Drusilia Nailo
First Post
"We're going to be staying at a farm?" Dru stood there in the moonlight, looking at the well-tended farmhouse. They had traveled out of the city that night, and had walked through what little farmland that the island had.
"Yes," said Kennic, giving her an amused smile. "Come on."
An elven man, dressed like a farmer, let them inside, giving Dru a warm smile and a curious look. "I've always wondered what Tensin Naïlo's daughter grew to look like."
Dru regarded him just as curiously.
"Drusilia, this is Terel. He retired from the organization when you were very young."
At Dru's startled expression, Terel smiled. "I was injured, irreparably," he said. "I'll never fight again. But your father was good to me. He set me up out here on this farm."
Dru nodded, and shook his hand gravely. "It is an honor to meet you," she said.
"Come in and make yourself comfortable," Terel said. "We've prepared a room for you, since it appears that you will be staying for quite awhile."
Dru came out of her trance to the strangest sound she had ever heard. It was loud, and was right outside of her window. Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly reached over and grabbed her sword. Rising to her feet, she crept to the window, peering out. And then laughed, feeling silly. It was a bird...a chicken of some kind. She remembered seeing dead ones at the market.
When she left the bedroom, only Kennic was in the kitchen. He smiled, and nodded to some bread and cheese. "Everyone else is out working already," he said. "So it's just the two of us."
Dru wrinkled her nose. "The sun is barely up," she said. "And they're already working?"
Kennic laughed, and took the kettle from the stove, pouring some hot tea into a cup for her. "Welcome to a farm, Drusilia."
She sighed, nodding, and cut a slice of bread off for herself. "This is going to be a change of pace," she murmured.
Two weeks later...
Dru eyed the horse warily. "It's a lot larger than I thought it would be," she said.
"Oh come on," teased Terel's son, Nyil. "You said that you've always wanted to ride a horse. So now you've finally gotten a chance."
Dru nodded, flashing a quick grin at the good looking farm boy. "Right, right," she said. "I won't be bested by a four footed thing." She let him boost her up onto the creature's back, and straddled it. She could feel the beast's body heat through her trousers, and felt herself start to slide on its sleek fur. Shifting her weight, she said, "It takes a lot of balance to stay up here."
Nyil smirked. "Yeah, you have to squeeze your knees to hang on. Especially since we're not using a saddle."
Dru did so, and picked up the reins. "And I'm supposed to hold these to make it go..."
Nyil swung himself up behind her gracefully, giving the horse a reassuring pat on the rump. "Yeah," he said. "Pull them slightly to the right if you want it to go right, or to the left if you want it to go left."
"And if I want it to go forward?"
"You do this," said Nyil, chuckling. He clucked under his tongue, and pressed his weight forward, into Dru.
The horse started to move forward, heaving a sigh of annoyance.
They began to move forward, moving down the dirt road that led further back onto Terel's property. Dru looked around at the pastoral scenery, at the tiny plants in rows. "This is very different from what I'm used to," she told him.
Nyil said, "Those are sugar cane plants. They'll be much bigger in even a month's time, assuming that we don't get some unseasonable storms."
"Do you like it out here, away from everything?" Dru glanced over her shoulder, curiously.
Nyil shrugged, his face bland. "I don't mind it so much," he said. "Though I have to admit," he said, meeting her eyes briefly before looking down, "It does get lonely out here."
Dru turned back around. "I imagine that it would," she said. "It gets lonely enough when I'm in the city, and not allowed to go out."
"What's it like, being Tensin's daughter? We hear so much about him here, from Papa," he said. "He holds Tensin in very high regard."
Dru was silent for a moment, and then said, "Truth be told, it gets rather lonely."
Nyil cleared his throat. "So, do you want to run? Or are you too scared?" His tone took on a teasing note at the end, his words clearly a dare.
"How do we do it?"
Nyil laughed, and slapped the horse on the rump. "Hyah!"
