lennox archer 🏹 legolas greenleaf (ofmirkwood) wrote in dunhavenic, @ 2017-10-01 18:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | !log, * terri, c: aleida erikson, c: lyllianna stone, r * jaclyn, r: lennox archer |
log;; 2017 10 01; late afternoon
WHO: Lennox Archer, Aleida Grant (and a little of Lyllianna Stone)
WHEN: October 1, 2017, later afternoon
WHERE: Camp Sylvester, though briefly at Northwind Trails & Stables
SUMMARY: Lennox catches a trespasser. He’s not very good at enforcing rules, though, so now he’s made a friend.
WARNINGS: None, just fluffy sweetness. And a cute dog.
Lennox was out for a ride, Asco’s excitement palpable in the way the horse’s steps were springy and eager, fighting the walk at some places as he wanted to trot, or gallop. But Lennox kept him controlled, his focus on learning these particular trails before they opened to the public. His faithful black dog wandered nearby, tongue lolling out happily, nose sniffing, ears flicking wildly. He liked this new place his master had settled in. It was filled with interesting smells and sounds, and there were so many friendly people to scratch his belly in town. Like that one, there. Barking in wild excitement, Oren suddenly took off down the trail before diving off to crash through some undergrowth as a short cut. Startled, Lennox hurried Asco after him, the two eventually coming around a corner to find a young, red-haired woman, alone, fending off Oren’s excited wet tongue, the dog determined to properly greet his new friend. Lennox looked less thrilled, brow furrowing as he gave a sharp whistle. Oren quickly calmed down, looking a little ashamed. The man dismounted his beautiful gray horse so he’d be better at her level - though he still had about nine inches of height on hers - and asked, “What are you doing here? How did you get here? These trails are still closed.” -- Dunhaven was an interesting enough place to stay for a while, Aleida had decided. With her sister living here, she had a reason to linger when she usually didn’t. If she was entirely honest with herself, she’d missed having family close by. Sarah had always seemed to be the one that got her on a more profound level than anyone else. She had been exploring a little at a time, and today her feet had led her into the woods. She’d hiked for a few miles with nothing but a backpack, a couple of granola bars, and a few bottles of water. The trails here were somewhat new, she thought. At the least, they’d been man-made in the last few years. A dog crossing her path had been the last thing she’d expected, but when she was sure that the barking and wiggling was meant as a greeting rather than a warning, she’d dropped down to pet the dog in question. With only a few scratches behind the ears, and her arm thoroughly slobbered on, she was alerted by the sound of...hooves? A man on a horse rounded the corner, and it reminded her moderately of some scene in Jane Eyre, though she was unflustered by the new arrival. Eyebrows raised high enough to crinkle her forehead a little when he demanded to know what she was doing there, “I walked?” Aleida offered without a note of apology that one might have normally given in her position. She looked up to him as she didn’t really have any other choice, but she wasn’t intimidated. Her chin never dropped, and it wasn’t in her nature to back down. In fact, her voice held some small note of amusement when she inquired, “Am I trespassing again?” -- Lennox opened his mouth to respond, but then shut it, cocking his head and giving her a quizzical look. “Again?” he repeated. -- Humming an agreement to his echo of her sentiment, she shrugged and quirked one corner of her mouth to a grin, “It’s an unintentional habit of mine. Trespassing.” She reached back just enough to grab her bottle of water out of the side of her bag, figuring if she was going to be stopped here a moment, she might as well hydrate. “I tend to wander. I just walked into the woods and figured I would come out somewhere familiar eventually. Where are we, anyway?” She took another drink of her water, and ignored the voice in the back of her mind that told her that her father would be horrified by her manners. She wasn’t being blatantly disrespectful. She just didn’t know what the big deal was about walking here if she wasn’t hurting anything. -- Lennox was rather appalled, but also… amused. An eyebrow rose and the ghost of a smirk began to tease his frown upward. “You’re at Camp Sylvester,” he answered. “So, yes, I guess you are trespassing, but assuming you didn’t set anything on fire, it’s not a huge deal.” He looked around, then at her backpack, and frowned again. “You walked into the woods with no plan? You could get totally lost around here.” -- “I didn’t set anything on fire,” Aleida shot back immediately, meaning to be reassuring. A moment later however, she’d already moved onto a tone of mock-offense, “Do you take me for a pyromaniac, though? It’s the red hair, isn’t it? Rude.” She hoped that her smile would be enough to assure him that she really was just trying to make light of the situation. She pushed herself onto her tip toes a little in an attempt to even out their height a little, but it didn’t work, “I have a decent natural sense of direction. I know where I’ve been, so I know how to get back.” Aleida laughed a little, shaking her head as though perhaps he would continue to worry if she didn’t give more of a reassurance, “I have a compass. I know that if I go