Flashback [Priskil's Pond] The Raven at the Pond (Raven)

[Matthew]

5th of Summer, 509 AV.

Matthew took a deep breath, a sight of relief escaping him as he broke through the treeline and laid eyes upon Priskil's Pond. The group he had been traveling with had pointed him in the direction of the landmark, something he had wanted to see on his way to Syliras. He had been hesitant to go alone, but they had goaded and encouraged him. Apparently it was not even a half mile away, so if he got scared or needed some assistance, he could just scream out for help. He hadn't been able to tell if the group was joking or not, so had merely nodded and trotted in the direction they had sent him. Part of him had wondered if they were sending him off on a goose hunt, but thankfully he had arrived. He would have a bit of time to explore before the sun began to set, and he would have to make his way back to the caravan and the camp they were setting.

Running a hand through his dark hair and chewing lightly on his bottom lip, he scanned the little clearing, marveling at the beauty of it all. The clear water was gorgeous, he could see fruit hanging from some of the trees, and a lush wind blew through the opening in the wood. His simple cotton vest and cotton trousers had long since been clinging to his defined muscle, sweat soaking them through. He cooling breeze felt amazing on his face and body, and he couldn't help but arch back a little, spreading his arms and allowing the wind to take him whole. Licking his lips, he closed his eyes, and simply basked in it for a few moments before plodding onwards. He stepped closer to the body of water, examining for any oddities. He had long since forgotten about the dangers of the wildlands, suddenly feeling completely safe and warm. Everything was okay in this little clearing, and the outside world didn't seem that dangerous. It was outside, set apart by this little shrine to Priskil. He couldn't remember the story attached to the location, but he knew it had been blessed in the name of the Goddess. Perhaps worshipers had made the clearing themselves, or planted the fruit?

He pondered it for a moment, then leaned down to the water, peering at his reflection in it. After a moment of hesitation, he quickly stripped off his vest, taking the sticky cotton and dipping it in the water. He wrung and washed it in the crystal liquid, spreading it out on the soft grass beside of him to dry in the cool breeze. He cupped his hands and captured some more water, tossing it onto his hot face and his fit frame.

Glancing around, he took in more of the scenery, curious to if he should try a piece of the fruit hanging on one of the nearby trees. Or maybe he could take a quick nap here? He frowned, discarding the second idea, not letting his awe of the place get away from him. He needed to get back to the group when he was done here. This would make a good place to camp, but one of the caravan had thought it was disrespectful to the Goddess. Wasn't that why this place was here though, to provide a safe warden for travelers like them? Matthew sighed to himself, cupping more of the crystal water, dumping it over his thick hair and down over his young features.

[Raven Nightfoot]

"Almost there..." Raven reassured herself as she waded through the forest toward the famous landmark which had just come into sight a short distance ahead, This was probably the furthest the young woman had ever been from the safety of Syliras, due to her parents' overprotective nature. After quite some time she had finally convinced them to let her go on a short trip out of the city without them, although she had to compromise by allowing some squires to escort her to ensure her safety. Although she had convinced them to wait for her at their camp and allow her to go alone. Having parents who were part of the Syliran Knights had always been a burden in Raven's opinion, they were completely averse to anything that remotely resembled rebellion, which made having fun as an adolescent very difficult. This trip to Priskil's Pond had been the first real semblance of independence that she'd been allowed(that they knew of) and it was about time since Raven was now a young woman and ready to see what the world had to offer. The dark haired girl drew closer and closer to her destination. Amber eyes observed the surroundings while deep red lips held their familiar confident smirk. Hips swayed slightly with each step as the fair, curvaceous body they belonged to finally stepped into the clearing. She wore her usual attire, tight form-fitting black leather pants, corset and boots, all serving to emphasise her lithe womanly form. The clearing was breath taking, the pond glistened with every strand of Syna's light that met with it's surface while the surrounding earth seemed rich in life. Even the air smelt sweeter here, the entire area giving off a soothing yet ethereal feel. Raven couldn't help but close her eyes and enjoy the calmness of the beautiful place along with the fact that she was alone, that was until she heard the sound of water being handled and her eyes shot open, finally noticing the young man who had apparently been there all along. Immediately she stepped behind the nearest tree, a fairly large one on the edge of the clearing. She poked her head out curiously, wondering whether the man was dangerous or not. There she saw him, a fit well built body with a warm sun kissed colouring and dark brown hair. The man was topless, his back muscles rippling and flexing just beneath his skin as he sat their at the edge of the pond, seemingly oblivious to Raven's presence. She stayed there for a while, hidden behind the tree as she observed the young man, although all she could see was his bare back. She was itching to see what his face looked like and after she had decided that he didn't seem like a threat, she made up her mind and stepped forth. Slowly, quietly she made her way across the grass to the edge of the pond, just beside the mysterious young man and knelt down raking her fingertips casually across the water's surface. "Priskil's Pond...it's beautiful." she said soft and sweetly, figuring it as good a way to incite conversation as any. As she spoke she looked off across the pond and into the distance, seeming uninterested in the man beside her, which ofcourse wasn't the case since she was driven by her curiosity. Eventually she turned her head casually to look at the man beside her and take in his appearance. A young handsome face, strong jaw, full lips, the way the liquid dropped from his hair and ran down his face and those eyes, those shocking blue eyes, this man was...beautiful.