The horse snorted wildly, and leaped forward with a speed that made Dru yelp. "Nyil! It's out of control!" The horse ignored Dru's fear, and broke into a run.
Nyil only laughed. "Just go with it, Dru. Lean forward, hold onto the mane."
Dru did so, feeling the tears made from the wind sliding down her cheeks. She felt the horse's muscles strain under her, as they gathered and bunched together. Her heart pounding wildly in her chest, she realized that this was more fun than terrifying. She laughed aloud.
Nyil leaned against her, wrapping his arms around her hips. "I knew that you'd like this," he shouted, approvingly. "Start veering to the right. I want to show you something."
Dru timidly pulled the reins to the right, and was rewarded by the horse obeying, though it did slow its pace to a slow canter. "That was incredible! I want to do this every day that I'm here!"
"I'm sure that can be arranged," Nyil said.
They were approaching an island of trees out in the middle of the cane field. Nyil gestured at it. "This is where I come to think," he said. "When I want to be alone. Slow the horse down by pulling, gently, back on both reins." When Dru did so, he slid off of the horse, and stepped forward to take its head. "I'd like to show it to you." He led the horse to the edge of the trees, and then stepped forward to help Dru dismount.
She watched him as he hobbled the horse, who was already grazing on the grass that was growing around the tree island. "Have you ever thought that you'd like to come to the city, and join the organization?"
He straightened up, and shook his head. "No, though Papa would like for me to. I don't think it's for me," he said with a sigh. "I like tending to my animals, and my crops." He made a face. "I'm sure that doesn't sound very exciting to you. I know that your life is much more exciting."
Dru shrugged, and shook her head. "Well, it's not what I would want for myself," she said. "But that doesn't mean that I think you're boring."
He beamed at her as if she'd just given him a gift, and then held out his arm gallantly. "Shall I escort you in?"
She took his arm, and allowed him to lead her into the trees. They grew densely together, and were covered with creeping vines and shrubs. Finally, they broke through to a small clearing, and Nyil waved around. "My place."
Dru looked around, grinning. "I can see why you like it. No one can see that it's here from the outside." She sat down on the ground.
He sat too, and nodded. "It's been mine for the past... sixty years, or roundabout there, I suppose." Looking at her shyly, blushing all the while, he said, "You're the first person that I've shown it to."
Dru winked at him. "I'm sure that you show this to all of the girls that visit you."
He scowled momentarily, but then laughed lightly. "You are the first girl that has ever come out here," he said. "I usually have to go into the market to see those."
When Dru was quiet for a few moments, he said, "Did those people really almost kill you?"
Dru turned to look at him, startled. "Which time?"
His eyes widened. "You've had people try to kill you more than once? But... why?" He stared at her in true consternation. "I-I mean, you're so pretty, and you're nice, and I just can't see what killing you would accomplish."
Dru blinked, and then said, gently, "That's one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me." She reached over, and brushed a wisp of his brown hair out of his eyes. "It's a way to hurt Papa," she sighed. "I do not think they realize what would happen if I were to be killed."
"He would take vengeance, wouldn't he? I know that I would kill every last one of them, if they killed you. I mean," he added, with a blush. "If I was your father. Not that I wouldn't be upset if I was me, of course, but I'm not really that great with a sword, and-"
Dru leaned forward, kissing him lingeringly on the lips. When he gasped, and stopped talking, she pulled back and grinned at him. "I thought I'd stop you while you were still ahead."
He blushed, and then gave her a crooked smile. "I do ramble when I get nervous," he admitted with a sigh. "And I suppose that being alone with a pretty girl- er, woman, is making me nervous."
"But yes, he would take vengeance," she said.
He nodded, approvingly. And then said, "I'd like to kiss you again, if you don't mind. If you do, then by all means tell me-"
Dru leaned forward and kissed him again. His eyes widened, and then closed, as he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her closer for a more passionate kiss.
