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His sense of danger advancing on him heightened the second he heard the creak of the door. It still further attuned itself that perhaps, perhaps he may just be murdered right here on the floor of his own home, while he sagged against the wall, helpless, body shaking with laughter. By all rights, he shouldn’t be laughing at all. This was a real concern for her. The way her large doe eyes and looked up at him, a deep sadness brimming in their depths; a confession that must have been difficult to even voice to him. She’d trusted him enough, cared enough, to say it. Yet here he was, despite all that, having to wipe tears from his eyes. He could scarce draw breath and when he glanced over at her, standing there with her finger wagging at him, he roared harder, unable to stop.
“I am glad you find this so damnably funny…”
Gavriil tried to talk but it was impossible to form words. It was like he’d never laughed before, which, of course, was patently ridiculous. Of course he had, but he definitely had not laughed like this in years. Possibly decades. At the moment, he couldn’t think of anything more funny than what had just happened in there, and because he couldn’t stop, he was starting to feel like laughing was just perpetuating the laughter, which only made it worse.
Above all this, he heard Evangelina say, “It’s embarrassing. Stop laughing!”
“I am trying!” he wiped tears from his eyes and drew in slow breaths, but then made a “PFT!” sound, and relapsed into more laughter, though this time it was easier to stop. It only took three more rounds of that pattern before Gavriil sat before her, back pressed to the wall, one leg tucked underneath him while his other foot was braced against the floor. His arm rested on his knee and he wiped the last of the tears with his right hand. Taking slow, deep breaths, he looked up at her, contrition etched into his features.
“I apologize,” he managed to keep his voice level and more in line with its usual grave, gravely timbre. “I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.”
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His sense of danger advancing on him heightened the second he heard the creak of the door. It still further attuned itself that perhaps, perhaps he may just be murdered right here on the floor of his own home, while he sagged against the wall, helpless, body shaking with laughter. By all rights, he shouldn’t be laughing at all. This was a real concern for her. The way her large doe eyes and looked up at him, a deep sadness brimming in their depths; a confession that must have been difficult to even voice to him. She’d trusted him enough, cared enough, to say it. Yet here he was, despite all that, having to wipe tears from his eyes. He could scarce draw breath and when he glanced over at her, standing there with her finger wagging at him, he roared harder, unable to stop.
“I am glad you find this so damnably funny…”
Gavriil tried to talk but it was impossible to form words. It was like he’d never laughed before, which, of course, was patently ridiculous. Of course he had, but he definitely had not laughed like this in years. Possibly decades. At the moment, he couldn’t think of anything more funny than what had just happened in there, and because he couldn’t stop, he was starting to feel like laughing was just perpetuating the laughter, which only made it worse.
Above all this, he heard Evangelina say, “It’s embarrassing. Stop laughing!”
“I am trying!” he wiped tears from his eyes and drew in slow breaths, but then made a “PFT!” sound, and relapsed into more laughter, though this time it was easier to stop. It only took three more rounds of that pattern before Gavriil sat before her, back pressed to the wall, one leg tucked underneath him while his other foot was braced against the floor. His arm rested on his knee and he wiped the last of the tears with his right hand. Taking slow, deep breaths, he looked up at her, contrition etched into his features.
“I apologize,” he managed to keep his voice level and more in line with its usual grave, gravely timbre. “I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.”
His sense of danger advancing on him heightened the second he heard the creak of the door. It still further attuned itself that perhaps, perhaps he may just be murdered right here on the floor of his own home, while he sagged against the wall, helpless, body shaking with laughter. By all rights, he shouldn’t be laughing at all. This was a real concern for her. The way her large doe eyes and looked up at him, a deep sadness brimming in their depths; a confession that must have been difficult to even voice to him. She’d trusted him enough, cared enough, to say it. Yet here he was, despite all that, having to wipe tears from his eyes. He could scarce draw breath and when he glanced over at her, standing there with her finger wagging at him, he roared harder, unable to stop.
“I am glad you find this so damnably funny…”
Gavriil tried to talk but it was impossible to form words. It was like he’d never laughed before, which, of course, was patently ridiculous. Of course he had, but he definitely had not laughed like this in years. Possibly decades. At the moment, he couldn’t think of anything more funny than what had just happened in there, and because he couldn’t stop, he was starting to feel like laughing was just perpetuating the laughter, which only made it worse.
Above all this, he heard Evangelina say, “It’s embarrassing. Stop laughing!”
“I am trying!” he wiped tears from his eyes and drew in slow breaths, but then made a “PFT!” sound, and relapsed into more laughter, though this time it was easier to stop. It only took three more rounds of that pattern before Gavriil sat before her, back pressed to the wall, one leg tucked underneath him while his other foot was braced against the floor. His arm rested on his knee and he wiped the last of the tears with his right hand. Taking slow, deep breaths, he looked up at her, contrition etched into his features.
“I apologize,” he managed to keep his voice level and more in line with its usual grave, gravely timbre. “I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.”
Evangelina wasn’t exactly impressed with Gavriil’s attempts at containing himself. Her fingers tightened into the fabric of the yellow silk she wore as she imagined wrapping them around his neck at that moment. She’d learned over the years how to laugh at herself when people saw some flaws in her and needed something to pick apart, but she didn’t usually confide to people about her shortcomings and failures. The only reason she’d done so today, was because for the first time she could see their future. She could see her in his and it had looked real and inviting and … happy.
Anger seemed to drift away to be replaced by restraint as he fell into another fit of laughter. Sitting there on the floor with her standing above him, he wiped at his eyes and tried to gain control of his breathing. What had been comical about what she’d said? Her mind was breezing through options of what could have possibly caused him to burst into such laughter at what she’d said. None of the options so far seemed all that amusing to her though.
‘I apologize.’ He was trying so hard not to fall back into laughter. ‘I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.’
The thin line of her lips pressed together and her earthy brown eyes seemed to stare a hole down at him. It didn’t really surprise her that he’d never heard it before. If he had of it’d make her terribly curious about the sorts of conversations he had with women.
"Hmm," Was all that she grumbled at him right then feeling a tiny bit like an angry wet hen standing under a bush as it poured on her. What exactly had made him lose himself over what she’d said? Her finger came up to brush absently against her still pinkened lips. Was she overthinking his reaction? Or was he laughing because he’d been so close to wanting more and ironically she thought it was never going to happen?
Extending her hand down at him, in a combination of a peace offering and aid in standing back up. She let out a small huff, “I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.” She blinked her rather ordinary brown eyes at him, questions seeming to flood out of them.
She shifted uncomfortably. Maybe she’d blinded him with a couple of moments of brilliance but she wasn’t about to get her hopes up that she could describe herself as seductive. Nikos hadn’t even let their flirtation cool before he was being enamored by others… that’s exactly how confident she was in her abilities to keep a man intrigued. She only hoped it wasn't relief from him that had caused the spontaneous laughter.
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…” Evangelina sighed, her gaze shifting to the floor. “It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
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Evangelina wasn’t exactly impressed with Gavriil’s attempts at containing himself. Her fingers tightened into the fabric of the yellow silk she wore as she imagined wrapping them around his neck at that moment. She’d learned over the years how to laugh at herself when people saw some flaws in her and needed something to pick apart, but she didn’t usually confide to people about her shortcomings and failures. The only reason she’d done so today, was because for the first time she could see their future. She could see her in his and it had looked real and inviting and … happy.
Anger seemed to drift away to be replaced by restraint as he fell into another fit of laughter. Sitting there on the floor with her standing above him, he wiped at his eyes and tried to gain control of his breathing. What had been comical about what she’d said? Her mind was breezing through options of what could have possibly caused him to burst into such laughter at what she’d said. None of the options so far seemed all that amusing to her though.
‘I apologize.’ He was trying so hard not to fall back into laughter. ‘I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.’
The thin line of her lips pressed together and her earthy brown eyes seemed to stare a hole down at him. It didn’t really surprise her that he’d never heard it before. If he had of it’d make her terribly curious about the sorts of conversations he had with women.
"Hmm," Was all that she grumbled at him right then feeling a tiny bit like an angry wet hen standing under a bush as it poured on her. What exactly had made him lose himself over what she’d said? Her finger came up to brush absently against her still pinkened lips. Was she overthinking his reaction? Or was he laughing because he’d been so close to wanting more and ironically she thought it was never going to happen?
Extending her hand down at him, in a combination of a peace offering and aid in standing back up. She let out a small huff, “I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.” She blinked her rather ordinary brown eyes at him, questions seeming to flood out of them.
She shifted uncomfortably. Maybe she’d blinded him with a couple of moments of brilliance but she wasn’t about to get her hopes up that she could describe herself as seductive. Nikos hadn’t even let their flirtation cool before he was being enamored by others… that’s exactly how confident she was in her abilities to keep a man intrigued. She only hoped it wasn't relief from him that had caused the spontaneous laughter.
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…” Evangelina sighed, her gaze shifting to the floor. “It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
Evangelina wasn’t exactly impressed with Gavriil’s attempts at containing himself. Her fingers tightened into the fabric of the yellow silk she wore as she imagined wrapping them around his neck at that moment. She’d learned over the years how to laugh at herself when people saw some flaws in her and needed something to pick apart, but she didn’t usually confide to people about her shortcomings and failures. The only reason she’d done so today, was because for the first time she could see their future. She could see her in his and it had looked real and inviting and … happy.
Anger seemed to drift away to be replaced by restraint as he fell into another fit of laughter. Sitting there on the floor with her standing above him, he wiped at his eyes and tried to gain control of his breathing. What had been comical about what she’d said? Her mind was breezing through options of what could have possibly caused him to burst into such laughter at what she’d said. None of the options so far seemed all that amusing to her though.
‘I apologize.’ He was trying so hard not to fall back into laughter. ‘I have never heard that before, and I lost myself for a moment.’
The thin line of her lips pressed together and her earthy brown eyes seemed to stare a hole down at him. It didn’t really surprise her that he’d never heard it before. If he had of it’d make her terribly curious about the sorts of conversations he had with women.
"Hmm," Was all that she grumbled at him right then feeling a tiny bit like an angry wet hen standing under a bush as it poured on her. What exactly had made him lose himself over what she’d said? Her finger came up to brush absently against her still pinkened lips. Was she overthinking his reaction? Or was he laughing because he’d been so close to wanting more and ironically she thought it was never going to happen?
Extending her hand down at him, in a combination of a peace offering and aid in standing back up. She let out a small huff, “I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.” She blinked her rather ordinary brown eyes at him, questions seeming to flood out of them.
She shifted uncomfortably. Maybe she’d blinded him with a couple of moments of brilliance but she wasn’t about to get her hopes up that she could describe herself as seductive. Nikos hadn’t even let their flirtation cool before he was being enamored by others… that’s exactly how confident she was in her abilities to keep a man intrigued. She only hoped it wasn't relief from him that had caused the spontaneous laughter.
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…” Evangelina sighed, her gaze shifting to the floor. “It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
His sharp gaze traveled down her face, to her hands, catching the movement of her fingers balling into the fabric of her dress. The rigid line across her shoulders spoke volumes, even if the expression of her face wasn’t tight with embarrassment and agitation. Her mouth pressed into a line and he had the distinct feeling that he would never, ever be allowed to forget this lapse in restraint. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings, but he had, and that sobered him up enough to finally gain complete control over the laughter.
Shifting so that he was sitting with his legs crossed beneath himself, he kept his arms on his thighs and pushed his thumbs together in his lap for lack of anything to do with his hands. He was in the middle of deciding whether or not to stay sitting here and allow her to have the higher ground, or to stand, when she reached down and made the decision for him. Taking her hand but not needing it, he rose easily and let go just as quickly. Evangelina immediately launched into a demand for explanations.
“I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.”
Gavriil drew in breath to speak and found that words weren’t coming. What could he say to that? The corners of his mouth twitched but he mastered the impulse to smile and cleared his throat. He frowned deeply, and covered his mouth, regarding her with the sort of seriousness he should have had all along. The shock of her ‘defect’ had been too strong to resist right at first, but now that he’d vented the hilarity of it, he felt capable of not laughing at her again. In the time it took him to half form something that might have passed as an answer, she came at him with,
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
If he’d been in any danger of laughing, the danger had entirely passed now. He pressed both palms against the cool stone, leaning back against the wall on his hands. What sort of reaction had she wanted? Probably something along the lines of reassurance, he suspected. He’d already apologized, so there was no need to do it again, though he did need her to be looking at him, rather than at the floor, for what he had in mind. Placing a finger under her chin, he drew her face upward and then let go.
“I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.” His gaze rested on her features, unwavering and, he hoped, reassuring. Not that he had the vast amount of experience that other Taengeans could boast, but he’d had yet to hear of any man complaining that his wife was ‘unable’. It stood to reason that Evangelina was just fine. Unless a physician had told her otherwise and he definitely wasn’t going to ask her that.
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His sharp gaze traveled down her face, to her hands, catching the movement of her fingers balling into the fabric of her dress. The rigid line across her shoulders spoke volumes, even if the expression of her face wasn’t tight with embarrassment and agitation. Her mouth pressed into a line and he had the distinct feeling that he would never, ever be allowed to forget this lapse in restraint. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings, but he had, and that sobered him up enough to finally gain complete control over the laughter.
Shifting so that he was sitting with his legs crossed beneath himself, he kept his arms on his thighs and pushed his thumbs together in his lap for lack of anything to do with his hands. He was in the middle of deciding whether or not to stay sitting here and allow her to have the higher ground, or to stand, when she reached down and made the decision for him. Taking her hand but not needing it, he rose easily and let go just as quickly. Evangelina immediately launched into a demand for explanations.
“I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.”
Gavriil drew in breath to speak and found that words weren’t coming. What could he say to that? The corners of his mouth twitched but he mastered the impulse to smile and cleared his throat. He frowned deeply, and covered his mouth, regarding her with the sort of seriousness he should have had all along. The shock of her ‘defect’ had been too strong to resist right at first, but now that he’d vented the hilarity of it, he felt capable of not laughing at her again. In the time it took him to half form something that might have passed as an answer, she came at him with,
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
If he’d been in any danger of laughing, the danger had entirely passed now. He pressed both palms against the cool stone, leaning back against the wall on his hands. What sort of reaction had she wanted? Probably something along the lines of reassurance, he suspected. He’d already apologized, so there was no need to do it again, though he did need her to be looking at him, rather than at the floor, for what he had in mind. Placing a finger under her chin, he drew her face upward and then let go.
“I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.” His gaze rested on her features, unwavering and, he hoped, reassuring. Not that he had the vast amount of experience that other Taengeans could boast, but he’d had yet to hear of any man complaining that his wife was ‘unable’. It stood to reason that Evangelina was just fine. Unless a physician had told her otherwise and he definitely wasn’t going to ask her that.
His sharp gaze traveled down her face, to her hands, catching the movement of her fingers balling into the fabric of her dress. The rigid line across her shoulders spoke volumes, even if the expression of her face wasn’t tight with embarrassment and agitation. Her mouth pressed into a line and he had the distinct feeling that he would never, ever be allowed to forget this lapse in restraint. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings, but he had, and that sobered him up enough to finally gain complete control over the laughter.
Shifting so that he was sitting with his legs crossed beneath himself, he kept his arms on his thighs and pushed his thumbs together in his lap for lack of anything to do with his hands. He was in the middle of deciding whether or not to stay sitting here and allow her to have the higher ground, or to stand, when she reached down and made the decision for him. Taking her hand but not needing it, he rose easily and let go just as quickly. Evangelina immediately launched into a demand for explanations.
“I still don’t understand what was so funny. I don’t see how me being defective should make you lose yourself like that.”
