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 Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 9:48 pm
Thorne watched her expression, a soft smile lingering on his face. He had figured she couldn't has possibly seen a similar sight in Palisade; the woods were too full of people to retain the natural beauty the wardwood had captured and maintained. It was like another world entirely and it was difficult to realize that they were in fact not someplace entirely different than Sunderland. He certainly enjoyed it much more than the city streets. Caroline seemed to come to her senses after a moment, and her question brought out an amused smirk, one eyebrow raised.
"Perhaps I have," he replied, folding his arms over his chest, "It does get fairly hot out here in the summer." He gave her the same coy expression she had given him last night, intending to allow her mind to wander and guess for herself. Of course he had launched himself from a branch (though how many times he had lost count). That was surely the best and only way to get into the pond, naturally. If the weather was warmer and he was feeling bold he likely would have shown her himself; he made a mental note for perhaps another time.
"Since it's a bit too cold to actually go into the water I thought I would show you something else." He made his way to the edge of the water where rocks of all shapes and sizes lined the shoreline. Valerian plopped himself in the middle of the logs, stretching out among the fallen leaves that were scattered there. His ears pricked upwards, watching the hunter as he combed the area in search of something particular. Eventually he scooped a stone into his hand, showing it to Caroline; it was flatter than a regular rock, edges rounded from years of tumbling around in the water and sand. After he gave her a moment to look at it, he turned to the water and arced him arm sideways, flinging it out. It hit the first time and rather than sinking skipped off the surface of the pond. It went once, twice, three times before it lost momentum and slipped out of sight.
"Helps pass the time," he said, watching the ripples as they began to widen and spread across the otherwise smooth surface of the water, "If Valerian had hands I'd teach him to do it, too."
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Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 11:10 pm
Perhaps? Caroline furrowed her brow curiously; what sort of answer was that? It was a question that required a yes or no...right? Just as she was contemplating, she caught that smile, and broke into one herself, expression softening. He was teasing...again. Teasing and flirting were things she was largely unaccustomed to, but it wasn't entirely a foreign concept. Rarely, she was known to lightly engage, but it seemed more prevalent around Thorne. She smiled fondly, recalling their first meeting...They had both been so nervous around one another, they had barely managed a conversation. Now, nearly a year later...it almost seemed as though they were completely different people, a world away from who they once were around one another. Sure, they still had their moments, but they had come far.
Something else to show her? Caroline perked, watching him stroll to the edge of the pond. Valerian plopped down among the leaves, but Elowen, though she watched him, remained beside Caroline. She might have been comfortable leaving Caroline's side in the cabin, but in the Wardwood? It wasn't going to happen, even with Thorne present. Caroline clasped her hands behind her back and leaned to the side, attempting to see what he was searching for. What sort of surprise was on the ground?
He answered her question the second he found what he had been searching for. But as soon as he showed her the rock in his hand...she was only more confused. A rock? Was it...a special rock? She stared down at it, searching it's surface for anything out of the ordinary, but her confusion only grew, eyebrows pinching together, nose wrinkling. Before she could figure out what was happening, Thorne turned...and threw the rock. For a minute, she was full of confusion. Why did he throw the rock into the pond? What a weird surprise....
But then...the rock jumped. Three times! It hit the surface of the water, and where it should have immediately sunk, it acted as if the water was solid, bouncing across it's surface. Caroline gasped, and rushed to the side of water to stand next to Thorne, eyes on the water. Was Thorne also a magician?! She was absolutely amazed; she had never seen a rock jump! Intent on figuring out how the trick worked, Caroline dropped to her knees, and reached forward, tentatively touching her fingers to the water, expecting...something. But the water gave, her fingers dipping beneath it's surface, just like normal water.
"Magic..." She breathed, and then stood, looking up at him excitedly. "Will you show me?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 6:22 pm
Thorne watched her as she tried to piece it together. A smile was on his face. He remembered the day his father had taught him, the words spluttered out asking the exact thing Caroline just had. His fingers rubbed at his shoulder for a moment while she touched the water, trying to figure it out. Long afternoons he had spent on the side of the pond, skipping stones across the surface to pass the time. Over the years he had perfected his throw, although he was a bit rusty after his injury.
