Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2012 13:18:04 GMT -5
Evangeline: Evangeline continued to sit in the chair by the hearth, leaned back quietly. The smile remained very light across her lips and hands moved to rest together across her lap. The light strumming was pleasant, much like the warmth from the fire at her left. There wasn't much she could add in to their conversation, knowing nothing of names, background or anything.. but it was hard not to overhear.
Girard: Hardly uncertain about starting a conversation with the people around him, Girard promptly distracted himself with the woman he'd yet to make the acquaintance of. " You are awfully quiet, perhaps an introduction from the resident minstrel is in order to entice you to conversation? " Cue the smile from the lute-burdened man. " I am Girard. "
Evangeline: Light blue eyes drifted in Girard's direction, lingering off and to the side a bit. While she could not see him, she did enjoy the sound of the lute and the timber to his voice. Her hearing was her strongest sense, given her circumstance. An easy smile came to the minstrel, as she committed the term to memory, too. Minstrel--not bard! "I am Evangeline. It is a pleasure to meet you, Girard... I enjoy your talent with the lute." The smile deepened some.
Girard: There certainly were few better ways to earn the appreciation of a minstel than to compliment his talent with his preferred instrument. " It is good that you enjoy it, I would be remiss to discover someone did not find enjoyment in my songs. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Evangeline, I hope you will understand that I do not offer a hand it is after all quite indisposed. " Strumming the strings of the lute of course. "
Evangeline: His words brought her smile wider. "Then I am glad that you need not be remiss.." His continued greeting brought her to nod in slight. "No hand required. The tune is pleasantry enough.." She loved music. It had truly been the 'color' in her life. It made her feel as perhaps a beautiful sight would to a seeing person. It gave life a bit of texture, far beyond what she might feel with her fingertips. "How long have you played the lute?"
Girard: As quick to silence as to speech Girard took to quiet until she provided a question that he really could not dismiss at all. "Going on two decades now, the lute was the first instrument I learned to play you see. I have learned to play others of course, I tend to favor the lute all the same .. at least equal to my favor for my own voice. "
Evangeline: "I should hope to learn an instrument or two.. I favor the lute as well, at least in listening to it." The woman's'soft voice was sweet, an most would not know it to be a touch celestial. "Two decades.. it would probably take me that long to learn one song." She grinned at her gest, then added, ".. would you let me hear your voice?" Her eyes remained as they were, misplaced from actually connecting with Girard's face.
Girard: " One can learn a good deal when wandering for a couple of decades, tis all a matter of what you would put your mind to learning. " Or simple necessity due to lacking any paticular talent beyond an unsavory leaning towards dark magics in his bloodline. " I have my doubts it would take long to teach you a song, your voice certainly seems perfect for the task on its own. " Girard didn't bother to react in any paticular way beyond being pleased with her request to hear his singing voice. " I am sure I can provide something.. ah, I know.. " It took but a moment for the minstrel to select a song from memory. " This is the price of commanding, You always stand alone, Let no one near, to see the fear, Behind the mask you've grown. This is the price of commanding. " Oh, certainly not the most cheerful of songs in his repertoire. " This is the price of commanding, That you watch your dearest die, Sending women and men, to fight again. And never tell them why. This is the price of commanding. Mistakes are signed in red, And you won't pay, but others may, And your best may wind up dead. This is the price of commanding. All the deaths that haunt your sleep, And you hope they forgive And so you live, With their memories buried deep. This is the price of commanding. That if you won't, others will. So take your post, Salute each ghost. You've a debt to them to fill. "
Evangeline: "I have been travelling for a total of two weeks." There was a small, light laugh to that. "Hopefully I'll learn in the weeks and months to come." Her hands shifted to the arms of the chair, and Eva shifted up, sitting a bit more. To his compliment of her voice, a tinge of blush hinted at the apple of each cheek. ".. thank you." She went quite then, simply listening--the blind woman actually closing her eyes through the sound. She felt the soft warmth of the tune as if it slid over her skin, little chills chasing after each. He had a splendid voice, and despite the song's content, Eva found herself smiling. She clapped lightly then. "Beautifully sung, Girard.." One hand shifted in, \settling a span of fingertips at her chest, over her heart as shoulders dropped in a sigh. "Did you learn the song on your travels, or is it written by you?"
Girard: Less than cheerful selections in his repertoire tended to be used fairly often, it proved telling of what others thought of his songs when they enjoyed even such a tune as that one. " Some I learned while traveling, I have written others.. but I find it a slow process to perfect a song in order to help my audience visualise what it means. That song though.. I learned from a minstrel with a knack for sticking close to nobles with a military history. "
Evangeline: She'd nod. "I can believe that song was quite fitting with the nobles.. definitely." Smiling still, Evangeline tipped her head, turning it towards the bar in wondering of Maria. Hopefully she'd be back around soon. Lunch good. She could still smell the fruit on the counter, though. Pondering the pleasant juice of an apple, the petite, slight-framed blonde stood. She stopped, listened and led her right hand out a little ways infront of her then walk. "I should like to hear one of your songs, some time.. perhaps you can teach me one?" Finding the end of the bar, Eva along it, keeping touch at its outer edge. She could feel the stools pushing softly at her skirting, too. The scent of the fruit got stronger, little by little.
Girard: Girard could not help but recollect how singing the song of lose, that melodious chanting with the tendacy to play in his mind alone tended to affect those that heard it. Well best to save that for his enemies. " I could, though I don't believe I have a fitting song in my repertoire just yet.. " Instilling fear in such a seemingly pleasant woman was hardly something the minstrel cared to do after all. " Yes, I believe I could teach you one though.. I always did want to take on an apprentice. " He added, in a jester's tone.
Evangeline: The bowl was nudged by the tips of her fingers, and she stopped there to gently feel out the apple she wanted. Her thumbs smoothed over the crisp green skin after she'd selected one. She felt a bit accomplished, getting there after having spent but an hour in this room last night. Her memory wasn't so bad, it seems. "Well. then you will have to write me one, so I can learn.." Her smile kept in place, Eva turning to retrace her steps then. She took her time, as with most everything. "Good for you, I am a healer.. I can fix your ears after you hear the horrors I'm likely to come up with." She smiled, playing back.
Girard: " I'm afraid you may not be up to the challenge, half the time I wonder if my head isn't somehow connected to the ethereal. " It certainly would explain alot of the background noises of the song of lose. " I likely will not let you near a violin however.. "
Evangeline: "Well.. I know something of the ethereal. Perhaps.." She found her chair again, turning to ease in to it. "I am an aasimar, afterall." It wasn't exactly a secret she safeguarded. "Though no--no violins unless you are playing them.' The woman snickered some.
Girard: The minstrel showed no sign of recognition in regard to her mentioning what she was. " Is that your order of healers..strange to find healers involved with the ethereal. " Unless they were practitioners of so-called white necromancy.
Evangeline: Evangeline smiled. "No.. an Aasimar is.. mm.. well, my bloodline has celestial ties. Angelic, according to those of my family." The hints of silvery tone to her hair were nearly all that the general person could see different of Eva though there were other subties, though those came about more with her mood, if it ever left its pleasant state. It was rare that it did, truthfully.
Girard: The explanation likely brought most to awe or at least some sort of ease. Girard did not settle into ease at the mention of her celestial bloodties, he took it to mean goodly clerics and they all too often possessed a rather unfavorable opinion of the undead, even in part. Like her he displayed some visual cues of his heritage, in the right circumstances at least.. the lack of shadow or darkness about him meant his eyes weren't about to be glowing green.. not that she was likely to take note of such given her condition. " I wasn't aware such entities were capable of a union with mortals. " Of course that wasn't to say he didn't think it likely they were akin to dragons.. and nearly anything could procreate with them.. but it simply was not a subject he found too much interests in.
Evangeline: His mention of unions with mortals brought her to shrug and taking her hands out a little to each side. "It happened somehow." She continued to smile. My parents were both mortal.. it is a.. condition of sorts that comes about every so many generations." Or really, whenever it wanted to. There was no rhyme or reason why, at least not that she knew. "But enough of that, yes?" Evangeline was not one to act out against darkness, or dark creatures, in general. She couldn't much hurt a fly. Literally and figuratively! With so little experience in the world abroad, the woman was naive to many, many things, too. "Are you part of the group here? The adventurers that work with Maria?"
Girard: " If it can happen with undead, I suppose it is far more natural that it happen with celestial beings. " A poor choice of comparison perhqps, alas it was one he had a tendacy of falling back on these days. "Hm..? Oh, the Obsidian Heart? Yes, somehow I did find myself joining this company and becoming an adventuring.. really its a pity. I'm likely only a step away from being called a bard.. " Girard gave a distasteful expression at that, paired with a matching tone. " The womanzing vagrants misusing their talents.. " He caught his words and feigned a cough, complete with a rising hand to cover his mouth. " Apologies. "
Evangeline: Evangeline got very quiet. Too quiet. "Oh, Girard.. I am so very sorry." Her smile melted down and fair brows meshed over the bridge of her nose. "I called you a bard, yesterday.." She remembered full well, and seemed a bit mortified at having possibly offended him. Talk of the OH went to the wayside.
Girard: Ah, this would be the instance where he'd accidently said the wrong thing due to his slight issue with those calling themselves bards. " You shouldn't be worrying about it, few know the differences until they learn of the context used to speak of such men and their craft.. or past times. Of course it could be more of a offensive term in my homeland and its
neighbhoring lands. I'm afraid I am not too familiar with this kingdom's terms.. I don't believe they use jongleur here.. maybe troubadour? "
Evangeline: She still frowned, despite his reassurance not to worry. "I am not sure what it is here.. In Zyon, I have only used the term bard, used--though only in a context .. when I asked to hear the music about the city.. My family did not let me out much.. not much at all and, mother never much liked the messages musicians would carry in their songs. She tried to keep me away from anything outside of the temple.."
