Dirty Business

[Elaos(#30364)]

Having met her outside the infirmary, Elaos was dressed in a clean shirt and pants along with a basket and a pack of his own with tools. As they trek through the open plains with mirkwood to their right side, the man looks skyward a moment, lifting his hand to cover his eyes. \"Look..\" He points out as several sparrows soar and twine together in a dance. \"Beautiful, is it not?\" He asks before looking down at her. The air tugs at his open shirt and his skin is already sunkissed from working outdoors.

Cecilia has added a thin spring coat to her dress, and has her pack and tools as well. The cloth bag is slung from one shoulder across her chest and back, and decorated with detailed embroidery along the strap and top of the satchel. More than once the young woman has let her gaze stray over to sneak glances at his exposed, tanned chest. Mogel likely doesn\'t look so fine, she\'s sure of that. When he stops to point out the birds, she looks up and laughs in delight. \"They are love.. do you think?\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Perhaps they are.\" He states, pulling his hand away to look down at her. \"Now lets see, moss will be in the woods but I think perhaps we can find everything else out here. Maybe even a bit of moss in the wetter areas.\" He smiles at her and walks a few more paces before he lowers to one knee and pulls out a carved trowel, he begins to dig up a milkweed plant. \"Now is the time to keep your promise..\" he intones, setting his pack aside next before continuing.Cecilia laughs again, rolling her eyes. \"I will.. I will.\" She grumbles, and pulls open her bag. Her own hand shovel is pulled out along with a small folded towel. She lays the towel down first to kneel upon, then as promised begins digging up some of the plants as well. Her method is more delicate but she doesn\'t seem as afraid of the dirt as she has let on in the past.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Elaos casts a glance towards her and chuckles softly, \"Give me that.\" He says, setting aside a root he has already pulled clean. He reaches outward and tugs at the towel she kneels on. \"This is for wiping hands..\" He starts, and attempts to give it a playful tug.

\"No! .. No no no!\" Cecilia resists, giggling and pushing him away. \"I will use it on my hands when we\'re done. Until then it keeps my dress clean!\" She holds the shovel up threateningly if he tries to pull it away again, but she\'s grinning widely.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Holding his hands up to fend her off, he nods, \"Okay okay..\" He grins and chuckles, \"Keep it then, but trust me, no towel will keep you clean.\" He smirks then, not caring how dirty his knees get as he begins to clean off the root and place it in the pack\'s side pouch. \"So why such a chipper attitude today?\" He asks warmly, not looking up from his work.

\"Noooo. I can stay clean, it just takes a little more care. You\'re a man, you do not wash clothes.. but I do and it\'s far easier to keep them clean than spend forever trying to scrub a stain out.\" Cecilia argues, stubbornly pushing her opinion on him though she\'s still grinning. At his question she glances over at him, pausing in shaking the dirt off the root she\'s dug up. \"I.. suppose because it is such a beautiful day out and I have a good excuse to enjoy it with wonderful company.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

Smiling at this, Elaos bows his head a moment towards her, \"Why thank you, what a very kind thing to say and as for men not washing clothes..I assure you I do.\" He lets out a long breath and looks down. \"It takes some dedication to keep this man well dressed.\" He says in an auspicious tone before he grins and leans back down to free another root from the ground.

\"Do you?\" Cecilia asks, grinning again. \"Then I am impressed, Elaos.\" He\'s probably washed more clothes than she has. Then again, with how fussy she is about her looks perhaps not. \"My brothers never do their own laundering, that is for sure.\" She laughs again at his joke, lifting her pale brows as she more openly appraises him. Then the healer looks down as she begins digging up the next plant.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Well, it\'s either I do it myself or I let everyone enjoy me as I am, without clean clothes.\" He chuckles at this and pulls free a few more roots from the same hole, cleaning them off and setting them inside his bag. With a quick count, he begins to expand his hole to garner more. \"One day they will have to learn and it will be an interesting moment. It does not take a lot of understanding, just some more time out of your day.\" The man\'s hands are already dirty, black stained by the rich earth and none of it seems to bother him one bit, he actually looks like he enjoys it.

\"I don\'t think you understand my brothers.\" Cecilia says, still with a grin. She\'s digging at a slower pace, but doesn\'t seem to balk from the dirt getting on her fingers. The extra care is only to avoid damaging the roots that she is pulling from the earth. \"Vernon, Dagur, and Amund all have their wives to do their laundry. And Kai!.. He just leaves all his smelly clothes piled up around the house until someone does it for him. Usually Dagur\'s wife, she\'s very sweet.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"It is good to have family, despite their less than approachable attendance to some things.\" He pauses and then continues in a lighter tone. \"It sounds like they love each other dearly.\" He casts a glance her way, watching her fingers also become blackened by the dirt, \"I am glad you are willing to do this...\" He sits back on his haunches and draws a lungfull of air, gazing up at the sky before turning to his work. Contentment appears to flow through him, a gentle hum beginning to rise in a warm baritone from him.

