Joel.like bowl.or toll.or pole.Joel.get it?
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Lera awoke the next morning, the scent of pine and fire filling her nostrils. She sat up. Stu was gone. In fact, Lera never remembered him coming to bed.
Dressing quickly, Lera walked, briskly, down to the beach to be greeted by the table of her over lords, still seated in their spots, a map spread on the table before them. It seems the Copper Islands were planning an attack for the day after tomorrow.
"Numair is coming today!" Carlyn grinned at Lera, welcoming her to the kitchen, where he had a fire going heartily. "The knights drank nearly all the wine during the night, so not much left for breakfast, but apparently they aren't hungry eater. You?"
Lera's stomach grumbled uncomfortably and Carlyn laughed and dished her up a bowl of beans and mashed potatoes.
"When's Master Salmalìn arriving?" Lera questioned Carlyn. She had never had the chance to meet the fabled Wizard, but she welcomed the opportunity.
Carlyn looked up at the sun, shading his eyes. "Around." He trailed off as boat sped up to their beach, un doubtedly propelled by some greater power. Lera and Carlyn ran down to the beach. Lera's eyes were wide. She had never, in all her days seen a man that tall before. He was even taller than Carlyn! He strode off the boat, flanked by too unnaturally similar looking young men.
Lera gawked at him as he smiled at the knights and hugged everyone. He whispered something in Daine's ear and she blushed from head to toe. Numair grinned innocently at her.
Numair spoke to the twins following him, and pointed to Lera and Carlyn. "I hope you'll give them work and things." Numair said the Lera, offering her is monstrous hand.
Carlyn and Lera nodded in unison.
"We'll have lessons in the morning." Numair told the boys sternly and turned back to his friends.
Both young men were exactly the same height, somewhere between Lera and Carlyn's. roughly 5'10. One was stalky with a muscular build and a friendly face. A brutal scar ran from the middle of his eyebrow down to his jaw. He offered Lera his hand the instant Numair strode off.
Lera smiled at him and gave him hers. He accepted it, holding it lightly in his rough fingers.
"Mademoiselle." He said, bowing courteously, though obviously exaggeratedly before planting a kiss on her knuckles. He glanced up and his eyes met Lera's. Her stomach flipped over. His eyes were the colour of liquid amber. He winked at her enchantingly.
Lera giggled in a most unflattering way and snatched her hand back. "Lera." She supplied, nodding her head in greeting.
"Joel." He introduced him self, clasping wrists with Carlyn briefly. Joel's eyes twinkled playfully as he introduced his silent brother.
"My brother. Sean." Joel said. He placed his hand by his mouth, as if blocking Sean out and whispered loudly to Carlyn and Lera, "Though you can tell I got all the charming looks," He flashed them a what he no doubt thought was dazzling, grin, "We don't bring it up. He tends to cry."
Sean blushed a furious red and punched Joel in the shoulder. He ducked his head once more, his shoulders slouched. Lera gazed at him for a moment. He didn't meet her gaze, but he shuffled his feet awkwardly. He knew she was looking.
Sean's frame was more slight than Joel's. He was lean and sinewy. His hair was a few shades lighter, and his eyes were an intriguing yellow.
"Sean here is training to be a mage. Numair says that he got so much gift in him, it's leaked out into his eyes." Joel rattled on, his voice friendly. "Sean got more magic in pent up in him than anyone since the Lioness."
Sean looked away, but He caught Lera's eye for an instant. His yellow eyes were sunken and filled with pain. Lera frowned.
"Me," Joel continued, talking to Carlyn. Lera noticed his voice held a small commoner's accent. "I got the manly power. I can talk to bunnies and other furry animals. Heal em too."
Lera's heart seemed to melt inside of her and she laughed despite herself. He seemed to have that effect on Carlyn, minus the heart melting. She had no idea what was so funny about him. The way he spoke and the way he jabbered was so.funny.
