|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 17:37:36 GMT -5
There was absolutely nothing more fate could throw at her to make this day worse.
At first, it had been a simple matter of unfortunate mistakes; things she was more than happy to overlook for the sake of the staff. Little things that rarely happened. The stablehand slipped and hurt himself, so he couldn't get the horses hooked to the carriage. She wouldn't get to the party on time. Well, that was fine; it was a lovely evening, and she didn't mind riding. However, it so happened that the royal escort was with her father and mother in Huboden, so she would have to go alone. She didn't mind. Unfortunately, the mare she usually rode was being used for another carriage, so she had to ride her father's warhorse, Roanoke. The problem with riding Roanoke is that the stallion is a very stubborn horse. Well, it was all well and good up until he decided he wanted to take his own route, and took off at a wild gallop. By the time she had gotten control of him, she was disoriented. Then, finally, as if to add insult to injury, the storm clouds that had been gathering overhead since she began to ride split open and dumped a shower of freezing rain down onto her.
Finally, that was it for poor Emaera. The usually calm, cheerful girl found herself lost, frustrated, bewildered, and frightened, in a little town she knew nothing about and nobody in. So, she did what any other girl would do in her situation; she tied Roanoke to a nearby tree, sat down on a bench that was in the pretty little gardens of the town, put her head in her hands, and started to cry.
Of course, if all that hadn't happened, she never would have met him.
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 10, 2009 18:04:15 GMT -5
It seemed the heavens had it out for him today. Around three in the afternoon, he'd left Hudoben on a little journey the Gods had requested he make. Oh, they'd been very unspecific about what the actual purpose of this quest was, but when the Gods told you to do something, you do it. Especially if they have the whole of your powers in their hands as well as a very tight grip around your heart, in which all they'd have to do is squeeze just a bit before you'd keel over instantly, as dead as you ever could be.
At exactly three fifteen, his powers decided to act up, and a trees root actually lifted from the ground and tripped him. That was a first. Normally his powers acted out against random bystanders, not himself. It had hurt his ego quite a bit, Kithh found he must admit. At five, the winds picked up and he was blinded by his hair. Of course, he had expected this, so he pulled out a leather band and tied his long hair back. No big deal. Then the band broke and all hell broke loose again.
Still not that bad, right? Okay, so it really wasn't. Then he got lost. To say it shocked the hell out of him would be an understatement. Pureblooded elves, espeically ones with as much power as he possessed did not get lost. It was just... unheard of. Then again, the Gods hadn't told him where he was suppose to go - all a part of that whole I'm-A-Diety-So-I-Have-To-Be-Mysterious thing - and he'd just gone off in a random direction. Of course he had a clue where he was going, or where he had planned on heading, Cinaed, but with the weather and the unprodictable Gods against him, he seemed to be heading somewhere near Mitya instead. The worst place possible for him. Kithh had the ability to control most things of the land, and if he had heard right, Mitya was known for it's abundance of all things earth. Now, normally he would have loved it there. That is, if his powers weren't as uncontrollable and changing as the Gods' minds. He had little to no control over his abilities, espcially when the weather was acting up as it was now.
Suddenly he heard crying in a close garden - thank his pointy ears. Curious, and just a bit lonely, he decided to go check it out - which was very strange to him, he kept to himself. Entering the garden he saw a younger girl slouched over herself ontop of a marble bench, her ebony hair falling over her eyes and hiding the whole of her face from view, all but one mesmerizing emerald eye that had crystalline tears falling from it. Again he found himself drawn, uncharacteristically, toward her.
"Miss...are you alright?" he asked, his voice silky smooth and sexy as always. Kithh's tawny eyes were focused down on her, smouldering, watching her in concern.
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 18:15:22 GMT -5
"Miss...are you alright?"
Oh, horror of all horrors...someone had seen her crying. Emaera jolted upright, eyes wide, brushing the tears away frantically. Well, not that it mattered, seeing as it was raining and it was difficult to tell tear from raindrop. Even so, she ran a slender hand over her face and looked up at the owner of the voice.
