Post by The Smith on Jul 13, 2009 18:54:44 GMT -5
Aaron helped Lady Eleanor mount her horse, and kissed her hand before mounting his own, after the pair had gone riding together outside of Horn Hill. He looked at her and gave her a mischievous grin, "Race you back to the castle?"
"Just don't complain when I beat you," she said with a laugh. The two lined up their horses, and counted down together. At the last second Eleanor grabbed an apple seemingly out of thin air, and tossed it on the ground in front of Aaron's horse. The gelding bent to eat it, and took an extra second to get moving when Aaron spurred him to a gallop. Eleanor ‘s horse was two lengths in front of him by then, and he pressed the gelding to close the distance.
They were in a light wood, with a few trees sparsely spread around but not particularly thick. The castleress of Horn Hill was visible three leagues away, and the Mander River could just be seen behind the castle, snaking off into the distance. Aaron's gelding dodged around trees and slowly he chipped away at the distance between himself and the Lady of Horn Hill.
He drew up even with her and stood in his stirrups. With both horses galloping at full speed, he swung his right leg over his horse so he was standing in its stirrups on the left side. He leaned over and planted a kiss on Eleanor's cheek, but as he did so she jerked away and he almost lost his balance.
She flashed him a mischievous grin, which reminded him of his sister Alayne’s, as he struggled to regain his saddle. He did so, and turned his head to smile at her, but he saw her eyes go wide. A second later he was facedown on the ground under a tree, his horse galloping away and a sharp pain was splitting the back of his head. He dimly registered a voice speaking and tried to concentrate on the words. He turned his head to one side, which sent shooting pain throughout his neck, but it told him his neck was not broken. The wind had been knocked out of him when he hit the ground and he struggled to regain his breath.
He felt a pair of soft gentle hands on the back of his neck, and he shoved with both arms, rolling himself onto his back. Eleanor's face swam into focus above him. She looked scared, and he tried to smile at her, but winced instead. "Tree branch?" He laughed weakly. His neck hurt less now. Eleanor nodded and started to laugh a little too. Aaron rubbed his head, and laughed harder, which caused Eleanor to laugh harder as well.
Aaron lay on his back, laughing so hard he could barely breathe, and Eleanor sat next to him with her legs folded laughing equally hard. She lay across his chest as their breathing began to slow and she traced some invisible design on his leather vest with one of her fingers. Their eyes met and she shifted her body slightly, moving closer to Aaron. He lifted his neck and kissed her deeply on the lips. She returned it passionately and her fingers curled around the neck of his vest, pulling him closer.
When the two broke apart, both were blushing like children. Eleanor helped Aaron to his feet and laughed again when they both realized his horse was gone. He helped her onto her own horse, and then climbed up in front of her. She put her arms around his chest, and rested her head on his shoulder as he guided the mare back up the hill to her castle.
Ser Aaron Royce gains Beginner Charm
Ser Aaron Royce improves toward Grandmaster Riding
Ser Aaron Royce and Lady Eleanor Tarly begin to start falling for each other
"Just don't complain when I beat you," she said with a laugh. The two lined up their horses, and counted down together. At the last second Eleanor grabbed an apple seemingly out of thin air, and tossed it on the ground in front of Aaron's horse. The gelding bent to eat it, and took an extra second to get moving when Aaron spurred him to a gallop. Eleanor ‘s horse was two lengths in front of him by then, and he pressed the gelding to close the distance.
They were in a light wood, with a few trees sparsely spread around but not particularly thick. The castleress of Horn Hill was visible three leagues away, and the Mander River could just be seen behind the castle, snaking off into the distance. Aaron's gelding dodged around trees and slowly he chipped away at the distance between himself and the Lady of Horn Hill.
He drew up even with her and stood in his stirrups. With both horses galloping at full speed, he swung his right leg over his horse so he was standing in its stirrups on the left side. He leaned over and planted a kiss on Eleanor's cheek, but as he did so she jerked away and he almost lost his balance.
She flashed him a mischievous grin, which reminded him of his sister Alayne’s, as he struggled to regain his saddle. He did so, and turned his head to smile at her, but he saw her eyes go wide. A second later he was facedown on the ground under a tree, his horse galloping away and a sharp pain was splitting the back of his head. He dimly registered a voice speaking and tried to concentrate on the words. He turned his head to one side, which sent shooting pain throughout his neck, but it told him his neck was not broken. The wind had been knocked out of him when he hit the ground and he struggled to regain his breath.
He felt a pair of soft gentle hands on the back of his neck, and he shoved with both arms, rolling himself onto his back. Eleanor's face swam into focus above him. She looked scared, and he tried to smile at her, but winced instead. "Tree branch?" He laughed weakly. His neck hurt less now. Eleanor nodded and started to laugh a little too. Aaron rubbed his head, and laughed harder, which caused Eleanor to laugh harder as well.
Aaron lay on his back, laughing so hard he could barely breathe, and Eleanor sat next to him with her legs folded laughing equally hard. She lay across his chest as their breathing began to slow and she traced some invisible design on his leather vest with one of her fingers. Their eyes met and she shifted her body slightly, moving closer to Aaron. He lifted his neck and kissed her deeply on the lips. She returned it passionately and her fingers curled around the neck of his vest, pulling him closer.
When the two broke apart, both were blushing like children. Eleanor helped Aaron to his feet and laughed again when they both realized his horse was gone. He helped her onto her own horse, and then climbed up in front of her. She put her arms around his chest, and rested her head on his shoulder as he guided the mare back up the hill to her castle.
Ser Aaron Royce gains Beginner Charm
Ser Aaron Royce improves toward Grandmaster Riding
Ser Aaron Royce and Lady Eleanor Tarly begin to start falling for each other