Walk Down This Path and Discover Me, Tag ;; Connor

[Faeloria]

Faeloria was tired. No, not tired; the word tired could not fully represent the drooping, bleary-eyed little creature that ambled down the thin path. Her arms hung listlessly at her sides as her feet shuffled, kicking up dirt as they slid forward almost without being lifted. Heaving a deep, weary sigh, the girl cracked her neck and looked around. Every inch of this little town looked identical to every inch of every other town she had stopped in while traveling through Whitehaven. The countryside was beautiful, no doubt about that, and she certainly felt safer here than she had even at home, however there was something to be said about a little excitement. This seemed like the ideal place to begin her training, but Fae doubted she would remain in the town when she was ready to work independently. The most she would find here was a child with a case of the sniffles or a man who broke his leg after falling while trying to repair his roof. She just wasn't sure she was ready to live somewhere where delivering a baby was the most intense experience she could write home about. No, she would need to live someplace beautiful, exciting. Somewhere adventurous, but not so much so that she would often worry for her life. She didn't know what place like that existed yet, but she would find one. There was sure to be a place perfect for her, where she could live comfortably and successfully for as long as she wished. And she would, of course, travel a bit more before she decided where to settle and open a stationary medical establishment. She had always wanted to see if Wayland Falls is as beautiful as it sounded, to see if the elves and faeries of the Crimsonwood and Ashlin Forests would share their wisdom with her, to visit her home town and prove that she had succeeded and made it. Most of all, she wanted to know her namesakes. She wanted to if not visit than at least gaze upon Faylinbrook Forest and be able to tell her parents that the place that inspired the name Faeloria was as beautiful as they hoped. She wanted to discover Aeronwyn living among her fellow elves and thank the wise woman for inspiring her to come so far.

Of course, Fae was getting ahead of herself. She couldn't consider where she would be settling down with her practice until she decided where she was going to apprentice. She couldn't decide who that mentor would be until she found at least one doctor willing to take her on as an apprentice. And yet, despite how long she had been traveling, she had yet to find one willing. She was seriously beginning to rethink her decision on how to go about becoming a physician. Perhaps she should have remained at home and been more stubborn with the local doctors, picking a favorite and insisting they teach her their trade. Then again, would anyone have taken her seriously if she learned her trade there and never left Ravenpoint? She wouldn't have. This was becoming all too confusing.

The bag hung all the more heavily from her side, body aching and screaming for rest. It was getting late, and who was she to deny it? Unfortunately she had found no hint of an inn or generous stranger who might aid her on her way. At this rate, if she didn't find a mentor soon she would be entirely out of money and without purpose. She was wandering alone and friendless as it were, no need to add insult to injury. The girl needed to find somewhere to settle and learn, fast. On a more immediate level, she needed to find a safe place to sleep. She looked up, honey eyes sparkling in the moonlight with curiosity and focus. There wasn't a soul in sight, let alone a friendly looking face. She decided it would be best to seek a more populated area, perhaps the center of town. If she found no one of use there then she would simply have to muster up some courage and knock on the door to someone's home. Surely they would offer directions at the very least if not charitable food and shelter.

With new found determination, Faeloria squared her shoulders and stood up a bit straighter. No one would want to help a silly little girl who looked homeless and sickly. To garner help she would have to be engaging, charismatic, piquant. If she ran into a person she would simply have to plaster on a pleasant smile and request whatever she could. Rounding the corner, she did just that. She ran right smack into someone. Unfortunately, the shock of it all left her less of the charming and vivacious creature she had hoped to be and more of a painful tangle on the ground.

[Connor]

Night time. A darkness full of memories, which, oddly enough, had occurred during the day. Connor laughed ruefully at that thought, shaking his head over the inevitable knowledge that to his mind, such distinctions weren't overly important. Nigh was when he had time to himself, when he settled down to sleep, when his thoughts were left to wander. And, wander they did, back through the years to less peaceful times. He'd expected the nightmares to disappear with the distance of years between the present and the past, and, while they'd diminished to one every week or so, they were still plaguing him more than he liked. Granted, he would have liked them to be non-existent, which was probably impossible, but still...