Girard: " Minstrels tend towards playing for audiences made up of nobility and royalty, seeking sponsorship from families in such positions. " Something he'd not sought out for years, which he supposed likely made him either jongleur or even a bard under someone's definition, rather than his own. " I am unfamiliar with Zyon.. though when visiting temples I tended to go out of my way to learn the local faith's religious songs. Being capable of singing such tends to avoid issues like those messages your mother disliked in the songs of the musicians you mention. "
Evangeline: Listening still, the sad expression started to slip off her face a little, over the course of a few moments. "That might have went over more with my mother, then." Finally, a small smile. "She was very strict, in many things.. much more than Brena, my caretaker.." Who he'd seen her with before. The woman was more a mother to her than her true mother, in a sense of love and warmth., and even she seemed a bit dry at times. "Can I ask something of you, Girard?" She'd long forgot her apple, the thing sitting off at the side of her lap, abandoned for now.
Girard: " I imagine something akin to the caretakers at the orphanage I spent much of my childhood in. " The important fact was that he'd not said he was an orphan, a term he was an unlikely to describe himself with as 'disgraced noble' and 'bard. " Hmm.. what would you ask of me, Evangeline? " A tendacy towards curiousity turned out to be just enough to make him want to hear her out.
Evangeline: She slid forward a small bit, taking her hands out infront of her with the backs of forearms running the tops of her thighs. Palms up. "Come here?" Surely most would be a little off at a stranger asking for their nearness, let alone seemingly asking for his hands, what with her fingers uncurling as they did. Her tone remained soft, not in any way forcing or demanding of him--simply asking. "I.. have this thing I like to do, with new acquaintances. It might seem odd..." Blue eyes casted down some. "It's harmless, I assure you."
Girard: Girard could term the request strange easily, actually doing so in this instance was another matter entirely. Not in the practice of rejecting things until he had more information to work with, he did indeed vacant his seat in order to move closer to where she was at the bar. Having played the target to a few seers and forunate tellers, far more fake than real, Girard found it easy to assume that this was something akin to those practices. " I don't see the harm in it. " Little to stop the presentation of his hands to her, he hadn't seen her palming a knife or the like after all!
Evangeline: At a seat more towards the hearth, with the warmth quite pleasant, Girard would have to perhaps stoop down some to get to her seated level. She could hear him getting closer, especially with his voice nearing. If he did not lower, she'd go so far as to rise, her palms remaining in view. No--no knife! The fall of the dark blue, silk dress around her frame left little cover for a weapon anywhere on her person, too. Knowing him to be right infront of her, she moved her hands forward, up and underneath his, a warm touch settling there. Soft, except for the small band of gold at her right ring finger. The initial touch lingered a moment, perhaps to let him get used to it. Really--it was soshe could get used to it as well. Her eyes lingered down as fingertips moved touching over what she considered to be a fine instrument--his hands; however, she'd not stop there. The 5'-3" blonde felt forward, following his wrists, forearms and in.. up, up... until finding the spot under his chin. Her empty, blind gaze followed along, Fingers slowly moved, whispers of warmth along his jaw, up along cheeks and over eyes. Feeling his face in that light way, as if learning it in her own way.
Girard: At the beginning the scene easily reminded him of those fortune tellers trying to read a fortune from the lines of his hand. The thought began to drift from the list of possiblities by the time her fingers passed by the initial touch and traveled to his wrists before long. The further they went the more the minstrel began to suspect something he'd yet to have noticed due to his inattentiveness. Was she blind, he wondered just about the time he felt her slow moving fingers moving delicately about his jaw, cheeks, and then over his eyes. It seemed a rude act to call her on being blind, true of not he didn't care to have his wandering focus called out though it was hardly the same. " I don't believe I noticed until now.. " The rest was left unsaid, ah truly there were many possiblities for an end to that sentence.. but why ruin it?
Evangeline: She slowed as he spoke, turning her wrists out a bit in letting her thumbs find the height of his cheeks on either side. Fingers just barely touched his hairline then, too. She spoke softly there, "It is alright, Girard. Perhaps I am merely doing too good a job at pretending to be normal." Her smile came in some, fingers then sliding down to touch the line of his mouth, more at his lower lip. "I am sorry if this is, strange for you." The pleasantaries fell a small bit. "I like to remember faces.. " By touch, anyways.
Girard: " Wandering aimlessly since my thirteeth has its benefits, being difficult to surprise by what a person lacks or has is one of them. And it doesn't seem to inconvience you, " Least not now, besides how often had he heard tales of blind swordsman this and blind archer that? Just often enough to think of those tales now! In a fairly unabashed way Girard decided in the spur of the moment to repeat Evangeline's method of learning faces for himself, or rather the attempt was made at the very least. " Touch really is a sensation that is much more difficult to lose focus on, I'm sure there is something I could be learning from this were I a painter or a sculptor. "
Evangeline: She did not outwardly show the concern for him, that he'd been own his own since such a young age. While she wanted to ask, the nearness and touch right then meant more than the possibility to chancing him off with delving inquries. As for her own inconveniences, there was little change in her to that, either. "I have never known sight, at least not that I can remember. There was no need to reteach me how to function, I simply relied on my other senses. Like hearing, smell, taste and.. touch.."' The woman's hands followed down the sides of his neck, coming to rest on his shoulders, letting his hands find their own path then, learning her face much the same. Never had someone done that back to her. It made her grin some. "I have sculpted a few faces in my time, but with my fingers alone. It is not so detailed a thing, without the ability to use tools, picks and knives. I made a decent bird one time." A small giggle came, and a smile dimpled her cheeks.
Girard: Being born blind may well have solved a few things that those who lose their sight latter on had to adjust to overtime. Likely including envying the blind-born. " Sculpting is not my strong suit.. I really should never be let near clay to be shaped or stone to be chiseled. " Odds were they would wind up with a lot of dust, even with the clay! It wasn't long after mapping out her features through touch that he let his hands withdraw rather than chance a level of awkwardness. " It does seem that you could find a way around the need of tools.. with enough time you could very well find you've a talent for it. " Or Girard merely had a knack for giving compliments where there was a risk he was incorrect.
Evangeline: "Perhaps so.. I've learned a great deal just from practice, though there are things I will never be able to do on my own." It seemed to drop her spirits a little, saying that, but her smile kept in place as well as it could. Giving a single, gentle squeeze at his shoulders, her hands then eased from him. "Thank you, for letting me do that.." She took to her chair again, easing back in to it. "I am more interested in learning the lute than I am sculpting, though.. I have to say. "
Girard: " Its simple enough to alter a lute a little to learn by touch. You will just have to not tell the luthier responsible for the instrument that I did anything to it. " Some tended to get rather upset if you changed their masterpieces after all! " Oh, you are quite welcome. It seems rather complimentry to me.. wanting to know what I look like through touch.. " Least that's how he'd see it, it fit with some of his.. lingering arrogance, couldn't humble a man completely.
Evangeline: "I swear I will not utter a word of your transgressions.." She smiled widely. "I will come to you, after I find a lute that feels right." Not that she knew what she was 'looking' for. In the end, it'd just be nice to play a few simple songs, ones easily played. Likely, they'd be of a child's learning capacity, but still it'd tickle her pink to have that knowledge! As he responded to her thanks, the way he did, Eva grinned a bit, "I suppose I should find it complimentary, too, then.. that you know what I look like, and still sought to touch." Having no clue what she looked like, aside from what she'd been told, it was hard for Eva to be arrogant in that respect, though she still toyed with the ideal, if not only to find a retort to his words, playful as it was.
Girard: " You can always trust a minstrel to take note of beauty. Whether it be appearance, a song, .. " He came to a pause soon after his focus having abruptly been lose to the sight of the Troll-Kings Crown. " Ah, Silkbeard still owes me the tell behind that crown..how do you get a ghost that has moved on to give their tale.. " Another pause, then he sudden light smack of his palm to his forehead. " Maybe I am a bard, " He gave a low chuckle at his own words. " Well as long as you don't believe I was shamelessly flirting, I may well still be safe from that fate. "
Evangeline: The heat of a blush touched her cheeks then, her head dipping in part. She didn't know quite what to say to that, and wouldn't have to come up with anything right on the spot, given his sudden switch of topic. A.. crown and troll king? She had only begun to get curious when he bounced back to the topic before hand. Like Girard and his slower recognition of her blindness, perhaps Eva was simliar--just now starting to gather that his mind seemed to shift or redirect, here or there. Perhaps it wasn't the case. It wouldn't have changed her thoughts of him, anyways. "You are not a bard.. though I cannot say I've been flirted with, that I've known of." The blindness usually scared people off, and if not that--her mother did. Or Brena, for that matter.
Girard: Girard tended to be rather capable in dealing with different sorts, at least by social class differences without too much in the way of problem. Perhaps the same could be said in regard to dealing with mothers that thought the worse? Girard's mind certainly did not seem focused on such amatter at the moment, of what could be said was that blindness did not seem to concern the minstrel.. she wasn't deaf after all.. she could still enjoy his songs! " Hm.. well even if I wasn't lets just say I did so that you say its happened? " It seemed completely reasonable to Girard at the moment. " It is sweet of you to say that though." No doubt referring to the words ' you are not a bard'.
