Courtship?

Stables Under the Mountain
The sights and smells of the outside world fill this gigantic natural cavern. Along the walls are stalls with partitions made of stone, large enough for any size beast. The stalls go up the walls in tiers, each tier wide and railed and winding around and down to the central floor. Not only beasts but all manner of cart and wagon are stored here, most of these on the upper tiers. The eastern wall is dominated by hay, lots of hay. It is the kind of hay that smells so good that the stable hands can often be found on their off time just sitting and smelling it. You can see the heads of ponies, many of them stomping or snorting, over the stall doors, as well as stable hands running hither and thither, cleaning trappings, bringing out a beast for its master, feeding, scrubbing, or cleaning out the manure. The stable hands are all lads from the dale-lands, apprenticed to some dwarven master, stabling being a standard duty as no dwarf would think of harboring any beast. The lighting here is fairly dim, to keep the animals quiet, from ever-burning dwarven torches set in the walls.

[Arkenstone(#17999)->Hildis] ***** Erebor Time & Weather Service ******************************************
** Real time is: Fri Oct 10 17:47:03 2008, GMT -8 **
Elendor time is: Early Afternoon (1400) on Monday, Day 28 of February 3045.
In the outer world's clear Winter sky, Tonight the moon will be last quarter.
****************************************** Erebor Time & Weather Service *****

Heads peer over the wooden doors and down the row curious at the newcomer. Two mouths thoughtfully chew as they look him over, Hildis they have seen before though she would have garnered a good look, too. Ears twitch and a stallion stamps his foot as the new pony is brought down the line.
"Ho, up there Starface. He's gelded," she laughs and opens the door to lead him into his new stall. It has been well prepared by the stable hands, the hay waiting in the manger is sweet, smelling of summer, the floor strewn with fresh straw. Hildis hangs her hood up and begins to remove the pony's tack murmuring softly to him, "Are we going to keep calling you Sunny?"

=== Hildis's DESC ============================================================
Stone solid, the crags of a cliff might come to mind when one first sees her though not in height but in breadth and strength. Clear green eyes glint deep beneath her straight brows. Her beard and hair veer towards the red of iron rich earth. Both hang long and twined with braids her hair heavy and glossy, weighted with stones that gleam green, her beard hanging thickly nearly to her waist. Ruddy unwrinkled skin might be seen around what the rich beard does not cover.
 
A long vest of soft leather covers a yellow tunic closed with the same green stones that hang in thick braids to wide shoulders. Sturdy boots, blunt toed and well-used, hug loose azure trousers at the knee.
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Ranol is just recently returning from his trip with Frarin, gear slung over his shoulder and leading a pony along slowly to where it's to be stabled with Thari's beasts, and the rest of her family's animals. He's smiling, an easy expression on his face as he walks along, not paying attention to much of anything around him beyond numbers on stalls.

Curious as the other beasts, Hildis goes to the door bit and head stall hanging from her hand as she looks to see who has arrived. She bites her lip and nearly pulls her head back inside but laughs at herself and instead calls, smiling hugely, "Ranol! How are you?"

Ranol looks over, blue eyes seeking out a face to match the voice. He smiles, a softer shy thing. "Hildis... I just got back. How are you?" He asks, guiding the pony along closer to the stall where she's standing. The huskarl seems relaxed, far less stressed than he has been lately. The trip must have been therapeutic.

[Thari(#31038)]
"No, I don't think so." There are dwarves descending the stairs to the stables right now, and some might recognize the speaker as one Thari of Bundazanul. She is holding her skirts and speaking briskly to the few dwarves around her. "Waiting much longer will lose valuable time and, thus, profit."
His shyness trims her smile, her color very high as she opens the door in invitation. "So you are back already? I thought it was to be tomorrow. Bring your pony in here, if you like there is room for two ponies and we can talk while we curry them." She stops to look toward the steps, "Thari?"

Ranol guides the pony into the stall after lowering his gear to the cavern floor. "No, tonight. I have duty in the morning." He begins pulling the saddle off the animal, "Thari?" He looks around when she draws attention elsewhere, "Oh! Hail Thari!" He says in greeting, grinning.

[Thari(#31038)]
"The wheels will get stuck in the mud," a dwarf with a blue beard answers Thari as if arguing. "Wares will be ruined, spilled--"

"They will not," Thari interrupts firmly. She glances aside as someone says her name and waves distractedly toward Ranol and Hildis. "Not if you are well prepared. Honestly, I spent the last three years beyond the Misty Mountains and you're trying to tell me about /difficulties/."

Thari's voice becomes more difficult to understand as her group turns and goes further down the stables, toward some wagons. They move out of sight. A moment later, however, Thari is returning without her entourage.
She waves again to Ranol and Hildis, more excited now.

