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 Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 1:37 pm
Rob and his brother Ollie loved the winter season despite its bitter cold. Rough weather out at sea put the Amaranta in port for the coldest month of winter, allowing them to travel upriver to Palisade to visit their mother. The last shipment of cargo had been transferred from the Amaranta onto the three poleboats their employer used to transport the goods - and part of the ship's crew - to the capital.
As the poleboats glided to shore, Rob leaped from deck to dock, snatching up the rope coiled at the bow and tying the boat with practiced ease. By the time he straightened the two other poleboats had been secured and he cuffed his elder brother with a grin. "We're home!"
Almost an entire month in Palisade was a luxury, for the most part. They were all sailors here and all devoted to the Amaranta in his own way, but none of them failed to appreciate the finer points of being back in the capital. Land, without the gentle rock of waves beneath their feet, was not comfortable, but there were other things to love about Palisade.
Rob turned to his brother. "It's my turn to get mum her gift," he declared, patting Ollie on the shoulder as he nodded toward the boats. "You enjoy unloading these lovely ladies while I enjoy m'self at the market." He turned to the rest of the crew. Taking charge had always come easy to him, and his absence in the process of unloading would hardly change that. "Get th' crates up by the boss' caravan over yonder'n bring the extras to market. I'll meet you lads by our reg'lar spot in a tick."
Before Ollie could retaliate, Rob danced away and made his way up the familiar path to the market. The clamor reached his ears before he saw it, people milling and moving from stall to stall, a river of people moving in two directions. He had grown up here among these folk and these very booths, and the rich smell of bread and fish came as a welcome reminder of his childhood days.
Back home at last. With a small nod, he joined the flow of people, browsing through the stalls for a suitable present.
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:49 pm
It was a breezy morning in Palisade. Ice slicked the streets, snow packed high around buildings and homes, and the chill in the air threatened to cut to the bone. The presence of the sun hardly seemed to matter; warmth was not something that could be sought.
And yet, the market was bustling with presence. Children wailed and laughed, and mothers kept a wary eye on their offspring, while their husbands attempted to haggle and purchase goods for the home. Shop keeps shouted over the crowds, waving around and boasting their wares. Everyone was present for a reason, and not for the obvious. There was talk of wolves, more than mere rumors and whispers, and despite the threat of danger, the chance for gossip was far too appealing. Besides, people felt safe enough; no one suspected wolves would dare invade the town.
Caroline was among those that shared this opinion. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little nervous, but behind the gates and the stone walls, she felt safe, secure. Especially with her guardian, Elowen, at her side. She knew her guide would not allow harm to befall her.
The girl and the doe wandered through the crowds together, silently, but connected. They shared a special, unspoken bond, and even without speaking, they typically knew what the other was thinking or feeling. Caroline recalled the day she was chosen, the day she returned home with a totem. Her mother had been surprised, disappointed even, thinking perhaps her daughter was some sort of freak. But her father, surprisingly, had allowed it. He was a cold, stern man, but unbeknownst, he harbored a belief in the old ways. Ever since, Caroline had been allowed to venture out of the house without a human chaperon, so long as Elowen remained at her side; as the doe always did.
So lost in her thoughts, Caroline hadn't been paying close enough attention to where she was walking. Without warning, she collided with something...or someone. She stumbled back, and after righting herself, peered up at the back of a man's head. Embarrassed, she blushed and looked down quickly. "Ah, pardon me sir. I...had not meant it."
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:20 pm
Rob perused the stalls until he came upon an old glassblower selling wares of intricate design. A little flower-shaped lamp for candles caught his eye and he paid for it without much haggling. The old man deserved his compensation, after all.
The lamp was almost jolted out of his hands a moment later when someone collided into him, and only quick reflexes saved it from falling to the ground and shatter. Holding the lamp tight, Rob spun, ready to have words with whoever had dared be so careless when he caught sight of the girl and instantly caught the words on the tip of his tongue.
Women were hardly a rare sight at the market, but well-born ladies were a different matter. It was almost a surprise, really. There were nice enough wares in the marketplace, but it wasn't' a far stretch of Rob's imagination to think that the upper class had access to things far finer than this, and far more expensive. Not to mention there were... well rather unkempt people at the market, Rob possibly being one of them. He was hardly dressed to impress and neither were the rest of them.
