A walk after lunch

[Ciarán Ringe]

“I like that image of myself,” I said, grinning and chuckling again.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Alright, now that I've stoked your ego sufficiently, shall we continue?" I teased with a grin.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“Absolutely,” I said, heading us down the street again with a smile.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"So tell me something else about yourself," I requested as we continued down the street.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“What would you like to know?” I asked.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Anything. Something you've never told anyone else," I said, glancing between him and the stores we were passing.

[Ciarán Ringe]

If she only knew the how many things I’d never told anyone else.

“Hmm,” I said as I thought. “I can sew, very well in fact.”

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Do you sew a lot?" I asked with a smile.

[Ciarán Ringe]

"At times. I do all my own mending and if there's something I want to wear that I can't find I will make it," I told her.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Very handy of you. I do mending, but I'd much rather embroider," I replied. "Making an entire garment is quite the task."

[Ciarán Ringe]

“It was something I picked up as a child and just kept up as I grew,” I told her, shrugging slightly. “Your turn, tell me something you’ve never told anyone else.”

[Sophie de Trevalion]

I thought of all the things I could tell him, and settled for something as innocuous as his answer. "I still wish on the stars every night, even when it's cloudy," I told him with a little smile.

[Ciarán Ringe]

Her answer surprised me at its sweet innocence and I smiled at her. “Do you always wish for the same thing?” I asked.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Not always. But there are some common themes," I replied as we passed a stall selling the last of the autumn flowers.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“Any themes you’d like to share?” I asked, still smiling. I slowed us to a stop to admire the flowers.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"I often hope that the men I tended to are healing," I replied, my finger reaching out and brushing a flower petal.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“That is very altruistic,” I said with a smile.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

My smile was wry. "I often wish for things that aren't very altruistic at all," I told him.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“Oh, that sounds far more interesting,” I said, grinning. “Going to share?”

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"And here I gave you one of the most innocent ones so that you would think well of me," I said with a teasing smile before my features took a more serious cast. "Lately, I've been wishing for purpose."

[Ciarán Ringe]

I handed the vendor a coin and took a lovely iris from the display, handing it to Sophie. “Short-term purpose or grand purpose,” I asked.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Grand," I replied, taking the flower with a smile. "Thank you Ciaran."

I spoke again after a moment of continuing down the street. "I'm good at two things: running a house, and running a ward. I pray to the gods that there won't be another war in my lifetime, and soon enough my brother will find someone dumb enough to marry him and look after his house instead of me."

[Ciarán Ringe]

“Can you not move out and start a life of your own before he marries?” I asked.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"Keep house for only myself? It just seems so frivolous," I said, frowning as I thought. "Besides, my brother wouldn't have any idea where to start looking for a housekeeper. Perhaps his wife will be just as inept, but it won't be my problem then. I'll have done my duty."

[Ciarán Ringe]

“One would think you’ve already done your duty,” I said, smiling. “It is good of you though to stay and keep the house for your brother. I will add my wishes that he finds a wife soon.”

[Sophie de Trevalion]

I smiled in return, my frown melting away. "Thank you. The quicker the better," I said with a little laugh.

[Ciarán Ringe]

“Then I will wish double hard,” I said, grinning wider.

We were drawing near to the restaurant again and I found myself not looking forward to having to say farewell to her.

[Sophie de Trevalion]

We had managed a circle of the area, and were nearing where we had started. "Well, I think this outing was a success. A nice lunch, good company, and a parcel each," I observed.

[Ciarán Ringe]

"Oh yes, a very successful and dare I say enjoyable outing," I said. "Perhaps we can do it again soon."

[Sophie de Trevalion]

"I'd like that," I replied, smiling at him for the suggestion. Sometimes I wondered if my acquaintances only spent time with me because it was my suggestion.