 "I have extra brushes in the box in the corner, Ranol." She admires the pony for a moment, "Nice little beast you have there. Now, what do you think of Sunny? Well, not sure I am going to keep that as his name. She nods proudly at the pony - 11 hands high - small for the big folk, certainly, but tall for a dwarf. She walks around him, running a hand over his champagne colored mane, down his shaggy chestnut flanks and the beard hanging under his thick jaw. "The Dale folk say he is from the far north...or from a line from the far north." She pokes her head out again watching for Thari and returns her wave as she walks down the line of curious ponies.

[Ranol(#26812)] "The pony? Nay... it is Nalur's. On loan for the trip. He needed the exercise anyhow." Ranol moves to collect one of the brushes and begins running it along the pony's side, listening to her talk. "He looks good... Is that the one that Wynne had?"

[Thari(#31038)]
Thari is looking around a little as she approaches with her swift step. "Where is Frarin?" she asks eagerly.
Ranol chuckles at Thari's question and offers a shrug of his shoulders. "He was off to find you, I think." Methodically the huskarl wipes the brush along, smoothing fur and mane.

Hildis stands half way out of the stall, the door at her back waiting for Thari. Her eyebrows rise at the question. "Maybe Ranol would know?" She gives him a quizzical look as she replies to Thari.

[Thari(#31038)]
"Oh." Thari's expression falls at Ranol's answer her moustache droops. She rallies herself and smiles again. "How was it?" she asks.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm interrupting." Thari bows deeply toward Hildis.

The bow is returned with a sweep of the curry brush Hildis holds in her hand. "Nay you are not and never will be, Thari. We are having a curry session and you are asking the questions that interest me as well. So...please." Hildis holds the door for Thari to come into the stall.

[Ranol(#26812)] "The trip was enjoyable." Ranol says with an easy smile, still stroking the brush along. "We went fishing. I think Frarin brought back some that he froze for you, Thari."

[Thari(#31038)]
Thari's eyes light up more. "Did he?" she says, sounding enormously pleased, as if the proposed gift involved jewels instead of a dead fish. "What did you do? Did you catch anything?"

Hildis sneaks a glance at Ranol perhaps wondering if her wandering warrior has brought her gifts from the wild. She keeps her questions to herself and begins to curry her pony starting at the thickly muscled neck.

[Ranol(#26812)] "I caught some trout, and a whitefish. Frarin cooked them, came out well." Ranol says finishing brushing down the pony and guiding it back out of the stall to tie off in the hallway so there's more room. "We drank, talked... fished. It was relaxing."

[Thari(#31038)]
"Frarin cooked?" Thari sounds dubious. A long sigh. She looks sympathetically toward Hildis. "I wish I had gone with the two of you." Now she sounds a touch bitter.

[Ranol(#26812)] "You would have been bored." Ranol says frankly, glancing at his cousin critically for a moment. "And yes, he cooked. I'm terrible at it, so I let him do it."

"Invited?" Hildis ducks her head to hide her expression of bewilderment, butting it against the horses shoulder as she works down a front leg. "It’s good to go out with friends. Maybe we should have a group of woman go out Thari. Though I wonder what they talked about." She grins mischievously at Ranol then butts her head back against her pony not waiting for a reply.

[Thari(#31038)]
"We should!" Thari nods at Hildis quickly. "Though..." she laughs.”The guards they would send with us would be a bit of a bore. Well," she steps back. "I'm going to go see about my fish. Good day!" She bows toward the both of them and hurries toward the stairs.

"Good day, Thari. Why should we have guards and you not?" Hildis asks with an unusual hint of sulkiness in her voice as she refits her head back against the pony's flank.

Ranol grins and nods, lifting his hand in farewell to Thari. After she has rushed off the huskarl leans casually against the stall. "We were talking about fishing." He answers and watches her work quietly, not bothering to answer the question about women needing guards as he feels it rather obvious.

Refusing to look at him she methodically works down to the muddy fetlock and then hides herself on the pony's offside. "Fishing? Somehow...I would have thought the conversation more...well, deeper with Frarin and yourself. A lot has gone on in these last months, I think, for you."

[Ranol(#26812)] "We did talk of some other things, aye. I have been distracted the last few months, that is true." Ranol speaks softly, but seems less guarded now. Instead, it's as if he's found a way to settle with his stress for the time being. "What did you do while I was gone? Other than acquiring the pony?"

"This took better part of a day. And what do you think of his name, Sunny? Other than that I have been working in the hall, learning to live with the looks and chatter of some of the worst of them...really, it is not all that bad." She stands to look at him, brushing her braids back over her shoulders, her eyes soft with contentment at his relaxed manner. "I will be glad to travel when I may."