Gavriil drew in breath to speak and found that words weren’t coming. What could he say to that? The corners of his mouth twitched but he mastered the impulse to smile and cleared his throat. He frowned deeply, and covered his mouth, regarding her with the sort of seriousness he should have had all along. The shock of her ‘defect’ had been too strong to resist right at first, but now that he’d vented the hilarity of it, he felt capable of not laughing at her again. In the time it took him to half form something that might have passed as an answer, she came at him with,
“Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoy hearing you laugh and I probably wouldn’t even mind that it was at my expense but…It wasn’t the reaction I expected… or maybe the reaction I hoped for from you.”
If he’d been in any danger of laughing, the danger had entirely passed now. He pressed both palms against the cool stone, leaning back against the wall on his hands. What sort of reaction had she wanted? Probably something along the lines of reassurance, he suspected. He’d already apologized, so there was no need to do it again, though he did need her to be looking at him, rather than at the floor, for what he had in mind. Placing a finger under her chin, he drew her face upward and then let go.
“I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.” His gaze rested on her features, unwavering and, he hoped, reassuring. Not that he had the vast amount of experience that other Taengeans could boast, but he’d had yet to hear of any man complaining that his wife was ‘unable’. It stood to reason that Evangelina was just fine. Unless a physician had told her otherwise and he definitely wasn’t going to ask her that.
He might as well of touched her with his fingers with the way his focus traced over her face and down her neck to her hands. The way it meandered over her generated a tingle that started at her toes and worked their way into butterflies that seemed to be fluttering chaotically around in her stomach and caused her to temporarily forget her agitation and embarrassment. There was a slow and unexpected tenderness in the way his eyes caressed her. How could she stay too disgruntled?
Evangelina struggled to keep up the soft annoyance but the way he shifted his legs up underneath him and his thumbs absently pressed into his leg causing her remaining agitation to evaporate. He looked so contrite for hurting her feelings. Her hand extended in an offer to help but also to signify a silent peace offering, and he took it just long enough to unfold his legs and stand up before he let her hand go almost as quickly and feeling like something was missing. She sighed faintly and pushed it from her mind as she spoke.
She spoke with such certainty and conviction but tinged with just a bit of vulnerability in speaking so plainly to him. It was possible that he didn’t realize there was a certain level of trust in presenting this problem to him. She wasn’t bashful about speaking rather immodestly, he’d already witnessed that about her, but there were personal things and then there were personal things. Things that had up until today been solely for her. She didn’t mind people laughing at her. If anything, Evangelina preferred it so long as she controlled it.
Lord Gavriil’s lips crept upwards again on the corners and cleared his throat. Evasively, she dragged her eyes away and focused on the floor missing the deepening frown on his lips. Shifting, she rambled about enjoying hearing him laugh and expectations as if the words she said would somehow fix this and she wouldn’t feel quite so much like a little fool. Lifting her restless gaze up to him just long enough to see him shifting his form against the wall, his palms soaking up the coolness of the stone.
Clearing her throat softly, she pulled her gaze to the floor and she licked her lips. Except, she didn’t get to stare at the floor for long before he was shifting again and his index finger caught softly under her chin and redirected her gaze upwards to him. A shiver of warmth spread down her spine as she unconsciously took a step towards him.
‘I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.’ His gaze softly probing her as he addressed her curiosities at his laughing; but the words, ‘unfounded’ and ‘not defective’ resulted in a very bewildered look mixed with a twinge of disbelief. Her fears were unfounded. The wheels in her brain shifted into gear. Was it possible that she wasn’t defective? But… How… Hmmm…
“Huh,” Came out as a throaty murmur of thought rather than a question. Evangelina’s teeth captured her bottom lip as she chewed on it soaking up his words and examining them. She couldn’t quite meet his gaze at that moment. If what he said was true… The redness of embarrassment moved like flames licking up her neck and expanding in her cheeks. She needed to know if he was earnest in his words and her gaze shot up to pin her focus on him.
“You mean…” Her big, expressive doe eyes blinked, the wheels seeming to find their own groove in turning. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to find the right words, “I am not?” Pursing her lips into a thin line of skepticism, “Are you sure?” Shifting, she was struggling with the idea… that much was very obvious. Clearing her throat, her hands anchored themselves to her hips as she stared up at him. Her teeth caught her bottom lip as she continued to lock eyes with him. Was it possible that despite the embarrassment that she felt a little lighter?
Taking a breath, she stepped closer until she was very carefully pressed up against the length of his body. Her hands drifted off her hips to rest on the stone wall on each side of him, pinning his body between her arms. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. An unbidden challenge flashing in the earthy brown of her eyes. Contradicting the look in her eyes, she inhaled a thick breath, “I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.” A slow decadent sort of smile curled upwards on her lips, as her right hand’s fingers gently prodded his ribs, “What do you know?”
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He might as well of touched her with his fingers with the way his focus traced over her face and down her neck to her hands. The way it meandered over her generated a tingle that started at her toes and worked their way into butterflies that seemed to be fluttering chaotically around in her stomach and caused her to temporarily forget her agitation and embarrassment. There was a slow and unexpected tenderness in the way his eyes caressed her. How could she stay too disgruntled?
Evangelina struggled to keep up the soft annoyance but the way he shifted his legs up underneath him and his thumbs absently pressed into his leg causing her remaining agitation to evaporate. He looked so contrite for hurting her feelings. Her hand extended in an offer to help but also to signify a silent peace offering, and he took it just long enough to unfold his legs and stand up before he let her hand go almost as quickly and feeling like something was missing. She sighed faintly and pushed it from her mind as she spoke.
She spoke with such certainty and conviction but tinged with just a bit of vulnerability in speaking so plainly to him. It was possible that he didn’t realize there was a certain level of trust in presenting this problem to him. She wasn’t bashful about speaking rather immodestly, he’d already witnessed that about her, but there were personal things and then there were personal things. Things that had up until today been solely for her. She didn’t mind people laughing at her. If anything, Evangelina preferred it so long as she controlled it.
Lord Gavriil’s lips crept upwards again on the corners and cleared his throat. Evasively, she dragged her eyes away and focused on the floor missing the deepening frown on his lips. Shifting, she rambled about enjoying hearing him laugh and expectations as if the words she said would somehow fix this and she wouldn’t feel quite so much like a little fool. Lifting her restless gaze up to him just long enough to see him shifting his form against the wall, his palms soaking up the coolness of the stone.
Clearing her throat softly, she pulled her gaze to the floor and she licked her lips. Except, she didn’t get to stare at the floor for long before he was shifting again and his index finger caught softly under her chin and redirected her gaze upwards to him. A shiver of warmth spread down her spine as she unconsciously took a step towards him.
‘I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.’ His gaze softly probing her as he addressed her curiosities at his laughing; but the words, ‘unfounded’ and ‘not defective’ resulted in a very bewildered look mixed with a twinge of disbelief. Her fears were unfounded. The wheels in her brain shifted into gear. Was it possible that she wasn’t defective? But… How… Hmmm…
“Huh,” Came out as a throaty murmur of thought rather than a question. Evangelina’s teeth captured her bottom lip as she chewed on it soaking up his words and examining them. She couldn’t quite meet his gaze at that moment. If what he said was true… The redness of embarrassment moved like flames licking up her neck and expanding in her cheeks. She needed to know if he was earnest in his words and her gaze shot up to pin her focus on him.
“You mean…” Her big, expressive doe eyes blinked, the wheels seeming to find their own groove in turning. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to find the right words, “I am not?” Pursing her lips into a thin line of skepticism, “Are you sure?” Shifting, she was struggling with the idea… that much was very obvious. Clearing her throat, her hands anchored themselves to her hips as she stared up at him. Her teeth caught her bottom lip as she continued to lock eyes with him. Was it possible that despite the embarrassment that she felt a little lighter?
Taking a breath, she stepped closer until she was very carefully pressed up against the length of his body. Her hands drifted off her hips to rest on the stone wall on each side of him, pinning his body between her arms. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. An unbidden challenge flashing in the earthy brown of her eyes. Contradicting the look in her eyes, she inhaled a thick breath, “I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.” A slow decadent sort of smile curled upwards on her lips, as her right hand’s fingers gently prodded his ribs, “What do you know?”
He might as well of touched her with his fingers with the way his focus traced over her face and down her neck to her hands. The way it meandered over her generated a tingle that started at her toes and worked their way into butterflies that seemed to be fluttering chaotically around in her stomach and caused her to temporarily forget her agitation and embarrassment. There was a slow and unexpected tenderness in the way his eyes caressed her. How could she stay too disgruntled?
Evangelina struggled to keep up the soft annoyance but the way he shifted his legs up underneath him and his thumbs absently pressed into his leg causing her remaining agitation to evaporate. He looked so contrite for hurting her feelings. Her hand extended in an offer to help but also to signify a silent peace offering, and he took it just long enough to unfold his legs and stand up before he let her hand go almost as quickly and feeling like something was missing. She sighed faintly and pushed it from her mind as she spoke.
She spoke with such certainty and conviction but tinged with just a bit of vulnerability in speaking so plainly to him. It was possible that he didn’t realize there was a certain level of trust in presenting this problem to him. She wasn’t bashful about speaking rather immodestly, he’d already witnessed that about her, but there were personal things and then there were personal things. Things that had up until today been solely for her. She didn’t mind people laughing at her. If anything, Evangelina preferred it so long as she controlled it.
Lord Gavriil’s lips crept upwards again on the corners and cleared his throat. Evasively, she dragged her eyes away and focused on the floor missing the deepening frown on his lips. Shifting, she rambled about enjoying hearing him laugh and expectations as if the words she said would somehow fix this and she wouldn’t feel quite so much like a little fool. Lifting her restless gaze up to him just long enough to see him shifting his form against the wall, his palms soaking up the coolness of the stone.
Clearing her throat softly, she pulled her gaze to the floor and she licked her lips. Except, she didn’t get to stare at the floor for long before he was shifting again and his index finger caught softly under her chin and redirected her gaze upwards to him. A shiver of warmth spread down her spine as she unconsciously took a step towards him.
‘I laughed because your fears are unfounded. You’re not defective.’ His gaze softly probing her as he addressed her curiosities at his laughing; but the words, ‘unfounded’ and ‘not defective’ resulted in a very bewildered look mixed with a twinge of disbelief. Her fears were unfounded. The wheels in her brain shifted into gear. Was it possible that she wasn’t defective? But… How… Hmmm…
“Huh,” Came out as a throaty murmur of thought rather than a question. Evangelina’s teeth captured her bottom lip as she chewed on it soaking up his words and examining them. She couldn’t quite meet his gaze at that moment. If what he said was true… The redness of embarrassment moved like flames licking up her neck and expanding in her cheeks. She needed to know if he was earnest in his words and her gaze shot up to pin her focus on him.
“You mean…” Her big, expressive doe eyes blinked, the wheels seeming to find their own groove in turning. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to find the right words, “I am not?” Pursing her lips into a thin line of skepticism, “Are you sure?” Shifting, she was struggling with the idea… that much was very obvious. Clearing her throat, her hands anchored themselves to her hips as she stared up at him. Her teeth caught her bottom lip as she continued to lock eyes with him. Was it possible that despite the embarrassment that she felt a little lighter?
Taking a breath, she stepped closer until she was very carefully pressed up against the length of his body. Her hands drifted off her hips to rest on the stone wall on each side of him, pinning his body between her arms. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. An unbidden challenge flashing in the earthy brown of her eyes. Contradicting the look in her eyes, she inhaled a thick breath, “I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.” A slow decadent sort of smile curled upwards on her lips, as her right hand’s fingers gently prodded his ribs, “What do you know?”
He wasn’t unconscious of how well she responded to the merest touch or gesture, but he was still of the opinion that now wasn’t at all the time to make use of her reciprocal nature. The single step she took revealed that she wasn’t in a mood to hold grudges. Obviously she had not enjoyed being laughed at, but closing the distance between them meant that she was willing to move past the discretion. That was important and would have been a serious problem if she hadn’t. People made mistakes all the time. He was no different, and was not willing to toss his serene existence out the window for a woman who would rather nag and whine than be sweet. Gavriil knew exactly how he wanted the rest of his life to go. From his first wife, he’d learned the pitfalls of being too overbearing, or of pushing to get his own way all of the time. Far from a selfish person, Gavriil’s trouble in that area stemmed from his notion that his ideas were naturally superior to those of other people; especially people who had less experience than he did. Though a simple country girl, Sibyl had bristled at times when she felt he’d trodden straight over her. Gavriil felt that he had learned to be gentler with age; his children appeared to think so, at any rate.
“Huh,” she breathed out as he spoke and then he saw the features of her face shift. Her brows dipped, her mouth tightened, only for the features to then rearrange into a more puzzled look and he momentarily lifted his eyes toward the ceiling. Here it was; she was going to take what he’d said somehow differently than he’d meant it, but though there was a momentary twinge of foreboding, Gavriil was a bit more patient with this than he tended to be with other things.
“You mean…” she tested, and he brought his eyes back down to meet hers. “I am not?” “No,” he said simply.
“Are you sure?” she pressed and he found himself shaking his head a little at her. What he’d have liked to do was put his arms around her again but he kept his hands against the wall behind him.
“Positive,” he did not truly understand how she’d come to the comical notion that she would never be able to have sex, but he wasn’t going to further comment on it. If he had his way, they’d never have that discussion again. There was too great a chance that he wouldn’t be able to keep his composure.
Evangelina worried at her lower lip again and he regarded her all the while. Then, worryingly, she returned to the way they had been beside his desk, with her body pressed against his, pinning him to the wall. He looked down the hall like his father or mother would come whisking around the corner and catch them, which was ridiculous. This was his house. He could and would do what he liked.
“I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.”
Gavriil gave her a look, slowly took his hands away from the wall, and placed them on her hips. With firm purpose, he pressed her back, taking a step toward her as he did so, so that they were almost in a dance. Once he’d freed himself, he let her go and moved around her, keeping his back toward the open hallway. A small smile played about his face and he shook his head. “Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation,” he assured her. “Would you like to take a ride?” he gestured over his shoulder, pointing at the stairs, but meaning the stables beyond, outside.
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He wasn’t unconscious of how well she responded to the merest touch or gesture, but he was still of the opinion that now wasn’t at all the time to make use of her reciprocal nature. The single step she took revealed that she wasn’t in a mood to hold grudges. Obviously she had not enjoyed being laughed at, but closing the distance between them meant that she was willing to move past the discretion. That was important and would have been a serious problem if she hadn’t. People made mistakes all the time. He was no different, and was not willing to toss his serene existence out the window for a woman who would rather nag and whine than be sweet. Gavriil knew exactly how he wanted the rest of his life to go. From his first wife, he’d learned the pitfalls of being too overbearing, or of pushing to get his own way all of the time. Far from a selfish person, Gavriil’s trouble in that area stemmed from his notion that his ideas were naturally superior to those of other people; especially people who had less experience than he did. Though a simple country girl, Sibyl had bristled at times when she felt he’d trodden straight over her. Gavriil felt that he had learned to be gentler with age; his children appeared to think so, at any rate.
“Huh,” she breathed out as he spoke and then he saw the features of her face shift. Her brows dipped, her mouth tightened, only for the features to then rearrange into a more puzzled look and he momentarily lifted his eyes toward the ceiling. Here it was; she was going to take what he’d said somehow differently than he’d meant it, but though there was a momentary twinge of foreboding, Gavriil was a bit more patient with this than he tended to be with other things.
“You mean…” she tested, and he brought his eyes back down to meet hers. “I am not?” “No,” he said simply.
“Are you sure?” she pressed and he found himself shaking his head a little at her. What he’d have liked to do was put his arms around her again but he kept his hands against the wall behind him.
“Positive,” he did not truly understand how she’d come to the comical notion that she would never be able to have sex, but he wasn’t going to further comment on it. If he had his way, they’d never have that discussion again. There was too great a chance that he wouldn’t be able to keep his composure.