At least they encouraged him to exercise, as though he needed more fresh air! A sigh escaped the man as he glanced about the street he'd come to. One small dream and his bed was frightening territory until the next night. Even had he stayed and simply rolled over he'd never have rid himself of those terrible images. Men torn apart, dying screams, bestial grunts and growls, those monsters... He shuddered, widening his eyes for fear of closing them. A grown man caught by the terrors witnessed when only a boy, afraid of the backs of his eyelids. It was pathetic, and he'd never admit it to anyone.

It was funny, how his steps always followed the same streets on these nights, and how they carried him past the palace walls. Streets he'd run through as a boy, or walked down at his father's side. Streets that were full of life come morning, full of much happier memories.

Distracted as he was by the thoughts coiling about in his mind, Connor didn't hear the footsteps approaching until it was too late to slow. He collided with the smaller figure, grunting at the contact, and swayed back, only managing to keep his balance after his hand found the wall. He squinted at the person sprawled on the ground, for a moment quite incapable of overcoming the shock of encountering another person in so... sudden... a manner. Then, his dark eyes widened and he shook himself, instantly contrite and quite certain he was the one at fault for not paying attention.

"I do beg your pardon, Miss. I was walking too quickly, did not even think... So late at night... Not many are out..." Well, few enough that would bother anyone, and most of them would keep to the walls. He had, Connor now realized, passed a few others, late night revelers he'd paid little heed to. And any others who might be out wandering the night were unlikely to be seeking attention. "Oh, here. Let me help you up."

Bending quickly, he caught up her bag and held out his other hand to pull her up. It was the least he could do, given the circumstances.

[Faeloria]

The ground was rough against her hands, not to mention hard on her poor little butt. It did little to brighten Fae's mood, much less her countenance. If the ground was this hard to land on then she certainly had no desire to sleep upon it. All she wanted was to find a nice, polite soul to point her in the direction of a cheap place to sleep, and what she gets is a rather rude and abrupt collision. Manners be damned, she was prepared to give this person a real piece of her mind. The barest hints of a scowl pulled at the corners of her lips, pulling the pink rose petals down, but it fell from her face before she even lifted her head.

"I do beg your pardon, Miss. I was walking too quickly, did not even think... So late at night... Not many are out...

Her lips formed a tiny 'o' of surprise, slowly lifting her head and allowing her gaze to drift upward. Before her stood a young man who was handsome, in an awkward sort of way. His wide, greenish eyes regarded her apologetically from beneath his windswept brown hair. A slightly large bulbous nose sat simply above his full lips, framed by the hint of stubble that coated his cheek lightly. He was obviously quite a bit older than her and somewhat plain, but he still retained that youthful boyish charm. In short, he was really cute. Faeloria couldn't keep the blush from spreading across her cheeks, not quite remembering the last time a handsome man had ever spoken to her. She was pretty enough, she supposed, but nothing special. She had always blended in with the crowd, something she was quite proud of at all times... except in the presence of a boy she wanted to notice her. Well, she supposed this certainly did the trick. It would be something of a miraculous feat for this man to forget her now... and so the embarrassment set in. For the love of... she just ran into this man! What was wrong with her? It was one thing to slip on the docks while sneaking past sailors in the evening, it was entirely another to collide head first with a strange handsome man. Honestly, it was a wonder she had managed to survive as long as she had without offending or injuring someone.

Oh, here. Let me help you up."

Handsome, and a gentleman too. It figured she would pick this man to inadvertently accost. She watched shell shocked for a moment as he scooped up her bag containing what few belongings she had and reached out a hand to help her. It was big, and it looked warm and inviting. Lifting her own much smaller one, it paused midair before settling within the softness of the man's. Fae resisted the urge to smile as she felt the man and the distinct friendly aura that wafted from him. It put her oddly at ease, and suddenly she felt a good deal less embarrassed and a bit more playful. Of course, she would never have been so forward had he not been so polite, but he did not seem to mind her intrusion at all. That made the girl feel slightly better. Standing, she brushed her dress off carelessly and looked up at him from beneath her bangs and through the hair that had fallen into her gaze.

She smiled warmly at him, "Oh no, think nothing of it. It was my fault, sir, for not watching where I was going, so please pardon my silliness. I do apologize for intruding on your night. Perhaps it was lucky, however, that I so literally ran into you. If I may be so bold, I am passing through the area and rather in need of some assistance." Fae stopped her rambling and blushed more deeply, feeling girlish, "Pardon my manners- I am Faeloria Aeronwyn of Ravenpoint, a pleasure to make your acquaintance good sir."

