InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Liars steal your time."

nevertorule (nevertorule) wrote in watchers_rp,
@ 2017-06-06 12:48:00

Entry tags:

#day 008/08 may, heloise, locan

Who: Heloise and Locan
When: Early evening
Where: The castle grounds

It was quite a beautiful day, and Heloise took full advantage of it by being outside for most of the afternoon. She was well aware that she ought to be at the castle, entertaining their guests and getting to know the nobles, but Heloise had been craving privacy for a while now and the best way to get it was to hide somewhere and read, or go for a ride with Millie and hope no one thought to accompany her. She got lucky in that nearly everyone in the castle was busy with preparations for various festivities, so Heloise managed to steal away on her own for several hours. She rode through the woods, pausing every now and then to dismount and walk beside her horse instead. It was an opportune time to let her mind wander and her body relax. She had no one she had to speak to, or impress, and Heloise realized she would need many more of these kinds of afternoons if she planned on maintaining her sanity this year.

Finally, as dusk began to settle in, Heloise figured she ought to be heading back. She rode Millie back toward the castle, thankful when she saw the stable boy waiting for her. Heloise dismounted and said a proper goodbye to Millie before she headed back toward the castle. Her riding boots were caked with mud from the rain the day before, and she lifted her riding habit just enough to try and keep it from dragging through the grass. It was a bit too late not to make a mess of herself and now that she was back at Elkwood, Heloise was beginning to wonder if she could make it back to her room without running into anyone.

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nevertorule
2017-06-07 02:41 pm UTC (link)

Heloise instinctively drew up at the sight of Locan, feeling her cheeks warm with mild embarrassment at being caught looking the way she did. Still, Heloise smiled because she quite enjoyed Lord Silverling's company. He made her laugh, and she always felt less... judged by him than some of the others.

"Lord Silverling," Heloise greeted, gripping her dress more tightly in her hands, though she forced herself to lower the fabric a little to try and hide her muddy boots. "I was riding," she explained, the heat in her face increasing. "The ground hadn't quite dried from yesterday's rain, and I suppose I let time get away from me. I'm a mess," she admitted with an embarrassed laugh. "But you look wonderful. How are you?"

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bloodandscales
2017-06-07 10:43 pm UTC (link)

"I see that," Locan replied with a teasing smile as he glanced down at her boots. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you'd left the horse at home and just decided to prance elegantly through the mud like a carefre wood nymph." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Though, I imagine they do that barefoot, which I wouldn't suggest. There's all sorts of unmentionable things in mud that I'm too much of a gentleman to list. Either way, as long as you had fun you won't hear any judgment from me."

At her compliment he made a show of preening and posing slightly for her, to show off his attire. "Of course I do, my lovely dear, but thank you kindly. I always appreciate being appreciated. And you really are pulling your own look off better than you realize." His smile evaporated, and he leaned in conspiratorially, his eyes glancing around as if he expected the shadows to jump out at him. "I'm being hunted like a twenty-point golden hind by a trio of particularly wily eligible court bachelorettes. If anyone asks, you didn't see me." He paused, considering that for a moment before nodding once. "Unless it's your family." He paused again, his head tilting to the side. "Or if they start serving dessert in the next few minutes. I might still be around." He was mostly joking.

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nevertorule
2017-06-08 04:06 pm UTC (link)

Heloise laughed. It was just like Lord Silverling to make something like getting muddy sound so fantastical. "I do believe that I once heard a Lady in court say that mud did wonders for the skin," Heloise said, looking down at the tips of her boots. "I have never put it to the test, however."

She released her dress now, not terribly worried about what Locan thought, since he wasn't as uppity as some of the other nobles. At least not to Heloise. She lifted her brows as he leaned in, confusion combining with her amusement as he explained he was being sought after by eligible nobles. Heloise's smile widened and she looked around. "Well, you are quite fetching Lord Silverling. Surely you cannot blame them for wanting to catch your eye."

