A Late Arrival [Andarial]

[Reyn]

Ten days had passed since Reyn's fateful encounter with the Dark Queen. Ten very long and very busy days filled with work, drilling, and training. Only two days after Reyn had met the mysterious woman he was ordered to receive his beast. Reyn had never thought he would have ever gotten one and never put much thought into it. Now that he had one he was swamped with work. Reyn was tasked with learning a new style of combat and learning how to fly, which he had already decided that he hated. Flying left him nauseous and incredibly disoriented and trying to fight while upon his horner griffin was practically impossible. Though, all of his work had earned him a promotion. With so much to tell his friend Reyn took off in the middle of the night aboard his newly befriended beast.

Crimson, or Crim as Reyn preferred calling her, often tried to enter Reyn's mind but the newness of their link left it weak. Reyn often avoided too much mental contact with her, fearing that she would see inside his head. Crim had a strange sense of honor and he thought that if she ever found out about his meetings with the Dark Queen she would turn him over to the proper authorities, no matter how much she liked the boy. Tonight Reyn rode atop his great winged beast, flying in the night sky. He despised flying but he was forced to admit that it made traveling much faster and it was a lot easier to sneak into a country from the air. Most people never bothered to look toward the sky.

It was thirty minutes until the new day, thirty minutes before midnight, when Reyn and his beast arrived. They touched down in the cover of shadows and Reyn hoped off, only to fall onto his bottom from the dizziness that accompanied flight. "I ever tell you I hate flying." he told Crim. The griffin laughed, her chest rumbling as she did so. Reyn sighed, pushed himself up, and then dusted himself off. Just like he had said he had gotten a hold of a dark cloak that was as black as pitch. It was drawn around him making him a large shadow with no features. The hood of the cloak obscured his face and using the very minor light magic that he had he forced the light away from his face making it even harder to see him. "You might as well leave Crim. I'll... I'll call you when I need you." he said hesitantly, not wanting to call Crim with his mind.

The griffin nodded and then took off, probably to hunt. Reyn crept into the shadows and followed the wall until he found the bush he was told about. Just as Andee had told him there was a door behind it. He reached for the iron key that hung around his neck and slid it into the lock. He turned it, rewarded with a reassuring click. He pushed the door open and then walked close to the wall. Reyn had no experience sneaking and because of that had brought a large knife with him. The end of the hilt had a weight that could easily put a man out with the right hit. Reyn grasped it in his hands ready to use it if he needed it. Luck, guided him as he made his way upwards into the castle, figuring that Andee's room was high atop it.

It took Reyn thirty minutes to find away up stairs and toward the right tower. He guessed wisely and eventually came across a tower that was decorated and being guarded by two men. Reyn figured that it was Andee's tower. He nibbled on his lip as he figured out how to get by them. He reached out with his mind and used what little powers he could. Moving the light created by a nearby torch he made it seem as if a shadow had passed by. One of the men went to inspect it. While he was away Reyn crept forward and slammed his weighted dagger into the man's head. He collapsed with a grunt. Reyn, impressed with himself, waited for the other man to return. He knelt down and looked over his fellow guard. Reyn reached out and slammed his dagger against his head again.

Reyn hid the unconscious bodies before ascending up the stairs. He crept quietly until coming to a lonely, ornate door. He smiled, believing that he had found his friend's room. "Andee," he said, hoping she would remember his voice, as he threw open the door.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She had an 'engagement' tonight. AS one could call it. She was lusting after someone as of late and she had finally gotten him into her bed. She was half-way through the act of foreplay when she noticed she had begun to see the man beneath her as Reyn, the man from the forest. How odd. She could almost remembered every single scar on his body, not exactly where it was as the lines were blurred but pretty close. But this man did not make her feel the way Reyn had made her feel that day. He didn't make her feel that warmth that spread through her body.

But it still felt good, just not perfect. She rocked her hips and suddenly the door was being opened. She was pulling up the sheets and disentangling herself from the man within seconds. Her now crimson gaze was traveling across the room to where Reyn stood. Relief flooded through her and complete and utter fear. Relief from the fact that he hadn't been hurt and that he had probably just hadn't had the time to come over in his absence. The fear lingered there though, making her stomach roil uncomfortably, what would he think? Would he be upset with her? Disgusted?