That somebody was a very handsome somebody indeed. She felt her cheeks burning in embarassment; not only had someone seen her crying, but that person happened to be exceedingly handsome. And...her eyes widened as she focused on his ears. An elf? Without thinking, her hand rose to her own enlongated, slightly-pointed ears. Of course, it was evident that they were of different races, but even so, another elf was incredibly rare.
"I..." she began, and then faltered as a shiver ran through her body. Emaera bit her lip and drew her drenched cloak a bit tighter, though it did no good against the icy water and cold wind. Her first impulse was to lie, tell him that everything was perfectly fine, thank-you-very-much, but something stopped her. The concern in his expression, perhaps? The instinctive trust she felt? That couldn't be good. Being so far away from King was making her dangerously frightened and lonely. "Would you rather an honest answer or one that would allow you to be on your way?" she finally asked, smiling wryly through her tears. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 10, 2009 19:00:52 GMT -5
Kithh knew that he had taken her by surprise. How could he not? He was an elf afterall, and they were known for their superior ability to slink around silently. Plus, it was obvious that this woman did not cry very often, and had been just as surprised by his arrival as by her own tears. Her hands were tiny, he noticed. Far smaller than his own, which could no doubt make hers disappear in his own massive hand. Suddenly, he felt the urge to make it happen, and he felt stunned. What were the Gods playing at? First his powers, now his emotions? What were they trying to do, make him fall in love? Was that their super-secret mission? He shook his head subtly, no, they would never do such a thing, it was his imagination.
As the blood rose to her cheeks, his expression stayed the same, concerned. He'd been told multiple times that he was exceedingly good looking, but he never took advantage of his apparently very good luck. He wasn't that kind of guy, to work people over with his looks. If people were going to like him, they had to like him not just his body. Following her dainty hand as they instinctively rose to her own ears, he felt him smile just a little bit. Ah, a fellow elf. It was a very rare occurance, indeed, especially among different races.
Seeing her shiver, he felt a bit of fury at the environment around him. How dare they make her cold? If he wasn't afraid of losing control, he might have done something about it.
"Would you rather an honest answer or one that would allow you to be on your way?"
Kithh's smile deepened. "The truth is always the best. Besides, I don't know where I was headed anyway." he said, his voice like a rumble of thunder.
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 19:20:05 GMT -5
"The truth is always the best. Besides, I don't know where I was headed anyway."
Emaera felt herself beginning to relax more, despite the shivers running through her body. His voice was something from a dream; low and rich, with musical tones that faintly mirrored her own forest accent. She had been told by many people that her lilting, melodious voice was an exotic asset, absolutely charming, but she didn't think too much of it.
"Well, then, if you really must know, my day has been simply horrid." she hesitated, but he seemed to be waiting. Listening. Just like that, a dam broke and the words flew out before she could stop and think about them. "Well, to begin with, the stablehand broke his leg and so the carriage was late. I told them I would ride by myself, since the escort was away, but my mare was gone so I had to take that monster over there. Sure enough he decides to take off and strands me in the middle of heaven-knows-where in this accursed storm with no way of contacting my parents or sister."
Her hand flew up to her mouth, eyes widening as her face went red. "Oh, I...how absolutely awful. I doubt you wished to hear all that nonsense, it was horribly thoughtless of me."
Demons above and below, she was rambling again. Now suitably mortified, she ducked her head and felt herself shiver again. Roanoke whinnied and tossed his mane. The storm didn't bother him at all, lucky horse.
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 10, 2009 19:30:40 GMT -5
Kithh watched her with his escentric (sp?) eyes. He knew they were an odd color, even for an elf. They were like the color of a tawny hawks feathers. Not many in his clan had ever heard of an elf with eyes the color of a free-flyer. In fact when he'd come of age he'd been honored by the very being that gave his eyes their name. A magestic falcon hawk had stopped in front of him on the day of his eighteenth birthday, and holding out its talon it had waited for him to reach out with his hand. Opening it's clawed appendage, a silver ring dropped into his hand. It was a simple band, but it was in the shape of two feathers meeting each other. He hadn't taken it off since then, nor had he seen the bird again.