Evangeline: He brought a soft laugh out of her. "In that case.. Girard, you are an insatiable flirt." Eva tsked lightly, shaking her head. "My first pretent flirt." That smile went wide for a moment or two. To his talk of her sweetness, she merely tipped her head and nodded it slightly, as if to say 'you're welcome.' He'd find the more at ease she was, the sweeter her tone got.. and the view of her caught a soft glow of sorts, as if the fire's light caught on her a bit more than everything else.
Girard: " Its only pretend if you think it is. " Or if that was the excuse to not send the hounds after him. It wasn't very long at all before Girard grew a bit curious, likely due to that soft glow she seemed to have about her now. " Hmm. " Usually seeing such would have prompted some bit of foolishness on his part, well maybe it occured all the same and simply went beyond his notice. " What would you say if I told you my eyes glow a ghostly green in the dark?" Well why not ask!? It wasn't as if it told her anything!
Evangeline: The expression remained, if not intensifying some with the talk of pretend things. "I have a decent imagination." She eased into the seat a bit more, unaware of his eyes, her glow or.. well, anything that could be seen. She didn't understand any of that, no matter how Brena tried to explain what it was, what it 'felt' like. Eva found beauty and feeling in far different ways. As he asked the question of her, she fell silent for only a moment. "I would remind you that I do not know what green looks like, let alone what it is to glow, beyond what has been expressed to me in teachings. And then I would ask you if it is something I should be frightened of?"
Girard: She did have a way of pointing out facts rather .. pointedly now didn't she? Course the fact she lacked sight really did not influence how he chose his words at all. " Well.. in a way I am not dissimiliar from you. " Least not in how his mind processed the whole celestial in bloodline in so much as it was a tie to one plane or another. " A bloodtie to the ethereal isn't bad after all. " Unless you threw in a connection to negative energy.. or that healers such as her likely would do him more harm than good.
Evangeline: Oh, now she was curious. Sitting up again, she reached slowly forward, taking his hand again, if he was still there that is. It didn't sound like he'd moved off. If he was not dissimilar, and he spoke of a bloodtie... well, what was he? "Tell me more?"
Girard: Spinning a tale just the right way really was all it took to put a positive outlook on something such as a heritage tied to undeath. "The ethereal has few residents, beyond the partial presence of the restless dead of the mortal worlds. " Which really was telling enough for what he was but any way of dancing about the matter was better than being too direct. Who knew if this sweet example of an aasimar did not have a berserk switch in her over this sort of thing!
Evangeline: She kept hold of his hand, if she got it in the first place, and listened intently. He didn't put too much into an answer, but then she wasn't one to mince words. She asked with that sweet bell of a voice, as always. "So you were born, as I.. but with ties to the dead?" Her silence came again as she thought back to all she'd read. All her studies did not harbor information on a being like this.
Girard: Perceptive woman wasn't she? Some may well have chosen to assume he had some tie to some other resident of the ethereal. " In a way that is it, yes. " The silence from Evangeline proved surprisingly disconcerting for a moment before focus slipped away. " And how do you percieve such, Evangeline? " Always would it come down to how one interepted the tale presented to them.
Evangeline: Her other hand came in, enveloping his one between her two. Yes, she found a bit of awe in what he was, but she did not seem averted by it. Her personal path was not something she'd impose on others, nor judge others for not having; however, the thought of Girard being evil--with such a kind-seeming way to him, and a craft of music that she found divine--it did not completely mesh in her mind. He wasn't as dark as his heritage, perhaps. She certainly wasn't the poster child for hers, either. "I still percieve you as Girard.. the non-bard." All that thought ended in only those words, along with a slow smile.
Girard: " Girard the non-bard? " Now that simply had to be questioned by the minstrel. Strange how those words caught his attention rather than any expression she may have displayed during the conversation. Of course nothing more than human perception caused undeath to be viewed as evil. Some ghosts were rather conversational sorts.. unforunately the one of recent memory also happened to be an overly excitable sort. Girard may well have been amused if such a comparison as Silkbeard had been used to judge him by. " I prefer Girard the Requiem myself.. " Another few words to be mulled over for opinions no doubt but without his reasons behind it there really was only base assumptions to be made. " " Did you try to view me in comparison to some malevolent spirit of the dead? It really is not an apt way to compare. Perhaps judge against the spirit of a minstrel who failed to pass on his skill and songs to an apprentice? "
Evangeline: "I did not mean to strike a chord, if I did.. I was simply being playful." She heard his preferred term, figuring he might have thought Eva would call him 'non-bard' from here on out. That was not the case at all. Eva lowered her eyes then and gently let him go. "Girard, I have nothing to compare you to. Not malevolent spirit, not a spirit of any kind, not even a bard. I simply have what I've learned from you so far, directly---and that is all. It would be wrong of me to pull stereotypes from things that know nothing of. And even if I did.. you are an individual." She sighed softly then, a bit down that she'd somehow pushed the minstrel's 'button' so to speak.
Girard: His response came paired with a grin from the minstrel. " You did not, though I believe the phrase ' people do not tend to trust the undead, even in part. ' does tend to strike a chord in others. " Girard was an easy going sort, slow to anger, though not to arrogance and various otheremotions that tended to be rather close to the surface. " They do not have ghost stories in Zyon? " That was mostly a matter of curiousity rather than .. well it was just curiousity!
Maria: Maria opened the door of the kitchen and headed out into the tap room of the inne, carrying a fresh bowl of fruit. Apples, pears of course but also some rarer finds such as citrus, and mango. She sat the bowl on the bar, and wiped her hands on her apron, as she gazed around and gave a nod to Girard, and spoke to Evangeline. "Everything going ok? Need drinks?"
"No.. at least, not that made their way to me." Much like music, all that Evangeline was read had been set in place by certain people, Brena included. Eva turned her head some to the sound of the door, smiling again at Maria's voice. "Hello, Maria.. tea would be nice. and have you seen Brena out and about at all? She should have returned by now."
Girard: " Of course not, you've sounded ruined my attempt to woo Evangeline here. " Purely said in jest of course but Girard wasn't going to miss the oppurtunity presented to him by Maria's appearance. " You offer drinks but carry fruit.. why did you not offer fruit? " Or Juice mixed with drinks.. or something of that sort! Catching the fact that Eva at least lacked knowledge of any ghost stories from her home actually looked rather surprised to hear it. " I must say that is a first.. usually everyone knows at least some portion of a ghost story.. " Mostly because they made it all up.
Maria: "I hope you aren't trying to scare my new guest, Girard." She'd heard something about ghost stories, and grinned over at him. She placed a few bananas from a basket under the bar, into the fruit bowl and then checked on the hot water on the small fireplace, and grabbed it to make a cup of tea for Evangeline, with a small spoonful of honey as she remembered from the night before. She slid the cup over to her. "Right in front of ya. And I saw Brena before dinner, she said she'd be back in a few hours." She frowned, it'd been more than a few hours but perhaps she'd gotten caught up in the market, with so many things to look at one could spend a full day there. "She should be back any time now I'd imagine." She put a little hopeful pep in her voice, then stared at Girard, before grabbing an apple and throwing it at him. "Catch, there's your fruit." She snickered.
Evangeline: She rose from her seat near the hearth, slowly crossing a remembered path over towards the bar. Her hand curled at its'edge before dropping to grip a stool and pull it out, slipping on to it. Talk of Brena brought a frown to Eva's lips. It wasn't like the woman to run behind. She was also so prompt and on schedule with everything. The trip here and the delays with weather did horrendous things to the older woman! But what Maria said made some sense, enough for Evangeline to give a single nod, accepting that scenario for now. At the sound of the cup, her hand reached to slowly collect it and bring it between both palms. Girard's talk of ghost stories drew her back to him a bit. "Most of my mother's darker stories were on the wrath of the Gods. That was fear inducing enough." It usually scared all the temple kids that came to learn, anyways. "Perhaps you can tell me the ghost stories you know, some time." She smiled very lightly.
Girard: Funny how it was the mention of ghost stories and not the suggestion to Maria that he'd been trying to serenade Eva that caught her attention. The end result still caused an amused minstrel of course. " I could at that.. " Said just in time to be struck with a flying apple and catching it only after being blindsighted by the piece of fruit! " That is no way to treat an apple. " No way to treat a minstrel either! " I suppose tales of the wrath of Gods would be fear inducing.. " Wisely Girard tended to keep the matter of deities out of his conversation save for his curiosity on the subject of Kanesh in regards to the shadow entity he dealt with.
[ Having left the OH Inne to search for Brena… ]
Girard: Leaving the Obsidian Heart behind in favor of the rest of the Greenlord Run suited Girard just fine. A minstrel in the Artist Distract would hardly be found unsuitable after all. As one could expect Girard had taken his lute along with him, more than happy to take the instrument with him for no other reason than being use to taking it along in his travels! Keeping his pace a slow one, he'd managed to keep a sufficent amount of focus on Eva, succedding in at least keeping them from straying from the set path usually walked when walking through the Run. "I find myself curious, what has made you interested in Obsidian Heart? " It did seem to him joining the healers would be a more peaceful existence for her. She did not strike him as the sort to enjoy adventuring, unless out of the unknowing excitement of the idea.
Evangeline: Her hand had walked up his arm, until both of them found the purchase of a hold around his elbow, leaving her fingers above and below the bend of it. As always, Eva's touch was considerably light. Warm. With his gaze on her, Girard likely saw a bit of the woman's thought put in to his question, what with the way her lip curled back between teeth for a time. "Well.. I have a need to help others. I guess it is simply the healer in me.." Of course. ".. but at the same time.. there is so much I have never experienced. Adventure, freedom, different lands, comradery--any of that, and then some. I seem to think I will find more of that in Obsidian Heart, than in an organization of singularly travelling healers, as I believe the Ravens to be." Sure, she liked peaceful. It's all she'd known. But Eva had never truly lived.
