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 Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:25 am
"Oh, I don't know," she shrugged, "I think I've gone a little further than even my mother would have liked. I was six when they died, you know. Been working at the orphanage ever since. So, tell me, why is your father not here, or your mother out with Jordun and your father?"
It was a bit of a quick change in conversation, but she didn't want to delve much further into her story when Andrus was more than an arm's length away. People knew, of course. People had to know. That didn't mean that she had ever told anyone.
She imagined that the lives of the nobles were far beyond her, but she had a feeling that Andrus' family was a bit different than the common folk. He had gotten prickly at the mention of Claudia and arranged marriage... and, of course, here he was spiriting a common girl away because of a dream she'd had. Maybe he was different altogether.
MoonRazor We can do the chats for how ever long, but feel free to warp to their next stop at any time. Chloe is bound to make Andrus feel awkward.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:32 pm
"Ah, you know," Andrus began, ready to slip into the familiar cycle of evasiveness he had always used to discuss his parents. They hadn't share the same space in years and everybody knew, but that didn't mean it was ever directly addressed. And it didn't mean he and Jordun were expected to acknowledge it.
But then he remembered how frank Chloe was being about her family, how willing to tell the truth and he felt that maybe he owed her a little bit of honesty as well. "They've always been that way," he said. "Marrying for the family, you know. It doesn't always work. Love does not necessarily follow marriage."
But that was there life and Andrus was not convinced there was anything to be done about that. He turned back to Chloe, somber topics done for the time being, and grinned. "Shall we pick up the pace?"grasshopper pie We can warp after this one, then 8D
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:40 pm
Chloe nodded. She could never imagine a marriage without love, but then again she was no noble. Was that really expected for them? So perhaps some day someone would set Andrus up with a woman he was expected to care for and bed without any emotions at all. She didn't like to think about it, but it certainly seemed as if the world was against them at every turn.
He said he'd make it work, though. She believed him.
"What do you think, old girl?" Chloe asked, patting Theresa's neck. It certainly couldn't hurt, could it? Sure, she had no idea where they were headed, but turning around was simple enough! She urged the mare to gain speed, having no expectation of actually winning any races, even the ones that only existed in her head.
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:10 pm
By the time they clattered into the inn, it was dusk. The sun had sunk below the treeline and the hovels they had passed along the way had lit their lamps and hearths to prepare for the coming night.
"I don't suppose we will get any farther tonight," Andrus said as he brought Archer to a halt and swung off to help Chloe down. A stable hand ran to grab the horses' reins and another came to strip the saddle bags from the horses' backs and carry them into the inn.
"Two rooms, please," Andrus called to the second boy as the first led the horses toward the stable.
He turned to Chloe. "How are you feeling?" It was a long ride, after all, and a long day. It wouldn't do to push to far too fast.
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:59 pm
As much as Chloe wanted to continue through the night, she found herself fatiguing. Her legs and rear hurt from so many hours of riding and she gladly allowed Andrus to help her down. It was odd to have someone coming to take care of her things for once, so she thanked the stable hands quietly, just in case it was inappropriate.
Would it be wrong to take his hand? There was a chance that these people would recognize Andrus somehow, and it wouldn't do for such gossip to make its way back to his estate. She couldn't imagine the conflict she'd ignite. She simply smiled up at him instead. Two rooms? That seemed excessive...
"I'm well," she nodded, pulling her bag to her front and clutching it with both hands. "I could well use some rest. Is it easy for you to ride so long? You must do it more often than I." Subconsciously, she fell into step behind Andrus as they went inside, as if she were a servant accompanying her master. Old habits died hard.
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:11 pm
"Oh, I'm..." He paused, looking around for Chloe until he found her a step behind him. It felt... Andrus couldn't quite put a finger on it. Strange, he supposed. But then, it was all very strange right now. He opened his mouth to tell her she needn't walk behind him, but then shut it again when he remembered how many eyes were on them, casually or not. "I've grown accustomed to it, I suppose. The long days can still be tiring, though," he finished as the boy led them to their rooms and pulled their bags inside.
