Enchanta Faire Day

Author's Note: This is continuation of the characters - Thomas and Kobra from Wrong Email, Right Guy.

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Saturday morning found Kobra in the living room, packing her tote bag.

Cleaning wipes — check.

Sunscreen — check.

Shades — check.

Parasol — check.

Her and Thomas’s wallets, with cash and credit cards tucked safely into the inner pocket — check.

Cell phones, fully charged — check.

Dry hand towels — check.

Aspirin, medical ointment, bandages, and Pepto-Bismol — check.

She and Thomas were all set to spend the entire day at the Enchanta Faire. She had been excited for weeks ever since Thomas told her he’d bought the tickets. Naturally, she had dressed for the occasion.

She wore a long, sleeveless black dress cinched with a black-and-hot-pink corset belt, paired with black sneakers for comfort. Her makeup leaned slightly dark, but not quite goth. The pink streaks in her hair had faded, leaving behind a rich, dark rose-gold hue.

Once she was sure everything was ready, she walked into the bedroom to check on Thomas.

Inside, he had just slipped into a black poet shirt. He wore black cotton pants and comfortable boots. He’d also recently colored his hair, and now stood before the mirror, the dark brown shade bringing out the green in his hazel eyes.

Kobra lingered in the doorway, slowly looking him up and down.

God, he looked sexy.

He turned toward her and smiled.

“What’s on your mind, Koko Baby?” he asked.

“You look very sexy, is all,” she said, still admiring him.

He smirked and began walking toward her. She smiled and bit her lower lip. When they met, he gently took her hand and pulled her closer.

“You know,” she said with a smile, “with your hair darker, you look like an actor that I think is handsome.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “What actor?”

“I can’t remember his name right now… but he was the fifth actor to play James Bond.”

“Oh, him,” Thomas replied, slipping into a smooth, suave Irish accent as he smiled.

Kobra grinned, raising an eyebrow. She loved when Thomas mimicked accents—it was a talent he’d always had, and one he often used when he wanted to be especially charming.

She cleared her throat. “I’m ready to go when you are.”

Thomas looked her over again, his smile lingering.

“We want to get there early, darling,” she added.

“And we will,” he replied, still speaking in that accent.

Kobra giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Still kissing her, he guided her back toward the bed and gently laid her down. His lips trailed from hers to her neck, planting soft kisses that sent a shiver of delight through her.

“Darling,” she teased, “I thought you wanted to leave early?”

“Don’t worry, love,” Thomas murmured in that same smooth accent. “We’ll be there.”

◾◾◾◾

The sun shone brightly over the fairgoers of the Enchanta Faire.

It was very much a traditional Renaissance faire—game booths, live performances, actors in elaborate costumes, arts and crafts displays, and more. As Thomas and Kobra walked through the park, he couldn’t help but notice how completely she seemed in her element… immersed in a world of fantasy, mystery, and magic.

He watched her curtsy to actors in costume, addressing them as “Your Grace,” “My Lord,” and “My Lady.” Seeing her so happy made him smile.

There was something different in the air—not magic, not anything he could name, but a soft loosening of the world around them. The colors seemed richer, the laughter warmer, the breeze carrying the faintest echo of something ancient and familiar. Watching Kobra move through the faire, Thomas felt as though she wasn’t stepping into a fantasy realm, but returning to one.

He glanced around at the fairgrounds—the laughter, the chatter, the costumes, the role-play. It truly felt like stepping into another realm.

“Chevalier, what’s on your mind?” Kobra asked.

“This place…” he said slowly, “it reflects our inner world. A world so colorful, so lively, and so free that the mundane has no place in it. The weird, the wondrous, and the wild—they belong here. They’re our constant companions.”

Kobra moved closer, wrapping her arms around his and resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Yes… I agree,” she said softly. Then she smiled. “I’ve also noticed that not once since we arrived have you dropped that accent. It’s almost as if you enjoy being a suave, roguish Irishman.”

Thomas chuckled and turned to her. “That’s because the accent is real,” he said with a smirk.

Kobra raised an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard you speak in it before—though you have mimicked other accents.”

“Yes, I have,” he admitted. “But I’m not mimicking this one.”

The smirk lingered on his lips.

Suddenly, Kobra remembered something her mother-in-law, Siobhán, had once told her…

“My family is originally from Ireland. I grew up speaking Irish Gaelic and taught it to Thomas and his siblings. Thomas even spent three years in Ireland because he wanted to. By the time he came back, he had a full-blown Irish accent. It took him six months to return to his American one.”

“Remembering something, darling?” Thomas asked, still smirking.

Kobra pursed her lips, giving him a playful look. “Yes… so you decided to let your Irish accent surface just for today?”

“That—and I knew it would intrigue you. That part of you that loves when I do something unexpected.”

Kobra slowly licked her lips, her expression playful.

“Careful, darling. Teasing me like that has gotten you into trouble before,” he said in a soft, seductive tone—playful, yet edged with warning.

“What are you going to do?” she asked, amused.

He pulled her into his arms.

Kobra’s heart quickened, though she smirked.

“Do you really want to find out?” he asked in a low, teasing voice.

Kobra smiled.

“I’ll behave… for now,” she said.

They both laughed and continued their stroll through the faire.

II

Nightfall approached, and while some fairgoers had begun to leave, many stayed for the day’s grand finale—a final dance in the square.

Thomas and Kobra stopped at a jewelry maker’s booth. A beautiful silver ring, set with intertwined lapis lazuli and moonstone, caught Kobra’s eye. Thomas stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“It’s beautiful,” he murmured in her ear. “Fitting for a beautiful woman.”

Kobra shivered with delight.

Thomas chuckled, holding her a little closer.

