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 Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 12:48 pm
"It just means that they'll be safer up here. The less people to know about it the better." Just because she was a huntress, and that her family did business with fur and scales, that didn't mean they didn't respect nature. Taijana only ever took exactly what was needed and nothing went to waste. Those little ones down there may have been taken by illegal animal traders, but if she had anything to say about it they would grow to be as large and fearsome as their parents.
It was only fair.
After he'd spread out the blanket she took off her cloak and sat down, carefully to keep the soles of her feet away from the blanket so as not to stain it. She sat her own pack beside her, careful not to harm it, lest she hurt the treasure inside. "Good. I wouldn't want to upset them; it would scare the little ones." Pausing for a moment, Taijana questioned, "Kieran, what's your favorite animal? I've seen you around so many that I can never really tell."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:11 pm
"Very true." Kieran smiled, "So I'm trusting you with this information." Not that he would ever doubt Taijana for a moment, but it didn't mean that he would skip an opportunity to tease her. Though his cheeks flushed at the idea of what consequences could occur if she did breach his trust. Now that's slipping into very dangerous territory. Kieran pushed up his glasses on his nose before shaking his head. Too much teasing from others about dating was messing with his thoughts.
Kieran smiled, "I doubt you'll have to worry too much about that. I have a way to get close as well that can lower their guards just a bit. We're fortunate that limbara are calmer creatures than some others in the area." At her question the Yaeli paused and simply blinked, "Favorite animal? Am....am I supposed to have one?" He picked up some bread and began to prepare it for Taijana, "I've honestly never thought about it....I suppose if I should have some bias it would be tied between the keldari and the snaptrotters of Matori." He admitted, "Though I can't really pick my true favorite since I don't want to show bias and I don't know all the creatures of this world just yet." Something which was especially true now that Belrea had revealed itself to Tendaji, "I can, however, tell you my favorite Yaeli." He joked teasingly, "Though that's a bit cheesy, isn't it?" He grinned before passing a sandwich over to her, "Feel free to eat as much as you want. We need to recover all that energy we spent climbing up to this spot."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 1:22 pm
"N-n-no! No, of course not, only if you wanted to have one, you don't have to I just...most people have them and I thought that maybe you would too?" Of course he wouldn't have a favorite animal; with as many as he spent time around it was obvious that that question would be like asking if he had a favorite child. Her cheeks burned, and the tops of her ears felt as if they were on fire. So much for playing it cool on your date, Tai.
"You would pick the scariest ones," She murmured with a little hint of a smile under all that anxiety. Keldari were small and quick, capable of killing with a single bite, and snaptrotters...she still, to this day, believed they were some kind of sea monster ready to turn. "Your favori-? Oh." She squeaked, really feeling the color coming on strong now. "...it's a little cheesy, but...I liked it."
She took the sandwich into her hands, lifting it just a bit to see what all he'd put on it before taking a bite. "Did you ever come up here with your mother?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 2:13 pm
Kieran could only laugh before holding out his hands, "It's okay, really. I just honestly have never thought about such a thing before." The man offered her a warm smile, "I enjoy it when I get questions that catch me off guard, it truly makes me think." At her commentary the Yaeli could only chuckle, "Mmhmm." She may have thought them the scariest but those were the two that had helped him through so much. Truly Kieran didn't know what he would do without Aia or his snaptrotter.
"Oh good." Kieran grinned, "I hope so since I don't want to scare you away with my teasing." Cheesy or not it was how he felt and honestly at this point he was so happy to have this chance to reveal it to her. It was the first time he had ever gotten a chance to truly explore himself and his own feelings after all. All those years studying others and creatures, but never once taking a moment to study himself and those that he held dear. Despite how embarrassing it felt sometimes it still was something he was truly enjoying.
Kieran slowly lowered his own sandwich at her question, "My mother? Yes, actually." His gaze darkened with conflicting emotions of sorrow, nostalgia, and some regret and while it only lasted a moment before he forced a small smile the man's stomach had already knotted. "It's interesting to be honest since she never brought me here when it was just the two of us. However, out of the few memories I have of both my parents being alive this is the one that I can hazily recall. My father carried me when I was a youngling on his shoulders and we would come up here to view the herds. It was one of my first big adventures as a child really." He chuckled, "Perhaps that was why I am so big on exploring since my parents showed me that such a place existed....you simply have to be willing to look for it first. After he passed we did continue exploring Yael to finish their journals, but she never returned to this particular spot."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:13 pm
She ate her sandwich while simultaneously trying to both keep and avoid his gaze. It was hard for her, to keep looking at someone intentionally without feeling nervous and with his teasing....it seemed an impossible feet. She loved the way the edges of his mouth curled when he smiled, the cut of his chin when he talked, the way his ears moved when he was passionate about something...
It was hard not to think of distracting things when she looked at him.
His emotional conflict wasn't lost on her. Taijana lowered her sandwich and reached across the space dividing them to place a comforting hand on his knee. She was sorry to have brought those emotions up for him, but she also wanted to know about the woman who had raised such a wonderful man. And when he brought up his father....
