Rune and... Ski?
Pistachio #7. Bath
Rating : PG
Timeframe : fall 1254
Ilya unrolled the tent canvas on the ground. A very muddy Ski dropped an equally filthy sack beside her. Ilya grimaced at the spray cast on her by its landing.
Farran arrived with stakes for the tent. She gave their leader an appraising look and a grin. Ilya hoped she had taken enough notice of Ski‘s recent turn of mood not to tease her. “I hope you're not planning on sleeping next to me like that.” Ilya winced.
Ski’s eyes narrowed. “If you plan on eating any of the supplies I had to rescue, you should hold your tongue.”
Farran raised an eyebrow. “That's hardly the response I've come to expect. I meant no more than a jest.” Ski glared at her in silence.
Tess intervened. “There was a pool along the creek not to far from here,” she said, laying a hand on Ski‘s shoulder. “Go clean up a bit and relax. We can manage here.”
Ski looked herself over and gave a sigh and a nod, as Tess wiped the dirt off her hand. “I suppose I have little choice.”
Tess fetched her bag and offered a fresh set of clothes. Ski thanked her and set out, dangling the garments at arm’s length as she disappeared into the trees.
Rune watched her go from the space he was clearing in which to build the fire. His eyes fell to his work. “I should go find some wood,” he said absently, rising to his feet.
“I could go with you,” Ilya said, as Farran handed her the first stake.
He shook his head. “No need,” he said and stalked out of the clearing before any further offers could be made.
Ilya looked to the other two in confusion. “Should one of us not go after him?”
Tess shook her head. “You think I want to walk in on that?”
“Pardon?”
Farran grinned and offered her the next stake. “There's more than enough wood within five feet of the clearing to last us the night, dear. Do you honestly believe he means to go find more?”
The narrow creek did, indeed, swell into a a rocky pool not far from where they made camp. Ski’s clothes, both the muddy and the fresh ones, were draped over the branches of a nearby tree. Rune ducked past them and cast his eyes to his feet as he approached the bank.
“Rune!” came the startled cry from the water.
“Relax.” He took a seat, cross-legged on the shore, with his back to her. “I’m not here for a peek.”
“Then-”
“I figure you’re in no position to walk away,” he said, and couldn‘t help but grin. “I would appreciate if you didn’t do that every time I tried to talk to you.”
“I would appreciate it if we could simply forget anything happened.”
A scowl settled across his face. “You’ve had your fun and now you want to wash your hands of me?” He strained to keep his tone even. “However little it meant to you, I’m not about to drop it until you tell me why.’
“It was not my intent to trivialize…” There was a sigh from behind him and her voice grew stern. “I am not having this conversation with the back of your head. Turn around.”
Rune shifted himself to face the water. Ski was submerged to a point just beneath her collarbone, but the water was relatively clear. Her arms, folded across herself beneath the surface, and the cloud of blonde that flowed around her gave some aid in preserving her modesty. While he was not there to gawk, Rune reminded himself he cared little about her level of comfort either and simply folded his arms across his own chest and stared her down waiting for her to continue. She quickly lowered her gaze under the force of his.
“Look. What happened between us was…well…” Her pale features flooded with color. “Let me just say forgetting will not be an option.” She drew a deep breath and lifted a hand from its protective position to run it through her damp hair. “But it cannot happen again.”
“I’m not looking for it to happen again. Not that I’d mind. But I know better than to chase after someone who obviously doesn’t want me.”
Her voice rose and, for the first time in days, she looked him directly in the eye. “That is hardly the case!” Her gaze quickly fell back to the water and she let out a sigh. “House Burnoire will one day be mine, and there is an expectation that I will continue the line. Whether I accept Terrel’s proposal or not, staying with you would never be an option.”
“Then why start it in the first place?” Rune snapped.
Ski let out another heavy sigh. “Because, for once, I was thinking about what I wanted to do and not what I should do. I am sorry for causing you any pain.” There was a long pause, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely more than a whisper. “Are we alright?”
“No.” Her eyes met his again and he suspected she held back tears. “But I think we will be.” Not wishing to linger and find himself offering her comfort, he forced himself to his feet. “I suppose I’d best go find some firewood.”
“Come again?” She regained her normal tone and he wondered if he’d only imagined the pain he saw in her eyes a moment earlier.
“I’ll see you back at the campsite.” He offered what might barely have passed for a wave and headed back into the woods.