"Reyn... You are supposed to knock," she paused in the beginning of her sentence and then sighed. She motioned for the guy to leave and he just seemed to sit there and stare at both of the m out of disbelief. Then slowly, he gathered his clothes and walked toward the door. She stood, letting the sheet fall to the bed and her naked body was soon on display. Her black skin gleamed in the candle light and she didn't seem to realize she was naked. She was just staring at Reyn out of disbelief. "You were supposed to be here three days ago."

Words: 325
Muse: Good
Song: Bang- Armchair Cynics

[Reyn]

Reyn had heard noises before he entered into Andee's room. It had sounded as if someone had been hurt. He had prepared his dagger just in case, ready to leap into the room and attack whatever happened to be hurting Andee. To his surprise he ran across Andee and another dark elf in her bed. Confused, he tilted his head to the side, wondering what they had been doing. Whatever it was Reyn had figured that it had hurt Andee. His red eyes were trained on the man as Andee addressed him. "I figured that you would be asleep. I thought it'd be better if I came in and woke you up in a nicer way." he said, his tone cold, though only because of the man's presence in the room. As he crept about, collecting his clothes Reyn allowed light to touch his face, though he was still hidden in the shadow of the hood.

When he was dismissed and walked by Reyn's arm shot out, stopping him from exiting. He brought up his head and peeled back his lips, his lower portion of his face the only part visible from beneath the enveloping hood. He snarled at the man before shifting and pushing him out. He would have said something a little more threatening, but he didn't want his voice to be to well known. As soon as the man was clear of the door Reyn shut it behind him and then tossed off the hood of his cloak. "Yeah, sorry." he said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I've been pretty bu-" Reyn stopped in mid-word as he looked over at Andee only to see her rise out of her bed completely naked. As usual Reyn's face turned a rather unflattering shade of red and he glanced away. He left the sentence unfinished as he took off his robe and placed it on a nearby chair. His knife was placed on a table that sat beside it.

Unlike their last meeting Reyn was clothed in his preferred style of dress. A plain white button up shirt clung to his body with first five or so buttons being undone revealing a white undershirt. Faded jeans hung from his hips with the support of a black leather belt and large cumbersome boots were fitted over his feet. He rubbed the back of his head ruffling his hair and the four multicolored feathers that were braided into it. "Why is it that every time I see you your never wearing any clothes?" he asked. It wasn't true, but close enough. During their last meeting Andee had spent most of their meeting in her under wear. His red eyes trailed from were they had been concentrated and looked over Andee. His blush faded but didn't outright vanish.

Reyn had never seen a Dark Elf naked. Hell, he had never seen a woman with out clothes on. Curiosity called for him to look at least once, even if he was embarrassed to do so. "Anyway," he said, shaking his head lightly in an attempt to force the blush to subside. "What the hell were you two doing? It sounded like he was hurting you?" No more than twenty seconds into their second meeting Reyn flaunted his innocence and ignorance. Reyn had heard of sex but never had the boy ever learned of what it actually was. From what he had gathered it was apparently some sort of dance.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She paused watching the exchange between the elf and Reyn. She couldn't even remember the other elf's name. She smiled slightly, was this jealousy or concern? Either way she liked either emotion on him, especially if it was because of her. The way he looked as he took off his cloak, she had forgotten how absolutely gorgeous he was, she shook her head. The way the feathers glinted in his hair as they caught the candlelight. The way his hair fell into his eyes and contrasted so starkly with his crimson eyes. Crimson eyes that looked so much like hers when she grew angry.

As he made the comment about her not wearing any clothes and he blushed, she looked down and saw herself naked. She grinned at him as his eyes glanced across her form. Slowly she bent to pick up her clothes, saying as she did so, "Oh, sorry forgot that I was naked." She slipped on her silk and lace nightgown that she usually wore every night. It was the color of white, matching her hair and came down to mid-thigh, barely covering her. He underwear was now on underneath but that was all.

Her smirk widened as he asked what they had been doing. He really had no idea? It made her want to laugh, but she didn't. It wouldn't be fair to him to laugh at him. He was so innocent and ignorant to the facts about life in Andee's opinion that she just couldn't laugh at him. He had never been taught. She would tell him the truth, it was time for him to learn, she guessed. "I was, uh, having sex with him," she said it outright and bluntly with only a little hesitation. She was actually quite proud of herself. She was a little unsure of how he was going to react to this declaration, but she hoped it would be well.

