Jerlon's Chambers: Demmar Manor, Cairhien

Late one Autumn morning, a few weeks after the assassination attempt on Serenia, Jerlon makes his entrance into the chambers with a tray at hand. The sun was just rising when Jerlon woke up a half hour ago, and now he enters with freshly made breakfast. With quiet footsteps, he approaches the bed.

The young lady is still asleep within the bed, tucked in rather comfortably. At this particular time, within the peace and quiet, she may almost seem... human.

Almost is a good thing. Jerlon places the tray on the side-table, sliding into the bed and moving his arm across to reach over for his wife. The hints of a smile show on his features, those eyes perhaps hopefull, as he lightly kisses Serenia's cheek.

A grumble resounds lightly from the young woman's smaller form. It doesn't exactly sound irritated, but it's not exactly pleased too. She rolls over on her side, still taken with sleep, snuggling more tightly into the bed as she does so.

"Serenia..." Jerlon whispers, reaching back to the other side of the bed to capture a cup of warm tea, and then moving it closer ot the bed to try to awake her with the scent. "Morning..."

Again, Jerlon is greeted by a mumbling rumble, not quite growling, though it comes close. Lifting her head a bit, Serenia lifts up a pillow, and ducks her head beneath the pillow.

Jerlon mumbles a few choice words, placing the cup of tea down. He goes to more extreme measures, which involves a quick flip within the bed and a pounce on Serenia, stradling her waist. "Come now, darling, its time to wake-up. Your husband brought you up breakfast... and squeezed the freshly made juice even."

There is a surprised gasp which can be heard, coming from below the pilllow, then a small cry. In the quick flip, Serenia's sore shoulder is jostled about; the source of her cry. Even with a few weeks of recovery, the arm has been sore and tender, the healing process slow. "T... Tha.." She starts to speak, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes a moment; silently gaining control of whatever temper might be forming. When she knows she can keep her voie steady, she murmurs sleepily, "Thank you."

Jerlon blinks a few times, honestly surprisd that he's still managed to sit over her, straddling her body as he does. Leaning forward, this time more carefully, he brushes away the strands of her hair to kiss Serenia's cheek. "Good morning...?" he asks quietly, just before his lips reach for the flesh of her cheek.

Caught, at least in the appearance of being such, there's little for Serenia to do but sit there and take the kiss. An irritated expression does make its way across her features, as she fails her attempt to duck away from it. "There is never anything good about mornings."

"That's because you do not take any enjoyment from your husband," Jerlon responds with that familiar light smile, though he does slowly peel away from her body. "Tea, juice, bread, and fruits."

Sighing deeply, it is rather obvious that Serenia reluctantly sits up. She winces as she does so, moving her good arm to rub at her quasi-injured shoulder. "There never will be anything good about mornings. I could have dealt with a little more sleep." She comments in a quieted voice. Lately, that voice has started to lose its edge, but it has not gone away completely.

Jerlon lifts the tray up, sensing the approach of victory. Now if he could only not be over-confident on the matter. He moves to set the tray on Serenia's lap. "Sorry, your shoulder hurts," he states with a sigh, looking to Serenia's injured shoulder. "I was hoping to gain a smile from you in the morning, while you were still a little dazed and perhaps dreaming."

How can one politely tell another that dreams are better than the life she's stuck with? Obviously, they can't. "Thank you... for being so... thoughtful." Carefully, she forms her words, needing to think each through. She has been trying to be less of a... grump... around Jerlon, but it doesn't always seem to work out as planned.

"It is my honor as your husband," Jerlon states in a serious tone, and then offers a light smile. "I'm kidding, Serenia. But I've enjoyed spoiling you a little over the last few weeks. Its nothing something that I'd usually get the chance to do. Not that I think you getting hurt was a good thing..." Jerlon frowns, collecting his thoughts. "But some good came from being faced with the thought of losing you....?" The question is a hopeful tone.

Further sitting up, it takes Serenia a moment more to clear her thoughts. She looks around for the tray, answering softly, "I can't say that it has, no." She's not seeing things exactly as Jerlon, but that's to be expected. Reaching behind her with her good arm, she attempts to fluff up the pillows.

