Private Tales Fight Fire With Fire

[Smiling One]

Willis frowned still crossing his arms. "Then I think," he said. "That it's time head back to Ser Dor's estate." The young man frowned getting close to Ayreal. "But I think we should do this the unconventional way," he said. "If you get my meaning."

OOC: Apologies it's short! Struggling with a fever.

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal sighed And pursued her lips. She found her mind racing, she was frustrated, not know who was responsible was driving her crazy. Apart of her wanted to barge into Dor's home and demand an explanation but she knew that would not get them anywhere.

"Alright." She nodded. She thanked her cousins for their help and they both started heading back into town towards Dor's villa.

"So... um... how exactly do you plan on going about this... unconventional like?" She asked.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis didn’t say anything when Ayreal thanked her cousins. The last thing he wanted was to say something stupid that’ll get him and Ayreal in trouble. As the pair walked towards the villa, a smirk formed on Willis’ face. “The unconventional way is to break in and search the Knights belongings,” Willis suggested. “We are looking for lost receipts, letters all that good shit. We gotta get active in this investigation.”

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal bit her lip, her brow furrowed, but she nodded slowly just the same. "Alright. Should we wait for nightfall then?" She asked. Ayreal was not the most subtle person. Melbrands had a reputation for being loudly honest, and fire magic was not exactly the most subtle either. "You are going to have to take point on this one."

 

[Smiling One]

Willis nodded smirking. “That’s usually best time to infiltrate a place,” he said. “Especially if the house you’re stealing from belongs to a Knight,”

Willis wasn’t much of a thief, but he did help people break in stores or houses when he was a child. Willis was usually the one who would lockpick doors or be a lookout. It was a nerve wracking but at the same time exciting endeavor.

“So!“ The young man clapped his hands rubbing them together. “With plenty of time in between.” Willis then grabbed Ayreals waist and held her close to his chest. “Why not we go on a date?”

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal tried to look unimpressed and remain serious but found a smile growing on her face. “Alright,” she said looking up at him with a cockeyed grin, eyes shining like only a Melbrand’s could. “But, I get to pick the location this time.”

 

[Smiling One]

From the moment he met her, Ayreal had always tried to act aloof but with Willis' prodding there was a softer side to her. Chuckling, Willis leaned in and kissed Ayreal on the cheek. "Well then my red headed beauty," he said. "Tell me where do you want to go?"

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal chuckled, her grin widening. "It's a surprise." She winked taking his hand and leading the way through the crowded streets. His hand felt big in her's. She liked it, the stability, the security of it. It felt like nothing could touch her. She didn't know why she felt this way around him, this wild, crazy, heart-pounding feeling. This warmth in her soul that bubbled up like liquid mettle. She didn't want it to cool, she wasn't ready for that, not yet.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis felt himself being pulled by Ayreal as she ran through the crowd. For such a small woman, Ayreal is strong. He always liked that about her. “Surprise?” Willis smirked. “I’m not big on surprises but for you? I’ll make an exception.”

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

"You will like this surprise," She said grinning. she led him along, pausing by a cart in the market place to purchase two potpies. The cheap kind with the rock hard crust, but the inside was warm and savory and delicious. They continued on through the city getting farther and farther from the center, people and houses began to thin out till they were walking down a dirt road with green fields on either side. After a while, she lead him off the road into an open field.

"Almost there," She laughed, taking his hand in both of hers and leading him up over the peek of a hill. As they rounded the top a giant oak tree came into view, a swing hanging from the branches and all around it was a patch of wild watermelons. She looked back at Will beaming. "Here. This is the place," She said with finality.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis smirked a little while Ayreal stopped near one of the food carts to buy some potpies. Potpies were considered a fine treat amongst Allirians, however they were also infamous for their "mystery meat" which meant that the meat provided varied from fish (which was the most common form of meat) to pig, chicken or according to rumor: Human remains. Willis tried some as a child and found them decent though each of the time, he ate the Potpie, the meat always tasted strange.

The young man eyebrows raised though, when he saw the hill and the Oak Tree. Underneath its enormous branch, Willis saw a wooden swing swaying back and forth against the wind. "I never been here before," he muttered sitting down next to the tree.

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal picked her way through the watermelon patch stepping between the ripe melons and vines as she lead Will to the tree.