"Ah.. no, no, m'lady," he managed to say, looking down. Rob was used to deferring to authority. He would be captain one day, but for now he was still just one of the lads on the crew. And even a captain was nothing off his ship. Any merchant who owned that ship was, by definition, authority, and if a common merchant was authority, then no doubt a noble lady was too. The chain of command went far and farther, but that was just life. "'Scuse me, I should've known. Didn't mean t'get in your way none."
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:30 pm
Elowen cast a sharp glance at Caroline as the woman suddenly stumbled into the back of a young man, her head titled slightly to the side curiously. Caroline wasn't really the clumsy type, but the streets were packed, and the roads slick; the accident was understandable. As the young man turned, Elowen regarded the man cautiously, calculating in the way she evaluated his body language and possible intentions. Clearly, the young doe was incredibly protective of her chosen, but would only insert herself if she felt Caroline was at risk.
Caroline took a step back as the man turned, steeling herself for his anger. Most men wouldn't have appreciated the accidental assault, and she was ready for a bit of a scene. However, no such cruelty occurred; instead, the man apologized himself, his voice deep and warm. He was clearly a man skilled in labor, rough and calloused as he was, but there was something gentle about him. Warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach, and she blushed softly, glancing away for a second. After an awkward moment of silence, where Caroline was unsure if she should excuse herself or engage in conversation, she finally looked up at the young man.
"Forgive me...I do not believe I have ever seen you before. If I may ask...What brings you to town today?" The only thing she could think of to say, to keep the man's attention. There something about him that intrigued her. He was tall and broad, his dark eyes stormy, but kind. He seemed so unlike the rich, spoiled bachelors her father would have favored for her. Here was someone who knew the ways of the world, someone who had seen the world. She was sure of it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 1:31 pm
She was... beautiful, and entirely unlike any woman Rob had ever known. She was refined and proper and elegant where he was more at ease with rougher, sharper women. But then, it all made sense. She was wealthy and he was not.
He took in her dress and the way she held herself, so straight and poised even in the midst of the semi-chaos around her. A small voice in his head reminded him that this was what separated them, that their society was stratified for a reason. It was so that people like him would not be caught struggling futilely to fit in with people like her. Rob was not cut out for societal expectations and limits; he had enough of those for himself.
He hadn't noticed the guardian beside her at first, but he didn't miss the careful look she gave him. The doe was larger than Taxes and grown, presumably, but she had the same unsettling intelligence in her eyes. Chosen, then, just like Ollie.
Rob glanced from the doe back to the girl, unsure of how to proceed. There seemed to be protocol of some sort in cases such as this, but he didn't know them and had never wished to know them until now. Was he supposed to wait until she decided to leave? Would it be overly rude of him to walk away?
Then she spoke and he was saved the trouble of deciding. "Pard'n me, m'lady," he said again, making a conscious effort to keep from pulling distractedly at his hair. It was a tell of his that he had been working to eliminate ever since he had discovered it during a card game. "I was just deliverin' cargo with the lads on my crew. We jus' come in from Northport..." He trailed off and found himself watching her doe again. Eye contact with the guardian seemed safer somehow than eye contact with her.
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:04 pm
Elowen met Rob's stare, and seemed to c**k her brow, as if daring the man to say something to her. The doe, like her chosen, was refined and elegant, but where Caroline was soft and compassionate, Elowen was cold...almost snobbish, like one might expect a high born lady to be. Despite the vast difference in personality, the two got along well. Caroline relied on Elowen for emotional support, and guidance, as Caroline was quick to trust, and wished to see the good in all. Elowen...well, she was more realistic, and often erred on the side of extreme caution. In the end, they balanced one another.
Sensing her guardians challenge, Caroline smiled softly, and gently rested a gloved hand on Elowen's neck. She knew Elowen was simply looking out for her chosen, but the man seemed kind enough. Certainly pleasant enough for a quick, harmless discussion. She glanced kindly at Elowen, but at the mention of crew and cargo - which she quickly pieced together to mean he had just come off a ship - she quickly turned her gaze back to the man, blue eyes alight. "Oh! You are a sailor then?" She inquired, voice laced with genuine excitement. Instantly, she wished to drag him off for tea and lengthy conversation. To pick his brain, to hear of the places, and the sights. Surrounded by the rich and unworldly day in and day out, and sheltered herself, hearing of such tales from the man would be akin to meeting a character from one of her books.