Kithh new that she was relaxing, that much was obvious by the change in her body's posture. Suddenly she broke loose as if relieved to finally have someone to tell it all to. He smiled softly until she started apologizing. Slowly he began to chuckle. Realizing quickly that it sounded rude, he apologized himself. "I'm sorry. It just appears we've had a very similiar day. The gods seem to have it out for us, no?" he questioned, grinning, as his almost black looking hair curled around his chin.
He took a step towards her and then sat down on the ground gracefully, crossing his legs. He didn't mind sitting in the wet. The girl distracted him from that. "I do believe that we're just outside the border of Ermete though." he added after a moment, as he regarded the world around him.
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 19:41:08 GMT -5
When he began to laugh, her cheeks flushed an even darker shade of red, and she looked away. "I'm sorry. It just appears we've had a very similiar day. The gods seem to have it out for us, no?" he apologized. Emaera looked up at him hesitantly, willing the blush away. Luckily, curiousity was stronger than her embarassment, and it began to ebb away slowly. "If your day has been anywhere close to mine, rest assured that you have my deepest sympathy." she said ernestly.
"I do believe that we're just outside the border of Ermete though."
"Oh dear," she said, dismayed. "I'm a long way from home."
Shivers were now visible, running through her body, and she turned her head away and muffled a sneeze. Oh no, not a cold, not now. She glanced back and saw that he was sitting on the cold, wet ground. She sprang up. "I think it would be best for us to find somewhere out of the rain, before we both catch our deaths." Emaera said, posing the suggestion as a mixture between a request and an offer. She looked around, spotting a cozy looking hotel. She knew she had more than enough money to see her through a week or more here, and she was more than willing to assist him as well.
[/center]
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 10, 2009 19:53:51 GMT -5
He smiled gently as he watched her blush slowly fade away. Good, he didn't want her to be embarrassed. Normally he was very gentlemanly, and he didn't like seeing a lady embarrassed on his account. If anyone else had done it, he'd probably have slugged them one. "Well thank you. Your sympathy is much appreciated and makes my day a little less disgusting. I was originally headed to Cinaed, but it seems the gods, or the wind, wanted me here instead." he said, finding that he wasn't all to angry at whoever had done it now.
Kithh's delicate eyebrows rose as she jumped to her feet. As he saw another shiver race down her spin, he got to his feet beside her. He found that they were actually very closely together, and he could feel the warmth from her body. Surprisingly, he found he had to force himself to take a step back and give her room.
"That's probably a good suggestion. I'm not too fond of colds." he chuckled. It sounded strange, hearing a human ailment coming out of an elf's mouth, but elves could get colds just as easily, and they were just as miserable. He followed the direction of her gaze. "Would you like me to lead your horse for you, or do you have him?" he questioned, as he turned his tawny eyes onto the stallion tied to the tree.
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 20:04:51 GMT -5
"Would you like me to lead your horse for you, or do you have him?"
Emaera cast a dark look back at Roanoke, who was gazing back at her innocently. "I ought to let you stay out here and freeze," she informed the stallion, but she walked over and fumbled with the knot she had tied in the reins with her clumsy, cold fingers anyway. A moment later, the horse had taken off yet again. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" she cried, exasperation coloring her tone as she added a few more elaborate exclamations in Mriithian, darting after him.
The da.mned horse had found himself an empty stall. The poor stablehand was staring at the stallion as if he couldn't believe his eyes, jaw agape. Emaera mumbled something else unladylike in Mriithian, then gave the stablehand her prettiest smile. "I'm terribly sorry, Roanoke is so impossible sometimes. Silly horse." she laughed lightly, as if it were nothing that bothered her. "Did he scare you? Well, here. This should take care of that." Easily, she handed him a gold coin. The stablehand looked as if he were going to faint. "Th-th-thank you, ma'am!" he stammared. She smiled again, turning and walking back to her companion, the smile fading and irritation glinting in her emerald eyes. "That horse is going to be the death of me, if this storm doesn't kill me first." she sighed, looking up at him with an unintentionally cute expression, much like a resentful puppy, only more elegant.
