Private Tales The Remaining Thorns

[Larkin]

Larkin was curious about her family dynamic, but her response made him hesitate. While she seemed to care about her family, there was almost an undercurrent of..distaste perhaps? "I do think being a Dreadlor is much more exciting and rewarding anyways, though I wouldn't know. I have no family name." He shrugged, but he wasn't bitter about it. He didn't need a name to tell him who he was.

The crowds pushed them even closer together, though it wasn't minded by Larkin. He moved with a grace one wouldn't expect, a rhythm of his own making. He was pleased that Livia was much the same. He wondered what this little venture would bring, he was excited to find out. "I hope we find something at the shop you'd like. I'd hate for you to go through all this trouble and not find something."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia shot him a look as she scoffed at what she perceived as doubt.

"You think I cannot find something for myself?" She lightly pushed at his arm, then grabbed hold of his sleeve and pulled him along with her as she lead them towards the very store calling to her magic.

Inside the modestly sized store, behind glass displays were an array of decorated daggers. There were ones for pure decoration, and ones for literal use. A knife made into art for every occasion.

Doing her best to keep her magic at bay, she allowed herself to wander and look at the array before her. "Well these are definitely pretty!"

Livia stopped before two twin daggers, one fashioned in sapphires, and the other in rubies. The price was not at all a modest one.

 

[Larkin]

Larkin shook his head and chuckled, she had gotten him. "You're right, how dare I insinuate the finder could not find something." He was grinning, enjoying how she had so subtly put him in his place.

Larkin walked beside her, glancing at the artistry of the blades they passed. She paused to gauge a pair of daggers, something he'd never be able to afford. That didn't matter, as long as she found something to make her happy.

He in turn, was testing a far more practical blade, much more plain than a lot it's neighbors. The blade was as long as his forearm, curving slightly along its slender blade. "The brightest jewel in here is you, in my humble opinion." He knew how he sounded, and he had a good idea of how she'd respond, but it was worth it. "You're right though, they are indeed pretty."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

"Careful now," Livia chuckled softly as she breezed past him, whispering only for him to hear, "others may think you are here to court me with such sweet talk."

But she liked the attention he gave to her, how his words made her feel. Her eyes found the collection of daggers done up in pearls. She got close to the glass, an expert's eyes assessing the pearls with careful thought. "Larkin, I need your opinion." Quinnick held her hand out to him, gesturing him to come her way. Once he was within reach, she would take his arm and pull him down to peer beside her.

"Which of these two pearled blades do you like best?"

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Ah, so she was enjoying his attentions. The grin on her lips as she brushed past was proof enough. He did not respond to her coy tease, not yet. He did let his eyes linger on her as she passed though.

Larkin replaced the blade he had been inspecting as she called to him. She said she wanted his opinion, but he doubted that a girl familiar with pearls would need his help on the collection before them.

Once he was close enough, she wasted no time on bringing him to her level, their breath slightly fogging up the glass. He studied both blades for a moment, and turned to study her features. I think that the rose hued pearls would compliment you should you choose to carry it. Though I admit, I don't know much about pearls and if it is a valuable blade or not." He gave her a sheepish grin, still holding onto his rebuttal for the right moment.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

"It does not matter how the blade should be worth, just if the pearls are right... and I do like the rose pearls too." Livia smiled, turning to look at him. She was able to catch his strange eyes, two colours that caught her flicking her eyes to either one to stare only for a second before straightening.

"Are the pearls genuine?" She called out, catching the attention of an attendant. They wandered over, a smile on their face.

"Pearls from the Gulf of Annuak." He stepped behind the cabinet and unlocked the case, retrieving the tray that held both the blades Livia had been looking at. "Valuable, these are."

Livia scrunched her nose. "They would be valuable if the pinks came through in colour, not iridescence."

This stumped the attendant, who took a moment to collect himself. "Do you know your pearls, miss?"

"An unfair amount, I am afraid." She smiled, taking the dagger into her hands. It was heavy, but still a weight manageable for her to wield.

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Larkin could not hold her gaze as her eyes flitted between the strangeness of his own. No, her looking at him like that just made him think of how ugly his scars made him now. As she called to an attendant, he lost himself in thought.

Why was she so nice to him? Smiling and even entertaining his opinion. He was a lesser being, and did not deserve it. He wondered if she'd go back to the girls at the academy and rely how truly horrid he was.

He shook his head at himself, returning his focus to Livia. She certainly did know her pearls, he felt slightly bad for the man she was grilling. It was enough for the ghost of a smile to linger on his lips. "It still compliments you, it looks like it was made for you."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

And such a compliment made Livia grin, turning to look at Larkin. "A good eye you have."

"I suppose you have documentation for the pearls you claim?" She asked of the attendant, and the next ten minutes were spent going over the documentation that solidified the genuine status of the pearls from a different region, but Livia liked being right and soon closed a sale with the attendant.