[Matthew]

He was not the type to be even remotely aware of his surroundings. As she appeared beside of him, he was calm at first, sky-blue gaze meeting her intense amber gaze. He studied her for a moment, quiet, then widened his gaze as he suddenly seemed to realize that she had come out of nowhere. With a completely ungraceful yelp of surprise, he flailed backwards away from her, toppling perfectly over into the water with a large splash. He vanished underneath it for a moment, the pond deeper than he had thought, squirming around beneath the surface before getting his wits about him and simply standing. He burst from the crystal clear water, head tossing back, slightly curly bangs flung to the sides of his face. He stood fully, height a bit looming, body completely drenched and dripping now. He stared at her, a slight red flush to his cheeks as he realized everything that had just happened.

Clearing his throat, he spoke, calmly as he could. His voice was soft and clear, each word carefully and properly pronounced. "Yes. Yes it is beautiful." He took a breath, trying to get his nerves about him. He had just looked the part of a fool. Here he was, traveling to Syliras to start an entirely new future for himself. He had studied, trained himself, sculpted his body... and then been sent falling into a pond by the surprise appearance of a young lady.

That crystal blue gaze of his took a moment to study her, oddly unashamed and professional, scanning over every inch of her. She was beautiful, and in a slightly dangerous way. She was aware of how shapely her body was, and had worn tight-fitting clothes that Matthew had never seen. They accented her body perfectly, showing off and hiding little. He was impressed for a moment, realizing how perfect the outfit was for her. It showed off allure, added darkness and mystery, and gave a small sense of danger all at once. Such a simple thing, but causing so many complex feelings in most any man that stared upon her. He slowly curved his full lips in a smile, the brief expression alluring, eyes twinkling with some sort of playful thought. His body and demeanor went on autopilot, the professional harlot kicking in exactly as he had molded it to do.

"Excuse the reaction, miss. I was just surprised. I am slightly skittish when it comes to the wildlands. You'll have to forgive me." He slowly stepped through the water, his demeanor somehow having changed in the blink of an eye. When he was once blushing and slightly awkward, his body was now relaxed and lithe. He almost moved like a woman, all grace and allure, eyes never leaving hers and the corner of his lush lips tweaking up in the very slightest of smirks. He emerged fully from the water, dripping figure completely on show, little streams of pond water following his definition like paths. "I am Matthew. I am traveling from Zeltiva to Syliras. Moving out of the home to be on my own, I suppose you could say."

He offered a long arm, fingers extending for a polite handshake. "And yourself?"

He was purposefully showing off, and he couldn't help it. Here she was, doing it herself. If this is what he wanted to do, what he was going to be, he needed to make sure he was good at it. What better way to test it? In a random situation, with neither one of them aware what the other could do. He kept that small smile on his face as he watched her, mind working quickly behind the scenes. He let his body naturally display itself, wet muscles slightly rippling, stance casual and almost cat-like.

[Raven Nightfoot]