Evangelina worried at her lower lip again and he regarded her all the while. Then, worryingly, she returned to the way they had been beside his desk, with her body pressed against his, pinning him to the wall. He looked down the hall like his father or mother would come whisking around the corner and catch them, which was ridiculous. This was his house. He could and would do what he liked.
“I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.”
Gavriil gave her a look, slowly took his hands away from the wall, and placed them on her hips. With firm purpose, he pressed her back, taking a step toward her as he did so, so that they were almost in a dance. Once he’d freed himself, he let her go and moved around her, keeping his back toward the open hallway. A small smile played about his face and he shook his head. “Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation,” he assured her. “Would you like to take a ride?” he gestured over his shoulder, pointing at the stairs, but meaning the stables beyond, outside.
He wasn’t unconscious of how well she responded to the merest touch or gesture, but he was still of the opinion that now wasn’t at all the time to make use of her reciprocal nature. The single step she took revealed that she wasn’t in a mood to hold grudges. Obviously she had not enjoyed being laughed at, but closing the distance between them meant that she was willing to move past the discretion. That was important and would have been a serious problem if she hadn’t. People made mistakes all the time. He was no different, and was not willing to toss his serene existence out the window for a woman who would rather nag and whine than be sweet. Gavriil knew exactly how he wanted the rest of his life to go. From his first wife, he’d learned the pitfalls of being too overbearing, or of pushing to get his own way all of the time. Far from a selfish person, Gavriil’s trouble in that area stemmed from his notion that his ideas were naturally superior to those of other people; especially people who had less experience than he did. Though a simple country girl, Sibyl had bristled at times when she felt he’d trodden straight over her. Gavriil felt that he had learned to be gentler with age; his children appeared to think so, at any rate.
“Huh,” she breathed out as he spoke and then he saw the features of her face shift. Her brows dipped, her mouth tightened, only for the features to then rearrange into a more puzzled look and he momentarily lifted his eyes toward the ceiling. Here it was; she was going to take what he’d said somehow differently than he’d meant it, but though there was a momentary twinge of foreboding, Gavriil was a bit more patient with this than he tended to be with other things.
“You mean…” she tested, and he brought his eyes back down to meet hers. “I am not?” “No,” he said simply.
“Are you sure?” she pressed and he found himself shaking his head a little at her. What he’d have liked to do was put his arms around her again but he kept his hands against the wall behind him.
“Positive,” he did not truly understand how she’d come to the comical notion that she would never be able to have sex, but he wasn’t going to further comment on it. If he had his way, they’d never have that discussion again. There was too great a chance that he wouldn’t be able to keep his composure.
Evangelina worried at her lower lip again and he regarded her all the while. Then, worryingly, she returned to the way they had been beside his desk, with her body pressed against his, pinning him to the wall. He looked down the hall like his father or mother would come whisking around the corner and catch them, which was ridiculous. This was his house. He could and would do what he liked.
“I don’t know if I entirely believe you; but if it’s true. I suppose I can understand your laughing however I think you’d better uncomplicate this with an explanation.”
Gavriil gave her a look, slowly took his hands away from the wall, and placed them on her hips. With firm purpose, he pressed her back, taking a step toward her as he did so, so that they were almost in a dance. Once he’d freed himself, he let her go and moved around her, keeping his back toward the open hallway. A small smile played about his face and he shook his head. “Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation,” he assured her. “Would you like to take a ride?” he gestured over his shoulder, pointing at the stairs, but meaning the stables beyond, outside.
Each reply he answered her with was full of conviction and a certainty that worked to lessened her feelings of anxiety and put her at ease. It gave her the confidence to step closer, pressing the warmth of her body up against him as she did so. A slow, almost deliberate smile crept up onto her lips as he trepidatiously looked down the hallway. She found herself attempting to entice him into enlightening her a bit more with his words and maybe if she were lucky a small confirmation of words.
The moment though that he gave her that look though she knew it wasn’t going to happen and heart fell a little in her chest. His hands came out from behind him and grasp her hips. She didn’t resist any at all has he guided her backward until he could work himself free of her. Stifling an inward sigh, her arms fell softly to her sides as her hands clasped in front of her. It had been worth a try.
The Leventi blood ran a little hot. She knew that. She also knew that she had a tendency to be just a bit too passionate and not quite reserved enough. But if that was what he wanted from her… Taking a step of her own accord backward, she gave him a bit more space. Or maybe it was for herself? She didn’t know. The only thing she was certain of was that she was honestly trying to please him. If he wanted space then she’d put a bit of space there between them.
‘Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation.’
Evangelina missed the small smile on his lips but found herself almost grimacing at his words. Her mother was in Acharist and Aunt Evelli had left shortly after Theo’s wedding for Colchis… That left only her Aunt Eirini to ask, and while her aunt would most definitely have all of the answers to all of the questions that Evangelina could think up… There was no way in all of Hades that she was going to ask her aunt them. Or Theo for that matter. The grimace evolved into a vague, fixed smile and a simple nod of her head as she looked back down to the floor and gathered her thoughts, “Yes, of course.”
She shifted her weight and cleared her throat as faintly as she could. It still came across a bit stiff but she had no idea what to do with herself at this very moment.
‘Would you like to take a ride?’ Her head didn’t come completely up but tilted a little as she looked up at him from under her lashes catching his gesture towards the staircase rather than towards the door. Her mind probably would have drifted towards a sexual innuendo had she been a bit more experienced, but riding still to her was a rather innocent activity.
Evie’s lips parted slightly and she stared at him for a long moment. She got the faintest idea he was trying to put her back at ease and somehow it just made her feel a little more awkward. Her face scrunched up a little, and her hand reached up to rub her neck absentmindedly before she tried to smile faintly and nodded her head slowly. Maybe she’d imagined all of that earlier that had transpired within his office. That’d make a bit more sense… It was official. Her vivid imagination was going to get her into trouble.
“I suppose we could do that.” She licked her lips. She was going to tell herself she’d imagined it at least. Her hand fell away from her neck and she crossed her arms under her breasts, not intentionally trying to draw attention to them but doing so all the same. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
Perhaps being outdoors and moving was something she needed. At the very least, she hoped it’d take her mind off her vivid imagination and the dull ache that had settled over her body. Yes, a good ride would do her the world of good… she was sure of it.
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Each reply he answered her with was full of conviction and a certainty that worked to lessened her feelings of anxiety and put her at ease. It gave her the confidence to step closer, pressing the warmth of her body up against him as she did so. A slow, almost deliberate smile crept up onto her lips as he trepidatiously looked down the hallway. She found herself attempting to entice him into enlightening her a bit more with his words and maybe if she were lucky a small confirmation of words.
The moment though that he gave her that look though she knew it wasn’t going to happen and heart fell a little in her chest. His hands came out from behind him and grasp her hips. She didn’t resist any at all has he guided her backward until he could work himself free of her. Stifling an inward sigh, her arms fell softly to her sides as her hands clasped in front of her. It had been worth a try.
The Leventi blood ran a little hot. She knew that. She also knew that she had a tendency to be just a bit too passionate and not quite reserved enough. But if that was what he wanted from her… Taking a step of her own accord backward, she gave him a bit more space. Or maybe it was for herself? She didn’t know. The only thing she was certain of was that she was honestly trying to please him. If he wanted space then she’d put a bit of space there between them.
‘Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation.’
Evangelina missed the small smile on his lips but found herself almost grimacing at his words. Her mother was in Acharist and Aunt Evelli had left shortly after Theo’s wedding for Colchis… That left only her Aunt Eirini to ask, and while her aunt would most definitely have all of the answers to all of the questions that Evangelina could think up… There was no way in all of Hades that she was going to ask her aunt them. Or Theo for that matter. The grimace evolved into a vague, fixed smile and a simple nod of her head as she looked back down to the floor and gathered her thoughts, “Yes, of course.”
She shifted her weight and cleared her throat as faintly as she could. It still came across a bit stiff but she had no idea what to do with herself at this very moment.
‘Would you like to take a ride?’ Her head didn’t come completely up but tilted a little as she looked up at him from under her lashes catching his gesture towards the staircase rather than towards the door. Her mind probably would have drifted towards a sexual innuendo had she been a bit more experienced, but riding still to her was a rather innocent activity.
Evie’s lips parted slightly and she stared at him for a long moment. She got the faintest idea he was trying to put her back at ease and somehow it just made her feel a little more awkward. Her face scrunched up a little, and her hand reached up to rub her neck absentmindedly before she tried to smile faintly and nodded her head slowly. Maybe she’d imagined all of that earlier that had transpired within his office. That’d make a bit more sense… It was official. Her vivid imagination was going to get her into trouble.
“I suppose we could do that.” She licked her lips. She was going to tell herself she’d imagined it at least. Her hand fell away from her neck and she crossed her arms under her breasts, not intentionally trying to draw attention to them but doing so all the same. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
Perhaps being outdoors and moving was something she needed. At the very least, she hoped it’d take her mind off her vivid imagination and the dull ache that had settled over her body. Yes, a good ride would do her the world of good… she was sure of it.
Each reply he answered her with was full of conviction and a certainty that worked to lessened her feelings of anxiety and put her at ease. It gave her the confidence to step closer, pressing the warmth of her body up against him as she did so. A slow, almost deliberate smile crept up onto her lips as he trepidatiously looked down the hallway. She found herself attempting to entice him into enlightening her a bit more with his words and maybe if she were lucky a small confirmation of words.
The moment though that he gave her that look though she knew it wasn’t going to happen and heart fell a little in her chest. His hands came out from behind him and grasp her hips. She didn’t resist any at all has he guided her backward until he could work himself free of her. Stifling an inward sigh, her arms fell softly to her sides as her hands clasped in front of her. It had been worth a try.
The Leventi blood ran a little hot. She knew that. She also knew that she had a tendency to be just a bit too passionate and not quite reserved enough. But if that was what he wanted from her… Taking a step of her own accord backward, she gave him a bit more space. Or maybe it was for herself? She didn’t know. The only thing she was certain of was that she was honestly trying to please him. If he wanted space then she’d put a bit of space there between them.
‘Your aunts or mothers would give you a more thorough explanation.’
Evangelina missed the small smile on his lips but found herself almost grimacing at his words. Her mother was in Acharist and Aunt Evelli had left shortly after Theo’s wedding for Colchis… That left only her Aunt Eirini to ask, and while her aunt would most definitely have all of the answers to all of the questions that Evangelina could think up… There was no way in all of Hades that she was going to ask her aunt them. Or Theo for that matter. The grimace evolved into a vague, fixed smile and a simple nod of her head as she looked back down to the floor and gathered her thoughts, “Yes, of course.”
She shifted her weight and cleared her throat as faintly as she could. It still came across a bit stiff but she had no idea what to do with herself at this very moment.
‘Would you like to take a ride?’ Her head didn’t come completely up but tilted a little as she looked up at him from under her lashes catching his gesture towards the staircase rather than towards the door. Her mind probably would have drifted towards a sexual innuendo had she been a bit more experienced, but riding still to her was a rather innocent activity.
Evie’s lips parted slightly and she stared at him for a long moment. She got the faintest idea he was trying to put her back at ease and somehow it just made her feel a little more awkward. Her face scrunched up a little, and her hand reached up to rub her neck absentmindedly before she tried to smile faintly and nodded her head slowly. Maybe she’d imagined all of that earlier that had transpired within his office. That’d make a bit more sense… It was official. Her vivid imagination was going to get her into trouble.
“I suppose we could do that.” She licked her lips. She was going to tell herself she’d imagined it at least. Her hand fell away from her neck and she crossed her arms under her breasts, not intentionally trying to draw attention to them but doing so all the same. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
Perhaps being outdoors and moving was something she needed. At the very least, she hoped it’d take her mind off her vivid imagination and the dull ache that had settled over her body. Yes, a good ride would do her the world of good… she was sure of it.
He didn’t believe her “Yes, of course.” for a single second. It was easy to read her face, and to guess at what she was thinking. She’d already indicated to him several times that her life at home wasn’t overly warm and inviting, which meant that her mother probably wasn’t a source she’d run to, and obviously they hadn’t spoken about this subject at all, judging from her fears earlier. As for Eirini, her beautiful aunt...well, to Gavriil, there was no one better to speak about it; unless she’d choose Evelli. Evelli would be ideal. Perhaps Eirini was too intimidating? Evelli couldn’t be, surely? However it turned out? He wasn’t going to be the one speaking about it for the present time. That conversation still needed to happen with Dorothea, when it became relevant and he fully planned on pulling Evelli straight to his estate and having her in the room as some sort of surrogate friend-mother to do that for him. He’d be there, of course. He wouldn’t shirk his duty, but he felt that Evelli was better suited to the conversation and it’d be best coming from a woman. His advice to Iason hadn’t gone as well as one would have hoped. Thankfully, the conversation moved on from the topic and Evangelina seemed able to let the notion go.
The awkwardness had descended upon them again. It manifested with his moving away from her and her shifting from one foot to the other. The soft clearing of her throat was loud in the silence. Somewhere in the house, he could hear footsteps coming closer, but then retreating as whoever it was entered a room, either totally aware of what was going on and wishing to avoid it, or, more likely, a servant going about their cleaning duties. The only thing he could think of was to offer to take her riding. Out of doors, in the sun, surrounded by nature; his ideal environment. She tilted her head up a bit to eye him and he steadily met her gaze. With the crumpling of her features and the jerky movements of her hand rubbing the back of her neck, he got the impression that this wasn’t an idea she wanted to take up. Though, her faint smile at the end was confusing. He wished he could read her mind, because one emotion flitted to the next across her features, indicating one thing, shifting, and indicating another.
“I suppose we could do that,” she finally agreed. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
“No imposition,” he said and swept his arm toward the stables, indicating he’d follow after her lead. They moved through the house, little directions of “here” or “Just through there” his way of directing her steps until they came to a side door that led to the stable yard. They did not keep many horses in the city. There was his that he rode from Maganea alongside the carriage that his daughters rode in. Though, like any good Taengean father, he’d had Dorothea and Alexa’s horses brought along too. It was his youngest daughter’s horse that he offered to Evangelina as they took the three shallow steps down into the cobblestoned courtyard.
“Here,” he pointed to the palomino mare, whose white blazed face was stuck over her stall door, watching them with all the placid serenity of a horse who didn’t much care how her day was spent. “I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.” He moved further into the small stable and found the stable boy crawling out of a pile of hay. Bits of straw stuck out of the boy’s curly hair and he rubbed sleep from his eyes.
”My lord,” he said stoutly, trying his level best to pretend he hadn’t been caught napping.
“You’re paid to keep the stable clean,” Gavriil’s voice was stern. “Not sleep. Lady Alexa’s horse and my hunter.” The servant boy bowed and sped toward the tack room. Gavriil turned toward Evangelina. “I know you can ready your own horse but he’s quick. Besides, you can get to know her if you like.”
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He didn’t believe her “Yes, of course.” for a single second. It was easy to read her face, and to guess at what she was thinking. She’d already indicated to him several times that her life at home wasn’t overly warm and inviting, which meant that her mother probably wasn’t a source she’d run to, and obviously they hadn’t spoken about this subject at all, judging from her fears earlier. As for Eirini, her beautiful aunt...well, to Gavriil, there was no one better to speak about it; unless she’d choose Evelli. Evelli would be ideal. Perhaps Eirini was too intimidating? Evelli couldn’t be, surely? However it turned out? He wasn’t going to be the one speaking about it for the present time. That conversation still needed to happen with Dorothea, when it became relevant and he fully planned on pulling Evelli straight to his estate and having her in the room as some sort of surrogate friend-mother to do that for him. He’d be there, of course. He wouldn’t shirk his duty, but he felt that Evelli was better suited to the conversation and it’d be best coming from a woman. His advice to Iason hadn’t gone as well as one would have hoped. Thankfully, the conversation moved on from the topic and Evangelina seemed able to let the notion go.
