Preparing for the Celebrations.....

[Dream Loxley]

The days were going by so very quickly, Dream had not had time to sit and feel sad nor indeed lonely. With the hustle and bustle of servants and guests arriving, there seemed an endless list of chores to finish and folks to entertain. She was grateful for the twins and of course dear Cara who continued to show her worth to the Queen and Castle. Perhaps Edfeil would honour her by asking the young lass to become her own personal Lady in Waiting, thus showing just how much she was valued. Dream had pondered this several times, although she had also wondered of other titles that would suit Cara. Time would tell and for now the preparations had to be continued as with each new dawn, the special day drew a little closer.

Perran, Celia and the other servants had worked so hard to make sure all was ready. Horses, carriages and visitors would be accommodated and made comfortable, food had been gathered, meat, breads and what was left from the vegetables all prepared for a feast. Windstorm was know throughout the realms for it's hospitality and this celebration was a wonderful way of doing just that.

Dream stood back and looked about the Hall, decked in ribbons and greenery, it felt so inviting with the hearth glowing. Shadows played with the candlelight and she smiled knowing so many memories would be shared, people who had come and gone would still have left some small part of themselves here to be thought of when all were gathered together.

There was just one thing missing......she could only dare to hope, as every year it had appeared, without a trace, without a fuss, and with no real clue as to how or by whom......the tree, the huge magnificent tree they had decorated every year.....could it come to be......once again simply arrive so as to be welcomed by all who came to visit and enjoy it.

"I wonder........iffn such can be here afore our guests.....such a welcome it would be aye.....I wonder...." She whispered to herself as she brushed down her skirts.

With a final glance about, and a smile upon her lips......the magic of the season filled her heart and she almost skipped away to finish her chores........all the while hoping......wondering......in anticipation.

((Yes, indeed we are Medieval and a tree would of course not been part of our life then but we have always had one, simply because we can! *S* Please join in our preparation and enjoy the boards.))

[Sneaky Draakar]

Draakar hadn't been around too many places these days. Mostly sticking to home and simply fighting off those nasty little dust bunnies that tend to sneak up and attack when one is hibernating. But during said hibernation, one of those pesky little dust bunnies had whispered a little something in Draak's ear. Seems there was cause for celebration in Windstorm, but all was not as perfect as it could be. Seems the great hall was without it's usual Tree for Yule.

With a furrow to his brow with such news, Draak crawled out of his hibernating comfort, stretched and groaned and groaned yet again. Age and his long hibernation was showing themselves and it wasn't pretty. Time to get moving.

So with that, he called for his horse to be readied. Cleaned up his act, but left his hair long and his face fully bearded. An interesting look no doubt, for Draakar always tended to be clean shaven. Yes, even in these times, but perhaps he needed a new look.... Yes, perhaps. He dressed simply in breeches, tunic and jerkin. Pulled on his winter boots and donned his cloak. With a soft kiss to his hibernating wife's cheek, he made his way out once more calling for his horse.

Drawing in a long and deep breath of fresh air as a lad brought him his horse. The boy was smiling a half toothed grin as the lad was missing his two front teeth. Draak chuckled with that as he lifted a hand to rustle the lads hair. Does he dare ask him what he wants for Christmas, as surely the answer was obvious. His two front teeth perhaps? (sorry, I couldn't resist) Thanking the boy then hoisting himself upon his horse's back with an ease that came from doing such so many times. Seems even hibernation couldn't take that away from him. So, with reins in hand he gave his horse a good squeeze with his thighs and they were off in the direction of Windstorm.

As Draakar's approach to Windstorm became closer, he dismounted his horse for a couple of good reasons. One to rid himself of his favored amber liquid that filled his belly and his bladder and the other to chop down a perfect tree to fill the hall of Windstorm Castle. Once his "business" was taken care of, the three of them (Draak, horse and tree) set off to finish their task at hand. At one time Draakar would have been readily and easily recognizable by those of Windstorm but it had been awhile since he had been here and he didn't look anything like the Warrior King that he was. No, he hardly looked like the Kingly type and well.. he kinda liked it.

