A Horse, of Course!

[visualspice]

"How long am I staying in Uthlyn? Well,  had only presumed to stay for the day- leave as the sun was setting after allowing Riley and any of his siblings a chance to ride Abigail, though you are too gracious to offer me any more than that," he assured Helen, realizing it was not his place to stay here more than through the day anyway, for surely it would be too improper, even though it was so graciously offered.

Though at Lilly's last comment, her turned to look at her, but couldn't help but smile. He knew she had a thing against him- She was probably over protective of her mom.
"Well, perhaps not a bucket of honey- but apples.." he nodded thoughtfully. "Yes."

But then as she went on about riding, his smile brightened. "I'dbe delighted to take you riding, Lilly. Though you might want to leave the rats and frogs behind. I'd hate to think what would happen if Abigail were to get spooked by one of them."

[kleineklementine]

"Nonsense!" Helen retorted with a friendly air. "You can't travel back all that way after nightfall. It'd be much better for you to have a comfortable night here, then set out in the morning if you're in a rush to return to Reajh."

Dahlia looked at Helen, not quite sure what to say. She doubted her mother-in-law was acting entirely innocently (she had, after all, confided in Helen about the man she had met at the ball only yesterday and the confused feelings it'd sparked). And, though much more composed now, she was still a bit flustered by the whole situation! "Perhaps Lord Draven is anxious to get back to his daughter," Dahlia offered, not wanting to force Edward into an awkward position.

"All the more reason not to travel alone at night," Helen answered.. "It can't be safe, I mean. Lord Draven," she amiled warmly at Edward, "you won't make an old woman worry all night long about your safety in the midst of this wretched war, would you?"

Dahlia just sighed and shook her head. You had to give it to her; as unassuming and gentle as Helen was, she certainly knew how to play her hand.

Lilly suppressed a groan at all this insistence that the strange man who talked to his horse stay longer. Turning to Edward, she asked (having heard some of the curfuffel caused by her frog when she came to ask about how he took his tea), "Does Abigail spook as easily as you do, then?"

[visualspice]

So many questions and offers coming in every direction. He smiled politely at Helen, not sure it was even polite to decline a second time, but as he stammered over a response, he noted the mention of his daughter- and before he could reply to that, better reasons to keep him there at night (the dangers of the night streets, after all) silenced his tongue for but a moment before he nodded.

"Perhaps I can consider it. But I wouldn't want to intrude.."A nd his eyes found Dahlia's before he turned away, smiling over at Lilly as she mentioned the stability of he and his horse.
"I assure you, she has even better manners and strength than I. She's a good horse, finely raised, and well in her prime. I think you should all like her well. And I think she is fond of the grounds heres. When she we came up the drive, she moved with more enthusiasm, though it might have been due to the fact she was hoping to get some carrots.

[kleineklementine]

Dahlia met Edward's eyes for long enough to give something of an ocular shrug that said, 'If you want to.'

Lilly, meanwhile, frowned at Edward's remarks. "Around the garden?" she asked indignantly. "I can walk around the gardens here on my own. Plus, you said you were going to take Riley for a ride in the countryside!"

She, of course, had her own motives. Getting Edward as far away from the house as possible!

[visualspice]

"But of course! If you wish to have a ride about the country, and so long as your mother approves, then through the country we shall go!" And he turned a beaming smile enthusiastically towards Dahlia, where a look in his eyes asked her the obvious as he went back to sipping at his tea. "So are there any other children home today? I'd love to meet them if they are." And he took another sip- yes..t he tea was a bit too sweet, he should ask for one less lump of sugar, or so he gadged. He always forgot how much he put in it. Just a silly detail he could never commit to memory and with all the excitement, he just assumed his tea ought to be as sugary as it can get.
"And this tea is wonderful. Is it local? Or do you enjoy imported teas from Essyrn?"

