of moon light forest and glen was where they found their magic, and all the while the ring about his finger hummed warm each time it brushed her skin.