"Of course I will." he replied, grinning at her obvious excitement. For her, he would. Crouching down, he skimmed through the stones and pebbles on the shoreline, picking out the flattest ones he could manage to find. He showed these to Caroline again as he spoke. "You want to find ones that are like this. The round ones are harder to get right." A pile began to form as they collected, and Thorne hummed softly under his breath as he went. Next to the empty fire pit, Valerian appeared to have already dozed off in the sunlight. He was unperturbed even in the forest; he knew Thorne was safe here. The stone-collecting was a common ritual when on the hunt with him.
"When you take the flat ones and throw them this way," he said, demonstrating how he had moved his arm like the last throw, "They skip. It takes some practice to get it more than one or two jumps, but there are plenty of stones here." He grinned at her, and tossed another one out onto the pond. It went four hops before finally slipping out of sight beneath the water.
"My father was the best at it," he shook his head, as if remembering something, "I swear he skipped it seven or eight times once, I've never been able to get it to go that far." Dropping a few others into the pile, he motioned to them. "Go ahead and give it a try, and... do not be surprised if it sinks on the first throw."
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Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:08 pm
Excitement bubbled, and a squeal of excitement built in her throat. But before it could escape, she clamped down on the urge. The result; a soft eep and she held her breath, willing herself calm. Some part of her had remember that she was a lady, and proper ladies didn't explode verbally, in any way. Of course, proper ladies also didn't skip rocks across the water with a man she knew she felt something for - a man well outside her social class circle - when she was promised to another...but she was willing to ignore that small detail for now.
Caroline scrutinized the stone she was shown, and then knelt to help Thorne search. He knew better than she what made an acceptable skipping stone, but she ran her fingers over the bed of rocks regardless, tossing a few of her own picks into the pile that Thorne was quickly building with his contributions. Elowen, too, tried to help, while Valerian slept off to the side. She didn't quite understand what was happening, but she sensed Caroline was seeking something, and noticed her chosen reaching for rocks. Dipping her head, the doe searched the ground for rocks that appealed to her, and gently kicked them Caroline's way. Laughing softly, Caroline smiled endearingly at her guardian, and to appease the doe, tossed a few of her choices into the pile, despite them not being as desirable for skipping.
Thorne was speaking again, and Caroline paused, glancing up at him from her crouched position. She watched intently, eyes honed on the rock as it made its journey across the surface. It traveled further this time, and though she had already seen it, she was as astounded as the first time. Thorne never ceased to amaze her. Despite his words of caution, Caroline was determined to make that rock skip, if only once; she wanted to do something that might please him.
Standing, she edged closer to the shore of the pond, rock in hand. She took a moment to assess, replaying Thorne's movements in her mind, and got into a position she thought mirrored the way he had used. She arched her arm back, feeling confident, she could do this...But when she swung her arm forward and tossed the rock, it sank the moment it hit the water, and her heart sank with it. "Oh..." Her face fell, smile vanishing. Thorne had warned her this would happen, but it didn't ease the disappointment. Elowen, beside Caroline, was just confused. She was having a difficult time figuring out what the pair were doing with the rocks, and why Caroline was upset. She considered that Valerian might have had it right, napping as he was. Still, bewildered or not, she couldn't leave Caroline's side. Caroline, to preoccupied with her own internal problems, knelt to grab another rock, and then faced Thorne. "What did I do wrong? Show me again." She blushed then, realizing she might have sounded rude, in her desperation to skip a rock. The volume of her voice dropped considerably. "Please?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 4:39 pm
He hadn't expected her to get it on the first try; in fact, if she had he would have been thoroughly impressed. Thorne hadn't been expecting her face to fall the way it had, however, and his brow furrowed as he stood to come to her side. He picked up another stone in hand, one of Elowen's picks, and went through the motion himself.
"I think you need to throw more to the side, like this," he said, showing her as he flexed the arm out in that dynamic, "Instead of moving your arm up and over." He flung the stone outwards again, this time only skipping twice. A frown creased his face for a moment before he let out a snort of laughter; Elowen had chosen mostly rounded rocks instead of flat ones.
After that throw, however, a twinge of pain started in his arm and ran up through his shoulder. Thorne felt his eye twitch briefly, managing to keep his expression relatively the same despite his discomfort. His hand acted on its own accord and rested against the muscle, fingers delicately rubbing the spot. It was weaker than he had thought at first, he was realizing now. Valerian seemed to sense a change in him, lifting his head from the leaves to watch his companion carefully. For a moment he sat perfectly still before apparently deciding all was well; his head returned to its previous position and his eyes slipped closed again. Thorne was relatively good at hiding pain, although heaven help him is she decided to give him a nice long stare right into his eyes; he knew she would see right through him then. He had a terrible poker face and he'd be damned to have Caroline worrying over him instead of enjoying the afternoon.
