Love is Blind (Goblin!)

[Zero]

Nadya smiled up at Keegan as he poked his head down from the loft and waved at her. Walking over to a bench she settled down primly, smoothing her skirts before opening the book in her lap. "I would never read ahead of you, it's mean for you to even suggest it." She was smiling though, leafing through the pages to the chapter they were on. "And don't jump!"

[GoblinFae]

"Aww you ruin all the fun!" Keegan shuffled around in the loft for a bit before sitting down on the edge and swinging his legs. "I don't suppose rolling down is acceptable for you either now is it?" He smiled cheekily. "Mind pointing me in the right direction of the ladder? Actually don't point, it won't do me much good!"

[Zero]

Nadya laughed softly when he said she ruined all the fun. "Not true! I brought the book, remember?" Though she stuck her tongue out at him when he mentioned rolling down. He wanted to give her a heart attack, she was pretty sure of it! Getting up she walked around to the ladder. "Over here, Keegan. Be careful you don't fall. I can't promise I'll be able to read to you if you fall and break your leg and get stuck in bed all day for weeks."

[GoblinFae]

He scooted on his rear over to her voice, grabbing the ladder and moving to stand on it properly. Then after making sure he was secure, he placed his hands on either side of ladder and moved his feet so that he slid down to the bottom quick and easy.

"Never said anything about sliding," he told her, sticking out his tongue in turn. "And that's just downright mean Nadya. If you got sick or hurt I would be there everyday for you. You really wouldn't do the same for me?"

[Zero]

Nadya made a soft, strangle sound as Keegan slid down the ladder, giving him a glare that he couldn't see. Honestly, he was going to hurt himself, and then she would feel bad. Of course then he stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. How childish! Then again, she'd done just the same thing not two minutes before.

"You sound as if you think my grandmother would allow you anywhere near my sickbed. Though if I was sick I would love it if you could, it would be good to have a friendly face around. Sometimes I feel like the only time I see anyone that is actually glad to see me is when I come here to see you." She sighed and went to sit back down, cracking open the book again.

[GoblinFae]

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. I can be quite the sneaky sneak when I want to be," he told her, nodding his head confidently as he tripped over a bucket causing it to bang about loudly. "I didn't want to be right then though," he quickly added.

Keegan moved to let one of the horses out of its stall so that he could brush it down while he listened. "You know you're always welcome here Nadya. I would be more than happy to have you here more often if you wanted," he told her sincerely.

[Zero]

Nadya couldn't stop herself from giggling as the stable boy tripped noisily over a bucket right after claiming to be sneaky. Her grin was huge as she replied. "Of course you didn't. Though I don't think it would matter how sneaky you were, a stable boy showing up at my sickbed would get her attention somehow."

He had no idea how much she would love to spend all her waking hours just lurking about the stables to watch him work or read to him. It wasn't lonely when she was with him. She'd been alone for long enough. "I come when I can get away, I'd gladly come more. Maybe I'll try harder."

With that she began reading, beginning the next chapter of their adventure. Carlos was able to trick Aldara into joining up with him, and over the next few chapters they managed to survive a vicious storm that drove them far off course and end up on a tropic island with the ship needing repaired before they could continue.

[GoblinFae]

Keegan settled and smiled at her fondly. "Just take care you don't get yourself in trouble. I would not doubt a punishment would entail even more time apart than now. We wouldn't want that," he murmured, settling down to listen to her read while he worked.

As she told the story his unseeing eyes would dance about as he imagined the scenes within his mind. He could see the stormy seas as fiery as Aldara's eyes as Carlos put her in her place time after time. She certainly was a stubborn one, but the romantic in him had no doubt the two would end up in each other's arms by the tale's end.

[Zero]

Nadya couldn't imagine how bad a punishment for getting caught might be, but he was right, they would be kept apart if her grandmother found out about these visits. Her grandmother wouldn't approve of her mingling with 'the help' or 'commoners'. That thought annoyed the young woman to no end. Keegan wasn't lesser than her just because he was a stable boy. She kept her thoughts to herself.

After a few chapters she stopped and marked their place with a sigh as the book closed. It was a good story. You could tell that Aldara and Carlos were battling attraction to one another, but their strong wills and personalities were making them clash rather than come together. The young noblewoman found herself eager to find out how they would bridge the gap between their differences - and similarities!

"What wonderful chapters we had today. I can't wait to see what the next few will reveal." Nadya smiled, almost wistfully. "I wonder what it would be like to go on a real adventure, rather than just read about them. Wouldn't that be so much fun?"

She sighed softly. "But things like that don't happen to real people."

[GoblinFae]

"Of course they do!" Keegan interjected vehemently. "All stories have a bit of truth to them. Fiction is always based off some fact. I'm sure one day you'll have your own grand adventure and you'll come back to tell me all about it. Just remember to stay away from pesky pirates," he added with a wink. "I would hate to hear one tried to throw you overboard!"