It was now dark, as night had fallen since Draak left his own Keep earlier in the day. No verbal greetings were shared giving way to who he was. When he was asked to state his business he didn't really have to say too much now did he for the evidence was clear as to what he was doing, as said evidence was being pulled behind him. So with simple nods and a grin, Draak made his way onto the Castle grounds. His horse was dismounted and he lifted a finger to hush the couple of people that came storming out of the castle to see what was going on. Atleast now he had some help. With no words being spoken, Draakar and his current helpers managed to sneak the tree into the castles main hall. They worked quietly and yet diligently to erect the tree. Once the job was done, they stepped back to take a gander at it's splendor.

A soft grin peered out thru Draakar's beard and quiet whispers were shared amongst the two others. Draak turned and looked their way and once again said nothing. A simple wink, grin and nod he gave them. As he turned to make his way back out he simply added a whisper of his own.

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night."

[Cara McKenna]

By the time Cara had awakened and dressed for the morn of preparation, all had grown quiet about the Castle again. She heard as she glided out of her chamber on her usual silent slippered feet, hushed awed whispers...for what reason she nay knew.This was o'course the second Christmas that she had spent within this fine Castle and Kingdom and by now she knew of some of the strange Yuletide occurances but nay thought too much on it. For now there were celebrations to see to and she had much work to do.

Now Cara was well aware of the Candle-maker from the village and knew he would most likely take offense to what she had planned but she couldn't help her hopeful wish to do something the Nobles might like, especially the Young Queen, since after all it was her Celebration being prepared. And thus Cara hurried back to her room to dress in her most drab working dress she could find, in case there be a big mess, and then hurried out of the Castle after securing the help of a couple passing pages to collect an old unused cooking kettle as well as some pine leaves and sweet smelling naturally grown berries about the Castle proper.

With these preparations under way Cara herself began to gather the buckets honey pouring them all into the kettle to heat just slightly, enough to bring up the wax from the breaking honey combs. Scooping every bit of the wax away from the honey and out of the pot she pulls the kettle off the crackling flames and pours the honey back to its buckets to cool back to proper temperature while she herself sets to work heating and stirring the wax to the proper consistancy before using homemade moulds to pour the wax into candle shapes to cool and set. Placing inside each candle either a crushed pine leaf or a few drops of sweet berry juice to make sure the candle will scent while it burns she then sets a bit of twine or rope into each mould to act as a wick and then leave it all to set and harden for awhile before coming back to collect them all for the Celebrations.

[Brennekah Windstrike]

As usual she was her own night owl self…wandering the confines of wherever she was at all manner of an hour…convent and keep alike. Perhaps you could never take the convent out of the girl but yet,….wanderings about a place in the depths of night was not a convent-y thing. Yet it was simply…her.

Dressed in a simple gown and feet bare upon the cold stones she now approached the hall that led to the kitchen where she might find a midnight snack or the heavenly mincemeat or even perhaps the special mead made within Windstorm. ….soooo very many goodly things here…her mouth watered at the thought…

So now she approached the hall, her ears picking up the noises within…far too many for this time of night. Curious she paused at the entrance… as always all these years that was still her want to do. …to pause…to listen…to take in and prepare for what was inside awaiting…still as yet unsure about entering such a place.

And now peering around a corner she saw people setting up a tree, servants mostly at this time of night, rushing about and getting all into place to brace such a fine display of a large tree. …and yet still others rushed forward brining boxes of ornaments surely from years past as her eyes took in from her darkened shadowed corner. ….most likely each ornament filled with it’s own memories...though she could not dredge up one for herself…her family being bereft of such celebrations...

She stayed tucked behind the wall and watching….her dark gaze resting on all those within. After taking in all, her eyes seemed to want to go back to the darkly cloaked stranger who seemed to be orchestrating the event….his dark beard obscuring his features, though tinged with a certain amount of gray. (sorry…hehe)

Her eyes took him in, her instinct telling her he was familiar….his dark head…his every gesture. …it was all “him”. At the first thought her stomach rolled with emotion….nervousness and other things she could not quite put her finger on. Blinking her eyes clear she squinted once again at the dark headed man and drank him in…wanting…needing to be sure…and yet not knowing what to do if he “was” him.

