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 Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:28 am
Feather heard Chloe before she appeared. The grimalkin cast her gaze into the trees and stood rigid and unblinking until the source of the noise finally emerged with a rustle that, in Feather's opinion, sounded rather like a bear crashing through the trees. Humans had very little skill when it came to remain unseen and unheard. The grimalkin's tail twitched.
Andrus took that to mean some unstated approval. Or, rather, a lack of disapproval which was a positive thing when it came to Feather. The grimalkin was never keen to show affection but rarely hesitated to express her displeasure.
"Chloe," he greeted her with an equally bright smile, taking her hand and twirling her before pulling her close. Feather reluctantly removed herself from being underfoot, crouching beside Andrus and curling her tail around his ankle with a small meow. He glanced down at her and chuckled. "It seems now that I am to leave, my lady is reluctant to let me go."
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Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 6:47 pm
Chloe laughed with delight as she was twirled and gladly fell against Andrus. She would never tire of him and his affections, even if they must always take place in secret. Her gaze turned to Feather, a grimalkin she had barely even seen in the past. She wasn't hissing, at least. That was always a good sign.
"She could come too, could she not?" Chloe asked, turning up to peer into Andrus' face. Ah, and what a handsome face it was, what striking eyes...
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:19 pm
He kissed her forehead, laughing. "My lady is a fickle creature," he explained. "Should we invite her, she would adamantly refuse to come." But given the way the grimalkin had attached herself to him now, Andrus thought she might deign to accompany them to the edge of the property before returning to whatever activities filled the hours she spent alone.
Turning so that they faced the two horses, he motioned toward Theresa. "You remember her, I trust?" The gentle mare snuffled at the grass underfoot. Both horses were laden with saddlebags, most of them full. Andrus pointed to an empty one. "For anything you may need to store away."
By his calculations, they would likely reach Oldcastle in just under two days. How long they would spend there was anybody's guess, but they were well-supplied and they could make more purchases in Oldcastle if need be.
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Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 5:07 pm
"I do," Chloe said softly, turning to the mare. She touched her neck with a fond, gentle hand and stroked her mane. Theresa had become a symbol of a rather joyous occasion in her life. She frowned then, remembering Jordun and how far he had gone from Palisade. Hopefully he would return some day, perhaps for longer. She owed him more that he would ever concede to, and she'd like to pay it back with friendship or home-cooked meals or moral support... whatever he wanted. Even better, she didn't imagine he'd be as cautious as his brother about who saw them out.
"So Jordun is back home, isn't he?" she asked, even though she knew, "How does he get along with your father? Did he come to visit too?" She undid the buckle of the empty saddlebag and packed in her own belongings. Jordun had mentioned that his parents favored him less, and she could imagine why. Nobles has their own issues to sort out. She dare not think that he would be better off without his status, though.
She turned briefly to eye the grimalkin hovering nearby. She sure was an eerie sort, wasn't she? Her eyes seemed to glow in the dim.
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 12:44 am
"Home? Wellisbury, yes," Andrus nodded, tightening the horses' girths while Chloe packed the saddlebags. "I can't say I know which he calls home now," he added, a touch of regret in his voice. If he could have his own way, Jordun would be at Darrowdown and Ennisfree would pass to one of his father's brothers, becoming one less thing to worry about.
A wry smile crossed his face as he pulled the stirrups down on Theresa's saddle. "My father prefers to travel the country cultivating connections with other men of high stature. He has not returned to Darrowdown in several years." Presumably, this was largely because Lord Kinross preferred to avoid his wife than have to deal with her while he was back. Leaving her to his son's care seemed the kinder solution for all of them, even though Lady Kinross had been wasting away in Darrowdown for all of Andrus' recent memory. The smile faded slightly from his face, the traces of it that remained looking forced. But he reached over to stroke Chloe's hair and pulled her to him to kiss the top of her head, as if to reassure her and himself that it didn't much matter. That was just the way things were.