that way, there’s a horse farm a few miles away. It has a clear road right back to town. Getting lost is a lot more difficult than people seem to think.” -- Despite himself, Lennox chuckled, raising a hand in a gesture of defeat. “Okay, okay. You won’t get lost.” He glanced down to see Oren trying to discreetly nudge her hand for more petting, though he knew he was supposed to be still. Lennox rolled his eyes at the dog. “If you did, I’m sure Oren would come to your rescue, anyway.” -- “Oren. Is that your name?” she asked the dog at her feet, who started wagging his tail wildly, accompanied by a happy sounding yip. She grinned, “My hero.” She leaned a little to the side so that she could more easily reach his ears to scratch. Her fingers worked idly, and she considered her next words carefully before offering, “I’m Aleida. I’ll also accept Alee.” -- A smile formed as he watched her with his dog. She was adorable, as far as surprises went. “Mm. It’s good to know the name of the people who trespass on my land. And their aliases.” But his eyes held mirth. “I’m Lennox, though.” Gesturing to his gray stallion, idly munching some wild grass at the edge of the trail, he added, “And this is Asco. Are you from Dunhaven? You don’t have the accent.” -- She had to admit that she was a little relieved when he actually smiled and joked back with her a little. She studiously ignored the way that smile made her stomach flip as she caught it from the corner of her eye. “Can you blame me? It’s good hiking land.” She shrugged a little, taking his name to heart so that she would remember it for later. She was a little surprised when he asked where she was from, granted in her years of travel, her Brooklyn accent had mellowed out a little, “I’m a native of Brooklyn, but the last few years I’ve been a little bit of everywhere, at least in the States. I’d have liked to go further, but my pockets are only so deep.” She shrugged as though it were inconsequential, grinning a little, “My sister lives here. I dropped in on her, and I...haven’t really decided what I’m doing from here, but I might stay a while. Dunhaven is...refreshing.” -- “It is,” he agreed. “I’m from Fairfax, which is pretty small, but it looks like a metropolis compared to here.” He glanced around. It wasn’t too close to darkness yet, but he felt a little anxious leaving her on the trail this late in the afternoon, especially considering it was closed. “Would you like a ride to camp?” he offered, gesturing to Asco who was now sniffing his jacket pockets for any signs of treats. “You can tell me about your travels.” -- As he offered to escort her back to camp with a complimentary lift by Asco, she did hesitate slightly. She had just met him, and she didn’t have any way of knowing what was back at that camp, but she hadn’t felt threatened by him and it wasn’t just her own bravado. Aleida generally read people well, and he seemed trustworthy. Besides, if she got a different impression later, she was resourceful. “Alright. Why not?” She stepped forward and extended her hand, palm down so that Asco could sniff at her hand. His velvet nose nudged at her hand, and when she felt he was comfortable, she stroked her hand along his jaw and nose, “He’s beautiful. I feel like I should warn you that I’ve never ridden a horse before. I don’t want to do something wrong on accident.” -- “Be careful,” he warned her. “You’re giving him an ego.” Asco was quite pleased with the attention he was being shown, taking a step forward to bump her chest with his nose and sniff her red hair. When he looked about to try chewing it, however, Lennox pulled his head away firmly, tapping his nose. “Rude, Asco.” Then he smiled at Aleida. “If you’re nervous, I’m happy to walk,” he offered. “But he's strong enough for us both if you’re comfortable giving him a try. He’s gentle with beginners. He can sense it.” -- Alee had laughed when Asco nudged her and started sniffing at her hair, his nose against her temple soft and ticklish, but Lennox didn’t seem to find it as funny. Granted, she supposed if Asco tried to eat her hair, it wouldn’t have been as funny. She lifted a brow at Lennox’s offer, though, and insisted firmly, “I don’t get nervous.” “Let’s give it a go. Asco and I are going to be good friends. Right, Asco?” The horse snorted a little bumping her again with his head, “See? He said yes.” She adjusted the straps of her backpack a little, making sure her water bottle was secure again. As she moved to Asco’s side, however, she did notice one thing and looked up to Lennox with some small amount of amusement, “I hope you know you’re going to have to help me up there with no saddle to help. Just a boost, though.” -- “Of course,” he agreed with a laugh. Asco wasn't a small horse, but Alee was small. “You'll need to be behind me, but I can help pull you up once I'm on. You can use that trunk there for a step.” He gestured at a fallen tree at the edge of the path a few feet away. “Hold onto me, okay? Don't squeeze with your legs or you can confuse him and you're probably not ready for a gallop,” he teased, watching to see if any nerves flickered. -- She listened to his instructions, glancing to the tree that he mentioned she could use as a small step, and she nodded without a hint of doubt crossing her features, “Hold on and keep my legs relaxed. Got it.” She was sure that she could make it up onto Asco’s back even though he was tall, given a few factors, “I am...was a gymnast. I can get my momentum