"Give it another shot," he spoke gently, rolling the shoulder back before he picked up another stone (this one considerably flatter than the previous). He stood just to the side to watch her movements again, offering a comforting smile. "I didn't get it on the first throw either."
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:52 am
She nodded, musing as she watched him execute the throw once more. Elowen watched as well, gradually gaining interest in...whatever it was they were doing. She noticed Thorne had chosen her rock - she knew because it's color was particularly pretty - and she seemed smug as Thorne turned to toss the rock. But then he frowned with disappointment, and Elowen didn't miss his laugh. She glanced away from the water to glare; what was so funny? Her rock was perfect; he simply didn't throw it right. Whatever; this game was stupid. Snorting, she shook her head, a swift flicker of movement, and decided to lie down; she had a feeling they would be there for a while. So, right where she stood, Elowen lowered herself to the ground, tucking her legs delicately.
Caroline payed her guardian little mind, to preoccupied with skipping a rock. She had been staring at the water, but shifted to look at him just in time to catch his hand on his wound. She missed the flicker of pain in his eyes, but she noticed his fingers massaging his shoulder. She had caught him a few times that morning, and last night, repeating the motion. She frowned slightly, the moment only lasting a second, before he dropped his hand, speaking to her. "All right..." She said, distracted, and took the offered rock, turning back to face the pond.
Half of her mind was still focused on his wound, and she didn't expect she'd be successful this time, but wanted to give it another try. But perhaps that had been the problem - she had been focusing to hard, trying to hard - because when she threw it this time, the rock skipped once, barely, before slipping under. It was not an outcome she had at all expected, but seeing the weak hop filled her with excitement. She gasped, hand flying up to clap over her mouth. "I did it!" She exclaimed, and then threw her arms around Thorne, squeezing tightly. "Thank you!" So excited, so excited...Wait. She froze, suddenly realizing that she had just flung herself at him...and detached quickly, stepping back. "Ah...sorry..." She was so embarrassed...but it was difficult; she felt so comfortable with him, it was hard not to slip up. Customs aside, she wasn't even sure he appreciated the invasion of personal space. Things were just so confusing...
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:23 pm
Thorne hadn't been sure that she would even make this throw, but the stone did hop just enough to call it a real skip. He grinned broadly as he watched it slip under the water. Given enough practice she could probably get it down and land at least one solid jump each throw. He had been about to speak, to congratulate her on getting it on her second throw when quite suddenly she was there, arms squeezing his chest tightly. His hands half lifted, unsure of where they should go. Of course he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and pull her into him, to forget that she was already promised to a miserable man.
As quickly as she had come however, she was already backing away; her realization of the mistake was clear on her face. "Quite alright," he replied, clearing his throat to hide the inevitable crack in his voice. A faintly sweet smell had hit his nose in her wake, dainty and just slightly floral and... her. It was in that moment that Thorne realized he was in way over his head; his knees felt weak and a fuzzy warmth had pooled in the pit of his chest. On cue Valerian had opened his eyes somewhere behind him. He could feel his gaze on his back. This was a routine the hunter had become quite familiar with lately, or at least in Caroline's company. Something would set his heart on edge and the deer was there, analyzing the emotion that were running in his head. As much as he trusted and adored his companion, he wondered if there was some alternative motive there...
A hand threaded through his hair in his familiar nervous fashion; not at her actions, but at the fact that he hadn't wanted her to pull away.
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:40 pm
They stood there silently, no longer comfortable, but awkward, Caroline staring down at her shoes. He excused her actions, said it was fine...but she was unsure. She regretted it, but only because she had no idea how he had felt about it. She had no idea how he felt about her...How she wished she could read his mind, to just peek at his thoughts.
Well, whatever he thought or felt, he seemed to enjoy her company well enough, and she didn't want to part on a low note. But what to do, what to say? She had enjoyed tossing rocks with him, but she didn't wish to continue now, not when she had noticed it had seemed to hurt his arm. She didn't want for him to strain himself, especially not on her account. While she pondered, her stomach growled suddenly, softly, but clearly audible. Her head snapped up, hands resting against her stomach, and her blue eyes widened, cheeks reddening. After a second, she laughed nervously, clearly embarrassed. What an awful sound.
