Candy-Coated Heart of Darkness! [Aeyt!] [M]

[Rhindeer]

In retrospect, it was so obvious it hurt, but Einin hadn't been thinking like that. Ryk was her teacher, and her rival, so she had been thinking in those terms. Like this outing was just another fun adventure, like the brothel visit. Ryk had made his usual remarks then (though they had been far more lecherous, while today they were more complimentary) as he was now, so it just hadn't registered in her mind as different.

In retrospect, that was such a foolish, naive way to think.

Of course to literally everyone else in the world this was a date.

It made sense for it it be a date, too, so their engagement seemed more natural.

That nervous flutter returned when Ryk kissed her hand, but her skin tingled under his lips. It was all just pretend, though, right? All just an act?

But something deep inside told her this was dangerous territory, and that she hadn't been as careful as she thought, nor nearly as guarded as she should be. Yet she pushed it away, and ignored the warning that the line between real and pretend was perilously thin.

The quick pace of her heart was testament to that.

Kia, what was wrong with her?

"...Yes. Ah. The earnings. Of course!" Einin said, voice quieter than intended. Gripping the writ Ryk had handed her, she slipped her hand free, spotted the clerk, and turned to head toward him. She needed a little distance, just for a second, just to clear her head. And as she presented the slip to the man, he smiled, looked it over, and soon began counting coin into a little purse.

[Aeytrious]

If it was time and space away from Ryk that Einin needed, she wasn't going to get it very soon. As she sped away, Ryk followed close behind. The clerk was counting out her coins when Ryk overheard something.

"We lost a lot of money because this pig broke his odds," some of the race organizers were standing around Bacon is Delicious, talking about the animals second place finish.

"Ten people bet on him placing, TEN! We're out a thousand gold. We need to make some back."

"What are the odds he'll do it again. People will bet on him more now and lose."

"And if he does miraculously win? He's not sure fire, we have to give good odds on him to draw bets. He wins and we're finished."

"Well you know we can always sell him to a butcher."

Ryk had heard enough, killing the pig because it did too well? That was ridiculous. Most of the time he wouldn't care about some animal, but pigs were smart, and Einin had bet on that very pig. He walked over to the fence near the race officials.

"Hey there," he called to the men. They paused in their conversation to look over at him. "You're gonna sell that pig? How much?"

"How much?" a fat man parroted, clearly annoyed, "we're gonna sell him to a butcher, not some spoiled noble."

Ryk Handelaar, was known for brash behavior. So when he jumped the fence, trotted through the mud, drew his sword and placed it to the mans throat, he was not afraid of the rumors that would follow. A sour grin spread across his face as the man's associates backed away slowly. Bacon is Delicious, sensing the tension ran off squealing.

"I am Ryk Handelaar, the wealthiest merchant in Arca," Ryk explained to the man, in a very calm voice, "I am not noble, and not spoiled." He pressed his short sword harder into the mans neck drawing a trickle of blood, "I was born poor and have worked hard to be as filthy rich as I am." He withdrew the blade and placed it back in its sheath. Then he reached in his vest and pulled out a sheaf. He wrote a note on it with a stick of coal and shoved it into the man's hand.

"That mark will get you five hundred gold coins upon delivery of Bacon is Delicious to my estate," he looked into the man's eyes, a very serious expression on his face. "If you fail to deliver my pig to me, I will not be pleased. You will regret crossing me." Ryk walked back through the mud to the fence and hopped over. He reached for the primper, and used it quickly, returning his clothes to their former splendor.

[Rhindeer]

Einin had not overheard the exchange.

But when gasps rang out and she turned in time to see Ryk hopping the fence and putting his sword to a man's throat, she held a finger up to the clerk to signal, "One second!" before she darted to the fence and leaned on it to listen in.

What she heard perplexed her.

He...he was buying Bacon Is Delicious?

Not just buying the pig, but just about coming to blows over it! Whatever it was, it was serious enough that he'd cut the man!

Einin felt like she had missed something crucial.

When Ryk returned from that...random bit of business...Einin folded her arms over her chest, tilted her head, and arched an eyebrow at him.

"So," she said, conversational. "You just menaced a man into selling you a pig."

[Aeytrious]

"Well they were going to have him butchered for nearly winning," Ryk replied to Einin as he straightened his coat, "and he called me a spoiled noble. I don't ever let an insult slide. It lets people believe you are weak."

