Love is Blind (Goblin!)

[Zero]

Nadya quietly watched for a few moments as the boy and horse 'argued' over the treat. However she couldn't stay quiet for very long, because the spectacle made her giggle. That was so funny! She had never seen anyone argue with a horse before. Clamping her hand over her mouth to try to stifle the sound of her amusement, she knew that her cover was blown. At the very least, he would know that someone was there.

"Do you make a habit of doing great battle with the animals?" She asked teasingly, knowing that he would probably realize it was her now. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to visit sooner. I wanted to, but it isn't always possible to sneak away for some time to myself."

[GoblinFae]

Distracted by the giggle, Keegan froze in place, allowing just enough time for the wayward horse to locate, steal, and retreat with his hidden apple. "Hey!" he cried, lounging too late to get it back, before turning to face Nadya with a smile. "Hey," came the second greeting far more warmly and softer now that he was sure there was no getting the apple back.

"To be honest, you can't even call it battle with this rogue fiend. Don't let him fool you know, he's a real devil, black to the core I tell you. Who would have thought that such a bad apple would be so hard-bent on getting a," Keegan chuckled, no longer able to keep his mock-tirade going, "well an apple actually. How are you friend?"

[Zero]

The horse had claimed his, or her, prize in the brief moment that her giggling had distracted her foe. That made her smile brightly. A hard-won treat, indeed. Although she probably shouldn't be enjoying the fact that her friend had just been beaten by a horse at a silly game of wills. It was still funny though!

She giggled at his fake tirade regarding the animal in question. "I'll have to keep that in mind, then. I'm very well, thank you. I hope you're having as pleasant a day as you seem to be! You look like you actually have fun." That last part sounded almost wistful.

What would it be like to just be a normal girl? To not have to worry about lessons or politics or pleasing her grandmother. To be able to talk to and be friends with whoever she wanted without worry of her tyrannical matriarch finding out. She supposed that she would never know, but maybe that was something she could daydream about!

[GoblinFae]

"It is made only more so wonderful by the appearance of a good friend," came his happy reply as he put away his broom and walked up to her. "Come, come! Sit! Tell me about your day week Nadya. I'm eager to hear how you fair."

Keegan was indeed excited to know she had returned. He treated her like an old friend, falling easily into the roll as if they truly had been. It never occurred to him how odd his attitude might seem or even possibly off-putting to someone who did not know him as well as he knew her.

[Zero]

"Are you always so happy?" The question wasn't a barb or admonishment of any kind. Rather, it was almost filled with a sense of wonder. Nadya had been truly happy so seldom that she found it hard to believe just how upbeat Keegan always seemed to be. His enthusiasm was infectious, and she liked it.

With a smile she looked around and spotted a stool, then walked over an sat down primly. "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of interest to talk about. I spend most of my time in the library alone. Grandmother doesn't have time for me, she's usually entertaining someone or writing letters inviting people she thinks are important."

[GoblinFae]

Keegan paused a millisecond to ponder her question, blindly staring up and to the left before smiling broadly. "Yep! It's easier I find to be happy than labor over the painful things. They just send you spiraling into all kinds of unfun feelings."

He nodded his head, listening to her as his smile slowly faded in disappointment. The stable boy was no lover of the way the matron of the house treated his friend. "Well tell me about the library then. Do you read in there? What kinds of books do you like?"

[Zero]

His answer sounded so simple, but Nadya couldn't really understand how one could simply be happy. It wasn't as easy as deciding you were going to feel happy, was it? For such a young woman, there had been a lot of dark, tragic things in her life. Was it possible to be happy again? After everything had happened, would it be a betrayal of her family to feel happy with them dead?

"The library is huge. There are more books than I think I could ever read in my life. Even if I did nothing but read and sleep! My favorites are stories...well..." She blushed, embarrassed by what she considered being silly. "...I like the adventures with the brave knights saving people." She didn't mention about the brave knights and princes saving the princesses. She was such a silly child to enjoy such nonsensical fairy tales.

[GoblinFae]

He hummed in thought before giving Nadya a roguish wink. "No heroic stable boys in those books of yours? Surely there are some sweet, gentile country women in need of a boy with a pitchfork to rescue their distressed damsel selves."

His laughter was warm but not cruel. Keegan found nothing wrong with the type of literature she read. In fact, he thought it was good for, a way of dreaming that she did not realize and it made him happy to know she had such a simple pleasure.

"Are there other kinds of stories you like? I know when I was younger I always made my father tell me tales of dragons and wild adventures on the high seas. I never got over it, to be honest."

[Zero]

Nadya didn't think of her reading as a way to dream. That had never crossed her mind, but her fairy tales were truly her escape from the pain and misery that filled much of the rest of her life. Keegan's laughter made her blush more, but she didn't think he was being mean.

"I don't believe I've ever read one with a heroic stable boy coming to a fair maiden's rescue with only a pitchfork! Though that sounds like a marvelous story. Someone needs to write that if it hasn't already been written." There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or condescension in Nadya's voice. She really would enjoy such a tale.

"I do like those grand adventures with dragons and princesses and knights. Heroic deeds are quite fun. I think I have read a few books with pirates and buried treasure. I think there are sea monsters in some of them. Would you like me to bring one next time and read to you for a while?"

