There is a trick that many know and fewer might tell, about just how easy one can pass unnoticed if one does not look as others might expect.
Some tricks are the sort she knows well, including this one. And so it is that when she walks through the door tonight, Blodwen is not dressed in white, as others would expect her to be.
The blue-gray jumper she wears matches her eyes very well, oh yes, and goes with the dark fabric of the slacks she's chosen. Quietly, she slips through the bar, moving around the edges and through crowds of strangers, and out the lake door.
They look like a very nice family, really, the three of them. Nick laughs as Kick tosses the ball over his head, narrowly missing it, and the pup follows it without a command from either of them.
When Blodwen appears outside, however, she goes unnoticed by both Nick and Kick -- but not by Nero. The pup catches her scent and stops, ball in mouth, to look in her direction with erect ears.
His tail does not wag and Nick and Kick look quizically at each other, then at the pup, then in the direction of Nero's gaze.
From the distance, neither one of them recognize her, but Nick calls out: "Hello?"
Nick, looking very surprised, hops up from his rock and squints.
"Blodwen?" the happy, excited tone of his voice makes Kick smile and Nero tilt his head, but it only takes a second before the pup understands and his tail begins to wag. He, too, has missed the glance, but there's something about the way she smells...
"Don't be silly," Nick replies. "I'm not the only one who wants to see you!"
From her spot near the puppy, Kick waves. She has to thank Blodwen for the pretty lace fichu! And Blodwen has to meet Nero, of course, who is busy pawing at Nick's leg and telling him that he thinks Blodwen smells funny.
She does not, Nick thinks at the pup, scowling. Behave.
And the pup sits, obediently, waiting for either Blodwen to approach them or for the ball to be thrown again.
"I won't be playin' in it, I promise," she says to Blodwen, but it's more directed at her uncle.
When Blodwen moves, Nero's ears fold back and he scoots closer again, sniffing, and Nick eyes his niece and his puppy and decides that right now would be best for them to go play elsewhere.
"Kick? Why don't you and Nero go --"
And before he can finish, Kick giggles and nods, whistling at Nero and tossing the ball very, very far.
She watches them go, and although there's nothing wrong with the look that she gives the child, there's a flicker of something very hard indeed as she glances at the wolf cub and then away.
When she turns back to Nick, she's smiling though, oh goodness yes.
Some tricks are the sort she knows well, including this one. And so it is that when she walks through the door tonight, Blodwen is not dressed in white, as others would expect her to be.
The blue-gray jumper she wears matches her eyes very well, oh yes, and goes with the dark fabric of the slacks she's chosen. Quietly, she slips through the bar, moving around the edges and through crowds of strangers, and out the lake door.
There she pauses, looking thoughtful.
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When Blodwen appears outside, however, she goes unnoticed by both Nick and Kick -- but not by Nero. The pup catches her scent and stops, ball in mouth, to look in her direction with erect ears.
His tail does not wag and Nick and Kick look quizically at each other, then at the pup, then in the direction of Nero's gaze.
From the distance, neither one of them recognize her, but Nick calls out: "Hello?"
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"Why, and hello to you as well, cariad."
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"Blodwen?" the happy, excited tone of his voice makes Kick smile and Nero tilt his head, but it only takes a second before the pup understands and his tail begins to wag. He, too, has missed the glance, but there's something about the way she smells...
"Come join us!"
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The light soft voice is warm and sweet, even though she has not yet moved one step closer.
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From her spot near the puppy, Kick waves. She has to thank Blodwen for the pretty lace fichu! And Blodwen has to meet Nero, of course, who is busy pawing at Nick's leg and telling him that he thinks Blodwen smells funny.
She does not, Nick thinks at the pup, scowling. Behave.
And the pup sits, obediently, waiting for either Blodwen to approach them or for the ball to be thrown again.
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"Oh, and so good it is to hear that," she calls back, and starts toward them. "Hello, Kick dear -- how have you been?"
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"Thank you very much for the..."
Um. The...
"... for what you made me," she grins sheepishly. "It's very pretty. Daddy let me wear it to church last week."
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She beams -- this is quite the accomplishment for her, you see -- but Nick gives her a stern look.
"... not that I plan to!" she adds, and her uncle smiles approvingly.
And Nero, in his infinate slyness, has crept foward just enough to sniff closely at Blodwen's feet.
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"Nothing at all to worry about," she tells them both. "Wash it will, just like anything else."
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When Blodwen moves, Nero's ears fold back and he scoots closer again, sniffing, and Nick eyes his niece and his puppy and decides that right now would be best for them to go play elsewhere.
"Kick? Why don't you and Nero go --"
And before he can finish, Kick giggles and nods, whistling at Nero and tossing the ball very, very far.
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When she turns back to Nick, she's smiling though, oh goodness yes.
"Such a pair they make."
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"Never thought it would work out for me like this, here," he says, turning to Blodwen. "With Kick here, and now Nero, and --"
Very slowly, he places a hand on her cheek.
"And you, of course."
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"So easy as all that it is, then? After everything?"
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Beat.
"Have you finished it, then?"
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