Scarburg Meadhall - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 11-03-2011, 05:18 PM

“Allow me to welcome you back to Scarburg,” Nydfara said with a slight, self-possessed bow.

"Thank you. Care to dance?"

She cast her query between invitation and demand. He hesitated just a moment and raised one brow ever so slightly. with an ironic tilt of his head he said, "Delighted."

They walked arm in arm to the edge of the dance floor. Her heart was racing. She hoped he could not feel that in her pulse. The first song was just coming to a close and a new, more martial song, took its place. The couples stood across from each other and took turns stepping side by side, arm in arm, between all the others, standing, until all had passed between the others, then they skipped around in an arc until they came back to their original positions, and repeated the pattern.

The first time stepping arm in arm, neither of them said a word. The second time, Rowenna felt herself ready, but waited until the last moment before they would part and skip in the wide arc away from each other. She spoke lightly.

"I wonder why you goaded Aldric to pester me not once but twice."

Before he had a chance to react at all, they separated. But she was watching his face.

Firefoot · 11-04-2011, 09:59 AM

Scyld's eyebrow quirked upward. It was not quite the question he expected, but he knew better than to think there was nothing hidden beneath Rowenna's light tone. He was grateful for the moment's reprise as he skipped down the wide arc, though it was hardly helpful for thinking since he also had to give thought to the dance.

Only a woman would ask him to think and dance at the same time! What a set up.

He could hardly tell her the truth: first it had been amusing, and then it had not. But wait – the question was hardly fair, and aimed to put him at the defensive. She could not know exactly what had passed between him and Aldric, and he could use that. The time stretched interminably as the other couples passed through, but soon enough he found himself linked again to Rowenna.

“I hardly goaded him,” said Scyld. “He had his eye on you long before he said aught to me, and would have tried you no matter what I told him. The second time – perhaps I simply wished to dance with you myself.” With that, he again released her, the unspoken challenge in his face: And what do you make of that?

littlemanpoet · 11-04-2011, 10:21 PM

Rowenna could not read Nydfara's expression, there was too much mixed up in it. He was inviting and off-putting at the same time! How exasperating! But he had said that he had wanted to dance with her, or at least suggested it, which was about as much as she could expect from him. What scared her was how good it made her feel.

All this flashed through her mind as she skipped the wide arc and came back to face him again, the gap for the marching dancers still between them. They watched each other, matching each other's movements as the dance called for, and both were smiling. Was he smiling because he enjoyed dancing with her, or because he was pleased with his own wit? And what had he said to Aldric?

They were dancing side by side again.

"Did you try to discourage him so you could have your chance?" she asked teasingly.

Firefoot · 11-05-2011, 02:51 PM

Scyld could not help but smile as he watched Rowenna. He had played his cards right; he could see the intrigue in her face. She seemed to be enjoying herself, causing him also to relax into both the dance and the conversation.

"Did you try to discourage him so you could have your chance?" she asked him, as they drew back together. Finally, he could read her tone! Teasing, he could handle.

“Indeed,” said Scyld gravely. Then he grinned conspiratorially at her. “But, alas, Aldric does not seem to understand sarcasm.”

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11-03-2011, 05:18 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	“Allow me to welcome you back to Scarburg,” Nydfara said with a slight, self-possessed bow. "Thank you. Care to dance?" She cast her query between invitation and demand. He hesitated just a moment and raised one brow ever so slightly. with an ironic tilt of his head he said, "Delighted." They walked arm in arm to the edge of the dance floor. Her heart was racing. She hoped he could not feel that in her pulse. The first song was just coming to a close and a new, more martial song, took its place. The couples stood across from each other and took turns stepping side by side, arm in arm, between all the others, standing, until all had passed between the others, then they skipped around in an arc until they came back to their original positions, and repeated the pattern. The first time stepping arm in arm, neither of them said a word. The second time, Rowenna felt herself ready, but waited until the last moment before they would part and skip in the wide arc away from each other. She spoke lightly. "I wonder why you goaded Aldric to pester me not once but twice." Before he had a chance to react at all, they separated. But she was watching his face.

11-04-2011, 09:59 AM	#2
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	Scyld's eyebrow quirked upward. It was not quite the question he expected, but he knew better than to think there was nothing hidden beneath Rowenna's light tone. He was grateful for the moment's reprise as he skipped down the wide arc, though it was hardly helpful for thinking since he also had to give thought to the dance. Only a woman would ask him to think and dance at the same time! What a set up. He could hardly tell her the truth: first it had been amusing, and then it had not. But wait – the question was hardly fair, and aimed to put him at the defensive. She could not know exactly what had passed between him and Aldric, and he could use that. The time stretched interminably as the other couples passed through, but soon enough he found himself linked again to Rowenna. “I hardly goaded him,” said Scyld. “He had his eye on you long before he said aught to me, and would have tried you no matter what I told him. The second time – perhaps I simply wished to dance with you myself.” With that, he again released her, the unspoken challenge in his face: And what do you make of that?

11-04-2011, 10:21 PM	#3
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Rowenna could not read Nydfara's expression, there was too much mixed up in it. He was inviting and off-putting at the same time! How exasperating! But he had said that he had wanted to dance with her, or at least suggested it, which was about as much as she could expect from him. What scared her was how good it made her feel. All this flashed through her mind as she skipped the wide arc and came back to face him again, the gap for the marching dancers still between them. They watched each other, matching each other's movements as the dance called for, and both were smiling. Was he smiling because he enjoyed dancing with her, or because he was pleased with his own wit? And what had he said to Aldric? They were dancing side by side again. "Did you try to discourage him so you could have your chance?" she asked teasingly.

11-05-2011, 02:51 PM	#4
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	Scyld could not help but smile as he watched Rowenna. He had played his cards right; he could see the intrigue in her face. She seemed to be enjoying herself, causing him also to relax into both the dance and the conversation. "Did you try to discourage him so you could have your chance?" she asked him, as they drew back together. Finally, he could read her tone! Teasing, he could handle. “Indeed,” said Scyld gravely. Then he grinned conspiratorially at her. “But, alas, Aldric does not seem to understand sarcasm.”