He let her go in time to see Feather fix her glowing eyes upon Chloe, a look of mild disapproval on her face, as if she couldn't quite condone the behavior she was witnessing. "Oh, now you care, do you?" He said to her with a chuckle.
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Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:35 pm
She always seemed to ask just the wrong questions, didn't she? There was a pang of regret when she saw the smile leaving Andrus' face, but she easily fell into his arms and nuzzled his shoulder. She didn't much like the situations the brothers had to endure in the name of nobility. It would all have been so much easier if they were all common folk, wouldn't it? Nobody had to panic about marrying for anything but love when love was all you had.
Ah, but forget all that. These next few days were going to be the first that they'd spend together, alone. She flushed slightly at the implications, but knew of course that nothing untoward would happen. Andrus was mostly a gentleman. She'd certainly relish more time to get to know him in a more personal manner.
Her attention turned to the grimalkin when Andrus spoke and the girl laughed, shaking her head. It would take a very unobservant person to see the feline's distaste, although for what reason she couldn't place.
"Don't worry, darling. I won't be taking your man from you," she offered, still smiling. She was glad that the feline had made her Coincidence smile again. It was with her own grin that she turned her head up to him, her hands against his chest.
"Shall we? I'm afraid I may need help mounting up..."
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Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 6:41 pm
Feather adopted a rather haughty look, as if to convey that Chloe couldn't possibly steal her man away even if she wanted. There was a slight puff to her that meant her hackles were raised. Andrus frowned at that. It was more of a display than the grimalkin tended to put on. He suspected it had something to do with their imminent departure for the Wardwood, but he shushed her nonetheless and said, "Quit." There was something in his voice, something not quite fathomable, that made the grimalkin stop at once, and the next moment she had flattened herself back into the sleek, shadowy cat she usually was.
Turning back to Chloe, he nodded and placed his hand about her waist. "On three," he said, steadying Theresa with another shush, kinder and softer than the one he had used on Feather moments before. "One, two, three." And he lifted her up into the saddle. Once Chloe was settled, he brought Archer over and mounted up himself, swinging into the saddle with comfortable ease. Countless times he had done this, on hunts and on rides, and the saddle felt almost like home. Archer was becoming a finer ride every day, each having grown accustomed to the other. The colt stopped dancing the moment he felt his rider's weight in the saddle and his ears swept forward in anticipation of the upcoming journey.
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Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 12:51 pm
Chloe was briefly worried for the safety of her ankles at the look of that grimalkin, but Andrus seemed to have the power to calm her. She certainly was an indignant little beast, wasn't she? Well, the girl supposed that Feather had been with Andrus longer, or at the very least knew more about his personal life. They'd have to fix that on this adventure.
Once settled atop the precious mare, Chloe stroked her neck and nodded to Andrus.
"I have to admit, I don't well know my way. I couldn't find the Wardwood even given directions." Except maybe she could? Her heart urged her to continue in one direction, but it was made impossible for the trees. Unnatural urges would simply have to wait.
As their little convoy began to move, however, she spoke to Andrus.
"I wish that we could hold hands," she sighed, "Now and outside of our secret meetings. Maybe it's just a romantic fancy of mine. Could you tell me about yourself, Andrus? About the you I don't see. The inner workings of a noble house beyond their dusty shelves and debris."
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:00 pm
Feather came trotting alongside the horses, but Andrus knew she would vanish the moment they reached the treeline. Somehow or other, she would make her way to the edge with them and watch silently as they rode off toward the Kingsroad and Oldcastle, likely no more pleased than she was now. But Feather was rarely overtly pleased about anything.
Andrus looked over at Chloe and nodded. "Somebody in Oldcastle will know," he reassured her. Perhaps they would even find someone who knew the exact way to the great tree that was so often mentioned in context of Guardians and their Chosen. "We'll ride down the Kingsroad until we reach Oldcastle and then we'll speak to some of the locals there." There seemed to be no such thing as "lost" to Andrus, who was good enough at talking to people that obtaining directions was rarely an issue, and he seemed to have faith that someone somewhere would always know the way.
