The Siren woman studied the man before her in silence for a brief moment, taking in his handsome features, his strong jaw and stony eyes. Truthfully, he made her heart a flutter whenever she laid eyes on him, making her wonder regularly how she had earned his attention.
Her head cocked to the side once more as Kaan came forward, the constant war between the two always making her wonder how much internal struggle went on behind the careful walls the Knight had up. Her pale eyes blinked gently at his curt words, but she didn't take his tone to heart, knowing it was unlikely that his frustration was directed at her. Kaan was never unkind to her, though he could be cold at times, but he had never been mean to her. So she decided to trust that his agitation was not because of her.
That was until his next words came out, and her bottom lip pushed out to pout slightly, and she glanced at her feet in a combination of shame and embarrassment, though her hand remained on his face. She fidgeted with the fingers of her other hand for a moment, wringing them into her apron, her shoe scuffing against the cobbled floor. If he understood how I saw him, he wouldn't say that. She thought to herself, fully believing there was no way another woman, especially one vying for attention, wouldn't set their sights on him. He was dangerous, mysterious, the kind of darkness that tempted people in with the promise of thrill. Like an addictive nightmare. He was the type of man that every woman, in her mind, wanted to taste once.
Then he was gone, Shaya once more coming forward, seemingly trying to put her at ease. They were so conflicting, she couldn't help but sympathize. The blush on her cheeks deepened, spreading down her neck when he spoke, and she glanced at her hands as he held them. Truthfully, Mererid didn't fully understand the extent of what he meant by mate, but she got the feeling it meant something far more serious and permanent than that of a marriage.
Mer let herself bask in the affection Shaya showed her, and she glanced around before slowly tugging him further into the wash area, away from others and any lurking gazes. Once she was certain there was no risk she entertwined the fingers of one of her hands with his, and pressed her lips to the pads of her other fingers before gently pressing them to his cheek. It wasn't much, but was what she dared show him out in the open.
"My song, Shaya, is only for you and Kaan," she whispered quietly, and smiled gently at him. "You know I would spend all afternoon here with you if I could, my dear protector, but I need to speak with Kaan. Let him come forth, my sweet hound," she spoke softly, a gentle purr to her words, trying to soothe the Hellhound despite asking him to allow the man to come forth.
After asking she gently freed her hands, though squeezed his to let him know it wasn't because she was angry or uncomfortable. Then she reached down to his cloak and began to run her hands over it, seeking out any rips, holes, or tears in it. It was odd, but one of the things Mererid insisted on doing was taking care of Kaan's clothing. She ensured any snares or rips in it were repaired, mended by her doting hands, and any stains were cleaned from it. Since they had to be careful of their affection, it was the one thing she could do to show her appreciation and adoration for him without worrying about what others might see.
Once she was sure Kaan was present, whether he was at the fore front or not, she spoke. "Do you have any clothing in need of mending? I should have time today to sew if you do. I finally got thread, so I'll be working on the last shirt you gave me to fix," she explained calmly, her hands moving up the hem of his cloak to feel around where the shoulders were to ensure it's ties were still strongly in place.
"I can also do any laundry you need done, as I'll be doing a lot today to refresh the linens for our guests," her eyes drifted back to his face, unsure of which set of eyes she would find looking back at her. "I also, um, " her blush deepened further, reapplying the red to her cheeks that had begun to fade. "I got you something from when I went into town the other day. I can leave it in your room for you, as I didn't bring it with me."