[Warrick] The Weeping Willow

[Lazuli]

8 Saun 716

Limestone steps led down into the garden from the terrace to where a cobblestone path snaked amongst the sculpted trees and low shrubs. The camp was situated down in the valley a few hundred metres away, and with plenty of daytime left, the pair were free to wander through the gardens and make the most of the noonday sun. Lazuli followed the path slowly to a shaded spot where the grapevines had grown up over an iron arched frame. The makeshift tunnel led down to a small, shallow lake that was almost empty this time of year, surrounded by weeping willow trees, Lazuli's favourite.
Beside the lake was a decorative iron table that looked floral in design, the pattern on the top cut out and painted white. Lazuli sat down on one of the matching chairs after brushing the old willow leaves from its surface and glanced over her shoulder at the servant who had followed them through the garden. She spotted the same pair of guards stood just beyond the archway who must have shadowed them through the garden. It was easy to feel trapped in this place sometimes, as if even the birds were watching and listening in on everything she did or said. The servant put down some fresh wine glasses and topped them up before returning to the house to prepare a small platter for lunch.
"Are you hungry?" Lazuli asked Theodore once the woman was out of earshot. "I apologise about the guards," she lowered her voice and pointed quickly with her eyes. "My grandmother can be a little overprotective." Even now Isabel's words echoed in her mind, stop slouching, sit up straight, suck in, don't forget to smile, don't smile too much, look me in the eyes when you speak, child.
Being a noble often felt like putting on a heavy fur coat, it was itchy and uncomfortable, too warm in the summer, and didn't go with any of her other outfits. Already one might notice the difference between Lazuli the Baroness, and Lazuli the farm girl, who wanted nothing more than to lie down in the tall grass and count the clouds as they drifted by. It was far too hot to be drinking wine, especially on an empty stomach, and Lazuli reminded herself not to indulge too much. Though she was a lot more relaxed out here, Lazuli had never been very good at starting or holding a conversation, having had very little practice.
"Did you go to a public school, Theodore? My father sent my sister Lei'lira and I to the local school in Fort Warrick. I didn't much enjoy it, but I don't suppose I would have liked homeschooling much better."

[Teddy Venora]

The courtyard was beautiful, even if slightly marred by the guards that walked along beside them, far enough away to try and remain inconspicuous, but close enough to prevent anything from happening. Teddy didn't mind them. He understood, especially after everything that had happened to Lazuli, that they needed to keep her safe. And if the contingent of Skyriders didn't do so, these two guards were going to try, or die in the process. Teddy dismissed such thoughts from his head, lest he look accidentally guilty. He was to give no reason to the guards to suspect mischief, unless it was the good kind.

The wrought iron table was gorgeous in craftsmanship, and placed in such a place as to enhance its beauty. Theodore accepted his seat with a gracious smile, his incredibly straight teeth gleaming in the sunslight. Though he'd had some of the wine, and hadn't eaten yet, Teddy felt perfectly fine. In fact, the giddyness of seeing the Skyriders was getting to him, making him more lascivious than usual. He leaned back in the iron chair and got comfortable.

"I could nibble, if you'd like to do so. Preferably fruits, nuts and cheeses, please. I'm trying to watch my figure. Very soon, I may need to appear in public." He finished the sentence with a tone that denoted a displeasure, though his persona hinted at something very different. He was incredibly extroverted, but found that he would rather spend his time with a select few that he knew he enjoyed rather than waste his time on those boring and droll drones out in the real world. There, in that idyllic garden, Teddy could have stayed forever.

"I did go to public school. In fact, were I not blessed with this last name, I'm sure they would have removed me. See, I found it terribly bland, and thus sought to improve it with my own spice." His grin was infectious. He was always a bit rambunctious, but as a child, he caused quite his share of the clamor. Not very big, even now, Theodore often got himself into situations that he couldn't get himself out of. It was the name that kept him from being beaten many time. The thought brought a grin to his face.

"Home-schooled or publicly schooled, either can be unforgivably dull if you don't make it your own. See, I wouldn't have minded being publicly schooled, if there was something prettier to look at than Tristan's awkward haircut. I mean, he could have singlehandedly repelled every woman in the world with that haircut alone."