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 10, 2009 20:11:08 GMT -5
ooc// looking much like a resentful puppy, only more elegant. haha, love that.
bic// Kithh watched her fumble with the reins, and was about to go help her when the horse broke free of her grasp and darted towards the dry little inn's animal house. His eyes full of mirth as the lady started sprinting after the horse, spewing out cuss words in her own language, he swiftly started running after her. When he stopped just outside the silloutte of light in the stables, he watched her take care of the stableman with ease. He couldn't help the smile. It was nice to see a lady be able to take care of herself for once.
Then she was back talking to him, muttering about how that horse was going to be the death of her. Chuckling a bit, he nodded in the way of the inn. "The horse hasn't killed you yet, so unless you'd like the storm to do the honors, I suggest we hurry inside." he smiled. He was actually very relieved to be getting inside. Whenever he was inside his powers were less frightening and had less of a chance of breaking free. There weren't many living things besides people in buildings.
ooc// sorry, its gross
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 10, 2009 21:17:21 GMT -5
((not nearly as gross as my post in CMH a few posts ago )) "The horse hasn't killed you yet, so unless you'd like the storm to do the honors, I suggest we hurry inside." "Agreed." she said, managing a weary smile as they walked into the cozy little inn. Immediately, Emaera felt the chill from outside thaw as she heard the gentle crackling of a fire and a friendly greeting from the person at the desk. "Ah, so it's a bad storm, then?" a pleasant woman asked from behind the counter, favoring them with a sympathetic smile. "Room for two? No worries, my dears. I'll have a maid send up some chamille tea." Emaera's eyes widened in shock. A room for two? As in... "Wait-" she began, alarmed. "Now, now, darling. No need to be embarrassed. Not that we get many honeymooners here in Ermete, but who am I to judge? The first night's on the house. Oh, you poor things, you're absolutely drenched."And that was how Emaera found herself bundled in an old nightgown lent to her by one of the innkeeper's daughters, sharing a room and a double bed with a startlingly handsome stranger. "I..." she tried to break the silence, but it was too intimidating. She fell silent for a long moment, gathering her courage. "I'm sorry...for all this." the slender girl gestured towards the bed and then towards their drenched clothes, muddied from the wild chase after Roanoke. "If you like, I can sleep on the floor." It wouldn't bother her in the least...well, not much. It struck her just then that she didn't even know his name. With an apologetic smile, she glanced over at him. "I'm afraid my manners completely abandoned me. My name is Emaera...and you are...?"((sorry, bad...))
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 11, 2009 15:46:44 GMT -5
ooc// haha, no worries! i like this one. lol XD
bic// To say that the fire was welcome would be an understatement. The moment that Kithh entered the simple inn, the fire's warmth wrapped around his numbing limbs and teased them back to life. The blood was suddenly flowing through his body and he could feel that annoying tingle that told him his body was once again working at a proper temperature. The heat was so welcome that he almost didn't catch the conversation between the hostess and his young friend.
A room for two? Well that would be interesting. He watched silently, his lips pulled up in a small smile as his hair dripped around him, as his companion tried to right the situation but found herself unable.
Soon they were settled upstairs in a room for two. Kithh was perched on the arm of a chair by the fire, with his head angled towards his new-found room-mate. By now his hair had started to dry and it's true auburn color was starting to come out. He was dressed in a pair of slacks and a loose t-shirt that the owner of the inn had lent him for the night. As she started to speak, his tawny eyes focused upon her and the small blush she had on her cheeks. Obviously the situation made her nervous, so he smiled gently hoping that it might alleviate her fears.
"I'm sorry...for all this. If you like, I can sleep on the floor."
Kithh's eyes instantly flashed and he found himself shaking his head abruptly. "Of course you will take the bed. I'll take the floor." he said, almost as if she'd insulted him. He was a man, so of course, in the presence of a lady, he would gladly take the floor.
"I'm afraid my manners completely abandoned me. My name is Emaera...and you are...?"
Finding himself smiling just a bit, he decided that he rather liked her name. It seemed to fit. "You're not the only one who's manners seem to have fled. I'm Kithh B'Narign." he answered in reply. "An interesting situation, is it not? I thought you were about to pass out when the land-lady suggested a room for two. You must excuse me. I would have jumped in, but there was no way the kind lady was going to be disuaded."