[Rhindeer]

"What? They were going to kill him? For winning? Why?" Einin shook her head, baffled--and feeling kind of guilty for betting on the pig, as though it was her fault it won. If she'd known it would be butchered for winning, she wouldn't have bet on it! "That doesn't even make any sense. Don't you want them to--? Ugh. People are so strange."

But then her expression changed, less confusion and more realization, her features softening. She put her back against the fence and leaned against it. "Speaking of strange...so...now you have a pig?" She bit her lip, fighting back sudden laughter, because the thought of Ryk buying a pig to save his pride was just...pretty damned funny.

"What are you even going to do with a pig? For that matter..." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, not in a glare, but as though she were studying him. "I never would have placed you as the sort that would do something like this..."

[Aeytrious]

Ryk looked over at Einin, leaning on the short fence. She had a very commoner way about her. How was it that she was raised a noble lady. Her tutors must have had their hands full.

"Well the pig lost them a great deal of money by doing so well," Ryk looked into the pens and saw the men collecting Bacon is Delicious. "He probably was bet on by people that need to take risks, or those that simply thought he was cute, as you did. Regardless of why they bet, they won. Selling him to a butcher would insure they don't lose more money because of him and get some of their losses back." Ryk walked to the man that paid out the winnings and handed him his writ.

"You've never been to my estate," he stated the fact to Einin without looking over to her, "I have many animals there. I have an especially fascinating cat. You'd probably prefer my snow white fox though. They are both very popular with my visitors. B.I.Del," he said the pigs new name all together, Bidel, "will have a happy home there."

[Rhindeer]

"I didn't know you kept animals."

Granted, he had never brought that up until now, and if it was common knowledge, it was very possible she had heard it mentioned--and forgotten it. Einin had known Ryk a long time through her family, and though he had intrigued her from a young age with the weapons he wore, and drawn her eye because he was attractive, it was only very recently, when she had discovered that he was Rufus, that he became truly interesting to her. Anything she'd been told about him before that fateful had more than likely been lost.

Einin tilted her head to the other side. "What's the cat like? You can't really say I'd prefer the fox if I've seen neither! Though the fox sounds really pretty. Are they tame? Ah, and you'll be careful that they don't, erm, eat Bacon--I mean, Bidel--right?"

[Aeytrious]

Bidel will be very well cared for," Ryk told Einin, "he will want for nothing. That fat man that insulted me will never have meals as fine as that pig will enjoy." Ryk smiled at that. "As for the other animals, they will not harm Bidel. The dangerous ones are penned, and the fox and cat are both smaller than the pig."

The clerk counted out Ryk's twelve gold coins and handed them to him. Einin still had not received her winnings and they remained half counted in a small purse.

"Perhaps you should get your money?" Ryk smiled at Einin, "there is much left to see and do." He stepped back, giving her space to do her business with the clerk.

"The cat is very exotic," he explained, "It is striped a vibrant red with a deep almost purple color. One eye red, the other golden. When I saw her as a kitten, I just had to have her. I call her Vermelho."

[Rhindeer]

"Vermelho," Einin repeated as she headed back to the clerk. "A striped cat. Is it like a...hmm...what do they call those cats that live in jungles? Tiger, I think? Is it like a smaller one of those?"

For though she'd never seen one in person, they'd appeared in some of the stories she'd read. Generally translated stories brought from other nations where, she imagined, those kinds of animals lived.

Turning back to the clerk, she signaled for him to continue, and though she watched him count, her attention was on Ryk.

"I've heard those ones are really dangerous. Is she full grown?" she asked, and then, as an afterthought, added a little more quietly, "Do you think I could see them?"

The clerk finished and Einin took the little purse he handed her.

[Aeytrious]

Ryk listened to Einin, noticing the underlying excitement at his exotic animal collection. "It's just a bit larger than most domestic cats," he told her, "and most tigers are orange and black from what I hear." As Einin received the purse of coins, Ryk offered his hand in escort. "You may come to my estate any time you like for a tour. I would gladly show you the animals that live there," he gave her another pleasant smile, "and I look forward to swimming in the pond with you."

[Rhindeer]

Without really thinking about it, for she was so wrapped up in the talk of exotic animals, Einin took Ryk's offered hand and walked with him. At his mention of swimming, she barked a laugh.