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bloodandscales
2017-06-08 10:54 pm UTC (link)

Locan considered that for a moment before nodding slightly. "I don't think that's normal mud, though. They import it from somewhere...majestic, I assume. Or at least it's implied. Not that either of us need it."

He snorted as delicately as possible, shaking his head almost solemnly. "It's less about them trying to catch my eye and more about them-" he cut himself off, the words forming silently on his lips for a heartbeat before absorbing who it was he was talking to, and obviously rethinking the specific vocabulary, then trying again. "-tossing around their endowments with the intent for me to do the catching." He briefly wondered if maybe that was a little much, not due to her position, but more for her age, easily recalling the lovely young princess in her adorable toddling years a little too easily, but was distracted by a shrill, feminine voice coming from the door he'd only just vacated. Almost instantly he was on high alert, and he barely realized he'd slipped around and behind the princess, half-crouching if he had every faith that she'd protect him from whatever heavily bosomed beast appeared. His eyes remained glued on the entrance until it became evident that it was only two servants addressing one another. He sighed and sagged with relief.

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nevertorule
2017-06-11 07:50 pm UTC (link)

"Majestic mud," Heloise repeated with a soft laugh. "I would love to know where it comes from." Her brows raised slightly as Locan explained what his admirers' motives were, and her cheeks warmed, despite how amused she felt. She parted her lips to reply when Locan was suddenly hiding behind her and Heloise blinked in surprise and confusion until she realized that he must have thought the servants were his admirers searching for him.

Heloise couldn't help herself. She laughed and turned to look at him. "You might be the only Lord at court right now who is running from affection willingly given." Heloise reached for his arm and squeezed gently. "Will you walk me back to my quarters? I promise I will do my best to protect you from... unwanted endowments."

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bloodandscales
2017-06-11 09:07 pm UTC (link)

"Freely given is a bit of an understatement, dear highness." Once Locan was certain that the coast was clear, he relaxed and regained his regal composure, as if the last few seconds had never taken place. He delicately brushed himself off, as if any part of him was out of place, then shifted his arm so she could properly take it. "I would be ever in your debt. And I think we'd both benefit from the scenic route, don't you agree?" He made a show of leaning down to glance at her boots, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

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nevertorule
2017-06-14 02:36 pm UTC (link)

Heloise laughed, and brought her hand up to muffle the sound somewhat. Then she reached for his arm, thankful that only her boots and the bottom of her habit was muddy. She didn't want to dirty up Locan's clothes, as lovely as they were. "The scenic route it is," Heloise agreed. "And should your...admirers find us, I will use my royal advantage to send them away. But surely there has been someone at court who has caught your eye? There are so many lovely ladies here."

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bloodandscales
2017-06-15 12:16 am UTC (link)

"Oh, there certainly are," Locan agreed, managing to avoid quipping that some of the gentlemen were lovely as well, or that the ratio was entirely unbalanced now that so many bloated imported locals were flooding court. There was also the fact that plenty of someone's had caught his eye in recent memory, usually for all of a few hours until his interest was sated in one way or another, but the young girl didn't need to hear about anything of that sort. He hoped that she was still in that stage of youth where true, undying love was entirely plausible.

"I'm afraid I'm a bit....particularly particular. Beauty is a wonderful trait, don't get me wrong, but to catch a prize such as myself the list of requirements is daunting at best. For one, I need someone with a good humor, because I'm a bit of tart and I could never stand living with someone for the rest of my life who can't laugh with me as much as at me. As vast as the estate is, I won't...and can't, as I'm told, be purposefully avoided and ignored in my own household, so that won't be viable for anyone who can't put up with me." He sighed dramatically and shook his head. "That alone would cut my romantic options at court considerably." He covered her hand with his free one and patted it. "I could never settle for someone who can't thoroughly appreciate tarts, my dear. Figuratively and literally. Tarts are delicious."

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