Then finally she had to admit it was him and she was at a loss as to what she should…or wanted to feel. Her heart raced and she shrank into the shadows, her head reeling with all that bombarded her now. So many years had gone by….so many events had occurred…where did that leave all of them…including herself …and him…

Peering back around the corner she drank him in….as if to determine all that he was now…all that she did not know about him now...all that he thought and all that he felt. Though all that was silly and she well knew it. As far as she knew he was still married and never gave her a thought…and to a courtesan no less…and she could not even feel adversy towards that since her every own sister was one....how he had gone from an “ex nun” though she had been hardly that…to a queen…to a courtesan…she hardy knew. She was still at a loss to most things concerning that. …and everything….she commanded a crew of men on a ship yet she still knew nothing of life...ay least that part of life...

But all that aside she stood there and debated coming forward…but what on earth would she say? Her mind scrambled for something yet found nothing. Pleasantries seemed all tooooo insincere…adversity would seem to ruin everything…what was there left? Was there at least the friendship, the closeness still there? And could all else be shoved aside to accommodate just that?

As she stood there and watched undecided he turned and made his way out of the hall. A part of her urged herself to moved forward, to say something to stop him, yet still she was left bereft of what to say and so she stood there and watched him leave yet once again fate taking him away.…

It twas indeed the want of fate....

[Sneaky Draakar]

There had been an odd familiarity that he picked up on as he was making his way out of the castle. Draakar's senses much keener than most. Something he was gifted with during a moment of.. hmmmm.. how's the best way to describe it.. a magical moment perhaps is the best way to put it. Yeah, he'll stick to that. Turning once more to look back over his shoulder as he swore he knew that familiar feeling he just picked up on. But no, it couldn't be. She had been long gone and what would she be doing here at Windstorm? But then what was he doing here at Windstorm? Ohyeah, he was delivering a little magic of his own. So could he also be touched by the "magic" of the season or was he simply imagining things having been hibernating for so long? Perhaps he'd stick around a little while longer and find out. What would it hurt? Nobody would really recognize him anyway and he rather liked that. Hiding behind the beard and long hair may have it's advantages after all.

Making his way around to the back and slipping into the kitchen, he was instantly filled with scents and sights of the season. And now his tummy was growling and he'd move to sample some of the goodies laying about. Ohyeah. A hibernating man needed to sate his hunger. YUM!

[Brennekah Windstrike]

She had made her way to the kitchens, not that she was hungry anymore but more because that’s where she’d been headed and her head was too full of other thoughts to make any other decision. As she made her way there she attempted to gather those thoughts and feelings as well, but it seemed an overwhelming task. The scent of freshly baked pastries and pies greeted her and soothed her somewhat and after plucking something sweet off the table she made her way to a stool that sat in the dark corner. After plunking herself onto it she leaned back against the cool stone of the wall and bending her knees, brought her bare heels to rest on the stool as well. One arm hugged her legs to her as the other brought the pastry to her lips and she munched on it mindlessly. All was quiet, no one was there to disrupt her thoughts and she allowed them to roam where they may.

It had been a long time since she’d allowed herself to think of Draakar and Kielder. Doing so always dredged up the hurt from that time and thinking of it changed it not. It seemed like such a long time ago and yet it ways it seemed like only yesterday. Her mind conjured up images from her memory… of the time she helped Draakar with the birthing of a foal in the stable…of the time he’d kissed her, her first kiss. She wonder what life would have been like if everything had gone differently. What if they had married? But it hadn’t happened like that…the fight with her father had sent her running, needing to be away from everyone so she could make the right choice. He had offered her but two choices and told her she could only pick one….and it was a cruel and impossible decision. That he could do that to her had hurt her deeply. And in the end it mattered not because upon her return to Kielder she found she had nothing left to choose from ….she had lost both.

She could barely swallow the mouthful of pastry past the lump that had formed in her mouth and she was about to rise to fetch something with which to wash it down when the sounds of someone approaching stilled her. She was in no mood to speak to anyone and so stayed in the darkened corner and prayed whoever it was would not stay long. But her eyes that peered out from the dark took in the same figure that had brought the tree into the hall and she held her breath even though her heart pounded madly in her chest. And just like when she’d been standing outside the hall her mind raced with what to do. Indecision reigned as she watched him sample the goodies laid out and listen to him make various noises of satisfaction that for some reason made her want to chuckle. But she held it back and simply watched him for now, praying that an idea of what to do…what to say…would pop into head any moment now.

