Page 372: Just Keep Him
Just Keep Him
Summary: Wayland and Catryn cross paths again and Stupid gets a new home.
Date: 28/07/2012
Related Logs: None.
Players:
Wayland Catryn 
Stables, Stonebridge
The public stables of Stonebridge are quite large and even have a distinct area for visiting nobility to house their steeds while visiting The Crane's Crossing. Saddles are stored within an interior building and out of the elements where services are offered for everything from repair to shining. Feed is supplied as well to make sure that the charges are well cared-for.
Jul 28, 289

As of late, Wayland is enjoying a little more time for himself, and this works well for him. The training with his page has concluded for the day and he sent the kid to get some schooling in matters of Heraldry. Himself? He just made his way to the stables to feed his horse and just check that everything is fine there. Right now, the man is standing next to one of the booths and he is brushing the black bright mane of a completely brown horse, no spots of different colours on this one. Perhaps a little boring to some. There is also a bucket next to him, containing a few apples that he offers the horse from time to time.

There is a rustle of hay from the loft above, bits of broken pieces slithering down between the floorboards. Only that to mark her passage, where the steps fall silent without even the groan of those floorboards to betray her presence, at least until she wiggles down through the hole to the loft; booted feet dangling first into view and then, those long familiar leather clad legs, followed by a tunic that no doubt looks damn familiar. But then there's a thump, when the girl lets go and she drops, hitting the floor with a quiet thump as she lands on her feet, with all the grace of a feline. Lands…and blinks, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Ah didna keen ye were 'ere."

The falling bits and pieces of hay is the first thing that draws Wayland's attention away from his horse. He looks up for a moment and follows the path they reveal when the person making those noises moves. For a moment, he looks away and focuses his attention back on the horse, brushing it's mane and just making sure that the animal is well taken care of. The thump calls for his attention again and there she is, the sneaky one. When she talks to him, the man shows a faint smile and a nod of his head "Catryn" now, he looks at the original place from where the hay started falling and adds "I didn't know you also slept up there" Truth be told, he has heard that it can be pretty comfortable.

For a slight creature that's only recently woken up, she's awfully quick to frown, particularly when he has to touch on where she was sleeping. "S'warm and dry an far enough outta tha way t'no get roped inta helpin' man the 'shop'," comes her defense, puffing slightly where he's touched on her pride just a little. "Aint nothin' wrong wit it."

A smile of amusement touches Wayland's lips and he looks at her "Did I say that there was something wrong with it? As a matter of fact, I've heard it's quite comfortable" Which is true, this is why he sounds like he is saying the truth. "I'm not against you, Cat. It is ok to be watchful but at least know that I'm not your enemy" Which he thought it was clear by now, but he, he won't say anything on that. He places the brush down and looks at her one more time, tilting his head now "Is the shirt comfortable?" asks the man now.

Catryn makes her way over to the stall where he's at, climbing up the front of it to perch atop the half wall that seperates the stall from the hallway of the stables proper; long legs swinging over until she's perched atop it, rather like a bird - hands braced on either side. "Sorry," she adds, sounding only slightly guilty and it certainly doesn't seem to last long. "It is comfortable though," given, in the event that he should ever find himself in a position where it's relevant. "Dun think yer me enemy either…though s'different." She shrugs, before glancing down with his question. "S'nice," the girl admits with a small smile, "An soft." An better'n the rest of what she owns. "Thank you."

Wayland follows her with his gaze as she starts climbing and then offers a soft smile when she says that first words "It's alright" And then he nods his head "Yes, I will admit that I am rather tempted to try it out someday, just for the sake of doing it really" Yes, he doesn't need to but since when are all things done on a base of need? "Different how?" asks Wayland now but immediately nods and adds "I'm glad you like it, it looks good on you…" he stops himself, smiles and says "Well, actually, I think it is you that makes it look good" Now, the man looks around and asks "Where is Stupid?"

"Different like ye aint full'o'yeself an turnin' ye nose up like the rest'o us smell worse than the shyte that ends up on the bottom o'ye boot. But its whut I'm used to. So…gettin' used t'ye s'different, tha's all. No bad," she smiles, head dipping just a little beneath his compliment to hide the smile that grew from it, faint color touching against her cheeks. "Thank you, Wayland." It's soft too, the way she says his name, before her head perks back up at his question an she slants a grin. "He was out back, last I looked, devourin' a bone one o'tha whores give 'im afore we left this mornin'."