Girard: Girard knew the sort of thoughts that could draw someone out of all they knew and into adventure. Few were going to take such a drastic step as he had shortly before and after making his choice to wander. Listening to her came easily, the chill about them made it easier to focus as did the light but noticable hold she had on his arm. " Sometimes it is better to make a choice and live than follow a predetermined fate. " His example certainly acted as an extreme in his mind. " If you are meant to join the White Ravens eventually what you learn while with the Obsidian Heart can only help your skills and methods. " She did have a certain naivety about her, something she'd lose over time that was a certainity if nothing else could be. " Personally I'm rather pleased with the end results of my choice to venture head first into the world.. had I not chosen to wander I'd likely have tried claiming my father's barony for myself.. no, I am much more fond of this life. " Truth was the alterative he suggested as a possiblity scared him.. knowing the arrogance that had been humbled in his travels would still be very present otherwise. " Hmm.."
Evangeline: "I want to live, more than anything..." The words came light, nearly inaudible. "I was meant to be a symbol for the temple, a way or light.. and an example of being." And Eva was an innocent, such was true and evident to most who came across her. The naivety went hand in hand. "There is that, too. The Obsidian Heart is spoken to be full of skilled adventurers. Maria has even offered to find an accomplished healer in the area, to perhaps help me improve my ability." Hearing his words of the barony seemed to gain her interest there. So he had a predetermined purpose in life, too. That they shared these few similarities let her at ease with the minstrel, a small bit more. He'd feel her hands tighten slightly. "Well, I am fond of you in this life, too. Especially with a lute." Smiling then. "Brena would like the lute, too.." The smile waned. "It scares me to think something is keeping her from returning to me...."
Girard: The diffierences in the predetermined was a simple one, his would have taken him down a truly dark path. While just as dark, his current path had a certain balance to it that kept him from veering off into dangerous territory. His thoughts were easily dissipated by a resume of focus on Eva's words, trying his best to work against his inattentiveness to listen fully. " I had a simple choice become a monstorous tyrant as my father before me or turn away. " Sadly there had been other options.. but a bit of youthful narrowmindedness had blinded him to the other more favorable paths that could very well have done his nation alot of good, for its commoners at least. " Oh, you're just fond of me for my lute.. I see. " Girard had taken a teasing tone for those words, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice was a difficult prospect to be certain. " I am sure she is well, Eva she likely lose track of time catching up with her brother. " At least that was the presumption that was easiest to see occuring, he wasn't negative enough in personality to assume her caretaker was in danger.
Evangeline: "Hearing that makes me think even more of you, Girard.. that you had the strength even at so young an age to choose what it is you wanted." She did not comment on his monster father, and of course knew nothing of other paths. "If it weren't for my parent's deaths, I would still be in Zyon, in the higher level of the temples.. as most of my days were spent there. Still.. I wanted for nothing, and all were warm and generous there.. it's just.." She'd sigh, leaning a slight more in to him, "I want more than that.." Likely more than even the adventuring. But it was a start! When he mentioned his lute, she laughed a bit. "And your voice, too... the flirting wasn't so bad, either." Fake as it was. Still, she couldn't pass up the spot to jest back. "And you're probably right. I keep thinking on how she's never been late to anything---but I've never been with her on something like this, where her family is concerned. I imagine years' worth of happenings would take a while to talk through."
Girard: " Choosing to wander was a selfish decision, I know it helped no one but myself. " And considering the memories of home he'd sacrificed for power he did find it difficult to keep an attachment to the barony much less its people. They were out of sight, and out of mind. " Sometimes the selfish decision is the correct one. " And not without its sacrifices to be certain though Girard decided against displaying any sign of his capablilities.. knowing little of Zyon meant he wasn't sure how one from there would react to something that at least sounded like a 'gift' from Kanesh. " Remaining in such a life would have been unhealthy for you, you would have stagnanted in the end. It would have been peaceful I wager, but hardly a life. " Or perhaps Girard spoke too much and too often. " Good.. you wouldn't be adverse to proper flirting then.. I draw the line at serenading though.. I can never find the right words. " She easily took his attention back to the matter of Brena. " I think it would take a good while to talk through so much. "
Evangeline: Being selfish could be correct? Eva ignored the imaginary conscious of her mother sitting on her shoulder, yelling otherwise. No. What Girard said was true. He looked out for himself, much like she was trying to look out for herself. She'd thought of it all before, warred with it, but in the end demanded a departure from Zyon. Brena came with her out of loyalty, concern.. and perhaps an underlying feeling that Eva might well have been her own daughter. "If I would have stayed, they would have arranged a marriage for me, one sanctioned by the high priest. I would have ended up much like my mother, I fear." So yes, she would have stagnated, perhaps she began to before she'd even left. "You will have to let me know when proper flirting happens.. so I know the difference between." She smiled to him, letting the mention of Brena fall quiet for now, nodding after it.
Girard: There was no doubt in his mind that his selfish decision had brought with it a fair amount of good, and bad, in the years that had followed after. " I likely would have left under such circumstances myself. I've a certain romantic leaning though. " The fault of many years of listening to songs and stories with such involved in their words and meanings. " Well I could start by stating how attractive I find you. " A fact of course likely one she may have heard from any number of sources. At least the minstrel decided against any actions overly forward he couldn't help but expect that if he did Brena would appear out of practically no where.
Evangeline: He was going to properly flirt? Admittedly, Eva didn't not expect him to. She really didn't... but his words drew up a certain wonder in her. ".. what makes someone attractive?" To one without sight, she knew nothing of outward appearances, even her own. Being locked in a temple left very little interaction with regards to beauty. Unless you counted the children of the temple. They thought everything was beautiful, though. Bugs included.
Girard: " There is more to beauty than one's appearance.. of what I know of you I find you beautiful. Its far more about personality. I'd like to think you acquired your fondness of my lute and I due to similar reasoning. " He could only hope.. fondness at first song would certainly be novel to him even so! " If our positions were reversed, down to the possession of sight, I believe I would still say the same. " " Of course.. that would leave the differences of personality as the determining fact.. "
Evangeline: She considered his words, though in a good way. Her smile made that evident. He'd find her thumb trailing very lightly at his bicep, to and fro in the smallest way. "I was fond of even your humming, when first Brena and I arrived, last night." She could fall asleep to just that, comfortable and relaxed from all thought of this world. All worry. While she did not mean to flirt, perhaps the compliment was indeed that, innocently placed. "Though I have an idea of your face, since you let me..." Touch. "... What would you say second then, after telling me of attraction?" Eva continued to feed her curiosity.
Girard: " No one has complimented my humming before. " A first for Girard at least, given the reactions of most he tended to not bother with how others thought of his humming the song tended to be less important than his songs. It dawned on him he did not remember having seen her before today, which came as something of a surprise that she recognized him. Oh.. wait she had the time to call him a bard.. yes he certainly had been in her presence before. How had he forgotten. " What would I say second.. well I suspect I would try to speak than stutter the rest in unintelligible non-sense. " Why not present how one possiblity could have gone if he were to answer contrary to how he just had for her.
Evangeline: "Well.. you're welcome then." She let her gaze remain forward, light blue eyes unmoving. To any passersby, none would know her to be blind, unless of course they addressed her. "Ah, then I need listen for a stutter." The broadness of a smile claimed her. "You seem so well versed, though." Eva could not imagine Girard stuttering. All of the playful talk was helping her immensely, if he saw it or not. Some invisible edge had smoothed away in her, leaving the woman relaxed there at his side. She yawned softly there, rising her hand to stifle it.
Girard: " Once upon a time I stuttered a good deal of the time. " Truth happened to be that it occured when trying to hold conversations with women. No doubt that wasn't quite the case these days. " I appreciate you saying that, I'd fret to think if you'd noticed a stutter before I gave mention of them. " The playful talk had its purpose paticularly to ease tensions they didn't know they had at the time. " Tiring, Evangeline? We could return to the Inne, maybe Brena has returned by now. " And likely quite willing to chastise the likes of Girard about now.
Evangeline: "You stuttered? No." She played still, feigning a but of awe at the revelation. "I kind of want to hear that." She giggled lightly, tipping her head over to his shoulder. "I am getting a little tired." Lips lowered their corners some. "... but I am enjoying the walk, with you." If Brena was back, she'd have stormed out there to find them. "She might be." Eva knew better. She hoped to be wrong. "We should turn back, though.. lest I fall asleep on your shoulder here." While walking? "One thing first.." Her hands pulled on his arm gently, bringing the pair of them to an easy stop. "I want to feel one more thing of you, Girard." That sounded dirty, but was nothing of the sort for Evangeline. "Your smile.. " .... "...may I?" Did he even smile? She could have swore she heard him laugh somewhere along the way.
Girard: Falling asleep while walking would be a feat to be certain, how they would keep it up and still make it back without Girard having to carryher back to the inne. He didn't doubt at all that doing such a thing would cause the rumor mill to be excerised in no time at all. Her request to feel his smile was a strange one, at least when not considering her blindness she did make it rather easy to provide a smile for the request. Easy enough to reach for her free hand and draw to up a bit though did not lead directly to his lips. Why not let her do something she was entirely capable of on her own? " You may. "
Evangeline: Turning towards him, Eva stepped in a single pace. Lifted her eyes a bit too high to have landed on his face, though those were much harder to direct than her hand. After his guidance, fingertips found a wisp of a touch at his cheek. She paused there, though gradually let the touch slide down and her thumb over, finding the corner of his lips. Her other hand rose to do the same, "You will have to smile bigger than that.." A soft tease, one that hopefully let her feel the change across his face.