"Ah, I..." Her stomach rumbled again, and she could have died. She resisted the urge to groan, and instead, tried to act as though the involuntary noise didn't bother her. She dropped her hands and straightened her shoulders, glancing around. But she was a terrible liar, even without speaking; her expression gave her away. "Ah, perhaps we should eat then?" She suggested, hoping he was hungry as well, and praying he didn't laugh at her. But who was she kidding; he probably would.
She noticed earlier he had brought some food along, so at least he had thought ahead. The weather was nice, and she wasn't afraid enough any longer to want to leave; if he didn't mind, lunch in the clearing would be pleasant. Maybe then they could work on moving past their little hiccup, and enjoy the rest of their day together. She still assumed he had taken offense to the hug, mainly because of his reaction; he hadn't hugged her back, and he had said little on the manner.
Glancing around again, she spotted some soft looking grass, and a cluster of small, white flowers off to the side. It wasn't far from the pond, and a comfortable distance from the edge of the clearing, which was a relief; she wouldn't feel inclined to look over her shoulder into the woods every five seconds. It was a pretty spot - she especially liked the flowers - so she moved around Thorne and walked over to it, turning to face Thorne upon arrival. "We could sit here?" She half offered, half asked. Urgh, she was just so unsure of everything. Would she ever find an ounce of confidence?
The thought brought on another thought, and then an idea. She wanted to do something for him; something nice. His wound was clearly still bothering him, and by the way he worked at it with his fingers, she assumed that made it feel better, at least somewhat. So..."I could massage your shoulder." She said suddenly, before she could refuse the idea. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized how weird they might have sounded...and how much she wished she had refused the idea. Not because she didn't want to; because if the hug hadn't offended him, this might. Well, no going back now...She continued. "I-I-If you would like...I...I notice you massage it often...I would like to help...if I can..." Urgh.
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:10 pm
He cursed himself inwardly for not reacting faster; and then cursed himself again for even allowing the thought. Thorne was terrible at reading body language and the nuances of conversation to determine where he stood with another person, and it was definitely showing now. How could he possibly tell her what he felt when he couldn't admit it to himself? The string of thoughts in his head was suddenly interrupted by the sound of her rumbling stomach. His brow raised, but if he thought it amusing it didn't show on his face. While he could go quite some time without eating (hunting for long days had turned this into a valuable talent), he knew he couldn't expect the same out of Caroline.
"Of course," he replied, voice soft. He scooped the pack up from where he had left it next to Valerian, who let out a low, amused snort. Thorne's eyes narrowed at the deer, but he said nothing in reply. The hunter returned his attention to Caroline, watching as she decided on a place they could sit; her choice was a section of grass littered with what looked like forget-me-nots. As good a place as any. Silently he picked his way past the deer and to where she stood, towering over her as his gaze flickered from the location back to her face.
"It's lovely." There was a smile lingering in his eyes, and at her next words only a look of surprise crossed his face. Had it been that obvious his shoulder was so sore still? He wasn't sure he could downplay it now that she had noticed the attention he gave it. A nervous energy settled in his chest, but he tried to push it away.
"I, aah," he paused, unsure. On the one hand telling her no would only hurt her further, and he had no desire to do that. Allowing her so close... he was killing himself in the end. How much time could they possibly have? It was foolish to think they could string whatever they had out forever, but alone with her in the Wardwood... he'd like to think perhaps they could. "You may," he finished, finally giving in and letting his expression relax into something softer, gentler. "Although I promise it really does not hurt that much." A white lie, as it were.
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:22 pm
Caroline smiled, happy that he found her choice lovely - if anything, at least it could be said that she had good taste in picnic spots. Seemingly, he mulled her offer over, and then surprised her by accepting. Her smile grew, and her chest swelled with warmth and relief. Expression bright, awkwardness forgotten, Caroline lowered herself to sit among the flowers, adjusting her skirts to pool around her legs. Grunting, Elowen rose from her spot, and languidly walked over to join the human pair. She settled herself behind Caroline, far more comfortable on the grass than she had been on the rocks, and rested her head down, closing her eyes to doze lightly. The sun was warm, and the atmosphere peaceful - a perfect time and setting for a little nap.
Caroline was truly satisfied with the spot she had chose. The grass was soft and cool, the small flowers adding a serene touch. Judging by Thorne's expression and willingness to allow her touch, it seemed they had quickly reverted back to that sweet, comfortable state, the one that both confused and delighted her. It was moments like these she would cherish dearly when it all came to an abrupt end.