Her next words brought a smile to his face. "Well, we can hold hands here," he said, steering Archer into walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Theresa, who flicked an ear at the colt and continued ambling forward while Archer did his best to stick his nose into her face. "Perhaps not the most comfortably," he added, leaning across to take Chloe's hand. Certainly not comfortable a position to hold for a full day's journey. But it was still a possibility. Outside of their secret meetings, however, the prospects were more grim, at least until Andrus could figure out a solution - and he was determined to do so.
"About me?" he echoed. "I suppose that depends on what you'd like to hear about." What was there to tell about himself anyway? Andrus couldn't think of anything particularly out of the ordinary. He attended formal events, as was expected of every man in his position, and he took care of Darrowdown, ensuring everything was running smoothly and nobody was trying to spend his father's vast fortune in too much of a hurry. And sometimes, in secret, he danced with red-headed maids in countess' homes - but she knew that already.
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:49 am
Chloe gave a delighted laugh as Andrus and Archer ambled closer, flushing pink as she reached out for his hand. Any moment to do so was well-loved, but this time it only lasted a moment or two. Side-saddle riding made it particularly difficult for the girl to keep a proper balance, and she gave a soft sigh and smiled. Some day, some day...
Andrus' confidence about the entire situation had set her at ease. There was something about the man that exuded reassurance. They would find their way to the Wardwood whether the wandered astray or not. It was its own miniature adventure to get there, disregarding the life-changing events that could possibly follow. Most of Chloe did not want to be involved in any of this Warden business, but the heroes rarely desired their paths of danger and mystery, didn't they? She's simply have to accept what came. As it was, she was likely to play as servant to Andrus while they were in public. It wouldn't do to have people assuming they were a couple, even if they nearly were. If word got back to his father, Chloe could only imagine what would come next.
"Oh, I don't know," the girl mused, "Do you have a middle name? A favorite book or song? An unusual hobby?" It wasn't the basics she was looking for, he had told her some about the lives of nobles, and she had observed it in her own time. She wanted to know about him, all the little details that she couldn't possibly learn from the outside.
This was the first time they were planned to be together, and for more than a day. She was excited, frightened, and entirely giddy about the situation. Perhaps, when the reached their first inn, she could sneak up into his bed and just feel those strong arms through the fabric of her nightgown...
She giggled and flushed a bit deeper, shooing the thought away as she gave Andrus a sidelong glance.
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Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 1:26 pm
"Ennis," he replied with a shrug, as if he didn't particularly care for the name. Or perhaps it was indifference. There weren't many opportunities in which it came into use, and it was more a token name than anything else. "After my great-grandfather. He was the one who moved the family to Sunderland." Family folklore had it that Ennis Kinross was a brilliant man with a talented eye for investment opportunities. "The potato business was growing in Airelund, and there was a farm there with a new species of potato, completely untested, and he made an all-or-nothing gamble with his savings and won." That was the first pot of gold, anyway, and then they kept coming as he made increasingly daring bets on wild and, frankly, very risky ventures.
"Of course, I never met the man so it may all be nothing but fanciful stories. I also hear he was quite the storyteller. Maybe that's where Jordun gets it," he continued, guiding Archer away from Theresa so the colt couldn't continue bothering the poor mare. For all that Theresa was an angel, even the sweetest horses could tire of the colt's relentless antics and Andrus didn't doubt that the bay mare could be quick with her hooves if she wanted to be.
"And I enjoy hunting, I suppose. Not really catching the fox, but the rest of it. Riding out with a group on horseback, all the hounds baying. This young fellow is quite the hunter." He patted Archer's neck fondly. Whatever expectations Andrus had had before he bought the colt, Archer had lived up to them.
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Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:14 pm
A smile began to crawl across Chloe's lips, and by the time Andrus had finished it was an all-out grin. To hear even these silly little factoids was a joy. It felt as if she had finally broken down a part of the wall and begun seeing what was beyond. They would have to continue like this, if they were to be lovers.