[Brennekah Windstrike]

((k for some reason I can't help but picture them bursting into a duet of Baby Its Cold Outside..lmfao))

[Sneaky Draakar]

So many sweet and savory treats alike to choose from. Decisions, decisions, decisions. He swore it was easier to run a kingdom than it was to choose which offerings to sample first. Salivating with the very thought as his dark gaze roamed over the table filled with holiday goodies no doubt awaiting their fate of consumption at the holiday feast. Surely they wouldn't miss a couple.. or a few.. or several as the sneaky Kingly one started in on a feast of his own. No, surely they wouldn't miss a few samplings from here and there.

With such concentration on sating the hungered growl in his stomach, he hadn't honed in, if you will, on what was nagging at him as if to alert him to some sort of intrusion. It was only after he had scarfed down a couple of the meat pies and was now devouring a honey cake to follow that he stopped mid way thru. Crumbs of guilt likely finding rest in his beard. And as he allowed his nagging senses to finally drag his attention away from sating his hunger he once more felt that old familiarity that he thought was long gone. A quick but slow roaming gaze around the darkened room. In a castle kitchen there were so many places to hide, but with full concentrated effort, he was always able to hone in on anyone. Friend and foe alike. Comes in handy at times for sure.

After several moments of his quiet search about the room he was able to pin point where she was and now he wondered why she was hiding? What was she doing in Windstorm? Many things started flooding his thoughts. Many memories that he had pushed back and buried came rushing forward. Some good and yet some not so good. Mixed feelings, for sure. But at the moment the thing that he focused on was, was she OK? Was she the reason she was hiding in that darkened corner of the room because she was hurt?.. ill?.. scared?.. running from something or someone?

Finally he swallowed the bite of honey cake and broke the silence. So much for remaining the stranger that simply delivered some Christmas magic. His voice would be far more familiar than his appearance.

"Brennekah?........ It's Draakar. I know you're here so you may as well come out and properly greet an old friend.... I won't bite."

Chuckling softly under his breath at that last part as he recalled having said that to you before. You believed him then, would you believe him now?

[Brennekah Windstrike]

Her eyes watched you from her spot in the corner, watched as you began looking around as looking for someone. A sense of panic suffused her at the threat of being discovered because she was not quite ready to be. But when would she be? A curse flitted through her mind as she remained still, her body still perched on the little stool. Surely he would not be able to see her shrouded in the darkened corner? No he could not, she assured herself.

But then he spoke and spoke even addressed her by name and that she was discovered surprised her but that you knew who she was shocked her. And the old promise of not biting left her breathless on top of all of that. Her body jerked with the surprise and the stool tilted precariously threatening to spill her onto the cold stones below. Her arms shot out to brace herself against the wall, her feet slipping off the stool and finding the floor in an attempt to save herself from such an indignity. When the threat was over she was left sitting there arms and legs splayed, probably looking like much the fool. Thankfully it was still that darkened corner and you were spared the details.

She righted herself and rose, the stool still tilted thumped on the floor. Her mind raced as sell as her heart and she swallowed thickly and fought for something to say. She flushed with guilt at being ousted and that over rode anything else at the moment, dredging up a need to defend herself.

“I was no’ hidin’.” She said the words filled with indignation spurred on by stubborn pride and a need to defend herself from the guilt of actually having been hiding and spying on you, “I was merely sittin’, mindin’ m’own business and havin’ a bite ta eat.”

As she stepped forward her hands hastily brushed her own crumbs off the bodice of her dress. She had been sleeping and only donned the wrinkled dress to come and raid the kitchen, leaving her feet bare and her hair unbound and in a mass of disarray about her head. If she ever thought of meeting you again this is the last impression she wanted to make. The fates be cursed. But as she came to standing before you her eyes took in your own appearance. The fading coals from the hearth still gave a good amount of orange glow upon where they now stood and she took in your long hair and shaggy beard, which at present, was decorated with crumbs. Seemed they be quiet the pair.