going as long as you can help me the rest of the way.” Aleida patted Asco’s side, an excited glimmer in her eyes as she met Lennox’s gaze, “I think I’m ready when you are.” -- Instead of anxiety, he saw the excitement in her eyes and he liked her better for it. “Okay,” he agreed, not needing to say anything else. Asco could sense the change and pawed the ground in anticipation. Lennox took a bit of his mane and leapt nimbly up onto him as though he weighed only as much as a feather. Asco didn't flinch as his rider landed and stepped nimbly over to the log. Despite himself, there was a hint of smugness on his expression as he offered Alee his hand. --- She watched how he got onto Asco, taking note of the steps that he took for future reference. She wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but if she ended up enjoying it, she wanted to remember the little hints that he was giving her now. Alee took Lennox’s extended hand and took a skipping jump onto the log where she was able to give herself the lift that she needed. Her grip on Lennox’s hand was for balance more than anything, and after watching him, she had known what to do. Her leg slipped over Asco’s back, and she landed behind Lennox as though she’d done this before. Proud of herself, she smiled widely even if he couldn’t see it, “That wasn’t so hard.” She remembered to keep her legs relaxed at Asco’s sides, but she let go of Lennox’s hand in favor of sliding her arms around his waist and settling a little bit closer in. She wasn’t used to being this close in proximity to relative strangers, but it didn’t feel unnatural to her, “Tight enough?” -- “Uh… Yeah.” It was a little unusual for him, and awkward. Asco seemed confused by this turn of events, but no one was bucked off, so that was a good sign. But what struck him most was the ease with which she'd mounted. He nudged Asco into a walk before asking, “You’ve really never ridden a horse?” -- “Really,” she promised, not a hint of a lie in her voice, “I’m a quick study, though. I watched you get on. I can usually mimic that kind of thing, like a dancer who picks up choreography.” She had to quell the urge to fidget, though she let herself go with the easy movements of Asco’s walk, her hips falling into that sway of his walk. It was really something to be this high, and to have him carry them along, his breathing felt under her thighs and calves, “I’ve been a natural climber and acrobat since I was a kid. Asco is taller, but once I realized it’s kind of like getting up onto a much wider balance beam, I knew I could do it without making a fool of myself. How long have you been riding? Obviously you’ve had some practice.” -- “Since I was five,” he answered, trying to make sense of all her rambling. He was a man of far fewer words and struggled to find the words to continue the conversation, although he was enjoying her company. “I… That's impressive. Seeing the world that way. I thought I was the only one.” -- She didn’t really notice her own rambling. She tended to ask a lot of questions sometimes, but perhaps it was partially that she was just getting used to being around people on a regular basis again. Learning when to be quiet was a lot easier when conversations would only be held with yourself. “You pick up things quickly too, I guess?” she couldn’t say it about everything. She definitely had struggled a little with reading when she was younger, and lessons that didn’t involve a physical element typically took her longer to learn. When she could work with her hands or put her body to use, though? She could have been a professional athlete if she would have put in the work for it...if she’d been willing to bring her family to the point of bankruptcy. -- “I do,” he agreed. “Physical things, anyway, but I've always absorbed information about the outdoors like a sponge.” A thought occurred to him and he glanced back over his shoulder to grin at her. “Have you ever shot a bow?” -- His inquiry about shooting a bow should have been a straightforward no, but Alee hesitated over the question. She’d always been intrigued by archery, but she’d had to pick and choose over her extracurriculars. The one and only time she’d been able to exercise that curiosity had been in a gym class where she took a solitary shot, half not understanding what she was doing, though the teacher said she had good form. She’d hit the target perfectly, against all odds, but she couldn’t truly say that she’d learned how to shoot a bow. “Once. In a high school gym class. I don’t really think that counts,” she sighed softly, “I’d like to, though. It seems like one of those skills that’s underappreciated.” -- That made him chuckle. “No, that doesn't really count. You trespassed in the right camp, though,” he pointed out. Oren let out a bark and chased a squirrel up a tree Lennox relaxed his body. As weird as it was to be wrapped in a stranger's grip, he was really enjoying this, the nature, the antics of his young dog, and the entertaining company. “I can teach you if you're ever interested.” -- “It’s less of a question of if I’m interested, and more of a when. As in, when are you willing to teach me?” She was getting more lessons than she anticipated out of this misadventure. She anticipated that maybe she’d have to pay for the archery lessons, but perhaps he’d just teach her out of the kindness of his heart, “I can’t really say I’m regretting my decision to trespass. Accidentally trespass.” -- Lennox laughed again. “Well, do