"Oh, you say that now," she said with a wide grin, "but that's before I drown us both because I don't know what I'm doing."

[Aeytrious]

Ryk smiled at her. Einin was amazing in her ability to underestimate herself. Swimming was not the most common skill, especially for a woman, but she would learn quickly. There was also the pleasure he would get from her swimwear. She needed a tailor for it, so he would recommend one.

"I doubt that you will drown, and you will not take me down with you," he smirked at the idea. "I think I have the perfect tailor for you," he told her, "I have a tailor that makes lovely swimwear for ladies. It's based on Essyrni garb. The colors he works in will look marvelous with your skin, hair, and eyes."

[Rhindeer]

Einin froze at that, stared at Ryk, and couldn't help but blush.

"Essyrni clothes? Uh. Aren't they the ones that wear sheer clothing?" She paused and gave him a flat look. "Or no clothing?"

[Aeytrious]

"They are indeed the ones that wear such garments," Ryk confirmed, "but the swimwear is only based on the shape of their clothes. It doesn't use the sheer fabrics of the Essyrni. You have nothing to worry about there." He led Einin down the road toward the stalls selling various goods. "I'll send the tailor a message to go to your estate tomorrow."

[Rhindeer]

"The shapes of their clothes? And, uh, are the shapes decent?" Einin asked, and then realized she wasn't wording that very well. Of course Ryk would say they were decent. He had a very different idea of decent than she did.

"It won't show much, ah...skin, I mean? No more than what's appropriate?" Kia, she hadn't even gotten fitted and she was already fretting. She had been a child the last time she'd done any swimming, and of course baring skin was different when you were young! But as an adult, she had a hard enough time showing her legs!

[Aeytrious]

"Nobody but myself and some servants will see you in the scant garb," Ryk smiled warmly at her, "when you fall in love with me and we're married," he carried on, leaving Einin no time to object, "you'll bear more than a little skin." He laughed at the comment to ease any tension she might be feeling. "Don't worry so much. When you're swimming you're not supposed to wear an overabundance of clothing. Your back will be bare, as will most of your legs. Even the most modest of swimwear that's in fashion now bears the arms and legs, and many bare the midriff as well," Ryk gave Einin the most reassuring smile he had. "You, who have such an elegant, and beautiful figure should not be worried. You are such a lovely young woman."

[Rhindeer]

Einin was pointedly not looking at Ryk, for her skin was on fire, clear to her ears, and the thought of exposing even that much skin to him had her heart pounding. His comments didn't help keep her mind in clean places.

"Eheh...hah...yeah," she managed to get out as he broke the tension with laughter. She risked a glance up at him, caught his reassuring look, and looked away just as quickly. Maybe this whole swimming plan wasn't a good idea. Though why was she thinking that? It was just swimming. And as he'd said, those were common fashions. Of course swimming wear would keep your legs and arms bare, otherwise the fabric would weigh you down.

Einin rubbed the back of her neck, staring at the ground as they walked. "I'm not really...worried," she said, silently squirming at the series of compliments. "I just, uh...I haven't worn so little like...ever."

[Aeytrious]

"Well I'll be wearing even less than you," Ryk told Einin simply, "so you can focus on that instead of how little you're wearing, and we'll begin swimming lessons as soon as your anxiety passes." He steered her toward a booth with kites, and other paper crafts. "Would you like to browse my dear?"

[Rhindeer]

That broke the tension. Einin gave Ryk a sharp nudge in the ribs. "Oh yes, because you're so distracting, and I want nothing more than to see you half naked. You're ridiculous."

She stuck her tongue out at him, then turned with a flare of her skirts to browse the table, glad to be off that awkward subject and onto something safer. It helped her calm down, and gave her mind something else to focus on--because it had been going places she wasn't so sure about, and didn't really want to think about.

Locating a colorful kite that was designed to look like a dragon, she pointed it out to Ryk. "Have you ever flown one before?"

[Aeytrious]

Ryk pointed to a kite shaped like an owl, with wide wings. "I thought that would suit your tastes more than a dragon, little bird," he smiled at Einin knowingly. She loved her bird theme. "I have flown them, but not for the simple act of the flight. I used them to carry things over walls and other boundaries." Ryk turned a few paper lanterns on their hooks. "The delicate craftsmanship is astounding."