A Most Excellent Adventure (Attn: Bella/Natlya)

[Locke]

Terric

He couldn’t help but laugh. Never pick up a spear if you aren't willing to use it as the saying went. Pocketing his sandwich, Terric stood and began to look around for a suitable rooftop. Somewhere people couldn't look down at them, but also somewhere he could climb.

They settled on a the roof of some sort of bank. Terric scaled the wall with Natlya Cade clinging to his back while doing her best not to drop their shopping.
~~~ The sun was much lower in the sky and Terric had more scratches for his collection. This time, on his chest. The bite makes were new though. Now the two Gaidin reclined on the rooftop, using their clothes as cushions. Idly stroking Natlya Cade’s back, Terric let his thoughts wonder. This couldn't last, could it? He wanted it to, but they had to go back to their real obligations. The obligation wasn't the real issue. Truth be told, this comfortable companionship, he didn't know if it would survive with the pressures and duties of the Tower.

After staring at a mole on her back, well toned from years of Warder Training, he spoke up, “The sun is in my eyes.”

“Is this better?” she said after moving to straddle him. In fact it was.

Terric opened his mouth slightly. He should just say it. Reaching up to cup her cheek he asked “This can't last can it?” He paused, trying to formulate his thoughts. “I want it to. No, I'm not… I'm not looking for a wreath or anything. I just… this is nice.” There it was out there. He waited for her to grab her clothes, apologize for everything before trying to leave. It wasn't a commitment he wanted, but he feared she would take it that way.

[Bella]

He needn't have worried. Natlya wasn't so easily frightened a woman; not anymore, maybe never had been.

This afternoon had been something else entirely, and with a number of firsts. She'd never scaled a building on someone's back before, nor had she ever fooled around on a roof in the middle of daylight. They were well shielded from view, however, and the sun was warm. There was a soft breeze as well, which she equally enjoyed in the midst of...things.

Sitting on him, she looked down into his eyes with her red hair half hanging out of the loose braid she'd contained it in. More of it was hanging around their faces than not, in fact.

What he said, though, softened the look in her eyes from playful and mischievous to...almost tender. His stammer and the sudden feeling of...tension in his body beneath her made it clear he was worried about something he said. Was he worried about her reaction? She could imagine some reasons why he might be, though wasn't sure if any were accurate.

"It's very nice," she agreed warmly. "I hope it lasts, some way." It wasn't the most eloquent of speeches either, but she hoped her expression would carry across whatever her words were not.

[Locke]

Terric

They were a pair of Gaidin, they spent more time practicing stabbing things than learning eloquence. Her simple affirmation did its job. Somewhat mollified, Terric leaned back to watch the clouds while Natlya Cade tucked her head under his chin. All the while, his thoughts seemed to tread the same ground. He wanted to have his head in order before he said anything more on the subject, and to determine whether his heart had to do with any of this as well. While eloquence was outside of his training, analysis sure wasn’t.

Eventually, as the sun began to sink, they managed to get dressed and return to their inn for dinner. After dinner, they danced for a few songs before retreating upstairs tugging at each other’s clothes again. It was becoming familiar and enjoyable cycle, but as they lay together, tangled in blankets on the floor, they agreed that no matter what, they would leave for Whitebridge in the morning.

[Bella]

They remained true to their decision the next morning. It was a slightly later start than they may have done when they left the Tower, but not terribly late and they were on their way. Supplies were prepared and stowed for their trip from Baerlon to White Bridge, and a sense of the... bittersweet seemed to be felt by both.

The road passed beneath their feet at a steady, comfortable pace. Sometimes, they talked. It was often companionable and other times playful, but always...comfortable.

When they stopped for meals, they sometimes shared quick spars to stretch their muscles and keep those skills from atrophying while they were traveling and doing other things. Occasionally, Terric would break up even that routine by engaging in a spar with his joy-wheel, and Natlya would be highly amused. She never thought to see such a battle with a Gaidin of the Grey Tower...and a toy.

Come the nights, the single tent went from practical to preferable, but they didn't let such dalliances keep them from moving on the next morning like they had at Baerlon. After all, there were no musicians or dancing or rooftops. That didn't mean they weren't still enjoying one another's company, of course; just that they were keeping on schedule better.

Eventually, their next destination came into view: White Bridge.

Natlya tried to remember the last time she had been to this city, and she had vague recollections, but there had been so many cities--sometimes just once and sometimes more than once--they kind of all blended together. You know, one game ran into another and one con was like the three before it. One puffed up noble needing to be relieved of his purse like the next...

Funny, though. She hadn't really thought much about those days while she'd been with Terric. It seemed like that life belonged to someone else, and the pair didn't talk a lot about the past. Maybe a bit here or there about their childhood or some specific experience, but since he'd learned she grew up in an orphanage...well, he hadn't pried and she hadn't offered much.

Maybe it was Morgan. Maybe when she was with Terric, she didn't want to think about Morgan or talk about him, because he was gone and she had finally accepted that. And in these moments when she was with Terric, she just wanted to be in the moment, and with Terric.

It was a sort of philosophy that she had spent much of her life living by. She had no desire to stop, now that she had gotten it back.