you have plans? The range should be clear; we've just opened up. But I'll need to take Asco back to the stables. My car is there, so I could drive you up to the range if you want.” -- “My plans were to wander around in the woods until it seemed like time to go home, so I don’t have plans anymore,” Alee pointed out, though she wasn’t cross about the change. It was just that things were altering. She was good at keeping up with the flow of new paths. “I would never pass up the opportunity for more than one new thing in a day. Horseback riding and archery...how can I say no?” -- Asco carried them out of the woods, the trail cutting now through a large, open meadow. He'd come through here one other time, at dawn, and the meadow had been misty and filled with deer. Today, there were no deer, but it was still beautiful, late-season wildflowers in bloom. Checking that she had a good hold on him, he nudged Asco from his walk into a canter. Alee’s grip on his waist tightened in surprise, but she didn't fall off or demand he stop and he didn't pull up until they'd crossed the huge field. Lennox could tell Asco was pleased to get some of that energy out. As though the conversation hadn't been interrupted, Lennox turned to glance at her again with a smirk. “You'll be my first student, then. It'll be fun. I haven't gotten to test out the range since it's been finished.” -- Alee was enjoying seeing these new sights, taking note of where it was all located, though she assumed someone probably owned this land - whether it was Lennox or someone else - and she probably shouldn’t come back here uninvited. Asco’s increase in pace did startle her a little, though it didn’t frighten her. She just hadn’t known to expect it. Lennox couldn’t have seen the wide grin that broke out on her face as they quickly crossed the field, but she enjoyed the speed. She laughed, almost a little breathless, that smile still clinging to her mouth, “I’ll be happy to test it out for you. I have nothing to compare it to, but at least you’ll have the opinion of a beginner. I’m sure if it’s up to your standards, it will be impressive.” -- “You've only just met me,” he pointed out. “I could have horrible standards.” Asco saw a fallen log on the path ahead, blocking about three quarters of it. It wasn't very thick so the jump would be a low one. However, he firmly guided his willful stallion around the obstacle instead. If it was just him and Asco, he'd take the jump without a second thought. Not with a beginner on back. “How are you liking the ride? You seem comfortable on him.” -- “Maybe it’s presumptuous of me, but I feel like if you’ve been dedicated enough to make a camp and have a range, it’s probably not subpar,” Alee predicted, though he was right that they had only met just that day and in truth didn’t know that much about one another. Her excitement from the cantering before had waned a little, but she still had an easy smile as she assured him, “I’m enjoying it. This seems like something I would invest my time into really learning. Maybe next time I ride, I’ll have the reigns and learn a bit more about the commands.” -- “You can get lessons at the stables,” he told her. “We contract there for trail rides. The owner is a sweet lady.” They reached a point where the trail merged with larger, older one. A chain between two poles blocked off their trail and Lennox leaned down to open it so they could go through. Once on the big trail, he added, “She's usually there, so you can meet her when I put Asco away.” -- She had at least known about the existence of the stables, having seen it on a map recently when she looked just to scope out the general area surrounding the town. Alee had to let go of him just slightly when he leaned down because she figured if she leaned too far with him, she’d send them both to the ground. As he straightened back up, though, she returned to her previously held position of her arms snugly around his waist, “I’ll have to talk to her about it, then,” Alee agreed, hoping that the woman was as nice as Lennox seemed to think, “So if you have archery and contracts for trail riding, what else does Camp Sylvester offer? Is it more tent camping or...a cabin retreat?” -- “Both,” he answered. “There are cabins, plus a lodge. But I also cleared out some spaces for tents and campers. I prefer tents to cabins, myself. Plus we offer boat tours through Calm Waters, educational clinics, and guided hikes. I think if we do well, I'll add a zip line or rock climbing later on.” -- “Well, if I’m still in town when you decide to add rock climbing, let me know. I’ll throw my hat in the ring as an instructor. I instructed at an indoor climbing wall for a few years, and that’s part of what I’ve been doing on my travels. I’ve climbed anywhere from Maine to Kentucky to Utah to California and a lot of places in between.” She hoped the camp would do well, as it seemed that he’d put a lot of work and thought into it, “In the meantime, I’ll probably see if the local car garage needs a helping hand.” -- That intrigued him and as the two left the trees once more, entering the edge of Lyllianna’s ranch property, he observed, “There's a few spots to climb here. Maybe I'll have to set up some ropes. Let you trespass some more.” -- Her smile could have rivaled the sun when he mentioned setting up ropes for the purposes of her trespassing. They’d only just met, but she had a feeling they were going to be fast friends. At least, that was her hope. Otherwise, a