As she left the store with Larkin beside her, Livia adjusted her jacket to display the decorated dagger strapped to her belt at her waist. "Honestly, I thought they would put up more of a fight when I started negotiating the price."

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Larkin spent the rest of his time listening to the exchange between the attendant and Livia. She was ruthless, knowing exactly what she was talking about. He couldn't help but be impressed. He personally would not have thought to bring up validity, or even questioned if they were real in the first place. It was fascinating.

Once she finished, he walked amiably beside her. He had left empty handed, but that did not bother him in the slightest. "I think it was the intimidating gleam in your eyes, I wouldn't dare try and challenge that." He grinned teasingly as he stepped closer.

"So." He pulled her to a gentle stop by the wrist, just the slightest of touch so as to not alarm her. He stepped closer, just inches away as he looked down at her with a gleam in his mismatched eyes. "How would you feel if one such as myself did desire to court you." He tilted his head, corners of his mouth lifted into the ghost of a smile.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia paused only because his approach was so out of the blue, he caught her off guard. When sense came back to her, she laughed, staring up at his eyes again. "Court me?" Quinnick repeated softly. "My, we are quite bold today."

She did not step away, nor did she avert her gaze. Livia stared back at him, a touch of defiance in her olive eyes. "What if I am already being courted? How might that change your intentions, Larkin?" Silas had not asked her to court so much as say his true feelings. They had danced around the actual words countless times, but they also had not promised all too much of each other.

And still yet, her true feelings were for that Artesto boy.

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Her olive eyes met his and he held her defiant gaze with his own determination. He had caught her off guard, and he knew it. That was the best way for him to gauge his chances with her. When it came to girls, he was experienced enough to know when he stood no chance with them.

Livia's response, and her lack of distancing herself made it clear he should proceed, even if she questioned him. He lowered his eyes in thought, a slow grin spreading across his lips. "If someone else was courting you? Well, then they stand about as much chance as I do as they have not yet earned your affections in total. I would say there is a choice left open to you, and you have time to choose between those that desire to be with you."

He pulled her even closer, wrapping an arm around her waist as he met her eyes once more. "If you say the word Livia Quinnck, then I shall pursue you no longer and we can resume our day out in peace. However, if you desire to explore what could be, then I would very much like to kiss you." His grip was loose, so if she desired she could step away from him easily. He was not here to trap her or scare her after all.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

One could say it was instinct that her hands came to rest against his chest as he drew her in closer, but many could say it was difficult not to melt at the sound of his voice as he spoke so boldly still to Livia. Such a display was the first hook in gaining the attentions of Quinnick, for she always looked to those that knew what they wanted. Unafraid to speak their mind, something she herself struggled to be comfortable with when speaking to Silas.

It had not been a month since he had met her family and attended dinner with them, and a future they both dreamed of together... but why could she not commit herself to those words?

As she stared up at Larkin, hands resting lower at his chest as if she would push him away, she seemed to lose all thought as his eyes caught her once more. "Courting is a dreadful way to add pressure to whatever this is." She tore her gaze away, averting her gaze by staring at the rings on her left hand. "Commitment is a hard task when we were taught to not hold such affections... but if it is only a kiss you want, Larkin, any other girl would surely be happy to reciprocate."

Of course, it had not always been just Silas. She flirted with other classmates, had taken comfort with Ivan Skender, but now... all she could see what how charming Larkin was in this moment and how he dedicated his attentions to solely her for she had seen him watch her ever since they left the inn in search for food.

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Larkin remained impossibly still as her hands pressed lightly against his chest. There was a gleam in his eye, a softness in his tone as their bodies became even closer. He knew that hiding anything from Livia, not speaking truly and boldly, would not get him anywhere with her. Sure, there were whisperings of her time spent with Silas, but there were also rumors that she was not the only one that warmed his bed. Surely Livia would take that into account as well.

Her hands slid lower, pressed harder, but still, she did not separate from him. A soft laugh left his lips as she broke her gaze. "There is no pressure from me, you're allowed to decide for yourself what you desire. I'm not asking for you to commit to me and only me. I'm asking for the chance to win your affections, a chance to be close to you. If that's something you simply don't want, I accept that." He used his free hand to tilt her chin up softly, a look of genuine sincerity in his eyes.

"I think you are well aware that I'm not simply asking for only a kiss, and any other girl is not you, Livia." His thumb softly stroked her cheek for just a moment before he completely released her from his arms. "You don't have to say yes or no right now, you can think on it."

He stepped back, his eyes dancing as a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "Let us find something to entertain ourselves before lunch huh? I'm sure there are other shops that could claim our attention." Like that, it was if he had never pressed her at all, as if the moment never transpired.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Larkin surprised her.