The Frey Knight listens in silence and presses his lips together "Yes, I do not think I am like that." says the man "But, have you met many Nobles like that?" asks Wayland now, curious about her possible reply. Now, the man smiles and nods his head to her. But now the conversation moves to the topic of Stupid, the dog. Wayland repeats "Out back?" and then, he tilts his head and leans his body back as if trying to catch a glimpse of the puppy. He does a quick whistle and calls out "Stupid, come 'ere boy" That's an interesting name for a dog, one that doesn't cease to amuse him.

Cat snorts at Waylands question, a spiel of helpless laughter followin' it, while her grin turns crooked an her eyes turn dark. "More'n ye could possibly conceive," is the easy reply, "Met o'few ladies fit the same turn. Wrote a song about 'em, too." At least, the women. Still, her head bobs in a little nod that sends that blond ponytail to dancin' and manages to shake a few bits of hay loose too, before she reaches up to pick it clean herself. Stupid, tuned in to the ring of a familiar voice that has prior too always offered him treats, comes padding in, though the poor fella seems to all but trip every step he makes, tryin' to walk an keep his bone at the same time.

Wayland can't help to laugh at those first words "A song you say? I'm sure any bard would kill for it…" he does wink at her afterwards, his smile holding in place. When Stupid appears, the man kneels down a little and says "Couldn't you find a bigger bone?" without saying anything else, he digs in one of his leather pouches to get some cheese, the same kind he offered the other day. The cheese is placed on the floor for the dog and he stands up again afterwards. "Here, you missed a bit…" offers Wayland, extending his hand to take a piece of hay stuck in her hair, right above her left ear. He shows it to her afterward, just so she can see that was what he was going for.

The grin that the girl wore, just at seeing him relax enough to laugh… "Prolly, but they'd no sing it fer the same reason I dun in public. Pretty sure it'd git me a floggin'." An there's a look to her that suggests it wouldn't be first time. At least, that she's been flogged. Not that she's been flogged over the song, it's new. But her smile remains affectionate at least, tempered towards softness as she watches him feed the mutt, before her lips purse and her head cants to the side, consideringly. "You know…," whatever she'd been going to say, is lost when he reaches for her hair and she doesn't shy away from the touch, nor him. Just watches with those big ole blue eyes, her tongue peekin' out against her lips to ease the dryness. "Thanks…" My, but he was standing close; her knees could all but touch his stomach, so high was she perched, an for once their eyes were level with each other.

He looks up at her and smiles, nodding his head "You are welcome" This is of course, offered after her last words. He drops that piece of hay to the ground and then he looks up at her one more time, meeting her eyes "What were you going to say?" asks the man now, curious about that 'You know…' bit. For a moment, he looks down just to make sure that the puppy is eating the treats he provided instead of potentially choking with that piece of bone, but soon enough, he looks up again. This time, he is not wearing his armor, just a regular cotton shirt with the Frey house colors and some cotton pants.

For a moment the girl simply looks at him, those bright eyes near as curious as his own. So that it takes a moment for her to share her thoughts and focus on the question that he'd given her, "Huh? Oh. Oh!" And now she remembers, "I was gonna say, since ye seem s'good with animals an the like, an ye got o'fondness fer 'im," she glanced towards Stupid, who remarkably wasn't choking himself to death, "That ye could have 'im iffen ye wanted. He'd be…taken care of with you."

Those moments of silence in which she looks at him, are moments of silence for him as he looks back. However, when she explains her idea, he looks down at Stupid and smiles with amusement "Well, I do like animals, yes…However, I am uncertain of the rules that the Naylands have on Animals, I don't know if I would be able to take him in" He leans down to pet the small dog and then looks up, asking "You don't want him? He seems fairly happy when following you around…which it seems like he does all the time" He stands up again, ending up at that same level that allows for a closer inspection to eachother's eyes.

"Yer nobles, aye? Ye got kennels an Kennel Masters an Stables an e'ry thing else, too. One lil dog aint gonna getcha evicted," Cat offers with a faint shrug, "Dun think he follows me cause I'm special, either, he juss goes where he knows he gits fed. Any stray'll do that, iffen ye show 'em thatche got food." There's no sense that losing him will break her heart, either. The girl's lived a hard life, already. She knows things don't last an more, they don't stay.

