Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 7, 2007 23:26:15 GMT -5
I nodded with a smile, and we started for outside. Maria joined us in the hall, offering to take the sack he carried.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 9, 2007 17:10:23 GMT -5
I smiled at the pretty maid and let her take the bag. "Is there anything else you need to see to before we set out?" I asked Mercedes with a wider smile, eager to be riding.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 10, 2007 0:40:35 GMT -5
I shook my head, smiling at the eager look on his face. "All set." Maria fell into step behind us as we made our way to the stables.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 11, 2007 17:47:11 GMT -5
The stables were close enough to be convenient and the path was an easy one, the sounds of contented horses greeting me almost eagerly. The mounts here didn't mind the rain, or the steep climbs- it was confinement that made them moody, but only after a good deal of time.
Inside, the stalls were clean and smelled of healthy, dry hay, both my own and the Mercedes' parties steeds looking over the stalls at us patiently, drawing a smile from me. "Do they look well enough?" I asked my guest with a wider grin.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 11, 2007 19:33:34 GMT -5
“You ask the question as if you already know the answer.” I teased him with a smile. It was easy to joke and laugh with him. Perhaps too easy. But it was hard to maintain formalities and treat him as a brother at the same time.
And ignore the sinful whisper in my head telling me to treat him as something else entirely.
I went to my mare, rubbing her neck and whispering nonsense endearments to her in my mother tongue. She whickered happily in return. Both my horse and Maria’s mare were saddled and ready to go, and so I walked her out of her stall and swung astride, settling my skirts around me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Maria do the same after tying our lunch to her saddle.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 11, 2007 21:55:16 GMT -5
It wasn't usual for chaperons to accompany relatives on an outing- but I could understand the thinking nonetheless. I was a strange, this was a strange place, and she as a Princess of her own right. The situation didn't offend me in the slightest; I knew how to behave.
"I have an inkling to the answer, but I have been wrong before," I replied, then gathered my own gelding and readied him for the ride before swinging into the saddle.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 12, 2007 10:18:25 GMT -5
I wondered if Landis knew the trust I was placing in him. I was riding in a strange land, with only his protection from the outside, and only Maria's from the inside. As much as I knew I should probably bring along a guard or two, I was impatient to throw off that mantle, if only for the day. I was banking on the fact that I had just arrived the day before, and news takes time to spread. I should be safe for now.
We were ready to go soon enough, and I smiled as our eyes met on the same level again. "Well you aren't wrong now. Are we ready?"
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 12, 2007 17:36:05 GMT -5
With a simple nod I turned my gelding toward the path from the stables, walking him from the building and then waiting for the pair of women to join me before continuing on, still smiling with good-natured glee, though I knew at its center it was still somewhat forced. Mercedes' beauty and kindness had given me a sort of surcease, along with a yearning for her company I tried not to think on, but I was still grieving my parent's death and it haunted me.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 13, 2007 0:49:39 GMT -5
We followed him out and onto the open road, countryside stretching out around us. "It's familiar and different, all at once." I commented thoughtfully as we rode steadily.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 13, 2007 19:56:55 GMT -5
"Some say a single mile changes the surface of the world greatly," I replied as i looked over the land. "Though closeness makes them kin. What sort of things are similar?"
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 14, 2007 10:53:04 GMT -5
"The colours are right, and the way most everything has reacted to the world around it. Where the snow still lingers, clinging to the shadows. I feel as if I should know exactly where I am, and yet I recognize none of the landmarks." I continued to gaze around. "It would be unsettling to fall asleep in these hills, and for the first few moments before you fully wake, be completely lost." Unsettling was probably a mild term for that feeling.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 14, 2007 11:32:24 GMT -5
Nodding in understanding I gestured to the mountains in the distance. "When in doubt, that is west- and my home is along the northern edge of that range. If you ever end up riding off in your sleep, you can find your way back." It was a light tease, but also meant to reassure; everyone needed to be able to find their bearings.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 14, 2007 11:37:46 GMT -5
I laughed. "Ah, to have the excuse of sleep walking. It could be very convenient." I took a moment, impressing the compass points in my mind from the mountains.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 15, 2007 11:36:14 GMT -5
"I'm sure it would be," I teased lightly, the horses keeping pace easily and evenly as we began the long trek. The edge of the woods was only a few paces away, and then we were in it, light streaming through the green branches and causing me to instinctively relax. Everything was green and brown, soothing colors, and smelled of the fresh rain the night before.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 15, 2007 15:03:04 GMT -5
I blushed, really hoping that this conversation wasn’t going to extrapolate. Thankfully we entered the forest, and the subject was forgotten. I took in a deep breath, letting the cool arm calm my flushed cheeks. I glanced over at Landis, seeing some tension drain from him. “You like the forest, don’t you?”
