Best Not Talk About It

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.

Perhaps Hildis is not a normal dwarf. She likes spending time where she can see the outside world and yet have a feel for the comfort of the wide, deep halls of her home. The Dale-Land lads who she has seen all her life give a touch of the exotic. And she likes her pony Sunny. She comes down frequently to talk to him, to spoil him with apples, to breath the scent of the hay, leather and the clean, deep smell of immaculately kept horses.

Booted and dressed no differently than any other male dwarf ready to take a foray into the outer world, she leans heavily on Sunny\'s rump. He leans companionably back and they balance each other while she talks. \"There is going to be another trip Sunny. Did you get wind of it?\"

Ranol heads into the stables with a seemingly heavy pack over one shoulder. He stops outside of Hrappi\'s stall and lowers the pack to the floor in a gentle fashion, then dips into a pocket to pull out a carrot, offering it to the black pony. The huskarl is fully armed with his heavy blue cloak, and reaches for the tack and saddle to begin preparing the animal for what must be an outing.

What makes Hildis push Sunny till he is upright and then lean out of the stall? She looks to the left and sees nothing more remarkable than a lad picking out the hooves of a recently arrived pony. She looks to the right and sees one of the guard, armed and cloaked, just as she begins to pull her head back in she does a double take...that dark beard, those blue eyes. Ranol. Unlatching the stall she goes out into the corridor, hesitates and walks down toward him.

\"Ranol,\" she pitches her baritone voice to carry to him without it calling attention to herself and approaches him.

Ranol pauses in smoothing the blanket over the pony\'s back, turning to see who calls out his name. When he spots the barazin, the huskarl smiles. \"Good day, Hildis.\" He gives her a formal bow.

\"What brings you down to the stables today?\"

His formality gives Hildis pause and she has no smooth ready answer for him. She bows brushing some straw from her tunic as she straightens. \"Visiting Sunny and wanting to smell the air, I suppose. You are all kitted up. Where are you going yourself?\"

Ranol bows to almost everyone, so perhaps there was nothing in the gesture beyond politeness. \"I am making a quick ride to Dale. I have to pick up some things that I ordered a week ago, and told one of the clan-karls I would drop off something for him while I was there.\" He waves his hand vaguely at the laden pack. \"Are you busy today? Would you like to ride with me?\"

Hildis blooms with a smile. \"I thought you were leaving for some place dangerous when I saw you armed. Can I go as I am?\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"I always carry my sword, Hildis..\" Ranol says quietly, his tone amused. He glances over her attire. \"You look fine to me. Would you like some help saddling Sunny? I wasn\'t going to linger in Dale, but perhaps we could have a meal while we\'re there?\"

\"Hmmm...let\'s see if we are hungry. I would have loved to picnic by the lake maybe with the sun setting so late we could do that.\" She starts to turn from him and then waves a hand smiling, \"No, go ahead and saddle Hrappi. I\'ll have Sunny ready in no time. You look good in armor,\"she remarks before abruptly leaving him to his work. \"Come down to get me when you are ready.\"

Ranol stares after Hildis with a bewildered expression on his face, clearly confused by her change in attitude. \"Oh.. uh.. sure. Thanks..\" The huskarl manages after a moment, then turns back to saddling the pony while shaking his head.

After another fifteen minutes or so, Ranol is ready to go. He leads Hrappi down to Sunny\'s stall, \"All set?\"

Hildis and Sunny have an understanding and she has him saddled, bridled, brushed up and shiny in less than fifteen minutes. She has had enough time to start rebraiding her beard and is examining her work in the tiny mirror she tacked up on the wall some time ago when Ranol arrives. \"Yes, yes.\" She leads Sunny out and he knickers softly at Hrappi. They like each other too. She turns and frowns a moment looking at Ranol\'s cloak but shrugs and continues out down the corridor towards the brilliant light of a summer\'s day.

Ranol notices her frowning examination. \"What\'s the matter?\" He asks as he walks with her towards the exit, guiding Hrappi along behind him. Once they\'re outside he climbs up into the saddle, taking a deep breath and letting it out with a smile.

She talks to him over her shoulder just as she is about to rise up into her saddle. \"I was thinking the heat might get you but it will be useful to picnic on.\" She is able to hide her grin from him. \"I have one in my saddlebag if need be.

\"Riding up level with him, she says very formally, \"Shall we, sir?\" The grin has returned though and she clucks lightly and Sunny steps out.