Her lips parted and there was a small intake of breath as if she was about to say something but then she suddenly stopped. She was still left bereft of what to say. But amongst all the hair obscuring your face there was still the darkly handsome eyes looking out at her and they chased away, for the moment, any adverse feelings that still lingered in her heart. At the moment she felt joy in seeing you again and had the urge to throw her arms around you which she quelled by twisting her poor skirts about in her fingers.

“Ye are lookin’ well.” If a shaggy old hibernating bear who’d just come out for a bite to eat looked well. She tried her best to sound casual and polite but her lips were once again threatening to break into a smile. But then a sudden thought occurred to her that your appearance might mean something terrible had befallen you and her near smile died as concerned filled her eyes. “Ye are well are ye no’?” Her eyes narrowed at you looking suspicious and worried.

[Sneaky Draakar]

The crash of the stool on the floor had his brows furrowing with concern as he stepped toward the noise but his forward progress stopped once you stepped out from the shadowed darkness. A soft smile creased his lips as his senses had been correct and yet he was still surprised to see you for never in a million years would he think our paths would cross again and especially here and now, but then he’s learned over the years that life holds some interesting surprises to say the least.

The soft smile grew as his dark gaze roamed over you. Your well wrinkled dress and hair in such disarray had him thinking of you as a ragamuffin but then his own appearance of a shaggy burly bear no doubt had you possibly thinking the same of him so that smile turned into a good chuckle before his thick Scottish accent once more broke the silence in the room.

“You’ve grown up.”

Simply stated before you had inquired as to his own well being. He watched as different flashes of expression tugged over the features of your face and in your eyes. You had always been full of expression if even on the very shy side when he knew you so long ago. Something we had been working on before you suddenly disappeared on him. And with that thought, his chuckle faded as did his smile. Joviality replaced by a deep seated hurt that had been hidden away for many years.

“Aye, I am as well as a hibernating bear can be before fully filling his hungry belly.”

And with that another soft chuckle escaped

“I’d say the same for you but I’m not sure you’d believe me as it looks as if you had been sleeping there in that dark corner.”

That soft smile returning to tug at one corner of his mouth as he lifted a hand to ever so softly touch over one of your cheeks tucking back errant strands of hair.

“The once shy girl I knew has turned into quite a beautiful woman, even in the state of a ragamuffin at the moment. Yes, quite a beautiful woman, indeed.”

His hand falling to his side once more as his head cocks to one side.

“I hope you are well? I never thought I’d see you again let alone hiding in a darkened corner in the kitchen of Windstorm Castle.”

[Brennekah Windstrike]

Her eyes watched as your own took in her own appearance and it took a good amount of nerve to continue to stand there and allow you to knowing what she must look like. If it wasn’t so dark in the kitchen you would notice the slight blush that stole across her cheeks now.

Then her brows rose in response to your first comment. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it, a part of her thinking it made her sound as if she’d been but a child when they had spent time with each other those many years ago. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t joined in your chuckle that caused it and your smile to fade suddenly and she found she was sorry to see them go. Now a feeling of awkwardness settled on her at apparently not having responded in a way to keep your smile in place. Her mind whirled with what to say but you beat her to it and she could not help but smile then, and even a breath of laughter escaped at hearing you speak out loud that which she had thought in her mind. Aye, a bear and obviously hungry at that she mused.

Her eyes cast a glance to where she’d been perched on the stool and her smile widened.

“Nay, they are kind enough here at Windstorm Keep to grant me a room so I do no’ have ta find corners to sleep in.” Her smile grew even more wide as she gave a quiet laugh. “I was merely unable to sleep and it being so late I thought I could raid the kitchens undiscovered.” Her eyes then took on a teasing glint. “But I suppose now I have been well and thoroughly caught.”

As you brought your hand forward her chuckle faded, her breath held as you touched her cheek light as a butterfly. The sensation softly rippled across her skin to finally take up a place in her belly and flutter there. Your scent came to her with the touch and she was struck by how familiar it was even after all these years. Her heart set to beating fast and loudly in her chest and she told herself to stop being such a ninny, she wasn’t the shy young woman she had been any longer. Although she did not think she had truly been shy all those years ago, but merely horribly inexperienced in the ways of courtship.

