"If I did, I wouldn't be lingering around here, Aurin," Deidre replied. Her hands slid out of her pockets, anchoring on her hips and tilting her head upwards to meet his eyes. "Crazy, perhaps, but not suicidal though I'm certain I've fooled you in that once or twice. I'm not exactly equipped like you templars to do battle against those who wield forbidden magics." She disregarded the differences in their present heights; horse or no, she always made a point to lock gazes with someone when she was speaking to them -- all her focus magnetized on the speaker's shift in expressions while words were heard and absorbed. An exhale forced a framing lock of hair to dance against her cheekbone, amused, exasperated and both etched plainly over a complexion that hinted more towards caramel than cream.
She pivoted at that, angling her body so her glance could take in the other man, and whatever wryness she held in tone and her face at addressing the flame-happy claymore-wielder faded to something warmer at the grin flashing at her from the other horse. "Rick, if you did walk where I bid you half the time, we'd argue less," she quipped -- she was familiar with the quote, but that certainly didn't stop her from teasing him. "It's good to see you outside of parchment and ink for a change... I never expected to run into you out here, however. What are the two of you doing so far away from Kinloch Hold if it isn't to hunt? It's commonplace for me for to be out and about, but I can't say the same for the both of you."
Which, so far, was the very reason why this evening was suddenly more interesting than she bargained for.
Alderic's comments directed towards Aurin, however, caused her earlier exasperation to bleed back to the fore. "Are you seriously still thinking about that?" she chided, her visage beset with something that was both sheepish and humored. "I was eight. Years ago, remember? Pigtails, perpetually scraped knees.... besides, I felt awful and I did splint you back-- "
She heard the further crunch of shattered glass. Though she ought to remain on high alert, for some reason she didn't react to it. There was no need to jump at every sound, now that she wasn't alone and with people she knew. When Ser Maddock's unhappy face melted out of the shadows along with a surprisingly large party of mages and other templars, she fell silent. Her gaze swept over the heads of the new collective; the lovely spellcaster with the ethereally pale skin and dark hair, the blonde who seemed to hold herself head and shoulders above the rest. She took in the bland-faced individual dragging the cart along and the sullen youth trailing by him, the spirited trio who were chatting amongst themselves as they approached but now fell deathly quiet at the older templar's apparent displeasure. The distinct Orlesian accent from one of the male mages had her lifting a brow slightly, but otherwise she said nothing to address the remark on her priesthood while Alderic explained her identity to his superior.
All in all, her visual assessment of the newcomers was as brief and cursory as it was sharp and attentive.
Her attention was dragged back to Alderic again, anchored there by the sound of metal ringing against dirt and mineral as he tipped himself off the saddle and landed near her. The closer foray into the only source of substantial light brought more of his features to light and...
"You have a beard now?" she wondered, and he would detect it; mischief was present and as close to tangible as she could make it. She couldn't hide it even if she tried, cursed with a face that tended to be more expressive than stoic.
While Ser Maddock's irritation was abated, it wasn't gone by any means -- as lighthearted as she was at the moment, unflappable even at the growing scowl on the man's features, she was astute enough to know not to aggravate it. Her friend's questioning dark eyes from earlier have not been forgotten. Regardless as to what he actually asked, the look within his irises was painfully familiar, the obvious query underscored by a quieter one that she comprehended past the lack of audible intonation.