Lera lead Joel to the kitchen when he pointed out rather bluntly that if he didn't eat within the next three minutes he would implode leaving her a nasty mess to clean up. Carlyn stuck around to introduce himself to the silent Sean. Carlyn loved anything to do with magic.
Lera dropped the screen door to the kitchen and served Joel up a bowl of beans and spuds. After a few minutes of listening to Joel groan exaggeratedly over the food as he swallowed, He struck up a conversation.
"What's a pretty lassie like you doing out here on the beach with the likes of.well.everyone here but me?" He asked, seemingly oblivious to the hammering in her heart.
She didn't know exactly why she found him so attractive. He was a little on the stocky side, but entirely muscled. His shaggy blond hair was cropped short, only and inch give or take long. He had that nasty scar. Lera stopped thinking and blushed as she realised he had asked her a question. He knew she was looking at him.
He stood up and struck a pose. "Beautiful ain't I?" He said modestly. "Look all you want."
Lera covered her face with her hands, horribly aware that she was bright red. She didn't know how to take this flirtaceous youth. That, and she had never felt so out of control in her life. Not about Stu or Carlyn. Those were friends. This was different. She wanted to kiss him.
Joel seemed to slump back into his chair. "Fine. I don't know why I'm wasting my attractiveness on you though. You probably get more turned on looking in the mirror eh?" He added, eying her up and down.
Lera quirked a brow at him and blushed a deeper shade of red. She was at a loss for words. Sean grinned playfully at her. "You'll get used to me." He said, nodding, " You're just used to these goal oriented youth adults with sticks up their asses. Not charmingly witty ladies men such as myself." He scuffed his nails on his shirt.
Lera laughed, his face returning to normal colours, but her heart rate still pulsing like rabbits.
"So. Answer my question?" Joel prompted, biting his potatoes again. He must have read Lera's absolutely confused face because he reminded her, " Why are you here with these knights? Apart from going out of your way to meet me."
Lera shook her head, grinning. How did he think of things so rapidly. She could never quip that fast. Ever.
"I'm a squire. Stuart of HollyRose is my overlord." She responded, pouring herself a mug of cold water and squatting by the fire. She wondered where Carlyn was.
Joel gaped at her for a few minutes and she felt the colour rising again . She became oddly concerned about how she looked. Brushing her just-pat- shoulder length brown hair from her face and tucking it ruthlessly behind her ears, She turned to face him full front.
He seemed to be taking in things he never noticed before. Her muscles, her sun freckled face, her scars. She could tell he was disgusted. Guilt rose up in her belly, and for an instant she had her first regrets about being a squire. She pinched herself on the arm and the thoughts vanished.
After a few moments he closed his mouth and nodded. "Jolly good then eh? I like a woman who can take the top when they want." He paused for a second, considering. " And whoop my sorry arse in a fight."
Lera cracked up. She had thought he would hate her. For being different. He still managed to flirt. Her blush seemed to reside, and she licked her lips as he blasted her with questions, some of them making her shuffled her feet and scoff her toes. He wanted to know if it was hard? Did the other knights ever get fresh with her? Did she have troubles with flirting? Was she a virgin? (To which Lera replied 'Of course!' but the images of her night with Stu went through her mind. Almost. She had almost made love to Stu.)
She answered his question, a little hesitantly, and laughed at some of his reactions. He look utterly shocked when she said she was a virgin, and whispered to her, winking one eye, "If you ever get bored of that eh?" He nodded a few times, emphasizing his point., " I'll help you out. I always like to help a lady in need. Plus. I must say. Tis one of my strong points." He nudged her seductively.
Lera grinned at him. And nudged him back. "I may just take you up on that buddy." Joel snorted with laughter. "Please do."
It didn't take long for the entire troop on the small island to befriend Joel. His charismatic self just impelled people to like him. Even Saban was on friendly terms with Joel, something that unnerved Lera.