This is one of the best places that Papa has ever hidden me, thought Dru to herself, with a tiny smile.
"Yes," said Kennic, giving her an amused smile. "Come on."
An elven man, dressed like a farmer, let them inside, giving Dru a warm smile and a curious look. "I've always wondered what Tensin Naïlo's daughter grew to look like."
Dru regarded him just as curiously.
"Drusilia, this is Terel. He retired from the organization when you were very young."
At Dru's startled expression, Terel smiled. "I was injured, irreparably," he said. "I'll never fight again. But your father was good to me. He set me up out here on this farm."
Dru nodded, and shook his hand gravely. "It is an honor to meet you," she said.
"Come in and make yourself comfortable," Terel said. "We've prepared a room for you, since it appears that you will be staying for quite awhile."
Dru came out of her trance to the strangest sound she had ever heard. It was loud, and was right outside of her window. Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly reached over and grabbed her sword. Rising to her feet, she crept to the window, peering out. And then laughed, feeling silly. It was a bird...a chicken of some kind. She remembered seeing dead ones at the market.
When she left the bedroom, only Kennic was in the kitchen. He smiled, and nodded to some bread and cheese. "Everyone else is out working already," he said. "So it's just the two of us."
Dru wrinkled her nose. "The sun is barely up," she said. "And they're already working?"
Kennic laughed, and took the kettle from the stove, pouring some hot tea into a cup for her. "Welcome to a farm, Drusilia."
She sighed, nodding, and cut a slice of bread off for herself. "This is going to be a change of pace," she murmured.
Two weeks later...
Dru eyed the horse warily. "It's a lot larger than I thought it would be," she said.
"Oh come on," teased Terel's son, Nyil. "You said that you've always wanted to ride a horse. So now you've finally gotten a chance."
Dru nodded, flashing a quick grin at the good looking farm boy. "Right, right," she said. "I won't be bested by a four footed thing." She let him boost her up onto the creature's back, and straddled it. She could feel the beast's body heat through her trousers, and felt herself start to slide on its sleek fur. Shifting her weight, she said, "It takes a lot of balance to stay up here."
Nyil smirked. "Yeah, you have to squeeze your knees to hang on. Especially since we're not using a saddle."
Dru did so, and picked up the reins. "And I'm supposed to hold these to make it go..."
Nyil swung himself up behind her gracefully, giving the horse a reassuring pat on the rump. "Yeah," he said. "Pull them slightly to the right if you want it to go right, or to the left if you want it to go left."
"And if I want it to go forward?"
"You do this," said Nyil, chuckling. He clucked under his tongue, and pressed his weight forward, into Dru.
The horse started to move forward, heaving a sigh of annoyance.
They began to move forward, moving down the dirt road that led further back onto Terel's property. Dru looked around at the pastoral scenery, at the tiny plants in rows. "This is very different from what I'm used to," she told him.
Nyil said, "Those are sugar cane plants. They'll be much bigger in even a month's time, assuming that we don't get some unseasonable storms."
"Do you like it out here, away from everything?" Dru glanced over her shoulder, curiously.
Nyil shrugged, his face bland. "I don't mind it so much," he said. "Though I have to admit," he said, meeting her eyes briefly before looking down, "It does get lonely out here."
Dru turned back around. "I imagine that it would," she said. "It gets lonely enough when I'm in the city, and not allowed to go out."
"What's it like, being Tensin's daughter? We hear so much about him here, from Papa," he said. "He holds Tensin in very high regard."
Dru was silent for a moment, and then said, "Truth be told, it gets rather lonely."
Nyil cleared his throat. "So, do you want to run? Or are you too scared?" His tone took on a teasing note at the end, his words clearly a dare.
"How do we do it?"
Nyil laughed, and slapped the horse on the rump. "Hyah!"
The horse snorted wildly, and leaped forward with a speed that made Dru yelp. "Nyil! It's out of control!" The horse ignored Dru's fear, and broke into a run.