Girard: She earned her bigger smile out of him with that tease she intended to make use of for what it would make his smiling lips do. Chuckling as well came about though he managed to stifle it just enough not to be too noticable .. except perhaps by touch. Certainly appeared she'd met with victory in her little task.
Girard: Hardly uncertain about starting a conversation with the people around him, Girard promptly distracted himself with the woman he'd yet to make the acquaintance of. " You are awfully quiet, perhaps an introduction from the resident minstrel is in order to entice you to conversation? " Cue the smile from the lute-burdened man. " I am Girard. "
Evangeline: Light blue eyes drifted in Girard's direction, lingering off and to the side a bit. While she could not see him, she did enjoy the sound of the lute and the timber to his voice. Her hearing was her strongest sense, given her circumstance. An easy smile came to the minstrel, as she committed the term to memory, too. Minstrel--not bard! "I am Evangeline. It is a pleasure to meet you, Girard... I enjoy your talent with the lute." The smile deepened some.
Girard: There certainly were few better ways to earn the appreciation of a minstel than to compliment his talent with his preferred instrument. " It is good that you enjoy it, I would be remiss to discover someone did not find enjoyment in my songs. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Evangeline, I hope you will understand that I do not offer a hand it is after all quite indisposed. " Strumming the strings of the lute of course. "
Evangeline: His words brought her smile wider. "Then I am glad that you need not be remiss.." His continued greeting brought her to nod in slight. "No hand required. The tune is pleasantry enough.." She loved music. It had truly been the 'color' in her life. It made her feel as perhaps a beautiful sight would to a seeing person. It gave life a bit of texture, far beyond what she might feel with her fingertips. "How long have you played the lute?"
Girard: As quick to silence as to speech Girard took to quiet until she provided a question that he really could not dismiss at all. "Going on two decades now, the lute was the first instrument I learned to play you see. I have learned to play others of course, I tend to favor the lute all the same .. at least equal to my favor for my own voice. "
Evangeline: "I should hope to learn an instrument or two.. I favor the lute as well, at least in listening to it." The woman's'soft voice was sweet, an most would not know it to be a touch celestial. "Two decades.. it would probably take me that long to learn one song." She grinned at her gest, then added, ".. would you let me hear your voice?" Her eyes remained as they were, misplaced from actually connecting with Girard's face.
Girard: " One can learn a good deal when wandering for a couple of decades, tis all a matter of what you would put your mind to learning. " Or simple necessity due to lacking any paticular talent beyond an unsavory leaning towards dark magics in his bloodline. " I have my doubts it would take long to teach you a song, your voice certainly seems perfect for the task on its own. " Girard didn't bother to react in any paticular way beyond being pleased with her request to hear his singing voice. " I am sure I can provide something.. ah, I know.. " It took but a moment for the minstrel to select a song from memory. " This is the price of commanding, You always stand alone, Let no one near, to see the fear, Behind the mask you've grown. This is the price of commanding. " Oh, certainly not the most cheerful of songs in his repertoire. " This is the price of commanding, That you watch your dearest die, Sending women and men, to fight again. And never tell them why. This is the price of commanding. Mistakes are signed in red, And you won't pay, but others may, And your best may wind up dead. This is the price of commanding. All the deaths that haunt your sleep, And you hope they forgive And so you live, With their memories buried deep. This is the price of commanding. That if you won't, others will. So take your post, Salute each ghost. You've a debt to them to fill. "
Evangeline: "I have been travelling for a total of two weeks." There was a small, light laugh to that. "Hopefully I'll learn in the weeks and months to come." Her hands shifted to the arms of the chair, and Eva shifted up, sitting a bit more. To his compliment of her voice, a tinge of blush hinted at the apple of each cheek. ".. thank you." She went quite then, simply listening--the blind woman actually closing her eyes through the sound. She felt the soft warmth of the tune as if it slid over her skin, little chills chasing after each. He had a splendid voice, and despite the song's content, Eva found herself smiling. She clapped lightly then. "Beautifully sung, Girard.." One hand shifted in, \settling a span of fingertips at her chest, over her heart as shoulders dropped in a sigh. "Did you learn the song on your travels, or is it written by you?"
Girard: Less than cheerful selections in his repertoire tended to be used fairly often, it proved telling of what others thought of his songs when they enjoyed even such a tune as that one. " Some I learned while traveling, I have written others.. but I find it a slow process to perfect a song in order to help my audience visualise what it means. That song though.. I learned from a minstrel with a knack for sticking close to nobles with a military history. "
Evangeline: She'd nod. "I can believe that song was quite fitting with the nobles.. definitely." Smiling still, Evangeline tipped her head, turning it towards the bar in wondering of Maria. Hopefully she'd be back around soon. Lunch good. She could still smell the fruit on the counter, though. Pondering the pleasant juice of an apple, the petite, slight-framed blonde stood. She stopped, listened and led her right hand out a little ways infront of her then walk. "I should like to hear one of your songs, some time.. perhaps you can teach me one?" Finding the end of the bar, Eva along it, keeping touch at its outer edge. She could feel the stools pushing softly at her skirting, too. The scent of the fruit got stronger, little by little.
Girard: Girard could not help but recollect how singing the song of lose, that melodious chanting with the tendacy to play in his mind alone tended to affect those that heard it. Well best to save that for his enemies. " I could, though I don't believe I have a fitting song in my repertoire just yet.. " Instilling fear in such a seemingly pleasant woman was hardly something the minstrel cared to do after all. " Yes, I believe I could teach you one though.. I always did want to take on an apprentice. " He added, in a jester's tone.
Evangeline: The bowl was nudged by the tips of her fingers, and she stopped there to gently feel out the apple she wanted. Her thumbs smoothed over the crisp green skin after she'd selected one. She felt a bit accomplished, getting there after having spent but an hour in this room last night. Her memory wasn't so bad, it seems. "Well. then you will have to write me one, so I can learn.." Her smile kept in place, Eva turning to retrace her steps then. She took her time, as with most everything. "Good for you, I am a healer.. I can fix your ears after you hear the horrors I'm likely to come up with." She smiled, playing back.
Girard: " I'm afraid you may not be up to the challenge, half the time I wonder if my head isn't somehow connected to the ethereal. " It certainly would explain alot of the background noises of the song of lose. " I likely will not let you near a violin however.. "
Evangeline: "Well.. I know something of the ethereal. Perhaps.." She found her chair again, turning to ease in to it. "I am an aasimar, afterall." It wasn't exactly a secret she safeguarded. "Though no--no violins unless you are playing them.' The woman snickered some.
Girard: The minstrel showed no sign of recognition in regard to her mentioning what she was. " Is that your order of healers..strange to find healers involved with the ethereal. " Unless they were practitioners of so-called white necromancy.
Evangeline: Evangeline smiled. "No.. an Aasimar is.. mm.. well, my bloodline has celestial ties. Angelic, according to those of my family." The hints of silvery tone to her hair were nearly all that the general person could see different of Eva though there were other subties, though those came about more with her mood, if it ever left its pleasant state. It was rare that it did, truthfully.
Girard: The explanation likely brought most to awe or at least some sort of ease. Girard did not settle into ease at the mention of her celestial bloodties, he took it to mean goodly clerics and they all too often possessed a rather unfavorable opinion of the undead, even in part. Like her he displayed some visual cues of his heritage, in the right circumstances at least.. the lack of shadow or darkness about him meant his eyes weren't about to be glowing green.. not that she was likely to take note of such given her condition. " I wasn't aware such entities were capable of a union with mortals. " Of course that wasn't to say he didn't think it likely they were akin to dragons.. and nearly anything could procreate with them.. but it simply was not a subject he found too much interests in.
Evangeline: His mention of unions with mortals brought her to shrug and taking her hands out a little to each side. "It happened somehow." She continued to smile. My parents were both mortal.. it is a.. condition of sorts that comes about every so many generations." Or really, whenever it wanted to. There was no rhyme or reason why, at least not that she knew. "But enough of that, yes?" Evangeline was not one to act out against darkness, or dark creatures, in general. She couldn't much hurt a fly. Literally and figuratively! With so little experience in the world abroad, the woman was naive to many, many things, too. "Are you part of the group here? The adventurers that work with Maria?"
Girard: " If it can happen with undead, I suppose it is far more natural that it happen with celestial beings. " A poor choice of comparison perhqps, alas it was one he had a tendacy of falling back on these days. "Hm..? Oh, the Obsidian Heart? Yes, somehow I did find myself joining this company and becoming an adventuring.. really its a pity. I'm likely only a step away from being called a bard.. " Girard gave a distasteful expression at that, paired with a matching tone. " The womanzing vagrants misusing their talents.. " He caught his words and feigned a cough, complete with a rising hand to cover his mouth. " Apologies. "
Evangeline: Evangeline got very quiet. Too quiet. "Oh, Girard.. I am so very sorry." Her smile melted down and fair brows meshed over the bridge of her nose. "I called you a bard, yesterday.." She remembered full well, and seemed a bit mortified at having possibly offended him. Talk of the OH went to the wayside.
Girard: Ah, this would be the instance where he'd accidently said the wrong thing due to his slight issue with those calling themselves bards. " You shouldn't be worrying about it, few know the differences until they learn of the context used to speak of such men and their craft.. or past times. Of course it could be more of a offensive term in my homeland and its
neighbhoring lands. I'm afraid I am not too familiar with this kingdom's terms.. I don't believe they use jongleur here.. maybe troubadour? "
Evangeline: She still frowned, despite his reassurance not to worry. "I am not sure what it is here.. In Zyon, I have only used the term bard, used--though only in a context .. when I asked to hear the music about the city.. My family did not let me out much.. not much at all and, mother never much liked the messages musicians would carry in their songs. She tried to keep me away from anything outside of the temple.."
