1st Orb, GHB 12

[steelhearted]

[There’s a cough, and green eyes glance up at the orb, then back down towards fidgeting hands. Calloused in a few places, picked at in others; these hands have seen a lot of action, are used to gripping a sword and digging into muck and grasping tree branches and chinks in stone.]

Uh. [The eyes turn back to the orb--the voice is somewhat rough from what sounds like overuse.] I hear the kingdom is having some difficulty with very large, moving thorns?

I have--experience. If someone could tell me a little more about the thorns, I’d be obliged.

Comments

[steelhearted]

Well, if you can point me towards the thorns, I'll have a go at getting in.

[It seems his presence here might be of more use than he'd thought.]

[golden_moon]

Let's not be hasty. This ain't your home, any more than it is mine. No need to be hasty, is there?

Take a few days, get your bearings. Make sure you ain't acting out of impulse or emotion, because that's a pretty good way to get yourself into trouble.

[steelhearted]

[He laughs a little.]

Milady, I've got my weaknesses, but impulsiveness isn't one of them. I offer because I've done it before. [A brief pause.] Cleared cursed thorns, I mean.

[golden_moon]

[And now Selene is going to be glib. Sorry about that; she doesn't know.]

What'd you do, kiss a sleeping princess?

[She shakes her head.]

You're here to fight 'em, sure, but I don't really think it's going to be quite so easy.

[A sly little grin.]

And certainly not as rewarding as kissing a princess, either.

[steelhearted]

Yes. [Without missing a beat--the sarcasm flies over his head, completely unnoticed. As far as he's aware, there's only been one sleeping princess guarded by a briar, so how she jumps to that conclusion is somewhat puzzling.] How did you know that?

[His face goes warm at her last comment and he looks away from the orb.] I wasn't planning on kissing her. It just...happened. The reward doesn't matter when there's lives to be saved.

[golden_moon]

How does anyone know? That's just the thing to do in just about every stor...

[The stop is sudden, and so is the look of incredulous surprise on Selene's face.]

You're actually serious.

[steelhearted]

Yes.

[Blinking.]

Why wouldn't I be?

[golden_moon]

So you're telling me that kissing actually works to break some kind of spell?

[steelhearted]

Yes?

[Forgive him. He is utterly baffled by your disbelief.]

I know it's a bit odd. [And he turns red--glances away. It's odd for more reasons than one.]

[golden_moon]

It's just so...fantastic. It's right out of a story, or would be in my world.

So. [Selene grins.] Is she pretty?

[steelhearted]

I mean, it had been so long that by my time, we weren't sure if she was real or just a legend to explain the thorns--but I don't read many stories, mostly almanacks and histories.

[He's rambling a little, somewhat avoiding the question with a flush coming over his ears. But he does answer, the words taking on a reciting quality.]

The Lady is a vision. Her hair falls about her shoulders in shimmering red curls like flame; her gray eyes soft like smoke; her complexion is flawless cream, her lips like rosebuds, her neck like a swan's. It is said she is so lovely, so fair that Queen Titania herself grew mad with envy and it is this that placed her kingdom under its curse.

[A little flustered smile.] That's the legend, anyway. But ah--yes. She's very pretty.

[golden_moon]

[I'd for forgiveness, but Selene doesn't even want it.]

So you like older women, then?

[She grins.]

Me, too.

[steelhearted]

[He coughs abruptly, deeply flushed--wait. Me too? Is she--

He blinks. And gapes.]

Uh. I. Suppose?

[golden_moon]

[Selene is a complicated individual.]

Oh, Sugar. You should have tried harder. Now I know you're easy to tease.

[steelhearted]

[Weakly, he laughs.]

I always have been and I've never been good at hiding it.

[golden_moon]

I bet that made you real popular with the noblesse.

[steelhearted]

[He laughs a little too loudly, memories of women ruffling his hair and straightening his clothes and cooing at him crossing his mind.]

I spent more time around the maids before my wife. But--uh, yes. I never wanted for haircuts and never had any holes in my clothes.

[golden_moon]

I was thinking after, Sir Prince, but maids are a very good group to have on your side, I think.