The young girl curtsied deeply and remained down for a long moment, at a loss for what to do next. She supposed it depended on whether or not he was willing to offer aid. Hopefully he would, spending the night being led around by a handsome man would give her day a much needed boost. Already she was feeling much more revitalized than the bleary-eyed thing that had been sluggishly ambling down the lane only moments earlier. And, to be frank, he was just pretty to look at.

[Connor]

He watched her as she took in his appearance, fighting to hold back the rueful grin that threatened to mock them both for this embarrassing situation. But at least the young woman managed to refrain from giving him a harsh lashing of words. He'd been prepared for it as soon as he'd realized that he'd knocked someone over. Anyone rushing about at this time of night probably wasn't going to have much patience with the living obstacle that impeded their course. Indeed, he'd worked quickly to try to salvage what he could, offering the apology, not just because he felt he ought to, but also with the hopes of avoiding a scene. Granted, there wasn't anyone else to witness it, but he'd rather not be shouted down. And him a herald at that. It was funny, really, but laughing now, especially when she didn't know his thoughts, might prove the undoing of whatever temper lurked behind that demur expression. Connor, luckily enough, hadn't seen the scowl marring her features, if he had, his words would have proved even more awkward and explaining than they had been. But still just as sincere.

Instead, he tried a quiet smile, letting the corners of his mouth curve upward in apologetic sheepishness. He truly hadn't meant to send anyone flying to the ground when he'd abandoned his sleep an hour earlier. And just as she examined him, so he let his gaze wander over her figure, although he was slightly more circumspect about it, and kept his eyes more upon her face than the rest of her body. Still, that one, quick glance told him what he needed to know about her. She was young enough to remind him of his cousins the last time he had seen them, which meant she was old enough to be wondering about her future but, surely, not quite old enough to be wandering about on her own, in the dark, without an escort. Which was, he supposed, what on her own meant....

He frowned slightly, not certain what he ought to make of her pretty face, with its darkened cheeks and curious eyes, as he leaned forward to take her weight and bring her upright. Her hand against his revealed the ever so slight callouses of a woman who worked in her own home but not for her supper. She looked, well, young, he supposed. Young and certainly not plain, he amended as her girl's figure became a little more womanly upon her standing. Well, it wouldn't do to have her wandering about, still alone, now that he had met her. True, Connor had little reason to worry about the state of affairs on the streets of Whitehaven, after all, a woman he greatly admired was in charge of the people responsible for keeping the peace within its walls. But it wouldn't hurt to offer his services. It would soothe his worries seeing her settled wherever it was she was going, and give him something to do besides.

There was also this matter of her simply passing through and requiring some assistance. Well, there was nothing else to be considered after that. Connor's smile grew as she blushed deeper and then quickly introduced herself. Confident and hesitant all in one, or perhaps so embarrassed by the circumstances that she wasn't acting her usual self. No matter, her curtsy brought him back to himself and Connor jerked his body into a formal bow in return. It wasn't deep, her being rather less than his equal, most things considered, but it was respectful, since he didn't care about rank and such at just this moment. Wasn't really any reasonto care about it.

"Connor, Miss Faeloria. And the honour is mine, I assure you." The words, stilted and polite as they were, made him wince inwardly. They sounded nothing like him really, but then, he'd rehearsed them a thousand times more than was necessarily needed to be able to say them naturally. So at least it didn't sound too awkward, just, well, over the top. But, he couldn't very well take them back and make them unsaid, so he simply continued with the opening she'd given him. "I'd be glad to see to whatever it is you're needing, Miss."

Spoken like a true servant. The words a statement and a question all in one. This time, Connor didn't hold back his grin as it stretched across his face and left passing sparks in his eyes. So he was a little eager to be of service and lend a helping hand, wasn't anything wrong with that as far as he could tell. He'd been a 'squire' of King Flynn for some 16 years now, in service and manner if not actual title, he didn't see any reason to break from the good habits he'd learned now.