At ease, and willing to tell herself she had previously been ridiculous in assuming Thorne disliked her, even for a moment, Caroline titled her head back to smile up at him, hand reaching out to pat the spot directly in front of her. "Come, sit. We can snack while I rub your shoulder." She wouldn't pretend she knew exactly what she was doing, but was it possible to give a bad massage? Surely anything would help, and would be better than him having to reach back and attempt to rub the spot himself.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 4:25 pm
Thorne hesitated briefly, but when Caroline motioned him to sit he did. With on knee tucked to his chest and the other leg straight out it took him a moment to settle, his own nervous energy threatening to spill out. Valerian seemed to sense his anxiety, lifting his head where he was laying. Languidly the buck lifted himself and followed them over, stretching out in the grass not far from them. The look he gave the hunter seemed to say 'this is what you wanted, you know'. Thorne's brow furrowed at the animal, but after a soft, easy breath he relaxed. Even without words the deer had a point, if his expression was an indication of thoughts. He had hoped for a day when they could just relax and enjoy the other's company, and it was now.
Reaching back Thorne grabbed the pack he had brought, pulling out an assortment of light snacks for them to munch on; dried fruits and nuts, mostly. He offered Caroline the first pick, leaning back towards her. He felt a shiver growing in anticipation of her touch, and although he tried to suppress it he knew it would get the better of him the moment it happened. For the time being he gazed across the clearing lazily, watching the subtle ways of the forest that to an untrained eye looked like nothing. A flicker of movement in the undergrowth around the side of the pond to him was a pair of rabbits sneaking close for a drink. What could be mistaken as wind in the upper branches was a group of rooks settling in to catch the sun. All of these things he could read with little difficulty, but people... that was another story completely.
"Do you have any plans when you get back?" he asked, voice soft. He glanced to the side although his back was to her for the moment. "Going to tell your mother and father about the fabulous party you attended?" Thorne laughed, a smile creasing at his eyes. He knew she wouldn't breathe a word of her trip, of course.
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Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 9:30 pm
She waited for him to get comfortable, and only after he had set the food out and settled, did she shift closer. She sat so that he legs were folded out to the side, feet facing away from them, knees gently at his back. The position was comfortable, and allowed her to be close enough to reach out without difficulty or strain. The spread was simple, but looked delectable nonetheless. Eager to fill her stomach, but careful to be respectful, she slowly plucked a piece of fruit up, and popped it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. She'd never tried dried fruit before - it was interesting. She liked it. She chose another, and then turned her attention to Thorne. He was quiet, looking around, presumably enjoying the sights.
Chewing the fruit gave her a second to collect her wits. This had been her idea, but now that she had to execute it...she was nervous. She was about to touch him, and at length. Any contact they had made prior had always been subtle, and brief...the hug aside, this was a whole new level. Her stomach fluttered nervously, and she was suddenly very aware of his scent. It was warm, earthy, and so manly. Her cheeks flushed, heat traveling up her neck. Breath Caroline, just...breath. She chided herself gently, and exhaled, tentatively reaching out to place her fingers softly against his shoulder.
His warmth tingled her fingertips, and after a few seconds of simply resting her fingers, she flattened her palm against him, and then added her other hand. To start, she simply rubbed without pressure, exploring the curves of his shoulder and shoulder blade, finding the subtle puckering of the skin that made up his scar. "Let me know if I hurt you..." She whispered once she was satisfied, and then gently, used her fingers to massage the muscles under and around the scar, taking her time. Her eyes had been watching the movements of her hands, but as he spoke, she glanced up to gaze at the side of his face. She smiled, laughing softly. "Mm, I doubt they will pry. With any luck, they will turn in early. They will be to busy tomorrow to remember to ask." Her eyes traveled back to watching her hands, head tilting to the side as she pondered. "But if they find the time to ask, I imagine it will be easy to think of something. The food was delicious, the gentle men dashing, the ladies stunning in their gowns." It was all her mother would care to hear, and her father would only care to hear that she had returned safely.
"And no...I have nothing planned." She looked back up at him curiously. "Do you?" The question brought another to mind. "What do you do all day? Indulge me; describe a day in the life of Thorne Grey." She smiled playfully, but genuinely curious.
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 9:29 pm
He shuddered lightly at her touch; she worked delicately at first, but after a few moments seemed to gain a bit of confidence in her work. A half-sigh escaped Thorne's throat, and he sagged against her hands. "You won't," he replied at her concern, "I promise." For a moment he listened to her story, and a smile crossed his face. She had a point, and unless they sought to pry further there would be no need for concern.