For instance; Northport. Was that another land across the sea, or the name of a port? She wanted to ask, but thought it might make her seem foolish and uneducated. Perhaps she would look it up later...assuming she never got around to asking. More importantly, she suddenly realized they had never exchanged proper introductions; she had no idea what his name was! Once more...she felt foolish. Incredibly so. And here she was, supposed to be a 'proper lady'. Nothing proper about forgetting introductions. She blushed, and stammered. "A-Ah, I apologize, I...I completely forgot. I never...got your name. I, am Caroline Atwood. It is a pleasure." She pinched the sides of her skirts gently, raised them slightly, and curtsied ever so slightly.
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Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:59 am
Rob caught Elowen's stare, and couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face. That haughty, cold gaze that met him was such a world away from the playful, irreverent looks he had gotten from Taxes and struck him once again how very different they were. Suddenly realizing his smile could be taken the wrong way, he said hastily to them both, "Don't mean t'laugh, miss, just... your doe's very different from my brother's little lassie. Yours is much more ladylike, but I s'pose that's what 'appens when you try to raise 'em around a bunch of lads."
His smile grew warm at her words, partly because she had pieced it together but mostly because of the eagerness in her words. If he had expected her to lose interest when she discovered his occupation, he was clearly proven wrong. But this was one instance in which Rob didn't mind being wrong. He nodded, so pleasantly surprised by her enthusiasm that he wasn't quite sure how he ought to react. "That I am, miss. Inherited it from my dad, I guess, me and my brother both." There had never been any doubt in Rob's mind that he would become a sailor, just as there could never have been doubt that she would grow up to be a lady. It was a low station in life, perhaps, but one that Rob was happy to accept. He had seen much in the course of his young life that he would hardly trade for anything.
"Rob Tiller," he added, inclining his head in what was perhaps not the most elegant or proper bow. He was never quite sure how to act. "Pleasure's mine, Miss Atwood. Really." It wasn't often that he was afforded the chance to mingle with people of her status. "If y'don't mind my asking, what brings you here today?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:05 pm
"Hm?" She titled her head inquisitively, and then glanced to Elowen, lips curling into a smile. She laughed softly, understanding, and then looked back to Rob, expression bright. "Oh yes, Elowen is...Well, she is quick to judge." Caroline explained, laughter in her eyes. "She will not harm...unless she feels I am being threatened." Elowen did not tolerate any animosity directed at Caroline. The doe might have been a lady, but she was touch, and seemingly fearless.
Caroline perked at the mention of another chosen, and at Rob's confirmation that he was a sailor. Caroline was instantly interested, numerous questions forming. The urge for tea and conversation only heightened, but she kept this to herself. "Fascinating." She breathed. She could only imagine. "Your brother possesses a guardian as well? A wonderful thing; it seems so rare..." It was always a relief to hear of others. "And both sailors! Oh, I can only imagine the wondrous sights and experiences..." And she knew she would only ever get to imagine. A lady was not welcome on the high seas; her parents and fiance would never allow it. Still, she couldn't help but to wonder, her eyes taking on a dreamy glaze.
She was taken from her thoughts when Rob spoke again, introducing himself and asking why she was present. She blushed, embarrassed she had lapsed into deep thought, and returned the bow of his head with a quick and fluid curtsy. "It is a pleasure." She repeated, almost automatically. It was simply habit by now. She gave his next question a second of thought. "We just needed...a change of scenery. Some fresh air." She said slowly; it was clear that she wasn't giving the whole story. She paused a moment, considering something. "Things at home can be...suffocating." For now, it was all she was comfortable revealing; and even then, it was difficult. She barely knew the man; she was uncertain how much she should share, what she should say.
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 2:31 pm
"As befits a lady," Rob said with a smile, tipping his head toward Elowen, so composed where Taxes was a rambunctious ball of energy. He had to wonder what would happen if the two Guardians were ever to meet, though he had a sneaking suspicion that one would tire of the other in no time at all.
"Taxes is still plenty young, but she's growin' ev'ry day, as I see it," he said with a nod. The crew had not been entirely pleased to make her acquaintance at first, but the little deer had quickly won all of them over with her antics, and she had a fine sense of when and where she was welcome aboard the ship (an area that was growing every day as captain and sailors alike felt more and more inclined to indulge her).
