Day Twenty-Two Cont'd
Nov. 23rd, 2009 02:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mindsplintersWorld: GesMa
Rating: G
Word Count: 933
Circumstance: Written at home
Uncomfortable in the growing warmth, Bjorn attempted to shift his cloak first from one shoulder to the other as unobtrusively as possible. He felt his face beginning to flush and sweat beading his brow beneath the tumble of white-blond hair and knew, deep in his soul, that he was not made for this sort of weather. Perhaps not this sort of country either but what could one do? Quests and destinies cared little whether you thought you were in danger of heat stroke or not.
He glanced to his travelling partners warily and then, thankful when they seemed focused on their own thoughts, he allowed his steps to slow minutely so he could be just out of visual range. Then he quickly fumbled at the heavy, worked clasp which kept his cloak together. The point of the pin pricked his finger but he bit back a yelp, sticking the finger in his mouth for a moment for distraction. Thankfully, the clasp came away easily after that mishap and he made sure that it was refastened securely to one side. Then he allowed the heavy fabric, pelts along the shoulders, to slip away and caught it neatly in one hand. His steps continued blessedly even and steady as he managed to ball and fold the yards of fabric into something manageable that he could wrestle into his knapsack. He counted his stars that his axe had been strapped beneath the cloak in the hurry of decampment; ironically, it had been something he originally cursed his clumsiness for. Now, though, it made things so much more easy.
Process complete, Bjorn stepped faster until he was abreast of the others once more. Vay glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and he offered a lopsided smile and a shrug. He missed the assessing look from Callie, too busy congratulating himself on finding a way to cool down in a most unobtrusive manner. Within another mile, though, it seemed as if nothing had changed. He risked another look towards Vay, suddenly worried that the other knight's heightened senses would detect the accumulating sweat. The wolf appeared to be humming softly to himself, tail wagging lazily in time to the pace set. Bjorn then glanced to his other side and almost sighed with relief. Callie appeared to be likewise oblivious to his renewed discomfort. Her long-fingered hand idly played with the fencing epee hung at her waist, touch and step shifting it in a swinging, mesmerizing arch back and forth.
He tried to remember if she shared Vay's senses but failed. All he could do was hope and trust that her apparent disinterest was honest. He had learned that Callie was many things, including a mistress of distraction and misdirection. Reaching up, he untied the leather thong holding the neck of his shirt together. He slipped one calloused finger beneath the cross-overs and tugged until it loosened and his collar fell open. The immediate touch of cooler air against his overheated skin drew an unconcious sigh from him.
Callie turned her head slightly to regard him and smiled until he registered her attention and returned the greeting. Encouraged, she dropped back to walk directly beside him. "I find that spring is such a pretty season down here, don't you?" she began conversationally, smooth as silk. "Everything blooms so wonderfully and you just want to stretch out and bask in the sunlight. Leave all of those stuffy clothes behind and enjoy yourself."
Hands dropping immediately back to his sides, Bjorn nodded uncertainly. "Do you like flowers, Miss Callie?" he asked. At her nod, his attention instinctively swung to the banks that rose on either side of the road as he searched for the bright colors that would signal flowers which he could fetch. "And this warm weather suits you?"
"Oh, yes," she purred. "I like the sunshine more than anything. Don't you?"
"I... Well..." Bjorn caught himself tugging at his shirt again absently, trying to reintroduce the momentary coolness from before. When he noticed her slant another blue-eyed glance his way, he froze and offered a sheepish grin. "Well, to be honest," he began hesitantly, "I'm not used to..."
"Feel free to take off your shirt or whatever you like." Callie lifted a hand and waved it to indicate the world in general, including Vay who was starting to realize that a conversation was happening ahead of him. "I'm sure you'll have time to make yourself borderline presentable again before we find ourselves in another town." She smiled with worrying sweetness. "Go on. It will do you good. Get some color to you... And it will give your poor shirt an airing."
Bjorn flushed. "Oh, of course. Pardon." He fidgeted with his cuffs and shifted his gaze to the road ahead. There was a stand of trees and a bit of a turn. It looked suitable. Turning his attention back to Callie, he smiled shyly. "I'll just jog up ahead and we can rest under those trees. I'll make it ready for you and Vay." At Callie's raised eyebrow, he ducked his head and the smile became a crooked grin. "And I'll get used to the spring, okay?"
She laughed and waved her hand languidly to give permission. With a slight salute, Bjorn spun on his heel and started off at a jog. It would leave him hotter and more sweaty, in the end, but... A bit of distance would be good and allow him time to process the future, obedient partial nudity. Callie seemed to have very definite ideas of spring and he wondered what Vay would say. Oh, dear.
