Shall we go collect some wood?

[Perdita Westcott]

Shall we go collect some wood?...

8th Zi'da, 720

T

his was a very bad idea, Perdita thought.

But, Eli had said that he wanted to go out and collect some things in the forests around Desnind. Perdita had looked up from the book she was binding, tying the eightfold paper neatly against the spine and she had said "Really?" It was cold out there, she thought, and neither of them were particularly skilled at such things. But then, he'd looked a little hurt, she thought, like he thought she didn't want to go with him.

"I'd like that," she said, with a smile. "I need supplies," she thought about what was out there. "Flowers, petals, sap." Of course, as she spoke she blushed and, lowering her head, Perdita missed the fact that Eli looked rather surprised at what she was suggesting. "Thank you," she added, not wanting to have any doubt that she was game and ready to accompany him, even though it was - she thought - a very bad idea. She'd better be with him, in case he needed her.

That had been yesterday.

Now, however, here they were, ready to go. Perdita was wrapped up in a thick coat, with mittens (under which she wore gloves), a fur-lined hood, hat, scarf, boots. She was determined to be warm, or as warm as she could be. She had on a thick woolen sweater and two shirts, thick tights and leggings tucked into her boots, over which she wore petticoats and a thick skirt. None of it was fancy, all of it was functional and warm.

Looking at him, Perdita lifted up her satchel and put it across her chest, over her shoulder. Then, she smiled. At least he couldn't see she was blushing, she thought, as she met his eyes.

"Lets go then," she said and, in case he was concerned, as she was, she added, "this will be fun." Except, of course, she didn't think that.

What she actually thought was that this was a bad idea. A very bad idea, as far as Pedita was concerned and, moreso, it was his very bad idea.

He, after all, had been the one who said they should go. Who'd gotten all peculiar when she hadn't immediately agreed to go with him. This had been his plan all along, she knew.

After all, what else could he have meant when he'd said "Shall we go collect some wood?"

[Elijah Lamoreaux]

For just half a bit, Eli thought that where an outing, together, was concerned, Perdita would turn him down flat. And in a split trill, he was more disappointed that he'd expected to be when he asked. Hopefully she hadn't caught that fleeting, crestfallen expression that must have taken over his expression before he schooled it right back to where it belonged. He'd be tied if he was willing to let her see it.

But then again, she'd mistaken his desire to go after some wood for one that would have them exploring the surrounding woodlands instead. How she'd done it, Eli wasn't quite sure. If he'd needed any wood for his building projects, there was a perfectly skilled carpenter in Desnind proper who'd have provided him all that he needed. Besides, Eli didn't own an axe, and wasn't sure what he'd do with one if he did. Why go to the forest when a woodsman, a carpenter and a handful of coins would do? But then, when she agreed and mentioned the things that she needed as well, he couldn't bring himself to point out the difference.

Besides, if slogging through the woods in the cold got her to spend time alone with him, far be it from him to set things straight. "Flowers?" Eli asked, tilting his head curiously, though he could hardly hide his pleasure when she agreed to accompany him. "What kind of flowers grow in the cold?" he asked. Whatever the case, she was right. It would be colder than cold out there and better they both dress the part. Good, warm, comfortable leather boots and thick socks. A decent hat and several layers of clothing covered up by a good woolen cloak. Gloves, scarf, though when he took a look at Perdie a quick grin crossed his face and he stopped himself saying out loud...

that with all those layers she'd put on she looked at least twice the size that she had when she'd started, and he was surprised she could lower her arms at all. Or even walk without waddling. He didn't say it though, and instead stuffed a leather sack with things they might need. A first aid kit in case one of them turned an ankle on the trail. Neither of them were exactly woodsmen...or woods'people. And he didn't have the foggiest how to used any of the kit's contents anyway. But better safe than sorry. A compass in his pocket, a bladder of water in the sack and sundry other things.

And because he considered himself to be responsible for protecting her, he strapped on his sword, slipped a knife into a sheath at his boot, and pocketed his sling and a handful of round metal projectiles. "Ready," he said then before asking, "So where are these flowers you were talking about? We could go there first. I figure I can get wood anywhere. Woods are full of it," he added, and could've kicked himself for it. Of course they were. It was literally in the name.

[Perdita Westcott]

Shall we go collect some wood?...

8th Zi'da, 720

E

ven if she should live for two hundred more arcs, Perdita thought, she would not - ever understand men. Especially and specifically this one.

Yester-trial, Eli had seemed hurt that she thought traipsing out into the woodlands to be suicide. Now, he looked at her like she was mad. Perdita gave a defiant glare from beneath her many layers. "It's cold outside," she said, and that was all the explanation she was giving. What was it about him, she wondered? How was it that he got under her skin so very much? He did, there was no doubt about it.

"WInter blooms" Perdita replied, when he asked about flowers. Well. That made sense, didn't it? Winter Blooms. Blooms which bloomed in winter. Yes. That was more than reasonable, she was sure. And, speaking of reasonable, she thought to herself as they finalized getting ready and she utterly failed to notice just how nervous and afraid she was, reasonable was the opposite of what he was being. This was a foolish idea and, somehow, when they both admitted it was foolish, she just knew that he was going to say it was her idea.

Typical man, Perdita decided.

Nestled in the many layers of her clothes, Perdita left their home, although she paused slightly. She would not have called how she walked a waddle, exactly. Especially after he had seemed so amused. Perdita sighed, deeply, and then she carried on walking. Out of the town, towards the woods. She didn't hold his hand - and if he asked she'd tell him, Perdita decided, that she didn't hold his hand because she was cross at him. Cross for this nonsense, this danger. But really? If he asked, she knew that she'd tell him that she had trouble closing her fingers around the gloves and mittens.

And what annoyed her more than anything was how true it was. She wasn't cross at him, even though she was working really hard to be and pretending hard that she was.

But then, he asked about where they were going and Perdita had a moment best summed up in her next words. "I don't know," she said, as she walked. Glancing at him, Eli said that woods were full of wood and she felt a wave of affection wash over her. Woods were, indeed, full of wood. "They are." It was important to acknowledge this. But where were they going. "This way?" Once they reached the outskirts and started through the woods, Perdita more or less picked a direction and walked in it.

Once they'd been walking for a while. A short while. Or. Well. A long enough while that everything around them was trees and there were no people, Perdita turned to him and looked at him. She blushed, of course as all the jumbled emotions of the last few moments, or days, or maybe even seasons all tumbled in on her. "Eli?" Perdita asked, her voice muffled but, also, a little emotional. "I don't know where they are," she admitted. Her gaze fell to away from his eyes. "I just wanted to come with you. There are no winter blooms." Another sigh, this one even deeper. "Sorry," she said firmly. "But I won't let you go alone."