[GoblinFae]

"Ah what a shame then." Keegan playfully shook his head, his hair dancing as it brushed his cheeks and hung in his eyes. "Perhaps you could be the one to write it then. I happen to be an excellent reference for all things stable boy-related," he informed her with a wink.

To be asked though if he wanted her to read to him completely blew him away though. For several moments he simply stared in her direction, mouth open in shock. With a loud click he snapped it shut again and tried to appear not as eager as he felt.

"Well if it's not too much trouble I would not be opposed," he began nonchalantly. "I would hate to see your precious books ruined by the dirty-nature of the stables though."

[Zero]

Nadya covered her mouth slightly as she giggled at Keegan. "I'll have to keep that in mind! Maybe I will write a book someday. Wouldn't that be a fun adventure all on its own? I don't think Grandmother would approve. She would probably say it was a waste of time." The only things that were not a waste of time for Nadya were entertaining guests and searching for a husband. Both activities were ones that she hated.

A bright smile lit up the young woman's entire face when he said he wouldn't be opposed to her reading to him. It was a shame that he couldn't read them himself, but that was no reason for him not to be able to enjoy books. She would love to read to him about all the things he was missing. Maybe in that small way she could fill his mind with dreams too.

"They won't get ruined. I'll be careful, and it isn't that dirty in here. Besides, a ruined book is nothing if it makes you smile like that. A small price to pay."

[GoblinFae]

Keegan blushed and hung his head in embarrassment, shuffling about shyly where he stood. "I wouldn't say my smile is worth that much," he mumbled. "Books are something to be treated specially, with great respect and love. But, I guess if you take extra good care of them I would not be opposed to hearing a tale or two to help the work pass quicker."

[Zero]

Nadya found herself blushing so much around Keegan it was nice to turn him red this time. It was hard to try to decide whether or not to press the issue with him, and decided to at least say one more thing. "Books are never worth more than a person, but I'll be really careful, promise. I'll try to find a really good one with pirates and sea monsters and lots of adventure."

[GoblinFae]

"Whatever floats your boat my dear," he laughed, picking up his broom again to resume his sweeping. His Nibs appeared from behind Nadya and quickly made herself at home on the lady's lap. The horses poked their noses out at Keegan as he passed by them.

"Is there anything you wanted to talk about friend? We have all the time in the world."

[Zero]

Nadya smiled as His Nibs jumped up in her lap, and she happily scratched the cat behind the ears, enjoying the animal's company. "Yes, there was something. Do you think someone's birth really makes them better than someone else? It has never made sense to me that just because my parents were noble that it made me better for some reason."

It was something she often found herself thinking about. What right did her grandmother have to act as if other people were scum or unclean simply because they were not born rich? It also wasn't fair that because of her both every aspect of her life was dictated by those around her expecting her to live up to such constricting societal norms.

[GoblinFae]

Keegan shrugged. "I can't honestly say. I mean, I'll always be a stable boy mucking out stalls for a noblewoman. Does that she's better than me? Not really. Does that mean I'm better than her? I certainly hope not. I think what makes a person better for lack of a word would be what they do with their lives. I don't mean their occupation but how they live their lives. Does that make sense?"

[Zero]

"I guess so." Was the doubtful reply. Nadya sighed as she gently pet the cat snuggled in her lap. Being a noble was complicated, and she hated it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she didn't have her grandmother to contend with all the time. Putting that out of her mind she grinned at Keegan and tried to tease him again. Teasing people wasn't something she had really had much practice with, but it seemed like fun.

"And don't say that you'll always be a stable boy. Maybe you'll save a princess from a dragon with your mighty pitchfork and become her handsome prince." The thought made her giggle slightly, but hey, if they were going to talk about dreaming, you might as well dream big.

[GoblinFae]

"Well even if I was a prince I'd still muck out my own horse's stall. No point in making someone else do it when I already know how," he cheekily replied. "Although to be honest, not really sure how a blind fellow such as myself would manage to do much monster-slaying. Can't exactly see where the pointy end of the sword is supposed to go."

He continued sweeping the floors, laughing to himself at the idea. "Now you," Keegan continued, "you I could see being swept away on some fanciful adventure. You'd make the perfect heroine in the end, no doubt about it."

[Zero]

"Well just because you're blind doesn't mean you can't do it. You keep the stables even though you're blind. Some people would probably say you couldn't or shouldn't be doing that." Yeah, Nadya knew that it had to be difficult having Keegan's handicap, but he didn't seem to let it stop him or hold him back from what he did now.

"I could never have an adventure. Grandmother wouldn't allow it, and I'm no heroine at all. I'm a coward, I can't even stand up to my own grandmother." Nadya knew that the greatest adventure she could look forward to was getting married to some man her grandmother picked for her and bearing children for him, like a proper noble young woman. It wasn't what she wanted, to marry a man she didn't love because he had money or power that her grandmother wanted.

[GoblinFae]

Keegan smiled sadly and shook his head. "You're not a coward. It's easy to face a beast but hard to stand up to those who share blood or bond with you. I could never do what you do and survive under her rule. I'd break, and yet you don't. You have great courage Nadya. You display it every day you live and breathe.

"Don't be so quick to write yourself off, friend. You battle more demons than I do and still you stand strong in the face of them. The only risks I face here are those posed by a bruised shin. Not very hero-worthy, if you ask me."