Closed Horse's and a Viper (Viper)

[Ginchoeri]

Gin pulled the chair closer to his resting table and sat, so that they were now eye level with eachother. Her smile wider than ever. "I am perfectly well. I stayed in horse form for a while, they washed me down and I got to eat. So I must say I feel I got the royal treatment. Though their constant whispering and contemplating on how you came upon such a 'wonderful specimen of creature' I found quite annoying." She sighed as she thought back on the events of the day.

"The reactions I got when I changed form just a few minutes ago, they were quite priceless. There were even a few screams. It was almost funny, if I were not so against other people knowing what I was that is." she looked down, "I have a feeling things are going to start changing. Start changing real fast. And, I do not really think I am ready for the change." She sighed. So many changes in her life this season. She did not know if she would be able to cope.

"How is your arm? Does it still hurt?" a worried look crossed her face again. He may look okay, but pain was still pain. When you hurt, you hurt, that was just the way it was. She could not help but remember her past, which had actually brought her to these very tents. She had lost so much blood, she was basically a dead kelvic walking. That was barely an exadgeration. Any longer and she would have died out on the Sea of Grass, to become food for the carrion birds.

She reached out as if to touch his arm, but pulled her hand back, looking down. What had she been thinking? Why would she reach out for him? Maybe she had wanted to make sure he was real? That she was not just imagining things. But it did not seem to be the only reason if that was the case. She shook it off and raised her eyes to his and gave a small smile.

[Viper]

A strange feeling began to fill Viper as she neared him and sat down. It was a feeling he had not had for a while now. What was it though? Was he simply feeling "different" in her presence because of his injury? Was it the dangerous adventure that he narrowly survived, that now drew him toward her? Or was it those beautiful blue eyes he found himself getting lost in? Those eyes that seemed to be able to pierce right through his defenses and reach a place he imagined closed off. Suddenly an image of his wife, who possessed the same haunting blue eyes, flashed in his mind for but a moment. The slightest of frowns began to form on his face as he lowered his gaze away from hers. Quickly burying the memory once more, a smirk soon replaced the slight frown as she began to tell of her day nearby while he was unconscious under the care of the healers. A wonderful creature she was indeed. Kind, caring, and seemingly always thinking of others.

When she expressed her concern about others knowing what she was, and the possibility of changes, his smirk faded some. His expression being replaced with a look of concern. How could she really feel so strongly about this? What had happened to her to make her so afraid of the whole world knowing? As her gaze lowered to the floor, he leaned over and gently placed a finger under her chin. Slowly, he raised her face back so that her eyes met his. What she saw was a warm caring smile, and eyes that clearly showed concern. "Ready or not, change is simply a part of life. But it doesn't mean it has to be a bad thing. Nor does it mean you have to handle it alone…" He removed his hand at this point and lightly caressed the side of her cheek for but a moment before pulling away and leaning back in bed. "I'll be here for you if anyone dare cause any trouble." A smirk reappeared on his face. "As I recall, I believe I owe ya one anyway." In all honesty, even if he didn't "owe" her one, he'd help her get through whatever seemed to be troubling her.

Her expression soon turned to worry as she inquired about his arm. He paused for a moment as he looked over his forearm, now wrapped in bandages. "Oh you needn't worry about me. I'm tougher than I look. I'll be fine. Besides, the healers here in the Opal clan are some of the best in Mizahar! They may not be able to heal death, but they can sure come pretty close." His gaze fell downward towards her hand when he noticed her reach out to touch his. And his eyebrow raised slightly when she pulled away and lowered her own gaze. Curious he thought to himself. As she returned, her eyes meeting his, a warm smile splashed across her face, he reached out and took her hand gently in his. "I know I said it before…but really. Thank you for being their for me when I needed yo--…when I needed someone." Lifting her hand, he softly kissed the top of it before releasing her once more.

He maintained his traditionally friendly smile, but inside his mind began to warn him. What are you doing Viper? You need to slow way down before you give this fine person any wrong ideas. Wait…what? Wrong ideas about what…? He wasn't trying anything on her… But he then supposed he may have been a bit to flirtatious with his actions. But then again, it's not like she felt anything for him. How could she? By the gods, he couldn't even defend them. Why did he care...? Why was he thinking on this so much? He noticed his head began to pound, so he shook it lightly trying to will away the headache coming on.

Clearing his throat, he looked back to her and smiled. "So…what are your plans for the rest of the day? I mean I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to give you any riding lessons today." A soft chuckled left his lips as he somewhat awkwardly, attempted to keep the conversation going in a direction that doesn't reflect in growing regard for her.

[Ginchoeri]

Gin's face flushed only lightly when he placed his hand under her chin to raise her gaze back to his. Her heart beat a bit faster as she listened to his calm words. A small chill ran down her spine when his hand moved and carressed her cheek for only a moment, and she shivered. It was so bazzar to her that it was all she could do to nod in responce. 'Change is simply part of life.' he had said. She knew that much, way to well did she know that. Many of the big changes in her life though, were not so good. She pushed the memories away before they even came to her.

