Completed Steady As She Goes (Garland)

[April Windweaver]

Winter 13th, 514 AV

April acted faster than her brain could react.

Upon opening her eyes, the Svefra leapt out of bed and scurried over to her dresser. She dazidly rummaged through her clothes with a haste unlike anything her body was prepared for. Even as her body ached with morning grogginess, her spirit continued to fuel her.

Still half-blind and half-asleep, April yanked out a clean pair of pantaloons and her last clean shirt. It had the merit of not being stained, torn, or even slightly tattered. It was a plain white shirt with buttons made from rounded seashell fragments. Along the hem, collar, and puffed sleeves was a golden trim that, while not breathtaking, was at least a nice touch. It was one of the only pieces of clothing she had bothered to fold. It was a special shirt for special occasions.

She quickly slipped into it and put on the rest of her ensemble. This consisted primarily of a thick leather coat that was once a solid black now dulled and dimmed by wear. Next came her pants; a pair of weathered breeches that scrunched up at her feet. She stuffed as much excess she could into her boots.

To hold her pants in place April employed the help of a long, crimson scarf over which she tied down a leather belt. The end dangled off her side and came just shy from reaching her knees. It definitely gave her the "April" touch.

Next came her hair, the most important part. Within mere moments she already had several strands of her hair colored to either a crimson or sky-blue. It took some time for it to dry, but in the meantime April kept looking down at herself to make sure she looked okay. Today was very important, and she wanted to look her very best for it.

She was all set to go.

But what for? She blinked, trying hard to remember. In her excitement, April had forgotten why she was even excited in the first place.

Her eyes wandered the room in search for something to clue her in, but found nothing. She blinked again, leaning up against her desk. Surely she must have some reason.

The gem. Her gaze fell upon the gem and the memories of Garland and the Spa came flooding back. Garland, the squire who had saved her life not once, but twice. Both from her own carelessness. The same squire who had kissed her on the side of the pool after she came back to the world of the living. The same squire whose good will and noble nature hid a more mischevious side that April was keen on discovering. He was a man with many mysteries, but a good heart, and a good spirit. And they were to go on a date.

A date! Yes, A date! She was going on a date! Her heart started racing.

Before she could even calm herself, April was already out of her cabin and onto the docks, a cool wind blowing across the sea and against her back. She didn't mind it. But she was worried for the potential storms that may hit that evening. But for now, she didn't care.

It was early enough that the streets were still fairly empty, but late enough for the sun to have woken up. It was here that she debated her options.

She could wait here to see if Garland would come, but she was far too impatient for that. She could go to the castle to see if he was there, but might risk some unwanted attention from the guards. Svefra like April had a reputation. One that did not facilitate good will with authorities. But it'd be better than standing around.

With a spring in her step, April made her way into the quiet streets of Syliras and up towards Stormhold Castle.

[Garland]

Garland had been slacking, luckily all the times he had been goofing off he masked it with 'patrolling' and it had worked for the most part, and it would probably work for whatever he was planning to do if he was in his armor, but today he officially needed a day off. Today was the day he was going out with April, maybe as friends or... maybe something more, he had hoped more though.

He didn't have much in terms of clothing, though he did have a rather nice jacket, a blue cloak. He opened the door in his room and felt a chill on his leg, he forgot to wear pants. If it was a warmer day, he might have left the building before he noticed his missing leg-wear. He rushed back into his messy room, looking through his drawers, finding one clean pair of trousers, his roommate was already out on his patrol so he had the room to himself for the most part.

He yawned and gave a small stretch. He wished he some sort of hat to keep his head warm, but he doesn't and there wasn't much point in complaining about it.

He ran out of his room and through the hallway of the dorm to get the entrance, some of the other squires were there doing just getting up from bed, and others were preparing to head out into the day.

He didn't feel the cold, he was excited though he needed to keep his composure, it was only a matter of time until someone sees them and April and probably spreads a rumor or something. He at least wanted to be the one to either confirm or deny whatever the rumor will say.

He didn't know where they were going to meet, but he needed to go through the Stormhold gates. Hopefully he would see April while he was going through the entrance.

[April Windweaver]

The fortress was much bigger than it looked from the sea, and its overwhelming presence made April nervous.

Each of the windows was like the eye of a harsh overseer scanning the city for the wicked and cruel. Dark hollows gazing out across every mile of Syliras and the wilds beyond. And it felt like all of them were now looking directly at her. She gulped.

She pressed on past the portcullis and its guards without any issue. What lay beyond was even more impressive than the exterior. Along with the massive amount of Knights, there was a bustle of activity leading to the Bazaar, which was no doubt brimming with merchants and shoppers. She would have to visit there some day.

It was interesting, she noted, how this district looked so... old. The stone was at least several decades older than the rest of the town. She knew little of this city, so she couldn't say for sure, but she was certain that this was the first part of Syliras was constructed. Maybe this was the original Syliras? It certainly had the architecture to sustain a heavy attack. It would take a good two or three mortars to even make a dent. Heavy shots would just bounce off. Chain shots would just shatter. Looked like the Knights knew how to keep their HQ well secured.

Speaking of knights.