"Me?" Her question caught him off guard, although it was not unwelcome. What did he do all day? Wandered around the forest, mostly... there must have been more to it. To him it seemed quite simple, really, but he slowly realized that to her it was a whole world of adventures she'd likely never see. "Usually I get up with the sun... wake Valerian since he sleeps like a rock." The buck snorted to their side. "I end up checking traps first, re-set any that were triggered..." He trailed off a moment, thinking. Did this stuff really take him all day? He hadn't really thought about how much time he spent on foot in the woods in the grand scheme of things.
"By the time I get back some days it's dark again, it depends on if I catch a trail or not." His brow furrowed. "Mostly rabbits, some smaller game." He shifted himself a bit, leaning into her touch. "I spotted what I think are wild boar tracks the other day... haven't decided if I should track it or not. If it's an adult it could be too dangerous to go alone." Or even with Valerian, as it were. Last fall a boar had gutted two men close to town before a hunting party had taken it down- Thorne had attended, naturally. The fact that another could be close to his own home was unsettling, but not nerve wracking. They were clumsy and easy to hear, and he was pretty sure he could outrun one at least back to his home. Possibly.
He didn't mention these things to Caroline however, as so far the Wardwood had proven calm for the day. Valerian himself seemed at ease per usual, which was always a good sign. The less activity, the better... at least while he had her here with him.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:44 am
Caroline smiled as she listened, eyes on her hands, but her gaze was unfocused, mind elsewhere. She followed his story in her thoughts, trying to imagine what it might be like. Trudging through the forest, so often that he knew every rock, tree, and creature. Dislodging animals from traps, following those that had avoided capture on foot. He lived entirely off the land; she could respect that. But she knew it was something she could never do - killing animals. She knew that for him, it was a necessity, and she certainly had no qualms against eating meat, but to do it herself? She shuddered at the thought. Thankfully, she doubted she ever would. And it might have sounded 'spoiled' or 'elitist' of her, but it was simply the way she had been raised - everything had been handed to her.
But it sounded fascinating nonetheless, the 'violence' of it aside. She felt she had been offered a small taste of his lifestyle yesterday and today, and maybe it was because it was vastly different from her life, but for the most part, it seemed incredibly romantic. Living away from town, it was so private and quiet; serene. Lying out under the stars at night, sipping cider by the fire, picnicking in the forest, and the simple freedom to come and go, to do what he wanted, when he wanted. No stuffy parties, no suffocating need to always be so perfect, no one planning his life for him. He lived for himself, not others. She sighed wistfully.
"Perhaps I am romanticizing it, but it sounds nearly ideal." She said softly. "Though...I imagine it can get lonely." She frowned, trailing off, but then seemed to remember something, and laughed, looking over at Valerian. "My apologies Valerian; I did not mean to imply you were poor company." But humans and guardians were vastly different. Caroline loved Elowen like no other, and she relied heavily on their bond. But even with a guardian, everyone needed the companionship and the touch of other humans. Did he have other friends and acquaintances, other than herself? He never spoke of anyone else. "Do you have other friends? Perhaps...other women? A romantic interest?" It was another one of those impulse questions, one she knew she shouldn't ask, because of the way it made her feel, but a question she couldn't resist asking.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 8:24 pm
Thorne listened, an amused expression on his face. Valerian had let out a dramatic whuffle at Caroline's words, rolling to his side in the grass. He was great company! She didn't know what she was talking about, of course. The buck shot her a baleful expression, and his warden laughed out loud.
"It can be," he started, twirling a piece of his hair absently, "Although I find it's all right more often than not. Valerian is good company when's paying attention." Another whuffle from the deer. True enough, alone and quiet was preferable to the hunter. Town was noisy, and most were too wrapped up in their own business... or too interested in business that wasn't theirs. He much preferred the deer to them. Caroline was even better company of course... not that he would admit it.
"A few friends around town, mostly merchants or traders," he continued, "And aah," he paused, gaze falling to the ground briefly. A sad sort of smile flickered across his face, although he was looking away from her. "No."
"Not... in Oldcastle at least." He spoke carefully, trying to skirt his way around the question. It wouldn't be fair to spring that on her, not here and now. Perhaps not ever, given the circumstances... although the thought made his heart ache. He rolled his shoulder back with a soft pop against her palm, a soft breath escaping his lungs. It certainly felt better than it had before.
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