“I trust you slept well,” Krista's voice greeted her as she drug herself from sleep. “You were asleep for a rather long time after all.”

“Oh, hello Krista. I slept long,” she questioned, slowly pulling herself up into a sitting position.

“Yes, it's almost midday.”

“Really… Maybe I was more worn out from yesterday than I thought, but I suppose I do feel rather refreshed.”

“That's wonderful news miss, and you'll feel even better once you've bathed and eaten.”

“A bath sounds nice,” Elica replied, “but I'm not sure that I'm ready to handle all those people again while I eat...”

“Stressed were we? Yesterday was a special day, so more were in attendance than normal. None of that is to be worried about today though, for Lord Valafar has arranged to dine with you privately,” she chirped.

“That's good to know I guess,” she mused, mulling the thought around her head. “Now,-” she said, shaking the drowsiness from her head, “-where are the baths?”

“The baths are in the back, come with me,” the maid instructed as Elica leapt out of bed to follow her.

The bath was open to the sky, allowing the sun to shower onto it’s steaming waters. A wall cut across the large pool so it formed a half circle.

“It’s quite a bit smaller than the public baths I see,” Elica remarked as she stepped onto the bench that ran along its border, the hot water lapping at her knee.

“Well, it is a private bath after all, I’m sure when it was built they didn’t feel the need to make it excessive,” Krista replied from her position beside the bath.

“I guess that’s true,” Elica said as she sunk into the water. “I must admit though, it does feel nice.”

“I’m glad the waters are to your liking. The late Lady and her entourage enjoyed hot baths, so the water was prepared with her tastes in mind. If you ever feel like something else, please inform me and I will have it arranged.”

“Thanks, but for now, I'll keep it like thi,” Elica said as she stepped into the deeper water, allowing its heat to calm her mind and soothe her body. After several minutes, a loud splash shook her from her thoughts before the water could completely take her.

She looked around the bath to find the source but found nothing that hadn’t been there prior.

“What was that,” she asked as a loud moan came from over the wall.

“Oh, the men’s bath is just over there, past that wall,” Krista said, pointing towards the wall that ran through the bath. “As for who it is, I can’t say for sure though.”

“Elica? Is that you over there,” Valafar’s clear voice echoed over. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just woke up, so I’m taking a bath,” she called back as she sunk back down into the water. “Did you also just wake up?”

“No, I just got done training, so I’m washing up. Apparently I’m a better morning person than you are,” he laughed.

“Please, I was just tired from all that happened yesterday is all,” she retorted.

“No need to get upset about it,” he said, his teasing tone poorly hidden, if he were even trying to do so. “So, are you going to eat with me today?”

“I may start to think against it,” she replied irritably.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want. I just thought you would like to be with less people for the time being.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said, easing her tone. “It would be good to get to know each other better after all,” she said as she climbed from the water.

“That’s the spirit,” he called back as Krista handed her a large cotton garment to put on.

“Well, I’ll be going now,” she yelled back as she dressed. “I’ll see you later I suppose.”

“That you will, and I won’t smell either,” he said with a laugh that sounded over his splashing.

“Okay,” she laughed as she started back the way Krista had brought her, the maid in tow. “Oh, but Valafar,” she said with a pause. “Thanks for everything.”

“No problem,” he called back as she continued on her way back into the manor.