Teddy laughed, taking a slight sip of the wine. It was definitely too hot to have wine outside, and the look on his face portrayed that. With a radiant smile, he slid his glass over on the table, instead leaning on his elbows in its place. The iron of the table dug into his elbows.

"May I make an observation? I'm prone to do that, by the way. Make observations, that is. See, I don't see the point in hiding feelings among friends, and though you may not yet agree, I think we will be fast friends. So forgive me if I overstep, my lady. Chalk it up to precociousness, I suppose."

His smile was disarming as he finished explaining himself, and immediately launched himself into his observation.

"You don't seem to care for the hustle and bustle of our lifestyle. You have the look in your eye like you'd rather be anywhere but sitting at a table, discussing the realm. Well, my lady, I can assure you, I am the same. If you'd prefer, we can run through the garden and giggle, or we can dip our toes in a tub of icy water and see how our skin pimples. We can hold hands and run into the suns, or lie in the grass and breathe in each other's scent while we watch the clouds pass by. I am not, nor shall I ever be hopefully, a stuffy politician like my cousin. So if that is your desire, please, feel free to suggest so."

He looked back at the guards, then turned his blue eyes to Lazuli. There was a glint of mischievousness in them now, and his grin was that of a devil.

"We could give your guards a heart attack, and slip away unseen. What ever would they do if they lost their little Lamb?"

He knew she didn't care for the title, but he thought it was cute. He would call her that, though he may have to explain to her that it's a term of endearment, rather than insult.

[Lazuli]

The admission by the young man in regards to his figure saw her smile slowly, a cheeky little grin that touched her eyes. Lazuli hadn't meant to let her guard down so easily, and glanced at her knitted fingers, which cupped the stem of her wineglass. "You have nothing to watch," she offered, a compliment, believe it or not. Lazuli had never looked in the mirror at her own body and thought, I wish I were thinner, living an active lifestyle on the farm made it almost impossible to gain weight, and she wondered now if Theodore was the kind of noble that lounged around eating cheese and talking all day. She had, however, sat in front of the mirror for hours scrutinising her face, had the children at school been correct in their observations? Were her eyes too close together, cheeks too fat, and face too long?
As the conversation moved on, Lazuli found the courage to look the man in the eyes again. She couldn't rightly remember who Tristan was, but recalled a recent write up in the paper regarding a man by that name, had be been of noble birth? Did Theodore always dwell on appearances? Would he remember her merely as the blue eyed brunette in the black dress? It had been a terrible choice of clothing for such a hot day, and if it wasn't for the shade of the willow tree, she would be suffering right now.
The servant returned with the platter and set it down on the table before taking her leave once more. There was an array of summer fruits to choose from, a selection of cheeses, crackers, olives, and cured meats. Lazuli reached out to take a grape she recognised as one of the fruits of Warrick's garden, and was just about to lift it to her lips when Theodore spoke up again, this time with an observation of his own. She lowered her gaze, readying herself for the worst, and quietly peeled the skin from the grape nervously as she held it below the table close to her lap. Theodore was right, she didn't enjoy playing dress ups and discussing the troubles of the realm, and the thought of escaping it all just for a moment, coaxed a gentle smile. Theodore, however, had quick become a master of taking two steps backwards right after putting his best foot forwards.
Lazuli got to her feet quickly, brave on account of the wine and spoke her mind. The guards in the distance flinched and drew closer slowly, as if they expected trouble, and walked briskly with hands on pommels.
"You're much too forward, Theodore Venora, and were it not for your name and your cousin's request, I never would had entertained the likes of you. You're an arrogant, proud, conceited, egocentric, patronising, boy, and I," she pointed at the young man, stumbled backwards and hiccuped. Lazuli threw a hand up to cover her mouth quickly and crouched down with her head tucked against her knees and her arms wrapped about her legs. The jostling of light plate-armour could be heard as the guards quickly approached and took an arm each, trying to lift Lazuli to her feet, who looked as if she would prefer the ground to open up and swallow her.
"My lady, are you all right?" One of them inquired and Lazuli stole her arm from his grip, still convinced there was a chance she could just float away with the wind.
"I'm fine," she finally got to her feet and pushed her hair back out of her face. "Please leave us," she said firmly, and the guards carried out her order.
Once they were out of earshot, Lazuli stood with her stomach in knots, and her heart in her mouth. "I'm sorry," she wanted to tell him he wasn't any of those things, but the damage had been done and words were hard to take back, especially the kind which cut like knives. "My father was a great man... and every time someone calls me lamb," she swallowed, "I," her eyes watered, not because she was weak, but because it took all of her courage for Lazuli to speak her mind. "I feel as if it is his memory they attack, and I miss him, and," she stole a shaky breath from the world and thumbed away a tear from the inner corner of her right eye. "I've ruined our lunch haven't I..."