Your compliment did not help her state of being although she was vastly relieved and also curiously giddy that you saw thus. But she was at a loss in how to respond for it had taken her aback and was not something she expected to hear from you at all. And her eyes that had been holding yours slid away as she felt her face warm once again. Then, when she felt upon her cheek those errant stands you had so recently tucked back, she realized she was looking downwards and mentally kicked herself. Immediately she brought her head back up, her eyes once again joining your own. How you managed to make her feel like that shy girl she had been with you she did not know but she was now, as you said, grown up and she would act like it…even if it killed her.

Her eyes once more found yours as her lips found the smile again. “I am as well as I can be I suppose. And as just as surprised as you to find you here.” She paused to find the little bit of courage she needed to say the rest. “And thank you…for the compliment. You are as handsome as I ever found you to be…from what I can see of your face.” A laugh threatened to erupt from her lips once more. “Your long hair and beard can no’ hide it that well I'm afraid. At least I can say I returned the favour of being so well and thoroughly caught.”

[Sneaky Draakar]

Remembering the honey cake he was still holding, he lifted it and finished it off as he listened to and watched you. The typical warrior in him always taking in the subject (this being Bren at the moment) and studying you. It had for certain been a long time. So much had happened since he last saw you. That last scene shared between us came rushing back nearly knocking him off his feet. As did all the things that happened after you walked away from him that night. The worry and anguish he went thru when he was unable to find you and bring you back. The words shared with your captors about ransoming and such after you were kidnapped. He gladly would have paid whatever it took to get you back, but that wasn’t what you had wanted. Later he had heard you actually married the SOB. His fingers curling into his palm forming fists without him even consciously thinking about it. Anger causing his jaw to clench and his eyes to grow even darker. But then you smiled that smile of yours and he could not be angry. He couldn’t blame the man that kidnapped you for falling in love with you. That smile of yours nearly lit up the dimly lit kitchen. It was that very smile that stole his heart so many years ago. His fingers relaxed once again and hell, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Perhaps if my senses weren’t so keen you never would have been caught, but caught you have been and I guess so have I.”

His smile grew and he worked at tucking the rest of his anger away.. for the moment.

“Since we’re both hungry and guilty of raiding the kitchen we may as well make a good show of it.”

Winking with that as he moved to snatch up a linen like towel and held it out to you.

“Hold this and I’ll fill it. We’ll have us a midnight picnic.”

Moving to fill the towel with savory and sweet goodies before looking around then for some of that famous Windstorm mead. Aye, perfect picnic fare. Chuckling yet again as you continued on.

“So my shaggy hibernating look doesn’t fool you, eh? No doubt the Scottish accent doesn’t help my case either.”

Having gathered all we could, he then moved some of the meat pies and honey cakes around on the pastry table filling in some of the empty spots so it didn’t look too obvious and conspicuous. Anyone just walking thru wouldn’t really notice much was missing but perhaps the cooks would and we’d be long gone by then. Such a sneak and now he has an accomplice. Turning to look at said accomplice and ms. ragamuffin.

“I was simply leaving a little Christmas magic. I don’t get out much these days.”

And then there was a twinkle in his eye as he gave you a quick wink then looked down at your bare feet and groaned.

“You can’t go out like that.”

Moving to grab the make shift goody bag from you as he’d move to tie all four corners turning the linen into just that... a goody bag. Offering it back to you and moving to crouch with his back turned to you.

“Hop on. Can’t have you trapsing thru the snow in bare feet now can we.”

Ready for a little adventure, ms. ragamuffin? Are you game?

[Brennekah Windstrike]

The smile remained even as her look turned questioning, wondering exactly what you meant by making a good show of it. She watched curiously as you snatched up that piece of linen and offered it to her. Then her brows rose and a protest hung on her lips as you began filling it up with a fair sampling of all the goodies laid out before them. But she found she could voice that protest. Many and varied emotions and feelings were still swirling about inside of her. muddling her mind...her thoughts. Aye the hurt and anger were still there just underneath the surface but it warred with the happiness upon seeing you again and sharing smiles and laughter. There was a choice to give in to the hurt and anger, but too much time in the past had been spent on those and there would be plenty of time for them later. At the moment she preferred the shared happiness and laughter with you, it was Christmas after all and this could be her gift to herself.