"I'm glad, that you had two wonderful people like that in your life. I'll have to thank them in my prayers for giving you such a big heart. And maybe ask them how to deal with a man who worries me as much as you do." It was a meek tease, but a true one, never the less.
"Ma-may-maybe one day, in the future...you can...y-you can...." bring your own children here to see them, too. She knew what she wanted to say but it was too embarrassing! So, instead, she dug around in her pack and pulled out an item wrapped in bright red Oban cloth. "Wh-when we were in Oba I saw this and thought of you."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:29 pm
Kieran blinked in surprise as Taijana suddenly reached across to him, "It's...it's okay, truly." He managed though his hand instinctively went to her hand and squeezed it. It was comforting to know that he had someone here willing to offer him support at times like these, "Taijana..." For once the rather stoic man seemed a bit choked on his words, "Thank you...though even I don't know how they can answer that." He managed to offer a smile as he swallowed against the flood of emotions, "Probably would just have to tie me down more securely, no? Keep me from floating so far away all the time." He managed to tease though his cheeks darkened just a bit. Tying down made him think of tying the knot which meant that they would have to be well....together...in a permanent....oh spirits.
The Yaeli simply rose a brow at Taijana's sudden stuttering, "Maybe...one day I can...?" He repeated before letting the words fade into the air. The last time he wanted to do was to fluster her into a faint. Though Kieran was curious about what the petite woman had nearly said. Still his gaze went fromTaijana to the bundle that he suddenly found in front of him, "Something for me from Oba?" He blinked at her in confusion, "You did?" Whatever could it be?
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:37 pm
His hands were calloused in ways both similar and foreign to her. Knotted from holding a quill, hardened from wielding his whip, fingertips studied from climbing down into the abyss... She smoothed her own worn fingers against his, and held his hand steady. "As much as I want to do that sometimes, I would never dream of it. I think...that in a weird way I like worrying about you. It makes the times we're together more special."
Wrapped in the rich, expensive cloth was something far more valuable. A golden spyglass, with yaeli runes inscribed from memory around it's gilded edges. She'd spent all the extra coin she'd had on it, as well as worked hard while on the mainland, when Kieran was performing his own tasks. It was certainly the fanciest and flashiest thing she'd ever seen, but it hadn't been the gold that drew her to it. It was the practicality of it. With that he would be able to see enemies from miles away, and the shop owner had seemed the reputable sort, so she trusted in it's accuracy.
"I-I-I just hope that you like it...if you don't I can try for something else."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:47 pm
Kieran chuckled, "So should I leave again soon? That way you can be even fonder of me when I return?" He teased before shaking his head, "Honestly though I don't think I can handle that right now. I enjoy being close with you like this...so if you could let me settle on some things and maybe take my time about it that would be appreciated." He flashed her a daring grin to try and ease off the fluster from his confession, "Unless you truly can't stand me then I'll scurry away the next morning as you wish~"
As the gift was revealed to be the ornate spyglass Kieran's gaze widened, "Taijana...how did you....when....oh my." He was at a loss for words as he carefully took the object and turned it in his hands. How much had she spent on such a piece? His gaze softened as he glanced towards her, "Never. I love it. Not only is it beautiful, but it's practical and I suppose a hint that I should look ahead a bit before darting into danger." He joked quietly though he raised the spyglass to his eyes and looked ahead, "It's perfect, Tai." Kieran lowered the glass so that he could reach out and take both of Taijana's hands, "Thank you. I don't know how I could ever repay you for such a precious gift." He scooted closer almost as if wanting to kiss her before settling on simply kissing her forehead, "I'll treasure it."
His cheeks burning the man shifted on the ledge so that he could hold the spyglass out towards her, "If you would like this is a good time to try it out. Care to look at the herd from here?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:54 pm
She gave a nervous little laugh, but sometimes Taijana didn't know if he was only joking about these things or if he really wanted to leave again. She knew that she wouldn't stop him if he decided to go, but...it wouldn't be easy to see him off. "If you leave it up to me I'd keep you forever." Taijana smiled softly, not realizing how her statement could come across.
"Do...do you like it?" She asked tentatively. Nervously she watched him handle the spyglass, waiting on baited breath for him to say something. If he didn't like it she wouldn't be able to return it, simply because of the engraving, but maybe she could sell it for something he'd like in town- "I'm glad that you like it. " The huntress smiled bright, feeling her heart give a little lurch when he took both of her hands into his. "I can't be with you all the time, but if you keep this with you it will be like I'm watching out for you." She leaned into his kiss, almost wishing he'd chosen a more risque kiss instead, and feeling immediately guilty for it afterwards. If she thought that too much then surely the Gods would pick up on it. It was a miracle they hadn't punished her yet!
"Oh no, no no, it's yours Kieran, you should use it first." She motioned to the spyglass, insistent on him trying.