Ranol frowns when she talks of her troubles, crossing his arms and leaning on the stall door. Still, the look of easy peace is ever-present. The trip seems to have done a world of good for the Bundazanul. "Perhaps soon...” He says with a smile, a pleased expression on his face, though it's origin obscure.

"Shall I keep his name, Ranol? Sunny? That is what the Dale people called him for his disposition." Hildis narrows her eyes studying him for a moment. "You do seem pleased about something. What makes you so happy?"

[Ranol(#26812)] "The name... right." Ranol says, shaking off whatever is distracting his thoughts. "If you like it. It is your pony. Thari has one named Brown-Eyes. Frarin calls his, Barim." At her question he grins again and lifts his hand to rub the back of his neck. "It's... foolish."

"Then share it with me. I could use a bit more foolish in my life." Her voice is pitched softly. Sunny decides to lean against her at that moment nearly knocking her broad form over but she shoves him back with a grin. "Hey, you!"

Ranol flushes, his cheeks growing pink around the black beard and whiskers beneath his nose. "I did not expect to be so happy to see you. Which was foolish on my part." He says simply, and leans down then to pick up his pack and heft it onto his shoulder, keeping it from the searching nose of Nalur's pony.

"Well," she unconsciously echoes his gesture and rubs her neck under her braids. "It would be foolish if ...if I were to mock you or...reject you. Wait, it was foolish to be happy seeing me or foolish at not realizing you would be?"

Ranol lifts his brows at her question and grins again, chuckling. "Foolish because... I am smiling like a fool and it makes me wonder if my feelings are as obvious on my face as they are to me now." He answers in a meandering fashion after a long moment of though. "Hildis, I have been very distracted lately, there was a lot on my mind. It's more open now."

"I would kiss you now but will wait for you to do that," she says putting a hand to her own cheek as if feeling the heat that flames them red. She then resorts to hiding her head against Sunny's flank. "Tell me about how it is more open for you now, Ranol."

[Ranol(#26812)] The huskarl looks both pleased and alarmed at her words, and draws back from the door of the pony stall in a nervous fashion. "Such a thing wouldn't be proper...” He says carefully, fingering the strap of the pack he's holding. Her topic change is a relief. "I've decided to let go of some things that were bothering me. I was trying to control what I couldn't, and it was... a poor use of my energy."

 The red still flames in her cheeks but Hildis looks at him with concern and perhaps a trace of disappointment. She does not want to let him off, "How more open for you, Ranol? As for being improper ...we will talk about that more later, perhaps."

[Ranol(#26812)] "I'm not sure what you are asking...” Ranol says, growing confused now. He pats the pony next to him on the nose, pushing it away from his pack where some oats are tucked away.

"Nothing, Ranol. I wanted to know what you have let go of, what has changed for you. Only...selfishly...to feel happy with you." She hangs her head as though she has done something wrong by asking.

[Ranol(#26812)] "Oh...” The dwarven guard furrows his brow, thinking. He asks in an abrupt fashion, "Would you like to take a walk? I can leave my supplies in the stall with Nalur's pony here and we could go somewhere to talk? I... would like to hear your opinion on something."

"Yes," she says simply. "Sunny is ready, leave your things and lead on."

Ranol nods and takes the pony to where he belongs. He fishes out the oats from his pack and feeds the animal, then tucks the rest of his gear into a corner of the stall. Once that's taken care of he glances at her attire and decides against going outside. Instead he leads her off to an empty tunnel that goes off to an unused section of the stables, from a time before the dwarves were driven from the mountain by the dragon.

Hildis follows behind him, quietly glancing at his strong back and thick black hair. An occasional smile brushes her lips as they walk in silence through the old corridors.

Ranol walks along the empty horse and pony stalls, dragging his fingers lightly until he turns a corner and sees some benches. He sits down, shadows falling across him as the dim lighting of a single lantern does a poor job of lighting the area.

Content to follow his lead, Hildis sits on the bench and watches his face half shadowed in the light. The smile, more a light in her eyes, returns as she waits for him to speak. She takes a careful breath and waits.

Ranol doesn't speak immediately. His blue eyes are on nothing in particular, his gaze distant as he thinks back to past conversations. "Can you tell me something? I wish to know what you think about my job."

"Your job?” she repeats with mild surprise and looks away from him to give it thought. Her voice is slow and grave as she answers. "I think that you do it very well. You are devoted, thorough, prepared and brave ...and I mean these things without flattery. The nature of your job is very demanding though I think that Braldor is a just dwarf. You are a soldier. What do you think of your job?"

[Ranol(#26812)] "Thank you...” He says smiling quietly, but it fades to a more serious expression again. "But, the job itself, what my duty is. Have you thought about that?" Ranol asks next, his blue eyes watching her intently now.

"Why, I think you are to protect the Thane with your life and to protect your clan as well as any dwarf that finds himself or herself endangered. Yes, I have thought about it because of the danger it puts you in..."Her green eyes are intent on his face as she nods.

