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 Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:34 am
Caroline's return was both reassuring and nerve-wracking. The last thing Rob wanted was for her to feel unwanted at a party that she had more right to be at than either he or Soibhan, but at the same time, he couldn't quite place how either woman would act around the other. Soibhan was fairly emanating an angry chill, and Caroline looked quite uncertain about the entire affair, but Rob didn't doubt for a second that she had figured out what was happening.
But how much had she heard? Rob was never quite sure how to express the need he felt to protect her and keep her safe and show her a freer world where duty did not mean binding oneself to a life of lukewarm affection and passionless relations. He didn't know the right words to use.
Caroline didn't speak upon returning, but he could imagine how little she wanted to be there, trapped in the heart of this confrontation. He shifted his weight toward her and gave her a small, reassuring touch on the arm, both to let her know it was alright for her to be there and, hopefully, to apologize for putting her in the situation in the first place.
A sharp glance toward Soibhan said everything he didn't say aloud about how little he appreciated her interrogating Caroline. But he bit his tongue to keep a response from slipping out, knowing that it would hardly help and that nothing he said would stop Soibhan if she wanted to continue.
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Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 2:30 pm
As expected, the pair quieted at her arrival, ceasing whatever conversation they had been having. But Caroline had heard enough; Rob thought he owed something in 'helping' her, an explanation she assumed Soibhan had needed because she was jealous of their relationships...whatever it was. Her cheeks ached under the strain of forcing her smile, however small it would have been, and she suddenly exhausted. She wasn't sure she could handle an entire evening of this.
Finally, Soibhan spoke, addressing Caroline directly. Surprised, Caroline focused her gaze on the intimidating woman, and blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly. She was talking to her, right? Almost at the exact same time, Rob shifted toward her, and reached out to press his fingers against her arm. Slowly, she turned her head subtly to look down at his hand, mind processing the new events. She wasn't sure what he meant by his touch, but she certainly had a number of questions for him later. Assuming she could muster the courage to ask...she still wasn't even sure she had the right.
Looking back to Soibhan, Caroline tried to brighten her smile. "We met not long ago, in the markets of Palisade." She explained, and then lapsed into an awkward silence. She wasn't sure what to say next; was that all Soibhan had meant to hear, or did she seek additional details? No doubt the woman would simply ask...but Caroline knew what she wanted to ask, and spoke before she could stop herself. "How are you acquainted...If you do not mind my asking." She rushed the last bit in, mainly because manners dictated she must.
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Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:49 pm
Soibhan grew very still after seeing his touch on her arm. Well that's it then...There's yer answer, silly girl. She almost didn't process Caroline's answer, and had to blink and refocus upon the dainty woman's own question. "We met in Northport some months ago. Woulda had a bit o' fun with 'im if my kidnappers hadn't shown up ta try and re-kidnap me. Rob and Ollie helped me beat the bastards bloody. We split up after someone called the port guards." She said it with an air of non-chalance, but in truth, the memory was a fond one, and she realized she had told it with a smile on her face. That smile quickly dimmed however, as her own words reminded her that they hadn't shared that song and now it looked as if they weren't going to. ((Soi is about ready to bolt >.> We can end this as awkwardly as it began XD ))
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:14 am
Rob bit the inside of his lip to prevent a rush of words from coming out, none of which would have helped diffuse the situation in the slightest. For a brief moment, he wondered how displeased his brother would be if he were to use Ollie as an excuse to step away from the conversation. A coward's way out, Rob was sure he would say, but then again, Ollie had never found himself in a situation like this before. And if it had been Ollie in Rob's place, he would have found some witty way to turn all of this into a happy threesome.
"It was a... an unexpected turn of events," he said, abandoning the urge to slip away. He was the cause of all this, after all, which mean he had some responsibility to ride it out, even if it was taking a turn for the worse as it seemed to be doing now.
"But... a story for another day, perhaps," he added, an unsubtle hint to both Caroline and Soibhan that perhaps it would be less harmful for all of them to let the past lie. At least for now.
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Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 2:41 pm
"Kidnappers?" Caroline echoed, alarmed. Who was this woman? The accent was strange, indicating she was foreign; was she running from something? Had she gotten into some trouble at home, and fled to Sunderland in search of solace? Or were her intentions more...sinister? The idea didn't sit quite right, and Caroline couldn't help but shift uncomfortably, glancing around the room. Were her 'kidnappers' there now, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the moment to finish what they had started? Well, even if they were, it was unlikely they would act now; she would just have to avoid following Soibhan away from the crowds.
Before she could ask more, Rob interjected. Slowly, she looked to him, expression smooth and blank. He seemed even more uncomfortable than before, one foot out the door. A rare burst of anger flared inside; she was so tired of secrets. He was hiding something, and she wanted to know what. It was uncharacteristic; normally, she would have accepted his claim, fell silent, and dwelled later. But he wasn't being fair. "We have time now." She said innocently, smiling softly. She almost winced as the words left her mouth, but she fought to remain composed. She knew, if she didn't try to get this 'story' now, she would never hear it.
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:15 am
Staring at Caroline, Soibhan crossed her arms. "Aye, kidnappers. I didna come te this land o' me own free will, lass." Her arms dropped and gestured to her revealing but beautiful gown. "Do I look like I belong here te ye?" Snorting, she strode up to Rob and wrapped her arms around his free arm, tired of playing a game of propriety and good grace. The alcohol tingled in her head and she rode the wave it brought. "I escaped them an' overheard Rob an' Ollie talkin' about 'is totem. We ended up buyin' some drinks and enjoyin' some songs, Rob givin' me the ol' doe eyes. We woulda enjoyed a different kinda song if the bloody bastards that kidnapped me hadn't found me in the tavern and interrupted."