Nyil only laughed. "Just go with it, Dru. Lean forward, hold onto the mane."
Dru did so, feeling the tears made from the wind sliding down her cheeks. She felt the horse's muscles strain under her, as they gathered and bunched together. Her heart pounding wildly in her chest, she realized that this was more fun than terrifying. She laughed aloud.
Nyil leaned against her, wrapping his arms around her hips. "I knew that you'd like this," he shouted, approvingly. "Start veering to the right. I want to show you something."
Dru timidly pulled the reins to the right, and was rewarded by the horse obeying, though it did slow its pace to a slow canter. "That was incredible! I want to do this every day that I'm here!"
"I'm sure that can be arranged," Nyil said.
They were approaching an island of trees out in the middle of the cane field. Nyil gestured at it. "This is where I come to think," he said. "When I want to be alone. Slow the horse down by pulling, gently, back on both reins." When Dru did so, he slid off of the horse, and stepped forward to take its head. "I'd like to show it to you." He led the horse to the edge of the trees, and then stepped forward to help Dru dismount.
She watched him as he hobbled the horse, who was already grazing on the grass that was growing around the tree island. "Have you ever thought that you'd like to come to the city, and join the organization?"
He straightened up, and shook his head. "No, though Papa would like for me to. I don't think it's for me," he said with a sigh. "I like tending to my animals, and my crops." He made a face. "I'm sure that doesn't sound very exciting to you. I know that your life is much more exciting."
Dru shrugged, and shook her head. "Well, it's not what I would want for myself," she said. "But that doesn't mean that I think you're boring."
He beamed at her as if she'd just given him a gift, and then held out his arm gallantly. "Shall I escort you in?"
She took his arm, and allowed him to lead her into the trees. They grew densely together, and were covered with creeping vines and shrubs. Finally, they broke through to a small clearing, and Nyil waved around. "My place."
Dru looked around, grinning. "I can see why you like it. No one can see that it's here from the outside." She sat down on the ground.
He sat too, and nodded. "It's been mine for the past... sixty years, or roundabout there, I suppose." Looking at her shyly, blushing all the while, he said, "You're the first person that I've shown it to."
Dru winked at him. "I'm sure that you show this to all of the girls that visit you."
He scowled momentarily, but then laughed lightly. "You are the first girl that has ever come out here," he said. "I usually have to go into the market to see those."
When Dru was quiet for a few moments, he said, "Did those people really almost kill you?"
Dru turned to look at him, startled. "Which time?"
His eyes widened. "You've had people try to kill you more than once? But... why?" He stared at her in true consternation. "I-I mean, you're so pretty, and you're nice, and I just can't see what killing you would accomplish."
Dru blinked, and then said, gently, "That's one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me." She reached over, and brushed a wisp of his brown hair out of his eyes. "It's a way to hurt Papa," she sighed. "I do not think they realize what would happen if I were to be killed."
"He would take vengeance, wouldn't he? I know that I would kill every last one of them, if they killed you. I mean," he added, with a blush. "If I was your father. Not that I wouldn't be upset if I was me, of course, but I'm not really that great with a sword, and-"
Dru leaned forward, kissing him lingeringly on the lips. When he gasped, and stopped talking, she pulled back and grinned at him. "I thought I'd stop you while you were still ahead."
He blushed, and then gave her a crooked smile. "I do ramble when I get nervous," he admitted with a sigh. "And I suppose that being alone with a pretty girl- er, woman, is making me nervous."
"But yes, he would take vengeance," she said.
He nodded, approvingly. And then said, "I'd like to kiss you again, if you don't mind. If you do, then by all means tell me-"
Dru leaned forward and kissed him again. His eyes widened, and then closed, as he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her closer for a more passionate kiss.
This is one of the best places that Papa has ever hidden me, thought Dru to herself, with a tiny smile.