Although she tried to restrain it Raven couldn't help but let out a small soft giggle as the man was seemingly caught off guard by her appearance and fell into the pond, disappearing beneath the surface. She herself was surprised by the depth as she patiently watched the spot where the water had consumed the handsome man until finally, he rose up out of the water, droplets flying everywhere as he emerged, Her laughter soon died down as she noticed his crystal blue eyes taking in her form, her eyebrow rising questioningly. He wasn't even attempting to hide it, completely unashamed of his actions as he spoke before making his way out of the water. "Don't worry about it, it's not the first time I've startled someone with my light footedness." "I am Matthew. I am travelling from Zeltiva to Syliras. Moving out of the home to be on my own, I suppose you could say." The man's entire demeanour had changed completely, in the space of a second he had gone from clumsy and embarrassed to completely graceful and suave. He stood there looming over her with his arm outstretched, as he introduced himself. Raven's amber eyes starting at the ground and moving up his form as it was her turn to check him out. The soaked fabric of his pants clung to his fit well shaped legs as her gaze glided over them reaching his wet muscled upper body and finally his blue eyes. Everything about him was sexy, even the way the water travelled down the contours of his body was arousing. Unbeknownst to Raven she was biting her lip in admiration as she stared up at the handsome young man, lust slowly growing inside of her. A short moment passed and finally she realized what she was doing and quickly regained her confident and flirty composure as she stood up as well and shook his hand. "Raven, just sight seeing." she responded calmly although there was a slight blush on her face, something that hardly ever happened. Raven wasn't used to being so distracted by a man's appearance, Syliras didn't have many men of such beauty and almost always, she was the one doing the distracting. For the first time in a long time she felt a very rare emotion building inside of her...attraction.

[Matthew]

He nodded, returning her firm handshake, letting his hand fall from her own afterwards. "There are a lot of sights to see between Zeltiva and Syliras, I am sure. Even though the wildlands scare me, I can't help but be a little bit curious as to everything that could be here. Did you come alone, or do you have an accompanying party? My caravan is just a minute or two walk, beyond the trees over there." He pointed a finger in the direction of his group, who's voices could just barely be heard if one listened enough. Continuing to point that small smile in her direction, he stepped back her, lithe body brushing against her own as he clambered further upon shore. Finding a nice patch of sunlight to bathe in, he stood underneath the warmth, relying on it to eventually get his soaked body dry. The whole time, his eyes never left hers, a light sparkling blue that seemed to contain so many different things. While his outside demeanor was professional and sharp, with that playful little smirk, his eyes seemed to be a portal to his heart. They glimmered, easily telling her what he was currently thinking. He was interested and intrigued, by this girl out in the midst of the forest.

"Raven. A pretty name. Spelled like the bird, I assume?" He made small talk, spreading his tightly-banded arms out a bit, allowing the sun to catch every inch of his exposed upper body. "Are you coming from Syliras, or somewhere else? Has the trip been safe so far? Does Priskil's Pond hold all the sights you were hoping to see, or are you making more stops somewhere along the way?" The series of questions spilled out softly, genuine curiosity held behind each one. He truly seemed interested, eyes continuing to watch hers as he waited for any sort of answer.

It made him happy to find someone else out here who was his age. The rest of his caravan consisted of grizzled veterans to the woods, all of which seemed to be mocking him as the trip progressed. He couldn't quite tell, as they were subtle about it, but he was pretty sure. He didn't look much the part of a traveler, so he could understand. That, and when they had heard what he was traveling to Syliras for...

Mentally, he winced, remembering the sound of the laughter. He wasn't ashamed of his choice, but he was a bit shocked at how loudly and openly all of them had decided to laugh.Was it really that odd of a profession?

Distracting himself, he tried something else. His blue eyes stared into hers for a bit longer, and then sparkled, that playful allure lighting up inside of them again. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he slowly lowered his eyes, once more taking her in. His examination was slow and sure, and inside of his gaze, there was something almost sensual. He was taking it beyond simply rudely checking her out in front of her very eyes. He was examining her with purpose, scanning her body with an idea, making sure that her form would be able to take it. Making sure it was built to handle it. Take it? Handle it? The questions might ring through her mind, and all that would offer an answer would be his eyes and smile, both meeting her own expression. He had looked at her like that so she would see. He had wanted her to see.

Like a dampened candlelight, the expression in his stare suddenly vanished, and he once more returned to that cool and professional man of before. Dressed sharply, he could easily pass for a business man of some sort, or a noble. It was just the way he seemed to turn on and off so many different things at once in the aura surrounding him. He better be able to. Yahal knows how long he had been practicing such things in preparation for this move to Syliras.

[Raven Nightfoot]

