Elendor
Or More
Hildis gets some answers out of Ranol on where their friendship stands.
Sort Date: no date set
Location: Erebor
Description: Ranol is moving at a leisurely pace from the Hall of the Silver Axes. He's obviously been putting in a hard day of training. He's carrying his helm at his side and his hair is damp from sweat, sticking to his brow. He's rubbing his left arm, the recently mended limb aching from the hard workout.
It's late in the evening, well past the dinner hour. The huskarl usually works on training the first half of the day, so this is a change of routine for Ranol.
Not far ahead of him, helm in her hand, another dwarf walks, head down in thought. She wears the red tabard of her clan over ringmail and walks with something akin to a limp favoring her left side.
Ranol recognizes the Barazin ahead of him almost immediately. He picks up his pace a bit to catch up, smiling as he calls out, "Hildis!"
Frowning she slows but takes a few steps before coming to a complete stop and turning around. She is not able to twist but moves her whole body in order to face him. She essays a smile and succeeds after a false start. "Good evening Ranol, " she says with a lift of her hand.
"Are you okay?" Ranol asks, noticing her difficulty in moving, his voice heavy with concern. "You're hurt.. " He closes the distance quickly, reaching as if help her, but stalling short with a nervous look to his face.
She sighs sharply at his abortive attempt at comfort but the niceties prevail and she nods. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just a bit sore but fine." She nearly chirps her answer in her desire to not appear surprised at his being there or to make a bid for his sympathy. Looking behind him as though expecting someone to be following him she asks, "You are here late...I, ah, didn't think you came at this time of day?"
"Are you sure? You were limping.. Maybe you should double check, just to be sure? Or we could find Thari?" Ranol still sounds worried, his brows drawn together. "Want me to carry anything?"
At her question of his presence he answers easily. "No, normally I do the training all in the morning or afternoon, but I'm going on a trip for a few days so I'm making sure I take care of everything before I go. I'm glad I ran into you, I was going to tell you."
[Hildis(#23062)] A wince and a frown are the only forthcoming answer until Thari is mentioned. "Oh! No! But I think I will ask for quantities of hot water to soak in this evening. I hired an instructor and he was...I am not sure he liked training a woman to be honest with you." She waves her hand though not too high to dismiss the subject of her stiffness and regards him from under her eyebrows with a quizzical tilt to her head. "I'm glad you are going out." But she sounds puzzled, "But why would you tell me, Ranol?"
"I.. well.. I just thought you might like to know why I'm gone for a few days." Ranol answers first, his face growing troubled as his tone softens. Quieter, he asks, "You hired someone?" His tone is a bit disappointed.
Hildis nods now, eyes averted as she seems to consider what he said, "I didn't want you to think that you were obliged to train me." She looks up, searching his face, "And thank you for telling me about your plans." It is not only politeness that colors her voice as she says that.
"Oh.. I didn't mind. I wanted to, but, whatever you want." Ranol answers, looking away for a moment. Then he brightens as he asks, "Are you heading home? Would you like some company?"
"Ranol?" she asks evidently thinking so hard she is scowling and muttering to herself, "whatever I want?" She sighs so hard she makes herself wince which in turn makes her stop in her tracks. Putting her chin to her chest and banging her helmet on her thigh she would appear to be struggling with something. She gulps a breath as quietly as she can, then another.
"Yes, I am heading home. Yes, I would like some company. But I would like to know what kind of company? I mean...The words are almost strangled, "My friend? My sparring partner? Or...or...I don't know, something more?"
"Ranol?" she asks evidently thinking so hard that she scowls and mutters aloud to herself. "Whatever I want?" She sighs hard enough to make herself wince which in turn makes her stop in her tracks. Putting her chin to her chest and banging her helmet on her thigh she would appear to be struggling with something. She gulps a breath as quietly as she can, then another.
"Yes, I am heading home. Yes, I would like some company. But I would like to know what kind of company? I mean..." The words are almost strangled, "My friend? My sparring partner? Or...or...I don't know, something more?"
Ranol stops when she does, concern flashing across his face again when she shows pain. "Maybe you should at least see Thari.." He trails off as Hildis continues, listening intently. "Oh.. " The huskarl grows very quiet, shyness gripping him and stealing his words. "I .. like spending time together, Hildis. I enjoy it." He flushes, his thick fingers toying with the end of his beard. "As your friend or sparring partner.. or.. more."