[Ranol(#26812)] "Without hesitation." The huskarl says, and there isn't a shred of uncertainty in his tone, until his next question is spoken. "And that doesn't bother you?" Ranol has surprise on his face. Perhaps he wasn't expecting such a response from Hildis.

"It would bother me...greatly, to lose you, Ranol." She gives him a contrite shrug for her frankness but does not stop. One hand traces the edge of the bench as she speaks, "I will worry about you every time you go out to do your duty by Thane and clan. Though once you told me that is was your father's debt that made you decide to serve the Thane. Ranol, what does your heart tell you to do? Do you wish to leave his service and work with your hands as you had grown up thinking that you would?"

[Ranol(#26812)] "I do not know. It will be a long time before that decision must be made." Ranol says, though now that she's brought it up he leans back against the stone wall behind the bench, thinking. "I enjoy my work, more than I ever expected I would... I think were I to need to choose tomorrow, I would stay in his service. I do not know if I wish to walk the path of my father any longer."

"I did not want to put those words in your mouth but I thought that was so. You would not be ..." she presses a finger to her lips and smiles to herself, "you would not be you. I feel that you are on the path that is true to your heart. Someone close to you would need to know that...should know that but it will not be easy for either for you or that person."

[Ranol(#26812)] "You... think so?" Ranol asks, sounding surprised again. "You've never said much about my work. I did not know what you might think." He toys with the hairs at the end of his beard. "I take my commitments very seriously, Hildis... And vows of service even more so."

"Yes, I do." Hildis leans toward him, one hand on the bench and looks at him levelly. "Ranol, how could anyone look at you and not see the spirit of you in the way you do your duty to the Thane. You have a very good heart - a brave heart for the manner that you honor your commitments."

Ranol reaches out carefully to rest his hand atop hers, a simple, silent gesture of affection. "It will be a long time before I am free of debts. And... it would go against my nature to pursue a course that would invite anyone into such a life.." He says in a round-about tone. "But, a friend has told me that fearing to make commitments to others simply to spare them is not the best way to live a happy life."

"Frarin is very wise and you are wise to be able to hear his words, Ranol." Her voice and face are gentle with fondness as she regards him steadfastly.

[Ranol(#26812)] "He didn't say it in so many words, but I think that was his point." Ranol says, smiling for a moment. She doesn't pull her hand away from his and it sends warmth through him. "So... I know I'm going about this the wrong way, but, I care about your feelings." He takes a slow breath, obviously nervous, "I would like to speak with your father more seriously, about us, Hildis. Is that okay with you?"

Hildis doesn't change her position as though she fears all that passes between them might change were she to move. She even stops breathing when her father is mentioned. She blinks and blinks again, a slow smile coming to her face. She remembers to take a breath and takes a longer deeper one before she can speak. "Yes. Yes, at least I think so. Could you tell me more about how seriously?"

[Ranol(#26812)] Ranol's brow wrinkles, and while it is dark and she may not be able to see, his face is growing a deep scarlet. She may feel his hand grow warmer as his blood rushes more quickly through his veins. "Well...” He flounders, his free hand fidgeting. "That is... a courtship... I suppose."

Hildis nods silently and turns her palm up under his hand. "He will not be happy but my mother will set him right."

-> (half pose) "You didn't answer my question, Hildis."

She settles her hand more firmly into his and sighs with contentment. "I didn't? Speak to him Ranol. Thank you for speaking to me first," she adds shyly.

Ranol tightens his grip on her hand, then lifts it up with his own, bringing it to his lips. He lights a gently kiss on the back of hers. "I will, then. Thank you for your kind words, Hildis. It means a lot to me, that you understand." He gently lowers her hand and releases it, making to stand now.

If he had begun to discuss how he would look without a beard, Hildis could not be more dumbfounded. She looks at the back of her hand and then at him nodding. "Not kind. True. Or as true to my heart and understanding as words can be." She remains seated looking up at his broad kind face.

Ranol lets out a slow breath. "I should go see Nalur and tell him I have brought his pony back safely. I will be very busy for the next couple of days, catching up on work, I suspect." The huskarl shifts his weight in a fidgeting fashion. "I will talk to your father as soon as I am able...” Still he lingers, clearly intending to leave but not moving on yet.

Hildis seems content to sit looking up at him, a smile slips on her lips as she nods her assent to his timing. "I had not meant to be improper earlier. I meant on your cheek."

Ranol grins, perhaps in response to her smile or maybe her words. "I wish to do this the right way. With all the trouble that Frarin and Thari faced, and the way rumors spread these days... I wish to be honorable. I do." He bows to her in a formal fashion. "Good night, Hildis. I hope I will see you again soon."