Before anybody yells at me, Rune won't even be introduced to Lyssa until a year later
Rating : PG
Timeframe : fall 1254
Ilya unrolled the tent canvas on the ground. A very muddy Ski dropped an equally filthy sack beside her. Ilya grimaced at the spray cast on her by its landing.
Farran arrived with stakes for the tent. She gave their leader an appraising look and a grin. Ilya hoped she had taken enough notice of Ski‘s recent turn of mood not to tease her. “I hope you're not planning on sleeping next to me like that.” Ilya winced.
Ski’s eyes narrowed. “If you plan on eating any of the supplies I had to rescue, you should hold your tongue.”
Farran raised an eyebrow. “That's hardly the response I've come to expect. I meant no more than a jest.” Ski glared at her in silence.
Tess intervened. “There was a pool along the creek not to far from here,” she said, laying a hand on Ski‘s shoulder. “Go clean up a bit and relax. We can manage here.”
Ski looked herself over and gave a sigh and a nod, as Tess wiped the dirt off her hand. “I suppose I have little choice.”
Tess fetched her bag and offered a fresh set of clothes. Ski thanked her and set out, dangling the garments at arm’s length as she disappeared into the trees.
Rune watched her go from the space he was clearing in which to build the fire. His eyes fell to his work. “I should go find some wood,” he said absently, rising to his feet.
“I could go with you,” Ilya said, as Farran handed her the first stake.
He shook his head. “No need,” he said and stalked out of the clearing before any further offers could be made.
Ilya looked to the other two in confusion. “Should one of us not go after him?”
Tess shook her head. “You think I want to walk in on that?”
“Pardon?”
Farran grinned and offered her the next stake. “There's more than enough wood within five feet of the clearing to last us the night, dear. Do you honestly believe he means to go find more?”
The narrow creek did, indeed, swell into a a rocky pool not far from where they made camp. Ski’s clothes, both the muddy and the fresh ones, were draped over the branches of a nearby tree. Rune ducked past them and cast his eyes to his feet as he approached the bank.
“Rune!” came the startled cry from the water.
“Relax.” He took a seat, cross-legged on the shore, with his back to her. “I’m not here for a peek.”
“Then-”
“I figure you’re in no position to walk away,” he said, and couldn‘t help but grin. “I would appreciate if you didn’t do that every time I tried to talk to you.”
“I would appreciate it if we could simply forget anything happened.”
A scowl settled across his face. “You’ve had your fun and now you want to wash your hands of me?” He strained to keep his tone even. “However little it meant to you, I’m not about to drop it until you tell me why.’
“It was not my intent to trivialize…” There was a sigh from behind him and her voice grew stern. “I am not having this conversation with the back of your head. Turn around.”
Rune shifted himself to face the water. Ski was submerged to a point just beneath her collarbone, but the water was relatively clear. Her arms, folded across herself beneath the surface, and the cloud of blonde that flowed around her gave some aid in preserving her modesty. While he was not there to gawk, Rune reminded himself he cared little about her level of comfort either and simply folded his arms across his own chest and stared her down waiting for her to continue. She quickly lowered her gaze under the force of his.
“Look. What happened between us was…well…” Her pale features flooded with color. “Let me just say forgetting will not be an option.” She drew a deep breath and lifted a hand from its protective position to run it through her damp hair. “But it cannot happen again.”
“I’m not looking for it to happen again. Not that I’d mind. But I know better than to chase after someone who obviously doesn’t want me.”
Her voice rose and, for the first time in days, she looked him directly in the eye. “That is hardly the case!” Her gaze quickly fell back to the water and she let out a sigh. “House Burnoire will one day be mine, and there is an expectation that I will continue the line. Whether I accept Terrel’s proposal or not, staying with you would never be an option.”
“Then why start it in the first place?” Rune snapped.
Ski let out another heavy sigh. “Because, for once, I was thinking about what I wanted to do and not what I should do. I am sorry for causing you any pain.” There was a long pause, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely more than a whisper. “Are we alright?”
“No.” Her eyes met his again and he suspected she held back tears. “But I think we will be.” Not wishing to linger and find himself offering her comfort, he forced himself to his feet. “I suppose I’d best go find some firewood.”
“Come again?” She regained her normal tone and he wondered if he’d only imagined the pain he saw in her eyes a moment earlier.
“I’ll see you back at the campsite.” He offered what might barely have passed for a wave and headed back into the woods.
Before anybody yells at me, Rune won't even be introduced to Lyssa until a year later