[Teddy Venora]

Her smile was beautiful, Teddy realized. This girl, this Baroness who wanted to be nothing more than a farmer, she had everything she needed to be a great noble. The shy smiles, the beautiful eyes, the unassuming demeanor. If she were wicked and cunning, she would be queen one day, and who is to say Teddy couldn't be by her side? He met her small smile with a knowing grin of his own, his blue eyes locked onto hers. And like the bird she was, her mood was soaring to the other ends of the world.

At first, Teddy was stunned at her outburst, eyebrows rising highly on his forehead. Arrogant? Proud? Patronising? Egotistical? And then it hit Teddy. Perhaps she had a point. He had never cared to mince words, and many times that made him come off arrogant and condescending. And he'd never meant to be more the opposite than he was now. As Lazuli fell backwards, Teddy lurched forward and tried to grab her small hand, but he missed by a hair. However, it left him standing when the guards arrived. He looked to the girl, then to the guards, his dainty hands falling to his side. His lips quivered, trying to refrain from bursting into laughter and insulting the girl.

In the split second it all happened, Teddy realized that all Lazuli had to do was tell these guards that he had attacked her, and this liason would become a hostage situation. To his surprise, the thought didn't scare him. He could think of plenty of worse places to be stuck than in a dungeon where he would still see Lazuli, even if only fleetingly. However, she dismissed the guards, and Teddy could no longer contain the laughter that was boiling in his belly. He released it, loud and unashamed, causing the guards to glance back.

"My dear Lady Lazuli. On the contrary, you made this lunch much, much more enjoyable than any of the stiff lunches I've had with other Ladies. It is I who should apologize, though not for what you think I should. See, love, I don't care to coat my words in sugar and honey because I do not feel the need to mask their true nature. It's the same why I shouldn't cover them in acid and vitriol. There are far too many flatterers and fools out there to whisper pretties in your ears. Instead, my lady, I shall tell you what I see, because a woman of your stature deserves to be told the unmitigated. If that's unacceptable to you, my lady, I'll take my leave and damage our relations no further. However, I think that what I have to say could prove beneficial, not only in our official capacity."

His smile this time, is genuine. He slowly reaches out and takes one of her shaking hands in his, their warmth spreading over her fragile fingers like a supernova. He tried to catch her eyes, so she could see the sincerity in his countenance.

"You are bothered when people call you a Lamb, and you should not be. They do not attack your father in saying that. In fact, they glorify him and attack you. And since you can't help their glorifications, help how you perceive their attacks. Your father was a great man, and you are a sweet girl to miss him. In fact, I'd consider you deranged should you not. But you are Lazuli, not Jared. He was a mighty man, sure, but you are not. You are young, and sweet, and shy and all the things that a man cannot be. You think with your head and heart, not the blade of your sword. They call you Lamb, and I say that they are glorifying you as well. Could the softness of a lamb not temper the ferocity of a lion to shelter all? Why must one cancel out the other? Be fierce, Lady Lion, but be gentle and soft when the time is right. Bleat to make them think you weak, and roar in their faces. You are Lazuli Warrick, the Lion's Lamb. Wear that as armor, for it is the best armor your father could ever have left you."

Teddy finished with a smile again, this time confident and knowing. He squeezed her hand, but not too tightly, and sat back in his chair, grabbing a cube of cheese and wine-cured salami. He popped them into his mouth and chewed slowly, watching her with curious eyes.