[Faeloria]

He bowed pleasantly, albeit somewhat awkwardly, not quite down to the level of her curtsy. Faeloria fleetingly wondered why, if perhaps she was speaking to someone of higher authority than she realized, but did not dwell on the thought. Instead she rose gracefully, and listened to him introduce himself with just a little too much interest.

"Connor, Miss Faeloria. And the honor is mine, I assure you."

He didn't seem all that aristocratic. To be honest, he was quite handsome, yes, but in a dopey sort of way. He was cute, and he could certainly make her blush (she had thought, at one point, that his eyes had wandered her form, but Fae felt rather certain she had imagined it). And his bow was quite proper. But all that did not make him important. She blushed quite readily at the handsome shirtless dockworkers, sweaty abs glistening in the sun as they sent crude yet flattering gazes her way. She shook the thought away before she could get carried away in a daydream. That was the one thing she missed about Ravenpoint. Anyway, she still wasn't quite certain where Connor stood on the rungs of the power ladder. Clearly further research was required.

"I'd be glad to see to whatever it is you're needing, Miss."

Well that was kind of him. Was he helping her her because he wanted to or because he went kamikaze on her and felt guilty? Fae was certain of two things regarding this, one that she could never be quite sure and two she didn't really care. If the handsome young man wanted to lead her in the dark town, she would be more than happy to oblige. He had nice dimples. It was at this point Faeloria wondered if perhaps she needed a bit more sleep than she thought, because her thoughts were not coming out in the usual fashion. ((OOC: seriously, i just reread what I typed and feel the need to apologize. I'm seriously stressed right now, and this is a terrible post))

"Thank you, Connor," she blushed and smiled coyly, "i hope it's not too much trouble. I've been traveling for quite some time, and I need to find a place to rest for the night..." she thought fleetingly of her change purse, which was becoming increasingly lighter.

"An inn on the less expensive side would be preferable, if you don't mind."

[Connor]

((lol, don't worry, I thought it was funny. Made me laugh anyway, which is always good))

An inn? Well, he could do that quickly enough. There were, if he had his bearings right, several on this side of the city, although most of them were of the expensive sort, and her next words cut that plan off before it could begin. So, now Connor frowned and crossed his arms, staring past the girl down the street. He couldn't possibly send her to an inn that was so cheap she'd be cursing his name for weeks to come, but if he brought her to one that was too expensive, she might lose whatever monies she had with her. Granted, he could pay for her, His Majesty was generous when it came to his glorified errand boy's pocket money, but that might make her embarrassed or worse... There were a few, reputable and reasonable priced buildings, farther along, closer to the city's outer limits, but he couldn't know which would be reasonable for her. Not without asking about the limits of her purse, and that was far too delicate a subject conversation for old friends to get into , much less strangers who'd met only two minutes ago.

So, if he couldn't ask and he couldn't pay for her, there was always guessing. Well, first of all, she was a young woman apparently traveling on her own, which likely meant that she'd either been paying higher rates, or lower, and while she was healthy and well-dressed, the cloth covering her wasn't of the best weave. She probably hadn't started out with a great deal, and, since she'd come here from somewhere else, that would mean she'd have even less. Great, brilliant conclusions on his part. Connor shook his head with a wry smile. "Oh, t'isn't any trouble, Miss, I assure you. If you'll just follow me."

He waved aside her polite worries, because, truthfully, it wasn't any bother at all. Oh sure, he probably had something that he could be doing at the palace, even at this time of night, but if he couldn't immediately think of it, well then, it wasn't that important. And with that, he walked past her and turned down the first available side street, having managed to ascertain the best route he could remember while thinking through which inns might suit her needs. Now, while he walked, keeping his pace to her speed so they were side by side, he spoke of those choices, perhaps in the hopes that she might voice a preference. "The Rosewood's a fine place for a bite to eat, and the owner's honest, can't say as I've spent much time sleeping there though." In fact, he hadn't spent a great deal sleeping in any of the inns Whitehaven had to offer. "Kindles' is always open, not the best food, and it's smaller, might be full this late, though I've a feeling there'll be a room. Then there's ______, s'comfortable, and the old lady who keeps it loves company. Though t'is a bit much for her to run on her own. Still, she's nice enough, I'm sure were you to ask she'd see to whatever you might be needin'."

