[Orual]

Almarien pointedly did not look at Eorlyn as she tried to compose herself, concentrating on murmuring soft words to her horse. A beautiful creature, fitting for Eorlyn, who he now surmised was the daughter of some wealthy merchant or lesser noble or some such. Ranger's apprentice indeed. She did not carry herself like a Ranger's student.

She turned a defiant glare to him, her chin in the air and her eyes narrowed. She said nothing, but her expression dared him to just try something. He smiled at her, hoping that it looked reassuring, but she only glared the harder. He sighed. "Eorlyn, I understand what you're going through--"

"Right," the girl laughed mirthlessly.

"I had several aunts who tried to marry me off almost before I had completed my Ranger training, but I was in love with Talanna, whose own father was trying to marry her off. Luckily she had an older sister, and I was able to evade my aunts--"

"It's not the same thing at all," Eorlyn snapped, folding her arms. "You didn't have to listen to your aunts. Hypothetically, I have to listen to my father."

Almarien nodded. "You're right. But what I do understand is the yearning for adventure. I'm thirty-two years old, and I've been doing Ranger work with my father for fourteen years now, so some of the magic has gone out of it, but I remember being your age and wanting to see the world. Your secret is safe with me, Eorlyn." He clapped her on the shoulder, not too hard, but hard enough to let her know that he did not feel afraid of 'breaking' her--that would probably be the worst thing he could do just then. "Now, we have hard riding before us. Why don't we go and get something to eat?"