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 Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:39 am
To say that Rob Tiller was out of his comfort zone would have been an understatement. His shirt was far too tight, his jacket even tighter, and there was not a puddle of water in sight. Rob tolerated Palisade for his mother and the fact that the Thrithing flowed right through it, but this... Oldcastle... This, he did not like.
Still, he had considered it a small price to pay when he'd seen how happy Caroline was and how excited at the prospect of attending the Queen's masque. There was something to be said about being invited to a royal event. Caroline's enthusiasm had even convinced Ollie to come along with Taxes, which meant that all in all, Rob was having a far better time of it than he would ever have thought possible.
And there was a certain decadence to the event that Rob was unused to. Whether he found it to his liking, he had yet to decide, but even among the ruins, the courtyard and its immaculately dressed occupants were stunning.
"Would y'care for a drink then, love?" He said, turning to Caroline with a hopeful look on his face. That drink would likely have been more for him than for her.
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Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 12:39 pm
The ball was spectacular...almost a little too spectacular. The atmosphere was manic; colors blindingly bright, laughter delirious, and expressions contorted. But any strange aspects of their surroundings were difficult to focus on; if she tried, her thoughts were directed elsewhere. She thought perhaps the fruit she had eaten was rotten, despite it haven tasted fine, and shook her unease off. She was safe, and in good company; there was nothing worth worrying over.
She turned toward Rob with a smile as he spoke. Her eyes were alight behind her mask, and the fabric of her gown crinkled as she moved. When she had received her invitation to the ball, she had sought out Rob, inviting him as her guest. After their first meeting, the two had hit it off, and since her fiance was too busy to bother accompanying her to some "silly party of freaks", as he had put it, Caroline was pleased Rob had accepted her request. She knew it wasn't exactly his scene, but he seemed to be having a good enough time, especially with his brother present as well.
She shook her head, hands folded in front of her. "Ah...no thank you. I do not favor the taste." She declined politely. She had only had a flute of champagne once, and while the taste had been fine, she didn't like the way it made her head swim. But that was far too embarrassing to admit; that she couldn't handle her alcohol. Her gaze returned to watching the crowd of swirling dancing, and smiled, swaying slightly in time to the music. "Lovely ball, is it not? The Queen has done a marvelous job. And how exciting, that she be chosen as well! Surely now, it will provoke further acceptance." She said brightly, smiling up at him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 4:11 pm
((Just to throw this in here, if we could set it before update II, I would appreciate it. I've already had a kerfluffle where I put Soibhan in two places at once >_> If we could put this sometime between 1-4pm, it would keep my timeline from getting more off track xD Also! Liiath, do you have aim? o3o))
She's spoken to the self-proclaimed spirit and found him as enigmatic as she had expected. Rajani would scold her for her poor first impression on him, but Soibhan felt that she had made up for her small blunder before Llyr had gone on his way. The information she'd given him, as vague as any could be, would no doubt come into play later.
Wandering the crowd proved oddly stifling to her, even though no one paid her any attention now. Where her dress had drawn incredulous stares before, now Llyr took all their attention, and she found herself okay with that. As much as she enjoyed showing off in any facet, the air about this entire affair stuck in her craw and refused to be shaken away.
Rajani and her were becoming almost paranoid at this point, but Soibhan felt convinced that something was going to go wrong tonight. The setting was simply too perfect.
A crowd of the laughing privileged blocked her way for a moment, but when they passed, she looked up.
And stopped dead.
Her heart fluttered without even asking her if it had permission to do so. Rob? Rob is here? But...why?
A moment later, the why of it made itself known, and the flutter she'd felt turned to a quick stab. A woman stood beside him, before blocked by another group of people, but now she stood clear as day next to him. They were speaking low, heads tilted toward each other to be heard over the clamour of the revelers.
Her fingers clenched of their own accord. Would she be able to escape? A coward she wasn't, but neither was she a warrior of controlled emotions. Especially not after the wine she'd consumed already so far.