Ah, lovers.
Ennis was, in her opinion, a very unfortunate middle name that did not quite have the melody of the first. Naming conventions were different in Airelund though, as far as she understood. She also wasn't too fond of hunting, but she should have expected that Andrus would not be as fond of the killing as of the chase. It seemed appropriate for him.
"My mother's family was from Airelund too. Apparently I look just like my grandmother, but I'd never met her. Mama was raised here, though, so she didn't have any real memory of it and no accent to speak of." Ah, yes. They could share with a dance in the parlor of a countess, but they could share with words as well. "I have to say that I've never been hunting, although my father'd gone on... one or two, if I remember right. Nothing noble. We had a few dogs, though."
For the first time in many years, Chloe had mentioned her family. If anyone was going to be allowed to probe that wound, it would be Andrus. In fact, it didn't even particularly hurt to chat so casually about them.
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:46 am
"Ah, it doesn't need to be noble to be a good hunt," Andrus answered with a smile. "You just need good company, a good horse and some loud dogs." Part of him was convinced that really, all anyone needed was the horse. It wouldn't be quite a hunt without the other two components, but then again, it wasn't always about the hunt.
"A good horse can take you anywhere," he said, patting Archer's neck again. "As long as you trust him. Jordun tells me about the special bond he shares with his Idriss, but I am not convinced it is much more special than the one you can share with a horse. More magical, perhaps, but nobody can tell me Archer - or any good horse, for that matter - can't tell what I am thinking." The grooms sometimes joked that Andrus showed his horse more affection than he did most people, and he hardly blamed them.
"But I apologize, that isn't entirely relevant, is it? Do tell me more about your parents," he added, looking back at Chloe. She had always been somewhat of a mystery, her life so shrouded in secrecy.
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:40 am
Chloe simply nodded. She couldn't really give any proper opinion on Jordun's relationship with his Guardian. She suspected it had less to do with the animal's ability to understand, though, than it did with their ability to respond. While she was certain that horses were rather intelligent, there was something different about these magical deer that she couldn't quite place. Something more.
A smile crossed her face at the mention of her parents, a reaction she was rather unused to. He had not asked where they had gone, after all. It was a less startling question to answer, and while she would rather cross this bridge with Andrus' arms around her, perhaps some distance was for the best. She spoke then in a wistful manner, smiling broadly at nothing at all.
"Well, like I said, my mother was raised in Sunderland, but her family was from Airelund. She always had a story to tell to help me sleep or keep me entertained. She'd never been to Airelund, but she talked about it like she'd lived there all her life. My grandfather owned a grocery at the edge of town. Now, my mother and my father, they met at her coming-out. Apparently she wanted nothing to do with him, but he didn't give up. My father worked construction. He was climbing the ranks quickly. I never wanted for anything. He was... more strict, but not nasty. He laid down the law, and then he explained why. Mama was a free spirit. They... they balanced each other out quite well, I think." She nodded, happy with her description, and turned back to Andrus as her gaze had fallen elsewhere down the path. She wished she had grown to know them longer, wished that she could see them now that she could better understand the plights of adulthood.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:55 am
He nodded as she spoke. "That sounds... somewhat like my parents. Certain parts of it." He shook his head and smiled. "No, that's a lie." It didn't, if he really thought about it, except for the part about her father being more strict - "strict" was quite the understatement for Lord Kinross. But Chloe spoke of her parents as if they fit together. Andrus' parents did not. Then again, for people like them, being "made for each other" was a fanciful joke more than anything else. Their marriage had been built on anything other than compatibility.
He wanted to ask more but felt they were venturing into territory that Chloe would visit only when she was comfortable. There could be no good reason, after all, that she worked now at an orphanage.
"Are you more your mother's daughter, then?" He asked. Free spirit, after all, sounded quite like Chloe.
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