Words: 333
Muse: Good
Song: Kelly- Armchair Cynics

[Reyn]

Reyn rolled his eyes as he took up a spot in the chair he had set his cloak on. "How exactly do you forget you're naked?" he asked as he rested his elbow on the table and then allowed his chin to rest in the palm of his scarred hand. Reyn was always conscious of his appearance. Not out of pride but out of shame. He disliked it when anyone came across him with out so much as his shirt on. They asked questions of his scars and often times starred which left Reyn anxious for them to leave. He was utterly embarrassed of the scars that crisscrossed his frame and the fact that he only added more to his body with every battle was disheartening.

Reyn awaited her to get dressed before offering up any sort of comment about what had happened. He simply crossed his legs and lightly swung the leg that was now off the ground. When she finally dressed herself Reyn couldn't help but sigh. He wondered if the thin robe that covered her now was better than her being naked. Despite his innocence he had often heard others speak about how being scantily clad was more enticing than full nudity. While he noticed it, shifting nervously as he looked upon his friend, a lot of it's meaning was lost upon him. He glanced toward his knife and played with the edges of it, keeping his mind off staring at Andee. Her voice distracted him from his fiddling though and he looked at her, tilting his head to the side.

He pondered upon it for a moment before hunching his shoulders. "Oh, okay." he said simply. Reyn knew little of what sex was and honestly didn't care too much. As long as he remained ignorant of it he would never have the desire to learn about it. He figured if it was anything that important it would be better to act as if he already knew about it or else risk appearing the fool. Reyn looked up and smiled. "What have you been up to for the past ten days, Andee?" he asked, attempting to quickly change the subject before she pressed the matter. Besides, Reyn had exciting new to tell her. At least, it was exciting for him.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She smiled at him and sat opposite of him on her bed. She had missed him so much. So many dreams had been filled of him. They hadn't even all been dirty dreams, they had been nice ones, filled with wonderful brushes of the hands and gentle kisses, sneaking out together and playing in the snow. It was a little corny but she had no control over what she dreamed about. It had been horrible to wake and realize he wasn't going to be there right with her. What was this strange feeling she felt toward him, why did the room suddenly lighten whenever he was around?

She ignored the naked comment. Figuring it was a rhetorical question. She could just stare at him forever, she had decided but figuring it would make him uncomfortable she glanced upward and said, "I haven't been up to much just the war, leading my troops to battle and such. Um, also I have been helping teach a class on fighting. But probably the biggest thing is I am avoiding doing any work. That little idea you planted in my head has been driving me crazy." She smiled at him to show him that she was joking. "Though I have been giving it a lot of thought, and I talked to my adviser about it and we really are thinking about doing a truce."

She blinked realizing what she had just told him. She knew he would have to keep it a secret and that was a huge secret to keep. Another huge one besides the one that she and he were meeting. She sighed and rubbed a hand across her face. She didn't want o add to the poor man's problems. Quickly she directed the subject toward him hoping he would be so distracted he wouldn't have heard, "So what about you what have you been up to?"

Words:330
Muse: Good
Song: N/A

[Reyn]

Reyn looked at her, slack jawed after hearing her words. A truce? She had actually been working on forging one? It caught Reyn by surprise. He had originally thought that she had only suggested one out of a random attempt to be able to meet with each other again. Apparently she was serious though. He sat there for a moment and then grinned. "A truce," he mused aloud. The prospect was mind blowing. With a truce Reyn could come and go as he pleased, he could see Andee when he wanted, he could... Reyn held in a sigh when he realized issues would still arise. Reyn was a peasant after all and how often had Reyn been present before his own Queen, let alone a queen who was just at war with his country.

"That'd be nice. I could back to the farm and help my mother and father." he said, his mind turning towards the man and woman who had seen him off when he had decided to enlist in the military. A dreamy smile crossed his face as he thought of leaving the military and going back home where he wouldn't be forced to fight and possibly settle down and find a nice girl. Reyn's mind produced an image of Andee and he blinked rapidly, surprised by the suddenness of the image. Reyn couldn't think of Andee that way, he wouldn't let himself. She was royalty and he was a peasant, she was a dark elf and he wasn't, she was beautiful and he was... he was Reyn, scarred and awkward. If the first thought was a dagger to the heart the last one was a twist.