lot of potential was going to go down the drain, “I’ll take that invitation. To be fair, I’d probably still show up somewhere even if I wasn’t invited. It’s not my fault these are the closest woods to Dunhaven.” Alee laughed and wondered if she still needed to be holding on so tight now that they were out of the trees, but he hadn’t told her to let up so she didn’t. -- The stables were in sight, a number of green pastures sprawling out around them with a handful of horses scattered between. His favorite of Lylliana’s horses was a strawberry roan overo mare, and she nickered a greeting to Asco. Asco, ever a stallion, tried to steer off the path to say hello, but Lennox firmly reminded him to follow directions. “Well, you just keep remembering not to set fires, and I could be okay with that,” he agreed, grinning again. He could see Lyllianna then, in the stable yard brushing one of her geldings. She saw them and waved, so he waved back, leading Asco over to a mounting block nearby. “Just swing your left leg over and slide off onto the block,” he told Aleida, waiting to greet Lyllianna until he had his passenger settled. -- “There will be no fires, I promise,” she agreed with a firm nod. She had set her fair share of fires in her time, but they were always contained and safe. A campfire was a common tool for her when she was traveling, but Aleida wasn’t negligent, and she was hardly going to go around setting random fires in the middle of Dunhaven. Alee spotted the woman that he’d mentioned before, and she smiled in response to the wave, though she didn’t let go of Lennox as they were still moving. As instructed when they came to a stop, she slid her leg over and slipped down onto a block, then jumped down to solid ground once more. Lyllianna left her gelding where he was tied for a moment, giving him a treat to munch on for his patience. “I distinctly remember you leaving alone, Lennox,” she said with a small laugh, “You’ve made a friend along your path.” “Hi. I’m Aleida,” the younger girl offered, sticking out her hand which Lyllianna accepted with a firm grip. “A pleasure. I’m Lyllianna,” she smiled, her eyes flickering to Lennox as she pinned him with a curious smirk, “Will you be staying long? I can get Asco brushed down and set him up with some feed and water if you have… plans.” -- Lennox didn’t need a mind reader to see what was going on in his friend’s mind. He rolled his eyes from behind Aleida as he tied Asco to a post. “I did leave alone,” he confirmed, “but I apprehended this trespasser. She’s curious about lessons now. Asco was on his best behavior.” The black dog had caught up with them, leaping up to greet Lyllianna and trying to reach her face to lick it. “Oren!” Lennox scolded, snapping his fingers at the dog. “Oren was not on his best behavior.” -- Lyllianna laughed as Oren jumped and wiggled, not nearly as irritated by his antics as Lennox seemed to be, “Oh, he’s just so very friendly.” Lyllianna dug a dog treat out of her pocket and gave it to him when she got him to sit, scratching Oren beneath his chin. She smiled over to Aleida and came back around to what Lennox had told her a few moments before, “If you want lessons, I’m more than happy to give you my number. I have free appointment slots, and we can work out a time.” Aleida rocked up onto her toes and nodded, “That would be great. Thanks.” She paused a moment before adding, “I was just walking the trails. I mean, how private is private property without fences?” -- Despite his exterior, his dog’s behavior did not irritate him as much as he let on. Lennox was as guilty of spoiling Oren as anyone, he just got embarrassed when the dog exhibited such poor manners with others. Especially beautiful women. But Alee’s words made him chuckle. “Do you often find yourself in trouble with the law?” he teased. “Because that’s the kind of attitude that gets you there.” -- “I probably would, but I'm generally very good at avoiding enforcers of such laws. Or, I’m adorable and doe-eyed enough to get off with a warning,” she smiled winningly as though such a feat was something she took great pride in. Honestly, cops never really bothered her much. She never made a nuisance of herself when she was somewhere new, and she had learned to act like she belonged even when she didn’t. Lyllianna watched the exchange with no small amount of interest, her eyes flickering from one companion to the other. It had taken Lennox much longer to joke light-heartedly with her over… well, anything. She took up Asco’s reigns and he nuzzled at her pockets, sniffing for something to munch on. She pulled a business card from her back pocket and handed it to the red-haired girl, “It was lovely to meet you, Aleida. Call me anytime.” She pointed a finger at Lennox with a grin, “Be careful. I’ll be in touch.” She clicked her tongue and led Asco towards the stables, chuckling a little to herself about his master’s turn of events. Alee looked up at Lennox and smiled as Lyllianna walked away, “You were right. She is sweet.” -- Lennox had narrowed his brown eyes slightly at Lyllianna’s parting be careful. Be careful with what? He hadn’t shared any plans and he had no desire to return to the trails this evening. But he didn’t say anything and Alee brought his attention back to her. “She is,” he confirmed again, beginning to lead the way to the parking lot where he'd left his truck. “I've watched her teach before, so if you do get lessons, I promise she's very good, and patient. But