[Hildis(#23062)] Shaking her head as though he had offered to go another round of sparring with her instead of a healer, she clutches her side as she begins to smile, then grin. She grips herself tighter as it becomes a laugh. "Friend is good," she says, her laughter subsiding because of the pain, "sparring partner is good, too. Or more...is very good," her voice descends to a near whisper. "Could you tell me more about that 'or more', please?"
Ranol is obviously nervous and he continues fingering the black tip of his beard. Her reaction earns a shy smile from the huskarl, and he glances around, thankful that there aren't many dwarves around. "Well, not really. There hasn't been much of 'or more' with us.. I guess we would need to find out." Maybe he's attempting to be clever, or maybe he's too hesitant to admit his feelings.
He is taller than Hildis is, just enough that she needs to look up if she stands close. Despite her ribs, she takes a step into him, her body language challenging and without regard for any passerbyers. '"Now, how do you propose going about that? One either knows or doesn't know if there is a desire for 'or more'. Or should, at least, I think so." Athought occurs to her before he has a chance to finish, "Wait, is there 'or more?'"
Ranol swallows, growing more flustered when she moves into his personal space. "I.. well.." She's so close that it's hard for him not to smell the mix of sweat and perfume in her hair, or feel the warmth of her body through his clothes and armor. "I meant.. that is.. I.." He hesitates further, wishing he was battling a troll right now instead of wading into this muddy stream of mixed up feelings, "I like you. I want to spend more time together, if you do?"
Is it the time that she spent in prison? The shock of being falsely accused and witnessing how quickly fortunes can change? Hildis, shy at heart, does something unthinkable for her. She very lightly grasps Ranol's beard and gently tugs him towards her and kisses him on the cheek.
Ranol is waiting for an answer, for her to reject him or laugh or maybe agree if he's lucky. She catches him by surprise when she pulls at his beard and lights the kiss on his face. The huskarl's cheek grows red, his face flushing deeper, but he's smiling widely. "Thank you.." He says after a long silence, struggling to figure out what to say. "Do.. you.. want to get dinner with me?"
Hildis hasn't moved back from him. She grins so broadly her mustache lifts and she nods once deeply. "Or more!" She steps back with a laugh. "Where would you like to go?"
Ranol laughs, grinning as well. His hand twitches, as if he might reach for her to keep her from moving away, but thinks better of it. He answers in a soft voice, "Somewhere that isn't too crowded." He chuckles more, then adds.. "Or more.. "
It's late in the evening, well past the dinner hour. The huskarl usually works on training the first half of the day, so this is a change of routine for Ranol.
Not far ahead of him, helm in her hand, another dwarf walks, head down in thought. She wears the red tabard of her clan over ringmail and walks with something akin to a limp favoring her left side.
Ranol recognizes the Barazin ahead of him almost immediately. He picks up his pace a bit to catch up, smiling as he calls out, "Hildis!"
Frowning she slows but takes a few steps before coming to a complete stop and turning around. She is not able to twist but moves her whole body in order to face him. She essays a smile and succeeds after a false start. "Good evening Ranol, " she says with a lift of her hand.
"Are you okay?" Ranol asks, noticing her difficulty in moving, his voice heavy with concern. "You're hurt.. " He closes the distance quickly, reaching as if help her, but stalling short with a nervous look to his face.
She sighs sharply at his abortive attempt at comfort but the niceties prevail and she nods. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just a bit sore but fine." She nearly chirps her answer in her desire to not appear surprised at his being there or to make a bid for his sympathy. Looking behind him as though expecting someone to be following him she asks, "You are here late...I, ah, didn't think you came at this time of day?"
"Are you sure? You were limping.. Maybe you should double check, just to be sure? Or we could find Thari?" Ranol still sounds worried, his brows drawn together. "Want me to carry anything?"
At her question of his presence he answers easily. "No, normally I do the training all in the morning or afternoon, but I'm going on a trip for a few days so I'm making sure I take care of everything before I go. I'm glad I ran into you, I was going to tell you."
[Hildis(#23062)] A wince and a frown are the only forthcoming answer until Thari is mentioned. "Oh! No! But I think I will ask for quantities of hot water to soak in this evening. I hired an instructor and he was...I am not sure he liked training a woman to be honest with you." She waves her hand though not too high to dismiss the subject of her stiffness and regards him from under her eyebrows with a quizzical tilt to her head. "I'm glad you are going out." But she sounds puzzled, "But why would you tell me, Ranol?"