"There are a lot of sights to see between Zeltiva and Syliras, I am sure. Even though the wildlands scare me, I can't help but be a little bit curious as to everything that could be here. Did you come alone, or do you have an accompanying party? My caravan is just a minute or two walk, beyond the trees over there." Her eyes followed his gesture in the direction of his camp briefly before returning to his own, just in time for him to brush gently against her causing Raven to temporarily hold her breath as she watched him pick a spot in the sun. She took a moment more to admire his muscled body as it's liquid coating gleamed in the sunlight. "Wouldn't you like to know." she teased as she knelt down and gathered some water in her palms and lifting them to her face to drink. The water was refreshingly cool in the summer heat and a few drops fell from her lips down her chin and neck and onto her chest before continuing their trip to the earth. "Raven. A pretty name. Spelled like the bird, I assume? Are you coming from Syliras, or somewhere else? Has the trip been safe so far? Does Priskil's Pond hold all the sights you were hoping to see, or are you making more stops somewhere along the way?" When she was done with her drink she made her way towards where the handsome young man sat, her amber eyes locked on his as once again she noticed him examining her, although this time it seemed to be more in admiration. She could feel his eyes as they slid down her form and finally back to her eyes, her lust only building with his suave manner, causing her to bite her lip sensually once again. Eventually she realized she should probably respond to his questions although none of them were heading in the direction that she wanted them to. "Yes, and you needn't worry about my travels or destinations. As for the pond, it is as I said beautiful, although I have my sights set on something far more appealing." Once she had spoken she made her way to where the man sat and sprawled herself across the grass only a foot from the man's body. She layed on her side, facing him, one arm used to prop her head up while the other slid down her form and rested in her thigh, her new position only accentuating her curves. Her eyes were still locked on the crystal blue of his and their close proximity was only making her want him more. Raven could feel the sexual tension rising between the two as with every moment that passed by. She had no interest in a relationship, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity to play this game with the young and handsome Matthew, a thought she would never entertain with the crude horny men she normally encountered.

[Matthew]

The mood seemed to be set, and something in his mind clicked, throwing his thoughts into overdrive.

Wouldn't you like to know.

Suggestive and playful, just a hint of teasing to the soft words. It insinuated that he wanted her to be alone, and for why, he could definitely imagine. He took note of the phrase, making sure to remember to use it in the future. She was good at putting suggestion into her phrases, a skill that he knew was vital to his profession. He chewed his lower lip, watching her further, the woman practically a walking vault of seduction knowledge. As she drank, he watched some of the drops roll down her slim throat, curious to if it had been intentional or not. He knew he instinctively showed off his body a little bit, and water was an excellent way to do so. It traveled the skin perfectly and alluringly, giving wandering eyes something enticing to follow. He tilted his head, dropping his gaze to his own body, noting how the various water beads on his own frame managed to highlight his trained body. Another thing that he would have to remember for the future.

Amber eyes met blue, and she made her way toward him. He noted the natural sway of her hips, something that he had seen many a woman do, and something he envied. While he could move with grace and confidence, he didn't feel like it had the natural allure of a woman. He would have to figure out how to move like that, at some point during the future. He wondered if sultry movements would even be worth it, on a man. Did a woman ever pay attention to the way they moved? He had always just made sure to move with confidence, as he knew confidence was a good thing. His grace was just a natural thing that his body did, and he personally liked the way it looked.

Her words reached his ears, and he tilted his head again, brain scanning through the flirtatious comment. She was bold, which wasn't a bad thing. Everyone liked something different, but most men liked their women a bit bold. It seemed to be a natural way of life for men to be bold and women await that boldness, so a minor sexual role reversal was something almost slightly taboo. He could practically write an essay on the sociological theories behind gender roles and sexuality, but that was a whole different study of things. Currently, his study of choice was her. As she sprawled gracefully in front of him, he once more scanned her body, returning her open display of curves with a sparkling gaze. He made sure she could see his eyes as they specifically traveled the slope of her hips, his gaze bobbing up and down as he traced the curvature from her head to her toes. His earlier suspicion that her clothing was there to show off her fit body was practically confirmed by now. She knew what she was doing, and she did it well. He briefly considered the reasoning. She seemed mischevious, which made him wonder if she enjoyed toying with the men who found her attractive. Perhaps she showed off just to be able to toy with them. Was she toying with him?

Leaning back on his hands, he displayed yet another angle of himself, matching her move for move. His body sloped backwards, the sunlight hitting the glistening skin perfectly, the plane of his muscles quite obvious from this angle. Even though his britches were drying, they still wetly clung to every inch, leaving little to the imagination if she dared think about it. His eyes returned to hers, never leaving her gaze or her body for a moment. She was his sole focus. Practically nothing else existed, and he made sure to keep it that way. "Why shouldn't I worry? I wasn't before, but I find myself more and more concerned to if our paths are going the same place. If your traveling partners are anything like mine, you must be horribly bored. You can't stay like that for long. It makes life so difficult." His voice was slowly changing again, from professional and well-spoken to soft and sultry, a slight husk behind each sentence.