Now when he took her hand, she blushed even harder. "Y...you are welcome." She looked away, trying to collect herself. She thought back to what he had said only moments before. 'They may not be able to heal death, but they can sure come close.' Yes. This was the case with her. When she had come here upon her arrival, she was in the grips of the land. It was trying to sieze her back to its self. To feed its self with her flesh and bone, for it had already fed on her blood. She shivered slightly at the thought of not being here and then swiftly pushed it aside.

Gin was starting to feel a feeling she had never felt before, she did not know what it was, but she knew for some reason, she wanted to try and follow it, but she did not know how. She just knew that it was something to do with Viper. It was a pleasant feeling, and it flared a little with each action Viper had taken. She thought on it for only a moment when his words interrupted her thoughts.

She smiled, "Well, talk to you until you are tired of my voice, or just tired, and then probably go home and make sure my harp is still okay. I will probably play for a few hours, and sing, and then I will eat. Otherwise, I do not really know. My days are pretty monotonous, someone like you probably would go nuts trying to find something to do each day." A chuckle left her lips, her eyes looking in his, with a sort of sweet sadness that always seemed to be haunting them.

[Viper]

Even in his less than completely coherant state, the fact she blushed did not escape his notice. Though he did ponder if it was real or his mind was simply playing tricks on him. Pushing the thought aside, he chuckled at the mention of her leaving if he got tired of her voice. "No you're fine. And ya, I noticed the harp earlier and meant to ask you about it. As for me...well lately, I've just sort of been wondering Mizahar trying to find my place in the world I guess you could say."

His smile faded a bit, as he didn't really wish to go into his recent past, or his reasons behind his current lifestyle. He began to fidget a bit, but checked the gesture as he returned his gaze toward her and smiled playfully. "So do I get to hear you play? It's not very often I get to hear someone sing, or play the harp."

[Ginchoeri]

Gin took in his first words and pondered them a moment. He had been traveling around Mizahar. To find his place in the world. Why would that be she wondered. Before she could ask though, he started to frown. And stopped her in her tracks instantly. Again she had this urge to reach out to him. This want to comfort him filling her mind. She was so focused on him she almost missed his question.

"You want to what?" she looked a little shocked, "Me? Play for you? I... I really am not that good.. I mean.." She was blushing even harder this time. He wanted her to stay, and not only that, he wanted her to sing?! And play her harp?! He did not even know her skills... the only song she could play pretty much perfectly was her mothers song. But, could she sing that for him?

"I mean.. I ... " she looked so flustered, it was probably one of the most addorable things on the planet to watch. She fiddled with her fingers, twisting and turning them. She seemed to refuse to look at him knowing he could deffinately see her blushing now. "I have not gotten enough practice... I really.. I am not good.. not by a long shot."

[Viper]

He couldn't help but laugh lightly at her suddenly embarrased and flustered disposition, though he tried to squelch the sound as best as he could. "Well if you don't feel like playing that is fine. Though somehow I imagine you are better than you're letting on." He gave a quick smirk as he watched her nervously tangle her fingers in on themselves. "However, if you aren't going to play...I'm thinking we're going to have to find a game to play or something. I'm really not the best when it comes to conversation. Actually in all honesty, it's been a while since i've really spent more than a few hours in anyone's company to have a more in depth conversation."

He wondered if she would cave under the slight pressure and regail him with a display of her talents. But if not, he knew he would be just fine sitting there talking.

[Ginchoeri]

Gin blushed a little more as she heard him stiffling his laughter. But when her heard his suggestion of other things, she felt he was being half hearted about the idea. As if he did not really want to do the things he suggested. She looked up and thought for a moment. There was a hopeful look in his eyes. She sighed and gave a small smile. "I really... I am telling you right now. I warned you! You can not complain if you do not like what you hear."

She got up and went outside. Whispers suddenly stopped as she went to Aeyan and grabbed her harp which had been hooked onto him at some point durring their adventure that day. She brought it back into the tent and instantly people started whispering again. She decided it would be best to ignore it and move on so she went over and sat back down next to Viper.

She took the instrument out of its case, as if it were the most delicate thing in the world. She inspected it, looking to see if the wildness of today had damaged it any. To her surpise, and after a few strums, she found that it was completely fine. She sighed with relief, she could not afford any major repairs to her fathers piece of art.

She decided sharing this piece of information might interest him. "You know, the man who made this for me. He was my father. A marvolous wood worker he was.. but he was always best at making harps," she carresed the back of the instrument, where there were engravings that seemed to not have any real meaning except decoration. It put an even bigger smile on her face to talk about it, but, again, suddenly she frowned, "He was... but... now.. he.. along with my mother.. are back to being appart of the earth. Died, right before my eyes." She stopped... She did not normally say this on the first day of meeting someone. She was not even sure why she was saying it now. But she did. So, she waited for the reaction. That normal annoying.. 'I'm sorry for your loss' schpeel. She looked at him, as if dareing him to say it, though it could be seen that she did not really want it to be said.

