Winter in Treve

:: standing on a smaller cliff, one he found a long time ago, his breath seen in the chill of the night as the snow falls around him, the valley below showing a blanket of snow, his grey-black eyes move over the landscape slowly ::

-=relishing the feeling of the crisp air, the crunching of snow underfoot, she stopped to look up at the sky... the light of the moons illuminated the night... smiling when she saw the falling snow, she unpinned her veils to catch snow on her tongue... her guards were a couple ehns behind on the oath=-

:: wind-whipped raven hair blown from his face, his eyes thoughtful, holding memories that can almost be seen reflected within his gaze, his cloak blows freely around his powerful form, the snow beginning to line his shoulders with white as he stands unmoved in thought ::

-=she laughed as snow melted on her tongue and clung to long lashes... as Darius and the other men caught up to her, those blasted veils were again in place... scooping up a hand full of snow, she formed a perfectly shaped ball and threw it... as it hit Marcus on the top of his head, she spun around, robes swirling madly, and ran up the path=-

:: torn from the past and the thoughts that ran through his mind as he heard the echoing sounds of her laughter, shaking his head he glances toward the path, it can't be... it's the wind and he chuckled to himself as he started to turn back to look over the valley below ::

-=she knew the twists and turns of the path well and in no time, she reached the cliff smaller cliff.... panting softly from her run up the path, she leaned against a boulder when she reached the cliff=-

-=her eyes were on the path below her and in her hands were snowballs as she laid in wait for her guards to appear=-

:: the sound of someone running up the path and the crunch of snow beneath their feet now unmistakable, his gaze narrowing as he turned toward to the path and as he caught the first sight of a blue cloak and golden hair he moved behind a large boulder, shaking his head in disbelief, how does she do it? he thought as he stood watching her from the shadows, the imprints of his footsteps seen at the cliff's edge ::

-=she pelted her guard with a snowball and spun around to collect more snow, as she bent to scoop snow in a gloved hand, she saw footprints in the fresh fallen snow, startled, she saw that the foot prints came from the path but did not go back to the path... whoever it was, had to still be up here=-

-=forming a firm snowball in her hands, she looked around for her guards, a bit of nervousness crept into her good mood at thought of a stranger up here=-

:: as each ehn passes the snow seems to be coming down faster, the valley below covered in brilliant white, grey-black eyes level upon her as he leans his shoulder to the rock, his jet cloak veiling his presence well within the shadows, still unmoved, he only watches her, wondering who she's bringing up to his cliff as he sees the snowball in her hand, the muscles along his jaw tighten as his teeth clench, waiting to see who appears next ::

-=she held perfectly still, bright blue eyes slowly scanning the cliff, her ears in tune with the sounds of the night yet all she can hear is the soft sound of the falling snow... slowly, moving with a fluid grace, she scooped up more snow and formed yet another snowball... she was ready for whoever was just ahead=-

:: dark eyes cut through the night, watching her looking around, he glances to where he had stood, seeing his foot prints slowly filling with snow, he turns back as she's gathering more snow, a grin begins as he reaches out and forms a snowball in his hands, tracking her and then from it dark it comes, splattering on her chest with a dull thump :: Go Back! You are on my cliff! :: he changes his voice, making it very deep ::

-=clearly not expecting to be pelted with a snowball from the shadows, she gasps softly and decides that war had been declared... a slight frown creased her smooth brow as she tried to place that voice, all the while, she quickly formed even more ammunition... armed with several snowballs now, she again peered into the darkness... by now most of the signs of where the unseen person would have gone to was covered with snow=- Come out where I can see you! This is My cliff!!

:: chuckles to himself and starts lobbing snowballs at her from the shadows, one after the other they pelt her, splatter at her feet or off the rocks at her side, as he sends a barrage of balled up snow at her :: Get Off Now!

-=when a barrage of snowballs come at her, she laughs and darts behind a rock... swinging her arm back, she takes aim at the shadows and begins sending white missiles into the darkness... they land all around him, the last one grazing his head=-
It's My cliff I tell you!!!

:: dodging the incoming snowballs, he ducks down and then as he's about to throw another one at her he stands quickly to fire over the rock she is now hiding behind, grunting as the snowball smacks him in the head, he growls under his breath :: Kings woman! You're on MY cliff! Do you claim all of Treve!? :: chuckling a bit as he hurls a snowball at her ::

-=by now she recognizes the voice in the darkness... laughing, she arms her self with more and as she bends to scoop up more snow, the hood of her cloak slips from her head and when the snowball hits her shoulder, some of the icy crystals go down her back eliciting more laughter=- Of course I do! I'm Trevian!