[Raven Nightfoot]

There they were, eyes still locked, each one waiting for the other to falter. Once again she noticed his eyes glide over her body in it's new, more provocative position. When he was done it was his turn to make a move and so the as he repositioned himself into another position that caused the light and liquid to adorn his body. And so their chess match continued although it seemed to be a stalemate. "Why shouldn't I worry? I wasn't before, but I find myself more and more concerned to if our paths are going the same place. If your travelling partners are anything like mine, you must be horribly bored. You can't stay like that for long. It makes life so difficult." A sly smirk crossed Raven's face at his words, finally she saw an opportunity to one up him, a chance to gain the advantage...and she would seize it. She paused for a few moments, giving him time to marinate in the anticipation of waiting for her answer before finally speaking. "Ah well you see, the answers to those questions depend entirely on the outcome of this meeting." her voice was teasing and confident. Her amber eyes watched his intently, awaiting the result of her words, slowly they darted to his full lips and back to his eyes, sending him a message of what it is that she wanted.

[Matthew]

The message was received, and he pondered it, little lines of strategy running through his mind. Most would consider it odd to process seduction the way his mind did, but for him, it was the best and easiest way. Seduction was a science if you really looked at it, as well as a cleverly played psychological game. Could you read the body of your target enough to apply the correct words and touches that pressed the right buttons? When it actually came down to physical touch, did you know exactly where to let your fingers caress in order to provide the best sensations? To almost everyone, these were natural things that were gained over time. To Matthew, they were pure logic that he had studied and trained in. It was the logic of the body.

Her gaze was coy, as she knew she had upped the ante. He considered it still, eyes never leaving hers, returning the pleasure of having to wiggle with anticipation. Knowing that her eyes had been pulled to his lips, he gently sunk his teeth into the lower one, biting down thoughtfully without looking away. His tongue flicked out gracefully, and he dampened his lips with it, a casual swipe of the tip that looked quite casual. It was only the setting and the sparks in the air that made it anything more. The lick of his lips was the most noticable, his tongue moving easily and skillfully, as if specifically showing off his control over it. It was a little thing, but it was there. He prided himself on paying attention to the details of such things, and was forcing himself to make them become simple habit.

Matthew knew what she wanted, but simply wanting it wasn't enough. His eyes changed again, burning darkly, the teasing look suddenly turning into something much more... primal. Something hungry and demanding, violent and threatening. It was sultry and erotic, and it let her know that even the simplest thing wouldn't be simple any more. If a kiss is what she wanted, if a taste was what she was hinting at, then she might could get it.

But he would make her ache for it. A harlot must as least be able to do that.

The fire in his gaze promised so much, and his body lightly flexed, as if reminding her that it contained power. The silence stretched, and for a second, his smirk nearly turned into a playful and hungry growl.

Then he blinked, and the blue was back to its tame and playful stare. He was teasing with every glance and every little motion of his body, every small action combining into one big display. He was confident as well, just like her, both of them meeting each other step for step in this little game they had come up with. Two strangers, and here they were. They would likely get themselves into trouble one day with the level of ease they were slowly growing to with the other. His voice leaked out again, just as low and husky as before. He sat straight, brushing fingers over his body to flick off a few remaining beads of water. He slowly and gracefully started to stand, offering a hand to her politely. He kept aware of the nearby pond, wary of it after his earlier spill. "Wisely tight-lipped, I see. I'll have a hard time tugging any words from those lips, won't I? Not that I mind. It'll be interesting seeing which ones I have to coax out, and which ones simply slip free." He smiled, her words challenging her just as she had challenged him.

[Raven Nightfoot]

This game of theirs was weighing on both her sanity and restraint, even when she thought she was in the lead the man had found a way to level the field. Every movement of his perfectly co-ordinated to throw her off her game, those crystal blue eyes, that body, the way he licked his lips, he was a professional. She watched curiously as he stood up and politely offered a hand to her, the last few drops of water trickling down his outstretched fingers as he spoke. "Wisely tight-lipped, I see. I'll have a hard time tugging any words from those lips, won't I? Not that I mind. It'll be interesting seeing which ones I have to coax out, and which ones simply slip free." She sighed as she took hold of his strong hand and was pulled to her feet with ease, she made sure to be extra close as she stood, brushing her chest only just against his as they stood only an inch or two apart, her neck craned upward to look at his face, her smirk never disappearing. It seemed that this man had her beat in every aspect of their little game, continuously matching or besting her moves. Her breaths reached his face gently one by one as they stood in close proximity, eyes gazing into the depths of his. "You may well get nothing and like it." she answered finally. Raven was stubborn, if she couldn't get something her way, then she may change her mind and not want it at all.