As they drew nearer, she looked sidelong at him with the smile he'd helped her reclaim that she never wanted to part with again. "We should probably decide how long we plan to stay here before we actually get there," she said. There was humor to her words, but also sincerity, because she meant them.

If they didn't start planning ahead, they may in fact never return to the Tower!

[Locke]

Terric

There was that smile again. It lit up her whole face. The pretty Gaidin with her brilliant and open smile was so unlike the the grief stricken Ji’Val he’d befriended to prevent her from working herself to death. It was a difference of night and day, and Terric was happy to see it.

“A plan right,” Terric said with an amused voice and the beginnings of a grin. “You might be right, Natlya Cade, I’m sure without a deadline we could stay indefinitely. Three days sounds reasonable. A day to rest, a day to explore the city. Maybe four days if leaving is too much of a chore. No more than four though. I would like to see this sea of yours.” This time he gave her a real smile. It was unpracticed, smiling wasn’t something Aiel did very often, but he meant it. He was tempted to suggest staying a week, but they would still be together on the road. He was beginning to think that maybe they could make this last once they returned to the Tower.

[Bella]

Since she obviously had no way of knowing his thoughts, she had no clue that her current thought echoed his: she liked seeing him smile, and began to think she could see more of it even after this trip was over.

"It's not my sea," she replied teasingly. "But it is beautiful, and I think you will enjoy seeing it. I know..." She paused and then smiled again, though less bright and more...not quite shy, but maybe of distant cousin of. "I know I'll enjoy seeing it with you and showing it to you..." She paused but didn't hesitate to move on.

Taking a quick breath and looking forward again, she nodded. "I think three or four days sounds fair. I do want a chance to see a bit of the city, and more than just the rooftops." The bright smile was back. "I can't recall the last time I was in White Bridge, and I am excited to just, you know, see and experience even more things once outside the Tower walls."

[Locke]

Terric

The massive river or the gleaming bridge. Terric stood transfixed, eyes darting from one to the other somewhere between wonder and trepidation. “I traveled across the grasslands,” Terric said in a quietly reverent voice, “I thought I knew. I had crossed rivers before, none like this.” Whitebridge’s ancient namesake shown in the noonday sun as the couple approached. Slowly, Terric took a step onto the bridge. Maybe it was irrational, but Terric had expected the bridge to be slick. It did appear to be made of glass or crystal, but instead, his soft boots gripped the path with ease.

As the ascended the unnatural bridge, Terric forced himself to look out across the Manetherandrelle’s sparkling expanse. So much water. Even after all these years, the Wetlands never ceased to amaze him with their wealth. He stopped at the bridge’s apex and just stared out across the river and to the the town at the far bank. Whitebridge seemed almost mundane compared to the river that flowed alongside of it. Still staring out across the Manetherandrelle, Terric reached his hand back to touch Natlya Cade. “Thank you,” he said. He could stand on this bridge till the sun set, watching the flowing water, but they had to move on.

[Bella]

As much as Terric was in awe of the bridge and the river, she was in awe of...his awe. She had never seen someone look like that upon seeing such a thing, and wondered if she had ever felt something like it. Before now.

Once they were nearer, she let him wander on slightly ahead while she dismounted Misty. She took up the horse's reins and walked up to him on foot as he took in the sight before him. She smiled and drew close, saying nothing and just letting him have the moment. When he reached back to touch her and thanked her, her smile grew.

"I am happy to see it with you," she said, not thinking he needed to thank her but not wanting to sound ungrateful for the expression.

Terric stepped away and she stepped close enough to take his hand with her other, the one not holding the reins. Although she never let herself lose attention to what was around her, all was quiet. She let herself enjoy the moment and walk with him, like that, on to the other side of the bridge and beyond.

[Locke]

Terric

Terric tensed, momentarily distracted from the majestic river, as she took his hand. He almost drew his hand away. It wasn’t his spear hand, but there was a fight… She would quickly release his hand to go or her own sword. He realized he trusted her not to freeze or act irrationally, and she obviously trusted him if she was giving him her sword hand to hold. She needn't worry, he would release her hand when danger came, and they would fight side by side or back to back. Terric gave her hand a small squeeze, and in an uncharacteristically public display of affection, brushed his lips against the top of her head.

With his large callused hands engulfing her smaller, but equally as callused hands, they made their way across the bridge and into the town of Whitebridge. Now that they were off of the ancient bridge and into the town itself, Terric could see that it wasn’t quite as tiny and unimpressive as it had first appeared. Broad cobbled streets and well cared for wood and brick buildings told the tale of a prosperous trade hub. Terric itched to visit the market. Later though. First, they needed to secure some lodging and scrounge up something to eat. Terric’s stomach rumbled as if to punctuate the thought.

[Bella]

Warmth flooded Natlya from head to toe when he kissed her head, but she said nothing. She had no wish to spoil the moment, and only wanted it to continue as long as it could. She found herself wishing that a lot in the past few days, didn't she? Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to be bothered by that.

Into the city they walked, until they saw an inn in what seemed a decent section of the town on the main thoroughfare. It was not too busy and so the three of them--Terric, Nat, and Terric's stomach--made the decision that this was the place to settle. She cast him a smile. "See about a room while I tend my horse?" she asked.