[Ranol(#26812)] \"Oh.. well.. If I get hot I\'ll take the cloak off.\" Ranol points out with a chuckle of his own. \"Let us get to Dale first before we plan the meal. I do not want to get sidetracked from my task.\" The huskarl says, then urges Hrappi to match the pace that Sunny sets.

[Ranol(#26812)] \"Oh, I ordered a gift for Panor through a Dale merchant. Her birthday is coming up.\" Ranol answers in an easy tone, smiling. \"In two days, actually, so I\'m glad it\'s finally arrived, I was starting to worry. And of course, I have to drop off this iron, as I said I would.\"

\"Oh! I won\'t tell. What did you order? Something as nice as though lovely roses you gave me?\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"Oooh.. no. Fruit. There are some melons that Panor loves that are difficult to get, so I ordered them about a month ago.\" Ranol explains, smiling. \"It\'s not the first time I\'ve gotten them for her, but it\'s been almost five years since the last.\"

\"What a good brother you are! Do they come from the far south then?\" She glances sidelong at him. \"I imagine you were worried that they wouldn\'t arrive before you left for Mirkwood.\"

Ranol laughs and shrugs at the compliment. \"I just want my sister to be happy.\" At the mention of Mirkwood he frowns, looking at her with a sidelong gaze. \"Hildis, I said that the trip is only a possibility, and it hasn\'t even been finalized yet. Lord Gimli hasn\'t spoken with King Dain yet.\"

She stares straight ahead of her though her eyes slide to look at him as she answers over-primly, \"I see. I thought it had all been settled then. I wonder how many merchants will be going to assure the negociations?\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"Hildis!.. \" Ranol reins in Hrappi and gazes at stares at her fully now. \"The last time I spoke with Lord Gimli of the plan, which is -not- finalized.. it was a military campaign. The intention is to recruit the aid of the humans and the elves and attack the orcs and trolls that are controlling Mirkwood.\" He runs his hand through his beard in frustration. \"Why do you keep trying to make it into something that it isn\'t?\"

She reins Sunny up beside him and glares back at him. \"I am not making it into something it is not. You mentioned trade.\" Her fingers tighten on the rein and she cannot look him full in the face as she says, \"I will miss you Ranol and worry.\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"No I didn\'t.. I said -maybe- there will be trade on the diplomatic trip, after you brought it up. Nothing is even settled yet. I was only mentioning the possibilty that I might be leaving. I\'m sorry that I brought it up..\" The huskarl says softly, frustrated. \"It wasn\'t my intention to worry you. Lord Gimli talked with me weeks ago, so it could be months or years before this is organized.\"

Hildis takes a deep breath and another before she looks over at him. \"Then I did make it into something that it wasn\'t. I\'m sorry for it, Ranol. And I know you did not intend to worry me. I thought...well, I thought when I saw you in the stable that for some reason you were preparing to leave. Not very logical of me.\"

Ranol blinks and looks over at her again rather suddenly, surprise on his face. Is she.. apologizing? He braces himself, cringing as he waits for the \'but\' that will surely follow.. and it never comes. The huskarl relaxes again and allows himself a small smile of relief. \"Just a day trip to Dale. I would tell you before I left on a dangerous trip.. truly. Besides, I go where Lord Braldor goes, and he doesn\'t go anywhere without quite a bit of commotion.\" Ranol grins.

Hildi\'s brow knits as he braces himself. \"I don\'t bite.\" She puts Sunny back into a walk and visibly bites down on her lip for a few steps as she considers her words. Her face relaxes and she glances at him with a slip of a smile, \"I like talking to you Ranol. I feel safe when I do.\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"I know..\" Ranol murmurs in response, thumbing the leather reins absently now. He coaxes Hrappi to follow again, watching her in confusion again. The conversation has jumped around a lot and he feels as if he is barely treading water. Not that dwarves swim.. \"Thank you. I enjoy hearing your thoughts and opinions on things.\" He says with a grin, starting to grow comfortable again.

\"Glad you know,\" she answers softly nodding. \"I feel like you are my friend, Ranol, first of all my friend. So I thought you wouldn\'t mind me telling you about what I thought about the trip. I\'m glad you listened.\" She settles back into her saddle and shoots him a brilliant smile. \"Ranol?\"

[Ranol(#26812)] No.. do not relax, Huskarl. Something is going on here. Something that could end badly with the way she\'s smiling at you and talking of friendship. \"Umm.. yes?\" Ranol asks hesitantly, lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck, finding himself sweaty.