He sat for a time before responding to Andee's question. He forced a smile as he looked up at her. "I got an advancement." he said proudly. "I ended up joining with a beast and was transfered over to a new division and I'm in charge of a few new guys. Though," Reyn stopped and sighed. "I've gotta get used to flying. Crim, my beast, she's a griffin. All she ever wants to do is fly and to be perfectly honest I hate flying. I'm not to fond of her trying to get into my mind either." he mumbled the last part as he rubbed the back of his head.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She grinned at him. She did so love his reactions, a small smile kept on her face as he thought over the whole truce. She raised a brow at what he said after he said truce. He was a farmer? He was a peasant? She didn't know that. Well that screwed up her plans. What the hell was she thinking?! Those plans didn't and couldn't exist. She could only be his friend. Even if he was more than a friend and he was still a peasant it wouldn't matter she got whatever she wanted, if she really wanted him she could have him. Except for the fact that he was a Light Elf.

So many things were stacked against them. IT would never work, that's what she kept telling herself over and over, its the only way she would survive this friendship without exploding and becoming a needy mess. A Queen never begged for what she wanted she either took it or she left it and walked away, this time she would have to find somewhere in between and linger with just touches. She frowned for a couple minutes as she came to this conclusion. Only if this truce worked would she ever have a chance.

She laughed at what he said about flying and getting a Beast, "That's great! Amazing, and you thought you would never get one! And don't worry about the flying thing, people get used to it and it becomes second nature. The whole mind melding thing, it takes some time but you'll get used to it. Soon it'll be so easy that you almost forget your minds are connected." She hoped he would get used to flying at least or he would be susceptible to getting hurt in battle. She flipped back to the conversation about his parents, "I never knew you were a farmer."

She didn't want him to be scared of telling her his heritage. Just because she was a noble, if they were to be friends then they had to get past that. So she hoped it wasn't that. She hoped he had just forgotten to tell her considering they had only met once.

Words: 379
Muse: Great
Song: I get off- Halestorm

[Reyn]

Reyn sighed deeply and shook his head. He didn't like the idea of someone else being in his head, seeing his inner most thoughts, his dreams, his foolish desires, and the little chest that he seemed to lock all of his darkest emotions in. Just the thought of it made him sick to the stomach, almost as sick as flying made him. He mumbled something as he so often did when he was thinking to himself before producing a thin orb of light. He forced it to dance from finger to finger, sparsely illuminating the darkness that the two sat in. As a part of his training Reyn had been forced to work on his magical abilities. He was informed that having the ability to manipulate light was getting rather rare, or at least it was in the army, and that his abilities needed to be trained. What he performed now, in front of Andee, was one of the small exercises he did to train.

"... I still don't like it." he said, repeating what he mumbled before loud enough for Andee to hear. The ball circled his index finger which was now pointing straight up. "Flying feels really weird. It makes me sick afterwards most of the time." he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. After his first flight he unceremoniously christened the day by throwing up off the side of the Light Queen's large castle. That was all Reyn really wanted to offer up on the subject of joining minds with his beast and the training he was forced to do while airborne. He knew that he needed to master the skills if he wanted to stay alive but still... He rubbed the back of his head, the feathers shifting before he looked back toward Andee. When she asked about his family he gave a slight shrug. He could have sworn he mentioned it in passing the last time they had met.

"Yeah, I grew up on a farm when I was younger. It was hard for my parents and me. We had a little patch of land in a small village on the outskirts of the old country." he said, referring to when the country had been one front instead of two divided against each other. "We grew all sorts of things though and we were able to support ourselves well enough. We didn't have much in the way of money though. Most of my old clothes were hand me downs from my father that mother used to patch up. Living out there was hard. We didn't know much about the nobility at the time and we hadn't even known a war had broken out until it reached us." Reyn rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously realizing that he had answered more than she had asked, which was nothing.

Thinking of his home chilled his heart. The memory of the war reaching his home and the unit that had attacked the village flashed before him. He touched his hand to his scarred cheek and then looked up. Reyn still couldn't believe that Andee was the woman who had initiated the attack, who had given him the scars that raced across his body... Would he ever tell her that? Would he tell her that the village that he once lived in now marked the border of the disputed territory, a constant battle ground, his parents still living there.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She moved closer and watched the globe of light with interest. She had never seen him use magic before. It seemed like something someone would do when wanting to take their mind off of the topic of discussion. She walked even closer to him as he looked up, and she smiled at him. She gently took his palm in her hand and looked at the callouses on it. Slowly her thumbs began to circle them, not hard, just softly and she watched his eyes with intensity. Her golden eyes seem to glow in the darkness, and she smiled at him.