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 15, 2007 15:39:37 GMT -5
Her words drew me out of my reverie and I smiled more widely, then nodded. "I've been wandering them since I was old enough to be let out on my own with a horse," I explained. "The peace of such places has always seemed very homey to me, even though most people think it wild and perilous. In the end, at least it's nonjudgemental and quiet, as well as perfectly fair in most things. What do you think of it?"
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 15, 2007 17:47:58 GMT -5
"I haven't spent a lot of time in them alone." I replied, the sounds around me causing my voice to lower. "Though my family went on a lot of picnics in the forests and meadows by our estate. They were always fun."
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 16, 2007 13:39:44 GMT -5
"My family did the same, though I always was the far-wanderer, edging out further than everyone else." The calm of the surroundings and Mercedes quiet company kept speaking of my family from aching as much as it had the past few days. "I think it's more in my nature because I knew since i was very young that I'd be leaving my family at ten to join the Cassiline brotherhood."
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 16, 2007 14:34:35 GMT -5
I knew enough of his history to not ask after painful memories. All his family had been stripped from him now, and my heart ached for my cousin. “Will you tell me of the Brotherhood?” I asked quietly. “The tales we have heard are all so fantastic.”
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 17, 2007 10:36:11 GMT -5
"I never actually got to go, but what I've seen is as fantastic as the stories you hear," I replied. "So stoic, so calm- and so fierce when they must be, but at the same time as lovely as a dance. Even though I had to remain after my elder brother died, leaving me in line to inherit, my father hired for me a good number of fighting teachers, so I wouldn't feel the loss of both together. I have some grace- but even now the Cassilines amaze me."
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 17, 2007 10:55:20 GMT -5
I smiled. "That's something I'd love to see. Though Maria tells me if I had gotten up a little earlier, I could have had a taste."
I could see Maria blush, and felt a little bad. I would blush too, if someone told a man I had been watching him practice his blades. It was an innocent enough gesture, but not alway accompanied by the most innocent of thoughts.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 17, 2007 12:04:51 GMT -5
There was much teasing in Mercedes tone, and Maria blushed- I could have teased in return, but instead I decided to simply smile and take the more gentlemanly, kind approach. "It's good that I didn't drop anything this morning in that case," I replied, the jest light and hopefully one that wouldn't make anyone angry or more embarrassed. It was flattering that I'd made an impression, but I hadn't noticed at the time, and certainly wasn't going to preen about it much now.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 17, 2007 13:36:33 GMT -5
"I think I might have to see if you drop something on another morning then." I replied with a smile. I was grateful he had the tact not to tease Maria anymore than I already had - her D'Angeline wasn't as good as mine, and she was quite self-conscious about it - or was at least oblivious. "You practice every morning?"
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 17, 2007 14:37:17 GMT -5
"Every morning," I admitted. "Old habits die hard, and it's useful to stay in shape for all of the running about the country I do." I could have made a hundred statements about her watching me, but I bit my tongue and remembered that her culture and mine were very different; something told me they didn't play as I was used to. I couldn't ignore the reckless part of myself, though, that wondered how far I could push- but I could stifle it. And I did.
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 17, 2007 15:31:21 GMT -5
I studied him out of the corner of my eye. "You show quite a bit of dedication, Landis." I commented. Dedication to both his old life, and his new. "Do you spend a lot of time exploring your lands?"
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 17, 2007 23:54:41 GMT -5
"Usually," I said as I brushed my gelding's neck with my hand, soothing him lightly as we made our way. "At least I did, before. Now I imagine a good deal of paperwork and meetings will keep me inside more often, though I plan to be outside as much of the rest of that time as possible." After all, what could be bad about actually knowing your own lands, as opposed to relying on the words of others?
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 18, 2007 0:22:32 GMT -5
"You can use me as an excuse if you'd like, for the duration of my stay." I offered with a smile. "Of course having said that, it is going to rain until I leave, and you'll come to curse my offer."
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 18, 2007 0:34:37 GMT -5
"The rain doesn't bother me in the slightest, unless I wish it to," I assured her with a smile, grateful for her offer. "But I couldn't go dragging you about in all weather either. I'll simply have to try and entertain you indoors if the weather gets bad enough."
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Mercedes de las Aragonia
Royal
Princesa of Aragonia and Condesa de Lleida
Daughter of Rafael and Colette de las Aragonia
Posts: 1,546
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Post by Mercedes de las Aragonia on Oct 18, 2007 12:10:26 GMT -5
"Just try?" I teased. "And have to? I didn't realize I was such an imposition." My grin told him I didn't mean a word of it.
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Post by Landis de Verreuil on Oct 18, 2007 13:34:49 GMT -5
"Oh, but of course- with you here I can't simply sulk about, wearing moth-eaten old robes and generally acting in a haunting fashion," I replied, as though it were my life's ambition. "Now I'm forced to act with a cheerful disposition."
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