[Lazuli]

His laugh was just as disarming as his smile, and pinned by that intense, blue stare, she felt bare. Theodore took the young woman's hand as he spoke, and alarm shot through her like electricity, leaving her speechless. Heart pounding in her chest, Lazuli hadn't realised just how much his words had thrown her until he was done and she stood breathless, as if she had just run a race. The bodice of her dress was too tight all of the sudden and her fingers flinched as her hand was squeezed with care. She didn't know what to make of the man anymore, and though she wanted to believe him to be genuine, her grandmother was grooming a cynic.
"I..." She couldn't find the words, who was this man and when had he replaced the big-jawed-dope of a boy who had insulted her? Only a moment ago she had been comparing his eyebrows to caterpillars in the hopes that they might crawl off his face and give her something to chuckle about, but now... Now she wanted to nothing more than to find any excuse that would allow her to stare longer than was socially acceptable. "Theodore will you excuse me a moment?"
Lazuli didn't give the man time to respond but stole her hand from his and walked towards the house. She glanced back over her shoulder and waved for him to stay, as if to promise that she would indeed be right back. Beyond the iron archway Lazuli took the end of her dress up and ran towards the house, climbing the stairs in pairs. She was sick of this ridiculous dress and unfastened it as soon as she was in the guest room to change. Lazuli donned a white, long sleeved shirt, the fabric of which was light and easily manipulated by the wind. Overtop of this she put on her red leather armour and a pair of simple black trousers completed the outfit.
Outside, Lazuli hurried down the stairs and ran through the garden to rejoin Theodore. She stopped at the end of the grapevines and walked through the long grass to slump down in her chair under the willow tree, cheeks flushed from running and hair in disarray. The girl was happy to see that Theodore had eaten something, and snatched up a couple of crackers for herself. "Come on," she smiled. "Let's go feed you to a dragon."

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy watched as her expression changed, a slight smile coming to the edges of his lips. His eyes brows raised slightly as she she hesitated, then the smile came to his eyes as she stuttered. He knew that something he had said had calmed her, or embarrassed her, or perhaps something more devious than either. When she stood suddenly, so did he, fluid in his motions. He could feel her flight coming, and knew that she was going to leave him before she did. However, he smiled graciously and held a hand out, but it didn't matter. She was already hurrying towards the mansion.

He leaned back in his chair, a smile plastered across his face. The warm summer heat was dizzying, but he took a deep breath and smelled the fresh air as it wafted past. He could still smell Lazuli, and the thought brought a smile to his face. He popped a cracker into his mouth, followed by a cube of cheese. He chewed slowly, eyes still closed. He replayed the scenario in his head, the look on her face, the feel of her hand. He nearly grinned when he heard her approaching again.

And when he opened his eyes, he was taken back. For the first time ever, perhaps. The red armor wasn't elegant, but it suited the young Warrick very well, and Teddy smiled from ear to ear. She looked infinitely more comfortable that she had the entire time he'd been there, and if he would have known, he'd have told her to slip into something more comfortable the instant she appeared before him. He admired her as she drew closer, cheeks flushed and hair a mess. The look on her face was perhaps the most beautiful he'd seen this trial: Ease. And then she smiled, and Teddy would have actually let her feed him to a dragon. He hoped she was kidding nonetheless.

"Oh, uh... I..." He grinned nervously, his blue eyes sparkling. "To be plain, beautiful little Lamb, I'd rather not be fed to a dragon today. So many things I have left to accomplish. I've yet to kiss, to make love, to sire and raise. I've yet to sing for the king, and perhaps win the hearts of the masses. If I die this trial, you'll be denying some people many wonderful things. Not the least of which could be you, little Lamb." His smile was all charm, and he punctuated it with a wink. He still stood, offering her an arm to hold as they walked.

"Are they as frightening as I imagine they are?" His voice was full of trepidation, but he kept it light enough. He looked at her with pleading eyes, smile still on his face. Fake it 'till you make it, the Venoran way.