The awkwardness had descended upon them again. It manifested with his moving away from her and her shifting from one foot to the other. The soft clearing of her throat was loud in the silence. Somewhere in the house, he could hear footsteps coming closer, but then retreating as whoever it was entered a room, either totally aware of what was going on and wishing to avoid it, or, more likely, a servant going about their cleaning duties. The only thing he could think of was to offer to take her riding. Out of doors, in the sun, surrounded by nature; his ideal environment. She tilted her head up a bit to eye him and he steadily met her gaze. With the crumpling of her features and the jerky movements of her hand rubbing the back of her neck, he got the impression that this wasn’t an idea she wanted to take up. Though, her faint smile at the end was confusing. He wished he could read her mind, because one emotion flitted to the next across her features, indicating one thing, shifting, and indicating another.
“I suppose we could do that,” she finally agreed. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
“No imposition,” he said and swept his arm toward the stables, indicating he’d follow after her lead. They moved through the house, little directions of “here” or “Just through there” his way of directing her steps until they came to a side door that led to the stable yard. They did not keep many horses in the city. There was his that he rode from Maganea alongside the carriage that his daughters rode in. Though, like any good Taengean father, he’d had Dorothea and Alexa’s horses brought along too. It was his youngest daughter’s horse that he offered to Evangelina as they took the three shallow steps down into the cobblestoned courtyard.
“Here,” he pointed to the palomino mare, whose white blazed face was stuck over her stall door, watching them with all the placid serenity of a horse who didn’t much care how her day was spent. “I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.” He moved further into the small stable and found the stable boy crawling out of a pile of hay. Bits of straw stuck out of the boy’s curly hair and he rubbed sleep from his eyes.
”My lord,” he said stoutly, trying his level best to pretend he hadn’t been caught napping.
“You’re paid to keep the stable clean,” Gavriil’s voice was stern. “Not sleep. Lady Alexa’s horse and my hunter.” The servant boy bowed and sped toward the tack room. Gavriil turned toward Evangelina. “I know you can ready your own horse but he’s quick. Besides, you can get to know her if you like.”
He didn’t believe her “Yes, of course.” for a single second. It was easy to read her face, and to guess at what she was thinking. She’d already indicated to him several times that her life at home wasn’t overly warm and inviting, which meant that her mother probably wasn’t a source she’d run to, and obviously they hadn’t spoken about this subject at all, judging from her fears earlier. As for Eirini, her beautiful aunt...well, to Gavriil, there was no one better to speak about it; unless she’d choose Evelli. Evelli would be ideal. Perhaps Eirini was too intimidating? Evelli couldn’t be, surely? However it turned out? He wasn’t going to be the one speaking about it for the present time. That conversation still needed to happen with Dorothea, when it became relevant and he fully planned on pulling Evelli straight to his estate and having her in the room as some sort of surrogate friend-mother to do that for him. He’d be there, of course. He wouldn’t shirk his duty, but he felt that Evelli was better suited to the conversation and it’d be best coming from a woman. His advice to Iason hadn’t gone as well as one would have hoped. Thankfully, the conversation moved on from the topic and Evangelina seemed able to let the notion go.
The awkwardness had descended upon them again. It manifested with his moving away from her and her shifting from one foot to the other. The soft clearing of her throat was loud in the silence. Somewhere in the house, he could hear footsteps coming closer, but then retreating as whoever it was entered a room, either totally aware of what was going on and wishing to avoid it, or, more likely, a servant going about their cleaning duties. The only thing he could think of was to offer to take her riding. Out of doors, in the sun, surrounded by nature; his ideal environment. She tilted her head up a bit to eye him and he steadily met her gaze. With the crumpling of her features and the jerky movements of her hand rubbing the back of her neck, he got the impression that this wasn’t an idea she wanted to take up. Though, her faint smile at the end was confusing. He wished he could read her mind, because one emotion flitted to the next across her features, indicating one thing, shifting, and indicating another.
“I suppose we could do that,” she finally agreed. “I’m afraid I didn’t ride here so I’m afraid I’ll have to impose upon you.”
“No imposition,” he said and swept his arm toward the stables, indicating he’d follow after her lead. They moved through the house, little directions of “here” or “Just through there” his way of directing her steps until they came to a side door that led to the stable yard. They did not keep many horses in the city. There was his that he rode from Maganea alongside the carriage that his daughters rode in. Though, like any good Taengean father, he’d had Dorothea and Alexa’s horses brought along too. It was his youngest daughter’s horse that he offered to Evangelina as they took the three shallow steps down into the cobblestoned courtyard.
“Here,” he pointed to the palomino mare, whose white blazed face was stuck over her stall door, watching them with all the placid serenity of a horse who didn’t much care how her day was spent. “I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.” He moved further into the small stable and found the stable boy crawling out of a pile of hay. Bits of straw stuck out of the boy’s curly hair and he rubbed sleep from his eyes.
”My lord,” he said stoutly, trying his level best to pretend he hadn’t been caught napping.
“You’re paid to keep the stable clean,” Gavriil’s voice was stern. “Not sleep. Lady Alexa’s horse and my hunter.” The servant boy bowed and sped toward the tack room. Gavriil turned toward Evangelina. “I know you can ready your own horse but he’s quick. Besides, you can get to know her if you like.”
While Gavriil was lost in thoughts about which of the Leventi matrons would speak to his daughter about the birds and the bees, Evangelina felt growingly uncomfortable. Had she exposed too much of herself? Was it too late to paddle backward and somehow make this a more appropriate meeting? She pressed her lips together into a thinner line. It felt like the walls there in the hallway were slowly closing in on her. She had definitely said more than she should have. If it was true and she wasn’t defective, she’d just exposed how positively naive she was. Naivety was as far from alluring as you could get. Darting a glance towards the sound of footsteps nearing, panic rose in her throat and she almost pivoted and bolted from his house right then and there.
The steps veered off into another part of the house though and soon faded. The arm that was wrapped around her slowly released the vice grip it had on her ribs and she forced herself to take a deep breath. She hated feeling like she was playing a game that she didn’t understand the rules too. When he mentioned going riding, it distracted her… at least a little. She wasn’t exactly dressed for it but, it wouldn’t be the first time a dress that she’d sworn she’d never get horse hair on got horse hair on it.
She hesitated in a response to him as she tried to gather her wits about her. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks with his focus pinned on her and her pride wanting to drag her away from this entire embarrassing situation altogether.
‘No imposition.’ His arm swept effortlessly, and she blinked and started moving to let him guide and direct her to the easiest exit of the house that would put them to the stables. Evangelina remained quiet, her thoughts loud enough to keep her occupied. There wasn’t any way she’d remember how she got from the house into the stables so she hoped there wasn’t an immediate need of getting back to where they had been.
Stepping into the stable though and the smell of horses and straw felt like coming home. The tension in her body didn’t immediately fade but slowly seemed to be evaporating the deeper she stepped into the stable. It wasn’t exactly the pristine and modern design that the Leventi stables were but it seemed relaxed, clean, and safe. Not that Evangelina had ever noticed horses being happier in a fancier stable, they were usually content where their needs were met and there was a sweet voice waiting for them.
She almost smiled at that thought. She wasn’t much different really, she’d thrive in a place where her needs were met and there was a kind enough hand on the rein. Drawing her gaze sideways to him as he nodded towards the pretty palomino whose face popped over the door the sweetly greet them.
‘Here.’ Evangelina was already reaching out offering her fingers to the mare and gently tickling the long whiskers on her lips as he spoke. ‘I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.’ The mare had a kind eye and a look of soft intelligence.
“Oh, no. She’s perfect.” She murmured and stepped closer to the stall door as her hand rubbed the mare’s neck and she leaned her weight against the door. Some of her fears and concerns from earlier forgotten about… at least for now.
Out of nowhere appeared a boy with straw stuck into his hair and rubbing sleep from his eyes. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling at him. The poor thing looked like they’d disturbed him. Tilting her head away, she let Lord Gavriil handle the boy while she hid her amusement.
As the boy sprung into action to follow the Lord’s orders, she slowly turned her head to look at Lord Gavriil and gave him a sheepish smile. Ignoring the remark about saddling her own horses she opted for light teasing.
“It’s a tight ship you run here, my lord. Are you sure taking on another delinquent, such as myself, is a good idea?” A puckish spark flickered in her eyes and although her tone was teasing, perhaps there was some concern rooted in her words. People already believed he didn’t know what he was getting himself in for.
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While Gavriil was lost in thoughts about which of the Leventi matrons would speak to his daughter about the birds and the bees, Evangelina felt growingly uncomfortable. Had she exposed too much of herself? Was it too late to paddle backward and somehow make this a more appropriate meeting? She pressed her lips together into a thinner line. It felt like the walls there in the hallway were slowly closing in on her. She had definitely said more than she should have. If it was true and she wasn’t defective, she’d just exposed how positively naive she was. Naivety was as far from alluring as you could get. Darting a glance towards the sound of footsteps nearing, panic rose in her throat and she almost pivoted and bolted from his house right then and there.
The steps veered off into another part of the house though and soon faded. The arm that was wrapped around her slowly released the vice grip it had on her ribs and she forced herself to take a deep breath. She hated feeling like she was playing a game that she didn’t understand the rules too. When he mentioned going riding, it distracted her… at least a little. She wasn’t exactly dressed for it but, it wouldn’t be the first time a dress that she’d sworn she’d never get horse hair on got horse hair on it.
She hesitated in a response to him as she tried to gather her wits about her. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks with his focus pinned on her and her pride wanting to drag her away from this entire embarrassing situation altogether.
‘No imposition.’ His arm swept effortlessly, and she blinked and started moving to let him guide and direct her to the easiest exit of the house that would put them to the stables. Evangelina remained quiet, her thoughts loud enough to keep her occupied. There wasn’t any way she’d remember how she got from the house into the stables so she hoped there wasn’t an immediate need of getting back to where they had been.
Stepping into the stable though and the smell of horses and straw felt like coming home. The tension in her body didn’t immediately fade but slowly seemed to be evaporating the deeper she stepped into the stable. It wasn’t exactly the pristine and modern design that the Leventi stables were but it seemed relaxed, clean, and safe. Not that Evangelina had ever noticed horses being happier in a fancier stable, they were usually content where their needs were met and there was a sweet voice waiting for them.
She almost smiled at that thought. She wasn’t much different really, she’d thrive in a place where her needs were met and there was a kind enough hand on the rein. Drawing her gaze sideways to him as he nodded towards the pretty palomino whose face popped over the door the sweetly greet them.
‘Here.’ Evangelina was already reaching out offering her fingers to the mare and gently tickling the long whiskers on her lips as he spoke. ‘I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.’ The mare had a kind eye and a look of soft intelligence.
“Oh, no. She’s perfect.” She murmured and stepped closer to the stall door as her hand rubbed the mare’s neck and she leaned her weight against the door. Some of her fears and concerns from earlier forgotten about… at least for now.
Out of nowhere appeared a boy with straw stuck into his hair and rubbing sleep from his eyes. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling at him. The poor thing looked like they’d disturbed him. Tilting her head away, she let Lord Gavriil handle the boy while she hid her amusement.
As the boy sprung into action to follow the Lord’s orders, she slowly turned her head to look at Lord Gavriil and gave him a sheepish smile. Ignoring the remark about saddling her own horses she opted for light teasing.
“It’s a tight ship you run here, my lord. Are you sure taking on another delinquent, such as myself, is a good idea?” A puckish spark flickered in her eyes and although her tone was teasing, perhaps there was some concern rooted in her words. People already believed he didn’t know what he was getting himself in for.
While Gavriil was lost in thoughts about which of the Leventi matrons would speak to his daughter about the birds and the bees, Evangelina felt growingly uncomfortable. Had she exposed too much of herself? Was it too late to paddle backward and somehow make this a more appropriate meeting? She pressed her lips together into a thinner line. It felt like the walls there in the hallway were slowly closing in on her. She had definitely said more than she should have. If it was true and she wasn’t defective, she’d just exposed how positively naive she was. Naivety was as far from alluring as you could get. Darting a glance towards the sound of footsteps nearing, panic rose in her throat and she almost pivoted and bolted from his house right then and there.
The steps veered off into another part of the house though and soon faded. The arm that was wrapped around her slowly released the vice grip it had on her ribs and she forced herself to take a deep breath. She hated feeling like she was playing a game that she didn’t understand the rules too. When he mentioned going riding, it distracted her… at least a little. She wasn’t exactly dressed for it but, it wouldn’t be the first time a dress that she’d sworn she’d never get horse hair on got horse hair on it.
She hesitated in a response to him as she tried to gather her wits about her. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks with his focus pinned on her and her pride wanting to drag her away from this entire embarrassing situation altogether.
‘No imposition.’ His arm swept effortlessly, and she blinked and started moving to let him guide and direct her to the easiest exit of the house that would put them to the stables. Evangelina remained quiet, her thoughts loud enough to keep her occupied. There wasn’t any way she’d remember how she got from the house into the stables so she hoped there wasn’t an immediate need of getting back to where they had been.
Stepping into the stable though and the smell of horses and straw felt like coming home. The tension in her body didn’t immediately fade but slowly seemed to be evaporating the deeper she stepped into the stable. It wasn’t exactly the pristine and modern design that the Leventi stables were but it seemed relaxed, clean, and safe. Not that Evangelina had ever noticed horses being happier in a fancier stable, they were usually content where their needs were met and there was a sweet voice waiting for them.
She almost smiled at that thought. She wasn’t much different really, she’d thrive in a place where her needs were met and there was a kind enough hand on the rein. Drawing her gaze sideways to him as he nodded towards the pretty palomino whose face popped over the door the sweetly greet them.
‘Here.’ Evangelina was already reaching out offering her fingers to the mare and gently tickling the long whiskers on her lips as he spoke. ‘I know you prefer an animal with more spirit but I am unsure of Dorothea’s plans for today and I can safely promise Alexa will not need her horse.’ The mare had a kind eye and a look of soft intelligence.
“Oh, no. She’s perfect.” She murmured and stepped closer to the stall door as her hand rubbed the mare’s neck and she leaned her weight against the door. Some of her fears and concerns from earlier forgotten about… at least for now.
Out of nowhere appeared a boy with straw stuck into his hair and rubbing sleep from his eyes. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling at him. The poor thing looked like they’d disturbed him. Tilting her head away, she let Lord Gavriil handle the boy while she hid her amusement.
As the boy sprung into action to follow the Lord’s orders, she slowly turned her head to look at Lord Gavriil and gave him a sheepish smile. Ignoring the remark about saddling her own horses she opted for light teasing.
“It’s a tight ship you run here, my lord. Are you sure taking on another delinquent, such as myself, is a good idea?” A puckish spark flickered in her eyes and although her tone was teasing, perhaps there was some concern rooted in her words. People already believed he didn’t know what he was getting himself in for.
Gavriil wasn’t angry at the youth sleeping in the barn, but he wasn’t thrilled, either. It was just after midday. Surely if he hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, going the whole day without a proper nap would ensure he would sleep better once darkness fell. He stood, fists on his hips, sharp eyes narrowed, watching the boy disappear into the gloom before he turned back to where Evangelina stood. Her comment about the ‘tight ship’ earned her a deep ‘hmph’ in return. Not grumpy, but not disagreeing. The second a lord let his servants dictate what they would or would not do, the battle was lost. People, by and large, liked to know their limits and they liked to test them. It was just like dealing with little children, and like with his own children, he held firm to the statutes he’d set up; i.e. don’t be sleeping the afternoon away when there’s work to be done. If the boy shirked his own duties, he made it harder on someone else, and another servant would have to take up the slack. Not only would that add to their own chores, but it would cause tension in the household; something Gavriil was fond of not allowing if he could at all help it.