She blinked, as if he had broken some sort of spell and now turned them towards ideas for lunch. It was her now being the one to follow him, and Quinnick could not help but study his side profile. "Oh, I see now." She snorted, looking ahead as they now walked back the way they came. Vel Cirak was quite the fortress; their walls so high, it could be seen wherever one may choose to look. But far in the distance they were, one could not fault you for not noticing it straight away.

"You are not committed to the idea of courting me if there is someone else you are to face against." Livia had wondered if that fact alone would have made the other Initiate more determined to try, but the way he easily left it in her court to make the decision told her he would not be the kind to fight for what he wanted.

Unlike her.

"I am unsure if I would like to pursue any courtship as of now... but I am curious. A kiss from you, would it sate whatever curiosiy it is you have of me seeing as you have only officially met me on this mission?"

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

He turned his head slightly, an eyebrow arched as her snort and statement reached him. "You misunderstand me. I will not court you if you do not want me to, it doesn't matter if there are other hats in the ring, it's simply me trying to be respectful of you."

He continued through the crowd, wondering if she thought poorly of him because of his respect for her. He was in truth protecting himself top. He had been hurt too much to chase after an impossibility.

Another pause as she spoke, this time he stopped fully to face her. "I can't promise you that one kiss from you will suffice. It would be easy to say yes to get what I want, and then move on. Unfortunately that's not how I operate." Larkin stepped towards her again, his eyes dancing mischievously as he was once again directly in front of her. He tilted her chin up with delicate fingers as he looked down at her. "And who's to say you would be happy with just one kiss from me."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia was not sure what surprised her more; the way he forced her eyes to meet his curious gaze, or the bold assumption that Livia would not be satisfied with the one kiss.

Looking at him now, the way he held her chin so rightly but delicately, she found herself smiling slightly. "And how I operate is I never truly know how it is I feel about commitment such as courting. Silas is technically courting me now..." Yet she ruined things yet again by arguing with him about her anxieties with being vulnerable with him. It took so much of Livia to even get herself to identify and admit what she felt for Silas was love, but even that could not keep their boat from rocking in the waters.

She lifted her chin, quick enough to escape Larkin's hold, but her eyes never left his. Nor did her smile. "I must say that your confidence is striking, Larkin. I almost yielded to you just now because of how..." And now her brows knitted together, uncertain of how such attraction came to fruition truthfully. "You are just so... surprising..."

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Larkin waved his hand dismissively as she brought up Silas. He had heard things through the grapevine, neither Silas or Livia had tied themselves to each other in any sense of permanence at this point. "As I've said, it matters not if you are currently being courted by others, it's only important if you rather I didn't throw my hat in the ring. Judging by the way you're looking at me, I don't think you mind too much."

She broke his hold on her chin, her eyes never leaving his. He could look into that gaze for eternity and be satisfied that she held it there. "There is an undeniable attraction that even you have to admit." He braced a hand behind her, his head bent down, nose nearly touching hers. He held her gaze with his, made her look at him.

Then, he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was firm but gentle, he didn't push too much he still wanted to give her the opportunity to react. She had given herself up, by saying she nearly yielded was his window of opportunity. It meant there was a desire there, and he went for it.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia tried to open her mouth to retort, but Larkin stole her thoughts, her words, as he held her at the small of her back and leaned his face down to her own. He commanded her attention, and Liv found herself shuddering a shallow breath as it seemed he wished to steal her breath too. And he did. With a kiss, Larkin had stolen everything of her that would have protested, would have denied him of something, but he could not steal her body into reacting the way it did.

Her hands rose to rest at his chest, ready to push him away, but the strength of that one hand at her back kept her in place.

This was nice, this was freeing, if she had to be honest. It was no earth shattering kiss from Silas, it was not distraction from Ivan, or the convenience of Leander. Larkin was one that had whisked her so suddenly. Her heart knew how to betray her, disregarding her thoughts of reason with the allure of attention being placed on her. This kiss made her feel wanted, and if anyone knew her, they would know Livia had always strived to be wanted and needed when the world saw her as something soft and replaceable.

Larkin

 

[Larkin]

Larkin was opening himself up again, letting himself feel again. He couldn't allow the moment to pass without trying to steal Livia off her feet. He had nearly died for love, and the potential to find love once more was to enticing for him to relent.

He could feel the heat of the palms of her hands flat against his chest, he expected her to shove him away. Still, she remained, their lips melding together as his hand slid up her back and his fingers weaved into her hair. They were in their own little world, and he was loathe to leave it.

Finally, he released her lips from his. He continued to hold her his other hand wrapping around her in a hug. He waited a few moments and then released her completely, waiting for her to scold him. He knew now, that even if she never loved him, that he couldn't help but eventually fall. "That wasn't too unbearable, right?" He tilted his head, a cheshire grin on his face. his lips still ached to taste hers, but he would let her take the lead next time.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Her cheeks were hot with a pink blush, blinking up at him as he broke the kiss. She had been so... enthralled by him, she could not remember at what point to even remember she had promised her affections to Silas. Guilt tugged at her, but Larkin spoke to her, wrenching her from the beginnings of protests.