[kleineklementine]

"Oh no," Dahlia laughed, "I'm not hiding any more in the woodwork. We just have the three." No, she thought, she just had the three. "Lilly's the only one home now. And of course, if it's not too much of an inconvenience for you, I'm sure she'd be happy to get out of the city for a bit."

"Yeah," Lilly agreed, "Milo and Riley got to go all the way to nearly to Stonehill, and I'm stuck here."

Dahlia had to resist rolling her eyes at her daughter. This was a complaint she'd heard quite a bit in the last few days. "I don't know about the tea, though, I'm rotten at that sort of thing..." Dahlia answered Edward's polite question about the tea. This was shifting back towards 'awkward' again a bit rapidly. Dahlia wasn't sure she wanted to think very much on 'why.' Suddenly, she didn't realize if they had actually entertained anyone Since that they hadn't known Before. Either Dahlia's family, or military friends of Kerry, or friends that they had had as a couple... Occasionally parents of friend's of the children, but children always provided an ample source of conversation. This had all been much easier at the ball, in a structured social setting... and with masks! It felt much different to have this man in her sitting room, taking an active interest in her children!

"It's just local," Helen finally cut in, thankfully! "We get imported tea every so often, but usually we content ourselves with tea from our own mountains."

Lilly was getting bored with all this polite grown up tea talk. She straightened herself up to try to see if Edward's cup was empty yet so she could get him out of here. Then she'd have to think of what her strategy would be to make sure he never came back! "Are you nearly done, Lord Draven?" she asked not trying too hard to hide her impatience. "I haven't been out of the city in weeks! And I like being out in the countryside much more than my brothers, anyway. They're both so serious!"

[visualspice]

Edward smiled at her, charmed by her expression of only having three children. By the looks of things, it appeared as if she had a whole herd! Though he supposed things were just like that with multiple children. He had grown up a single child, after all, so he hadn't the luxury of such chaos in his home- and perhaps, wasn't so marred by it's existence and the very presence of it was refreshing.

And at Dahlia's approval, and nodded as Lilly put in some enthusiasm on the matter, but before he had a chance to comment, Helen was answering his question about the tea.
"Ah, it's very good. Perhaps you'll have to acquaint me with the seller, or at least give me a name, if it's not too much trouble," he said with a gentle bow o fhis head, but Lilly had gained his attention again as he blinked and turned towards her with a soft smile.

"Yes, I'm almost done with my tea. But that enthusiasm is charming," he said, giving a knowing smile towards Dahlia. "Though since it's just the three of you here now, I think it would be only polite to extend the invitation for the ride out to your grand mother and mother- that is to say, if either of you would be interested... I certainly would welcome more to join us. It is a lovely day, after all."

[kleineklementine]

Lilly frowned at being called 'charming.' That was for other girls. The kind that didn't keep frogs in their pockets and rats in their hair. Just one more strike against this man who'd waltzed into her life and house and already charmed her little brother. She'd have to act swiftly before he charmed anyone else!

"Oh, they can't come, too, if you only have one horse, I mean, Lord Drave," she interjected, trying to add some last-minute politeness to her statement. "We only have a carriage horse and it's her day off today." That made sense. After all, it was the rest of the staff's day off!

Dahlia gave a quiet laugh at Lilly's last comment. And her eyes looked for Edward's, perhaps to say, 'Sorry she's a bit of a handful' and maybe, 'But you got yourself into it.' Either way, a smile creased her grey eyes.

"Well, it sounds like we couldn't possibly join you," Dahlia said, amused. "I'm afraid I'm hardly in a state to leave the house anyway!" she added with a bit of a sheepish grin at her current attire. "Even for the countryside. And I don't even remember what state I left my poor decanter in. Don't let us hold you back, though!"