[Zero]

Nadya rolled her eyes. She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but honestly she wasn't sure she was cut out for grand adventures anyway. Standing up she walked over to him and gently took his hand with a smile. "I won't come back to tell you about it, Keegan, because I won't go unless you go with me. Friends have to stick together, right? It wouldn't be an adventure without you."

[GoblinFae]

Keegan smiled back as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "It would be quite the adventure if I came along, of that I'm sure. We'd probably have nine or ten mishaps before we even make it out the door," he barked with laughter. "Yet, while you are correct, friends do stick together, I believe there are still some adventures I cannot follow you on. Those you may have to just do without me. I'll be here all the same though, never you fear." He lifted her hand and softly kissed the back of it while for the briefest moments feeling regret over his lack of sight. How he would love to go on every adventure with her.

[Zero]

"You're too hard on yourself, and I already said if you couldn't go, I wouldn't. We'll just have to stick to adventures we can both enjoy." Nadya seemed determined on this point, her soft violet eyes were rather transfixed on their gently clasped hands. Holding hands with Keegan made her blush to begin with, but his little kiss to her hand had turned her a deeper shade of red and she was a little glad he couldn't see how flushed her pale skin had become.

[GoblinFae]

"Oh now my sweet Nadya don't be like that! You must have an adventure or two without me. I do so enjoy your storytelling after all. Besides we can't have you becoming the ghoulish old spinster your grandmother has become. You need to live! And," he sighed wistfully, "for now my duty is here." Keegan smiled as he stared off distantly with his sightless eyes, lost in a world of dreams and half-remembered memories.

[Zero]

"I'll never be like my grandmother." Nadya declared meekly. The very thought drained the color from her face. She didn't ever want to become like that hateful, bitter woman! "Besides, I won't be a spinster. Grandmother will make sure to marry me off to someone that she thinks will revitalize our dying house. Not that it matters now. There aren't any boys left to carry the Lancaster name."

Noah had been the future of the Lancasters, but with his death the house died with him. The proud holdings of the Lancasters would fall to whichever family claimed Nadya through a marriage. She knew there had been multiple inquiries. It was only a matter of time until the old woman thrust a suitor at her.

With a sad smile she wondered what her future husband would think of her silly fantasies about going on an adventure, and with a stable boy, no less!

[GoblinFae]

"That's the spirit," he cheered, pumping his fist happily. "Sing it loud and proud Nadya! We'll make an adventurer out of you yet, mark my words! And you can always refuse her you know with the whole marriage thing. And if not then," Keegan paused to lean in closer, cupping a hand to his mouth to whisper.

"Maybe that's when your adventure starts. Chapter one, escape the wedding!"

[Zero]

Violet eyes widened as Keegan tried to tell her that she could refuse marrying her grandmother's choice. Nadya shook her head, even though he couldn't see the action. She could never defy her grandmother like that. The old woman would find some way to punish her for disobedience. Then again, the Lady Lancaster seemed to take joy in finding ways to make her granddaughter miserable as it was.

"Escape the wedding? Oh I don't know, Keegan...I don't think I would make it very far, and trying to run away from it would probably just make things bad for me later." She wrung her hands together nervously. The idea of getting away, of being free and not having to marry someone she didn't know was a tempting one, but she knew from experience that trying to change things was rarely beneficial to her in the long run.

[GoblinFae]

Keegan sighed as he awkwardly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nadya my friend we have quite a bit of work to do with you yet it seems. Oh ye of little faith we'll make an adventurer out of you yet. A little work, a little cajoling, a little shove and you'll be free, I'm sure of it!"

[Zero]

Nadya smiled weakly, not at all convinced, but she wasn't going to keep arguing with Keegan over the matter. It was a silly thing to argue about anyway. "If you really think so, Keegan. Maybe you're right. I hope you're right."

She wished she could stay in the stables all day with Keegan. He was much more pleasant company than she could look forward to once she left this little sanctuary she'd discovered. Smiling sheepishly she put her arms around him in a gentle hug. "Thank you, Keegan, for being my friend. I should go now, but I'll be back tomorrow to read to you some more. I promise."

[GoblinFae]

"Of course I'm right! I'm the grand adventurer just waiting for the next one to come along." His voice cracked as she hugged him though and Keegan was forced to close his eyes to savor the sweet and quickly-over moment. How he wanted to hug her fiercely to himself and never let go. Alas it was not meant to be and she would never understand. She was the lady of the house to be and he was just a blind stable-boy hanging on her every word like a love-sick puppy.

With a gentle push and a bright smile he urged her onward. "Run along now, the sooner you leave the sooner you can return. I'll still be here when you get back. No chance of that ever changing I can assure you. Until next time Nadya!"