:: snorts loudly and lobs a very large snowball over the rock she hides behind as he moves from the shadows to face his beguiling 'foe' :: Come out and face me, woman!

-=shrieks as that huge snowball lands on her head, showering her in snow... bursting into rich laughter again, she quickly makes several more snowballs and hoods them in the folds of her robes, stepping from behind the rock... it appears as if she is unarmed=- Here I am! Now you come out!

:: walking toward her as she appears, his gait holding an ominous edge as he closes the distance between them with his powerful stride, dark eyes fixing on her bright blue eyes, his grin set well as he sees the lump in her cloak ::  I advise you to disarm yourself Lady. :: his voice deep, with just a hint of possible seriousness ::

-=her grin beneath veils of midnight blue was flanked with deep dimples=- Why Sir...You would have me defenseless? I was taught by a warrior of Treve long ago to protect myself! -=her voice held a hint of her mirth=-

:: starts to say... even naked she wouldn't be... and grins before the words form :: Yes, I would. You're a dangerous foe, I realize that now, you track me and try to claim all of my childhood spots as your own. I see your ways now.

-=chuckling softly, she lets all the snowballs slip from her robes but one... that, she held in her hand which was kept at the small of her back... wisps of spun gold had worked free of the elegant french braid she wore, and framed sparkling eyes of light blue=- I track you, Sir? I believe it is you who... hmmm... wait, you were here first, weren't you? Well... nonetheless... I do lay claim to these cliffs if for no other reason than... I love the view!

:: watching the snowballs plop to the ground at her feet, he watches her hand slide behind her back, arcing a brow as he takes a step forward, the distance now completely closed between them, only the rocks behind her if she were to step back, his grin sets well on his face :: I think you and I need to settle our differences, Lady. For we can not both own all of the perfect views of Treve. :: he watches her, knowing that he was very close to her and she was alone, or so he thought ::

-=her chin lifts defiantly as he draws closer to her, a step back is taken as she slowly eases her hand from behind her and draws back to throw it at him only to have her hand hit the rock behind her... the snowball falls from her hand to the ground at her side... the sound of snow crunching underfoot is heard, getting closer by the ihn and before long her guards are seen on the path... she is taken aback at how close he is and for a moment, is flustered into silence... when her voice is again found, she blurts out what she feels to be the perfect solution=- Sir... on even days... all the good views are mine... on odd days, all the good views are not y ours!

:: watching the snowball fall as she steps back, he leans forward with a hand braced to the rock at her side, hearing her, he chuckles, his breath seen in the air, his words spoken low :: We have our bet still, Kerina and then we know who is the owner of the glorious views of Treve. :: dark eyes hold her gaze, seeing her flustered, it was the first time he had used her name as well, his gaze slices from her to the path as he moves from her, shielding her with his body as his hand falls to the hilt of his sword, relaxing only when the first of her guards is seen ::

-=she frowned again, she could not understand why this man made her feel so flustered, she had after all, spent months pursuing, with steely nerve, the death of a warrior of Thentis... each failed attempt carried out with deadly calm... why would a man of her Home Stone unnerve her like this?... she listened to the deep tones of his voice as her name rolled so easily off his tongue and that protective stance did not go unnoticed as his hand slid to the hilt of his sword=- Yes... the contest... -=she turned, glancing at her guards, almost glad for the distraction=-

:: the closeness that had been between them only a few ihn ago now slowly passed as he raised his hand to the guards and greeted them before turning back to her, giving her room to move now :: I do have the list for you, of what I want for my victory dinner. :: the quickness of the subjects being changed done on purpose as her guards milled about the small cliff :: What are you doing up here?

-=tries to keep her tone light, to keep her confusion from tingeing her words, she smiled to Darius who looked from his employer to Talon then back to Kerina as if looking for some sort of signal from her... Darius had been with her for many years and could read her moods easily, he knew she was not at ease at this moment... turns back to Talon as she speaks=- Save your list Sir... it's my list the meal will be prepared from... as to why I am here... I'm on my nightly walk. What are you doing up here?

:: chuckles and with a glance to her guard, he nods to the look he was given before turning back to her a moment and then walking toward the cliffs edge, putting some distance between them :: I used to come here with my brother, when we would send our tarns to feed we would watch them from this cliff while we shared a drink or two.