"He's a piece of work. Like a deadly snake." Joel told her one night when they were gathered around the camp fire. Carlyn and Sean sat a few feet off talking animatedly about some spell produced by Thom of Trebond during his short life time.
Lera agreed.
Sean never spoke to Lera and only ever made eye contact with Carlyn, who had slowly broken through his shell of anti social ness.
Lera warmed her fingers over the fire as Joel trotted away to admire a broken wing Daine had just healed. A tightness grew in Lera's chest as he spoke to Daine, a great smile on his face. Lera knew she shouldn't be jealous. He never acted differently towards her then any other. He probably thought the idea of a female knight was repulsive. Plus Daine was beautiful and shared his link to animals.
Lera awoke at dawn the next morning, Stu was gone once again. She rushed outside and viewed the scene before her. Boats were rowing steadily towards their island and everyone was bustling about with equipment. Lera's training kicked in and she hurried to Stu's side. He already dawned his armour, or as much of it as he cared to wear. Leather outfit and thick mail covered him. He said that sand was to difficult to clean from full armour. Lera leaped into her mail and leather tunic as well, joining Stu in cleaning his sword and axe. Lera tucked a dagger into her leather hunting boots, and sheathed her own sword at her side. No horses.
Running from the beach with her spyglass up to a shady spot where Stu sat behind a barricade of sand bags to tell him that the Copper Island Troops were 200 meters off shore, Lera crashed headlong into Joel. She had been watching her feet, so as not to get sand in her boots when her forehead had collided painfully with Joel's chin.
"I'm about to go into battle!" Lera cursed, "I don't need my own allies wounding me!" She glanced up into his face and her heart flipped over. A blush rose to her cheeks as she regretted cursing him.
He hugged her tightly, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. She wondered if he could feel her heart beating through his armour.
"Don't go damaging that pretty body of yours eh? I still mean to have it." He winked flirtingly at her and she blushed furiously, even more.
She ducked her head and wove through the crowd to join Stu with the information.
"Let them come." Stu whispered, shading his eyes from the setting sun. They meant to fight at night.
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Lera awoke the next morning, the scent of pine and fire filling her nostrils. She sat up. Stu was gone. In fact, Lera never remembered him coming to bed.
Dressing quickly, Lera walked, briskly, down to the beach to be greeted by the table of her over lords, still seated in their spots, a map spread on the table before them. It seems the Copper Islands were planning an attack for the day after tomorrow.
"Numair is coming today!" Carlyn grinned at Lera, welcoming her to the kitchen, where he had a fire going heartily. "The knights drank nearly all the wine during the night, so not much left for breakfast, but apparently they aren't hungry eater. You?"
Lera's stomach grumbled uncomfortably and Carlyn laughed and dished her up a bowl of beans and mashed potatoes.
"When's Master Salmalìn arriving?" Lera questioned Carlyn. She had never had the chance to meet the fabled Wizard, but she welcomed the opportunity.
Carlyn looked up at the sun, shading his eyes. "Around." He trailed off as boat sped up to their beach, un doubtedly propelled by some greater power. Lera and Carlyn ran down to the beach. Lera's eyes were wide. She had never, in all her days seen a man that tall before. He was even taller than Carlyn! He strode off the boat, flanked by too unnaturally similar looking young men.
Lera gawked at him as he smiled at the knights and hugged everyone. He whispered something in Daine's ear and she blushed from head to toe. Numair grinned innocently at her.
Numair spoke to the twins following him, and pointed to Lera and Carlyn. "I hope you'll give them work and things." Numair said the Lera, offering her is monstrous hand.
Carlyn and Lera nodded in unison.
"We'll have lessons in the morning." Numair told the boys sternly and turned back to his friends.
Both young men were exactly the same height, somewhere between Lera and Carlyn's. roughly 5'10. One was stalky with a muscular build and a friendly face. A brutal scar ran from the middle of his eyebrow down to his jaw. He offered Lera his hand the instant Numair strode off.