[Lazuli]

Lazuli laughed. Theodore seemed very much in love with himself sometimes, but rather than find that repulsive as she might have a few minutes ago, there was something almost endearing about it now. She slipped her arm over Theodore's and snaked her hand to set it palm to palm with his before lacing their fingers. "Come on," she said, he had suggested running through the fields, and so they would.
Together they ran to the edge of the garden and climbed over the stone fence at the top of the valley. The hill leading down into the trench was littered with row upon row of grapevines, the Warrick estate making the most of their position and that of the sun. In the valley the land was shadowed by what was the start of the Burning Mountains which bordered the boundary of the northern most part of Warrick's territory.
At the edge of the camp, Lazuli slowed and let go to Theodore's hand as she spoke in a whisper. "A lot worse than anything you've heard," she teased the boy, though she had a point, dragons were not to be underestimated. The girl had seen one lose the plot on his rider of almost ten arcs one day, where the dragon had snapped and taken a bite out of the man's arm for no reason at all. "Just don't look them in the eyes, you have to assert dominance, like with horses," she grinned, and wondered if Theodore knew anything about them. "My father used to say that if you look at an animal's legs, you give off a predatory type vibe that makes them weary of you, but if you look them in the eyes, you're challenging the creature."
Lazuli was greeted by one of her father's old friends, Hector, who led the pair over to his Jacadon, Fray, tied up alongside his tent. The dragon made a low sound as he lifted his head to look at the pair, the black dots in his eyes narrowed to pinpricks. He opened his mouth and steam spilled out over his tongue, breasting the air for but a moment before it was gone.
"Don't worry little lord," Hector smiled, "I fed him this morning, he's just saying hello."
The dragon flinched and stretched his wings out to cast a shadow over the three of them. Lazuli stepped back into Theodore, every hair on her body standing on end, though she couldn't be sure if it was on account of the dragon's sudden movements, or the close proximity she had shared momentarily with Theodore.
"Ladies first?" The Skyrider held his hand out to Lazuli and she stepped forwards and pressed her hands to the Jacadon's right side tentatively. Hector gave her a leg up onto the great beast before turning to look at Theodore. "Would you like to go next or after me? What, you didn't think I was going to let you ride without an experienced officer did you?"
Lazuli's lips formed the shape of a small o as she breathed out, her heart in her mouth again while her belly did somersaults. The young woman clutched one of the straps on the dragon's back and held her free hand out to Theodore, hoping he would join her.

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy's heart jumped into his throat with every step they took. If he weren't so concerned with the jacadons, he might find the humor in the situation. In the beginning, he was the confident one, the brave one. Lazuli seemed terrified by their initial meeting, and Teddy had been the collected one. And now, she was leading the way, blazing a trail that Teddy was tentative at best to follow. And he wanted to trust her, this Lion's Lamb, but the beasts were unpredictable, she said so herself.

Still, he followed her, not wanting her to think him a craven, though he was through and through. He even maintained his signature smirk, eyes bright but very alert. The man, Hector, seemed jovial enough, and Teddy relaxed just a fraction. That was until they were introduced to Fray.

Every instinct the boy had screamed at him to run, to preserve himself, but Lazuli's close proximity bolstered his resolve. Almost instinctively, he wrapped a dainty arm around her, more to comfort than actually protect. In fact, if they were to be attacked, she would likely be more help than he would. But it didn't stop him from wanting to protect her, and Teddy relaxed as he realized what he was doing. And in an instant, she was gone from his space, being helped onto the Jacadon.

"Thank you. To be quite frank, I was worried that I would have to ride alone, and my sense of personal navigation is a bit lackluster. I'd likely end up in the Hotlands, or worse... Endor." With a grin, Teddy stepped forward, being helped onto the Jacadon right behind Lazuli. For a moment, the world stopped.

Being that close to her, smelling the scent of summer air and dust in her hair, wrapping his arms around her waist... Teddy could have stayed forever. He savored every brief trill, fleeting as they were, before Hector would come up. Sitting on Fray was terrifying, but he reasoned that there was no place on the entire planet that he would rather be than right there, behind Lazuli, breathing her in. Teddy's heart was thumping so loudly in his ears, he was sure that she would hear it. The mixture of adrenaline, fear and amorous feeling overwhelmed Teddy, and he hugged himself against her back quickly. And though in his mind, it would remain frozen forever, Hector joined them. Teddy's breathing was shallow against Lazuli's neck, and his hands were shaking around her waist. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered faintly.

