An Early Return [Rhi Rhi!]

[Bee]

@Rhi-Rhi (idk what this is but as a first IC post on this board i hope it's not bad)

She stank like horses and sweat.  Maybe even horse sweat as well.  Whatever it was, Syphia didn't like it.  When she was in the wild, on the road, she didn't care but when she came home, she was self conscious about herself.  She was a lady and she was supposed to act like one.  Immediately she turned to sit side saddle until her guide led her horse back to the stables.  How scandalous would it be if she was seen in such a way?  Oh sure Serendipity was quite progressive but she knew how the nobles would talk.

As soon as her horse came to it's place in the stable, she let herself be escorted off by one of the stable hands and immediately looked around shiftily, putting her hands up to her hair.  Her black curls were still in place in a tight bun, even though strands were loose and framed her face.  Her boots were caked with dirt and dust but at least her traveling clothes weren't mussed.

For now, she was alone.  She had gotten here a bit too early, but she'd sent someone with a message to her home so they could have someone help her with her things.  Her bags had been unceremoniously tossed on the ground by someone and she scoffed, mortified.  At least her instrument was always on her person, she thought, casually stroking the case on her back.  All that was left was to wait.

[Rhindeer]

[Bwaha I hope she's still outside! xDD If not, whooops! I can edit!]

"Syphia! Is that you?" Valor called out as he rode up on his dun gelding.

He was also early, but his favorite tavern had closed along the way (something about a flood), so he'd decided to skip that and be on time for once. Or early, as it were. Fashionably late was more his style, but maybe this time it couldn't hurt to be punctual.

As it turned out, he was right! Because it looked like he wasn't the only early bird.

Pulling up alongside her on his horse, careful not to stomp over her bags, Valor beamed down at her, his thoughts hidden behind a smile as he gave her a thorough once over. She'd kept herself rather lovely, for someone who'd been off tromping all over the place; she looked as pretty as when he'd first met her, even with the dust and horse-smell all about her. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd kept herself proper, too, having been out there in the world with all those men oggling her. Not that he cared about how many men (or women!) a lady had or hadn't lain with--but for some reason, he found the idea that Syphia might have chosen some shmuck over him kind of...irritating.

Not that he cared!

"I hope I didn't startle you!" he said as he swung down from the saddle. "I caught wind that you were expected home today, and it's just been so long that I thought, 'Valor, you've got nothing else going on, why not go welcome back your childhood sweetie, eh?'"

And he gave her a little wink at that. They'd never been childhood sweeties, just a proposed marriage that he hadn't wanted and she'd "noped" the hell out of, but that sounded much nicer to his ears. "I hope that's not an inconvenience or anything."