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:25 am
"Just for me, then," he said with a brief smile or amusement as a server passed and he carefully lifted a glass from the platter. There was no ale to be found, only wines and champagnes that he did not recognize, held in ornate glasses that he dared not handle too roughly lest they shattered in his hand. He wasn't quite certain how to properly ingest such proper drinks either, with their odd sourness and aftertaste, so he had taken to finishing them in several swallows and seeking out replacements.
"Oh. Yes, it's all quite nice," he agreed, watching as dancers whisked by. There was a part of him that hoped Caroline would be content to simply watch and not partake in the dances. Rob had received a lesson or two in dancing from his mother when she had discovered that he was attending the ball, but the lessons had not stuck with him well and, if he remembered correctly, those dances had not been quite the same as these ones.
"D'you think it's all real, though?" He wondered aloud. "There's whispers the choosing mightn't be right... or, natural. I don't know." Politics was not his strong suit, and neither was speculating on other people's business, but rumors swirled about nonetheless. Enough that Rob had heard them, anyway, which was a strong enough testament on its own.
He turned in search of a server to take his empty glass when he saw her, some ways across the room, all fire and short hair. He caught her eye and involuntarily, his body froze. Soibhan. And just like that, the memory of their last encounter stirred. Soibhan, with her kisses and her warm body close to his and that song.
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Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:22 pm
Caroline glanced away as Rob downed another glass of alcohol, smoothing her hands down the bodice of her dress nervously. She couldn't quite quell her insecurities, that he was drinking so much because he found her presence dull, or the party painful. She knew he might not be entirely comfortable, laced up so stiffly, but she had thought, or rather hoped, that perhaps a change of scenery would have been nice. He liked adventures, did he not? Perhaps liked them more on the sea, but there was plenty on land to experience as well. Maybe she had assumed incorrectly. Maybe he didn't want to be here at all, and rather, had been too kind to refuse her offer.
Or maybe she was just being silly. She was so unsure of herself, so unsure of where they stood. She had thought their first meeting had gone well; had she been too forward in inviting him here? She sighed softly, subtly shaking her head. She needed to stop worrying. Regardless of how he felt, they were here now, and she was determined to make the best of the evening.
She glanced back up at him as he spoke, abruptly blurting out a rather interesting accusation. All rumors of course, but as she looked back up at the queen, perhaps it wasn't a far fetched on. The queen looked so pale and sickly, her buck distant and aloof. The two didn't interact like a true chosen and their guardian might, and Caroline furrowed her brow softly. "I...suppose. It does seem incredibly sudden, and the Queen does not look well. Though, I could not imagine how one would force a choosing. It seems...unlikely." She pursed her lips as she spoke, her mind reeling.
When she glanced back at Rob, his demeanor had changed. He was stiff, alert, as if he had just spotted something threatening, or that made him incredibly uncomfortable. Caroline tried to follow his line of sight, anxiety spiking. But after a few moments, she relaxed, having not seen anything she found threatening or frightening. Still, she was curious. "Is everything all right?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:09 pm
He sees me. Feckin' hell! I can't run now... The fact that she'd even been willing to run didn't sit well with her, but she'd come to terms with that later. It was too late to back away and pretend that she hadn't noticed them. He knew for a fact that she had, she could see it in his eyes. The gaelic woman clenched her teeth until her jaw ached. I can't keep standin' here like a lackwit. I...I have to go up to...them....And at least acknowledge their presence.Sighing, she grabbed a wine flute off a passing servant's tray and downed it in one gulp, replacing it almost immediately to the bewilderment of the man holding it. The wine felt sour on her tongue, even worse in her belly. A good ale would have proven better as liquid fortification, but this entire affair seemed too stuffy and pretentious for ale. Or even beer. She forced a smile on her face as she came nearer, catching the eyes of Rob first, but she turned her gaze quickly to the dainty woman beside him. A flower of a woman, really. Her smile turned feral of its own accord as she looked back at the man that made her belly clench. "Rob! What a pleasure it is seein' ya here," she purred, her eyes snapping fire. "Did yer brother drag ya here?"
