Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue. Savvy?
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Have pie today!
Darkfyre: Yup. Liluye's not going to forget that for a looong time.
Cat McDougall: Not reviewing? Meep-I've been reading, to be sure...*ducks head* Sorry.
Kierseth: And thank you, too.
Lightning Rain: Ah. Um...could you let the plot out of the bowl now? I need it. :P
Terryie: Here is more!
Shahanna: Yes, poor Liluye.
Hawk: Liluye's a bit thick, though...rather a lot of subtlety is lost on her. But Helia wasn't implying that. I don't think. She won't tell me! *frowns at character*
The Chaotic Ones: Well, it'll get there, (I think) but I'm not going to make them fall into bed right next chapter. There's a plot I need to deal with.
Queen's Own: Here's your update!
Paige: And thank you for your review!
Onto the story! Nix on the long sidenote, eh?
--------------------------------------
We rode at noon, as had been planned. To her credit, Helia left me alone as I packed and rode. I had things to think about, not to mention the remnants of the hangover to deal with.
My thoughts continued down their usual course of things, with a slight twist. [She thinks I'm in love. With one of the men.]
I considered this for a moment. [And I'm coward enough to let her think that,] I added, bitterly.
If this didn't keep me sober in the future, I didn't know what could.
The rest of my thoughts followed their usual lines-that if I told her that it was her I loved, it would destroy our friendship.
This didn't help my head.
Frayley nudged his horse up on my left, looking disgustingly cheerful and well. I looked at him balefully, but half the punch was gone from the glare I could usually muster.
[I swear, he has a hollow leg and a hole in the bottom of his foot,] I thought, crossly. [Not a shred of hangover.]
Until another thought kicked me in the shins. [Unless-well-I left him at the tents, but who's to say he stayed there?]
I halted the thought dead in its tracks, but it would explain a lot.
"Good afternoon!" he said, grinning. "Head at all?"
I gave him another version of the Glare.
"I see."
We rode side-by-side for a while. Helia, on my right, was having an argument with Jaonsen over something. I glanced over at her.
She sat her horse like they were one and the same creature, the sun lighting her hair-
I shook my head firmly, which did nothing for my headache.
"You're infatuated," said Frayley, quietly.
"You knew that."
"Well, with what you told me last night, I know a lot more, thank you."
Gut-twisting dread filled my midsection. "What-what did I say?" I said, slowly, wondering if I truly wanted to hear the answer.
"You seemed quite unaware at the time, leading me back as you were," he said, "But you basically dumped everything you've been thinking and agonizing over for the past few months on me."
My shoulders drooped. "That bad?"
"Exactly."
Only the knowledge that Sabre would wallop me until I couldn't move for bruising held me in my seat, posting as I let Chester trot a bit.
"If I'd known what I'd be in for when I said I'd lend you an ear if you needed one, I wouldn't have," said Frayley, grinning at me.
It did nothing for my mood. "Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked, rather angrily. "I'm lost as it is, and you're just-"
Frayley blinked. "It was a joke, Tweetie! You're jumping to conclusions."
I looked down at Chester's ears. They moved back and forth, taking in the sounds of the train.
"But what am I supposed to do?" I asked, this time rather forlornly.
"I remember when I first went through this," said Frayley. "It wasn't really infatuation, but it was the first time I was marginally in love with a man."
"I don't see the point of this," I muttered.
"I'm getting to it, Tweetie. The point is-it's best to just stroll out and tell her you love her. Worry later. You'll only stress yourself, and stress gives you tension, which isn't at all good for a merc."
"I already did," I whispered to the back of Chester's neck.
Frayley looked surprised. "You did?"
"Last night. When I-wasn't exactly sober. I said I loved her-I didn't realize I'd said it. She thinks I thought she was you, or Leon, or some other man," I said.
"Are you just going to let her think that?"
"I don't see what else there is to do."
Frayley didn't say anything, but I could sense his disapproval. At last, he said, "I don't tell secrets that aren't mine, but this goes against my better judgment. But I suppose you should deal with it in the way that seems best to you."
And somehow, that was worse than even my most tortured agonizing in the dead of night.
:Head still hurt?: said Kree, sensing my mood and attempting to be delicate.
:It hurts. But my heart hurts more.:
Kree couldn't quite comprehend this. :Simple,: he said, :You offer her feather or flower, she say yes or no. If love her lots, offer one of my feathers.:
:What?: This was new to me, and best of all, a distraction.
:Offer flower or regular feather, means you love her and want to-: Kree didn't have a word for this, but the image he supplied was enough. I flushed. :All right, all right! What about your feather?: I asked, hastily.
:Means you want be her lovemate. Forever,: explained Kree.
This was food for thought. :So if a Hawkbrother gives a feather from their bondbird to the one they love, they are married?: I asked, trying to clarify.
:Closeclose. Married, yes, but then Vale gives party!: said Kree.
This was enough to make me laugh. :Can't have a marriage without a party, I suppose,: I sent back.
:Well....yes, but party funfun.:
:I see.:
Satisfied that he had lightened my mood somewhat, Kree resumed his aerial tricks.
I rode along in silence for a while, not really talking to anyone. Frayley was behind me a few horse-lengths, and, glancing back at him, I could still see disapproval on his face.
[But this is different! At least...I think it is.]
Now that I was thinking on it, I wondered if it truly was different, or if I was just deluding myself.
At a loss, I muttered, "Men," under my breath.
This seemed to level the equation, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before I had to confront it again...
----------------------------------------
Wow. This is more angsty than I thought it would be.
Course, I never expected her to be shaych.
Ah well. Right now I'm just following the character and seeing what she does...
Reviews are loved!
