Mother Nature

Vera enjoyed many things about the outdoors; she enjoyed being able to run free, not being restrained by anything but her own desires and abilities; she enjoyed the fresh lick of air as it wrapped its way around her - whether it be warm or cold she loved it all. She loved the animals, the plants - the general randomness of the whole place. There was no visible sign of man in nature. Vera thought she liked that the most.

Though what she really enjoyed about nature - no matter what day of the month, phase of the moon it was - was the fact that when she was there, she could be herself, exactly how she was meant to be. Or perhaps not meant to be, since she was not born into the life she currently lead, but the only way the young woman could deal with what happened was by listening to her name. She had to have faith. Faith that even if she didn't understand it, there was a reason she was turned. That she was meant to be as she currently was, fur, scars and all.

Although she appeared to be completely content with what she was, in normal society, she always felt like she was holding something back, worried about behaving just a little too out there, a little too...

Animal like.

Out here, in nature, sitting at top of the large cliff, looking down at the forest that spread out below her. She never felt afraid of heights, or falling. She just felt right.

Nature made her feel right.

He needed a break from the Ministry, life in general. His eyes looked over the cliffs, taking in natures beauty. Being in London and Paris all the time made him miss the country side. After all, his childhood was surronded by forests, lakes and fields.

Eleazar took a deep gulp of the air as he walked up one of the many hills, leading to the cliffs. His veela senses caught a wiff of something not partly animal. His eyes scanned the area as he reached the top. His eyes landed on a long blonde haired woman, who was close to the cliff edge. He tilted his head as he wiggled his noes. It seems that the woman was in thought.

He walked slowly towards her, coming to a stop as he stood next to her, looking down onto the forest. "Nature can be very beautiful, especially what surronds it. A cgange of sceanery can be very refreashing from zhe citys." He said in a very strong French accent.

Vera caught his scent drifting on the wind long before he approached. Even if she hadn't, her sensitive ears would have caught the footsteps, the crunching of leaves and snapping of branches he left in his wake. Human's had no real sense of keeping quite in the forest. They may have tried, but they just weren't equipped for it.

She swung her legs, dangling over the cliff face. The precarious position didn't bother her. Sure one could easily just push her over, but she didn't fear that possibility.

"Nature is always beautiful. People think its just when its calm, and silent that its work looking at. Its really within its anger that you get its true worth. Nothing in the world is like nature."

Her light blue gaze finally dragged itself away from the world below her and looked at the French man beside her. It was in her nature to appraise everything, so although not looking for any sort of man she couldn't help but check him out.

"Vera Parker."

A smile creeped onto his lips as the woman spoke. His chocolate eyes scaning the woman with interest. His hand made his way to stroke the light stubble on his face as he came to the ground and sat. He turned his head to the blonde woman with his head tilted.

"It iz very nice to make your aquintence Mizz Parker. I'm Eleazar Renard." He nodded and turned his head up high to look at the blue sky beyond him.

"Every been to a big city and stood against a wall, watching the world go bye, watching nature in general?" He asked, bringing his head back around, his veela eyes blinking.

"Likewise man of formal talk," she flashed him a quick inviting grin, her eyes twinkling with laughter, "Is that a French thing? Or just a Eleazar thing?"

He was attractive in the traditional sense, good cheek bones, dark eyes; inviting in many ways. Observations Vera made with very little interest. Those weren't really what she was looking for in this stage of her life.

Not to mention she had already found what she was looking for, even if it wasn't also looking for her.

"The cities are too busy, alive with people. They are interesting, obtuse really in what they don't notice, but they change, they are flawed... City life is for those who wish to blend in. Out here, out here is were everything's right, for me."

He winked at her, laughing amusingly as he started to shake his head. "Either actually." He flashed her a grin, his eyes widening. Eleazar had to admitt, the woman was very amusing, to say at the least. He never judged a book by its cover, ever.

"One must agree. City life passes by zhe fast. I wish my work could be taken to zhe country side. Being stuck in a office or being in court can get very tiring." He smiled sadly his eyes softening.

"So, what do you do then Mizz Vera?" He asked.

The man's scent reached her nose again and she cocked her head to the side. Vera had noticed it wasn't quite human the first time she had caught it, however he had been so far away she had not felt the need to dwell on it. Now that he was there, he certainly wasn't like her, she'd have noticed that right away, likewise had he been prone to sucking blood.

But there was something there.

"Your wife must enjoy that office job. Do you spend all your time there, or do you have enough time to sneak back to her for a whispered term of endearment or two?" Vera raised her eyebrow, fishing for his relationship status without truly realizing she was doing it. It wasn't that she was trying or even to flirt exactly, it was just the way she spoke.

"What do I do? Well you wouldn't want to see me in office or in court, I'd get so stir crazy I'd demolish them both. At the moment... I'm taking care of some people. You could call it... like a captain, leader, boss, of sorts. Doesn't pay well though."