"Ah, you're right there, miss" Rob said appreciatively, curiosity piqued by her surprising fascination with the lifestyle. "There's nothin' like a rockin' deck beneath your feet and water as far as th'eye can see in every direction. You could go anywhere. Tha's what it means to be free, I guess." And yet, so many misconceptions abounded. So many thought poorly of men of the sea, as if they were by definition no better than pirates. It was a shame, and something that Rob had felt a need to dispel on several occasions, and only good sense had stopped him from doing so. Picking fights with those above him, after all, was ill-advised.
"Oh," he managed, falling silent momentarily when she mentioned her home. If Caroline was fascinated by sailing, then Rob was equally fascinated by the troubles that could ail the upper class. He didn't doubt for a second that her lifestyle could be suffocating - indeed, the mere prospect of being land-bound all his life was enough to scare him - but there were many things that could make it so, and Rob had to wonder what they were. But it wasn't his place to question, so instead he simply said, "In that case, if you ever get a chance t'stop imagining and see it for real, you should take it. 'Twill make all your troubles seem insignificant."
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Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:25 pm
Elowen continued to eye Rob suspiciously, but after a moment, she blinked, breaking her unwavering stare, and looked away with a snort. She didn't entirely trust this new man, but he hadn't harmed Caroline yet. Didn't mean he was off the hook; simply meant she was willing to give him a chance. Besides, the happenings unfolding around them proved far more interesting that the conversation at hand.
Caroline, however, was enthralled. She listened intently, nodding along, and though everything stuck, one thing he said in particularly resonated strongly. Tha's what it means to be free. It wasn't a notion she quite understood; freedom. Everything planned for her since birth...She had always longed for something he experienced everyday. She smiled kindly at his suggestion - that she experience a taste of his life for herself - but she disposed of the idea immediately. It would never happen. She understood that, but she didn't expect for him to, so she didn't verbally dismiss the idea. Simply nodded.
Still, that didn't mean she couldn't, in a sense, live vicariously through him. Here was an approachable man with an interesting story; why not seize this opportunity? Before she could convince herself otherwise, she asked the very thing she had wanted to from the beginning. "If you have time to spare...would you join me for tea? I know of a quaint cafe...I would love to hear some of your stories..." She trailed off lamely, shifting nervously. "If...you would like to..." She imagined sharing his afternoon with a strange woman and tea might not be his idea of enjoyable, but she figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Still, the sting of rejection was one she hated, and often, it held her back in social situations.
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Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 3:07 pm
Rob wasn't convinced he belonged in a quaint cafe but Caroline's proposition sounded like a rather innocuous one. Conversing with a well-born lady without getting the distinct and uncomfortable feeling that he was being looked down upon was an entirely new experience, and not that he had tried it, he was beginning to wonder if not all nobles were insufferable. Caroline, at least, was anything but.
"Ah, it'd be... good," he said, sounding unconvinced because he had tried and failed to find a better word to describe it. A privilege? An honor? Was it really, or did he just think those were the words he was supposed to use? He felt distinctly out of place beside her, whose fine education was evident even in the way she carried herself. She didn't slouch, she didn't stand with her feet squared with her shoulders; she comported herself very much like a lady.
"That didn't sound too good," he said hastily. "I'd be delighted t'come. I got nothin' but stories." At the back of his mind, he remembered that he had meant to meet the rest of the crew at the market to sell their extra wares, but he brushed it off. There was an unspoken rule that allowed them to miss or arrive late to commitments if the sacrifice was being made for the prospect of female company. Certainly, the sort of "female company" it usually entailed was nothing he expected from Caroline, but sometimes just being around women, hearing them talk, was more than enough after long months at sea without any sign of them. "Lead the way."
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 8:32 pm
He seemed unconvinced, and her smile faltered, though she fought to keep it intact. She would have graciously accepted if he had chosen to refuse his offer, but she wasn't sure she could handle an afternoon spent with someone who didn't want her company. Or, so she assumed; she was always quick to assume the worst. But, thankfully, he was quick to convince her that he was convinced, and she smiled, worries soothed. "Oh, excellent!" She delighted, probably a little to enthusiastically. Her cheeks flushed, and she cleared her throat delicately, toning her smile down. "Please, follow me." She said, voice softer, and turned to start slowly in the direction. He didn't offer his arm - though she didn't blame him for it - so she simply walked beside him, hands clasped in front so they wouldn't swing. Elowen walked on Caroline's other side, keeping close.