Evangelina’s playful grin was one he was beginning to understand to be a base part of her personality and he lifted one eyebrow at her when he saw it. The other eyebrow moved upwards at her question: Was he sure? And she called herself a delinquent. Gavriil shook his head slightly and moved around her to pat the mare’s neck over Evangelina’s head.
“If you are a delinquent,” he said, “You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.” The lord refused to elaborate on that and was above any question she tried to put to him. He merely smiled to himself and continued to pet the horse until he heard the scraping of hooves and looked back over his shoulder to find his horse being led around. She evidently did not want saddled this morning and was holding her breath, but as soon as she exhaled, the boy was jerking up the cinch in a flash and buckling it into place. The hunter swung her red head around to give the stable boy an offended snort, stamped one foot, and swished her tail, but that was all. Gavriil moved to take hold of his horse’s reins, leaving the boy room to dart around him. The servant offered Evangelina a muttered “excuse me”, shouldered past between her and the stall, and began the task of getting Lady Alexa’s horse ready.
Gavriil swung up into the saddle, waiting for Evangelina to be ready. Rather than sitting rigidly and absolute image of a cold, untouchable baron, he leaned forward and began to pick out little burrs that had been missed from his horse’s mane. Her skin flinched and he absently patted her before finding another one. The burrs were dropped to the courtyard stones and once they were all gone, Gavriil untangled the coarse thicket of her hair until he perceived Evangelina was on horseback at last. It was like the servant was trying to make sure he wasn’t quick, to underline that Gavriil was wrong. He’d have a word with the stable master when they returned.
“After you,” the baron said, gesturing Evangelina forward and, to that end, telling her to pick where they were going to ride to.
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Gavriil wasn’t angry at the youth sleeping in the barn, but he wasn’t thrilled, either. It was just after midday. Surely if he hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, going the whole day without a proper nap would ensure he would sleep better once darkness fell. He stood, fists on his hips, sharp eyes narrowed, watching the boy disappear into the gloom before he turned back to where Evangelina stood. Her comment about the ‘tight ship’ earned her a deep ‘hmph’ in return. Not grumpy, but not disagreeing. The second a lord let his servants dictate what they would or would not do, the battle was lost. People, by and large, liked to know their limits and they liked to test them. It was just like dealing with little children, and like with his own children, he held firm to the statutes he’d set up; i.e. don’t be sleeping the afternoon away when there’s work to be done. If the boy shirked his own duties, he made it harder on someone else, and another servant would have to take up the slack. Not only would that add to their own chores, but it would cause tension in the household; something Gavriil was fond of not allowing if he could at all help it.
Evangelina’s playful grin was one he was beginning to understand to be a base part of her personality and he lifted one eyebrow at her when he saw it. The other eyebrow moved upwards at her question: Was he sure? And she called herself a delinquent. Gavriil shook his head slightly and moved around her to pat the mare’s neck over Evangelina’s head.
“If you are a delinquent,” he said, “You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.” The lord refused to elaborate on that and was above any question she tried to put to him. He merely smiled to himself and continued to pet the horse until he heard the scraping of hooves and looked back over his shoulder to find his horse being led around. She evidently did not want saddled this morning and was holding her breath, but as soon as she exhaled, the boy was jerking up the cinch in a flash and buckling it into place. The hunter swung her red head around to give the stable boy an offended snort, stamped one foot, and swished her tail, but that was all. Gavriil moved to take hold of his horse’s reins, leaving the boy room to dart around him. The servant offered Evangelina a muttered “excuse me”, shouldered past between her and the stall, and began the task of getting Lady Alexa’s horse ready.
Gavriil swung up into the saddle, waiting for Evangelina to be ready. Rather than sitting rigidly and absolute image of a cold, untouchable baron, he leaned forward and began to pick out little burrs that had been missed from his horse’s mane. Her skin flinched and he absently patted her before finding another one. The burrs were dropped to the courtyard stones and once they were all gone, Gavriil untangled the coarse thicket of her hair until he perceived Evangelina was on horseback at last. It was like the servant was trying to make sure he wasn’t quick, to underline that Gavriil was wrong. He’d have a word with the stable master when they returned.
“After you,” the baron said, gesturing Evangelina forward and, to that end, telling her to pick where they were going to ride to.
Gavriil wasn’t angry at the youth sleeping in the barn, but he wasn’t thrilled, either. It was just after midday. Surely if he hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, going the whole day without a proper nap would ensure he would sleep better once darkness fell. He stood, fists on his hips, sharp eyes narrowed, watching the boy disappear into the gloom before he turned back to where Evangelina stood. Her comment about the ‘tight ship’ earned her a deep ‘hmph’ in return. Not grumpy, but not disagreeing. The second a lord let his servants dictate what they would or would not do, the battle was lost. People, by and large, liked to know their limits and they liked to test them. It was just like dealing with little children, and like with his own children, he held firm to the statutes he’d set up; i.e. don’t be sleeping the afternoon away when there’s work to be done. If the boy shirked his own duties, he made it harder on someone else, and another servant would have to take up the slack. Not only would that add to their own chores, but it would cause tension in the household; something Gavriil was fond of not allowing if he could at all help it.
Evangelina’s playful grin was one he was beginning to understand to be a base part of her personality and he lifted one eyebrow at her when he saw it. The other eyebrow moved upwards at her question: Was he sure? And she called herself a delinquent. Gavriil shook his head slightly and moved around her to pat the mare’s neck over Evangelina’s head.
“If you are a delinquent,” he said, “You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.” The lord refused to elaborate on that and was above any question she tried to put to him. He merely smiled to himself and continued to pet the horse until he heard the scraping of hooves and looked back over his shoulder to find his horse being led around. She evidently did not want saddled this morning and was holding her breath, but as soon as she exhaled, the boy was jerking up the cinch in a flash and buckling it into place. The hunter swung her red head around to give the stable boy an offended snort, stamped one foot, and swished her tail, but that was all. Gavriil moved to take hold of his horse’s reins, leaving the boy room to dart around him. The servant offered Evangelina a muttered “excuse me”, shouldered past between her and the stall, and began the task of getting Lady Alexa’s horse ready.
Gavriil swung up into the saddle, waiting for Evangelina to be ready. Rather than sitting rigidly and absolute image of a cold, untouchable baron, he leaned forward and began to pick out little burrs that had been missed from his horse’s mane. Her skin flinched and he absently patted her before finding another one. The burrs were dropped to the courtyard stones and once they were all gone, Gavriil untangled the coarse thicket of her hair until he perceived Evangelina was on horseback at last. It was like the servant was trying to make sure he wasn’t quick, to underline that Gavriil was wrong. He’d have a word with the stable master when they returned.
“After you,” the baron said, gesturing Evangelina forward and, to that end, telling her to pick where they were going to ride to.
Evangelina had been raised in a Leventi household. Gavriil’s treatment of the napping boy was hardly shocking, nor was she in disagreement with the way he’d handled the situation. Her father was a baron like Gavriil, Evangelina had a solid understanding of the many cogs it took to turn the wheel of an estate. Everyone had a boss. The servants had to pull their weight in order for the family to produce a product, in which the family answered to everyone who used their services or bought their products. When someone slipped, it threw things out of their natural order.
But, that didn’t mean Evangelina couldn’t take the opportunity to tease the sometimes-too-mature-for-his-breeches Dimitrou lord every time she could. Her head bent as she pressed her face into the golden mare’s neck and hid her secretive smile as he shook his head at her and moved close up behind her to pat the mare’s neck.
‘If you are a delinquent,’ The mixture of his body close, teasing her with his deep gravelly voice. It beckoned her to press back into the warmth of his body. Her face tilting back a little as she looked up at him from under her thick lashes with warm honeyed eyes. ‘You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.’ Creeping onto her lips was a slow sort of smile, her voice thickened as she countered her reply, “Promise?”
She held his gaze for a moment until the sound of hooves clattered on the cobblestone and she watched his mare being led out. Dipping her head again to hide an amused smile, she shook her head. The mare’s antics distracted Evangelina a little bit from the sudden emptiness of the warmth of Gavriil next to her.
The lad passed the mare off and he stepped over to collect Lady Alexa’s mare. Evangelina stepped out of the way and over towards were Gavriil had mounted up and was gently using his fingers to separate burrs out of his mare’s mane. Her fingers were drawn to the way his fingers moved, patiently taking the time it took to untangle each one rather than abruptly pulling them out along with a few strands of mane as he went.
Her hand reached up to her own dark chestnut hair. Gavriil had pulled the pins out earlier and now it had to look quite disheveled. She caught her bottom lip between. Did she have any more pins left in her hair? Anything to organize herself at least a little? Her fingers found three hidden pins. Not enough to actually do anything with her hair, of course. A soft sigh escaped and she simply plucked the pins out of her hair to drop them down into the hidden pockets sewn into her chiton and ran her fingers through the mess as she waited.
It didn’t take nearly as long for the golden mare to be readied as it had Gavriil’s redhead. The sound of hooves drew her attention and she stepped over to take the mare from the lady, dismissing him with a small smile. She’d rather not have an audience watching as she mounted in this particular dress. It was thankfully slit up the side high enough that riding would definitely have been comfortably possible. There was plenty of room for movement.
Giving the mare a pat, she gathered her reins and adjusted the dress a little so it wouldn’t snag causing her to have to readjust it awkwardly as she mounted. Placing her foot in the stirrup, she paused and then with more grace than she’d probably displayed the entire day swung up onto the back of the quiet mare. Instantly settling deeply into the saddle, she glanced over to Gavriil as he spoke.
‘After you.’
Her thighs flexed, tightening just enough encourage the mare to move forward. A step or two in front of him, she tilted her head back to flash him a cheeky smile.
“Always the gentleman…” Clearing her voice, she pulled her head back around to focus on directing the mare out and away from his manor home. If he was paying attention and listening closely, he might have heard her murmur to the mare, “Too bad.”
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Evangelina had been raised in a Leventi household. Gavriil’s treatment of the napping boy was hardly shocking, nor was she in disagreement with the way he’d handled the situation. Her father was a baron like Gavriil, Evangelina had a solid understanding of the many cogs it took to turn the wheel of an estate. Everyone had a boss. The servants had to pull their weight in order for the family to produce a product, in which the family answered to everyone who used their services or bought their products. When someone slipped, it threw things out of their natural order.
But, that didn’t mean Evangelina couldn’t take the opportunity to tease the sometimes-too-mature-for-his-breeches Dimitrou lord every time she could. Her head bent as she pressed her face into the golden mare’s neck and hid her secretive smile as he shook his head at her and moved close up behind her to pat the mare’s neck.
‘If you are a delinquent,’ The mixture of his body close, teasing her with his deep gravelly voice. It beckoned her to press back into the warmth of his body. Her face tilting back a little as she looked up at him from under her thick lashes with warm honeyed eyes. ‘You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.’ Creeping onto her lips was a slow sort of smile, her voice thickened as she countered her reply, “Promise?”
She held his gaze for a moment until the sound of hooves clattered on the cobblestone and she watched his mare being led out. Dipping her head again to hide an amused smile, she shook her head. The mare’s antics distracted Evangelina a little bit from the sudden emptiness of the warmth of Gavriil next to her.
The lad passed the mare off and he stepped over to collect Lady Alexa’s mare. Evangelina stepped out of the way and over towards were Gavriil had mounted up and was gently using his fingers to separate burrs out of his mare’s mane. Her fingers were drawn to the way his fingers moved, patiently taking the time it took to untangle each one rather than abruptly pulling them out along with a few strands of mane as he went.
Her hand reached up to her own dark chestnut hair. Gavriil had pulled the pins out earlier and now it had to look quite disheveled. She caught her bottom lip between. Did she have any more pins left in her hair? Anything to organize herself at least a little? Her fingers found three hidden pins. Not enough to actually do anything with her hair, of course. A soft sigh escaped and she simply plucked the pins out of her hair to drop them down into the hidden pockets sewn into her chiton and ran her fingers through the mess as she waited.
It didn’t take nearly as long for the golden mare to be readied as it had Gavriil’s redhead. The sound of hooves drew her attention and she stepped over to take the mare from the lady, dismissing him with a small smile. She’d rather not have an audience watching as she mounted in this particular dress. It was thankfully slit up the side high enough that riding would definitely have been comfortably possible. There was plenty of room for movement.
Giving the mare a pat, she gathered her reins and adjusted the dress a little so it wouldn’t snag causing her to have to readjust it awkwardly as she mounted. Placing her foot in the stirrup, she paused and then with more grace than she’d probably displayed the entire day swung up onto the back of the quiet mare. Instantly settling deeply into the saddle, she glanced over to Gavriil as he spoke.
‘After you.’
Her thighs flexed, tightening just enough encourage the mare to move forward. A step or two in front of him, she tilted her head back to flash him a cheeky smile.
“Always the gentleman…” Clearing her voice, she pulled her head back around to focus on directing the mare out and away from his manor home. If he was paying attention and listening closely, he might have heard her murmur to the mare, “Too bad.”
Evangelina had been raised in a Leventi household. Gavriil’s treatment of the napping boy was hardly shocking, nor was she in disagreement with the way he’d handled the situation. Her father was a baron like Gavriil, Evangelina had a solid understanding of the many cogs it took to turn the wheel of an estate. Everyone had a boss. The servants had to pull their weight in order for the family to produce a product, in which the family answered to everyone who used their services or bought their products. When someone slipped, it threw things out of their natural order.
But, that didn’t mean Evangelina couldn’t take the opportunity to tease the sometimes-too-mature-for-his-breeches Dimitrou lord every time she could. Her head bent as she pressed her face into the golden mare’s neck and hid her secretive smile as he shook his head at her and moved close up behind her to pat the mare’s neck.
‘If you are a delinquent,’ The mixture of his body close, teasing her with his deep gravelly voice. It beckoned her to press back into the warmth of his body. Her face tilting back a little as she looked up at him from under her thick lashes with warm honeyed eyes. ‘You won’t be any longer, after a month or so.’ Creeping onto her lips was a slow sort of smile, her voice thickened as she countered her reply, “Promise?”
She held his gaze for a moment until the sound of hooves clattered on the cobblestone and she watched his mare being led out. Dipping her head again to hide an amused smile, she shook her head. The mare’s antics distracted Evangelina a little bit from the sudden emptiness of the warmth of Gavriil next to her.
The lad passed the mare off and he stepped over to collect Lady Alexa’s mare. Evangelina stepped out of the way and over towards were Gavriil had mounted up and was gently using his fingers to separate burrs out of his mare’s mane. Her fingers were drawn to the way his fingers moved, patiently taking the time it took to untangle each one rather than abruptly pulling them out along with a few strands of mane as he went.
Her hand reached up to her own dark chestnut hair. Gavriil had pulled the pins out earlier and now it had to look quite disheveled. She caught her bottom lip between. Did she have any more pins left in her hair? Anything to organize herself at least a little? Her fingers found three hidden pins. Not enough to actually do anything with her hair, of course. A soft sigh escaped and she simply plucked the pins out of her hair to drop them down into the hidden pockets sewn into her chiton and ran her fingers through the mess as she waited.
It didn’t take nearly as long for the golden mare to be readied as it had Gavriil’s redhead. The sound of hooves drew her attention and she stepped over to take the mare from the lady, dismissing him with a small smile. She’d rather not have an audience watching as she mounted in this particular dress. It was thankfully slit up the side high enough that riding would definitely have been comfortably possible. There was plenty of room for movement.