[visualspice]

Edward nodded at the girl's defense of the carriage horse and it being his day off,a nd he found himself smiling, a smile which only broadened when Dahlia refused to join them anyway.
"It is quite alright, though I'm sure Abigail would not have minded no matter what you dressed like. Besides, I think you look radiant in men's clothing, if it is alright for me to admit." And his smile grew a bit broader as his eyes were only seeing Dahlia Gray.

[kleineklementine]

A palpable silence followed Edward's last comment. A symphony of crickets. The compliment, that she looked 'radiant' dressed down in her working clothes (men's clothes! which would, of course, be illegal to wear out of the house), might have just rolled away if it'd come from a different man. Someone who habitually deploys their charm in their everyday mannerisms. But coming from Edward, who was so boyishly earnest in all of Dahlia's interactions with him, it stuck. Especially paired with that look on his face!

Dahlia blinked, perhaps staring at Edward in response to his comment while her brain tried to churn up an appropriate response.. "Well, that's sweet of you to say," she finally responded, a bit slowly, "but I'm afraid the rest of society is a little less liberal than your good horse."

That was enough of that as far as Lilly was concerned! The girl leapt to her feet, announcing decisively, "We should get going! It won't be light outside forever and think of the damage we'll do to my poor grandmother's nerves if we're out after dark!"

Lilly got a look from both Dahlia and Helen for that comment, but by that time the girl had already shot out of the room to hurriedly get ready - the sooner she could get this man out of her house, the better!



It was a lovely, green day in the rolling hills outside of Uthlyn. However much Lilly might not like her company, she could never stay unhappy when she was out here. The hedgerows, the streams and ponds, the dark shaded borders into the forest. So, at the moment, Lilly sat perched upright on Abigail, surveying the country. Dressed in her riding clothes and with her naturally-wild hair forced into a braid, she actually even looked a bit like a young lady rather than the will-o-the-wisp that had first greeted Edward.

But she couldn't let her love of the outdoors distract her from her goal: Getting Edward Draven to leave their family alone! How, though? Maybe she should learn some more about his motives....

"Doesn't your daughter like to ride, Lord Draven?" Lilly asked as sweetly as she could manage. "I guess she must not if you have to come all this way to take someone else's children riding. Oh, I mean, I like Abigail a lot and I'm very happy to be out here," she added quickly to make the comment seem less barbed. "It just seems unfortunate for you to have to travel so far."

[visualspice]

Edward was enjoying himself thoroughly. THough he wasn't on the horse's back any longer, he was holding the reigns as he guided Lilly along through the country side. And the place was gorgeous, with a golden glint from the sun tinting everything, and rosey shadows that made everything appear as pretty as a picture. Song birds were singing and clouds appeared as long, colorful streaks across the sides. ANd the rustling of winds through the trees, soothing.

Sighing contentedly, he turned towards the child.
"My daughter Britta is still just a babe. She's not old enough to ride a horse. Though when she is, I should fancy she'd like riding every day."

Studying Lilly, his brown eyes shined with enthusiasm. "How about you? Would you fancy a horse ride like this every day if you could?"

ANd at her inquiring about how long it would take him to get there, he simply laughed it off.
"I do not mind a bit of travel. I have been cooped up in my home for too long, it would do me some good to stretch my legs and do some more frequent traveling."

[kleineklementine]

Lilly gave Edward a long, sidelong look. She had the distinct feeling that ever-sunny Edward was immune to her remarks about taking out other people's children. As in not his. As in her mother's children, and her father's. Even at eleven, she wondered if he wasn't a little naïve. He might be harder to shake than she'd hoped!

"Well, I couldn't go out riding every day," Lilly answered eventually, with a little shrug. She didn't like the question. As if Edward were trying to point out that his daughter would have all these things that Lilly didn't; that Lilly's parents could give their children. Stupid, smug, high nobility, she decided, without knowing anything in particular about Edward's background other than that he had a baby daughter and a horse.