you seemed very comfortable on Asco for a beginner. I was almost tempted to have you two try it out in the round ring, but he's too spirited for a true beginner.” -- Having already committed herself to the continuation of this outing, Alee followed Lennox as he told her a little more about what she could expect learning to ride horses, “Spirited isn’t always a bad thing...but maybe one day I’ll be ready. He seemed to like me well enough, anyway.” She thought the playful way that he had pressed his head against her had been evidence enough of that, “I do plan to follow through with lessons.” Alee’s hands grasped at the straps of her backpack as they walked towards his vehicle, keeping up with his longer stride with relative ease, “So, what made you want to open up a camp here? Or is that too invasive of a question?” -- “No, it's fine,” he dismissed, reassuring her with a smile. They reached his SUV, easily the cost of a starter house in this area, and he went around to open her door for her, the keyless entry key fob in his jacket pocket so the doors unlocked automatically for them. Oren leapt past Alee into the vehicle and Lennox nearly scolded him, but the dog hopped into the back immediately and Alee seemed amused. “He knows he can get away with his bad manners around you,” Lennox said as he got in on his side. -- She had known that in order to own a business and a horse, he probably had some kind of wealth, but when they reached his car, Alee’s eyes widened a little. She tried to hide it, but...this singular vehicle probably cost more than the house that she grew up in. It didn’t really change her opinion about him, but it did shift her perspective a little bit. As someone who had always grown up in that middle class of have and have-not, it was...eye-opening. She didn’t usually find herself in the realm of someone who would have such nice things. Alee climbed into the passenger’s seat after Oren vacated it, smiling back at the dog who seemed rather pleased with himself, his tongue lolling out as he panted from the back seat. She did her best not to run her hands along the fine interior of the car, though her fingers itched to explore the different textures. She tugged on her seatbelt and shrugged unapologetically, “He’s excited to have made a new friend. Can you blame him? I’ll do my best not to encourage him...too much.” -- Lennox gave an ungentlemanly snort as he started the car. “Why don't I believe that?” he challenged as he pulled out of his parking space. -- “Because I’ve already played my hand as a mischief maker?” Alee suggested with a lilt to her voice, but she honestly wasn’t bothered by Oren’s rambunctiousness. He was a young dog, and as such he had boundless energy. She was fairly certain that he could keep up with her on a run, not that she particularly planned to steal Lennox’s dog just to have an exercise buddy, “I swear I’m not always so predictable.” -- “I think you are,” he accused. “I think you're predictably unpredictable all the time. Like Oren back there.” At the sound of his name, Oren thumped his tail happily on the black leather seats. -- “I’m not sure whether to be flattered that you recognize my indiscriminate nature or offended that I was just compared to a puppy. People usually just say I’m willful.” She wrinkled her nose a little, though she glanced back to Oren and acquiesced, “I guess you’re not bad company to be grouped with.” -- “You should probably be both,” he confirmed, straight-faced. “But back to your question, look around.” He gestured out the windows at the beautiful scene stretching away from the ranch, rolling foothills looking down at them over the woods that were quickly approaching once again. “I'm from Fairfax, so this isn't that far away. I came here a couple of times when I was a kid and fell completely in love with it. It's the most perfect place in the country to me and I want other people to get to see it the way I see and love it, too.” -- She rolled her eyes without bothering to hide it when he suggested she be both flattered and offended. She shouldn’t have found him endearing, but in spite of everything, she enjoyed the banter that they traded back and forth. It kept her on her toes, at least. She did look out the windows of the SUV as he instructed. She supposed she could understand his explanation. This place had a charm about it that she couldn’t quite explain, “It’s beautiful. I won’t deny that. It’s just not a hot vacation spot… though I suppose for the right kind of clientele with the right kind of advertising, it might see a bigger influx of people who are looking to disconnect from the ever-present technological tether of their lives.” She knew there were people out there interested in such things. It was just finding them in enough quantity to keep a business running that she hoped would be easier than she imagined it would be, “I grew up surrounded by buildings and concrete, but a place like this was always what I longed for. My sister found it first. She’s been here a few years, but I was too busy exploring everywhere else to pay much mind to Dunhaven until now.” -- “See, that's why I picked it,” he insisted. “That feeling you just described. It's what you longed for. I didn't want a huge tourist destination, a crowded campsite, any of that. I devised this place as something new. Everything is eco-friendly. We run on solar power, use biofuels in any machines that we can't run on solar, and recycle water. I contract with local businesses