Lera smiled at him and gave him hers. He accepted it, holding it lightly in his rough fingers.
"Mademoiselle." He said, bowing courteously, though obviously exaggeratedly before planting a kiss on her knuckles. He glanced up and his eyes met Lera's. Her stomach flipped over. His eyes were the colour of liquid amber. He winked at her enchantingly.
Lera giggled in a most unflattering way and snatched her hand back. "Lera." She supplied, nodding her head in greeting.
"Joel." He introduced him self, clasping wrists with Carlyn briefly. Joel's eyes twinkled playfully as he introduced his silent brother.
"My brother. Sean." Joel said. He placed his hand by his mouth, as if blocking Sean out and whispered loudly to Carlyn and Lera, "Though you can tell I got all the charming looks," He flashed them a what he no doubt thought was dazzling, grin, "We don't bring it up. He tends to cry."
Sean blushed a furious red and punched Joel in the shoulder. He ducked his head once more, his shoulders slouched. Lera gazed at him for a moment. He didn't meet her gaze, but he shuffled his feet awkwardly. He knew she was looking.
Sean's frame was more slight than Joel's. He was lean and sinewy. His hair was a few shades lighter, and his eyes were an intriguing yellow.
"Sean here is training to be a mage. Numair says that he got so much gift in him, it's leaked out into his eyes." Joel rattled on, his voice friendly. "Sean got more magic in pent up in him than anyone since the Lioness."
Sean looked away, but He caught Lera's eye for an instant. His yellow eyes were sunken and filled with pain. Lera frowned.
"Me," Joel continued, talking to Carlyn. Lera noticed his voice held a small commoner's accent. "I got the manly power. I can talk to bunnies and other furry animals. Heal em too."
Lera's heart seemed to melt inside of her and she laughed despite herself. He seemed to have that effect on Carlyn, minus the heart melting. She had no idea what was so funny about him. The way he spoke and the way he jabbered was so.funny.
Lera lead Joel to the kitchen when he pointed out rather bluntly that if he didn't eat within the next three minutes he would implode leaving her a nasty mess to clean up. Carlyn stuck around to introduce himself to the silent Sean. Carlyn loved anything to do with magic.
Lera dropped the screen door to the kitchen and served Joel up a bowl of beans and spuds. After a few minutes of listening to Joel groan exaggeratedly over the food as he swallowed, He struck up a conversation.
"What's a pretty lassie like you doing out here on the beach with the likes of.well.everyone here but me?" He asked, seemingly oblivious to the hammering in her heart.
She didn't know exactly why she found him so attractive. He was a little on the stocky side, but entirely muscled. His shaggy blond hair was cropped short, only and inch give or take long. He had that nasty scar. Lera stopped thinking and blushed as she realised he had asked her a question. He knew she was looking at him.
He stood up and struck a pose. "Beautiful ain't I?" He said modestly. "Look all you want."
Lera covered her face with her hands, horribly aware that she was bright red. She didn't know how to take this flirtaceous youth. That, and she had never felt so out of control in her life. Not about Stu or Carlyn. Those were friends. This was different. She wanted to kiss him.
Joel seemed to slump back into his chair. "Fine. I don't know why I'm wasting my attractiveness on you though. You probably get more turned on looking in the mirror eh?" He added, eying her up and down.
Lera quirked a brow at him and blushed a deeper shade of red. She was at a loss for words. Sean grinned playfully at her. "You'll get used to me." He said, nodding, " You're just used to these goal oriented youth adults with sticks up their asses. Not charmingly witty ladies men such as myself." He scuffed his nails on his shirt.
Lera laughed, his face returning to normal colours, but her heart rate still pulsing like rabbits.
"So. Answer my question?" Joel prompted, biting his potatoes again. He must have read Lera's absolutely confused face because he reminded her, " Why are you here with these knights? Apart from going out of your way to meet me."
Lera shook her head, grinning. How did he think of things so rapidly. She could never quip that fast. Ever.