"I have other things I have to do, anyway. School and chores and looking after all my pets." Suddenly a new idea struck Lilly; a new plan to offend Lord Sunshine. "You know, responsibilities. Don't you have any? How come you're not off in the army, anyway?" She gave him another sidelong look before announcing with a defensive pride, "My- our father was in the army."

[visualspice]

"Ah, this is true. Studies always come first. But a little riding never hurt anyone, so long as the chores and work were all done!" He was all smiles at such an idea, but as Lilly continued to go on  in attempts to thwart the mood, Edward simply nodded at what she inquired.
"Yes, many men have joined the army, especially as of lately. I've actually already served when I was quite young. For many a year, too. I was actually stationed along with the current Duke of Allar. We can share a lot of interesting tales, but perhaps I can share those with you when you are older. The army is rarely a pleasant thing to speak of." Especially now with the war and so much death.

"Though I suppose if I were needed again, I'd be more than honored to assist with the war efforts. But with my wife passed and my child so young, I am needed there most of all."
Not to mention, the current Duke of HighHeart was just so..... demanding. He was certain the Duke would throw a fit if he were to join now while he was grooming his heir to be to assume his throne next in line. It was really all tiring work, but at least he had his daughter. Britta made everything worth it.

[kleineklementine]

Lilly's mood, which was at first just mildly annoyed with Edward, was starting to genuinely darken now. The lord's words, however unintentionally, weighed heavily on the young girl.

It wasn't fair. Her father had had a family. He'd had three young children. That's three times more than just one. He'd joined when he was young. But none of that had spared him from the war. So why did it spare Mister Smiles, here? And again it felt like Edward was flaunting his higher station. 'Stationed with the current Duke of Allar... We share a lot of interesting tales...' He just had to say that he was best friends with a duke, didn't he? Was that why he got to leave the army to take care of his daughter? Why Lord Edward Draven was alive, and Karol Gray dead?

Some of this must have shown on Lilly's face, and her slight frame had now a definite sulky posture to it. Her bright blue eyes, her father's eyes, glared angry and sad at the lord holding the reins of the horse.

"That's lucky for your daughter," she finally said, her voice a little thick. Then, with more bitterness than an eleven-year-old girl ought to have and not caring if it was rude, added, "I guess it's probably easier to get out of the army when you're friends with a duke."

[visualspice]

"Get out of the army?" Edward blinked at such an accusation as he turned to face Lilly. He saw her expression, and his own turned softer. "You miss your father, don't you?" He said, slowing down the horse as he continued to guide her across the field. "The war is a terrible thing," he admitted, growing quiet a moment. "It has already taken so much from this country, I have to wonder myself when it will end."

[kleineklementine]

Edward's gentle response only made Lilly angrier. He wasn't allowed to talk about her father! What right did he even have to talk about how horrible the war was? How would he know? And, at the same time, the whole conversation was opening up that raw part of Lilly's heart that, above all else, did miss her father.

Lilly wasn't like her brothers. She wasn't serious and solemn and quietly thoughtful. She was lively, and fiery, and didn't - at eleven - have the emotional toolkit to handle the grief and anger she was left with. So, not unlike her mother (though Lilly wouldn't have known it), Lilly was prone to outbursts since the death of her father. Where her anger at the world, and her grief at her loss, snapped and overtook her.

And now was one of those times.

"What do you care?" she snapped back at Edward, her eyes bright with unshed tears, but also fierce and wild. She was squirming in the saddle as she shot this retort at him, until she was free of it, and dropped ungracefully to the ground.

Lilly picked herself up and scurried out of Edward's reach before turning on him. She was shouting now, and she didn't care if it wasn't ladylike or polite, "What are you doing here?! Riley has a father and my mother has a husband!" Even if he was dead. "None of us need you!"

Then, before giving Edward the chance to catch her and drag her back to her mother and grandmother, Lilly spun on her heel and tore across the field, her flaming red hair streaming behind her, and disappeared into a small copse of forest.