\"Yes.. I love my brothers, even Vernon though he\'s -so- protective he makes me want to scream sometimes.\" Cecilia speaks with such an open, carefree attitude that it\'s likely she would share just about anything with him if he asked. \"Why wouldn\'t I be willing? I just don\'t like digging things up in the winter because my hands get so cold.. I do not mind it so much.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

The song ends and he smiles as he then nods. \"It is good to have siblings that care so much, do not let it aggravate you. So tell me, what do they think of Mogel?\" He questions, a brow raising as he uses fingers to work at the dirt with ease. Slowly a gentle turn of his gaze is offered her. \"Tell me more of them as well..I would like to hear of your family.\"

\"I know they only do it because they care.. but it can be stifling. I\'m not a child anymore. Vernon is dead-set on me going on another trip, but I\'m not going to let him stop me.\" Cecilia grows quiet when he brings up her fiance, \"They do not say much.. because there is no changing it. My father has arranged everything. Kai is off patrolling to the south. He would understand.\" Her voice has grown softer, more sad as she thumbs the dirt off of the stringy roots.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Stopping, he looks over at her, \"I am sorry,\"he says. Clearing his throat he reaches over to give a tug at the towel again beneath her knees. \"Come now..\" He says, trying to get her to smile once more as his grin slips back into place. His deep green eyes take a moment to study her and then he flicks his dirt spattered fingers at her. \"I shall teach you how to get a stain out of clothing fast.\" There is a heavy look of guilt behind his smile.

Cecilia smiles softly when Elaos apologizes, giving him an appreciative glance. When he pulls at the towel again she quickly reaches down to hold it in place again and never sees the dirt until it hits her clothes. She looks up with a gasp of shock. \"Don\'t you dare..\" The healer says, reaching for her trowel and driving it down into the soft earth to free up a damp clod.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Dare what?\" He asks with an apparent grin as he gives up the towel in favor of flicking his dirt caked hand at her again. Elaos chuckles as he watches her reaction. \"Come now, I am a man remember.\" He jests and then reaches down into the hole. \"Do it and you will regret it.\" He promises, lifting his other hand to attempt to block the possible incoming dirt.

\"You think with four older brothers I can\'t defend myself, buddy?\" She asks, grinning again as her sorrow is forgotten again. The trowel stabs at the clump of dirt, breaking it up, and then Cecilia reaches to scoop it out with her hand. \"So the real question is, who will regret it more?\" There\'s a challenging sparkle in her eyes now, her smile wide. Then all at once she flings the mud at him, then grabs for her satchel to hold it up as a shield.

[Elaos(#30364)]

It hits the edge of his fingers and skips over to smack into his shoulder and break apart to shower him. He hmphs and chuckles then, taking up a handful of loose dirt, he rises and strides towards her, reaching for her satchel with his free hand. \"Well, I did warn you.\" He says and tries to yank it back enough as he lets the dirt drop on her from above if possible going to one knee as he does it. He laughs, his smile breaking his features adn showing his white teeth.

Cecilia\'s eyes widen as he strides towards her and when he pulls the bag away she quickly panics. \"No no! Not my hair!!\" She curls up into a ball, covering her head with her hands as he sprinkles the dirt over her. Then, suddenly she pushes her hands to try and shove him over, and if it works she\'ll grab more dirt up to fling at him as quickly as possible.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Not expecting such retaliation, Elaos sprawls backwards with an oof and a chuckle. \"Now now..hair washes much easier than clothes..\" he says and lifts up his arms to try to shield himself as he sits on his rump. He gets some of the dirt in his mouth and sputters. He picks up what he can and flings it back at her, reaching for one of her arms to try to stop her.

Cecilia doesn\'t relent. She has brothers that she wrestled with all the time and they taught her quite a bit. The healer twists away and scoops up more dirt to toss at him, laughing now as her worries are forgotten. \"You think it\'s easy to put all these braids in?!\" She asks while throwing dirt. \"Takes time!.. and patience!\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Woman!\" He cries out and shifts forward to his knees, taking the dirt and turning his head as he claws for one of the holes. Taking up some lose dirt he gets to his feet and holds out his hand, continuing to turn his head as she assails him. He bears down upon her thought, throwing the loose granules of earth. \"STop now...oh you are in for it.\" He chuckles again, shaking away some of the dirt from his loose dark hair. His green eyes open to look at her as he reaches for her arm.

It wasn\'t that long ago that Mobeorn was telling a visiting ranger that Cecilia has willfulness to her, and it shows now. But when he tells her to stop she stops from digging up more soil to attack him with, one arm caught from his grab. \"Too much for you?\" She asks in a teasing voice.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Too much?\" He asks finding her attacks have stopped. \"Nonsense, just right.\" He grins at this and chuckles as he holds her arm gently looking down at her as some the dirt still resides in her hair. He reaches out his other hand and gives a few quick light bats at them to try to free the earth. \"I am sorry...I just can\'t seem to picture you without a smile. So I did what I thought I could.\" He winks at her and then draws his hand back.