"Garland!" She rushed across the snow with a bright smile and rosy cheeks the moment she caught sight of him. Her waist-scarf was flapping wildly in the wind while her hair was blown back comically. Several times it seemed like she would faceplant, but each time she just giggled and leapt back into balance. Just a few moments later and she was face-to-face with the young squire.

"Hiya!" Her voice was cheerful and bubbly and her expression was gleeful to match. She was so excited that she couldn't stand still. Her hands were clasped behind her back while her body swayed left to right like a child waiting impatiently for their birthday present.

"This place is impressive. No wonder Syliras cherishes its safety. I would, too." She got another glance of the well-built castle before turning her full attention to Garland.

"You look like you just got out of bed." She teased him, ruffling his bed-head with a laugh. It felt strange to do under the gaze of so many Knights, but she didn't mind it too much. She did do her best to lower her voice so that she did not draw the ears of the nosy guards. "So! A date, yeah? Haven't been on one of those is a long time. Hope you're taking me somewhere nice, cuz I'm a difficult girl to impress, you know. I won't settle for moldy soup and stale bread. I want something fancy. Like venison!"

[Garland]

Garland smiled as April clumsily ran her way up towards him, almost like a puppy running up to greet her owner... That was a very odd comparison but also a very accurate one. The squire just had an amused smirk on his face while she hoped in place.

"This place is impressive. No wonder Syliras cherishes its safety. I would, too."

He smiled and kissed April's forehead. "There are other reasons why people fight to protect Syliras." He gave a small wink and pinched her cheeks. "Anyway, I'm not much for planning, but I figured we can either go out for a small walk maybe to Kova's Well, to work up an appetite and then we can go hit up a tavern or maybe a restaurant. I don't know many restaurants that serve meat as good as the taverns and inns, but I do know of a few." He said, explaining his plan for their date. This was his first official date, he wasn't about to mess this upWe are totally going to mess this up.

He looked at April, taking notice to what she was wearing, she didn't look beautiful, beauty is reserved for the mature, April looked cute, adorable, and very attractive. She actually had clean clothes for once, and he felt a bit flattered by that.

He ruffled his hair a bit, trying to get the mess of hair into a slightly tidier mess of hair or at least make it look like his hair was intentional. "But moldy soup and stale bread is Syliras' specialty!" He joked and rubbed the back of his head. "Some food would be very good, its been a while since I've had any good meat! Not to disrespect the cooks in the dorms and such, but I think they're... not really good with handling meats. Fish, bread and vegetables are all fine and good, but they burn the meat for too often."

He grabbed her hand and started walking. "This is actually my first date, so I hope I don't do anything stupid... Let me rephrase that, I hope I don't do anything TOO stupid."

[April Windweaver]

She let out a childish giggle as Garland kissed her head, her cheeks growing brighter at his affection. In the short time that she had known him, April had grown fond of his touch. It was reassuring. Plus, April was, herself, a very hands-on person. She bonded more quickly with people she could touch. As weird as that sounded.

"I think a walk would be nice" She said, taking Garland's hands in her own. "Never been... or really ever heard of Kova's Well, but it sounds nice. I know you folk like your landmarks." Her words were followed by a cheery smile.

She noticed his gaze falling on her outfit, and felt her ego swell. "Like it?" She let go of him and twirled around, showing off her clothes."I got it from my sister a couple seasons ago." It was a very pretty shirt, and with the bath from yesterday having cleaned up her features a bit, it made her look much more presentable. From Garland's expression, he liked what he saw. And that was good enough for her.

She bounced back to his side and wrapped an arm around his waist as they stared moving. "You smell like a haystack." she teased, pressing her face into his side. "Those dorms must be like stables, what with all of you boys crammed together in one place. How do you even get privacy? What if you ever want to have... erm... special guests over?"

While she let him ponder the question, April continued to lean gently into them as they walked, her free hand stuffed into the pocket of her jacket.

[Garland]

They started walking, he smiled and shivered slightly. He's actually a bit sore, since he had a very painful sparring session with three Pycons. "Kova's Well... Some say that that is where Kova was killed by Ivak. It's a pretty romantic place they say, I actually never had time to sit and examine the area before, I'm always on the move."

The ground was covered in snow, not enough to be hard to walk through but just enough to make you feel like you're walking on powder. They were making their way through the crowded street.

He wasn't much of a guide, he didn't know much about anything in Syliras, even though he's been living here his whole life. He wrapped his arm around April's shoulder to help shave off the cold.

"How did you get here to Syliras specifically?" He asked curiously. "Like where did you come from and why did you decide to stay in a city that honestly isn't the best place for you." They made it into the recreational area near Kova's Well, it was very pretty, the flowers and leaves were dusted with a light coating of snow and frost. It was almost dreamlike to be here in such a beautiful place in a date, either the gods are working with you or this is a random lucky thing that happened to him.

"This is pretty nice-looking..." He said and looked at April. "Not as good looking as you... That was the cheesiest thing I've ever said!" He laughed and smiled at April. "Honestly though, you look amazing."

[April Windweaver]

The walk was an incredibly pleasant one. Even in the bitter cold, her proximity to Garland helped keep her spirit warm. There was something special about just being able to enjoy some time with a friend. A good friend. A very good friend.