"Are you sure about this, little Lamb? If you say yes, I will trust you. I shall be very disappointed if this trial is the trial I die." He punctuated it with a little laugh, though that was his biggest fear. He held tightly again, nausea rising in his stomach to his throat. He resolved that he wouldn't back down, wouldn't show himself to be a coward in front of Lazuli, but he had to focus on nothing else except suppressing the vomit. If he did throw up on her, he would throw himself from the beast to his doom. That was his plan. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

[Lazuli]

Slaves, that's all they were, slaves to their emotions, ruled now by the adrenalin that flooded their veins, and the fear that saw their hearts beat faster. Theodore's warm breath against her neck shocked the young woman, as if someone had struck a match against her ear, and Lazuli knew Theodore must have felt her heart thumping, even through the polished, red leather of her armour. She held her hand over his threaded fingers and squeeze reassuringly, no boy had ever sat this close to her, and Lazuli couldn't decide in that moment what she was more afraid of, the dragon or the man. With eyes closed she felt herself melt against the warm body behind her, and knew in that moment that it was the dragon between her thighs and not the arms about her midsection that worried her so.
All the air rushed from her lungs as Hector sat down on the Jacadon and tightened the reins, turning the animal about and moving Fray into a clearing where they would have enough room to take off. She could feel the dragons muscles moving beneath the taut flesh, even with the padded leather that kept them up off the sharp scales that ran down the creature's back. Lazuli didn't want to open her eyes, why had she opted to sit at the front? A small, pathetic sound escaped her in reply to Theodore's whisper, and she tightened her fingers around his right wrist, the digits of her left hand closing a death-grip over the leather handle on the front of the saddle.
Fray made a low, rolling sound in the back of his throat before letting out a high-pitched screech that made Lazuli's heart jump. She had been around dragons all her life, but this was one of the few times she had ever been close to getting off the ground. The Jacadon stretched out his giant wings and crouched low to the ground, his powerful legs working like giant springs to push him up and away from the earth, the air his wings stirred propelling him upwards. Like magic, yes that's what it must be, when time seemed to stand still and race by all at once. Lazuli felt heavy and clumsy, like she would fall off if the dragon wee to make any unexpected moves. She imagined this was what it was like to sit on the back of a bull, just waiting for all of that power to explode beneath them. And then, just as simply as if someone had blown out a candle, they were weightless and flying.
The young woman finally opened her eyes only to find the camp disappearing, people no bigger than pinpricks scattered about the field. "By the saints," she breathed and felt her own stomach flip, thankful she hadn't eaten much more than a grape and half a cracker. These kinds of moments certainly made her appreciate how fragile life was, and how easily it could all end. She was glad, however, to share the experience with Theodore, two complete strangers, brought closer together in the sharing of one insane act of courage. When had she laced her fingers with his? Lazuli looked down at their joined hands and felt lightheaded all of the sudden, butterflies dancing in her stomach.
"We'll fly over Fort Warrick," Hector raised his voice, "and then I'll drop the two of you off closer to the house. Don't close your eyes or you'll miss it!" He teased, but wasn't wrong, Jacadon after all were known for their speed.
For the fly over Hector guided Fray closer to the ground so that the pair could see the township in detail. The speed at which the shadow of the dragon shot across the streets and rooftops was frightening, and Lazuli gasped as the animal turned in the air and climbed into the sky again to race back towards the camp. They touched down in the field, the long grass flattened by the force of Fray's wings beating powerful gusts of air against it. As the animal's feet met the earth gently and he tucked his wings in, Hector claimed down to help both of his guests find their feet, starting with Theodore. "How was that?" He beamed from ear to ear and pat the boy on the back. "Good stuff aye?"
Lazuli sat shaking on the mount, filled with excited nerves. Hector raised his arms and she all but fell against him, as if she had momentarily forgotten how to use her legs. After finding her feet, she thanked the man and watched as the dragon and his rider stalked off towards the valley. Lazuli collapsed in the long grass and lay there on her back, staring up at the sky, heart pounding, the world still spinning a little bit. She hadn't forgotten Theodore, and lifted her hand to reach for him, tugging at the young man's limb for him to join her. "I never want to leave the ground again," she laughed, still trying to catch her breath. "You might have to find someone to carry me home."