"I.. well.. I just thought you might like to know why I'm gone for a few days." Ranol answers first, his face growing troubled as his tone softens. Quieter, he asks, "You hired someone?" His tone is a bit disappointed.
Hildis nods now, eyes averted as she seems to consider what he said, "I didn't want you to think that you were obliged to train me." She looks up, searching his face, "And thank you for telling me about your plans." It is not only politeness that colors her voice as she says that.
"Oh.. I didn't mind. I wanted to, but, whatever you want." Ranol answers, looking away for a moment. Then he brightens as he asks, "Are you heading home? Would you like some company?"
"Ranol?" she asks evidently thinking so hard she is scowling and muttering to herself, "whatever I want?" She sighs so hard she makes herself wince which in turn makes her stop in her tracks. Putting her chin to her chest and banging her helmet on her thigh she would appear to be struggling with something. She gulps a breath as quietly as she can, then another.
"Yes, I am heading home. Yes, I would like some company. But I would like to know what kind of company? I mean...The words are almost strangled, "My friend? My sparring partner? Or...or...I don't know, something more?"
"Ranol?" she asks evidently thinking so hard that she scowls and mutters aloud to herself. "Whatever I want?" She sighs hard enough to make herself wince which in turn makes her stop in her tracks. Putting her chin to her chest and banging her helmet on her thigh she would appear to be struggling with something. She gulps a breath as quietly as she can, then another.
"Yes, I am heading home. Yes, I would like some company. But I would like to know what kind of company? I mean..." The words are almost strangled, "My friend? My sparring partner? Or...or...I don't know, something more?"
Ranol stops when she does, concern flashing across his face again when she shows pain. "Maybe you should at least see Thari.." He trails off as Hildis continues, listening intently. "Oh.. " The huskarl grows very quiet, shyness gripping him and stealing his words. "I .. like spending time together, Hildis. I enjoy it." He flushes, his thick fingers toying with the end of his beard. "As your friend or sparring partner.. or.. more."
[Hildis(#23062)] Shaking her head as though he had offered to go another round of sparring with her instead of a healer, she clutches her side as she begins to smile, then grin. She grips herself tighter as it becomes a laugh. "Friend is good," she says, her laughter subsiding because of the pain, "sparring partner is good, too. Or more...is very good," her voice descends to a near whisper. "Could you tell me more about that 'or more', please?"
Ranol is obviously nervous and he continues fingering the black tip of his beard. Her reaction earns a shy smile from the huskarl, and he glances around, thankful that there aren't many dwarves around. "Well, not really. There hasn't been much of 'or more' with us.. I guess we would need to find out." Maybe he's attempting to be clever, or maybe he's too hesitant to admit his feelings.
He is taller than Hildis is, just enough that she needs to look up if she stands close. Despite her ribs, she takes a step into him, her body language challenging and without regard for any passerbyers. '"Now, how do you propose going about that? One either knows or doesn't know if there is a desire for 'or more'. Or should, at least, I think so." Athought occurs to her before he has a chance to finish, "Wait, is there 'or more?'"
Ranol swallows, growing more flustered when she moves into his personal space. "I.. well.." She's so close that it's hard for him not to smell the mix of sweat and perfume in her hair, or feel the warmth of her body through his clothes and armor. "I meant.. that is.. I.." He hesitates further, wishing he was battling a troll right now instead of wading into this muddy stream of mixed up feelings, "I like you. I want to spend more time together, if you do?"
Is it the time that she spent in prison? The shock of being falsely accused and witnessing how quickly fortunes can change? Hildis, shy at heart, does something unthinkable for her. She very lightly grasps Ranol's beard and gently tugs him towards her and kisses him on the cheek.
Ranol is waiting for an answer, for her to reject him or laugh or maybe agree if he's lucky. She catches him by surprise when she pulls at his beard and lights the kiss on his face. The huskarl's cheek grows red, his face flushing deeper, but he's smiling widely. "Thank you.." He says after a long silence, struggling to figure out what to say. "Do.. you.. want to get dinner with me?"
Hildis hasn't moved back from him. She grins so broadly her mustache lifts and she nods once deeply. "Or more!" She steps back with a laugh. "Where would you like to go?"
Ranol laughs, grinning as well. His hand twitches, as if he might reach for her to keep her from moving away, but thinks better of it. He answers in a soft voice, "Somewhere that isn't too crowded." He chuckles more, then adds.. "Or more.. "
Players: Ranol, Hildis
Located in: Erebor