[Viper]

Viper listened as she told the story behind her harp. When she kept speaking of her father in the past tense, his smile admittedly wained a bit. And sure enough, she soon confirmed not on that he was dead, but her mother as well. Poor thing he thought. He had suffered great loss recently as well. But he at least still had his parents and siblings still. The first thing that came to mind was to try and console her. And he would have done it too had he not at the last second seen her expression.

It was a look that said, "Ok now go ahead apologize and console me, blah, blah, blah." So instead he simply nodded, but after reflecting on this said, "Well at least they left this world a better place. It's not everyone after all that can claim to have made such beautiful things to leave behind for the rest of us to enjoy." His comment definitely held the possibility of a double meaning. But he gave no further clue as to whether he was referring to the harp or her. He then simply waited for he to begin...

[Ginchoeri]

Gin almost reputed his words, but she thought on it a moment. He believed something different from her, which was okay. He had lived a different life, and she really had no basis for her beliefs. But she also blushed a little at the words he spoke about her parent's leaving behind such beautiful things. She knew he could have ment her harp, but she could not help but take it as a flattery.

"T...Thank you, no one's ever said that about my dad's work." She clutched the harp a little closer to her body. "Though.. I must say, I do not remember the last time I told someone."

She gave him a small smile and moved her harp back into the right position on her lap. Gin strummed across all the strings, with a melodious hum came a scale, sweet and pure. Instantly her smile grew and her shoulders seemed not so stiff. She took a deep breath and started to play chords that rose and fell. Every once in a while she would accidentally play one to many note, her fingers slipping off the string the wrong way, or she would play a completely wrong note, but she kept on plugging along. She did not stop even though she kept on messing up, though a little frustration did show on her face, she was willing to make mistakes to make herself better.

"I can hear the horses,
as they prod along
friends with many courses,
so big and so strong."

Her voice rang out, as the chords of the harp fell, the notes in her voice would rise and visa versa. She was messing with a song that she had made for the Drykas people. Though she knew it did not sound completely pleasent at some point she kept going. He wanted to hear her play and sing, that was what he was going to get.

"Horses lead me on,
through life and through dream.
Horses lead me on,
through yonder blue stream."

Meanings behind the words could be heard as she sang this sweet lullaby. Her rhymes true and simple. She seemed to smile more as she sang. Though once, she hit one of her high notes, and her voice cracked. But still she kept going. You could not stop at every mistake, or you would never get through a song.

"Clacking hoofs I hear,
as I walk the path
I feel no fear
as there's no wrath."

Gin choked on the words, 'I feel not fear', not really meaning to. Though it put a bit of emotion into it. It was a mistake, not the kind of emotion she wanted in it. When she sang, she tended to think to much about the lyrics, and sometimes that is what happens.

"Every step I take,
may be my last
but as I wake,
I follow my caste."

As the lullaby's meaning got deeper, Gin's voice slipped her and there, going higher when she was supposed to go lower. Or staying the same note when it was supposed to change. Of course, Viper probably did not realize any of the mistakes were truely mistakes. Would say something about artistic freedom or something of the sort.

"Strangely I know,
that things must end
but even as I go,
the horses comprehend."

At the end of the phrase she held out the notes, singnifying she was reaching the end of the song. She kept on playing her harp though, and at some point she had closed her eyes, she kept on hitting wrong strings with her dexterious movements, her fingers practically flying, but all in time to a heart beat no one could see. But they could most deffinately hear. She took another deep breath and sang once more.

"The horses comprehend."

She played for a little while after. When she deliberately plucked her last cords to sound a little more tinny and deffinately slower than the rest of the piece. She froze her fingers over the strings and sat there silently for a moment. She then looked up and gave a small, nervous smile at Viper.

[Viper]

Viper listened happily as she played and sang. Not being an expert on music himself, for the most part, he missed the parts that she had messed up. He simply lay back against his pillow and listened to her song. The song seemed to him to represent someone who had spent much time reflecting. Possibly too much time alone as well. She was quite the intriguing person. And he wondered how much of the future lives would be intwined, or if at all after today. For the moment he pushed these thoughts aside and enjoyed the rest of the song.

When she finished, he smiled warmly and clapped lightly for her performance. "Very nice. I don't see why you were so nervous. You sounded great." He paused for a moment before saying, "Actually it's been a while since I have been around to hear anyone play. That time I heard anything was with...my family..." He paused for a moment at the last part, as if thinking on how to say it. The pause was definitely noticable to her, though he tried to simply finish the sentence as normal as possible. He then quickly followed up, by moving on with the conversation.

Time seemed to fly by as the two did nothing more than sit in eachother's company and talk the day away. Even though he was usually quite the restless person, for the first time in a long time, Viper did not mind the serenity of the setting at all. In fact he seemed to had found a measure of peace in it....