Jerlon attemps to help with the fluffing of that pillow. Then he pulls back, instead helping to steady the tray in her lap. "I mean, it was a horrible thing. But... well... I suppose your right," Jerlon's gaze sets downward. "Bad of me to try to find some good from such a hateful act."

"Don't get me wrong, Jerlon. You've been very helpful and supportive." Serenia states in a kindly manner, the edge not found in her voice momentarily, "I just can't see anything good coming of it." At least not in the way Jerlon had hoped. Did she just pay him a compliment? She sighs lightly, looking down at the tray before her.

"What could possibly come of it?" Jerlon counters casually. "We have grown a touch closer, have we not?" he asks next, avoiding Serenia's eyes.

That question comes just as Serenia's hand was about to touch upon her mug of tea. Instead, she withdrawls it, a small frown tugging at her lips. "I did not say that." Defensive shields rise, "Nor that I felt that way."

Jerlon turns away completely then, nodding lightly in response. "If you insist," he offers with a shrug shoulder, moving to stir the cup of tea. "I thought we were, anyway."

Using her good arm, Serenia attempts to lift the tray and place it on a nearby stand. Likely, there's one within reach, for all the meals she's had to take at Jerlon's whim. "I'm not very hungry." She announces, further attempting to rise out of bed.

Jerlon blinks a few times, though he does reach over for the tray, and guide it around to his side so that he may place it down. "I've ruined your breakfast as well now?" he asks, his back turned to her as he places down the tray.

Defeatedly, Serenia sinks back into the bed, looking to Jerlon with a carefully guarded expression. "I suppose I should be polite and at least try some of the stuff you've had prepared. You've gone through all that trouble, afterall." Again, there's very little edge to her voice. Yet, there's a feeling that she's trapped, somehow.

Jerlon had just placed down the tray. There's a silent moment, as he gathers his patience, and turns around with the tray at hand. "And the freshly squeezed juice," he insists, placing the tray back in Serenia's lap.

"Yes, and freshly squeezed juice." Serenia states in a quieted voice. She reaches out her good arm to pick up the glass of juice, making a point of it actually, over the cup of tea. She looks at it a moment, studying it, then lifts it to her lips, carefully sipping the contents. She sneaks a peek at Jerlon from time to time as she does all of this, discreetly watching his reactions.

Jerlon's eyes widen a bit as Serenia reaches for the juice and takes her first few sips. Watching, he fluffs up one of his pillows and sets it back in the bed to lean against. "Thank-you." There might be two meanings in that. "And soon you'll once again not be as dependent on me. Not that you need to be now, a common servant could replace my pampering."

Settling the juice back down on the tray, Serenia wrinkles her nose a bit at a few things Jerlon states. "As if you'd allow such a change." The obvious comes out first. She softens her features, eyeing the man next to her in a careful manner, "It is I who should be thanking you." Yes, she did say that. "But, you are welcome." With that, her eyes roam over what foodstuffs may be on the tray.

And nothing has changed? Jerlon secretly smiles, hinting at another victory. With the aid of the knife, he begins to cut strips of bread from the loaf. "You'd care for me just the same," he states, though not high on confidence, until he says the last, "In your own way, of course. I don't think you'd leave your husband in bed alone, with only the servants for company."

There is a long moment of silence as Serenia considers Jerlon's words. She doesn't accept the offering of bread right away. "I do not love you." She starts up the age old arguement, then remains quiet. She picks up a few pieces of bacon, then starts to eat those.

Jerlon's releases the bread, surprised by the statement. Enough so that he curves back against the back-rest of the pillow. "I never suggested you did. I only suggested we were growing closer together." Jerlon sighs, feeling the delayed sting of that statement.

Rather than dwelling on this particular topic, Serenia swerves to something else, "How are things outside of the manor? Is all well? I have not left since the Queen's meeting."

"Cairhien awaits the Ambassadors, from the Savior," Jerlon informs quietly, sighing deeper into a bad state at the change in subject. "I believe people still fear the streets after that male-channeler, but otherwise, it seems to be business as usual. The Guard have been unsuccessful in locating a culprit."