[visualspice]

Edward found himself gaping, guilt ebbing at his being, as if only realizing the true anger behind this child's grief- and then, a quick calculation made him realize as to why.
"Oh, Lilly I.." but before he could get a word in, the girl was off the saddle and running.
"Lilly!" he shouted, gripping the reigns of the horse and a pat to her rear and hurriedly, he and the horse rushd towards the copse of trees the girl had dashed into. But upon approaching, he dropped the hold on the reigns and moved forward, hesitating only at first as he called out to her,
"Lilly, please! I'm not here to replace your father! Not by any means! Please come out!"

Great, what could he do? The little girl was fast and quickly disappearing from his sight.
"Lilly!?" And frantically, dark brown eyes searched all around for her as he pressed himself between the tight trees, tall brush crunching beneath his boots.

[kleineklementine]

Lilly didn't stop at the sound of Edward's voice or his pleas. The girl ran headlong through the forest. She knew she could lose Edward. After all, he'd either have to tie up the horse, which would buy her time, or lead Abigail through the woods with no paths, which would also buy her time! Lilly ran until her foot caught on a tree root, sending her sprawling over roots and stones on the forest floor. She stood up and looked down at her scraped and bloody knees and elbows. Her face screwed up, but she didn't cry. Lilly was not going to cry. She was too angry.

She stood there, panting, and listening until she heard the sound of boots tromping loudly through the forest. Fearing for a moment that her stumble had cost her her head start and that the Awful Mister Smiles and Sunshine would catch her, Lilly had a moment of inspiration when she saw the tree attached to the root she'd tripped on. It was a tall, strong oak. Its lowest branches were higher than Lilly could reach, but if she hiked up her dress a little she could shimmy up the trunk.

With a few more scrapes to her knees, Lilly made her way to the oak's spreading branches. The first few, larger branches were farther apart, but once Lilly passed those, it was easy going and she quickly gained height in the tree. When she paused to look down, her head reeled a little; she had always loved climbing trees and being outside, but she was a bit surprised at how high she'd gotten. Lilly felt her stomach drop and raise a little. But then she thought of Edward and his stupid remarks and how he had a horse his daughter would ride every day and how he was best, best friends with some duke and how he never stopped smiling and how angry he made her and her fear dissipated. Gritting her teeth, Lilly reached for the next bow and pulled herself higher in the tree until its limbs became young and springy.

Lilly Gray was not going to be caught that easily!

[visualspice]

The trees and brush were growing denser, and as he man pushed through, not caring how the branches scraped at his body- his horse, however, did. Abigail jerked her head back, shaking her head and trying to remain outside of the thick area her master was taking her, and when Edward felt the resistance, he turned around on his heels and tried once, twice, before giving up. His nerves were about to carry him away, to loose his cool, but he paused a moment to regrip himself, to keep himself focused-

He couldn't lose Lilly, whatever would he tell Miss Grey if he did? Making haste to tie Abigail to a thick three limb, Edward hastily patted the horse's long nose before telling her, "Stay here, Abby." Before he dashed off into the dense woods alone.

Dried leaves and foliage crunched beneath his boots as he raced along, shouting, "Lilly!? LILLY!?" Over and over again. He was growing desperate, now finding not even a trace of her- and then his boot caught hold of the same root that downed Lilly and in an awkward cry, the man went down.

[kleineklementine]

Lilly stopped climbing when Edward drew too close. The boughs of the tree swayed under her. She was really high up now and the tree's limbs were springy and young. But when Edward suddenly trundled beneath her and - bam! - fell on the same root she had, the girl startled, causing the small branch she was holding onto (thankfully not the one she was sitting on!) to snap loudly, sending a small cascade of leaves and acorns falling down on top of the distressed man. Lilly quickly grabbed the trunk of the tree to prevent herself from falling as well. She stayed there, silent; she was sure Edward wouldn't come up the tree after her, but that didn't mean she wanted to be found!