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy was lost in Lazuli until Hector prepped the Jacadon to lift off. Suddenly, he was well aware that he was only a man, and that a fall that distance would likely erase him from existence in general. He buried his face further into Lazuli's neck as Fray jumped off the ground, starting his steady ascent into the sky. Even with his eyes locked shut, Teddy's stomach was tumbling around like a rock in a box. A small meep! escaped from his lips, which Lazuli must have heard. He couldn't tell which was scarier: his embarrassment, or the flight.

Hector was as calming as he could be, and Teddy found the courage to open his eyes. The ground was falling away fast as the jacadon rose, and Teddy couldn't help but grin stupidly. Luckily, Lazuli was faced away from him, because he must have looked quite the fool. He was acutely aware of her vicegrip on his wrist, and the pain didn't bother him. In fact, he found it oddly comforting that she had turned to him for safety when they took off. He could endure a few fingernail lacerations if it meant that she found him safe. He just could not wipe the grin off his face, and suddenly, he didn't care. He wanted Lazuli to see it, to see that he didn't care about how he appeared, as long as she was safe. The feeling was strange. His heart was racing still, but for two separate reasons, and he knew them both.

As they flew over the fort, Teddy tried to focus on any one face. It was a little game that helped distract him from the danger of the flight. The jacadon's speed was impressive, and Teddy had a hard time noticing anything but the most basic features. I wonder if they can see us. The Budding Rose and the Lion's Lamb, flying together. They can eat their hearts out. Teddy smiled, this time secretly. Though nothing had been spoken between the two, Teddy knew there was a growing affection, and if they survived the whole flight ordeal, Teddy would have to bring it up. Something about the exhilaration of the flight made him suddenly aware of how much he enjoyed being around Lazuli. It was nice.

Nice? Teddy chuckled to himself. He couldn't believe that thought had crossed his mind. So far, she had been very stiff in their negotiations, she had insulted him multiple times, she had run off on him... And she had intrigued him. And to Teddy, that was the most important quality she could have. He hated stuffy nobles... If he wanted to be around a stuffy noble, he'd hang out with Zvezdana more. The thought made him grimace.

As the jacadon landed down, Teddy's skin crawled, as if the air were still rushing over it. All the hairs on his arms stood straight up, begging to be brushed back down. He sat perfectly still as Hector dismounted, then promptly fell off of Fray and onto the grass. His legs, though still attached, had about as much strength as pudding. So instead, he just lied on the ground, trying to regain himself enough to stand up and appear manly in front of Lazuli. Luckily, as Hector helped her off Fray, she fell too. He laughed from his belly as he looked over at her, in no better shape. He crawled over to where she plopped down, sitting next to her as she grabbed his arm and yanked him closer. He tumbled into the grass at her side and just laid there, also staring up at the sky.

"As long as this finding doesn't require me to use my legs either. Perhaps we shall just lay here and let the grass grow us over." He grinned and turned his head to face hers. His cheeks were flushed at their close proximity, and the ice blue of his eyes burned with happiness. His grin faltered a second as he stared into her eyes, and suddenly, he was overcome with an urge to kiss her.

He snaked his head in quickly, pressing his lips to hers. He took a deep breath at the same time, reveling once again in the scent of earth and soap on her skin. His eyes closed as he kissed her, and it seemed much longer than it actually was. Teddy's mind raced, and he could feel each and every vein in his body pumping his blood. The thumping in his ears returned, and suddenly, he was weak again. He fell back on the ground, eyes staring straight up. His cheeks burned, and he knew that he was blushing fiercely.

"Oh, I... Well, you see... Fray and... Uh..." For the first time in his life, Teddy was struck speechless. The impetuous Venora was finally showing sign of constraint, and it frightened him. He didn't regret the kiss at all, but was terrified of the repercussions. He may have just undone everything the trial had built, and he wouldn't forgive himself if he had. So he laid there, quiet and staring, after.