“Chevalier, you’re making me crazy,” she said with a smile.

“Consider it playful payback for all the times you drive me crazy,” he replied mischievously.

“You never complain,” she teased.

“Why would I? Especially when I enjoy it,” he said, brushing a kiss against her neck.

Kobra shivered again, then looked up to see the jewelry maker smiling warmly at them.

“I take it you and your husband are always like this?” she asked.

“Yes,” Kobra replied with a smile.

“How much for this ring?” Thomas asked.

“Sixty-five dollars,” the jewelry maker said. “And I have a matching one for men at the same price. But I’m willing to sell both for ninety.”

Kobra and Thomas exchanged a glance and smiled.

“We’ll take them,” Thomas said.

After purchasing the rings, they removed their gold wedding bands and slipped the newly bought rings onto each other’s fingers.

“You are a lovely couple,” the jewelry maker said. “I sense you met in an unlikely way.”

Kobra grinned as Thomas chuckled. “You would be right,” he said.

“Well then—many blessings to you both.”

“Thank you,” Kobra replied warmly.

◾◾◾◾

It was nearly time for the grand finale of the day—a nighttime dance in the square. Many gathered along the edges while others stepped into the open space, Thomas and Kobra among the couples.

“Darling, what made you say what you said earlier?,” Kobra asked.

Thomas smiled, holding her close.

“Watching you immerse yourself in all this, it made sense as to why I was so curious about you and why I wanted to be with you,” he said. “In you I found something unique and the unique inner world we share….Thinking about all that brought a smile to my face.”

“Also playing the role of a rogue has been rather fun.” he added.

Kobra laughed. “No kidding,” she said. “By the way, your Irish accent has been drawing some attention. A few women have been looking at you with… interest.”

“Does that bother you?” he asked.

Kobra smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Not really. Especially since you didn’t even notice.”

“And why would I,” he murmured, pulling her closer, “when I already have a stunning woman in my arms?”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” called the announcer, “the finale of Enchanta Faire—Dance of Night Fire. All participants, please enter the square.”

Thomas and Kobra took their place among the other couples. He stepped back and bowed.

“May I have this dance, my lady?” he asked.

She smiled warmly. “Of course.”

The lights dimmed as staff lit torches surrounding the square. Then, the opening notes of “Fiery Nights” by Ronan Hardiman filled the air.

The women began to circle their partners—slow, deliberate movements, their dresses brushing the ground. The men remained still, watching them with intent, as if they were the hunted.

Thomas smiled, knowing Kobra was reveling in the moment.

The women came to stand before their partners. The men extended their hands, and the women accepted. Slowly—sensually—they were drawn closer.

As Kobra gazed into Thomas’s eyes, the firelight brought out the green within them.

“Hypnotized, darling?” he asked, his Irish accent deepening.

“Yes… I am,” she admitted softly.

As the tempo quickened, the couples began to sway together, then part—only slightly. They stepped forward and back, closing the space between them, only to create it again. The rhythm became a push and pull.

Kobra found herself getting lost in Thomas’s eyes, the world around her fading.

“What’s on your mind, Koko?” he asked.

“How do you always make me forget where I am?” she whispered.

Thomas smiled. “Just as you do. You place all your focus on me… so much that I forget the chaos of the world beyond this. You—and the inner world we share—make all of that disappear.”

“So you do the same for me,” she said.

“Yes,” he replied, his gaze soft with affection.

As the music rose, the couples joined hands and began to turn slowly clockwise, their eyes locked. Then the tempo shifted—they reversed direction, moving counterclockwise, faster now. The rhythm intensified, drawing them closer together, their movements quicker, more fluid.

As the final measures played, the couples spun outward, then pulled back in. One last turn. A final, close embrace.

The music ended.

Applause rose from the crowd, but Thomas and Kobra remained focused only on each other.

“Are you ready to go home, Álainn?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” she replied.

Thomas smiled, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it gently.

III

Back at home, Thomas and Kobra entered quietly, choosing the soft glow of lamps over the harsh brightness of the ceiling lights.

They retreated to the bedroom, where Kobra began unpacking her tote bag. Thomas came up behind her and pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder. She shivered, smiling.

“I had a wonderful time, babe,” she said, turning to face him.

“I’m glad you did,” he replied. “I had a wonderful time as well.”

Kobra smiled, noticing he was still speaking with the Irish accent.

“Just curious… how long are you going to keep using the accent?” she asked.

Thomas smiled. “You don’t want me to anymore?” he teased, briefly slipping back into his American accent.

Kobra laughed. “I was just thinking—come Monday morning, your colleagues might wonder why you suddenly sound Irish.”

Thomas leaned in and kissed her softly.

“I’ll worry about that… come Monday morning,” he said, easing back into the accent.

Kobra smiled. “I don’t mind it. It actually suits you.”

Thomas’s expression softened. “Thank you. And just reiterate… the inner world—of strangeness, fantasy, and magic. I’m blessed that you chose to share with me and that it is ours.”

Emotion welled in Kobra’s eyes. Thomas gently wiped away her tears.

“I love you, Koko Baby,” he said softly.

“I love you too, Chevalier,” she replied.

He smirked slightly. “Did you ever remember the name of that James Bond actor you mentioned?”

Kobra giggled. “You want me to start calling you that as a nickname now?”

“Only if you want to,” he said. “Interestingly enough, he did star in a film that shares my name.”

Kobra laughed softly. “I’ll stick with Chevalier. It suits you.”

“Very well, Álainn,” he said with a warm smile.

Kobra raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“‘Lovely,’” he translated gently. “Because that’s what you are… inside and out.”

Kobra smiled, her eyes shining. “I love it — Álainn and Chevalier.”

And with that, she and Thomas kissed.