Carlo

The forest path leads to a small pond. There are a few big stones circling it, Urban brings Mircea to the gigantic round stone and makes her sit on it. She gazes up at his face "This is the place where I meet my friends." She says.

Urban looks around checking out the spot she is calling her friend's home. "Are your friends animals?" He questions. 

"Yes, they are a family of apes." She states it as the most fascinating thing in the world. Urban grins looking down at her twisted leg. Mircea is very different from every other girl he has met until now. 

"How did you succeed in making friends with apes?" He asks amused. Urban puts his hand around her left ankle slightly lifting it. She stares down at her leg, "That's a long story." 

"We have time." He points at her leg.

"It really is a long story, I promise I will tell you some other day." 

"Okay, I will be waiting for that some other day." 

Urban removes her scandals and pushes aside her pants to take a good look at her swollen leg.

"How did you manage to twist it so much that it is swollen?" He queries massaging her ankle softly and pressuring at specific points. 

Mircea squirms a little under his touch. "Uh… I don't know. I was busy being squashed." She tries to smirk but fails and winces instead. 

"Is it painful? Should I stop?" Urban asks, lowering the pressuring on her ankle. He continues to massage-he then takes her toes in his hand.

One by one he pulls her toenails. "Relax, I'm just breaking your toes so it will release a little bit of tension in them." He stares at her for her approval. Mircea nods once, gripping her shoulder with her right hand. "Is this okay?" She asks. 

Urban gazes back at her in confusion "What?" 

She squeezes his shoulder to let him know "This" She whispers 

"Yeah" Urban continues massaging her foot. He breaks her toes and then pulls her foot straight. Mircea shrieks "What was that?" He smiles, massaging and pressuring some points of her ankle. 

"You will feel better now."

"I thought you would use your magic to heal me." 

"Do you want me to use my magic to heal you?" Mircea is still gripping Urban's shoulder tight. He stops massaging her ankle-he is standing on her knees and staring in her eyes. 

"Didn't you heal it already?" Mircea moves her thumb in round circles on his thin tunic. She can feel his warm skin underneath the cloth. Urban scoots closer to her, widening her knees. "Only half of it." He brings his hand on her knee and squeezes it once settling between her knees.

"Oh." Mircea peers down between the little space remaining between them. 

"Yeah," Urban brings his other hand to her chin. He lifts her face to gaze in her eyes. "Do you want me to use magic?" His face is dangerously close to hers. Mircea scans his face. Her eyes move to his lips and back to his eyes. 

Urban's eyes become hooded as he waits for her answer. 

She moves her hand over to his bare skin "Okay" She whimpers. Urban moves his hand leisurely from her chin to her lower neck. Mircea stares down at his lips.

He pushes himself further between her legs closing the space between their lips. Heat rushes down to Mircea's belly when his lips finally meet hers. Urban's lips move slowly against her. He takes his time exploring her mouth even so he doesn't use his tongue. 

Mircea curls her finger in his curly hair as she pulls him closer. Their lips move in sync. This was better than magic or escaping the palace at night she mused giving in the kiss. Urban's hand moved to the back of her neck pulling her into him. 

She bites his lips before breaking the kiss. 

No one says anything, they both breathe deeply staring into each other's eyes. 

Mircea tries to move her ankle "Your magic worked, it's not much painful anymore." She says, peering at her toe. Urban chuckles at her.

"Yeah? Then let me show you my magic one more time?" 

"Mhmm" Mircea is halfway through when Urban roars. "What happened?" She queries him. Urban looks back, there is a family of ape gawking at them. "I think he threw something at me." He says massaging the back of his head. 

"Carlo?" She glances at the biggest chimpanzee who is carrying a baby chimpanzee on his shoulders. His wife is standing by his side carrying their other two babies. Carlo is glowering at Urban. 

"He thinks you are dangerous. Move aside, let me talk to them or he might jump on you." 

"What?" Urban steps aside, giving Mircea a full picture of the ape family. She does some sign language and they come closer to where she is sitting. Urban is astonished at how intelligent these animals are. By the looks of it they have warmed up to Mircea and they rather look happy to see her here in the middle of the night.

"Shouldn't they be sleeping?" He whispers to her as he peers at them. 

"They are…" She is about to tell him when Carlo's wife hugs Mircea. 

Urban only watches them all do some signs with their hands for half an hour. For the last few weeks he has spent with Mircea he hasn't seen her this happy about anything. Again, animals are better than mortals or witches and other creatures. He watches closely how the apes make signs and laugh at her. It feels animated. For twelve decades he has been alive; he hasn't seen animals do this. Mircea must have been friends with them for a long time to teach them all this.

Mircea peeks at Urban after Carlo asks her who he is to her.

She knew he didn't understand sign language, he had no idea that they actually were happy that Mircea was here with someone. She didn't plan on telling him that. Nevertheless what did that kiss mean?

Mircea didn't have time for love-they both knew that. Devils, he knew that she was to marry the prince then too he kissed her. 

'He is a friend of mine.' She signed it to Carlo and Belle. She regretted teaching them so many things when they laughed at her answer. 

A traitorous yawn escaped Mircea's mouth when Belle told her it's almost morning and she should retire. Mircea told them she would visit them sooner this time. They waved at her and Urban who finally understood that they were returning to the dense part of the forest. 

"Belle said we should go back, the sun will rise soon." Mircea says waving bye to the ape family. Urban looks at her muddled. 

"Belle as in?" He asks her 

"The lady chimpanzee." 

"Oh"

"Yes"

"Let's go back." She says getting up. Her ankle is still swollen but the pain has ebbed. Urban puts his hand on her small back to support her. They both walk back in awkward silence. 

Mircea has too many questions on her mind however she chooses to let it all go for a while and take the support he is giving to reach her chambers. She was too tired to have the discussion now. 

Furthermore Urban hadn't pressed on it, meaning he was procrastinating the talk as well. They strolled back without saying another word. Mircea leaned into his warmth when it got nippy and Urban pressed her by his side when they got closer to the palace grounds.