One eyebrow slides upward as she watches him shift in his saddle. She peers at him from the corner of her eye as she asks, \"Where was that special place you were telling me about the other day?\"

[Ranol(#26812)] \"It\'s not a special place.. it\'s a special moment.\" Ranol answers easily, grinning now. \"And.. no offense, but I don\'t want the memory of our first kiss to be in your father\'s foyer.\" He says, chuckling. \"Is that what is on your mind so much?\"

\"On my mind so much?\" she rounds on him affronted though there is a hint of a smile in her eyes. She sniffs but her blush makes it lose some of its effect. \"I should say not. Best not talk about it.\" Hands on her reins, back straight, feet turned out, she is the model of dwarf pony riding as she peers with interest down the mountain.

[Ranol(#26812)] Ranol\'s grin only widens at her reaction, the subtleties not lost on him this time. He looks around the valley slowly, noting that they are quite alone on the road. He kicks Hrappi into a gallop and catches up to her, but doesn\'t slow. Instead he makes a quick grab for Sunny\'s reins to try and steal them from her, and if successful he\'ll veer off the road towards a hill covered in tall grasses and wildflowers.

Hildis\'s mouth drops open in astonishment at his rapidity, agility and...she is speechless and for once, she is not leading the band. Ranol takes the reins before she has even begun to follow what he is about. Her pony is a trusting soul and decides that he likes this little game and quite meekly lets himself be steered toward the hill.

Western Valley

Clouds hang low and make the sky gloomy overhead. The River Running burbles through this area from the Mountain that rises like a some dark god to the north, south and away towards the Long Lake. A cool breeze blows through the grass covered valley, along the well-kept road which follows the western riverbank from the gate-cliff at the vale\'s north end to just north of the Barding\'s town. The road splits here, going towards a new aqueduct and then south into Dale, or across a wide bridge of stone to wander away northeast around a spur of the Mountain, or southwest along the river around Dale then back south into the distance.

Ranol guides both ponies up and over the hill, heading towards a depression in the valley, the grass almost tall enough to conceal them. Once they\'re at the lowest point he reins in both animals and deftly dismounts Hrappi. He holds his hand up for Hildis to offer her assistance to do the same.

Sunny stands placidly barely breathing hard after their exertion going up the hill. He grabs a mouthful of grass obviously happy to be outside, not moving and surrounded by good grass. Hildis looks dumbfounded but there is a momentum here that she seems unable to break. Glassy-eyed she hooks a foot over the horn of her saddle and gives him her hand to help her slide down.

[Ranol(#26812)] There\'s a quiet satisfaction about the Huskarl as Hildis seems speechless. He holds her hand tightly and only stops to hook Sunny\'s reins to the saddle on Hrappi, trusting in the trained pony not to run off. Then Ranol tugs Hildis to follow him as he heads north and west. The grasses wave in the gentle summer breeze, tall around them like a slender green forest.

Rather randomly the Bundazanul stops and pulls off his helm, turning about to face her. His short black hair is matted down, flat against his brow, his beard a wild shock that covers his jaw and chest. Ranol\'s blue eyes gaze at her with a moment of hesitation, his own nervousness showing for but a moment, and then he leans in to try and kiss her.

Follow she does, blinking with a cock-eyed smile on her dazed face until he turns to look at her. Her green eyes widen and the smile fades becoming a question-then a desire-then a yes. She leans into him. The neat braids of her red beard become emeshed in the wilderness of his.

[Ranol(#26812)] It isn\'t a polite peck on the lips or cheek. Ranol perhaps has been harboring as much desire as her, only keeping it very hidden behind his carefully controlled calm facade. He drops the helmet into the grass with a soft thud and reaches to rest both of his hands on her shoulders. The kiss isn\'t one of extensive experience, but for his first attempt at such a show of affection, he tries to make up for technique with a small bit of style. He pulls away after the span of a few breaths and his gaze is all nervousness, as if the fierce warrior is too afraid to smile until he sees her reaction.

They are neither long on experience. Hildis sighs when he stops and mirrors his anxiousness until she sees his expression and smiles, the barest curve of her lips. She does not step back from him. With great tenderness she kisses him on either side of his nose, shyly places her hands on his broad shoulders and offers her lips to him.

Ranol kisses her a second time, more conscious of it this time instead of too nervous to enjoy it. But again, he does not allow the moment to last too long. When he pulls away the second time the huskarl is smiling, and before she has a chance to say anything he lifts his hand to press his finger against her lips.

\"Best not to talk about it.. \" He says, echoing her words from earlier. He stoops down to collect up his helmet, then reaches for her hand so that they can walk back to the ponies.