Was I really so easy to forget? Will you still hold me to that song, Rob?
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 1:48 am
He wished he could find a way to reassure Caroline that it was simply the people, the properness of it all that he hadn't grown accustomed to, that his apparent discomfort had nothing to do with her. There were a handful of things he wished he could reassure her about, but he didn't have the right way with words to explain himself. Not to her, anyway. There were moments, so many of them, in which he felt that stark contrast between the two of them and was forced to wonder how he had ever thought to bridge that gap. He was just a sailor, and she was... something else entirely.
But this, of course, none of this made it any easier.
"Well..." No. No, was the answer but even as the word jumped to this lips, he forced it down again. How was he supposed to explain? What would he even say, and how could he expect Caroline to hear it and not be angry? "Yea, it's fine. Just... a friend," he said finally.
His gaze stayed on Soibhan as she made her way over, wondering a great many things that his mind failed to process in that moment. "Soibhan," he said, and it took a conscious effort to get the word out. Oh, how he wished... If only it was a different time, for all three of them. Or a different life, maybe. It was almost cruelly funny how poorly time had worked itself out.
"I... no. He, well he's here, somewhere. He'll be thrilled t'see you." Of course, those were all just words, and there was so much he wanted to say and to ask that he couldn't. Couldn't, because... "I'm here with... I mean, this is Caroline." Rob grimaced. Words. But he hoped the both of them could the apology in his eyes. It was too much to hope that neither would figure out what was happening.((Sorry I derped from Gaia for a bit! Hope you guys are still up for this biggrin ))
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 11:08 pm
Caroline continued to watch Rob, expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. He seemed tortured, ready to flee, finding it difficult to find the necessary words. Again, she turned to peer around, but all she saw...well, everyone. The swirling masses, the giggling girls...he could have been looking at anything. She had no idea what to look for.
And then he said it; a 'friend'. Almost at the exact moment, a woman approached. Almost immediately, she knew the woman was trouble...of some kind. She seemed rough and wild, and the smile she offered...Caroline flinched, guard up, and Elowen shuffled closer to her chosen, bright eyes on Soibhan. The woman - though Caroline knew she noticed her - did not introduce herself, nor did acknowledge Caroline in any verbal manner. Rather, she addressed Rob solely, and so, suddenly feeling out of place, Caroline remained silent beside Rob, resisting the urge to excuse herself.
Unsure of where to stare, what to say, or even if she should stay, Caroline glanced about nervously, struggling to remain calm and composed. Something about the woman screamed 'danger', and as obvious prey, Caroline wished to flee. But Rob was here...And evidently, she was a friend of Rob's. Surely, she was over-thinking things, allowing her insecurities to take hold. She was fine, she was safe. If anything, Elowen and Rob would not allow any harm to befall her.
At the mention of her name, she glanced back at the woman, and smiled, and bowed her head subtly in welcome. But her eyes snapped back to Rob, brow furrowing at the way he said that...That he had begun to say he was with her, only to stop himself. Why? What had been the point? He was here with her, was he not? They had come together, and it had been her intent to stay together throughout the evening. Unless he had suddenly changed his mind. Caroline was no fool; something was up. Something to do with this woman. But what...she could not decipher.
Rather than dwell, she returned to looking at Soibhan. "It is a pleasure...uh..." She hated not having people's names. "I apologize; your name?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:01 am
Soibhan glanced at Caroline's elaborate gown and felt decidedly under dressed for this entire affair. Suddenly the stares of everyone seemed to bother her more, and she wondered why now, when they hadn't before? Ye can blame that fool Tiller fer this. Ye like him, and now ya feel like second best, which tends ta breed second thoughts ye wouldn't normally have, she thought to herself, and she could feel her expression souring. Before, she couldn't hardly look at him without feeling a pang of hurt. Now she simply felt angry, and that particular feeling was growing by the minute. "Soibhan," she said, voice clipped. Her eyes snapped back to Rob. "Ye seem a wee bit uncomfortable, Rob. Those fancy clothes a bit stifling to ye? Or is it somethin' else?" A movement caught her eye and she only then noticed the dainty Guardian a little behind Caroline. The doe was beautiful, and where Soibhan would usually soften at the sight of one of the elegant creatures, her anger had too strong of a grip on her. Emotions seemed a dangerous thing to have on a night such as this, where the very air itself seemed charged with anticipation and nervous energy.
