Page 364: Don't You See?
Don't You See?
Summary: Aylene and Hugh meet by chance. And then they talk about everything.
Date: 20/07/2012
Related Logs: The New Bardette In Town
Players:
Aylene Hugh 
Stone Walk
Set at a slight incline, the stone pathway leads up a slight rise northeast out of the town square towards the single tower of House Tordane. Grass grows thick and plush along the side though it is well maintained. Private shops and stables are located up closer to the manor with the family's private stables attached directly to the exterior wall of the small castle.
July 20, 289

A sweet young voice is singing as Aylene makes her way up the walk, careless and carefree. Sphinx trots along next to his mistress, helping to guide her through any rough patches. They seem to have no particular route in mind, but instead want to enjoy the evening.

Hugh is walking a horse along the road. He may have come from the farrier. It is hot, and Hugh is moving more slowly than usual, tired and sticky. He looks up at the sound of a song and pauses as he gets closer. "Miss Aylene. It's getting dark."

Aylene breaks off as she hears the sound of a horse and person walking along. Her lips curve upward as the scent of a particular youth reaches her nose. "Lord Hugh," she greets. "I did not realize that it had gotten dark," she notes with only a little bit of amusement in her voice. "If it is getting dark, why are you out?"

Hugh shrugs, "I had to bring the horse back or the farrier would have charges stable fees as well. And I don't mind the dark I can take care of myself." He pauses. "You don't see very well, do you? I didn't figure it out before. Why are you out?"

"I don't see at all, Lord Hugh," Aylene replies frankly. "It is a beautiful night. Why would I not want to be out? I don't think anyone is going to attack me in the shadow of the tower. I like taking walks and experiencing new things."

Hugh nods. No he just doesn't get that she will not catch his nonverbal gestures. It hasn't dawned on him yet. "It's hot. But I have been working. And I don't suppose anyone will hurt you, but you never know."

Aylene rests a hand on top of her dog's head. "Sphinx will protect me," she says brightly. "He's kept people from hurting me before." Her nose wrinkles. "Working is good. What do you do, Lord Hugh?"

Hugh smirks a little, "I am Ser Riordan's Squire and his cousin. So I have to take care of his horse and his armour and clothes and whatever else. And then I practice battle and jousting as well as studies." He shrugs again. "My LOrd Cousin is teaching me to joust. And Lady Jocelyn is teaching me to dance." Squires are rather busy. "And now I just wishI could cool off somewhere."

"I like dancing," Aylene says brightly. "I'm not so good at it anymore, but I still like it." Her nose wrinkles again. "Why can't you dance? I thought everyone knew how to dance." She looks in the direction she thinks Hugh is. "Are you slow or just uncoordinated?" Her cheeks flush. "Uh… my lord."

Hugh shakes his head, "Why are you not good at it? You're not very old. And I can dance a little, but I am learning. My feet are too big." He hesitates and his next words come out in a little protest, "It's just learning the steps…and practice. I am still growing." Longer pause. "What happened to your eyes?"

Aylene hesitates a moment. "It's harder to dance when you can't see your partner," she finally says. "But I'll still take a turn on occasion if I dance with someone who knows what they're doing. I usually just feel so stupid not being able to see what everyone else is doing." She frowns. "I got sick. And I almost died. I lost my sight instead."

Hugh listens, "I am sorry to hear that. So you remember what having sight was like…and I don't suppose you really need to see to dance if your partner is good enough. I would offer to practice with you, but I'm not very good yet." He smiles again. "They tried to teach us pages to dance up in Hag's Mire, but I used to hide during those lessons sometimes."

Aylene laughs for a second. "I'd practice dancing with you if you promised not to get mad when I stepped on your feet," she says. "But I don't know how long I'll be here in Stonebridge. I'm hopeful that I can convince Master Faulon to take me as his apprentice. That way I can keep learning."

Hugh nods again and makes a fretful face taht might reflect in his voice. "Do you think that he can be convinced? He seems a one man show and quite a free spirit. You're a girl too…" He rubs the back of his neck.

"I… I don't know," Aylene replies with a considering frown. "I think he'll understand better than most the call and desire to be free," she says slowly. "So maybe he'd teach me what he knows." A pause. "What do you mean, I'm a girl. I know I'm a girl!"

Hugh laughs a little, "Well…don't you think people will look at you two and assume things?" Then he colors a little, "I mean, you may get a bad reputation. And he may not like the fact that people will think you are a couple…don't you think?"

Aylene tilts her head, looking outright confused. When it dawns on her, her cheeks turn bright red. "But… he speaks like a man well-mature. Old even! I'm just fifteen. That's just gross."

Hugh rolls his eyes, "Miss! Have you lived in a cave? Old men get younger girls all the time! And I don't think Bard Faulon would be interested in you that way, people would assume…"

"I traveled with my last master for four years and it didn't seem like a problem!" Aylene protests. Of course, she was still visibly a girl at that point. She hadn't started developing to the point she's at now, still in the awkward and gangly phase. "Besides! Master Faulon sounds handsome. He wouldn't need a scrawny girl like me."

Hugh shakes his head, "I don't know whether he's handsome or not, but he seems to like the ladies." Marco grins, "He's good with the ladies. he helped me. And you don't seem too scrawny," says the gangly scrawny boy.

"Are you so terrible looking that you need help?" Aylene asks. "Wouldn't being a squire to the Lord Regent and being a noble yourself mean that you should have no trouble with the ladies?" She frowns, looking perplexed.

Hugh says, "I am not very good looking, no. And I don't think I'd want a woman who is only interested in me because I'm noble. I'm 15, so …I guess I need to startthinking about that. Lady valda says I do, anyway." he sighs."

Aylene smiles sympathetically. "It must be sad that you have to get married because you're supposed to, and not because you want to." She pushes back some of her hair that tickles its way along her cheek. "Hopefully you can at least like whoever you marry!"

Hugh sighs, "I hope so too. And how will you find who you want to marry?"

"I guess if I want to marry, I'll do it when I fall in love with someone," Aylene says. "But I don't want a complicated love. They're romantic in the stories, but they just seem so messy. Don't you think?"

Hugh says, "I don't know. I don't like those sorts of stories. I would rather hear about battles. I don't really want to get married. I have a lot to do first." Hugh pats the horse, who has been patient. "I think I am going to put him away and then take a dip.""

Aylene bobs her head up and down, managing a somewhat graceful curtsey. "I'm sorry if I detained you, Lord Hugh," she says awkwardly. "Thank you for stopping and talking with me." She pauses. "That's what I'm supposed to say, right?"

Hugh stares at her, "I think you should just say what you mean. And if you want to join me in the pond," he grins mischievously, "Please do. Since you can't see, it would be all right." Of course /he/ can see.

"I've heard that nobles get really picky about what smallfolk are allowed to say to them," Aylene says. She considers the offer. "That sounds like fun. If you don't mind."

Hugh laughs and shakes his head. It worked! "I won't mind. I will be back in just a little while."