fandomtownies | The Beach: Saturday morning, earlyish (before the picnic)

Entry tags:

The Beach: Saturday morning, earlyish (before the picnic)

Karal had woken early, as was his habit, and quietly dressed in riding clothes before walking up to saddle Trenor. Altra had said there was nothing he had to do today, information he wasn't entirely certain how to react to, because there was always something to be done.

Rather than allow the morning to go to waste, he led Trenor down to the beach. He knew what a beach was, in theory, he'd read tales and histories that centred around the sea. But Karse was a landlocked country and he had never before seen the ocean.

That would be why he was standing, staring out at it in awe, while Trenor shook his head and pawed the sand.

[ooc: Karal is here to run into someone in particular, but completely open, as beaches are wont to be.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ronan made his way down to the beach, having gotten out of Jackalope that morning without encountering any of his cabinmates. He waved idly at the guy down the beach with the horse before sitting down on the sand, not particularly caring whether the guy came over or not. He let the early morning bake into him, warming his black clothing.

Karal tore his attention away from the ocean and lifted a hand in return, smiling a greeting but making no move to approach.

He understood that sometime solitude was desired, and he wouldn't intrude without invitation.

Parker was out for an early morning run, due to another case of insomnia. Jack left tomorrow, and that had unsettled her enough to have uneasy dreams about what might happen to him out there in the universe.

Seeing one of the new kids just standing there staring at the ocean, she slowed down, amusement flaring at his expression. "Let me guess. Another one from a land-locked country?"

"I have never seen anything like it," he said, so enraptured that he didn't immediately look to see who was speaking. "It's beautiful." Realising he'd been rude, he shook his head and turned to greet whomever had addressed him.

Whereupon his eyes got very wide and his skin got very red and his hand tightened on Trenor's reins, who dropped his head and mouthed the bit in protest.

That his expression was even more startled than the look he'd directed at the ocean had Parker grinninng even more, and she cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "They don't have women where you come from either?"

Because hey, you never knew around here.

He swallowed, several times. "There are women, yes," he said, fidgeting as he failed to not stare. And also failed to not blush harder. He knew he must be near the colour of the clothes she was wearing. Not that there was much of them for comparison. "Usually one doesn't see quite so much of them," he finished weakly.

"Ahhh." Parker wholly failed in not finding this funny. Sue her, it was flattering as well as entertaining. She refrained from doing anything too mean, but had to move closer to pet the horse. "Careful. Your mount looks like he wants to take off running. I promise there's nothing to be afraid of," she told the horse. "I don't bite and I'm not shedding any more clothes." Since yeah, sportsbra and shorts was as far down as she was willing to go without an introduction. "I'm Parker, by the way."

"Karal," he replied automatically, knowing he was being rude. "Of Karse. This is Trenor. And thank the Sunlord," he breathed. because if there were to be any less clothes, he wasn't sure what he'd do.

Trenor snorted and nudged Parker's hand, apparently giving up on Karal finding sense any time soon.

Both Parker's eyebrows rose at that, and she had to tease him a little more. "Of course, if you're here sometime this week and I decide to go swimming-- my suit is a good bit skimpier than this." She petted Trenor's nose, shaking her head at Karal. "Nice to meet you, Trenor. And Karaaaal," she drawled.

She was teasing him, he knew she was teasing him and that somehow made it easier to bear. "This place is very different from my home," he said, looking and sounding bewildered, in what he believed might just be the greatest understatement of his life.

"I'll bet. It's different from anywhere anyone's been before they got here," Parker said, giving Trenor a kiss between his eyes for being good, then grinning at Karal. "So. Magic, alien, or mutant? My money is on magic, but I could be wrong. Or you could be completely normal, and from sometime in the past?"

Eyes wide at the barrage of questions and information, he sought refuge in the familiar. "Priest," he said quickly. "Not magic, or an alien. Or a mutant. Though it was magic of a kind that brought me here."

"A priest, hmmm?" Parker gave him a sideways smile, still petting the horse. "I dated a priest once. Well. Before he became a priest. Ours aren't allowed to date, or anything else interesting. Is your order like that?"

Questions he could answer were a distinct relief. "No, Sun-priests are required to be neither celibate nor chaste," he explained, stroking Trenor's neck and still not looking at her. "Some marry, though it's usually within the church itself."

"Ahh. Giusseppe would be jealous," Parker said, still amused at Karal, but not wanting to torment him too badly. He was too polite and shy to give the full-on flirting treatment. "So, if you're a priest, what are you doing here so far from any congregation?"

"A question I've been asking myself since yesterday morning," he said, risking a quick look at her. "I was sent here to gain experience, not that I was told what kind of experience." He leaned against Trenor, who lifted a foot, shifting his balance. "It is quite a strange feeling."