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:04 pm
Oh, bollocks, they were conversing. If, indeed, what Caroline and Soibhan were doing could be called conversation. The knot in his stomach wound tighter. It wasn't as though he had expected them to ignore each other, but neither had he planned out a way to handle the situation. As far as Rob could tell, this get-together was poised to take a downward turn, fast.
"Ah, they're no more stifling to me than they would be for you," he said to Soibhan. He knew what she was doing by pointing out the fancy attire, but he wouldn't let her hold that over him. They all knew at a glance that he had no business being on friendly terms with someone like Caroline, yet here they were. And if Soibhan was right, if he did feel at times that he did not at all belong in Caroline's world, he wouldn't show it. Not right now, anyway, and not to the best of his ability.
"Somebody hid all the rum," he added, attempting to brush off Soibhan's last question. As plausible an answer as that was, though, Rob knew it was obviously not the case. Suddenly he found himself wishing he had his own Taxes to ease the situation. If Ollie had been in his place, the bubbly Guardian would have simply wormed her way into the center of attention and taken some of the heat off her Chosen. Of course Ollie, being Ollie, probably would have found a way to laugh it all off without causing anyone much undue pain.
"Been a while," Rob added, though it was largely for Caroline's benefit, emphasizing that it had been some time since he had last spoken to or seen Soibhan.
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Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:34 pm
She really didn't belong here. Rob could say whatever he liked to try and dissuade her - assuming he bothered to - but she knew when she was unwelcome, and it was painfully clear that she was the third wheel in this conversation. Soibhan held no interest in Caroline, and despite her casual words, her tone was sharp and laced with double meaning. Rob, though he responded calmly, was uneasy, and both individuals seemed to be going out of their way to dance around the underlying issues between them, simply hinting at them. She knew it was probably because she stood there, listening, a witness to...whatever this was. Caroline merely nodded at Soibhan's 'greeting' and shifted her weight anxiously, gaze downcast.
She should leave. Yes, that would be best; leave them alone for a bit, let them speak freely with one another, and then she would return. Maybe. Or she might flee in tears. Would staying be worth it? Would Rob even be interested? Or would he leave with Soibhan? She didn't want to stay if it meant being alone...
She looked up, unable to look at either of them. "Well I...I am...Excuse me." Every excuse she had thought up dissipated, and she was left stumbling over her words. Embarrassed and confused, she turned and walked away, Elowen at her side. She tried to walk normally, so as not to seem upset or disorientated, and only when she was halfway across the courtyard did she stop, but she was unsure if she wanted to look back or not.
ooc She'll be back on my next post! Wanted to give Soibhan a chance to speak her mind, mwhaha. Also, we're currently at the end of Update 1, correct?
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:44 am
((yep, updated I between 1-4pm =D)) "I doona understand why there's no rum," she grumbled offhandedly, staring angrily at the ground and crossing her arms over her chest. "And yes, it has been awhile, Rob Tiller. I so looked forward te seein' yer brother and...well, you, and here ye are!" Before she could say anything else, Caroline excused herself and ran off like a beaten dog. Soibhan watched her go with not a small amount of disdain. Wiggling her fingers at the retreating woman, she asked, "Where did ye find the wee puppy of a lass?" A woman almost the exact opposite of myself, she mused in her head, finding that that line of thought was setting her on a straight course to fire-breathing dragon. "Couldn't finish what ye started with me so ye had ta find second best?" L ii a t h Soi is probably not going to be nice to Caroline >_> In this part of the timeline, she's still kind of a .... complete b***h? to most women <_< She's also wired so differently from Caroline that she just can't understand her or accept her. It's one of Soi's bad traits
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Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:20 am
"No, Caroline, don't-" Rob began, but she had turned to leave and part of him knew it would be worse to make her stay. Somehow, he suspected that Soibhan was not prepared to let this slide without some choice words, which he wasn't sure Caroline ought to hear. Perhaps it was all for the best.