Girard: " Minstrels tend towards playing for audiences made up of nobility and royalty, seeking sponsorship from families in such positions. " Something he'd not sought out for years, which he supposed likely made him either jongleur or even a bard under someone's definition, rather than his own. " I am unfamiliar with Zyon.. though when visiting temples I tended to go out of my way to learn the local faith's religious songs. Being capable of singing such tends to avoid issues like those messages your mother disliked in the songs of the musicians you mention. "
Evangeline: Listening still, the sad expression started to slip off her face a little, over the course of a few moments. "That might have went over more with my mother, then." Finally, a small smile. "She was very strict, in many things.. much more than Brena, my caretaker.." Who he'd seen her with before. The woman was more a mother to her than her true mother, in a sense of love and warmth., and even she seemed a bit dry at times. "Can I ask something of you, Girard?" She'd long forgot her apple, the thing sitting off at the side of her lap, abandoned for now.
Girard: " I imagine something akin to the caretakers at the orphanage I spent much of my childhood in. " The important fact was that he'd not said he was an orphan, a term he was an unlikely to describe himself with as 'disgraced noble' and 'bard. " Hmm.. what would you ask of me, Evangeline? " A tendacy towards curiousity turned out to be just enough to make him want to hear her out.
Evangeline: She slid forward a small bit, taking her hands out infront of her with the backs of forearms running the tops of her thighs. Palms up. "Come here?" Surely most would be a little off at a stranger asking for their nearness, let alone seemingly asking for his hands, what with her fingers uncurling as they did. Her tone remained soft, not in any way forcing or demanding of him--simply asking. "I.. have this thing I like to do, with new acquaintances. It might seem odd..." Blue eyes casted down some. "It's harmless, I assure you."
Girard: Girard could term the request strange easily, actually doing so in this instance was another matter entirely. Not in the practice of rejecting things until he had more information to work with, he did indeed vacant his seat in order to move closer to where she was at the bar. Having played the target to a few seers and forunate tellers, far more fake than real, Girard found it easy to assume that this was something akin to those practices. " I don't see the harm in it. " Little to stop the presentation of his hands to her, he hadn't seen her palming a knife or the like after all!
Evangeline: At a seat more towards the hearth, with the warmth quite pleasant, Girard would have to perhaps stoop down some to get to her seated level. She could hear him getting closer, especially with his voice nearing. If he did not lower, she'd go so far as to rise, her palms remaining in view. No--no knife! The fall of the dark blue, silk dress around her frame left little cover for a weapon anywhere on her person, too. Knowing him to be right infront of her, she moved her hands forward, up and underneath his, a warm touch settling there. Soft, except for the small band of gold at her right ring finger. The initial touch lingered a moment, perhaps to let him get used to it. Really--it was soshe could get used to it as well. Her eyes lingered down as fingertips moved touching over what she considered to be a fine instrument--his hands; however, she'd not stop there. The 5'-3" blonde felt forward, following his wrists, forearms and in.. up, up... until finding the spot under his chin. Her empty, blind gaze followed along, Fingers slowly moved, whispers of warmth along his jaw, up along cheeks and over eyes. Feeling his face in that light way, as if learning it in her own way.
Girard: At the beginning the scene easily reminded him of those fortune tellers trying to read a fortune from the lines of his hand. The thought began to drift from the list of possiblities by the time her fingers passed by the initial touch and traveled to his wrists before long. The further they went the more the minstrel began to suspect something he'd yet to have noticed due to his inattentiveness. Was she blind, he wondered just about the time he felt her slow moving fingers moving delicately about his jaw, cheeks, and then over his eyes. It seemed a rude act to call her on being blind, true of not he didn't care to have his wandering focus called out though it was hardly the same. " I don't believe I noticed until now.. " The rest was left unsaid, ah truly there were many possiblities for an end to that sentence.. but why ruin it?
Evangeline: She slowed as he spoke, turning her wrists out a bit in letting her thumbs find the height of his cheeks on either side. Fingers just barely touched his hairline then, too. She spoke softly there, "It is alright, Girard. Perhaps I am merely doing too good a job at pretending to be normal." Her smile came in some, fingers then sliding down to touch the line of his mouth, more at his lower lip. "I am sorry if this is, strange for you." The pleasantaries fell a small bit. "I like to remember faces.. " By touch, anyways.
Girard: " Wandering aimlessly since my thirteeth has its benefits, being difficult to surprise by what a person lacks or has is one of them. And it doesn't seem to inconvience you, " Least not now, besides how often had he heard tales of blind swordsman this and blind archer that? Just often enough to think of those tales now! In a fairly unabashed way Girard decided in the spur of the moment to repeat Evangeline's method of learning faces for himself, or rather the attempt was made at the very least. " Touch really is a sensation that is much more difficult to lose focus on, I'm sure there is something I could be learning from this were I a painter or a sculptor. "
Evangeline: She did not outwardly show the concern for him, that he'd been own his own since such a young age. While she wanted to ask, the nearness and touch right then meant more than the possibility to chancing him off with delving inquries. As for her own inconveniences, there was little change in her to that, either. "I have never known sight, at least not that I can remember. There was no need to reteach me how to function, I simply relied on my other senses. Like hearing, smell, taste and.. touch.."' The woman's hands followed down the sides of his neck, coming to rest on his shoulders, letting his hands find their own path then, learning her face much the same. Never had someone done that back to her. It made her grin some. "I have sculpted a few faces in my time, but with my fingers alone. It is not so detailed a thing, without the ability to use tools, picks and knives. I made a decent bird one time." A small giggle came, and a smile dimpled her cheeks.
Girard: Being born blind may well have solved a few things that those who lose their sight latter on had to adjust to overtime. Likely including envying the blind-born. " Sculpting is not my strong suit.. I really should never be let near clay to be shaped or stone to be chiseled. " Odds were they would wind up with a lot of dust, even with the clay! It wasn't long after mapping out her features through touch that he let his hands withdraw rather than chance a level of awkwardness. " It does seem that you could find a way around the need of tools.. with enough time you could very well find you've a talent for it. " Or Girard merely had a knack for giving compliments where there was a risk he was incorrect.
Evangeline: "Perhaps so.. I've learned a great deal just from practice, though there are things I will never be able to do on my own." It seemed to drop her spirits a little, saying that, but her smile kept in place as well as it could. Giving a single, gentle squeeze at his shoulders, her hands then eased from him. "Thank you, for letting me do that.." She took to her chair again, easing back in to it. "I am more interested in learning the lute than I am sculpting, though.. I have to say. "
Girard: " Its simple enough to alter a lute a little to learn by touch. You will just have to not tell the luthier responsible for the instrument that I did anything to it. " Some tended to get rather upset if you changed their masterpieces after all! " Oh, you are quite welcome. It seems rather complimentry to me.. wanting to know what I look like through touch.. " Least that's how he'd see it, it fit with some of his.. lingering arrogance, couldn't humble a man completely.
Evangeline: "I swear I will not utter a word of your transgressions.." She smiled widely. "I will come to you, after I find a lute that feels right." Not that she knew what she was 'looking' for. In the end, it'd just be nice to play a few simple songs, ones easily played. Likely, they'd be of a child's learning capacity, but still it'd tickle her pink to have that knowledge! As he responded to her thanks, the way he did, Eva grinned a bit, "I suppose I should find it complimentary, too, then.. that you know what I look like, and still sought to touch." Having no clue what she looked like, aside from what she'd been told, it was hard for Eva to be arrogant in that respect, though she still toyed with the ideal, if not only to find a retort to his words, playful as it was.
Girard: " You can always trust a minstrel to take note of beauty. Whether it be appearance, a song, .. " He came to a pause soon after his focus having abruptly been lose to the sight of the Troll-Kings Crown. " Ah, Silkbeard still owes me the tell behind that crown..how do you get a ghost that has moved on to give their tale.. " Another pause, then he sudden light smack of his palm to his forehead. " Maybe I am a bard, " He gave a low chuckle at his own words. " Well as long as you don't believe I was shamelessly flirting, I may well still be safe from that fate. "
Evangeline: The heat of a blush touched her cheeks then, her head dipping in part. She didn't know quite what to say to that, and wouldn't have to come up with anything right on the spot, given his sudden switch of topic. A.. crown and troll king? She had only begun to get curious when he bounced back to the topic before hand. Like Girard and his slower recognition of her blindness, perhaps Eva was simliar--just now starting to gather that his mind seemed to shift or redirect, here or there. Perhaps it wasn't the case. It wouldn't have changed her thoughts of him, anyways. "You are not a bard.. though I cannot say I've been flirted with, that I've known of." The blindness usually scared people off, and if not that--her mother did. Or Brena, for that matter.
Girard: Girard tended to be rather capable in dealing with different sorts, at least by social class differences without too much in the way of problem. Perhaps the same could be said in regard to dealing with mothers that thought the worse? Girard's mind certainly did not seem focused on such amatter at the moment, of what could be said was that blindness did not seem to concern the minstrel.. she wasn't deaf after all.. she could still enjoy his songs! " Hm.. well even if I wasn't lets just say I did so that you say its happened? " It seemed completely reasonable to Girard at the moment. " It is sweet of you to say that though." No doubt referring to the words ' you are not a bard'.
Evangeline: He brought a soft laugh out of her. "In that case.. Girard, you are an insatiable flirt." Eva tsked lightly, shaking her head. "My first pretent flirt." That smile went wide for a moment or two. To his talk of her sweetness, she merely tipped her head and nodded it slightly, as if to say 'you're welcome.' He'd find the more at ease she was, the sweeter her tone got.. and the view of her caught a soft glow of sorts, as if the fire's light caught on her a bit more than everything else.