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 11, 2009 18:28:29 GMT -5
"Of course you will take the bed. I'll take the floor." he argued, almost fiercely. Emaera sighed, having forseen that reaction. He seemed like the type to take such an offer as something akin to an insult.
"Don't be silly," she replied firmly, her blush darkening as some part of her considered the other solution to their problem. He was already speaking, though.
"You're not the only one who's manners seem to have fled. I'm Kithh B'Narign." he informed her in response to her earlier question. "An interesting situation, is it not? I thought you were about to pass out when the land-lady suggested a room for two. You must excuse me. I would have jumped in, but there was no way the kind lady was going to be disuaded."
Emaera waved a hand dismissively, shaking her head. Because her hair had been quick to dry once within the warmth of the hotel, it rippled down her back and shoulders in waves and curls, dark as night, all the way to her hips. Her long, dark eyelashes made the enchanting forest-green of her eyes stand out in a startling, captivating contrast. "I'll not be disuaded either," she warned him. "You'll have the bed, like it or not, Kithh B'Narign."
|
|
|
Post by {K}itsune on Dec 11, 2009 18:37:54 GMT -5
Somehow he'd known that he'd end up this way tonight, sharing a bed with a lady he'd just met. Either this was what the gods had had planned for him from the beginning, or they were just fooling around with his head now. It really could be either, he was not at all sure. At times, while she was speaking, or while she wasn't paying attention to his actions, he'd rake his gaze down her face and then the length of her body, not allowing himself to linger on any one part too long. He saw that she had a very trim, but not too soft, body and that like most elves, her hair and eyes contrasted to such an extent that it made her look like an exotic beauty, which she was.
Nothing about her was ordinary. Her manners for one, were far too extravagant for her to be a commoner, as was the way she carried herself. Plus nobody that attactive could ever belong to anything less than nobility. Or at least to a high powered elf family, if she still lived within her race, of course. He, himself, lived alone, and except for his weekly meetings with his clan he didn't see too many elves.
His smile as she finished speaking held no inference of mal-intent, only amusement. "It seems we are at an impass. Well, my lady, it appears that you have two choices, and no more. One, you will allow me to take the floor, or two it appears that we will be sharing because, I cannot allow you to sleep on the ground while I sleep on a mattress stuffed with feathers." he said, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant way.
|
|
|
Post by Despair on Dec 11, 2009 19:00:59 GMT -5
"It seems we are at an impass. Well, my lady, it appears that you have two choices, and no more. One, you will allow me to take the floor, or two it appears that we will be sharing because, I cannot allow you to sleep on the ground while I sleep on a mattress stuffed with feathers."
She didn't answer him immediately. Instead, the Princess turned her emerald gaze onto the heavens above, (or where they would be, were there not a much-appreciated roof to the hotel) wondering if an immortal Being was looking down upon them at that moment and laughing. Was this some sort of joke? Emaera mumbled something in her own language about Gods having a cruel sense of humor, then looked back at him.
It was impossible not to notice the way his eyes roved over her body, taking her in, but never being allowed to linger. At first, she pretended not to notice, but some part of her was urging her to let him know that she did notice, but didn't mind. In the least. Of course, it was hardly proper, but...she was noticing him as well. It would be hypocritical to bring it up and scold him for it, especially since she found that it made her feel rather good about herself. How...strange. A rare courage formed inside of her, making the decision.
The next time his eyes drifted, she didn't look away. Instead, she waited for his gaze to move back to her face, and caught his eyes with hers. The meaning would be perfectly clear; she had seen him looking her over. Then, her lips curved into a smile. It wasn't a seductive, come-and-get-it-smile, not in the least. No, it was a knowing, understanding, gentle, yes-I-saw-and-no-I-don't-mind kind of smile. Why did she trust him so completely, and so quickly?
"I'll have to ask your own opinion, sir. I'd hardly force my company upon you if it is unwelcome." she told him quietly, seemingly calm and composed while she awaited his answer, but inside her heart was pounding. Why did it matter so much? That auburn hair, falling over those catlike, piercing, hawk-colored eyes...his strong, lean physique...his gentlemanly manners...everything about him called to her, and she hadn't the faintest clue as to why. [/center] ((ooc: I feel so evil, putting our poor characters in this situation lol))
|
|