Post by journeycat on Feb 7, 2010 16:54:33 GMT 10
Title: Stalked
Rating: PG
Length: 511 words
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 1/B
Summary: Mindelan breeds the crazy.
-----
“So, you’ve spent the last six months on the border?”
She was leaning rather close to him—a bad idea, or perhaps a cunning one on her part, for she was wearing a daringly low-cut gown—and he didn’t find her the least bit desirable, but they were breasts, and, well, they were in his face, so of course he was going to look.
“Er—yes, milady, that’s right.”
Oranie smiled winningly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “You’re just so brave, marching off to keep a lady like me safe from Scanrans.”
Faleron found himself leaning nervously away from her. He found it hard to believe she and Keladry were related. “Not brave, milady,” he demurred. “I do it because I love Tortall.”
“Oh, call me Oranie,” she said airily. “None of this milady business—after all, I think we’ll be getting to know each other very well.”
He was beginning to doubt the wisdom of accompanying Kel to Mindelan. Her sisters were, well, pretty scary. No, he decided, that was not entirely true—Adalia was a flirty woman, but she was content with Merovec and made no further gestures; of the sister-in-laws, Vorinna treated him like he was just another man and Tilaine made no overtures, although she did find excuses to be in the same place as him at the same time.
It was Oranie who clearly did not learn the subtleties of flirtation.
“I should probably get back,” Faleron said, trying to slip around her. Gods, he thought sourly, I just wanted to use the privy.
“But what’s the hurry?”
She was blocking him. He kind of wished he was back on the border. He was in the mood to chop up a few Scanrans.
“They’re waiting for me,” he pointed out.
“They can wait,” she murmured, taking a step forward.
He took a step back. “I’m supposed to go hunting with them. They’ll miss me.”
“It won’t take long,” she said, taking another step.
He was beginning to feel like he was already part of a hunt, and he wasn’t the hunter.
“Milord Hannalof,” Faleron said loudly. “I was just about to join you for the hunt.”
Oranie jumped and pivoted guiltily around, an excuse already forming on her tongue. In the moment she paused, confused when she saw that her husband wasn’t there, he sprinted around her. He no longer cared how rude he seemed; this was getting out of hand. He was only grateful she had married into a house far away from Mindelan (and King’s Reach), and felt rather sorry for her husband.
“There you are,” Kel said, smiling warmly at him as he joined her and her family. “I was about to come looking for you.”
“I was, er—waylaid.”
Anders and Inness both sent him sympathetic looks. He wondered just how much of a problem Oranie had been when she still lived at Mindelan. He decided he didn’t care if she was pretty and bubbly—he was more than content with his sensible, (slightly) saner betrothed.
Rating: PG
Length: 511 words
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 1/B
Summary: Mindelan breeds the crazy.
-----
“So, you’ve spent the last six months on the border?”
She was leaning rather close to him—a bad idea, or perhaps a cunning one on her part, for she was wearing a daringly low-cut gown—and he didn’t find her the least bit desirable, but they were breasts, and, well, they were in his face, so of course he was going to look.
“Er—yes, milady, that’s right.”
Oranie smiled winningly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “You’re just so brave, marching off to keep a lady like me safe from Scanrans.”
Faleron found himself leaning nervously away from her. He found it hard to believe she and Keladry were related. “Not brave, milady,” he demurred. “I do it because I love Tortall.”
“Oh, call me Oranie,” she said airily. “None of this milady business—after all, I think we’ll be getting to know each other very well.”
He was beginning to doubt the wisdom of accompanying Kel to Mindelan. Her sisters were, well, pretty scary. No, he decided, that was not entirely true—Adalia was a flirty woman, but she was content with Merovec and made no further gestures; of the sister-in-laws, Vorinna treated him like he was just another man and Tilaine made no overtures, although she did find excuses to be in the same place as him at the same time.
It was Oranie who clearly did not learn the subtleties of flirtation.
“I should probably get back,” Faleron said, trying to slip around her. Gods, he thought sourly, I just wanted to use the privy.
“But what’s the hurry?”
She was blocking him. He kind of wished he was back on the border. He was in the mood to chop up a few Scanrans.
“They’re waiting for me,” he pointed out.
“They can wait,” she murmured, taking a step forward.
He took a step back. “I’m supposed to go hunting with them. They’ll miss me.”
“It won’t take long,” she said, taking another step.
He was beginning to feel like he was already part of a hunt, and he wasn’t the hunter.
“Milord Hannalof,” Faleron said loudly. “I was just about to join you for the hunt.”
Oranie jumped and pivoted guiltily around, an excuse already forming on her tongue. In the moment she paused, confused when she saw that her husband wasn’t there, he sprinted around her. He no longer cared how rude he seemed; this was getting out of hand. He was only grateful she had married into a house far away from Mindelan (and King’s Reach), and felt rather sorry for her husband.
“There you are,” Kel said, smiling warmly at him as he joined her and her family. “I was about to come looking for you.”
“I was, er—waylaid.”
Anders and Inness both sent him sympathetic looks. He wondered just how much of a problem Oranie had been when she still lived at Mindelan. He decided he didn’t care if she was pretty and bubbly—he was more than content with his sensible, (slightly) saner betrothed.
(why is there no alcohol yet?!)