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:07 pm
Kieran's cheeks couldn't get any warmer, "Oh?" The man cleared his throat as he glanced away sheepishly, "One would think that you were almost trying to propose to me just now, Taijana." He teased before peeking back over at her with a small smile. If only she could. Kieran's stomach twisted at the thought. It was a struggle being torn between his love of adventure and his love of....well the woman sitting next to him. Everything about her filled his life with a light that he hadn't felt for years. Even travel hadn't brought about the feelings that Taijana stirred within the man who once had believed himself to always be a loner. Now he had someone who brought his life much more than his lonely existence had ever imagined possible.
He had been dangerously close to kissing her on the lips, but Kieran had hesitated. Not because he didn't want to kiss her, but rather because he was afraid of scaring her away. The man's gaze softened more at her explanation, "I see." He held up the spyglass, "I'll call it the far-seeing Taijana then." He joked lightly before finally using it to stare across at the herds, "It's amazing how details can pop up with this..."
As he stared through the lens it was strange at first due to his own glasses, but the man finally shifted them enough so that he could see a perfect line into the valley. The edges of the glass had a faint mirror feel to them with a few smudges from travel, something easily fixed, but it showed a vivid picture of the herd - as if they were both standing a foot away if not less. The one he focused on was a mother with two rambunctious young ones, both gray and a soft violet in colors. As he slowly lowered the glass from his own gaze Kieran handed it towards Taijana and pointed to the trio, "Look there and see if you can watch them with that."
As he handed her the glass he found himself slipping right next to her so that he could help her to adjust the spyglass accurately, even at the risk of placing his arm across her shoulders and holding her close while doing so.
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:18 pm
"What? I-I-I no, no that's not what I said, I just meant that I would be sad when you left, not that I wouldn't want to, maybe later-" In an instant her heart rate sped up so much that all she could hear was the blood pulsing in her ears. There was not an inch of her skin that wasn't darkened, and she felt as if her throat was full of cotton. Propose? To Kieran? What a- How could she even- While the thought wasn't exactly off her radar, it was still a fresh enough concept to send her into a spiral of anxiety.
She'd grown quiet on the outside, but inside her mind was screaming. Was that what he wanted? For her to propose? Was he waiting on her? Had she disappointed him by not doing it earlier? This may have been their first date but it wasn't as if they didn't know one another- The color started to drain from her face, leaving her pale and suspiciously reminiscent of how she looked before passing out.
She felt sick to her stomach. Almost as if she were underwater with no chance of escape. He was playing it off well, or so she supposed, she couldn't make out what he was saying at this point. "I-I-I'm sorry, what?" He was talking directly to her now, handing her the spyglass and she'd missed it all. Now he was really going to think she was dense, and maybe he would change his mind.
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:30 pm
"Taijana." Kieran was calm as he reached out for her hand again, "It's okay, I was simply teasing you. I'm sorry to have startled you so badly with my words." The Yaeli forced a small smile, a bit amused and worried by her reaction to his teasing, "Don't worry and just breathe. If you pass out now you'll miss the limbara. Focus on the limbara, look at how cute they are."
He still handed her the spyglass, patient as ever, "Use this to look at the limbara, it works wonders. You'll think you were standing right next to them." He offered gently before pulling back to give her some space. Perhaps that was a bit too much. His heart twisted as he pushed back on the real words he wanted to say. Would it be okay if I proposed then? But surely it was too early to even speak of such things...right?
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 7:26 pm
"T-tha-that's-" That's not something to tease about! Was he trying to give her a heart attack? She gripped his hand and tried to steady her breathing, with the other fluttering up to the spot just above her heart. Taijana gripped the fabric, and took calm, steadying breaths. It was hard to focus on how cute the limbara were now that he'd placed that thought in her head.
What if they-
It was a while before her breathing leveled out. Only when she didn't hear the blood in her ears and feel an eternal sense of dizziness did she reach out for the spyglass. Tentatively she took it, and raised it, uncertainty making her movements jerky. Even though she was the one to purchase it she still had no idea how the thing even worked. It took a little bit of work, but when she picked up how to focus, Taijana gasped. "You're right, they look so close!"
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:00 pm
Kieran watched Taijana quietly as she calmed herself. He hadn't realized that teasing about proposing would cause quite a stir within the petite Yaeli at his side. If...no when he actually did propose would she survive it? Kieran's ears burned at the thought before he shoved it hastily away. Not just yet. He had to be patient and wait just a bit longer.
Currently he was more concerned with Taijana staying conscious. The last thing Kieran wanted was to have to carry her down the cliff after she fainted - talk about a rather unusual ending to a first date. The tension immediately left his shoulders as she finally reached out and tinkered with the spyglass. "Right?" Kieran chuckled, "If you try really hard maybe you can even imagine how they smell." He teased lightly, "Or we can venture closer once you are ready though this spyglass may suffice if you would prefer to stay up here."
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:04 pm
She zoomed in as well as she could with the spy glass, watching the mothers with their little ones while the males guarded them. Taijana didn't know enough about limbara behavior to be able to tell which were the dominant ones; the males or the females. It seemed as if they reared their young together, like a happy little family, and she was happy to get to see it.
When she lowered the spyglass, she had a meek look on her face. "Do you think...maybe...we could get closer? If it wouldn't disturb them or be too much of a hassle."
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