Giving the mare a pat, she gathered her reins and adjusted the dress a little so it wouldn’t snag causing her to have to readjust it awkwardly as she mounted. Placing her foot in the stirrup, she paused and then with more grace than she’d probably displayed the entire day swung up onto the back of the quiet mare. Instantly settling deeply into the saddle, she glanced over to Gavriil as he spoke.
‘After you.’
Her thighs flexed, tightening just enough encourage the mare to move forward. A step or two in front of him, she tilted her head back to flash him a cheeky smile.
“Always the gentleman…” Clearing her voice, she pulled her head back around to focus on directing the mare out and away from his manor home. If he was paying attention and listening closely, he might have heard her murmur to the mare, “Too bad.”
They rode through the courtyard to the side of the house. It was just wide enough to allow a wagon to pass through but just barely. This house had been constructed long, long ago, when the architects had been more concerned with function over form. What it lacked in a spacious drive edged with cultivated flowers or shrubs, it made up for with a trellis overhead. Tendrils of ivy were permitted to climb both the wall and the house, extending over the trellis with long coils of leaves hanging down, brushing the tops of their heads as they passed underneath. The plant was young and would be cut away again before it could ruin the walls, but Gavriil liked it for aesthetic purposes and was loathe to get rid of it completely. For a few moments, they were plunged into cool, green shadow before emerging again into rich sunlight. Gavriil closed his eyes and tipped his face up, letting the warmth of the sun bathe his features until he had to look down again and open his eyes. Momentarily blinded, the world took on a whitewashed appearance that he blinked away.
He’d been allowing his mare to go where she wanted and she was currently taking them towards the grounds of the Mikaelidas palati. He’d not thought to go deep into that forest, but he couldn’t see any reason not to. The trees would give them shade and though they would likely be seen riding in together, they would be well hidden from prying eyes shortly thereafter and could talk about whatever they liked without being overheard by strangers, family, or servants. Only the tree nymphs would hear and Gavriil seriously doubted they cared anything for human conversation.
Because of his city house’s closeness to the palati, it did not take above fifteen minutes at most to find themselves past the guards, through the gates, and riding at a healthy clip toward the trees. Populated with various trees, including cedar, pine, and oak, the forest was an interesting mix of old and young. It boasted some trees with huge trunks and gnarled, twisting branches, whose shady reach was so expansive and thick that not even grass grew around the base of these giants. In other places, there were pleasant little glades filled with green grass, or natural rings formed by the trees where the gods were sometimes worshiped.
Gavriil had no particular place in mind and let his horse pick her way along the trails familiar to them both. None of the paths were overly wide and most only permitted one walker at a time. Perhaps two, if the pair decided to walk shoulder to shoulder. It definitely meant that if he or Evangelina wanted to ride beside one another, one of them was going to be on the side and having to constantly dodge trees.
“Ask me something,” he finally said once they had left the treeline far behind. They were thoroughly encased in the forest and the sounds of the city were nothing in this domain. The scrapes of hooves over dirt and roots, the calls of birds, the whispering of tree branches, the sifting of leaves from somewhere unseen - that was what played around them. No human shouts or hoots of laughter, no murmuring, no one listening at the door. Gavriil felt all tension leave his shoulders and he relaxed completely in the saddle.
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They rode through the courtyard to the side of the house. It was just wide enough to allow a wagon to pass through but just barely. This house had been constructed long, long ago, when the architects had been more concerned with function over form. What it lacked in a spacious drive edged with cultivated flowers or shrubs, it made up for with a trellis overhead. Tendrils of ivy were permitted to climb both the wall and the house, extending over the trellis with long coils of leaves hanging down, brushing the tops of their heads as they passed underneath. The plant was young and would be cut away again before it could ruin the walls, but Gavriil liked it for aesthetic purposes and was loathe to get rid of it completely. For a few moments, they were plunged into cool, green shadow before emerging again into rich sunlight. Gavriil closed his eyes and tipped his face up, letting the warmth of the sun bathe his features until he had to look down again and open his eyes. Momentarily blinded, the world took on a whitewashed appearance that he blinked away.
He’d been allowing his mare to go where she wanted and she was currently taking them towards the grounds of the Mikaelidas palati. He’d not thought to go deep into that forest, but he couldn’t see any reason not to. The trees would give them shade and though they would likely be seen riding in together, they would be well hidden from prying eyes shortly thereafter and could talk about whatever they liked without being overheard by strangers, family, or servants. Only the tree nymphs would hear and Gavriil seriously doubted they cared anything for human conversation.
Because of his city house’s closeness to the palati, it did not take above fifteen minutes at most to find themselves past the guards, through the gates, and riding at a healthy clip toward the trees. Populated with various trees, including cedar, pine, and oak, the forest was an interesting mix of old and young. It boasted some trees with huge trunks and gnarled, twisting branches, whose shady reach was so expansive and thick that not even grass grew around the base of these giants. In other places, there were pleasant little glades filled with green grass, or natural rings formed by the trees where the gods were sometimes worshiped.
Gavriil had no particular place in mind and let his horse pick her way along the trails familiar to them both. None of the paths were overly wide and most only permitted one walker at a time. Perhaps two, if the pair decided to walk shoulder to shoulder. It definitely meant that if he or Evangelina wanted to ride beside one another, one of them was going to be on the side and having to constantly dodge trees.
“Ask me something,” he finally said once they had left the treeline far behind. They were thoroughly encased in the forest and the sounds of the city were nothing in this domain. The scrapes of hooves over dirt and roots, the calls of birds, the whispering of tree branches, the sifting of leaves from somewhere unseen - that was what played around them. No human shouts or hoots of laughter, no murmuring, no one listening at the door. Gavriil felt all tension leave his shoulders and he relaxed completely in the saddle.
They rode through the courtyard to the side of the house. It was just wide enough to allow a wagon to pass through but just barely. This house had been constructed long, long ago, when the architects had been more concerned with function over form. What it lacked in a spacious drive edged with cultivated flowers or shrubs, it made up for with a trellis overhead. Tendrils of ivy were permitted to climb both the wall and the house, extending over the trellis with long coils of leaves hanging down, brushing the tops of their heads as they passed underneath. The plant was young and would be cut away again before it could ruin the walls, but Gavriil liked it for aesthetic purposes and was loathe to get rid of it completely. For a few moments, they were plunged into cool, green shadow before emerging again into rich sunlight. Gavriil closed his eyes and tipped his face up, letting the warmth of the sun bathe his features until he had to look down again and open his eyes. Momentarily blinded, the world took on a whitewashed appearance that he blinked away.
He’d been allowing his mare to go where she wanted and she was currently taking them towards the grounds of the Mikaelidas palati. He’d not thought to go deep into that forest, but he couldn’t see any reason not to. The trees would give them shade and though they would likely be seen riding in together, they would be well hidden from prying eyes shortly thereafter and could talk about whatever they liked without being overheard by strangers, family, or servants. Only the tree nymphs would hear and Gavriil seriously doubted they cared anything for human conversation.
Because of his city house’s closeness to the palati, it did not take above fifteen minutes at most to find themselves past the guards, through the gates, and riding at a healthy clip toward the trees. Populated with various trees, including cedar, pine, and oak, the forest was an interesting mix of old and young. It boasted some trees with huge trunks and gnarled, twisting branches, whose shady reach was so expansive and thick that not even grass grew around the base of these giants. In other places, there were pleasant little glades filled with green grass, or natural rings formed by the trees where the gods were sometimes worshiped.
Gavriil had no particular place in mind and let his horse pick her way along the trails familiar to them both. None of the paths were overly wide and most only permitted one walker at a time. Perhaps two, if the pair decided to walk shoulder to shoulder. It definitely meant that if he or Evangelina wanted to ride beside one another, one of them was going to be on the side and having to constantly dodge trees.
“Ask me something,” he finally said once they had left the treeline far behind. They were thoroughly encased in the forest and the sounds of the city were nothing in this domain. The scrapes of hooves over dirt and roots, the calls of birds, the whispering of tree branches, the sifting of leaves from somewhere unseen - that was what played around them. No human shouts or hoots of laughter, no murmuring, no one listening at the door. Gavriil felt all tension leave his shoulders and he relaxed completely in the saddle.
Letting Gavriil dictate pace and direction, she took the opportunity to simply let go of everything that weighed on her mind and simply drift into the hypnotic state that could only be found on a quiet horse with equally quiet company. The was no need for her chatter. She wasn’t being compelled to talk incessantly or ask hair curling questions that if they were both perfectly honest neither wanted to know the answers too. Normally Evangelina felt at war with the quiet when left alone with her own thoughts but here she could exist in a much simpler state without fidgeting. The patchwork trail of green shadows and golden sunlight was soothing, they almost perfectly balanced one another out.
Lady Alexa’s palomino quietly followed along with a special dutifulness that spoke volumes for the mare’s temperament. It didn’t seem to matter if they rode side by side Gavriil’s hunter or if they simply rode behind when the trails narrowed. She steadily traveled without letting things ruffling her. They passed the Mikaelidas palati and she found her eyes drift curiously over there before they were passed and away from prying eyes once more.
And they were once again into the tamed wilderness that lay on the outskirts of the city, and without a second thought, she settled behind him simply enjoying the quietness and the view as the trail narrowed. It gave her plenty of time to observe him. He became a part of the outdoors like she became a part of the horses. She smiled softly to herself at that thought. He had a calmness that had her putting her faith in him. This world had a way of breaking them down but it seemed less daunting with his quiet presence just a few feet away from her. The fear and doubt quieted. He left her with a sense of security that she hadn’t really realized she’d needed. When the opportunity arose again, she let the golden mare stretch her legs a bit more and pull up once again next to him. The treeline drifting away behind them.
‘Ask me something.’
Tilting her head upwards a little, she closed her eyes and smiled faintly up at the sun basking in it like a cat in a window. He wanted her to ask him something. Like what? She didn’t immediately answer him. In fact, Evangelina didn’t even acknowledge that she’d heard him for a few very long moments as she let the silence just linger there between them. Then she opened her eyes and lowered her face from the sun to look over at him and smiled shaking her head in amazement.
“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?” She almost laughed, her sunset-brown eyes warming as she stared at him for a moment before she looked away. Her cheeks pinkening and she inhaled a deep breath. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” Evangelina grew quiet again for a moment as she decided upon what she should ask him.
“What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?” Her dark eyes curiously searched his face. Her teeth caught her lip between her teeth, chewing on it before she wet it and looked away.
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Letting Gavriil dictate pace and direction, she took the opportunity to simply let go of everything that weighed on her mind and simply drift into the hypnotic state that could only be found on a quiet horse with equally quiet company. The was no need for her chatter. She wasn’t being compelled to talk incessantly or ask hair curling questions that if they were both perfectly honest neither wanted to know the answers too. Normally Evangelina felt at war with the quiet when left alone with her own thoughts but here she could exist in a much simpler state without fidgeting. The patchwork trail of green shadows and golden sunlight was soothing, they almost perfectly balanced one another out.
Lady Alexa’s palomino quietly followed along with a special dutifulness that spoke volumes for the mare’s temperament. It didn’t seem to matter if they rode side by side Gavriil’s hunter or if they simply rode behind when the trails narrowed. She steadily traveled without letting things ruffling her. They passed the Mikaelidas palati and she found her eyes drift curiously over there before they were passed and away from prying eyes once more.
And they were once again into the tamed wilderness that lay on the outskirts of the city, and without a second thought, she settled behind him simply enjoying the quietness and the view as the trail narrowed. It gave her plenty of time to observe him. He became a part of the outdoors like she became a part of the horses. She smiled softly to herself at that thought. He had a calmness that had her putting her faith in him. This world had a way of breaking them down but it seemed less daunting with his quiet presence just a few feet away from her. The fear and doubt quieted. He left her with a sense of security that she hadn’t really realized she’d needed. When the opportunity arose again, she let the golden mare stretch her legs a bit more and pull up once again next to him. The treeline drifting away behind them.
‘Ask me something.’
Tilting her head upwards a little, she closed her eyes and smiled faintly up at the sun basking in it like a cat in a window. He wanted her to ask him something. Like what? She didn’t immediately answer him. In fact, Evangelina didn’t even acknowledge that she’d heard him for a few very long moments as she let the silence just linger there between them. Then she opened her eyes and lowered her face from the sun to look over at him and smiled shaking her head in amazement.
“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?” She almost laughed, her sunset-brown eyes warming as she stared at him for a moment before she looked away. Her cheeks pinkening and she inhaled a deep breath. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” Evangelina grew quiet again for a moment as she decided upon what she should ask him.
“What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?” Her dark eyes curiously searched his face. Her teeth caught her lip between her teeth, chewing on it before she wet it and looked away.
Letting Gavriil dictate pace and direction, she took the opportunity to simply let go of everything that weighed on her mind and simply drift into the hypnotic state that could only be found on a quiet horse with equally quiet company. The was no need for her chatter. She wasn’t being compelled to talk incessantly or ask hair curling questions that if they were both perfectly honest neither wanted to know the answers too. Normally Evangelina felt at war with the quiet when left alone with her own thoughts but here she could exist in a much simpler state without fidgeting. The patchwork trail of green shadows and golden sunlight was soothing, they almost perfectly balanced one another out.
Lady Alexa’s palomino quietly followed along with a special dutifulness that spoke volumes for the mare’s temperament. It didn’t seem to matter if they rode side by side Gavriil’s hunter or if they simply rode behind when the trails narrowed. She steadily traveled without letting things ruffling her. They passed the Mikaelidas palati and she found her eyes drift curiously over there before they were passed and away from prying eyes once more.
And they were once again into the tamed wilderness that lay on the outskirts of the city, and without a second thought, she settled behind him simply enjoying the quietness and the view as the trail narrowed. It gave her plenty of time to observe him. He became a part of the outdoors like she became a part of the horses. She smiled softly to herself at that thought. He had a calmness that had her putting her faith in him. This world had a way of breaking them down but it seemed less daunting with his quiet presence just a few feet away from her. The fear and doubt quieted. He left her with a sense of security that she hadn’t really realized she’d needed. When the opportunity arose again, she let the golden mare stretch her legs a bit more and pull up once again next to him. The treeline drifting away behind them.
‘Ask me something.’
Tilting her head upwards a little, she closed her eyes and smiled faintly up at the sun basking in it like a cat in a window. He wanted her to ask him something. Like what? She didn’t immediately answer him. In fact, Evangelina didn’t even acknowledge that she’d heard him for a few very long moments as she let the silence just linger there between them. Then she opened her eyes and lowered her face from the sun to look over at him and smiled shaking her head in amazement.
“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?” She almost laughed, her sunset-brown eyes warming as she stared at him for a moment before she looked away. Her cheeks pinkening and she inhaled a deep breath. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” Evangelina grew quiet again for a moment as she decided upon what she should ask him.
“What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?” Her dark eyes curiously searched his face. Her teeth caught her lip between her teeth, chewing on it before she wet it and looked away.
“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?”
“I am not afraid of you,” he looked steadily over at her as they rode through the quiet wood. Her face warmed to a rosy pink and she glanced away, appearing to mull over her thoughts. He nodded when she came back at him with an ultimatum of her own. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” It was funny, the way she said he’d need to ask questions as well, as though she assumed he wasn’t curious. Other than the nod, he didn’t respond and swung his gaze back toward the trail before them while she contemplated what she wanted to ask in silence.
Hooves dragged over exposed roots in the trail, scraping in a pleasant, dull way. The muted thudding of hoofbeats over the dirt of the trail, kicking up little brown plumes around the horse’s hocks, the constant flicking this way and that of the horse’s ears, the whispering swish of horse tails; these things were the primary sounds. The squeak of leather, twittering of birds, rustling of leaves above them, all might have been distracting if they didn’t blend quite so well into the environment. It was in this sort of place that Gavriil felt most at peace. His own forest, obviously, was preferable, but in lieu of that, he liked the palati grounds well enough.