She swore he wasn't telling her everything. That he was hiding something as he told her about his family. She wouldn't push it though. Instead she just focused on her motions with her thumbs and his words. Slowly she spread the soft massage out to the tips of his fingers. She was committing this night to memory. Who knew when and if they would ever see each other again. She licked her lips and sighed as she resigned to telling him her plan that night. "You were far out there, hm? I feel bad because I was the cause of the attacks," she frowned and looked up from his hand and directly at him, never before had she said an apology but there was a first time for everything. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Her gaze looked soft and sad. What could she do to show him she wasn't a bad person. "Do you know how to dance?"she asked as her gaze flitted to the left for a moment and her hands left his. The cold of her bedroom seeped into replace where his warmth had been. He had been so warm, she wondered what it would be like to just fall asleep beside him.

Words: 318
Muse: Great
Song: Do my dirty work- Halestorm

[Reyn]

Reyn was confused when Andee grabbed a hold of his hand and began to play with the callouses that covered them. How many of those hardened patches of skin had he developed working the fields and how many more had he added to them wielding his spear against this woman's army? He had originally been able to tell which callouses were from farming and others from war but now even he couldn't tell. He looked away from their hands only to lift his gaze to meet her's. Golden eyes stared back at him and he felt his face warm again. His eyes lingered for a moment or two before he looked away his face a bright red. "You don't have to ask for forgiveness." he said in a hushed tone as he looked over her circular room, avoiding her eyes. "No one was seriously hurt in my village." Except for me, the words he continued to leave unspoken. "And mostly everyone left it after the attack."

Reyn turned toward her and gave her a half hearted smile. It melted away when he caught sight of how she looked. It was something he would have never thought to see from someone known through out the lands as the Dark Queen. It seemed to beg him to forgive her. He brought up his hand and touched it to her cheek before giving her a slight, but real smile. "Besides, you know I'd forgive you anyway." he said cheerfully, the orb of light circling her for a moment before he allowed his hand to fall to his side. What he asked next dumbfounded him. She released his hand and he tilted his head to the side. "Dance?" he asked.

Reyn had never had to dance in his entire life. Peasantry typically celebrated things by getting drunk and some sort of harvest festival. There had been some dancing but Reyn had never been asked to dance let alone actually step onto the dance floor. He shook his head slowly, unsure of his response."No, why does it matter?" he asked, now thoroughly confused at what she was attempting to get at.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She wondered if when his village had been attacked was when he had received his scars. She thought back onto whether she would take back that day. Whether she would change history. Though she was was sorry about the incident she decided no, because the scars were what made Reyn who he was, or at least had shaped him that way. They made him so Innocent and light. Besides they were quite attractive. She smiled as his hand fell to the side of her face and pressed against it lightly. The smell of cedar bark and sun warmed earth once again surrounded her and she breathed deeply for a second, leaning into his touch, closing her eyes.

When she opened her eyes her gaze trailed the light, circling her head. A childish grin grew on her face and for a moment she felt like reaching out and trying to capture the tiny glowing orb. But she resisted the urge to do so and merely watched it until his hand fell from her cheek and suddenly it was just that much colder in the room. She shivered slightly and stood from where she had been crouching. Slowly she turned around in circles as if she were dancing with someone, her arms held where they would be if she had a partner.

She smiled back at him over her shoulder until she completed her last turn and stood there watching him. Yes she would invite him to the ball. The ball she was planning to engage her sister in doing to get their people together once they had a truce. She nodded as he said the word dance and then answered his question,"Because I will be holding a ball with my sister as soon as I tell her about my desire for a truce. She has always wanted one, a truce not a ball, and a ball is a great way to get our people together and have them enjoy each others company. It will be a masked ball so no one will no anyone's identity but the Queens... and I want you to come."

Words:360
Muse: Great
Song: Love/Hate Heartbreak- Halestorm

[Reyn]

Reyn laughed as he watched Andee spin around as if dancing. It was certainly something he had never thought to see. Her gown fluttered with every movement and Reyn sat and watched, observing every small motion she made. When she stopped and returned to him she asked a question that had quite literally come from nowhere. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What?" he asked, not knowing what else he could say at the moment. His mind processed hundreds of things at once as it sorted out all of the information that she had just laid out before him. Ball, truce, dance, them... It was all too much and so Reyn was forced to break it down into something smaller.