to boost the economy further, but this town already lives off its tourism income and it's thriving. It shouldn't be, either, but the magic of this place makes up for its small size.” Lennox was animated with passion and excitement as he spoke, one hand always on the steering wheel, but the other gesturing to add emphasis and punctuation his words. “I don't want another camp that funnels people through and leaves footprints in their wake. I created this place as a haven for people to retreat to and remember what our ancestors had: Untarnished majesty. Do you know what the name Sylvester means? It--” Then he cut himself off and the tips of his ears went a shade pinker, a very subtle effect. “I'm sorry. I got… carried away.” -- She paused waiting as he described his camp and the hopes he had for it. As Lennox spoke, it was obvious that he was incredibly invested in this venture, not just financially, but emotionally as well. There was something about the impassioned way that he spoke that was captivating. She found herself watching him intently, taking in every little movement of his hands. The words that he wove were like an enchantment, beautiful and fueled by passion. “No, no,” she said, shaking her head, “It’s alright. I want to know. What does Sylvester mean?” She was intent on finding out now, and her tone held only curiosity, no hint of jest in sight. -- “It's from a Roman name. It means ‘of the forest’ from silva. Like the elves, Silvan.” He looked a little embarrassed as he admitted one of his “nerdy” passions, though it wasn't specific to Tolkien, but to reading in general. He smiled at her, despite the embarrassment, and asked, “You actually find this interesting?” -- Aleida didn’t know much about elves from literature or myth, but she was still intrigued. She wondered how he’d gotten into such things, and what had inspired him to name his camp after it. Had he just liked the meaning, or did he feel some stronger connection to it that she wasn’t privy to? She turned a smile his direction and answered, “I think you’re interesting. I can’t confess that I’ve read much in the way of the Romans or authors specializing in elven lore, but it still intrigues me. I was never a big reader. I was always more about doing or listening.” Alee didn’t really like admitting that she’d struggled to read when she was little, even going so far as having special one-on-one sessions just to get her up to the speed of her classmates, “I like that you have a reason behind the name. You didn’t just come up with something clever that would catch someone’s attention based on the merit of a fun phrase. You gave it meaning, and I think a lot of people don’t pay close enough attention to details like that.” -- Her flattery, completely genuine, touched him and it was obvious in the way the smile lit his rich brown eyes. “Thank you,” he said sincerely as the vehicle turned up the hill to the clearing where he’d built his archery range. It was his pride and joy, especially since he’d managed to do it without cutting down a single tree. The wide open area between two edges of forest had been perfect, and the two trees in the way had been carefully relocated and were thriving in front of his cabin. All other talk of reading, elves, or anything else was on hold as they reached the top of the hill. He was right, no one was there just then, except two attendants who were quick to shove their phones in their pockets and look alert when they noticed his vehicle. Lennox chuckled. He didn’t care, so long as any clients were well taken care of when there. He climbed out of the SUV and went around to open Alee’s door, Oren eager to hop up front and slip out behind her. “What do you think?” he asked once she was out, gesturing at the range. -- The ride up to the range didn’t take that long, and when they arrived she stayed where she was just long enough for Lennox to open her door. She might not have under normal circumstances. She wasn’t the kind of girl that needed someone to open doors and roll out rugs for her to walk on. Still, it was a gentlemanly gesture and she was pretty sure he might have been mildly offended if she hadn’t waited for him. She left her backpack where it was in the floorboard of his SUV and slid back down onto her feet. Oren just barely knocked against her hip as he jumped out behind her, but she paid that no mind as she took in the sights of the impressive range. It was larger than she’d originally imagined. It definitely wasn’t just a few targets set up in a pitiful display. No, it seemed to go from a beginning level and progress up to harder challenges, which she was pleased with. No one ever got better by just repeating the same exact challenge again and again, “It looks amazing,” she told him truthfully, “My suspicions that you had high standards weren’t incorrect.” She took a few steps towards the range, and pointed down to where the targets were closest to the front, turning and walking backwards a few steps so she could give him a winning smile, “I assume that’s where we’re headed?” She wasn’t embarrassed about her beginning status. She was hoping to move up quickly. -- He nodded with a laugh. “Yeah. But there first.” He pointed to a small building in the same general direction. They turned and went inside when they reached it. It was set up like a little store, complete with cash register. Rates for using the range were posted, but there were also bows of all sorts, from classic wooden ones to high-tech