"Experience in everything, I imagine," Parker said, sending him a smile over Trenor's nose. "Different kinds of people. Crises coming out of nowhere. Random silliness that makes you question your sanity as you giggle. Changes to your identity." She folded her arms, thinking. "God knows I can handle all the things I have to do much better, after two years here."

"That may be what they intended. Experience and the time to utilise it properly." The arm folding emphasised certain parts of her that he was used to seeing very thoroughly covered, and he blushed, though not as strongly as before. "Regardless of whether what this place is what they intended, it's where I am and I will endeavour to gain everything I can from it."

Parker grinned at the blush again, and tilted her head at him, studying his expression. "Good for you. Of course, you learn by doing, Karal. Can't just stand there and watch the parade." A slight smirk, then a shrug. "You have to get out there and dance with what comes."

Karal smiled at that, feeling more confident, standing straighter, as he recalled the things he'd done. "Something I've learned very well already, I can assure you. But you can never stop learning, else you'll dry up, become brittle and break like an old stick." He looked out over the ocean, eyes bright in the sunshine. "And I have no intention of breaking. I can't."

"No?" Parker smiled again, and patted Trenor in lieu of patting Karal. He might not take that well. "You say that like there would be dire consequences if you did."

"It's quite likely there would be," and he wasn't really talking to Parker any more. The end of the Alliance, whatever Altra knew that was to come, if he'd broken at the border and the breakwater had fallen. "Quite dire."

"Hey," Parker said gently, knowing a little about the kind of stress that put that expression on someone's face. This poor kid. She had to wonder what kind of trouble he had back home, to be thinking like that. The gotta-deal-no-matter-what kind of trouble. "One of the other cool things about this place? Plenty of people who'll have your back, if you need it. In a fight or every day. So breaking is a lot less likely than it was the day before you got here."

He blinked, recalled where he was, and to whom he was speaking, and flushed again. "My apologies," he said. "I was distracted for a moment."

"What, for worrying out loud at me? Pfffttt." Parker waved it away, amused again. "You need to lighten up, Karal. Which, in case that phrase means nothing to you, means relaxing and not being so serious all the time." She widened her eyes at him mockingly. "Or you'll end up like me, with an ulcer and migraines and occasionally wanting to chew through tinfoil."

Karal grinned at that, ducking his head a little. "A lesson I've also learned very well," he assured her, then, greatly daring, looked at her pointedly. "And one it sounds like you yourself should remember."

Parker stuck her tongue out at him, pouted, then gave him a wicked grin. "You offering to help me relax, Karal?"

"I can listen, if you need it. I have occasionally been able to contribute to resolving a problem," he said earnestly, refusing to blush again. "Often just a sympathetic ear can work wonders."

"As anyone who knows me will tell you, that isn't my favorite mode of relaxation. A long, hot bath is." Parker gave him another teasing look, then said, "But the offer is sweet, and noted. I'm leaving next Saturday, but, you never know."

"Oh. Well," he said, fighting through his embarrassment as he finally understood to what she'd been alluding, "the offer is a genuine one. To listen! Not for anything else." Not that she wasn't extremely attractive, but she was far too intimidating to even think about..."You're teasing me, aren't you?"

"Juuuust a little," she admitted, still smiling. "Not that I wouldn't share a bath with you, if you offered. You're very cute." Parker cocked her head. "But I'm guessing you're the kind of guy who likes to know someone pretty well before you go there. And I won't be around long enough. But it's fun making you blush."

He could either keep blushing or he could laugh, so he decided to laugh. Somehow, the admission she was teasing him made him feel at ease, and he could sense no malice in it. "Thank you for the compliment, and if I was able to improve your day with my astonishing blushing self, then I've managed at least one good thing."

"You did, actually." Parker gave him one of her best smiles, then patted Trenor before stepping away. "And that's saying something. Not the best week ever." She grinned a little. "I'm in the seniors cabin, Pixie, if you want to stop by and say hi, or ask any questions. I'm sure your Big Sibling will do a good job, but if you're in the area..."

"Then anytime you need to tease me, you should feel welcome to do so," he told her. "I may accept your offer, as the list of things I don't understand seems to grow longer with each thing I think I do understand. And," he rested his hand on Trenor's neck, "remember my offer, should your week not improve and you find yourself in need of an ear. I have two, more than enough to share."

"You be careful with offers like that, Karal of Karse. You don't know where they'll lead," Parker said, throwing a wink over her shoulder. "But I'll be seeing you around, I think. Byeee, Trenor."

And with that, she took off on her run again, down the shore toward the cabins.

Karal watched her go, bemused, and amused, with a hint of mild concern, but that could be left for another day.

Right now, there was ocean in front of him, and a stretch of beach begging to be ridden over, and he swung up onto Trenor's back and set him into a light canter, unable to resist veering down to splash through the water.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Beach: Saturday morning, earlyish (before the picnic)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject