"I hope tha' ya dun min' Hannah. She's rather taken bah ya." She chuckled and would have rubbed the back of her exposed neck, but one hand was held in Locke's and the other hand had a rather hefty looking picnic basket. Her sister seemed to hang on every one of Locke's words, and giggled at just about everything.
True to her word, she wore one of her mother's handmade dresses. High in the neck and slightly loose-fitting, it had a vintage look that reached just past her elbows, just to the middle of her thighs, and if someone looked hard enough, the cream and tan design could have once been some kind of drapes. Cinched at the waist with a sash, she seemed content in wearing it.
They had passed the farms and most of the small town and were once again approaching farmland, only this area seemed greener, with some sparse trees.
Locke did rub the back of his neck in response, with a chuckle. "I am probably just a novelty, is all." His footsteps were slow and sure as they walked in the evening cool towards their destination. The ice elf's ideas about proper attire for Hope were similar to his attire when camping: a vivid red plaid button-up shirt, trousers nearly the color of the sand they walked on, and a pair of suede desert boots that looked a little too nice to have actually been worn in the desert prior to their trip, even with the mock distress that was part of the design.
"It is tha', yeah. Bu' there's more." She didn't offer to elaborate, and left it dangling in the air as she kicked a stone gently in her path with her own boots that had definitely seen better days.
He let it slide without further comment, choosing instead to look at the sky. It wasn't quite dark enough to see stars yet, and he had to withhold the urge to stamp an impatient foot on the ground. If he waited long enough, he would see them, and see how the constellations and patterns changed from planet to planet. He looked at her in profile, eyes dropping down to examine the dress and slowly tracing their way up. "Lle maa quel*, Katarina."
She glanced down at her dress, and laughed warmly, "Thanks, love. I'll hav'ta make sure ta pack it ta take home. Mah ma would love ta hear tha' her ol' curtains still look good." In truth, the material was slightly thick and uncomfortable, but easily remedied with clothing underneath. It was just cool enough that the extra layer didn't bother.
They finally passed the last farm and reached the outskirts of the oasis. Trees were not thick or too tall, but they didn't look unhealthy. The grass was knee-high. She led him through the trees to reveal a lake that was round and big enough to enjoy, but the eyes could easily see it's perimeter.
"Another home-made thing, then?" He gestured towards the dress with his free hand.
"I tol' ya if ya were good, I'd wear 'em." She sent him a cheeky grin, and started to head around the lake where a lone dock rested unoccupied. In fact, it didn't seem like anyone was around.
It was a move he had seen Juliane do a time or two, and he gladly mimicked her. He pretended to mount a halo on his head, assuming a beatific smile when he was done. "And I have been nothing if not an angel, yes?"
"Yeah, ya've been 'n yer bes' behavior." She opened up the basket and pulled out a quilted blanket before walking out onto the dock. It definitely didn't look as sturdy as it was. She folded the blanket and placed in on the edge of the dock before finally sitting down.
As soon as they were far enough down the dock to be over water, he walked from one side to the other, peering down at the dark blue lake below. He watched as Katarina prepped the blanket for a picnic, before approaching. "Would you care for some assistance?"
"Nah, I go' it." She smiled up at him as her legs dangled over the edge of the dock and she swung them to and fro. "All I need ya ta do is join me." She set the picnic basket behind her and patted the spot next to her.
He sat down carefully beside her on the blanket, feet folded beneath his knees. "Well, I can certainly do that." He winked at her, before glancing over at her swinging legs.
She grinned and winked back, before looking over the vastness of the lake. It brought a pleasant wave of childhood memories that softened her heart. "If we?re lucky, we migh' see some lightnin' bugs soon. Hav' ya eva seen 'em bahfore?"
"Do textbooks count?" He asked, somewhat sheepishly. Seeing her legs hanging over the edge, he unfolded his own quickly and did the same, kicking one leg out first, then the other, then both, in a pattern that soon became evident.
She shook her head, "Nah, they dun." She grinned as he followed suit in swinging his legs, before she turned her upper body to rummage through the basket to produce two good-sized mason jars. "'m thinkin' tha' we migh' hav'ta hav' a li'l contest ta see who kin catch th' mos'."
"Then no. Not enough nature in the city for them to thrive, and I suppose the cool environment up in New Northumberland was not to their liking." He took his jar in hand, squinting to see if he could see any of the insects flitting here and there over the water. His eyes began to adjust to the lower lighting; looked at head-on, they would appear to be glowing slightly.
She watched him for a moment, "Whay do yer eyes do tha'? Kinda light up a' nigh'."
"Mum says it's so we can see in the dark better." There was a momentary pause, before he explained further. "Losedhil. Part and parcel of the magical bargain, I suppose. Same thing happens, I am told, when I cast spells, though usually much brighter."
"I's pretty." Her smile was soft and she looked at him, but then small, flashing yellow lights showed beyond Locke, and she shot up on the dock, " 'm gonna win!" She seemed perfectly at ease to run across the rickety dock, jar in hand.
*You look good
True to her word, she wore one of her mother's handmade dresses. High in the neck and slightly loose-fitting, it had a vintage look that reached just past her elbows, just to the middle of her thighs, and if someone looked hard enough, the cream and tan design could have once been some kind of drapes. Cinched at the waist with a sash, she seemed content in wearing it.
They had passed the farms and most of the small town and were once again approaching farmland, only this area seemed greener, with some sparse trees.
Locke did rub the back of his neck in response, with a chuckle. "I am probably just a novelty, is all." His footsteps were slow and sure as they walked in the evening cool towards their destination. The ice elf's ideas about proper attire for Hope were similar to his attire when camping: a vivid red plaid button-up shirt, trousers nearly the color of the sand they walked on, and a pair of suede desert boots that looked a little too nice to have actually been worn in the desert prior to their trip, even with the mock distress that was part of the design.
"It is tha', yeah. Bu' there's more." She didn't offer to elaborate, and left it dangling in the air as she kicked a stone gently in her path with her own boots that had definitely seen better days.
He let it slide without further comment, choosing instead to look at the sky. It wasn't quite dark enough to see stars yet, and he had to withhold the urge to stamp an impatient foot on the ground. If he waited long enough, he would see them, and see how the constellations and patterns changed from planet to planet. He looked at her in profile, eyes dropping down to examine the dress and slowly tracing their way up. "Lle maa quel*, Katarina."
She glanced down at her dress, and laughed warmly, "Thanks, love. I'll hav'ta make sure ta pack it ta take home. Mah ma would love ta hear tha' her ol' curtains still look good." In truth, the material was slightly thick and uncomfortable, but easily remedied with clothing underneath. It was just cool enough that the extra layer didn't bother.
They finally passed the last farm and reached the outskirts of the oasis. Trees were not thick or too tall, but they didn't look unhealthy. The grass was knee-high. She led him through the trees to reveal a lake that was round and big enough to enjoy, but the eyes could easily see it's perimeter.
"Another home-made thing, then?" He gestured towards the dress with his free hand.
"I tol' ya if ya were good, I'd wear 'em." She sent him a cheeky grin, and started to head around the lake where a lone dock rested unoccupied. In fact, it didn't seem like anyone was around.
It was a move he had seen Juliane do a time or two, and he gladly mimicked her. He pretended to mount a halo on his head, assuming a beatific smile when he was done. "And I have been nothing if not an angel, yes?"
"Yeah, ya've been 'n yer bes' behavior." She opened up the basket and pulled out a quilted blanket before walking out onto the dock. It definitely didn't look as sturdy as it was. She folded the blanket and placed in on the edge of the dock before finally sitting down.
As soon as they were far enough down the dock to be over water, he walked from one side to the other, peering down at the dark blue lake below. He watched as Katarina prepped the blanket for a picnic, before approaching. "Would you care for some assistance?"
"Nah, I go' it." She smiled up at him as her legs dangled over the edge of the dock and she swung them to and fro. "All I need ya ta do is join me." She set the picnic basket behind her and patted the spot next to her.
He sat down carefully beside her on the blanket, feet folded beneath his knees. "Well, I can certainly do that." He winked at her, before glancing over at her swinging legs.
She grinned and winked back, before looking over the vastness of the lake. It brought a pleasant wave of childhood memories that softened her heart. "If we?re lucky, we migh' see some lightnin' bugs soon. Hav' ya eva seen 'em bahfore?"
"Do textbooks count?" He asked, somewhat sheepishly. Seeing her legs hanging over the edge, he unfolded his own quickly and did the same, kicking one leg out first, then the other, then both, in a pattern that soon became evident.
She shook her head, "Nah, they dun." She grinned as he followed suit in swinging his legs, before she turned her upper body to rummage through the basket to produce two good-sized mason jars. "'m thinkin' tha' we migh' hav'ta hav' a li'l contest ta see who kin catch th' mos'."
"Then no. Not enough nature in the city for them to thrive, and I suppose the cool environment up in New Northumberland was not to their liking." He took his jar in hand, squinting to see if he could see any of the insects flitting here and there over the water. His eyes began to adjust to the lower lighting; looked at head-on, they would appear to be glowing slightly.
She watched him for a moment, "Whay do yer eyes do tha'? Kinda light up a' nigh'."
"Mum says it's so we can see in the dark better." There was a momentary pause, before he explained further. "Losedhil. Part and parcel of the magical bargain, I suppose. Same thing happens, I am told, when I cast spells, though usually much brighter."
"I's pretty." Her smile was soft and she looked at him, but then small, flashing yellow lights showed beyond Locke, and she shot up on the dock, " 'm gonna win!" She seemed perfectly at ease to run across the rickety dock, jar in hand.
*You look good