Wayland smiles and nods his head "Aye, that is true…" the man didn't consider that fact, actually. He tilts his head now and shows a smile to her "But you know, I do think you are special, I'm sure the pup does as well…it is not always a connection based on one's convenience" says Wayland, now looking into her eyes. He takes a deep breath and offers "But, if you want, I will take him in, I'll make sure that he is well fed and taken care of…he seems like he is going to be a big dog when he grows up"

"Damn me fer a fool, Wayland Frey. When ye go sayin' shit like that, I wanna sit here an believe it, but tha rest o'me knows that there's a lot o'yer kind who'd say shit like that just t'ruffle a few skirts an slip off wit'out a by yer leave, once it was done cause ye were bored with yer own life fer a while. I've seen it happen t'girls." An it shouldn't take too much of talkin' to her to know that, she doesn't feel like bein' like the rest. As is, she is the first to look away because of it. "Aye, take 'im," she replies, somewhat bitterly now, "Stupid thing'll juss wander'n like as not starve." Not that she'd let it starve, that's how she got the stupid thing in the first place.

Her words caught him of guard and Wayland just looks at her as she speaks "I…" starts the man, trying to find the proper words. He clears his throat, presses his lips together and just shakes his head "Nevermind" Now, he looks at the dog one more time but does pick up on the bitterness on the tone of her voice. He can't take her dog, she likes that dog. "No, no I can't take him from you. Regardless of what you are saying now, you have kept him alive and you care for him, more than you can imagine." He nods to this and then licks his lips "But we can do something else. You keep him safe, and I'll help you feed him"

Fuck. "Just take the stupid dog," she counters, leaning back to swing her legs over the top board, offerin' her back to the man, "Juss cause I'd a soft spot fer a fuckin' orphan an fed it once…take the damn thing, I won't always be able t'feed it. An ye won't always be there t'help me, either. We go where the werk is, Wayland. Juss cause it's here right now, that dun mean it always will be. An then what? He starves?" By the gods, she has t'ruin everything she gets her hands on, doesn't she? And that look on his face hadn't made her feel any better either, because she knows that she insulted him. Despite knowing it had to be done, didna make it feel any better.

He is actually at a loss here. It's not that he thinks she is not, in a way, correct…it's the delivery. Soon enough, the man's expression changes to one of full seriousness and he nods his head "Very well, I will take him in…and like I said, he will be fed and cared for" Now, he leans down and takes the puppy in his arms, looking at the dogs eyes for a moment, which brings a brief smile once again. The dog licks Wayland's nose and he wrinkles it just a bit, resting the pup against his chest now. "Do you know if you'll be leaving soon?" asks the man. There's a lot of work in Stonebridge, apparently…so that is always good for profit. The ease levels that he was in were…downgraded just a little.

"Thanks," she said, as she slid down from the wall, refusing to look back in his direction. It was just a stupid puppy. Once on her feet, Cat set about to brushing herself free of further hay and generally trying to make sure she was in order. "Reckon not, tha old man seems t'be makin' a fair turn o'coin, at least at the moment. So it may be a while yet," she glances back to him, watching him with the puppy cradled in to his chest. The sight of it makes her smile though, regardless of whether or not she knows she shouldn't. "Yer a good man."

Wayland looks at her for the longest moment, not saying anything, just, listening and thinking. When she speaks those last words, he licks his lips and slowly nods his head, gently petting the dog behind his ears "Cat, did…" he clears his throat and continues "Did any noble man or…you know, in general…" He narrows his eyes a little as if not happy with the notion "You know, did anyone did that? What you said…tell you nice things to, well, you know" There is some degree of hurt in his voice, but there's also a concern there and it is quite noticeable.

Catryn barked a bitter laugh, "Dun want damaged goods eh?" Those eyes blazed bright for a moment, "I dun blame ye. But dun fret Wayland, I aint fell fer nobody's lies. Got more sense'n that." She offered him a half smile, before dipping into a low flourishing bow, "An with that milord, I bid ye a good day. Gotta few errands need runnin' for tha sun dips t'low t'get 'em done. So iffen ye'll excuse me…," off she went.

Wayland opens both eyes wide and is definitely startled by her conclusion "No that's…" but she keeps on going and when she bows, he aims to repeat "That's not what…" and then she speaks again and he presses his lips together, taking a deep breath. He watches her leave and simply calls out "That is not what I meant!" And then clears his throat, looking down at the puppy that now aims to lick his nose again. And off he goes as well, to do whatever he has to do.