Eventually, Evangelina’s voice slipped into the intervening space between them and Gavriil set one hand over the other on the saddle as he listened, thinking over his answer. “What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?”
“I’ve always wanted to garden, actually,” he said after a few minutes. “A big one,” he reached out and gestured towards a slope on his estate that he could see in his mind’s eye. “I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.” He could clearly envision it; neat, orderly rows of vibrants plants, each stalk loaded down with gorgeous fruits that would make even the gods jealous as they sat at their tables on Olympus. The image faded and Gavriil closed his hand, drawing it back and resting it again on the saddle.
“I haven’t,” he said before she could ask him the inevitable ‘why’, “Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…” he shrugged. He’d much rather someone else do the planting, and even the harvesting, truthfully. Perhaps all he wanted was the pride that came with a job well done, but he could get that more immediately and with much more control through hunting.
“What,” he asked slowly, thinking through his question and letting the words drift away for a time as they rode on. The trail took a bend and Gavriil let his horse more or less decide at what pace they were going and when the horse would like to take the turn. Having come here many times, the mare plodded along, already having it in her mind where she was headed. “What do you want out of your life with me?” The very, very last thing he wanted was to actually go through with a marriage and to find Evie complaining about being bored and stuck so far from Vasiliadon for a good portion of the time. “We live quietly, my family and I.”
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“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?”
“I am not afraid of you,” he looked steadily over at her as they rode through the quiet wood. Her face warmed to a rosy pink and she glanced away, appearing to mull over her thoughts. He nodded when she came back at him with an ultimatum of her own. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” It was funny, the way she said he’d need to ask questions as well, as though she assumed he wasn’t curious. Other than the nod, he didn’t respond and swung his gaze back toward the trail before them while she contemplated what she wanted to ask in silence.
Hooves dragged over exposed roots in the trail, scraping in a pleasant, dull way. The muted thudding of hoofbeats over the dirt of the trail, kicking up little brown plumes around the horse’s hocks, the constant flicking this way and that of the horse’s ears, the whispering swish of horse tails; these things were the primary sounds. The squeak of leather, twittering of birds, rustling of leaves above them, all might have been distracting if they didn’t blend quite so well into the environment. It was in this sort of place that Gavriil felt most at peace. His own forest, obviously, was preferable, but in lieu of that, he liked the palati grounds well enough.
Eventually, Evangelina’s voice slipped into the intervening space between them and Gavriil set one hand over the other on the saddle as he listened, thinking over his answer. “What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?”
“I’ve always wanted to garden, actually,” he said after a few minutes. “A big one,” he reached out and gestured towards a slope on his estate that he could see in his mind’s eye. “I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.” He could clearly envision it; neat, orderly rows of vibrants plants, each stalk loaded down with gorgeous fruits that would make even the gods jealous as they sat at their tables on Olympus. The image faded and Gavriil closed his hand, drawing it back and resting it again on the saddle.
“I haven’t,” he said before she could ask him the inevitable ‘why’, “Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…” he shrugged. He’d much rather someone else do the planting, and even the harvesting, truthfully. Perhaps all he wanted was the pride that came with a job well done, but he could get that more immediately and with much more control through hunting.
“What,” he asked slowly, thinking through his question and letting the words drift away for a time as they rode on. The trail took a bend and Gavriil let his horse more or less decide at what pace they were going and when the horse would like to take the turn. Having come here many times, the mare plodded along, already having it in her mind where she was headed. “What do you want out of your life with me?” The very, very last thing he wanted was to actually go through with a marriage and to find Evie complaining about being bored and stuck so far from Vasiliadon for a good portion of the time. “We live quietly, my family and I.”
“You do realize most people spend all their time hoping I don’t ask something?”
“I am not afraid of you,” he looked steadily over at her as they rode through the quiet wood. Her face warmed to a rosy pink and she glanced away, appearing to mull over her thoughts. He nodded when she came back at him with an ultimatum of her own. “Fine. But with one condition. You’ll have to ask me something. I am starting to get a complex asking all the questions between us.” It was funny, the way she said he’d need to ask questions as well, as though she assumed he wasn’t curious. Other than the nod, he didn’t respond and swung his gaze back toward the trail before them while she contemplated what she wanted to ask in silence.
Hooves dragged over exposed roots in the trail, scraping in a pleasant, dull way. The muted thudding of hoofbeats over the dirt of the trail, kicking up little brown plumes around the horse’s hocks, the constant flicking this way and that of the horse’s ears, the whispering swish of horse tails; these things were the primary sounds. The squeak of leather, twittering of birds, rustling of leaves above them, all might have been distracting if they didn’t blend quite so well into the environment. It was in this sort of place that Gavriil felt most at peace. His own forest, obviously, was preferable, but in lieu of that, he liked the palati grounds well enough.
Eventually, Evangelina’s voice slipped into the intervening space between them and Gavriil set one hand over the other on the saddle as he listened, thinking over his answer. “What is something you want to do but for whatever reason… you haven’t done it yet?”
“I’ve always wanted to garden, actually,” he said after a few minutes. “A big one,” he reached out and gestured towards a slope on his estate that he could see in his mind’s eye. “I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.” He could clearly envision it; neat, orderly rows of vibrants plants, each stalk loaded down with gorgeous fruits that would make even the gods jealous as they sat at their tables on Olympus. The image faded and Gavriil closed his hand, drawing it back and resting it again on the saddle.
“I haven’t,” he said before she could ask him the inevitable ‘why’, “Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…” he shrugged. He’d much rather someone else do the planting, and even the harvesting, truthfully. Perhaps all he wanted was the pride that came with a job well done, but he could get that more immediately and with much more control through hunting.
“What,” he asked slowly, thinking through his question and letting the words drift away for a time as they rode on. The trail took a bend and Gavriil let his horse more or less decide at what pace they were going and when the horse would like to take the turn. Having come here many times, the mare plodded along, already having it in her mind where she was headed. “What do you want out of your life with me?” The very, very last thing he wanted was to actually go through with a marriage and to find Evie complaining about being bored and stuck so far from Vasiliadon for a good portion of the time. “We live quietly, my family and I.”
There was nowhere Evangelina found the comfort and security that she found riding. There was a stillness and a sanctuary to gentle swaying walk of a horse beneath her. Well, except maybe in Gavriil’s presence. He was so rooted in his surroundings. Steady. Unflinching. He was like a lighthouse in a storm and a candle in the window after a particularly strained day. He put her to ease and infuriated her all at the same time from moment to moment.
‘I am not afraid of you.’ The husky tones of his voice made her shift in the saddle. Perhaps he should be because he made her want to test the bounds. She simply smiled and looked away more concerned right then with the fact that she was about to have to think of a question to ask him. She’d thrown the stipulation in there simply so she didn’t feel like she was interrogating him… He’d nodded in agreement and that was that.
She was quickly finding out that between them. She’d ask a question or make a statement and his simple nod was supposed to be answer enough. It didn’t always feel like enough but right then it was so she didn’t continue along that path and put her energy into asking a question. Something not extremely personal but told her more about him. Something hardly impolite but giving her a bit more depth about the inner workings of the man that he was. There was a familiarity to him but also… so, so much she didn’t know. So much that he kept closed off to the world around him. It was an enviable trait, one that she’d wished she’d mastered.
After a moment, he answered her and she found her head shifting, tilting just a little to watch him as he spoke. ‘I’ve always wanted to garden, actually.’ She blinked in surprise. Out of all the things he could have wanted to do but hadn’t done. He wanted to plant a garden. The corners of her lips lifted and she ducked her head a little to hide the small smile that had turned into a fully amused smile but her eyes followed as hands as he gestured where he’d have put it. ‘A big one. I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.’ As he drew the idea in her mind, her smile softened and relaxed into the saddle being lured into a sense of false security at the thought.
She wasn’t about to judge him for his desires or the reasons why he’d not done it. Everyone had things that they hadn’t done for one reason or another. Her gaze dropped to the ground, hiding her warm eyes behind her lashes not expecting any more to be given from the usually close-mouthed Dimitrou lord.
‘I haven’t,’ He continued causing surprise to flash in her eyes as her head came up quickly to look at him. ‘Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…’ She blinked. That was unexpected from him. Her lips softened into a smile. So Gavriil wasn’t always as patient as he came off. Thinking about that made her warm from the inside out. She chuckled and shook her head, “I’d never have guessed that. You always appear so in control…” She paused and her lips pursed, “Well, except when you ran away to go laugh in the hallway.” There was a tinge of teasing in her tone to let him know she wasn’t taking it personally.
She tilted her chin up towards the sky again and basked in the rays of sunlight as they rode in the silence of each other’s company again for a few moments. Until his voice started, ‘What.’ He paused and she opened her eyes and glanced sideways to see what had stopped him from asking his question. Her mare followed his around the bend with hardly any guidance from Evie so she allowed herself to study him waiting for the question.
‘What do you want out of your life with me?’ She shifted in her saddle, her gaze falling from him in thoughtful silence. He’d gone straight for the throat in this little game. Her breathing was steady which was more than her mind was as she tried to piece together the right sort of answer. He added, ‘We live quietly, my family and I.’ Her breath hitched, he was having second thoughts. Even if he hadn’t so much said it and he’d denied it earlier that morning when she’d asked but they were there. Maybe he didn’t even know that those thoughts were there? Somehow, that crushed her a little, but she wasn’t about to stand in his way if that was something that was weighing upon his mind.
Swallowing, she didn’t immediately answer him. Her gaze didn’t give anything away as she looked up and focused on the peacefulness she knew she’d find there between the mare’s ears. After a few minutes, her head tilted just slightly in his direction and she let a small sigh escape. She refused to answer this question while they ambled about just passing the time by asking questions. Pulling the mare to a stop, she shifted in the saddle, turning to study him… concern lingering in her gaze.
“What do I want?” She murmured, “I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” Her face dropped to the ground and she gave a half-hearted shrug, “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security.” She looked up at him in an attempt to gauge his reaction from beneath her sweeping lashes. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
Her lips pursed and her brows furrowed together and she found herself speaking again, her throaty voice soft but prodding. For the moment, she sounded and suddenly felt much older than her simple twenty-one years. “I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.” She broke the gaze and shook her head softly again, “My family isn’t…” She struggled to find the right words. Her family wasn’t like his. She sighed heavily, “My family doesn’t live a quiet existence. You’ll get pulled into it… because I’ll be pulled into it.” There was a bit of a pained expression on her face, “I am a package deal. I love my parents and my brother and even my silly cousins - I want a quiet life but my family is not a quiet existence. I can’t promise you a quiet existence.”
She didn’t realize her fingers had balled into fists lightly holding the reins of the mare, but digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. She wasn’t like Lady Sybil had been. She wasn’t a farmer’s daughter. She was a Leventi. Things were never simple there. Swallowing, she pinned him with a focused look, “Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…” Her gaze softened and her sigh escaped again, “Before I get more attached to you.”
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There was nowhere Evangelina found the comfort and security that she found riding. There was a stillness and a sanctuary to gentle swaying walk of a horse beneath her. Well, except maybe in Gavriil’s presence. He was so rooted in his surroundings. Steady. Unflinching. He was like a lighthouse in a storm and a candle in the window after a particularly strained day. He put her to ease and infuriated her all at the same time from moment to moment.
‘I am not afraid of you.’ The husky tones of his voice made her shift in the saddle. Perhaps he should be because he made her want to test the bounds. She simply smiled and looked away more concerned right then with the fact that she was about to have to think of a question to ask him. She’d thrown the stipulation in there simply so she didn’t feel like she was interrogating him… He’d nodded in agreement and that was that.
She was quickly finding out that between them. She’d ask a question or make a statement and his simple nod was supposed to be answer enough. It didn’t always feel like enough but right then it was so she didn’t continue along that path and put her energy into asking a question. Something not extremely personal but told her more about him. Something hardly impolite but giving her a bit more depth about the inner workings of the man that he was. There was a familiarity to him but also… so, so much she didn’t know. So much that he kept closed off to the world around him. It was an enviable trait, one that she’d wished she’d mastered.
After a moment, he answered her and she found her head shifting, tilting just a little to watch him as he spoke. ‘I’ve always wanted to garden, actually.’ She blinked in surprise. Out of all the things he could have wanted to do but hadn’t done. He wanted to plant a garden. The corners of her lips lifted and she ducked her head a little to hide the small smile that had turned into a fully amused smile but her eyes followed as hands as he gestured where he’d have put it. ‘A big one. I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.’ As he drew the idea in her mind, her smile softened and relaxed into the saddle being lured into a sense of false security at the thought.
She wasn’t about to judge him for his desires or the reasons why he’d not done it. Everyone had things that they hadn’t done for one reason or another. Her gaze dropped to the ground, hiding her warm eyes behind her lashes not expecting any more to be given from the usually close-mouthed Dimitrou lord.
‘I haven’t,’ He continued causing surprise to flash in her eyes as her head came up quickly to look at him. ‘Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…’ She blinked. That was unexpected from him. Her lips softened into a smile. So Gavriil wasn’t always as patient as he came off. Thinking about that made her warm from the inside out. She chuckled and shook her head, “I’d never have guessed that. You always appear so in control…” She paused and her lips pursed, “Well, except when you ran away to go laugh in the hallway.” There was a tinge of teasing in her tone to let him know she wasn’t taking it personally.
She tilted her chin up towards the sky again and basked in the rays of sunlight as they rode in the silence of each other’s company again for a few moments. Until his voice started, ‘What.’ He paused and she opened her eyes and glanced sideways to see what had stopped him from asking his question. Her mare followed his around the bend with hardly any guidance from Evie so she allowed herself to study him waiting for the question.
‘What do you want out of your life with me?’ She shifted in her saddle, her gaze falling from him in thoughtful silence. He’d gone straight for the throat in this little game. Her breathing was steady which was more than her mind was as she tried to piece together the right sort of answer. He added, ‘We live quietly, my family and I.’ Her breath hitched, he was having second thoughts. Even if he hadn’t so much said it and he’d denied it earlier that morning when she’d asked but they were there. Maybe he didn’t even know that those thoughts were there? Somehow, that crushed her a little, but she wasn’t about to stand in his way if that was something that was weighing upon his mind.
Swallowing, she didn’t immediately answer him. Her gaze didn’t give anything away as she looked up and focused on the peacefulness she knew she’d find there between the mare’s ears. After a few minutes, her head tilted just slightly in his direction and she let a small sigh escape. She refused to answer this question while they ambled about just passing the time by asking questions. Pulling the mare to a stop, she shifted in the saddle, turning to study him… concern lingering in her gaze.
“What do I want?” She murmured, “I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” Her face dropped to the ground and she gave a half-hearted shrug, “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security.” She looked up at him in an attempt to gauge his reaction from beneath her sweeping lashes. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
Her lips pursed and her brows furrowed together and she found herself speaking again, her throaty voice soft but prodding. For the moment, she sounded and suddenly felt much older than her simple twenty-one years. “I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.” She broke the gaze and shook her head softly again, “My family isn’t…” She struggled to find the right words. Her family wasn’t like his. She sighed heavily, “My family doesn’t live a quiet existence. You’ll get pulled into it… because I’ll be pulled into it.” There was a bit of a pained expression on her face, “I am a package deal. I love my parents and my brother and even my silly cousins - I want a quiet life but my family is not a quiet existence. I can’t promise you a quiet existence.”
She didn’t realize her fingers had balled into fists lightly holding the reins of the mare, but digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. She wasn’t like Lady Sybil had been. She wasn’t a farmer’s daughter. She was a Leventi. Things were never simple there. Swallowing, she pinned him with a focused look, “Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…” Her gaze softened and her sigh escaped again, “Before I get more attached to you.”