Well, those were the best three he could think of, at least, that suited her criteria. True, he hadn't been to them in awhile, in fact, the last time he'd seen that old lady was when he was some eight years ago. Of course, in the manner of his younger mind, he'd thought her old then, and now couldn't help but believe she hadn't been that old. Well, it would surely still be up and running. And certainly in the same place, considering that buildings couldn't move.

"Where've you come from, that you've arrived so late, then?"

((heh, and a blank for a name... I might think of one later, or you could make one up if you can think of something... I'll leave it there for now.))

[Faeloria]

At first, Connor's body language had been welcoming and open. That warm, boyish smile had played easily across his lips, a cute twinkle in his eye as he regarded her. Now, however, his warmth was replaced with a thoughtful frown, arms crossed in contemplation as he stared past her with a pensive look. Perhaps it was too much trouble for him, perhaps she was being too particular. She was just about to recant her specifications and go with a much broader description when Connor shook his head with a wry smile and offered some comfort to her.

"Oh, t'isn't any trouble, Miss, I assure you. If you'll just follow me."

Anywhere. Fae blushed at the thought, realizing how childish she was being. He was probably into more mature women than she, and really, her physician training would leave little to no time for such folly. With new determination, the girl fell into step beside him. As the pair walked, she looked directly at him and took great care in considering the various housing he suggested, ignoring how cute his expressions were. Really, she simply had no time for such drivel, so she would cut it straight out from her mind. Business before boys, she decided, tuning in to his suggestions.

"The Rosewood's a fine place for a bite to eat, and the owner's honest, can't say as I've spent much time sleeping there though. Kindles' is always open, not the best food, and it's smaller, might be full this late, though I've a feeling there'll be a room. Then there's ______, s'comfortable, and the old lady who keeps it loves company. Though t'is a bit much for her to run on her own. Still, she's nice enough, I'm sure were you to ask she'd see to whatever you might be needin'."

Faeloria smiled wistfully despite herself as Connor carried on. Those all sounded so much like the inns back home, the ones just a bit further from the docks that were nicer than the dirty hovels where sailors might stay and pay by the hour. She had tried staying in one once, at the beginning of her travels. She quickly learned her lesson, however, when a rather surly and disgusting sailor had tried to accompany her. Ever since, she had stuck to those familiar sounding places. Rosewood was like any other, just a step below the more pricey places and made a living by cutting a good deal- though it often wasn't good enough for Fae's purse. Kindles was a step up from the "sailor suites," as she had taken to calling them, a good deal but not a wonderful place to stay and in high demand from the slightly more persnickety sailors and such. The final, inn, however, struck a chord. There had been an inn like that in Ravenpoint, when she was a little girl. It was run by a sweet older woman, not old the way Connor made the matriarch of this in sound but old in her young eyes. She called the inn Emilia's, after her late daughter who had moved off with her fiance and lost touch. She was such a sweet old woman, before she had to shut down the establishment when it became too expensive to run and it ran the risk of mariners overtaking it and transforming it into one of those.

"That last one," Fae smiled at Connor, "sounds absolutely lovely. If you would be so kind as to lead me there, I would be ever grateful."

"Where've you come from, that you've arrived so late, then?"

As they walked, he tried to make smalltalk, something Faeloria had always found boys to be adorably awkward and bad at. For some reason the flow of language most women felt coming naturally when filling a silence between strangers seemed to leave most men gasping for air in desperation like a fish out of water. This boy seemed to handle himself well enough at it, though, and she was surprised by how easy it was for her to withhold a teasing smile.

"I'm looking for work, actually." she explained, "You see, I want to be a physician, but I haven't anyone to train me at the moment. I've been traveling to find a mentor, you see, someone to teach me how to apply all that I've studied on my own, however I haven't found any practicing mender that's in the market for an apprentice at the moment. I'm beginning to fear I'llnever find one." she laughed lightly yet humorlessly, obviously trying to ease the sadness from her voice, "Don't suppose you would know anyone, then?"