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:10 pm
The ensuing moments had Rob wondering alternatively whether he had had enough to drink or not nearly enough. Would any of this have been more tolerable if he was uncontrollably drunk, or would that only have added fuel to the flame? At least, if he had been inebriated, perhaps he would have woken up the next morning with only a vague memory of how painfully unpleasant this party had quickly become.
He did his best not to stare, pointedly shifting his gaze away from Soibhan and settling it on... well, anything else. His failure to grab several more flutes of champagne when he had had the chance was starting to gnaw at, and the tension in the air made him antsy.
"Well, there was a... girl with a violin..." Or was that Soibhan? Who was the other musician? Rob couldn't remember, and even less so now that she was touching him. Her hands sent tingles shooting up his arm, and for half a moment, he wanted them everywhere - on his cheek, on his chest, on his back... And he thought maybe, if they had been anywhere else, with any other sort of company, he would have swept her up and that dress be damned.
But the next moment brought him crashing back to reality when he remembered Caroline beside him, with all her grace and poise and sweetness that made him stand straighter and want to become a better man than he ever would have otherwise. And he couldn't tell, then, if he wanted to gently untangle himself from Soibhan's grasp or if he wanted to stay there and let that song take its course.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:45 pm
Did Soibhan look like she belonged? Well...no. She wanted to nod, to assure the woman she did belong, because that would have been the kind thing to do. But she also didn't want to lie, and she had a feeling Soibhan would have hated her more for it, because it was quite clear that Soibhan belonged elsewhere. Instead, she simply stared blankly, brow furrowing gently with confusion and a gnawing sense of confliction.
In the end, she didn't need to decide. Soibhan didn't bother waiting for a response, and instead moved to Rob's side wrapping herself around his arm. Something unwelcome churned in the pit of Caroline's stomach, her cheeks flushing and eyes widening with alarm. Rob didn't attempt to shake her off, and honestly, Caroline found the sight disrespectful and brash. But, ever the lady, Caroline fought to keep her expression impassive, forcing her eyes to remain on Soibhan as she listened to the tale. Something about songs and...Well, Caroline got the idea. Soibhan didn't have to spell it out; she understood.
And even if she hadn't, the sight of the two tangled together painted a pretty clear picture. In that moment, Caroline had truly heard and seen enough. She wanted nothing more to do with this scene. "I see." She said carefully, quietly. It was all she could manage to say. She wanted to leave, but she was to damn polite to accept being the first to depart. Elowen nudged her, and Caroline shifted uncomfortably. "Well...I hope it was worth it." She wasn't even sure what she meant by it; the words just...slipped out.
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Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:30 am
That girl was me, Rob... Soibhan smiled a smile that didn't reach her eyes and stepped back, letting her arms fall away from his. Her golden eyes flicked to Caroline, and they weren't friendly. "It was worth it te me." The crowd around them, though giving the tension-laden three of them plenty of space, suddenly cheered and Soibhan glanced around for the reason. It seemed to be a good enough cue to leave this horrid, awkward exchange. She turned away, but gave Rob one last look over her shoulder, and if he was an intuitive man, he would have seen what was in her eyes; desire, longing, and a sadness that they hadn't had a chance to figure out what would have happened between them. But he'd turned to Caroline, and the wild woman slipped into the crowd and was gone.
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Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:50 am
He decided then and there that more words would only make things worse. When he turned back, Soibhan was gone and he could tell Caroline was ready to leave as well. Being anywhere but here seemed like the most enticing option in the world, but Rob refused to be the coward he wanted to be. He refused to run from the situation with his tail between his legs. And, in part, he didn't think his legs would serve him well at the moment.
He stood almost rooted to the spot, watching Caroline, knowing that a hundred questions must be running through her head. If she asked, Rob would answer and be happy to answer, but he feared that Caroline would not. She was so proper, so refined in everything she did that Rob expected her to bottle it up rather than put the two of them in a worse situation. It was a trait that Rob had always admired.
And maybe if we were all a little more like that, this wouldn't have happened, he thought.
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Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:36 pm
Caroline visibly, though subtly, flinched under the harsh weight of Soibhan's gaze, but she did not break the stare. There was suddenly something so sad about the woman, and slowly, Caroline moved to speak, but the crowd around them cheered, and Caroline's attention wavered toward the cause. When she couldn't find it, she tilted her head to look back at Soibhan...only to watch her walk away, disappearing into the throng of bodies.
Which left Caroline alone with Rob, the way they had started. Originally, she had had wished for it to remain so, but after the last, long and uncomfortable moments...she wanted anything but his company. She needed time to think, time to process everything she had heard. Soibhan loved Rob, that much was clear, and apparently, Rob was only spending time with her, as opposed to Soibhan, because he pitied her. That's what he had meant, right? Hesitantly, she looked up at Rob, poised to ask...but paused, lips parted ever so slightly. Earlier, she had been so resolved to hear the answers to a few burning questions, but now...She simply felt deflated.
She expected Rob to slip away as well, but when he didn't, she found herself at an impasse. She couldn't just leave without an excuse...
But thankfully, her 'excuse' entered the courtyard at that exact moment. Thorne Grey, a man she had met recently and had, earlier that day, invited him to the ball. Finally, he had arrived, and though guilt reared inside, she looked back to Rob, and smiled calmly. I am not a charity case.
"If you will excuse me, a guest of mine has arrived, and I must greet him. As always, it has been a pleasure, and I hope we can reconvene at a later time." The speech was stiff and practiced, void of almost all emotion, though she held her smile, and curtsied, as she had been taught. With one last look - one that, for a brief moment, revealed what she truly felt - she turned away from Rob, freeing him, at least for now, from his 'burden' of obligation.
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