August 14, 1178
It wasn't the most unreasonable suggestion. Bernardo wasn't counting the time it had taken to get to the forest from Seoth's and they'd left their horses in the village--not to mention, they'd both been up since daybreak getting ready for the excursion. Ten or fifteen minutes' worth of rest was a tempting prospect.
Still... "Isidro wouldn't like it."
Did it matter? Abrich would still know. "We have orders."
"'Orders' my ass." Bernardo landed a playful swat across his arm, though it stung a little more than he'd likely intended. "You're just feeling guilty because you have the hots for Izzy's wife."
Out of instinct, Abrich glanced around for any unintentional eavesdroppers--never mind that they were out in the middle of nowhere. "I didn't know you knew about that."
And this was why he sometimes hated his happily married friends. He missed Aspen. Sure, they hadn't ever done anything but swing weapons at each other and he couldn't even guess who she'd been pining over, but at least they could commiserate. Everybody else just gave him their well-meaning-yet-misguided teasing before going home to their ladies, apparently thinking it wasn't a big deal to be stuck in a lengthy engagement to a fourteen-year-old a kingdom away while the girl he couldn't remember ever not wanting slept beside someone else. And then he remembered that these same men sometimes envied him and it was a little more than he could take.
"That makes no sense."
"'Nardo, it's right behind you."
"What?" Bernardo jumped as he jerked his head to his shoulder. "Well, I'll be damned."
"Is he... waving at us?"
The suit of armor stopped waving and instead strode toward them. It stopped a feet short of Bernardo, then glanced--again, so far as anyone could tell--expectantly toward Abrich.
"I think he wants to see you."
That metal hand rose again. Wondering if it might respond to mimicry, he waved back. "So... those are some nice feathers you have there."
In hindsight, he had no idea what he'd hoped to accomplish with a random compliment, but it certainly wasn't what happened next.
So much for thinking his friend might intervene. "I see that."
"That's all right." Bernardo walked over to a nearby tree and sat down at the base of the trunk. "We've got time."
NEXT CHAPTER:
8 comments:
Just a heads up, I'm going to be out of town most of Sunday and most likely a good chunk of Monday as well, and I doubt I'll be online during that stretch of time. So if I don't immediately respond to any comments posted after about 9:30 AM Sunday my time or if I don't comment on anyone else's updates right away, it's (probably) not because I'm dead ;)
In any case, I'll get around to all of that when I get back. And I'm ahead with my pictures for once, so while I can pretty much guarantee that there won't be an update on Sunday, there should be one Monday night/Tuesday morning.
This post made me laugh, I'm curious of what we should call this Suit of Armor? But seriously LOL, I guess he really likes something about Abrich! :P
That was actually pretty adorable.
EkhoGirl: If it shows up a few more times, someone's bound to give it a name eventually ;)
Yeah, he just went right for it XD
Epi: Thanks! I was hoping it would be at least a little cute :)
Oh my goodness. It's got Dalston or Farilon's soul in it!! What did Remiel do to make that happen?!?!
However, it was pretty funny, watching Nardo and Abrich try to react to the Shiny Dovan.
And Abrich likes Riona ... interesting. Very, very interesting.
What's going on and what Remiel did will be revealed in due time. Pretty suspicious that he pretty much ignored Bernardo and went straight for Abrich, though.
Abrich's thing for Riona is one of those instances of me making up random facts for the sake of gradually filling character profiles and eventually bringing them into the story :P I doubt he'll ever act on those feelings, though.
Thanks Morgaine :)
Eh, a lot of character traits show-up on the fly during the writing process. I don't know why, but I liked the idea of Abrich pining over someone who is already very taken (not necessarily Riona but just someone). I was also happy/sad that Aspen is missed by more than one person.
As I was reading this, I assumed that the armor went for Abrich because it had belonged to Lorn, but I'm guessing that there is a more detailed explanation than that. :D
Sorry about the delay :S
Yeah, that's sort of what happened with that. But I liked the idea of it too. Pairing up in Naroni seems pretty easy (I'll admit that I have an aversion to love triangles), so it's a bit refreshing for those of us on the other side of the screen, even if it's not so great for poor Abrich.
And yeah, it's nice to know Aspen had friends. Aydelle probably misses her too, but since Ashe came into being, we really haven't seen much of her other than her making out with Aldhein.
That could easily just be it, but if that's the case, that's one sentimental suit of armor. Abrich hasn't lived with Lorn for quite a while.
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