[Connor]

"Certainly, Miss. We'll need to walk a fair ways to get there." He turned his head to smile at her, a gentle uplifting of the corners of his lips. Amusement glinting in the reflection of lamplight that came from his eyes. His words were certain, with a vague hint of apology when he spoke about walking. The apology was an automatic habit that came of needing to keep dignitaries, ambassadors and other nobles well satisfied and feeling important, while making sure they were aware that the servant leading them was in no way responsible for the length they would have to go to reach wherever they were being led to. And that the servant, would, if he could, make that distance shorter. Well, so the nobles could think if they wanted, Connor simply wanted to make sure they didn't get bothered, a happy noble was far easier to deal with. The smile was mocking his own habit, since he was well aware she was no noble. Unless she happened to be in disguise. And that she'd likely walked a great deal farther than the small way he would be leading her, not to mention that if she didn't want to sleep on the ground, she didn't have much choice. He most certainly was not going to carry her. Although, it would be rather strange if she asked...

But now that he knew where she wished to go, he adjusted his mental map to take the route that would bring them to _____ before, rather than after, all the others. He was extremely grateful his gambit had worked. She had picked an inn for herself and so, couldn't blame him should things turn out wrong. Not that he believed they would, after all, he was trying to be helpful. He was merely being concerned with all contingencies and leaving himself an escape plan. Of course, it wasn't so black and white as all that, and Faeloria could quite easily set the blame at his feet if she so wanted. After all, he had only given her three choices, and was acting very confident that this inn would still be open once they reached it. Eight years was a long time to be expecting things to stay the same.

Hmmm, so she was looking to become a healer, was she? Well, that was a noble pursuit, as good as any he could think of, and certainly useful. Unfortunately, unlike locating inns, he wasn't so good with healers and physicians and the like. He knew where to find the royal physician, and his name, he also knew that there was, as far as rumours went, a healer's guild set up within Whitehaven's walls. And it seemed to be a rumour based on truth, so, while it might not have bee a guild, it was at least a group of competent healers. But that was the extent of his knowledge. Of course, he was perfectly capable of discovering more given a little time. And if she was having such rotten luck as to be so despondent, she must have been searching for awhile. Well, he was always glad to find something to do.

"Huh, can't say as I'm so certain of such folks. They move around more than inns, you know." A quick grin, to show he was teasing, although it was likely rather obvious, then he continued more thoughtfully, rubbing at the stubble on his chin with a grimace. He'd forgotten to shave, again. "I could, if you would allow me a day, have a look around. I'm certain there's something here."

Not telling her what he knew immediately may have been slightly misleading, but Connor tried not to lie outright. In fact, he thought he managed rather well. But he'd found that it was usually better to make sure of his memories before making any promises than to go ahead and mess things up. Besides, the king's physician might not take kindly to having promises put into his mouth, and that healer's guild could very well have disintegrated. Unlikely, true, but still possible. Well, if she wanted him to take a look around for her, he would, and if she didn't... No need to worry. Asking a few questions of her own would likely find her on the right trail anyway. She seemed a smart girl. "We turn here. Now, if you've been looking so long as to believe such a thing, you must've been traveling far." And she certainly wasn't returning, otherwise, she probably would have known where to find an inn, and he would have recognized her accent. "You're certainly not from Whitehaven."

he was careful to word it so that it was more of a statement than a question, just in case the young woman didn't feel like sharing. But such an obvious statement could only be dignified with a response of silence, or by letting it be known just where she came from. At least, that was what he'd come to notice. It worked often enough with others.

((sorry, vaguely crappy, but it's a post! :D ))

[Faeloria]

"Certainly, Miss. We'll need to walk a fair ways to get there."

"Oh, of course." It was a weak response, she knew, but she could not think of anything better. When he smiled, amusement danced behind his eyes. She was ashamed to say that, after having gone so long without flirting with cute dock workers, it nearly made her go weak at the knees. Really, this was quite Faeloria's luck: to be led by such a handsome man while too tired to put any good effort into interaction with him and probably looking close to her worst after walking for such a very long time. She probably seemed like some silly little girl, travel weary and weak. No wonder none of the local physicians wanted to take her on as an apprentice, she probably looked like she'd need more healing than she would give. The same theory most likely applied to men- she looked young and needy in her current state. Fae resisted the urge to sigh unhappily, such a waste.

"Huh, can't say as I'm so certain of such folks. They move around more than inns, you know.

Ugh there was that smile again, though this time the amusement in his eyes was replaced with a mischievous twinkle. She couldn't help but giggle like a schoolgirl, and really she sickened herself.