Girard: " Its only pretend if you think it is. " Or if that was the excuse to not send the hounds after him. It wasn't very long at all before Girard grew a bit curious, likely due to that soft glow she seemed to have about her now. " Hmm. " Usually seeing such would have prompted some bit of foolishness on his part, well maybe it occured all the same and simply went beyond his notice. " What would you say if I told you my eyes glow a ghostly green in the dark?" Well why not ask!? It wasn't as if it told her anything!
Evangeline: The expression remained, if not intensifying some with the talk of pretend things. "I have a decent imagination." She eased into the seat a bit more, unaware of his eyes, her glow or.. well, anything that could be seen. She didn't understand any of that, no matter how Brena tried to explain what it was, what it 'felt' like. Eva found beauty and feeling in far different ways. As he asked the question of her, she fell silent for only a moment. "I would remind you that I do not know what green looks like, let alone what it is to glow, beyond what has been expressed to me in teachings. And then I would ask you if it is something I should be frightened of?"
Girard: She did have a way of pointing out facts rather .. pointedly now didn't she? Course the fact she lacked sight really did not influence how he chose his words at all. " Well.. in a way I am not dissimiliar from you. " Least not in how his mind processed the whole celestial in bloodline in so much as it was a tie to one plane or another. " A bloodtie to the ethereal isn't bad after all. " Unless you threw in a connection to negative energy.. or that healers such as her likely would do him more harm than good.
Evangeline: Oh, now she was curious. Sitting up again, she reached slowly forward, taking his hand again, if he was still there that is. It didn't sound like he'd moved off. If he was not dissimilar, and he spoke of a bloodtie... well, what was he? "Tell me more?"
Girard: Spinning a tale just the right way really was all it took to put a positive outlook on something such as a heritage tied to undeath. "The ethereal has few residents, beyond the partial presence of the restless dead of the mortal worlds. " Which really was telling enough for what he was but any way of dancing about the matter was better than being too direct. Who knew if this sweet example of an aasimar did not have a berserk switch in her over this sort of thing!
Evangeline: She kept hold of his hand, if she got it in the first place, and listened intently. He didn't put too much into an answer, but then she wasn't one to mince words. She asked with that sweet bell of a voice, as always. "So you were born, as I.. but with ties to the dead?" Her silence came again as she thought back to all she'd read. All her studies did not harbor information on a being like this.
Girard: Perceptive woman wasn't she? Some may well have chosen to assume he had some tie to some other resident of the ethereal. " In a way that is it, yes. " The silence from Evangeline proved surprisingly disconcerting for a moment before focus slipped away. " And how do you percieve such, Evangeline? " Always would it come down to how one interepted the tale presented to them.
Evangeline: Her other hand came in, enveloping his one between her two. Yes, she found a bit of awe in what he was, but she did not seem averted by it. Her personal path was not something she'd impose on others, nor judge others for not having; however, the thought of Girard being evil--with such a kind-seeming way to him, and a craft of music that she found divine--it did not completely mesh in her mind. He wasn't as dark as his heritage, perhaps. She certainly wasn't the poster child for hers, either. "I still percieve you as Girard.. the non-bard." All that thought ended in only those words, along with a slow smile.
Girard: " Girard the non-bard? " Now that simply had to be questioned by the minstrel. Strange how those words caught his attention rather than any expression she may have displayed during the conversation. Of course nothing more than human perception caused undeath to be viewed as evil. Some ghosts were rather conversational sorts.. unforunately the one of recent memory also happened to be an overly excitable sort. Girard may well have been amused if such a comparison as Silkbeard had been used to judge him by. " I prefer Girard the Requiem myself.. " Another few words to be mulled over for opinions no doubt but without his reasons behind it there really was only base assumptions to be made. " " Did you try to view me in comparison to some malevolent spirit of the dead? It really is not an apt way to compare. Perhaps judge against the spirit of a minstrel who failed to pass on his skill and songs to an apprentice? "
Evangeline: "I did not mean to strike a chord, if I did.. I was simply being playful." She heard his preferred term, figuring he might have thought Eva would call him 'non-bard' from here on out. That was not the case at all. Eva lowered her eyes then and gently let him go. "Girard, I have nothing to compare you to. Not malevolent spirit, not a spirit of any kind, not even a bard. I simply have what I've learned from you so far, directly---and that is all. It would be wrong of me to pull stereotypes from things that know nothing of. And even if I did.. you are an individual." She sighed softly then, a bit down that she'd somehow pushed the minstrel's 'button' so to speak.
Girard: His response came paired with a grin from the minstrel. " You did not, though I believe the phrase ' people do not tend to trust the undead, even in part. ' does tend to strike a chord in others. " Girard was an easy going sort, slow to anger, though not to arrogance and various otheremotions that tended to be rather close to the surface. " They do not have ghost stories in Zyon? " That was mostly a matter of curiousity rather than .. well it was just curiousity!
Maria: Maria opened the door of the kitchen and headed out into the tap room of the inne, carrying a fresh bowl of fruit. Apples, pears of course but also some rarer finds such as citrus, and mango. She sat the bowl on the bar, and wiped her hands on her apron, as she gazed around and gave a nod to Girard, and spoke to Evangeline. "Everything going ok? Need drinks?"
"No.. at least, not that made their way to me." Much like music, all that Evangeline was read had been set in place by certain people, Brena included. Eva turned her head some to the sound of the door, smiling again at Maria's voice. "Hello, Maria.. tea would be nice. and have you seen Brena out and about at all? She should have returned by now."
Girard: " Of course not, you've sounded ruined my attempt to woo Evangeline here. " Purely said in jest of course but Girard wasn't going to miss the oppurtunity presented to him by Maria's appearance. " You offer drinks but carry fruit.. why did you not offer fruit? " Or Juice mixed with drinks.. or something of that sort! Catching the fact that Eva at least lacked knowledge of any ghost stories from her home actually looked rather surprised to hear it. " I must say that is a first.. usually everyone knows at least some portion of a ghost story.. " Mostly because they made it all up.
Maria: "I hope you aren't trying to scare my new guest, Girard." She'd heard something about ghost stories, and grinned over at him. She placed a few bananas from a basket under the bar, into the fruit bowl and then checked on the hot water on the small fireplace, and grabbed it to make a cup of tea for Evangeline, with a small spoonful of honey as she remembered from the night before. She slid the cup over to her. "Right in front of ya. And I saw Brena before dinner, she said she'd be back in a few hours." She frowned, it'd been more than a few hours but perhaps she'd gotten caught up in the market, with so many things to look at one could spend a full day there. "She should be back any time now I'd imagine." She put a little hopeful pep in her voice, then stared at Girard, before grabbing an apple and throwing it at him. "Catch, there's your fruit." She snickered.
Evangeline: She rose from her seat near the hearth, slowly crossing a remembered path over towards the bar. Her hand curled at its'edge before dropping to grip a stool and pull it out, slipping on to it. Talk of Brena brought a frown to Eva's lips. It wasn't like the woman to run behind. She was also so prompt and on schedule with everything. The trip here and the delays with weather did horrendous things to the older woman! But what Maria said made some sense, enough for Evangeline to give a single nod, accepting that scenario for now. At the sound of the cup, her hand reached to slowly collect it and bring it between both palms. Girard's talk of ghost stories drew her back to him a bit. "Most of my mother's darker stories were on the wrath of the Gods. That was fear inducing enough." It usually scared all the temple kids that came to learn, anyways. "Perhaps you can tell me the ghost stories you know, some time." She smiled very lightly.
Girard: Funny how it was the mention of ghost stories and not the suggestion to Maria that he'd been trying to serenade Eva that caught her attention. The end result still caused an amused minstrel of course. " I could at that.. " Said just in time to be struck with a flying apple and catching it only after being blindsighted by the piece of fruit! " That is no way to treat an apple. " No way to treat a minstrel either! " I suppose tales of the wrath of Gods would be fear inducing.. " Wisely Girard tended to keep the matter of deities out of his conversation save for his curiosity on the subject of Kanesh in regards to the shadow entity he dealt with.
[ Having left the OH Inne to search for Brena… ]
Girard: Leaving the Obsidian Heart behind in favor of the rest of the Greenlord Run suited Girard just fine. A minstrel in the Artist Distract would hardly be found unsuitable after all. As one could expect Girard had taken his lute along with him, more than happy to take the instrument with him for no other reason than being use to taking it along in his travels! Keeping his pace a slow one, he'd managed to keep a sufficent amount of focus on Eva, succedding in at least keeping them from straying from the set path usually walked when walking through the Run. "I find myself curious, what has made you interested in Obsidian Heart? " It did seem to him joining the healers would be a more peaceful existence for her. She did not strike him as the sort to enjoy adventuring, unless out of the unknowing excitement of the idea.
Evangeline: Her hand had walked up his arm, until both of them found the purchase of a hold around his elbow, leaving her fingers above and below the bend of it. As always, Eva's touch was considerably light. Warm. With his gaze on her, Girard likely saw a bit of the woman's thought put in to his question, what with the way her lip curled back between teeth for a time. "Well.. I have a need to help others. I guess it is simply the healer in me.." Of course. ".. but at the same time.. there is so much I have never experienced. Adventure, freedom, different lands, comradery--any of that, and then some. I seem to think I will find more of that in Obsidian Heart, than in an organization of singularly travelling healers, as I believe the Ravens to be." Sure, she liked peaceful. It's all she'd known. But Eva had never truly lived.