First he dealt with the truce and ball. There would be no way that it would be completely peaceful. He figured that it would be tense and it would need some of the light and dark elves to meet on the dance floor to break the ice. If Reyn did accompany Andee it would be much easier for them to do so. That suddenly brought up the question of how would the others react. Reyn was a peasant, a soldier with nothing to his name by a small hunk of land that wasn't even his yet and even when it was it still wouldn't belong to him but to one of the queens. Reyn nibbled on his lip as the light vanished due to stress. Then the thing that affected Reyn came to mind. Well, actually two things. First of all Reyn couldn't dance. While he had never tried he figured it would be one of those things that would be impossible for him to do. Then there was how he felt.

Reyn had come to terms with the fact that he felt something for the Dark Queen during their first meeting. She made him feel so lighthearted and put butterflies in his stomach. While he had never been in a relationship before he'd had various crushes through out his life. How would he act and what did it mean when she asked him to go with her? There was no way that Andee had any interest in him. After all, he was just a nobody, a hideous monster whose only skill in life was taking the life of another or growing beans. He frowned for a moment as he thought it over. "I... I don't know if it would be okay for me to go with you. I mean, shouldn't you go with someone of a different rank than me. What happens if someone recognizes me. After all, it's not that easy to hide who I am beneath a mask." Reyn's face turned red, though he didn't know it at the time. Nerves were forcing him to try and reject even though deep down he wanted to go. Oh, the boy wished he could go with all his heart.

[Andarial Featherstone]

She could sense the tension rolling off him in waves. The nerves and anxiety clung heavily in the air and she was confused as to why. Why was he so nervous? Did he not want to go with her? She frowned, never before had she been turned down. She didn't like the feeling. It made her want to cry and Queens never cried, at least she didn't. Then as he began to explain she chuckled. HE was worried about her reputation? Her reputation rested solely on her being a vicious and ruthless ruler. But now, she wondered what the others would think. Her suitors would be furiously disappointed and probably a little angry with Reyn. But she felt the need to take him anyways.

She moved to stand in front of him and lean down once again. Taking his face between her hands she looked him in these eyes, her golden gaze piercing and yet understanding. "I don't care if they recognize you. If you are worried about being killed then I'll protect you, but otherwise I don't care. In fact I want them to you and know who you are. I want them to know I have a good friend on the Light Elf side and then perhaps people won't be so afraid to meet each other." She brought her lips close to his and just let them hover there above his for a minute before she withdrew, it took all her might to do that. "And I think you are gorgeous."

She whispered the last bit because he seemed so unsure of his body. How could he not see that she liked him? Or maybe he was like her and holding back, she released his face gently, letting her fingers stroke his cheeks before she stood straight.

Words:312
Muse: Great
Song: Dirty Work- Halestorm

[Reyn]

"I'm not worried about me. I'm not the leader of an entire country. It's you I'm worried about." Reyn decided to leave it at that. He didn't know enough about the political world to actually advise her on it and he had no place doing so. For all he knew people would be ecstatic to see her with him. Reyn pursed his lips together in thought as he tried to weasel his way out of it to protect Andee. Though, her last comment seemed to rob him of rational thought. The Dark Queen moved closer, her lips less then an inch from his own. Golden eyes peered into his, looking into his soul and he felt a shudder run up his spine. Their eyes seemed to say what they could not to each other, but the signals were denied.

"And I think you are gorgeous."

The words echoed within Reyn's mind and he looked down not knowing how to react to such a compliment. That was the second time that Andee had compliment his appearance. Reyn didn't know how exactly he should have taken it. All of the signs were there. Even he in all of his obliviousness could see some of them, he just refused to believe them. Self-pity, self-loathing, those two things kept him from ever believing that someone who was consistently thought of as being one of the most beautiful women in the world had any interest in him, his farm, or his tattered body. He simply looked down, wishing things could be different but again, he remembered that if they had been their meeting would have never came about.

Several moments passed, his cheeks still just as red as his eyes, as he thought over his options. "Andee," he said as he stood up and then bowed deeply. Despite being ignorant of the court Reyn knew a few things from his time as a soldier. "It'd be an honor to escort you to the ball." he straightened up and then gave her another weak smile. "Let's just hope that I can fake dancing and all of that fancy stuff." he added as he rubbed the back of his head. "I've got a lot to get done if I'm gonna go, don't I?" he asked as he stopped thinking of the what ifs and on what he knew for sure. He'd need something to wear and he'd need to learn how to dance.

He surmised that he would have to act regal while in front of the nobility. Even if Andee wanted them to know it was him he could at least show some class and act like one of the aristocrats. All of this on top of his training... Well, at least it would give him an excuse to see Andee. Even if he could never be with her he could satisfy his yearning by at least being nearby.