Alpha didn't pay at all, nor was it a job, but this man didn't need to know that. Vera wasn't ashamed of her life in anyway, nor did she rarely try to hide things, but her life was in such disorder at the moment, she felt she could get away with a vague answer or two.

Eleazar had to splutter out a huge laugh. "Now who sayz I have zhe wife? Hmmm? I can tell you Mizz Vera that I am very open and single. But as you mention people in the office...." He wiggled a eyebrow, tapping his cheek, He let out another laugh.

"I think I would bez kicked out of moi job if I did anything like that. I will let you know that I have my reputation at a certain Ministry to uphold, Vera." He said as he smirked at her letting his legs bangle of the edge of the cliff.

"Don't worry, I have been crazy in my office once. Maybe a couple of timez. You could say I take care of a whole nation, even more. Depending how you look at it. Depends where you live or what you do." He said that last word more carefully. He knew that she was magical, in some way, but he didn't like to pry.

"No one said, I just figured you looked the type - has his life together, he probably as a cute little cottage somewhere in that quaint French country side where he stuffs an adorable little French Belle and a has a flock of French children with grubby little French hands."

She let out a laugh and a wink, "I've had my share of fun in offices; still can't keep me in one. I use to think I'd want to be a healer... I don't know if I still do now, but..."

She shrugged her shoulders, an almost frown crossing her face, before she was grinning again pushing serious thoughts aside.

"Are you doubting that I'm a good girl? Maybe I have a tight laced husband who keeps me in line?" the grin that sparked on her face contradicted the fact that only a few years that had been more than true. "You say you could take care of the nation, but I know the minister, and she certainly doesn't look like you, so, you must be higher up, but I also know the head Auror, so I'm going to guess I have the pleasure of conversing with the Deputy, the French one if I missed my guess."

Glancing over at him she frowned and sniffed the air again, mulling the sent over for another moment.

"And I'd say there's a whiff of Veela in there, or I missed my guess."

Oh he had to clap at her guessing. His face lit up like a childs, amazed once again by this woman next to him. "One must say bravo Mizz Vera. Deputy French Vella Minister Eleazar Renard at your sercive." He grinned and did a hand gesture to her as he bowed his head. He breathed in a gulp of air, getting a wiff of the woman again.

"I sense something within you Mizz, something that takez zhe stroll in zhe moonlight? Don't worry, I never judge, seeing az my father waz attacked by a werewolf when I waz born. Zee, moi iz a trained animagus. I waz taught by my mother and I kept my father company." He said as his eyes went distant for a moment. He remembered the last time he stayed to help his father, the bones craking in place.

Eleazar shuddered at the memory. "Though I do have a cottage near Monaco, but no children. Though I look forward to the day when I have children. I have wanted to be a father for sometime now." He said with truth, his eyes gleaming.

Giving a laugh of her own, she gave a soft clap, before flipping her hair over her shoulder and giving a little preen, "I suppose you get a bravo yourself. Yes, queen of the midnight moon, at your service; and you can feel free to judge all you want. I'd just have to change your mind."

"Wolves are not lone creatures, not really. Company is good - that's why we have packs. I don't know where I'd be without the pack."

She'd probably be dead without the pack, or at least still with Noel. Or maybe she'd never have met the man. Who knew, there was no point in dwelling on ifs. Vera learned that long ago. Ifs just bogged down life.

If only she could teach that to other people.

"Little smiles seem to brighten even the darkest of lives," her hand had wrapped around her stomach of its own accord, voice adopting a far away tone as she drifted back to her own past. "They're... miracles really."

"Oui, you are right. It waz one of zhe many reasons why I joined zhe Ministry. My dad waz a well rezpected Professor and master in dueling. I waz 4 monthz old when he waz attacked. When zhe rumor got out, a well jealouz member of staff at zhe Salem Academy spred zhe rumor and he had to leave, a threat to zhe students. That waz over 20 years ago now. I suppzse zome people are warming up to people who are werewolfs. I am deffinatly not a hater." He said with a smile to Vera.

Hre noticed her mood change, telling by her face and the hand moving to her stomach. "Oui, Smiles can change the darkezt of zituations."

Vera couldn't help but give a little smirk at the mention of losing jobs. If only people were well aware of just who sat on their ministry now. It was amusing to say the least.

"I rarely find any hate, Mr. France, " she smirked slightly, "And when I do, I've found it better not to waste time on it. Hate is for people who have time to spare. I'm not one of those people."

Vera had wasted too many years of her life. She wasn't going to continue along that vein now. Not when she had her freedom.

He had missed her meaning slightly, she supposed. Though his comment was as right as any other. Just smiles in general seemed to be enough support to make it through something. And besides, maybe it was best, she shouldn't dwell on the baby - not now, not ever. Certainly not after five years.

She had moved on. That's what she told herself, and that's what she was sticking with.

"We all need a few smiles now and again. I, personally, try to smile as much as possible."