Cecilia wrinkles her nose up, but she\'s still grinning. She lets her hands drop to her lap when he releases her arm, gazing at him with more than a little bit of fondness now as he shakes the dirt from her pale hair. \"You\'re a very nice man, Elaos... Perfect for being a healer. I suppose I won\'t tell my father to ban you from the infirmary after all. Even if you did throw dirt at me.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

He tilts his head with another bright chuckle and a sigh. \"M\'lady, I will forever be in your debt for the amazing service you do me.\" He bows before her, his dark hair spilling forth. He straightens then and rubs at the back of his neck. \"I am just glad to see that smile again.\" He watches her a moment. \"Despite you having some dirt on your face.\" He quircks a lopsided smile and reaches out in an attempt to clean it off her nose. \"There..right there.\" He states.

Cecilia flushes, his charm coaxing out that sweet smile again. When he points out dirt on her face though, she scowls, but it lacks any real anger. \"Watch it, or I may change my mind.\" As if she has any real control over who her father would see stripped of their status. She finds herself staring into his eyes more than she decently should be and drops her gaze. \"My towel!\" She reaches down to snatch it up, standing again and swiftly shaking it clean. \"Men!\" The tone is accusing.

[Elaos(#30364)]

He takes care to wipe her nose clean and then chuckle as she goes crazy over her towel. He tilts his head a moment, then slowly rises from his knees. \"You won\'t need it anymore now.\" The healer looks impish at her, younger by a few years at least. Elaos gives a shake of his head, more dirt falling free. \"Besides, you are already covered in dirt.\" All his fault too. He chuckles and winks.

\"Yes.. I am.\" Cecilia murmurs, looking down at her dress with a lofty sigh. \"You said you would show me how to get a stain out? Let\'s hear it.\" She demands, carefully folding up the towel and setting it next to her bag.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"You take lemon basil..\" He informs her as he obliges, standing over her before taking the mometn to sit back down. \"Fresh lemon basil, soak it in water for a day, then use that water to work at the stain. Then what you will do is take a rought brush and work at it for a few moments before rinsing. It gets out almost anything.\" He smiles at this and rubs his neck again and stretches his arm up to the sky. He lays back then with a sigh, a hand beneath his head.

\"Hm. I think I had heard that before.\" The girl says, brushing her skirts clean now while he relaxes. Then she begins shaking out her hair with more earnest, taking quite the amount of time fussing and sorting herself out. Finally she sits down next to him and reaches for the lunch basket. \"What did you pack to eat?\" Cecilia asks.

[Elaos(#30364)]

He watches her and then leans on his side, head on hand. \"Just a few sandwiches, honeycakes, water, mead..\" To that he grins at her. \"Some early berries as well.\" He does not say anymore, just looks thoughtful for a moment before sitting up and leaning close to pull out the raspberries for her. \"Here you are..\" He says, setting the wooden bowl in her lap. \"Eat those for now while I get you something to drink.\"

\"You found raspberries?\" Ceci asks in surprise, grinning when he hands her the bowl. She doesn\'t immediately take a bite, and instead asks in a curious tone, \"Why are you being so nice? I\'ve only been crying and complaining lately about something that I knew would happen.. \"

[Elaos(#30364)]

He looks a bit shocked, chuckling and shaking his head, \"Are you so unused to people being nice to you?\" He smirsk and pulls out the other food now, beginning to spread it out for her to choose. Only the does he begin to pour drinks. \"Besides, it is good to nice things for people, it helps one feel better as well, you know?\" He asks, handing her the mug of mead with a smile.

\"Oh.. they are. Everyone in the village is wonderful. I guess I just mean to say thank you for cheering me up.\" She says plainly, reaching for the mug and taking a sip. \"And thank you for letting me talk. I think you were right.. I just needed to say how I felt.\" Easy enough to say now when the nasal king isn\'t standing in front of her.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"It is my pleasure, Cecilia.\" Elaos reassures with another smile before he sits back with his own waterskin. He drinks of it. \"Who knew digging roots was such dirty work?\" He rests back on one hand and gazes up at the sky. \"I am glad you are feeling better..you had me worried yesterday.\" He lays back again and sighs, leaving her with the food for now as his eyes close and he basks in the sun with a smile.

Cecilia laughs quietly when he talks about digging up roots. If he was watching her, he might see that she isn\'t looking nearly as confident as what she speaks, \"Yes, I just needed to talk to someone that would understand, I guess.\" The healer helps herself to a light lunch and relaxes as well, not letting herself think about Mogel anymore for the rest of the afternoon.