Rating: G
Word Count: 933
Circumstance: Written at home
Uncomfortable in the growing warmth, Bjorn attempted to shift his cloak first from one shoulder to the other as unobtrusively as possible. He felt his face beginning to flush and sweat beading his brow beneath the tumble of white-blond hair and knew, deep in his soul, that he was not made for this sort of weather. Perhaps not this sort of country either but what could one do? Quests and destinies cared little whether you thought you were in danger of heat stroke or not.
He glanced to his travelling partners warily and then, thankful when they seemed focused on their own thoughts, he allowed his steps to slow minutely so he could be just out of visual range. Then he quickly fumbled at the heavy, worked clasp which kept his cloak together. The point of the pin pricked his finger but he bit back a yelp, sticking the finger in his mouth for a moment for distraction. Thankfully, the clasp came away easily after that mishap and he made sure that it was refastened securely to one side. Then he allowed the heavy fabric, pelts along the shoulders, to slip away and caught it neatly in one hand. His steps continued blessedly even and steady as he managed to ball and fold the yards of fabric into something manageable that he could wrestle into his knapsack. He counted his stars that his axe had been strapped beneath the cloak in the hurry of decampment; ironically, it had been something he originally cursed his clumsiness for. Now, though, it made things so much more easy.
Process complete, Bjorn stepped faster until he was abreast of the others once more. Vay glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and he offered a lopsided smile and a shrug. He missed the assessing look from Callie, too busy congratulating himself on finding a way to cool down in a most unobtrusive manner. Within another mile, though, it seemed as if nothing had changed. He risked another look towards Vay, suddenly worried that the other knight's heightened senses would detect the accumulating sweat. The wolf appeared to be humming softly to himself, tail wagging lazily in time to the pace set. Bjorn then glanced to his other side and almost sighed with relief. Callie appeared to be likewise oblivious to his renewed discomfort. Her long-fingered hand idly played with the fencing epee hung at her waist, touch and step shifting it in a swinging, mesmerizing arch back and forth.
He tried to remember if she shared Vay's senses but failed. All he could do was hope and trust that her apparent disinterest was honest. He had learned that Callie was many things, including a mistress of distraction and misdirection. Reaching up, he untied the leather thong holding the neck of his shirt together. He slipped one calloused finger beneath the cross-overs and tugged until it loosened and his collar fell open. The immediate touch of cooler air against his overheated skin drew an unconcious sigh from him.
Callie turned her head slightly to regard him and smiled until he registered her attention and returned the greeting. Encouraged, she dropped back to walk directly beside him. "I find that spring is such a pretty season down here, don't you?" she began conversationally, smooth as silk. "Everything blooms so wonderfully and you just want to stretch out and bask in the sunlight. Leave all of those stuffy clothes behind and enjoy yourself."
Hands dropping immediately back to his sides, Bjorn nodded uncertainly. "Do you like flowers, Miss Callie?" he asked. At her nod, his attention instinctively swung to the banks that rose on either side of the road as he searched for the bright colors that would signal flowers which he could fetch. "And this warm weather suits you?"
"Oh, yes," she purred. "I like the sunshine more than anything. Don't you?"
"I... Well..." Bjorn caught himself tugging at his shirt again absently, trying to reintroduce the momentary coolness from before. When he noticed her slant another blue-eyed glance his way, he froze and offered a sheepish grin. "Well, to be honest," he began hesitantly, "I'm not used to..."
"Feel free to take off your shirt or whatever you like." Callie lifted a hand and waved it to indicate the world in general, including Vay who was starting to realize that a conversation was happening ahead of him. "I'm sure you'll have time to make yourself borderline presentable again before we find ourselves in another town." She smiled with worrying sweetness. "Go on. It will do you good. Get some color to you... And it will give your poor shirt an airing."
Bjorn flushed. "Oh, of course. Pardon." He fidgeted with his cuffs and shifted his gaze to the road ahead. There was a stand of trees and a bit of a turn. It looked suitable. Turning his attention back to Callie, he smiled shyly. "I'll just jog up ahead and we can rest under those trees. I'll make it ready for you and Vay." At Callie's raised eyebrow, he ducked his head and the smile became a crooked grin. "And I'll get used to the spring, okay?"
She laughed and waved her hand languidly to give permission. With a slight salute, Bjorn spun on his heel and started off at a jog. It would leave him hotter and more sweaty, in the end, but... A bit of distance would be good and allow him time to process the future, obedient partial nudity. Callie seemed to have very definite ideas of spring and he wondered what Vay would say. Oh, dear.