There was nowhere Evangelina found the comfort and security that she found riding. There was a stillness and a sanctuary to gentle swaying walk of a horse beneath her. Well, except maybe in Gavriil’s presence. He was so rooted in his surroundings. Steady. Unflinching. He was like a lighthouse in a storm and a candle in the window after a particularly strained day. He put her to ease and infuriated her all at the same time from moment to moment.
‘I am not afraid of you.’ The husky tones of his voice made her shift in the saddle. Perhaps he should be because he made her want to test the bounds. She simply smiled and looked away more concerned right then with the fact that she was about to have to think of a question to ask him. She’d thrown the stipulation in there simply so she didn’t feel like she was interrogating him… He’d nodded in agreement and that was that.
She was quickly finding out that between them. She’d ask a question or make a statement and his simple nod was supposed to be answer enough. It didn’t always feel like enough but right then it was so she didn’t continue along that path and put her energy into asking a question. Something not extremely personal but told her more about him. Something hardly impolite but giving her a bit more depth about the inner workings of the man that he was. There was a familiarity to him but also… so, so much she didn’t know. So much that he kept closed off to the world around him. It was an enviable trait, one that she’d wished she’d mastered.
After a moment, he answered her and she found her head shifting, tilting just a little to watch him as he spoke. ‘I’ve always wanted to garden, actually.’ She blinked in surprise. Out of all the things he could have wanted to do but hadn’t done. He wanted to plant a garden. The corners of her lips lifted and she ducked her head a little to hide the small smile that had turned into a fully amused smile but her eyes followed as hands as he gestured where he’d have put it. ‘A big one. I’d put it against the west wall, where it’d get the most sun.’ As he drew the idea in her mind, her smile softened and relaxed into the saddle being lured into a sense of false security at the thought.
She wasn’t about to judge him for his desires or the reasons why he’d not done it. Everyone had things that they hadn’t done for one reason or another. Her gaze dropped to the ground, hiding her warm eyes behind her lashes not expecting any more to be given from the usually close-mouthed Dimitrou lord.
‘I haven’t,’ He continued causing surprise to flash in her eyes as her head came up quickly to look at him. ‘Because, while I might want it, I don’t have the patience for it. I can wait for a single doe all morning long but it’s beyond me to till the ground, wait and pray for the right weather, enough water…’ She blinked. That was unexpected from him. Her lips softened into a smile. So Gavriil wasn’t always as patient as he came off. Thinking about that made her warm from the inside out. She chuckled and shook her head, “I’d never have guessed that. You always appear so in control…” She paused and her lips pursed, “Well, except when you ran away to go laugh in the hallway.” There was a tinge of teasing in her tone to let him know she wasn’t taking it personally.
She tilted her chin up towards the sky again and basked in the rays of sunlight as they rode in the silence of each other’s company again for a few moments. Until his voice started, ‘What.’ He paused and she opened her eyes and glanced sideways to see what had stopped him from asking his question. Her mare followed his around the bend with hardly any guidance from Evie so she allowed herself to study him waiting for the question.
‘What do you want out of your life with me?’ She shifted in her saddle, her gaze falling from him in thoughtful silence. He’d gone straight for the throat in this little game. Her breathing was steady which was more than her mind was as she tried to piece together the right sort of answer. He added, ‘We live quietly, my family and I.’ Her breath hitched, he was having second thoughts. Even if he hadn’t so much said it and he’d denied it earlier that morning when she’d asked but they were there. Maybe he didn’t even know that those thoughts were there? Somehow, that crushed her a little, but she wasn’t about to stand in his way if that was something that was weighing upon his mind.
Swallowing, she didn’t immediately answer him. Her gaze didn’t give anything away as she looked up and focused on the peacefulness she knew she’d find there between the mare’s ears. After a few minutes, her head tilted just slightly in his direction and she let a small sigh escape. She refused to answer this question while they ambled about just passing the time by asking questions. Pulling the mare to a stop, she shifted in the saddle, turning to study him… concern lingering in her gaze.
“What do I want?” She murmured, “I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” Her face dropped to the ground and she gave a half-hearted shrug, “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security.” She looked up at him in an attempt to gauge his reaction from beneath her sweeping lashes. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
Her lips pursed and her brows furrowed together and she found herself speaking again, her throaty voice soft but prodding. For the moment, she sounded and suddenly felt much older than her simple twenty-one years. “I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.” She broke the gaze and shook her head softly again, “My family isn’t…” She struggled to find the right words. Her family wasn’t like his. She sighed heavily, “My family doesn’t live a quiet existence. You’ll get pulled into it… because I’ll be pulled into it.” There was a bit of a pained expression on her face, “I am a package deal. I love my parents and my brother and even my silly cousins - I want a quiet life but my family is not a quiet existence. I can’t promise you a quiet existence.”
She didn’t realize her fingers had balled into fists lightly holding the reins of the mare, but digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. She wasn’t like Lady Sybil had been. She wasn’t a farmer’s daughter. She was a Leventi. Things were never simple there. Swallowing, she pinned him with a focused look, “Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…” Her gaze softened and her sigh escaped again, “Before I get more attached to you.”
The question hadn’t been meant to instill absolute fear and discomfort in her. It was a legitimate question: what did she want? Moving into any new life meant changes. Some changes would be good, some changes would be less than ideal, and some would simply be ‘different’. In his mind, the question could be answered easily enough, with her simply stating to him in simple terms what she’d expect from marriage. He had no idea that he’d somehow sent a cascade of doubt into her mind again and wouldn’t have been pleased if he had known. There was only so many times a man could say to someone that yes, he was serious. That, and Gavriil didn’t like to be questioned on things after he’d stated flatly how he felt about something or what he thought on a particular subject. To keep questioning him and his motives that way was to call him a liar, something he fundamentally was not. On further reflection, he’d have forgiven her, knowing what sort of family she hailed from and had likely experienced up to this point, but he wouldn’t permit this sort of constant questioning of his own character for long. Not once he found out she was consistently doing it.
To her credit, she maintained her composure fairly well and looked up at the trees, giving nothing of her internal struggles away. Gavriil rode along, patiently waiting for her to answer. It wouldn’t have mattered much if she answered within a few seconds or a few minutes from now. The afternoon air, too hot under the glaring sun, was pleasant beneath the ever present shade of the trees. Ahead, the sun dappled path dipped down and his attention was redirected to watching his horse pick her way over exposed tree roots, her gait becoming a little choppy, but evening out again as they navigated down into a sort of gulley in the forest floor. It was right about that point that Evangelina pulled her mare to a stop. Gavriil tugged on the reins of his own horse, looking at her with curiosity but no concern. He couldn’t read her mind and her expression, up until this point, had been untroubled.
“What do I want? I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” She looked away from him then, shrugging, and speaking to the ground. “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security. When she looked up at him with an assessing gaze, he shifted in the saddle, looking steadily at her, and nowhere else. Despite what she seemed to believe with that speech of hers, coupled with her propensity for looking elsewhere, he remained unafraid of her shifting moods. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
“I have been nothing but honest with you,” he reminded her in a quiet but firm tone.
“I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.”
“I’m not,” he said calmly, now wondering if this was something she was going to be worried about for a while, and knowing there was nothing at all he could or would do differently. She was simply going to have to trust him on it. But Evangelina would not be swayed. In a low, almost apologetic way, she impressed upon him the differences in their families, all but promising that if they married, his quiet existence was over. Gavriil knew better than to smile at these assertions and kept his features calm, his eyes attentive, head slightly inclined to indicate he was listening and understanding what she was saying. But he didn’t agree with her dire prediction of the future. He’d never once been at odds with Konstanos, Georgios, or Fotios. Of course, no one got along all the time, but none of those three had ever messed around in his affairs before. The only lords who’d ever actually tried that were Nikolias, as a friend, and Irakles, for his own reasons.
“Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…I get more attached to you.”
“Your family is not a deal breaker,” he promised with as much force of will in his voice as anyone could have. “People care much more about what your family does than what mine does. And I aim to keep it that way. Do not fear your family.” He reached out and settled his hand over her fist. “Once you leave the Leventi name behind, you’re subject to me, not Lord Fotios. And I require very little except loyalty, which I have already seen you possess in abundance.” He might have left it there, except that this fear of hers ran deep and he could see that ignoring it wouldn’t do either of them any good. “Trust me to tell you if I’ve changed my mind. I am a blunt man and, as I have already said,” he smiled just the smallest bit. “I am not afraid of you.” Gavriil didn’t usually hem and haw with people. He said his piece and they could take it or leave it.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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The question hadn’t been meant to instill absolute fear and discomfort in her. It was a legitimate question: what did she want? Moving into any new life meant changes. Some changes would be good, some changes would be less than ideal, and some would simply be ‘different’. In his mind, the question could be answered easily enough, with her simply stating to him in simple terms what she’d expect from marriage. He had no idea that he’d somehow sent a cascade of doubt into her mind again and wouldn’t have been pleased if he had known. There was only so many times a man could say to someone that yes, he was serious. That, and Gavriil didn’t like to be questioned on things after he’d stated flatly how he felt about something or what he thought on a particular subject. To keep questioning him and his motives that way was to call him a liar, something he fundamentally was not. On further reflection, he’d have forgiven her, knowing what sort of family she hailed from and had likely experienced up to this point, but he wouldn’t permit this sort of constant questioning of his own character for long. Not once he found out she was consistently doing it.
To her credit, she maintained her composure fairly well and looked up at the trees, giving nothing of her internal struggles away. Gavriil rode along, patiently waiting for her to answer. It wouldn’t have mattered much if she answered within a few seconds or a few minutes from now. The afternoon air, too hot under the glaring sun, was pleasant beneath the ever present shade of the trees. Ahead, the sun dappled path dipped down and his attention was redirected to watching his horse pick her way over exposed tree roots, her gait becoming a little choppy, but evening out again as they navigated down into a sort of gulley in the forest floor. It was right about that point that Evangelina pulled her mare to a stop. Gavriil tugged on the reins of his own horse, looking at her with curiosity but no concern. He couldn’t read her mind and her expression, up until this point, had been untroubled.
“What do I want? I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” She looked away from him then, shrugging, and speaking to the ground. “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security. When she looked up at him with an assessing gaze, he shifted in the saddle, looking steadily at her, and nowhere else. Despite what she seemed to believe with that speech of hers, coupled with her propensity for looking elsewhere, he remained unafraid of her shifting moods. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
“I have been nothing but honest with you,” he reminded her in a quiet but firm tone.
“I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.”
“I’m not,” he said calmly, now wondering if this was something she was going to be worried about for a while, and knowing there was nothing at all he could or would do differently. She was simply going to have to trust him on it. But Evangelina would not be swayed. In a low, almost apologetic way, she impressed upon him the differences in their families, all but promising that if they married, his quiet existence was over. Gavriil knew better than to smile at these assertions and kept his features calm, his eyes attentive, head slightly inclined to indicate he was listening and understanding what she was saying. But he didn’t agree with her dire prediction of the future. He’d never once been at odds with Konstanos, Georgios, or Fotios. Of course, no one got along all the time, but none of those three had ever messed around in his affairs before. The only lords who’d ever actually tried that were Nikolias, as a friend, and Irakles, for his own reasons.
“Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…I get more attached to you.”
“Your family is not a deal breaker,” he promised with as much force of will in his voice as anyone could have. “People care much more about what your family does than what mine does. And I aim to keep it that way. Do not fear your family.” He reached out and settled his hand over her fist. “Once you leave the Leventi name behind, you’re subject to me, not Lord Fotios. And I require very little except loyalty, which I have already seen you possess in abundance.” He might have left it there, except that this fear of hers ran deep and he could see that ignoring it wouldn’t do either of them any good. “Trust me to tell you if I’ve changed my mind. I am a blunt man and, as I have already said,” he smiled just the smallest bit. “I am not afraid of you.” Gavriil didn’t usually hem and haw with people. He said his piece and they could take it or leave it.
The question hadn’t been meant to instill absolute fear and discomfort in her. It was a legitimate question: what did she want? Moving into any new life meant changes. Some changes would be good, some changes would be less than ideal, and some would simply be ‘different’. In his mind, the question could be answered easily enough, with her simply stating to him in simple terms what she’d expect from marriage. He had no idea that he’d somehow sent a cascade of doubt into her mind again and wouldn’t have been pleased if he had known. There was only so many times a man could say to someone that yes, he was serious. That, and Gavriil didn’t like to be questioned on things after he’d stated flatly how he felt about something or what he thought on a particular subject. To keep questioning him and his motives that way was to call him a liar, something he fundamentally was not. On further reflection, he’d have forgiven her, knowing what sort of family she hailed from and had likely experienced up to this point, but he wouldn’t permit this sort of constant questioning of his own character for long. Not once he found out she was consistently doing it.
To her credit, she maintained her composure fairly well and looked up at the trees, giving nothing of her internal struggles away. Gavriil rode along, patiently waiting for her to answer. It wouldn’t have mattered much if she answered within a few seconds or a few minutes from now. The afternoon air, too hot under the glaring sun, was pleasant beneath the ever present shade of the trees. Ahead, the sun dappled path dipped down and his attention was redirected to watching his horse pick her way over exposed tree roots, her gait becoming a little choppy, but evening out again as they navigated down into a sort of gulley in the forest floor. It was right about that point that Evangelina pulled her mare to a stop. Gavriil tugged on the reins of his own horse, looking at her with curiosity but no concern. He couldn’t read her mind and her expression, up until this point, had been untroubled.
“What do I want? I want it all. I want you. I want your family. I want you to want me as much as I want you. I want the whole package.” She looked away from him then, shrugging, and speaking to the ground. “But that’s not what I need. I need a marriage. I need to stay in Taengea. I need security. When she looked up at him with an assessing gaze, he shifted in the saddle, looking steadily at her, and nowhere else. Despite what she seemed to believe with that speech of hers, coupled with her propensity for looking elsewhere, he remained unafraid of her shifting moods. “I need your honesty. That’s what I need. Which, I find far more important than the things I want.”
“I have been nothing but honest with you,” he reminded her in a quiet but firm tone.
“I thought you weren’t having any second thoughts.”
“I’m not,” he said calmly, now wondering if this was something she was going to be worried about for a while, and knowing there was nothing at all he could or would do differently. She was simply going to have to trust him on it. But Evangelina would not be swayed. In a low, almost apologetic way, she impressed upon him the differences in their families, all but promising that if they married, his quiet existence was over. Gavriil knew better than to smile at these assertions and kept his features calm, his eyes attentive, head slightly inclined to indicate he was listening and understanding what she was saying. But he didn’t agree with her dire prediction of the future. He’d never once been at odds with Konstanos, Georgios, or Fotios. Of course, no one got along all the time, but none of those three had ever messed around in his affairs before. The only lords who’d ever actually tried that were Nikolias, as a friend, and Irakles, for his own reasons.
“Gavriil, I need you to be honest with me. Is that going to be a problem between us? I do not want to pull you into a marriage that will leave you unhappy and miserable. You are not responsible for me, and I can and will sort out other arrangements if my family is a deal-breaker for you but I need to know before…I get more attached to you.”
“Your family is not a deal breaker,” he promised with as much force of will in his voice as anyone could have. “People care much more about what your family does than what mine does. And I aim to keep it that way. Do not fear your family.” He reached out and settled his hand over her fist. “Once you leave the Leventi name behind, you’re subject to me, not Lord Fotios. And I require very little except loyalty, which I have already seen you possess in abundance.” He might have left it there, except that this fear of hers ran deep and he could see that ignoring it wouldn’t do either of them any good. “Trust me to tell you if I’ve changed my mind. I am a blunt man and, as I have already said,” he smiled just the smallest bit. “I am not afraid of you.” Gavriil didn’t usually hem and haw with people. He said his piece and they could take it or leave it.