He rounded back on Soibhan, half furious and half prepared to blame Caroline's retreat on her and her fiery disposition when he caught himself. That fire was what had drawn him to her song to begin with, he admitted somewhat bitterly, and it was no more Soibhan's fault than it was Caroline's. Blaming either of them for any of this was unfair, and he was well aware that he had put himself in this situation, foolishly expecting that none of it would catch up with him again. Ollie had warned him once before, but Rob had ignored it. The world didn't work that way, he had told himself. The window of opportunity for that first song had closed and he hadn't expected it to reopen, because fate was rarely ever so kind.
And yet, here they were.
"I wasn't exactly given a choice with you, was I?" he muttered, knowing it was hardly an excuse. But how exactly could he go about explaining it? Say that he hadn't thought he'd be lucky enough to see her again? Say that life had simply come along and taken him on a different course? Say he was sorry? All of that sounded as weak in his head as he knew it would out loud. "She just... I needed to help her."
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Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 12:28 pm
Ashtiel Arykosa No worries! xD Soi can be as mean as she wants; bothers Caroline, but I love it! haha
Feeling lost and unsure, Caroline glanced around. A man holding a tray of champagne flutes passed, and on impulse, Caroline snatched one for herself, downing half of it before she could stop herself. Her body tingled uncomfortably as the alcohol coursed through her system. She hated the feeling, but needed something else to focus on. She hoped it would be enough to distract her thoughts from the stab of pain in her heart. Exhaling slowly, Caroline turned, and finally, fixated her gaze on Rob and Soibhan. She had left to allow them a moment of privacy, but now, she was dying to know what they were saying to one another.
Caroline wasn't particularly nosy, and tried to stray from gossip, but what she wouldn't give in that moment...Now that she was out of earshot, she thought perhaps she had made a mistake. Surely, she was missing out on some crucial information. But would they have said it in front of her? Probably not. Either way, she was in the dark. Sighing, she turned to look at Elowen. "What do you think?" She asked her guardian softly. Elowen glanced at her, and snorted, shaking her head. Caroline offered a small, sad smile, looking back across the courtyard toward Rob and Soibhan. "Hmm..."
Finally, she decided enough time had lapsed, and she didn't want Rob to worry - assuming he would even bother doing so, when in the presence of whom she assumed was an ex-lover of sorts. Setting her drink down, Caroline made her way across the courtyard to rejoin the pair, smoothing her features. As she approached, she caught the end of Rob's sentence. I needed to help her. Caroline froze inside, but willed herself to continue forward. Help her? Was he talking about her? What did he think she was, a charity cause? Her cheeks flushed, but she was to close now to turn and flee. Forcing a smile, she stopped to stand beside the two, Elowen just behind her. But she didn't speak, for a number of reasons. She didn't want to verbally interupt, Soibhan intimidated her, and if she opened her mouth now, she feared she might scream...
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Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:19 am
Her choice, biting words were on her tongue but when Caroline abruptly returned with a forced smile on her face, Soibhan snapped her mouth shut, spinning the stem of the wine flute between her fingers. Ye could have come and found me later, Tiller. But ye didn't.
In truth, that same argument could be thrown back at her. She hadn't sought him out either. She'd gotten so caught up in everything, as if a whirlwind had picked her up and spun her about endlessly since parting with the Tillers. Finally, she looked at Caroline again, but this time, she didn't bother with the forced smile. It was tiring, and as much as she disliked Caroline on principle, there was enough forced interactions here already. "How did ye meet our dear Rob?" MoonRazor This RP was so aptly named XD
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