~Fireblade K'Chona
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Have pie today!
Darkfyre: Yup. Liluye's not going to forget that for a looong time.
Cat McDougall: Not reviewing? Meep-I've been reading, to be sure...*ducks head* Sorry.
Kierseth: And thank you, too.
Lightning Rain: Ah. Um...could you let the plot out of the bowl now? I need it. :P
Terryie: Here is more!
Shahanna: Yes, poor Liluye.
Hawk: Liluye's a bit thick, though...rather a lot of subtlety is lost on her. But Helia wasn't implying that. I don't think. She won't tell me! *frowns at character*
The Chaotic Ones: Well, it'll get there, (I think) but I'm not going to make them fall into bed right next chapter. There's a plot I need to deal with.
Queen's Own: Here's your update!
Paige: And thank you for your review!
Onto the story! Nix on the long sidenote, eh?
--------------------------------------
We rode at noon, as had been planned. To her credit, Helia left me alone as I packed and rode. I had things to think about, not to mention the remnants of the hangover to deal with.
My thoughts continued down their usual course of things, with a slight twist. [She thinks I'm in love. With one of the men.]
I considered this for a moment. [And I'm coward enough to let her think that,] I added, bitterly.
If this didn't keep me sober in the future, I didn't know what could.
The rest of my thoughts followed their usual lines-that if I told her that it was her I loved, it would destroy our friendship.
This didn't help my head.
Frayley nudged his horse up on my left, looking disgustingly cheerful and well. I looked at him balefully, but half the punch was gone from the glare I could usually muster.
[I swear, he has a hollow leg and a hole in the bottom of his foot,] I thought, crossly. [Not a shred of hangover.]
Until another thought kicked me in the shins. [Unless-well-I left him at the tents, but who's to say he stayed there?]
I halted the thought dead in its tracks, but it would explain a lot.
"Good afternoon!" he said, grinning. "Head at all?"
I gave him another version of the Glare.
"I see."
We rode side-by-side for a while. Helia, on my right, was having an argument with Jaonsen over something. I glanced over at her.
She sat her horse like they were one and the same creature, the sun lighting her hair-
I shook my head firmly, which did nothing for my headache.
"You're infatuated," said Frayley, quietly.
"You knew that."
"Well, with what you told me last night, I know a lot more, thank you."
Gut-twisting dread filled my midsection. "What-what did I say?" I said, slowly, wondering if I truly wanted to hear the answer.
"You seemed quite unaware at the time, leading me back as you were," he said, "But you basically dumped everything you've been thinking and agonizing over for the past few months on me."
My shoulders drooped. "That bad?"
"Exactly."
Only the knowledge that Sabre would wallop me until I couldn't move for bruising held me in my seat, posting as I let Chester trot a bit.
"If I'd known what I'd be in for when I said I'd lend you an ear if you needed one, I wouldn't have," said Frayley, grinning at me.
It did nothing for my mood. "Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked, rather angrily. "I'm lost as it is, and you're just-"
Frayley blinked. "It was a joke, Tweetie! You're jumping to conclusions."
I looked down at Chester's ears. They moved back and forth, taking in the sounds of the train.
"But what am I supposed to do?" I asked, this time rather forlornly.
"I remember when I first went through this," said Frayley. "It wasn't really infatuation, but it was the first time I was marginally in love with a man."
"I don't see the point of this," I muttered.
"I'm getting to it, Tweetie. The point is-it's best to just stroll out and tell her you love her. Worry later. You'll only stress yourself, and stress gives you tension, which isn't at all good for a merc."
"I already did," I whispered to the back of Chester's neck.
Frayley looked surprised. "You did?"
"Last night. When I-wasn't exactly sober. I said I loved her-I didn't realize I'd said it. She thinks I thought she was you, or Leon, or some other man," I said.
"Are you just going to let her think that?"
"I don't see what else there is to do."
Frayley didn't say anything, but I could sense his disapproval. At last, he said, "I don't tell secrets that aren't mine, but this goes against my better judgment. But I suppose you should deal with it in the way that seems best to you."
And somehow, that was worse than even my most tortured agonizing in the dead of night.
:Head still hurt?: said Kree, sensing my mood and attempting to be delicate.
:It hurts. But my heart hurts more.:
Kree couldn't quite comprehend this. :Simple,: he said, :You offer her feather or flower, she say yes or no. If love her lots, offer one of my feathers.:
:What?: This was new to me, and best of all, a distraction.
:Offer flower or regular feather, means you love her and want to-: Kree didn't have a word for this, but the image he supplied was enough. I flushed. :All right, all right! What about your feather?: I asked, hastily.
:Means you want be her lovemate. Forever,: explained Kree.
This was food for thought. :So if a Hawkbrother gives a feather from their bondbird to the one they love, they are married?: I asked, trying to clarify.
:Closeclose. Married, yes, but then Vale gives party!: said Kree.
This was enough to make me laugh. :Can't have a marriage without a party, I suppose,: I sent back.
:Well....yes, but party funfun.:
:I see.:
Satisfied that he had lightened my mood somewhat, Kree resumed his aerial tricks.
I rode along in silence for a while, not really talking to anyone. Frayley was behind me a few horse-lengths, and, glancing back at him, I could still see disapproval on his face.
[But this is different! At least...I think it is.]
Now that I was thinking on it, I wondered if it truly was different, or if I was just deluding myself.
At a loss, I muttered, "Men," under my breath.
This seemed to level the equation, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before I had to confront it again...
----------------------------------------
Wow. This is more angsty than I thought it would be.
Course, I never expected her to be shaych.
Ah well. Right now I'm just following the character and seeing what she does...
Reviews are loved!
~Fireblade K'Chona