I could, if you would allow me a day, have a look around. I'm certain there's something here."

Fae stopped dead in her tracks, eyes widening as her breath caught in her throat. Delicately, her hand flew up to her mouth. She had been traveling for quite some time, and no one- no one had been half as kind as young Connor was being. He had essentially offered to cut her work in half, telling her exactly where to go so she might simply request the work rather than have the bothersome trouble of searching for it and arriving rather worse for wear. Perhaps if she came to a physician looking just a bit more put together then she could more easily convince them to take her on and act as a mentor. Her journey could be very well near its end, something she thought might never happen. As Fae stood there in a daze, gathering her thoughts, Connor had not seemed to notice at all and continued walking on, talking all the way.

"We turn here. Now, if you've been looking so long as to believe such a thing, you must've been traveling far. You're certainly not from Whitehaven."

Such a sweet boy he must have been to drop such a generous offer as if it were no more than a passing remark. Suddenly feeling without restraint, Faeloria launched herself forward to where Connor walked and drew him into a tight, thankful embrace. It was all she could do to keep grateful tears from falling, and she stood there hanging on for a long moment. Of course, it suddenly became entirely too apparent just how inappropriate her actions were. Disentangling herself from the older man, she sniffed with as much dignity as she could muster, smoothed out her skirt, and continued on the way they were walking. She tried her best to act nonchalant as she responded to his last remarks, though she felt quite certain her voice was shaking just the slightest.

"Oh no, I'm not from Whitehaven. I'm from Ravenpoint, took passage by sea to Avindale and traveled north from there, as going west over the mountains was quite out of the question. Don't suppose you get many from so far east?"

She wasn't even speaking in proper sentences, surely he would rescind his offer now. Only she could manage a feat of such socially awkward idiocy, Faeloria mentally chastised herself feeling every bit as young as she was. She doubted, not for the first time, her competency as a physician. Was she self-sufficient or intelligent enough to help people that way? She wondered if, perhaps, her parents had been right and she would have done best just to stay home and marry.

[Connor]

He'd made her giggle. Had he meant to make her giggle? Laugh certainly, but giggle. Ah well, perhaps such a foolish comment deserved a silly sound. At least the girl didn't think him stupid, and was, hopefully, enjoying herself a little more than she had been earlier. Being pushed to the ground, even if it was an accident, couldn't have been fun. He was too busy trying to decide if he was being nosy or too questioning, or perhaps maybe a little eager in his servant's role, to realise that she had stopped walking. So he was only just turning back to ask if there was something the matter when she threw herself upon him. Not attacking, but certainly having the element of surprise.

Connor could not remember ever being shown such an emotion from a girl. Particularly not one he hardly knew. Oh, true, some of his younger cousins had been in the habit of greeting him noisily until their mothers quieted them down, but they'd never leapt at him. It was, he'd always thought, something that women frowned upon. Not that he minded. So, although he was standing stiff and awkward in her embrace, he did not pull away, but stood instead, grinning foolishly into the night. Now, if only everyone might thank him so profusely he would be certain to enjoy every single day of his life. Granted, he'd rather if the men thought of something else, but he definitely wouldn't mind getting hugs from women every single day. Although there was one woman in particular whom he'd look forward to being hugged by.

Ah well, he'd take this as a thank you and acceptance of his offer and begin looking for healers as soon as he'd seen her settled at ______. It was the least he could do with the promise of such joy should he succeed. He certainly wasn't about to rescind his offer. He grinned as she pulled away, trying to hide her sudden embarrassment. "You're welcome."

Ravenpoint? Now that was a long way to come, and by sea! He'd never travelled on a ship before, and wasn't certain he'd be brave enough to try it. The ocean seemed so very much more strange and dangerous than did solid ground. Always moving, and so deep you couldn't see the bottom. And then the shipd, he'd seen them now and again, when he went to the harbour front, they seemed so very fragile. No, horses and walking suited him just fine. Although, as she'd said, mountains could very well pose some navigational problems.

