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Post by Galadareth on Jan 23, 2022 3:26:25 GMT
After he said the part about Rohan, she smiled at him. It was a different smile than the others. You like him. She mused to herself. She didn’t deny herself. She was growing accustomed to his company and being around him and she liked it. She liked him. “I would love that. That sounds like a lot of fun to go to Rohan…with you.”
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 23, 2022 3:30:48 GMT
Duinn smiled, then when she added those last two words, he could feel his cheeks warm up. “I would- I would like that... too,” he replied, slightly awkward. He smiled and chuckled a bit, mocking himself for his nervousness. He was getting a lot more comfortable around her, though, and it was getting easier to be himself.
As they rode along mid-day came and went. They ate dinner on horseback and didn’t stop until evening.
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 23, 2022 3:36:26 GMT
Kestra turned off the road as night came close to falling, heading upriver of the Brandywine. There was a nice patch they could set up camp, wash up in the river and have room for some sparring. She dismounted at a flat spot. There was an uprooted and dead tree that had washed up the bank. She dismounted and tied Aerin’s reins to a branch and began removing saddlebags and her bedroll.
They would need to collect some firewood to keep warm as the night cooled.
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 23, 2022 4:53:12 GMT
Duinn climbed of Holly and tied her up not far from Aerin. He quickly went over to help unload the bags. Once the supplies were unloaded he looked down the stream to a pile of driftwood that had washed ashore. “I’ll cut some firewood,” he offered, pulling out his hatchet.
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 23, 2022 5:19:44 GMT
Kestra nodded, “I will go set up some traps upriver. Maybe we can catch a fish for some food.” She grabbed a bag and set off upriver not far away.
She returned to camp after a couple of minutes and sat down on the log and watched Duinn chop some wood. She found it entertaining and pleasant to look at. When she caught herself staring, she busied herself with one of her saddlebags, rifling through it for no reason at all.
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 24, 2022 2:38:42 GMT
Duinn was chopping away when he glanced back and noticed that Kestra seemed to be staring at him. “She’s probably wondering how on earth she is going to teach me how to fight with a sword,” he mumbled under his breath. But their earlier exchange about his fumbled words and her teaching him swordplay re-entered his mind. Again, he knew what his brother would say. “She likes you. Why don’t you say something? You like her.”
Duinn shook his head. It was too early. He was afraid he would frighten her away from any intimate relationship, or even a simple friendship. Something in the back of his head seemed to know that wasn’t true, though.
He glanced back to see Kestra rummaging through her bags. He couldn’t tell what she was looking for. He grabbed his last armload of firewood and walked back to camp. “Did you lose something?” He asked, approaching as she rummaged through her bags.
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 24, 2022 3:25:35 GMT
He approached her and she looked up at him. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular. I probably lost my head, that’s what. Gosh. I can’t think right anymore…Duinn is very distracting. But I don’t mind being distracted by him. She felt her cheeks grow hot and she momentarily glanced down at her bag to help hide it. “I, um, I was looking for some extra leather…for my hilt. But I don’t have any and…it’s not that important.” She smiled at him and stood up, gathering some driftwood and starting up a fire to light the darkening riverbank where they camped. The sky was deep blue with the last bits of orange and pink light fading from the horizon.
Satisfied with the flames licking the wood, she crossed to her bag and picked up her sword. She unsheathed it and gave it a couple of swings before standing up straight.
“Let me see your form.”
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 24, 2022 3:31:14 GMT
Duinn nodded, not sure if he believed her excuse or not. The hilt of her sword looked fine to him, but he was no expert. He let it go. He stacked the wood while Kestra started the fire, then watched as she pulled out her sword. At her prompting he pulled out his own blade and took his stance. He felt awkward and was certain he was doing it all wrong.
“Sorry,” he apologized before she even spoke. “I know I’m probably butchering the entire thing.”
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 24, 2022 3:43:56 GMT
“No, it actually looks pretty good.” She stepped over to him and got really close, giving his back foot a nudge. “Scoot this one back a little bit. That should help with your balance.” She took him through a few other basic stances and gave little critiques to each one. He was a lot farther along than he gave himself credit for. “You look great.” She smiled at him.
Then she had him practice a few swings in slow motion to give him a more precise feel to the strikes. After a little bit of this, she relaxed her own sword. “I think that’s a good stop for tonight. Or would you like to try to spar with me?”
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 24, 2022 4:16:51 GMT
“Well, I appreciate you being generous,” he jested in response to her compliment, then grew quiet and nervous as she drew in close. He adjusted his foot at her instruction and continued on with the exercise. He was pretty sure he might have blushed when she said, “You look great.” Towards the end she asked if he wanted to spare. He knew he would lose, but he was a bit curious to test himself against someone who knew what they were doing.
“Sure,” he agreed. “Just a light spare,” he clarified. “Just to gage where I’m at with my fighting. I know going through the motions can only teach me so much before I need actual combat experience to hone what I know.”
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 24, 2022 4:24:23 GMT
Kestra nodded. “That’s a good way to look at it.” She moved to stand opposite of him and went into stance. “Ready? Begin.” She took the first move with an easy swing towards his shoulder. She didn’t swing nearly as hard has she normally would have to see his reaction time.
She let him parry some of her moves before pausing and telling him to go on the offensive and have some practice attacking, rather than blocking. At the end of it, she caught his sword in the cross of her own and found herself face to face with him, mere inches apart. She was breathing heavily but her eyes met his hazel ones reflecting the firelight. He smelled good and she found herself wanting to lean into his sturdy chest.
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 24, 2022 16:56:30 GMT
Duinn blocked as best he could, though he felt awkward with the blade still, he felt like her earlier tips had helped him. He backed up slowly, trying to remember his footing. Then, he took the offensive at her prompting. He tried to swing true, but not get overly zealous. They exchanged a handful of blows until the last strike was caught on Kestra’s blade.
Duinn slid closer, and Kestra stepped into him. He could feel her breath on his face, and in a strange way it was alluring. His heart was pounding in his chest, far too quick to be from the light sparring. Before he even realized what he was doing he leaned closer, the tip of his nose touching her own. He paused, though. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, but didn’t back away. “Maybe I shouldn’t be so bold.”
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 24, 2022 17:25:34 GMT
(Ah! I'm in love.)
“I, uh,” she took in a deep breath to steady her racing heart. “I don't mind…bold.” Kestra whispered, her eyes fell to his lips before looking up into his eyes. She dropped her sword to her side, breathing him in. She wanted him to kiss her. She let her free hand run down his arm and her touch almost pulled him closer to her.
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Post by Jax Nova on Jan 25, 2022 0:56:32 GMT
( 😁 I think the two are a great match! )
Duinn smiled at her reply, an uncharacteristically ornery smile. He looked into her eyes and his own lit up. When her sword drifted to her side he let his own lower as well. One hand left his hilt and brushed her jawline as his fingers wrapped gently around the back of her neck.
At her second statement, “I don't mind…bold.” He leaned into her and whispered with his lips brushing against hers. “Well, in that case...”
Duinn drew her in towards him, closing the centimeters between them as he let the kiss linger as long as she would allow.
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Post by Galadareth on Jan 25, 2022 1:19:03 GMT
Kestra let her sword fall to the ground with a clatter. She pressed against him and let her fingers touch his waist, drifting around to his back and pulling him closer to her. She felt her heart jump in a way it has never done before. She let her other hand rest on his chest.
When they broke apart, she felt the racing of her heart and breathed in his scent. She let her forehead rest against his and closed her eyes. Under her finger tips, she felt the beat of his heart that matched the rhythm of her own.
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