"My family would come here often for picnics. We would always bring a watermelon or two. We would try and have contests to see how far one could spit the seeds. Eventually, a wild patch grew here." She explained to him sitting down next to him as she took out the pair of pot pies and handed one to Will.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis was surprised to see a mini-Watermelon patch growing near the Oak tree. With all the monsters that lurk near waters, it was surprising that none came here for refuge. It was private place where no one could see them. The cool breeze brushing against their skin, for a moment Willis felt blissful. "Thanks," Willis muttered beginning to eat Potpie, for once the meat tasted excellent. Roast Beef a delacacy amongst the nobles. "These Watermelons look beautiful," Willis said. "Just like you."

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal chuckled and leaned closer to Will as she broke open her own pie and took a bite. She gazed wistfully up at the deep green foliage against the bright blue sky. It was peaceful, she needed that after the past couple of days.
She rested her head against his shoulder “What do you see?” She asked looking up at the few billowy clouds that crossed the blue expanse.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis felt Aryeal's frizzled hair touch his shoulder as he slowly wrapped his arm around her waist. The sky was bright blue with clouds slowly floating in the sky. "I see," Willis muttered smiling at the sky above. "Endless possibilities of freedom. When I was a boy, I will always look up at the sky and hope that one day I would escape my mother and sail the seas."

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

"Did you," Ayreal breathed softly glancing up at him before looking back at the sky. This place reminded her of a childhood filled with happy screeches, games, and freedom. Her childhood had been full of roses, his seemed to have been full of thorns. She couldn't imagine a life without the warmth and safety of family.

 

[Smiling One]

"Every day," Willis muttered holding Ayreal close. "Every day I would look up at the sky and hope to go to a better place away from my mother." The young man closed his eyes as he leaned his chin on Ayreals head. He didn't want to tell her about what his mother did to him. The beatings, the shouting and eventually abandonment.

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

He didn't have to say anything, she didn't have to understand, but she accepted it. There was a silence that hung in the air. She then suddenly sat up and turned to him a determined look on her face. She handed him what was left of her pie.

"Hold this," She ordered before getting up and going over to the watermelon patch. She selected the ripest one she could find, cut it loose and rolled it back to Will. Plopping down on the other side of the Mellon from him. "Here." She stated definitively.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis raised an eyebrow staring blankly at the piece of fruit. "Thanks," he muttered looking at the round watermelon. The young man tossed Ayreal her pie before finishing up his. "You know," Willis said after ate his pie. "The sailors say if you share a piece of fruit with a significant other then they're forever linked." Willis shrugged. "It's a silly story," he said leaning against the tree. "But seeing the watermelon reminded me of that."

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal took her pie, taking a bite and finishing it off her self, licking her fingers clean and tossing the crust aside for the birds. She scoffed at his comment about fruit linking people together. "Right, like what is linked even supposed to mean. Hear, hand me your sword thing," She said reaching a hand out for Will to hand her his blade so she could cut open the fruit.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis handed Aryeal his knife and shrugged. "Who knows?" he said. "It probably means the pair are linked together forever." Willis smirked and leaned against the oak tree. "We sailors tend to exaggerate shit," he said chuckling.

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

"Riiiight," Ayreal drawled rolling her eyes as she leaned her weight in on the knife cracking the Mellon open down the center. The bright red center spattered with black seeds looking back at them. "I don't suppose this shit applies to us." She smirked cutting two smaller slices out of the Mellon and holding one out as she beamed locking eyes with Will.

 

[Smiling One]

The young man chuckled. "I don't think so," he said. "As much as I love stories that was after all just a story," Willis bumped fruits with Aryeal before sinking his teeth into the sweet and cool Watermelon. "So Ayreal," he said. "You ever thought about leaving Alliria?"

 

[Ayreal Mellbrand]

Ayreal closed her eyes and sunk her teeth into the red fruit with a satisfying crisp crunch as a trail of juice ran down her chin. She looked up her eyes dancing. She blinked in surprise at the question then shrugged.

"I never really thought about it. I mean, the family business is here. Everything I've ever known is here. Not like its out of the question... just never really was much of one to dwell on the future." She shrugged again and took another bite.

 

[Smiling One]

Willis nodded continuing to eat. "I don't know Ayreal," Willis mumbled between bites. "I was thinking why not come with me? Let's go on a adventure!" Willis took Ayreal's hand and held it gently. "Together," Willis smirked.