In that moment, he understood perfectly the reason why androids resented humans so much. The man who was her master was clearly a fool. He callously and ignorantly threw away a splendorous jewel to abuse her the way he did. But of course, one man's trash turned out to be an elf's treasure. And what a treasure she was!
He brought the cloth down, and then back up her side and thighs slowly, along the curve of her smooth bottom, and with both hands, around to the front, up her stomach and past her breasts. He heard Mericlou's shudder of breath as she rolled her head to the side, giving into the sensations he was evoking in her, and he smiled at each and every reaction. Her skin flared red where his cloth passed over, and her hand had soon joined his in guiding the towel across her body.
"Turn around," Aldrec said, keeping his voice level, indifferent, but he knew that Mericlou was just as aroused as he was. Still, he offered her the towel.
"I thought you washed yourself earlier," she said.
"I just think that you could do a more thorough job," Aldrec replied, his eyes flashing a devilish gleam.
"Your funeral," she said nonchalantly, as she took the towel.
Aldrec swallowed, recalling to his chagrin, her particular talent for teasing that she had put to good use last night.
"Oh, I just remembered something," Mericlou said.
"What was that?" Aldrec asked, his voice distant as he allowed her slender, pale hands to move his head to one side as she cleaned his neck.
"That the flower you gave me at home is still alive. You know, the one you gave me on the second day we met: the day you showed me your garden. It's really strange."
"It is?" Aldrec said, halfway lost in the movements of her hands and the towel upon his body. "Well, that is explained in a saying by my people."
"What is it?" Mericlou asked with a pretty little laugh, moving the towel over his legs.
"'Elven roses last forever,'" he recited.
"What does it mean?" Mericlou asked.
"Among our people, we imbue a gift given in love with the same love that we share for the one it is given to," Aldrec said. "Sometimes in the case of something alive, especially something as symbolic as a rose, that love seals its life force with the same spell that we cast upon ourselves that gave us our immortality. No one understands why, but it is a beautiful, sacred thing when it does. And I believe it's the reason why your rose has lasted for so long. It's a symbol of our love for each other."