“Leaving a bit of Christmas magic are ya now? Looks more like ye are stealin’ it ta me.”

Her curious look was gone, replaced by her laughter and the teasing sparkle in her eyes and as well a few guilty glances at the entrance to the kitchen. As you spread the remaining goodies around to cover up the gaping holes you left she had to admire your finesse at kitchen raiding. Though they weren’t quite out of the woods yet, so to speak.

“Ye better hope they are able to tell who you are or you’ll be spending Christmas in the dungeon and me along with you most likely.”

There was another look over her shoulder for anyone who would catch them in the act. But then your groan and following comment had her looking at her bare toes peeking out from the bottom of her skirts. Ragamuffin was probably a fair judgment but they both looked like they belonged in a dungeon and had been in one for some time now.

In a moment she found herself with the smartly tied linen and staring at your back and hearing your tell her to “hop on”. More moments ticked by as she hesitated, simply staring at your back and wondering if this was really happening. Maybe she HAD fallen asleep in that corner on the stool. In all the times she wondered about possibly meeting you again this scenario did not enter her musings in any way shape or form. And with all their time spent together in the past that you would ask her to do such a thing was…odd. Perhaps you knew she had changed along with growing up.

Voices were suddenly heard and growing louder and it would seem that now others were headed to the kitchens as well. She jerked into action doing just as you told her and “hopping on”, hiking up her skirts and straddling your back in a most unladylike and highyl improper fashion. One arm came around your shoulder to hold herself to you, her hand pressing into your chest.

“Get a move on then or we WILL be having this picnic in the dungeon after all.”

As if the caress on her cheek hadn’t been enough she was now bombarded with your scent and now your warmth, wrapped up in it completely since she was now so tightly pressed to you. And your roguishly long hair tickled her cheek too. She tried not to think of her legs wrapped around you. Blessed Mary she really had turned into a hoyden.

[Sneaky Draakar]

He had sensed the oncoming intruders even before we heard their voices that seemed to bounce off all the stone. His usual impatient self was no where to be found and that actually surprised him, as he simply waited for you to make up your mind. Perhaps in his long hibernation he’s adapted to change. This could certainly be the case argued as it has never been like him to be a kitchen raiding thief before, either.

“I left some Christmas magic behind in the main hall and worked up quite an appetite and thirst. Surely this is more like a reward!?!”

Chuckling with that and wondering if the good Sergeant Gerbin would buy that if we actually got caught and had to plead our case. But there was no time to ponder such things and he now encouraged you to hurry yourself up already as the voices grew closer. Once he felt you upon his back, he reached back and grabbed the hem of his long cloak and tossed it up and over your back then pulling the rest of the heavy cloth tightly around him. You were like a gunny sack attached to him at this point and you should be kept well enough warm. You didn’t have to tell him to get a move on as once you were secure upon his back he was outta there in but a whisper left to float in the air. And just to make things more difficult to track, if there had been any need to do such, he trampled thru the snow in a crazy manner even backtracking over his tracks. Rather looked like children at play, albeit children with large feet. And he couldn’t help but laugh now. His breath puffing out in clouds of cold mist instantly freezing to the hairs about his face. By the time we would find shelter there would no doubt be icicles hanging from said hair about his face.

Draakar never looked back to see if anyone had followed. He simply was lost in the moment and enjoying the hell out of it. Yeah, perhaps his long hibernation had indeed been good for him. Loosened him up a bit. And once we finally made it to the village stables, he was again careful in scuffing up the snow not leaving any trackable prints as we stealthily made our way inside. Searching stalls for a place to settle and finally finding a place to hideout and hopefully pig out in the back of the sheep's den. It was warm and quiet and a perfect spot he thought for a midnight picnic.

“This should do nicely don’t you think?”

Letting his cloak tails fall so you could unwrap yourself from around him, although he rather liked you being pressed against him in such a manner. And to think that so many years before you never would have dreamed to do such a thing. A slow grin curing his lips.

[Dream Loxley]

ooc: So happy to see you both and enjoying reading! Hope you are enjoying your stay and that you both continue to write here, just what we need to start our New Year! A little spice!