Oh.... I see... your brother comes here too? Do you both lay claim to this spot? -=she didn't know much about Talon so was unaware that his brother had died some years before... as he stepped away, she drew a deep breath and gave a slight hand signal to Darius to let him know all was well=-

:: his head turned slightly, the outline of his face seen before he looked back over the landscape below :: No, my brother no longer comes here. He died some years back. :: the tone of his voice changed, tightened as he spoke ::

-=her voice was a soft whisper, she realized she had brought up unhappy memories and as she spoke, her gaze lingered on his profile before he turned from her to gaze over the cliffs=- I'm sorry... I didn't know.

It's alright, Kerina :: his voice sounding perhaps tired, again her name was spoken, he turned from the cliffs edge and walked toward her again, the snow had slowly stopped falling leaving the landscape painted in white :: This is my first time back to this spot since my return.

-=she had not spoken his name, that would bring a familiarity she was not ready for... she would keep it formal... of course, she failed to realize that snowball fights on cliffs was not keeping things formal... her tone too was less than formal but rather held a softness=- It's a beautiful spot, Sir... I would imagine you and I are not the only ones to have found it over the years.

I'm certain you are right, Lady. :: the lapse in using her name seeming to come when his thoughts of his past were ones he would share, though they didn't come easy for him, something about her put him off-guard, making it easy for him to talk to her, he had not yet really noticed he had been doing it himself, yet ::

-=her hand lifted to the blue jewels that hung by a delicate golden chain around her neck, they reflected the light of the three moons in brilliant flashes as gloved fingers lightly caressed them... a nervous habit she had picked up... she looked again at the warrior who seemed to be everywhere she was and studied him in silence for a long moment... Darius stepped back, giving them a little more privacy yet was still close by should she signal=-

:: his eyes followed her hand as it rose, watching the jewels catch the light, he walked toward her and almost reached out to take them in his hand to look at them, falling short with his hand lifted as he motioned to them :: Those are very nice, and match your eyes.

-=at mention of how they matched her eyes, a voice from her past echoed in her mind and with the closing of her eyes, she could see his face... it was several moments before she trusted her voice to speak again=- The One who gave them to me... bought them because they reminded Him of my eyes...

:: watching her reaction to his words, his brows furrowed for a moment, grey-black eyes holding on her as she closed her eyes, watching the play of emotions cross her partially revealed face, he noted the way in which she mentioned the person who had given them to her, almost with reverence, his gaze questioning and then normal once more :: His taste was good, they match perfectly, Lady. Your eyes were captured within their color.

-=letting the jewels fall from her fingers to rest against the dark blue of her robes, she looked over the cliffs... she had let him have a hint of her private life, her past... somehow, it had come easily but had he asked who the One was, she wasn't certain how she would have replied... a change of subject seemed the safe thing to do=- Our contest... perhaps a contest of daggers at the other cliffs? I'll pack a snack..

:: arcs a brow, the change of subject swift and catching him a bit off guard, though he let it go, another time perhaps he would have asked the question that came to mind :: Daggers Lady?

Yes... a dagger throw... I'm quite good, was taught by my Companion... -=smiles as again her eyes met his=- ...unless you think it would be unseemly for a woman to engage in a dagger throw? Hmmm?

:: his grin returns in earnest, shaking his head as he chuckles :: Not at all, I haven't thrown for sport in some time. I'd enjoy it.

We arm ourselves with hidden daggers... but if one can't throw and hit the broad side of a sleen... what good are they? Excellent!

That's very true Lady, your companion was smart to teach you had to defend yourself. Will you pack hith sandwiches?

-=Darius tried to cover his chuckle with a coughing fit when he heard that one... looking up at Talon, hands rose to rest on her hips and her chin lifted=- No! No hith on the menu... not for the contest nor... if by some fluke you win... will it be on the menu for the meal I prepare you!

:: grins at her with a chuckle, enjoying the sound of her voice when she gets angered and teased :: We shall see tomorrow who will be cooking for who. For now it's late and we should all head back before the snow begins again. 

-=glances up at him again and nods slowly, unable to suppress the humor in her tone=- Tomorrow will settle it then... once and for all.

:: laughs and motions to the path, grinning at her guard who gives him a look as they start down and head for the houses :: Yes it will indeed, Lady.

-=feeling chilled, she slipped the hood of her cloak over her head once more and drew the heavy fabric more tightly about her shoulders... the air was clear... the light from the moons reflected off the snow provided more than enough light for them to see their way down the snow covered path... she was silent as they walked towards the houses as she tried to understand why he was so easy to talk and joke around with... an occasional glance his was was cast when he wasn't looking=- 

:: staying close to her side, he walked slowly with her down the snowy path, glancing to her as they walked and smiling, something about her making his night that much better having seen her again ::

[ Winter in the City of Treve ]