"No... not unbearable." Her lips tingled with the lingering effects of his kiss, driving home the fact that she did kiss him. That had been real. "It was..." Livia cleared her throat, tearing her gaze from his and choosing to look at the crowds that moved past them like a current undeterred by a rock splitting it's course.

"Really not much there to complain about." Livia surmised, flicking her olive eyes back to his mismatched stare already piercing her. She lifted her chin, showing him she was not so easily fazed.

An oxen drawn cart was coming their way, and Quinnick took his arm and pulled him with her as she stepped back enough to stand at the entryway of an alley. Curiosity had her let his arm go, and she retreated a few feet into the alley and leaned against the wooden exterior of the shop belonging to it. "How did you find it?" She asked of him, watching him steadily.

 

[Larkin]

He couldn't help but be pleased with the results of their kiss. He knew from the way she had reacted to his lips, that she wasn't as disinterested as she seemed to be. The pink on her cheeks made him want to kiss her again, it only made her look more beautiful to him. She was trying very hard to avert her eyes, trying to remain stoic and uninterested. He almost felt bad, if he hadn't enjoyed the taste of her lips, and how her body felt against his so much.

He followed her olive gaze with his own mismatched one and was caught slightly off guard by the tug of his arm that followed shortly after. Eyes trailing the ox cart as Livia pulled them aside, he finally returned his eyes to her figure leaning exquisitely against the wooden framework of a shop. He traced her body with his eyes, pausing on her lips as she spoke. "I found it to be something I want to do more, and often. If I wasn't afraid of pushing my luck with you, I'd try again." He laughed softly, dimples forming on his scarred cheeks. "I find you to be quite irresistible, Livia."

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Liv skewered him with a stare.

"It is just a kiss. Does not need to mean anything." Livia had kissed plenty of boys.

Saying this to Larkin only fuelled her frustrations with her mixed feelings for Silas. Loving him was the most vulnerable Liv had ever felt, but he did not need to know everything about Livia. "How often would you kiss me now?" Her voice, coy and soft, spoke of a challenge she set for the boy watching her. She did not move from her position against the wall, but her eyes burned into him with a wickedness that dared him to take her up on the challenge.

"On one condition, Larkin. That you are not to tell a soul of this."

 

[Larkin]

She pinned him in place with just a glare, but he was enjoying it. This was not how he anticipated his day going, but it continued to become more and more thrilling as the sun made the slow trek across the sky. She had a bite to her, he didn't know the source, but it obviously was a hang up. Especially after the words she spoke next. He hummed softly in amusement as he traced her cheek lightly. "You're right, it is only a kiss. It's not like I'm asking you for commitment. I respect the game." And it was a game, one he would follow closely.

At her thinly veiled challenge, he grinned mischievously, leaning closer, his eyes locked onto hers. First he kissed her left cheek. "As." Then her right cheek. "Much." Her forehead next. "As" Her nose received one. "You." Her chin as his fingers gently lifted it. "Allow." This time her whispered it breathy against her lips, almost touching them, the corners of his mouth lifting as he spoke quietly. "I agree, not a soul." Then he kissed her once more, ignoring everything around them but her.

Livia Quinnick

 

[Livia Quinnick]

There was nowhere else for her to go as she had leaned against the building, and Larkin stepped into place to keep her there as he kissed her face slowly and with intention. It felt like a religious mark, an order of things to ask for blessings in exchange for prayer, and Livia could not help but lift her head higher as he tilted her lips towards his.

Livia did not do anything useless this time with her hands.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling herself against him as she relished in their privacy. It was different, it was freedom, and from what had Livia wondering why she had begun to attach herself to one boy.

And then she felt wrong, guilty, after thinking of Silas when another boy had stolen her away for kisses. It did not stop her. Self destruction followed Livia closely, as if ready to assist her into burning the bridges behind her. Ready to wound her so that she could feel that despair and open wounds against her own self.

As she pulled away, she glowered up at Larkin, not moving away from his hold as she said, "We should go back to the Academy now."

 

[Larkin]

She yielded willingly to his attentions this time, no argument from her as their lips met once more. He did not let passion lead, instead he was slow and deliberate with her. He could feel the warmth of her body as she leaned into him, into the kiss. He had no idea what he had gotten himself into, but right not it did not matter.

In just moments, their private world deteriorated. Her arms fell back to her sides and that beautiful little pout was on her lips once more. Slowly he released her, stepping away to return her space. He gave a slight bow of his head, a teasing smile tilting the corners of his mouth. "As you wish, Princess."

Livia Quinnick