When the boy left, Andrus smiled and shrugged and said, "There isn't really need for two rooms, I suppose, but... the inn workers." They would be suspicious as it was, a young lord traveling with a girl - who they would assume was a lady's maid, he supposed - but much less scandalized than they would have been if he had asked for only one room. Rumors still traveled fast in small towns.
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Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:15 pm
Chloe gave the stable hand a curtsy as he showed her to her room, but waited until he was gone to speak in hushed tones.
"It's not my reputation we have to worry about, is it," she said, but it was more of a statement than a question. From the way it sounded, Andrus' poor mother would literally die if such a rumor spread back home. Then again, didn't masters take lovers in their servants occasionally? She had no idea herself, but she blushed to think of it and bit her lip. No need for two rooms? It seemed that Andrus' mind had followed the same train of thought. "I suppose the inn workers will have to find something else to gossip about. We do that, you know... the lower classes, the same as it seems for you. If you'd like two rooms, then two rooms it shall be. Good night, Sir." She took his hand, allowing for just a moment of indulgence before she backed away and toward her own room.
Of course, she didn't really mean it. Andrus had once risked his reputation to dance with a lowly servant, and so she didn't imagine that a little sneaking would be totally untoward. It did make her flush to even think that she may be going to a man's room at night, but the rush of excitement far outweighed the fear. Andrus was a gentleman, after all, and they were now further from home than they had ever been. How often would they get this chance?
MoonRazor So sorry it took so long! Feel free to warp. Chloe will be visiting once the inn quiets down, or else livens up elsewhere to make for a sneaky escape to Andrus' room.
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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:26 am
A hush settled over the inn as the sun set and the world darkened around them. Lamps were lit and dimmed, and the fire that enlivened the common room hearth was left to fade as the last of the guests retreated to the comfort of their rooms. Night had very much taken hold.
And still, Andrus sat half upright in bed, kept awake by something or other. He might have been wondering about the state of Darrowdown, or thinking about dear Feather. Whatever the case, the lights in his room had all but extinguished when he still found himself lying awake.
He should sleep, perhaps. They had a long day of riding ahead of them. They should make an early start. And yet, he didn't close his eyes. grasshopper pie XD Don't worry about it. My last one took a while too
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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:37 am
Chloe had changed into her nightgown and taken to sketching, but her mind was elsewhere. As the chatter in the common room began to die down, the paper went away and her mind began to wander. What exactly was she expecting of this evening or, more importantly, what would Andrus come to expect? He was an unusual nobleman and undoubtedly had several women doting on him at any time, but were any so bold or so low-class as Chloe herself? Her heart pounded in her chest as she heard the patter of feet down the hall, and then nothing at all. She waited, waited, and then crept from her room in bare feet, traveling down to Andrus' abode while she tried to keep her ears and eyes open for any movement in any direction. Should someone come down the hall, she would simply continue as if she had never stopped at all.
The girl rapped lightly at Andrus' at Andrus' door, muscles tense and prepared to react in any way that was required of her.
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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:21 am
The knock on his door didn't surprise him, though perhaps it should have. It was almost like he had been waiting for it though, all this time. Andrus knew that strictly speaking, he shouldn't have been. He should be fast asleep, the knock should be left unanswered. There were many things that should have happened.
And yet. He threw back the covers and rose from the bed, crossing to the door in several steps. This entire adventure, after all, should never, strictly speaking, have happened.
He pulled the door open. It swung open eagerly to admit his late night visitor, and he didn't need to look to know who stood on the other side. "Chloe." Her name came in a whisper, snatched away in an instant by the quiet that surrounded them. Even in a nightgown, the sight of her made his breath hitch, and he reached for her hand and drew her to him.
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Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:42 pm
Chloe had been expecting to sneak in under Andrus' arm and escape into the room, giggling. Instead the door opened and he took her hand. She was struck. Her heart stopped a moment and an odd floating feeling brought her into the room proper. Rather than laughter, a strong blush crossed her face. Her expression was entirely shocked, big brown orbs peering up at the nobleman with parted lips. What were they going to do?
Rather than leave it to Andrus, she recovered and pressed herself against him, stealing his lips with abandon. She had never felt such a rush!
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