"No, I've not met many travellers from Ravenpoint, although I'm sure you'd be surprised at the number of foreigners who visit here." A simple conversational piece, the words spoken with an absent-minded certainty. The numbers, when he'd first started making rough estimates, had surprised him as well, but she probably wouldn't care to know such details. Instead, he turned down yet another side street and sped up his pace ever so slightly. Even meeting this delightful stranger wasn't quite enough of a distraction from the original worries that had him wandering the streets so late. And now that they were passing through the less well patrolled area of the city, he felt he had a right to be cautious. Maybe he shouldn't be expecting hideous monsters, but there were men who could prove dangerous. He fell silent, no longer trying to uphold his end of the conversation, but instead straining his ears for any noise that might give him some chance to prepare, should the worst come to pass.

[Faeloria]

"You're welcome."

A silly response to a silly action. To his credit, Connor accepted her thanks with the utmost dignity... save for the goofy smile that still seemed to be plastered to his face. But he had not been affronted by her inappropriately brazen behavior, and that was the truly important part. He was standing by his previous promise to ask around for a physician, and for that she would forever be in his debt. It seemed silly to be in debt to a young man with a silly grin and slightly mussed from her tackle, but she was. Really, she quite liked Connor.

"No, I've not met many travelers from Ravenpoint, although I'm sure you'd be surprised at the number of foreigners who visit here."

It was an offhand comment, his voice inattentive and scatty. Gone was the playful boy, and in his place walked one seemingly more cautious. He seemed focused on... something, something which she was not fully aware of. The movements were hesitant but rushed, his steps increasing so Fae was forced to stumble in an effort to keep up. The sudden shift in his demeanor threw off the young girl, but she felt determined to keep up with him and keep the conversation alive. She opened her mouth to respond, when a sudden sound took up just ahead of them. It seeped from the shadows, rustling.

Faeloria's voice was hesitant as she spoke, "... What was that?"


((OOC: sorry this took so long, things are... yeah.))

[Connor]

Connor didn't notice Faeloria stumbling into his wake, he wasn't aware that he was moving even faster than was necessary to move quickly through the area. He was entirely focused on finding whatever dangers might be hiding in the darkness, whether or not they were actually there. So when the noise came from farther in, he was both terribly alarmed, and not at all surprised. He reached for a sword that wasn't there and silently, for the first time in his life, cursed his dislike of the thing before his fingers closed around the hilt of a small knife that had been attached to his belt when he'd buckled it around his waist. Well, it would, he supposed, have to do.

He unsheathed it, careful not to scrape the blade against the sheathe. Right now, it wouldn't serve as a warning, but as an indicator of how small a defense he had. At the young woman's question, he shook his head, voice suddenly frozen in his throat, so that he couldn't speak. He had no reassurances to give her, nothing really to say. There was something moving in the shadows, something dangerous, a man perhaps, waiting for them to cross his path. But Connor was certain he'd seen the gleam of eyes, reflecting green the light of the moon. Delicate, eerie witchfire green. And his mind was taken back. There was a terrible monster waiting for them there, only a few feet from where they stood. With strength enough to rip them apart and teeth as long as the knife he held. For this moment, the man didn't care that the eyes he had seen were too close together, too low, at the height of a child, to possible be anything so dangerous as those horrifying images it brought to his imagination. But then, the child of thirteen that he had become in his memories didn't care about such things either. All he remembered was the fright, and those sights that had burned themselves into his mind forever.

No, such distinctions, while they might have been useful at this moment, did not deign to enter his mind. An unfortunate oversight, for he stepped in front of Fae, face pale and lips tight. He was ready to defend her life, and felt most inadequate for the task, but since he was the only one there besides her, well, he was all she had. Yet another unfortunate part of this situation.

Then, as unconcerned for the fears it had caused as it was concerned about the closeness of two people who might very well dislike its presence, a cat leaped down from the crate it had perched itself on as it waited for rats or mice to wander past. Or maybe it had merely been resting, sleepy eyed and tired until their approach had interrupted its rest. Whatever the case, as it walked away, shooting a wary glance over its shoulder before darting down a narrow alley Connor blinked at it. His mind was slow to realise the mistake it had made, but the relief was quick to take over as he straightened. Making his hands shake as he returned the knife to its sheathe and ran the other through his hair. In fact, he was so grateful that he hadn't any thought to being embarrassed for the moment. Maybe later, when it sank in that he'd just defended Faeloria from a cat. Right now, he was just glad he hadn't needed to fight off anything worse.

((And I must apologize myself for taking so long.... I really didn't mean to)