Caroline led the way silently, careful not to bump into anyone, or into Rob, as she sidestepped people and obstacles. She did not rush, her steps small and careful, eyes occasionally darting down to ensure she didn't step on any ice, or into any deep piles of snow; she definetly didn't want to get wet, or slip.
Finally, Caroline stopped outside of a small, brick building. Through the windows, ladies and gentlemen could be seen within, sipping from dainty mugs, and conversing lightly. "Here we are." She announced pleasantly. Normally, the man accompanying her would have opened the door, but with Rob...she wasn't sure he was aware of such a custom. Should she open the door? That would look strange...Thankfully, a man exited the cafe just as she was debating, and he held the door for them. Relieved, she tipped her head in thanks, and walked in, pausing once inside to wait for Rob. "Shall we sit here?" She inquired, motioning toward a small, round table with two chairs opposite one another, situated in the corner near the window.
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 7:36 am
As they walked, Rob felt increasingly that he was forgetting to do something, or perhaps that she was expecting something that he wasn't quite aware of. A nobleman's graces, perhaps, which he certainly lacked. But having little clue as to what he may or may not have been doing wrong, he didn't try to change anything for fear that it would only make matters worse.
They wound through the thinning crowd and Rob had to notice the careful way in which Caroline avoided things in her path, so much more deliberate and thoughtful than the people he knew. It struck him as odd that so simple a trait as being careful could be endearing, but it made him straighten his back all the same and try to walk with a little more poise than he usually did. The least he could do in her company, he supposed, was to look less like a vagabond than many might have taken him to be.
"Oh, uh, thank ye, sir..." Rob managed hastily as he scooted into the doorway, both somewhat taken aback by the gesture and feeling quite out of place. Was that a custom in her society? He made his way in after her. Ollie would have taken all of this in stride, not missing a beat, settling into his usual routine of winks and smiles and charmed words when it came to talking to someone new. Even someone who spent her time associating with more educated people. But Rob was not Ollie. He fought the urge to fidget, telling himself it was alright and nobody was actually looking and wondering what on earth Caroline was doing in his company, and followed her to the table.
"That looks good," he said, wondering if there were other customs associated with seating and tables. Perhaps he ought to wait for her
to sit, at the very least.
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Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:51 pm
Her selection accepted, she moved closer to her chosen chair, and paused. It was naturally habitual, but a second later, she remembered who she was with, and pulled her seat out for herself. It felt strange, unnatural, but she didn't mind, and smiled pleasantly as she took her seat. Elowen surveyed the area for a moment, before walking around the back of Caroline's chair to settle on the floor. She made herself comfortable near Caroline, but kept her stare on Rob, her head held aloft so she could watch him and the room better.
A woman swept by and, without a word, placed dainty tea set for two on the table between the unorthodox pair. She eyed Rob curiously for a second, but did not question his presence as she moved away. While she waited for him to take his seat, Caroline reached forward to pour the tea into each of their cups, before taking hers and pulling it closer. Methodically, she slipped a spoonful of sugar into her cup, and stirred slowly, eyes on her tea.
Satisfied, she lifted her gaze to meet his, and she smiled, folding her hands on her lap. "So, Mr. Tiller...you said you have just come in from Northport? Where is that?" She hoped she had recalled the name of town correctly.
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Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:39 am
He could feel Elowen's gaze on him, as well as the quick glance from the woman who brought the tea. Rob blamed neither; if he looked anywhere near as misplaced as he felt, such reactions could only be expected. It was a good sense of displacement though, he supposed. Perhaps he could even learn a few things in the ways of proper manners.
He watched as Caroline poured the tea, bringing his cup closer and wondering whether there was a proper way to prepare tea. Coming up with no answers, he simply imitated her, scooping a spoon of sugar into his cup and stirring it as unobtrusively as he could manage. There was something quite mesmerizing about the methodical way with which she did this, and he couldn't help but wonder what it was like to partake in such fine activities every day. Not for him, he imagined; such a sedentary lifestyle would drive him crazy in days. But it was fascinating nonetheless.
"Yes, miss, Northport," he answered, putting down his spoon. "S'just north of here, where the Thrithing meets the sea. Two or three days by water, but you're floatin' with the current so it's not far. It's the ride back up to Palisade what makes it difficult sometimes." Now that they were talking about something Rob knew and loved, he could feel himself becoming more at ease. Part of him still felt pleasantly surprised that she was interested in knowing more about Northport, which was a world removed from the glamorous capital. "You'll find all sorts in Northport, y'will," he added fondly.
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