Girard: Girard knew the sort of thoughts that could draw someone out of all they knew and into adventure. Few were going to take such a drastic step as he had shortly before and after making his choice to wander. Listening to her came easily, the chill about them made it easier to focus as did the light but noticable hold she had on his arm. " Sometimes it is better to make a choice and live than follow a predetermined fate. " His example certainly acted as an extreme in his mind. " If you are meant to join the White Ravens eventually what you learn while with the Obsidian Heart can only help your skills and methods. " She did have a certain naivety about her, something she'd lose over time that was a certainity if nothing else could be. " Personally I'm rather pleased with the end results of my choice to venture head first into the world.. had I not chosen to wander I'd likely have tried claiming my father's barony for myself.. no, I am much more fond of this life. " Truth was the alterative he suggested as a possiblity scared him.. knowing the arrogance that had been humbled in his travels would still be very present otherwise. " Hmm.."
Evangeline: "I want to live, more than anything..." The words came light, nearly inaudible. "I was meant to be a symbol for the temple, a way or light.. and an example of being." And Eva was an innocent, such was true and evident to most who came across her. The naivety went hand in hand. "There is that, too. The Obsidian Heart is spoken to be full of skilled adventurers. Maria has even offered to find an accomplished healer in the area, to perhaps help me improve my ability." Hearing his words of the barony seemed to gain her interest there. So he had a predetermined purpose in life, too. That they shared these few similarities let her at ease with the minstrel, a small bit more. He'd feel her hands tighten slightly. "Well, I am fond of you in this life, too. Especially with a lute." Smiling then. "Brena would like the lute, too.." The smile waned. "It scares me to think something is keeping her from returning to me...."
Girard: The diffierences in the predetermined was a simple one, his would have taken him down a truly dark path. While just as dark, his current path had a certain balance to it that kept him from veering off into dangerous territory. His thoughts were easily dissipated by a resume of focus on Eva's words, trying his best to work against his inattentiveness to listen fully. " I had a simple choice become a monstorous tyrant as my father before me or turn away. " Sadly there had been other options.. but a bit of youthful narrowmindedness had blinded him to the other more favorable paths that could very well have done his nation alot of good, for its commoners at least. " Oh, you're just fond of me for my lute.. I see. " Girard had taken a teasing tone for those words, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice was a difficult prospect to be certain. " I am sure she is well, Eva she likely lose track of time catching up with her brother. " At least that was the presumption that was easiest to see occuring, he wasn't negative enough in personality to assume her caretaker was in danger.
Evangeline: "Hearing that makes me think even more of you, Girard.. that you had the strength even at so young an age to choose what it is you wanted." She did not comment on his monster father, and of course knew nothing of other paths. "If it weren't for my parent's deaths, I would still be in Zyon, in the higher level of the temples.. as most of my days were spent there. Still.. I wanted for nothing, and all were warm and generous there.. it's just.." She'd sigh, leaning a slight more in to him, "I want more than that.." Likely more than even the adventuring. But it was a start! When he mentioned his lute, she laughed a bit. "And your voice, too... the flirting wasn't so bad, either." Fake as it was. Still, she couldn't pass up the spot to jest back. "And you're probably right. I keep thinking on how she's never been late to anything---but I've never been with her on something like this, where her family is concerned. I imagine years' worth of happenings would take a while to talk through."
Girard: " Choosing to wander was a selfish decision, I know it helped no one but myself. " And considering the memories of home he'd sacrificed for power he did find it difficult to keep an attachment to the barony much less its people. They were out of sight, and out of mind. " Sometimes the selfish decision is the correct one. " And not without its sacrifices to be certain though Girard decided against displaying any sign of his capablilities.. knowing little of Zyon meant he wasn't sure how one from there would react to something that at least sounded like a 'gift' from Kanesh. " Remaining in such a life would have been unhealthy for you, you would have stagnanted in the end. It would have been peaceful I wager, but hardly a life. " Or perhaps Girard spoke too much and too often. " Good.. you wouldn't be adverse to proper flirting then.. I draw the line at serenading though.. I can never find the right words. " She easily took his attention back to the matter of Brena. " I think it would take a good while to talk through so much. "
Evangeline: Being selfish could be correct? Eva ignored the imaginary conscious of her mother sitting on her shoulder, yelling otherwise. No. What Girard said was true. He looked out for himself, much like she was trying to look out for herself. She'd thought of it all before, warred with it, but in the end demanded a departure from Zyon. Brena came with her out of loyalty, concern.. and perhaps an underlying feeling that Eva might well have been her own daughter. "If I would have stayed, they would have arranged a marriage for me, one sanctioned by the high priest. I would have ended up much like my mother, I fear." So yes, she would have stagnated, perhaps she began to before she'd even left. "You will have to let me know when proper flirting happens.. so I know the difference between." She smiled to him, letting the mention of Brena fall quiet for now, nodding after it.
Girard: There was no doubt in his mind that his selfish decision had brought with it a fair amount of good, and bad, in the years that had followed after. " I likely would have left under such circumstances myself. I've a certain romantic leaning though. " The fault of many years of listening to songs and stories with such involved in their words and meanings. " Well I could start by stating how attractive I find you. " A fact of course likely one she may have heard from any number of sources. At least the minstrel decided against any actions overly forward he couldn't help but expect that if he did Brena would appear out of practically no where.
Evangeline: He was going to properly flirt? Admittedly, Eva didn't not expect him to. She really didn't... but his words drew up a certain wonder in her. ".. what makes someone attractive?" To one without sight, she knew nothing of outward appearances, even her own. Being locked in a temple left very little interaction with regards to beauty. Unless you counted the children of the temple. They thought everything was beautiful, though. Bugs included.
Girard: " There is more to beauty than one's appearance.. of what I know of you I find you beautiful. Its far more about personality. I'd like to think you acquired your fondness of my lute and I due to similar reasoning. " He could only hope.. fondness at first song would certainly be novel to him even so! " If our positions were reversed, down to the possession of sight, I believe I would still say the same. " " Of course.. that would leave the differences of personality as the determining fact.. "
Evangeline: She considered his words, though in a good way. Her smile made that evident. He'd find her thumb trailing very lightly at his bicep, to and fro in the smallest way. "I was fond of even your humming, when first Brena and I arrived, last night." She could fall asleep to just that, comfortable and relaxed from all thought of this world. All worry. While she did not mean to flirt, perhaps the compliment was indeed that, innocently placed. "Though I have an idea of your face, since you let me..." Touch. "... What would you say second then, after telling me of attraction?" Eva continued to feed her curiosity.
Girard: " No one has complimented my humming before. " A first for Girard at least, given the reactions of most he tended to not bother with how others thought of his humming the song tended to be less important than his songs. It dawned on him he did not remember having seen her before today, which came as something of a surprise that she recognized him. Oh.. wait she had the time to call him a bard.. yes he certainly had been in her presence before. How had he forgotten. " What would I say second.. well I suspect I would try to speak than stutter the rest in unintelligible non-sense. " Why not present how one possiblity could have gone if he were to answer contrary to how he just had for her.
Evangeline: "Well.. you're welcome then." She let her gaze remain forward, light blue eyes unmoving. To any passersby, none would know her to be blind, unless of course they addressed her. "Ah, then I need listen for a stutter." The broadness of a smile claimed her. "You seem so well versed, though." Eva could not imagine Girard stuttering. All of the playful talk was helping her immensely, if he saw it or not. Some invisible edge had smoothed away in her, leaving the woman relaxed there at his side. She yawned softly there, rising her hand to stifle it.
Girard: " Once upon a time I stuttered a good deal of the time. " Truth happened to be that it occured when trying to hold conversations with women. No doubt that wasn't quite the case these days. " I appreciate you saying that, I'd fret to think if you'd noticed a stutter before I gave mention of them. " The playful talk had its purpose paticularly to ease tensions they didn't know they had at the time. " Tiring, Evangeline? We could return to the Inne, maybe Brena has returned by now. " And likely quite willing to chastise the likes of Girard about now.
Evangeline: "You stuttered? No." She played still, feigning a but of awe at the revelation. "I kind of want to hear that." She giggled lightly, tipping her head over to his shoulder. "I am getting a little tired." Lips lowered their corners some. "... but I am enjoying the walk, with you." If Brena was back, she'd have stormed out there to find them. "She might be." Eva knew better. She hoped to be wrong. "We should turn back, though.. lest I fall asleep on your shoulder here." While walking? "One thing first.." Her hands pulled on his arm gently, bringing the pair of them to an easy stop. "I want to feel one more thing of you, Girard." That sounded dirty, but was nothing of the sort for Evangeline. "Your smile.. " .... "...may I?" Did he even smile? She could have swore she heard him laugh somewhere along the way.
Girard: Falling asleep while walking would be a feat to be certain, how they would keep it up and still make it back without Girard having to carryher back to the inne. He didn't doubt at all that doing such a thing would cause the rumor mill to be excerised in no time at all. Her request to feel his smile was a strange one, at least when not considering her blindness she did make it rather easy to provide a smile for the request. Easy enough to reach for her free hand and draw to up a bit though did not lead directly to his lips. Why not let her do something she was entirely capable of on her own? " You may. "
Evangeline: Turning towards him, Eva stepped in a single pace. Lifted her eyes a bit too high to have landed on his face, though those were much harder to direct than her hand. After his guidance, fingertips found a wisp of a touch at his cheek. She paused there, though gradually let the touch slide down and her thumb over, finding the corner of his lips. Her other hand rose to do the same, "You will have to smile bigger than that.." A soft tease, one that hopefully let her feel the change across his face.
Girard: She earned her bigger smile out of him with that tease she intended to make use of for what it would make his smiling lips do. Chuckling as well came about though he managed to stifle it just enough not to be too noticable .. except perhaps by touch. Certainly appeared she'd met with victory in her little task.