modern ones and everything in between, plus arrows of every kind, all with little price tags beneath them or affixed. Lennox bypassed all of it with Oren and Alee in his wake, going into a back room with only a wave of acknowledge for the young man behind the register. A small office was set up back there in a small storeroom and Lennox unlocked a storage cabinet against a far wall. In it were a number of different bows. “My collection,” he explained, noticing Alee’s curious expression. He sized up her diminutive height, Alee standing all of five feet two inches, and then picked one he was confident she could handle, grabbing his own favorite out with it, as well as the arrows they would need. Lennox handed her her bow to hold as he locked the cabinet and led the way back out to the first, closest target. The sun was setting, but there was still plenty of light. Lennox demonstrated how to use the bow, how to hold the arrow, and the correct stance, before positioning himself and firing at one of the two targets in their lane. The arrow hit the bullseye perfectly. There was no arrogance in his expression as he turned to Alee and smiled. “Are you ready to try?” -- She followed where Lennox told her to go, figuring that at some point in order to practice archery they would have had to produce at least one bow and some arrows. When they walked into the little shop, her eyes flickered over the many different styles of bows. For some reason that she couldn’t explain, her eyes lingered on the wooden bows, something drawing her to them. She didn’t have time to take a proper look because she was following Lennox to a secured locker where he opened up another impressive display that was his own collection. He handed her a bow, and she took it gratefully into her hands. It was smaller than the one he chose for himself, but she thought for a beginning bow he would know what to choose better than she would. It felt right in her hands as she followed him out to the range. There was a little skip to her step. Even as excited as she was, she paid rapt attention as he demonstrated for her how to stand, how to hold the bow and the arrow, and what not to do if she didn’t want to give herself a massive bruise on her arm. He hit the bullseye with one try, and she was impressed, knowing that even skilled archers sometimes didn’t always hit that mark. She nodded and took her stance. Her feet planted almost identically to how he had stood. She placed the arrow carefully, and lifted the bow to draw. Her posture wasn’t horrible, but neither was it perfect. Her elbow lifted a little too high, and she didn’t use an anchor as she should have, the bow tilted slightly. Still, she released the arrow for a first attempt and the arrow did hit the target. It just hit towards the outer edge, a fact that made her purse her lips in displeasure with herself. She knew that the arrow could have sailed to either side of the target or well beyond it. She’d done better than most did on their first try, but it didn’t seem good enough. It felt… below her standards, “I don’t feel like my grip is right.” -- But Lennox’s eyes were alight with excitement watching her. He’d let her go without correction, wanting to see what her natural inclination was, and she’d still hit the target. She hadn’t hesitated, drawn for too long so her arm wobbled, jerked the string while she released, or any of the many other mistakes he normally saw. “Alee, that was amazing for your first shot,” he promised. “Draw again. I’ll help you.” She did as instructed and Lennox stepped behind her, sliding one hand along her drawn arm to reposition the elbow, the other moving her other arm slightly upwards, only by a fraction of an inch. Then he put his hands on her waist and said quietly, “Stand a little straighter… Perfect. Now release.” -- Lennox insisted that the shot had been amazing, but Alee wasn’t entirely convinced. His support was helpful, but she was irritated with herself like she should already know better than the mistakes that she’d made. Still, as he told her to draw again, she did, lifting the bow into position. She was a little surprised - though not enough to step out of position - when he stepped behind her and his fingers trailed along to her elbow, pushing it down just slightly. He shifted her other arm as well, lifting the bow into a more natural position. She hardly breathed when his hands went to her waist, but she lifted her spine as she was told, and her body suddenly knew. She locked into that position as though it were a natural thing that she’d done for the majority of her life. Release. That word rang in her ears even as she loosed the arrow, her fingers slipping from that string as though she’d done it a thousand times. It was only a few seconds until the thud of the arrow making contact with the target reached her ears. Her arrow sank into the target just on the ring right outside of the bullseye, level with Lennox’s and a mere fraction of an inch to the left, “Now that is an amazing shot. It felt more natural,” she paused a moment, looking up at him over her shoulder, “Again?” -- His own breath caught at the sight of the arrow beside his and he looked back down into her expressive blue eyes. His face was ablaze with pride and he had no idea as he grinned at his “student.” She seemed as though she’d be out-shooting him with just the least bit of practice. He didn’t move from his spot a few inches behind her as he nodded. “As many times as you’d like.” |