"I'm a squire. Stuart of HollyRose is my overlord." She responded, pouring herself a mug of cold water and squatting by the fire. She wondered where Carlyn was.
Joel gaped at her for a few minutes and she felt the colour rising again . She became oddly concerned about how she looked. Brushing her just-pat- shoulder length brown hair from her face and tucking it ruthlessly behind her ears, She turned to face him full front.
He seemed to be taking in things he never noticed before. Her muscles, her sun freckled face, her scars. She could tell he was disgusted. Guilt rose up in her belly, and for an instant she had her first regrets about being a squire. She pinched herself on the arm and the thoughts vanished.
After a few moments he closed his mouth and nodded. "Jolly good then eh? I like a woman who can take the top when they want." He paused for a second, considering. " And whoop my sorry arse in a fight."
Lera cracked up. She had thought he would hate her. For being different. He still managed to flirt. Her blush seemed to reside, and she licked her lips as he blasted her with questions, some of them making her shuffled her feet and scoff her toes. He wanted to know if it was hard? Did the other knights ever get fresh with her? Did she have troubles with flirting? Was she a virgin? (To which Lera replied 'Of course!' but the images of her night with Stu went through her mind. Almost. She had almost made love to Stu.)
She answered his question, a little hesitantly, and laughed at some of his reactions. He look utterly shocked when she said she was a virgin, and whispered to her, winking one eye, "If you ever get bored of that eh?" He nodded a few times, emphasizing his point., " I'll help you out. I always like to help a lady in need. Plus. I must say. Tis one of my strong points." He nudged her seductively.
Lera grinned at him. And nudged him back. "I may just take you up on that buddy." Joel snorted with laughter. "Please do."
It didn't take long for the entire troop on the small island to befriend Joel. His charismatic self just impelled people to like him. Even Saban was on friendly terms with Joel, something that unnerved Lera.
"He's a piece of work. Like a deadly snake." Joel told her one night when they were gathered around the camp fire. Carlyn and Sean sat a few feet off talking animatedly about some spell produced by Thom of Trebond during his short life time.
Lera agreed.
Sean never spoke to Lera and only ever made eye contact with Carlyn, who had slowly broken through his shell of anti social ness.
Lera warmed her fingers over the fire as Joel trotted away to admire a broken wing Daine had just healed. A tightness grew in Lera's chest as he spoke to Daine, a great smile on his face. Lera knew she shouldn't be jealous. He never acted differently towards her then any other. He probably thought the idea of a female knight was repulsive. Plus Daine was beautiful and shared his link to animals.
Lera awoke at dawn the next morning, Stu was gone once again. She rushed outside and viewed the scene before her. Boats were rowing steadily towards their island and everyone was bustling about with equipment. Lera's training kicked in and she hurried to Stu's side. He already dawned his armour, or as much of it as he cared to wear. Leather outfit and thick mail covered him. He said that sand was to difficult to clean from full armour. Lera leaped into her mail and leather tunic as well, joining Stu in cleaning his sword and axe. Lera tucked a dagger into her leather hunting boots, and sheathed her own sword at her side. No horses.
Running from the beach with her spyglass up to a shady spot where Stu sat behind a barricade of sand bags to tell him that the Copper Island Troops were 200 meters off shore, Lera crashed headlong into Joel. She had been watching her feet, so as not to get sand in her boots when her forehead had collided painfully with Joel's chin.
"I'm about to go into battle!" Lera cursed, "I don't need my own allies wounding me!" She glanced up into his face and her heart flipped over. A blush rose to her cheeks as she regretted cursing him.
He hugged her tightly, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. She wondered if he could feel her heart beating through his armour.
"Don't go damaging that pretty body of yours eh? I still mean to have it." He winked flirtingly at her and she blushed furiously, even more.
She ducked her head and wove through the crowd to join Stu with the information.
"Let them come." Stu whispered, shading his eyes from the setting sun. They meant to fight at night.