He presented a good question, one April pondered over for a short time.

"Well..." She started, thinking over her answer a bit more. "Usually I stay in Alvadas. I've can usually pick up a job as a cook there but I've been... on the run. Not from the law. Nothing like that. Just trying to get away from some bad memories. I can't seem to get close to there anymore. It's like..."

She took a deep breath, knowing her words would be met with skepticism.

"It's like something is pushing me out. Or... pulling me away. Every time I get close something goes off inside me. Inside my head. It's never happened before. At least not this often. These moments of chaos inside my head. Like... like a storm at sea. So much thrashing. So much... just... It hurts. They..." She shook her head. "Gah... sorry... I'm being silly. You probably think I'm crazy." She blushed, looking away in embarrassment.

"I'm not a psycho. I'm not about to go insane and start barking like a dog or anything. Just a girl with some migraine issues every now and then. I feel much safer here in Syliras anyways. It's a bit overbearing, but It's better than being stuck out at sea." She paused and looked up at Garland with a sincere smile. "Plus, I found good company"

They made their way into Kova's Well, April's eyes gleaming as they looked upon the snow-laden branches and the frost-tipped flowers. It looked so surreal. Like a painting had sprung to life. Perhaps the brush strokes were made by a greater being. She didn't know and didn't care. It was undeniably beautiful.

"Not as good looking as you... That was the cheesiest thing I've ever said!"

"Tch!" She grinned. "If you're trying to win me over with compliments... then it's working. Heheh~." A chuckle rose from her chest. She spun so that they were face to face with her hands on his chest. Her voice got quiet "You're not half-bad, yourself." She looked at him with an almost daring expression. Her eyes were filled with mischief.

[Garland]

"I don't think you're crazy. Stuff like that happens, like you don't want or can't go to a certain place because of a memory or something." He thought solemnly for a chime. "Well, I'm sure you can get over it sooner or later. If not, well... You can always come back to Syliras."

He gave a slightly concerned look at April. "Migraines? Only when you're travelling close to Alvadas or only occasionally?" He asked, concerned for his date. "I don't want to have my pretty date get a headache now."

They followed a well trodden path, pretty much the only thing that's not covered in snow or frost. After a short scenic walk they made it to the well itself. It didn't seem magical, or whatever, but he could feel some sort of aura from it, though it could just be the atmosphere or it was just in his mind.

He sat on the edge of the well. "This place seems just so... surreal? Like a dream, I mean this place is beautiful before, but I've never actually been here when it snowed. I want to say, I'm pretty lucky to have met you." He blushed and almost leaned back, and falling into the well. Garland was a special kind of clumsy, but with April around, he's extra special. Luckily he caught himself before falling into the well.

"Epp!" He squeaked and held on to the side. "The was the unmanliest scream I have ever done..." He blushed and got off the side of the well and then slipped on the ice and landed on a fresh snow pile.

[April Windweaver]

"I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm fine. A few headaches are nothing."

April was really enjoying herself, drinking in the relaxing atmosphere and taking pleasure in the fact that nothing had tried to kill them yet. It was a nice change of pace.

Winter, to her, was a time of death and depression, when animals and plants hid under the snow. It was a time of sluggishness, the people slow and solemn. But here, in this garden, it was if Winter was simply a new coat of paint over an already priceless piece of art. It was oddly gorgeous. It was like being in another dimension or world. And here, with Garland, she found herself truly happy, without worry.

April let out a loud laugh as Garland fell, clutching at her stomach as she burst into hysterics. It was so sudden and so funny that April couldn't stop.

"Hahahaha! S-Sorry! Heh..haha! Are you okay? I- chh, haha!" She was out of breath already, taking deep breaths to try and keep from busting a gut.

Eventually she just gave up and continued to laugh, leaping on top of Garland so the two were now lying in the snow. "Hee hee! You're too much fun, Garland. Neither of us can seem to keep from getting into wacky situations." She readjusted herself so that they were face to face again, a silly smile on her face as she wiped snow off his face.

"You are really, really handsome. Not the creepy kind of handsome. Just, like... natural handsome. You know what I mean?"

[Garland]

When she sat on him, he felt rather strange, it would have been quite a sight to see, a large, muscular boy being pinned down by a sverfa girl. He leaned in and kissed April. "Well, I know I'm handsome, its just weird having someone actually say it though." He wrapped his arm around April's body.

He looked at April's eyes, blushing a light red as he did so. He snapped out of it and prodded April to get off of him. "W-we should probably get going before someone come along and gets the wrong idea."

He got up and then gave a few small stretches. He wrapped his arm around April's shoulder and started walking out of their park and into the street. "Well, where should we go now? You said you wanted some venison? Maybe stake? The inns and taverns are a good place for food, but they aren't exactly romantic."

He looked over to the busy street. "Is that going to be a problem?" He asked, still concerned about April. "So, I guess you don't do well with crowds? Have long have you been on land, like how long will you be in Syliras? Just until Spring? I hope not though. I want to spend a bit more time with you." He blushed and rubbed the back of his head.