[028] OOM - I of VII - The Road Goes Ever On

[tristranthorn]

The travel never seems to end, and already they've done so much of it.

Which, really, should mean that they are experts at this - with very little complaint and a whole lot of knowledge of what to do in all seasons and weather situations.

But while it can be said to be true that they know quite a lot about the weather and how to adapt to all its faces, the complaining bit hasn't changed too much. Occasionally, Tristran would get a little irritated with the lack of proper food to be found, and Yvaine would mutter about how uncomfortable the twigs sticking into her back are and how much better beds and soft pillows would be in comparison.

However, when everything is said and done, they actually (secretly) enjoy it all: the traveling, the alone-time, the utter freedom from any and all responsibility. They are hardly ever recognized in towns for who they truly are - sometimes not even when they reveal their names - and the ability to move about as they please is fun, leaving very little time to mope about.

When Tristran set off from the Thorn farm and household so many months ago to seek a fallen star, he never imagined that he would be here today with her, loving her and running away from his responsibility to govern an entire kingdom as a royal.

Comments

[an_evening_star]

Complaining, Yvaine would like to think, is something of an art form.

One must know exactly what it is appropriate to complain about, when it is appropriate to complain about it, and which words to string together for maximum effect. There are also the issues of which words to stress and what decibel to speak at and a whole slew of things to consider that aren't worth going into at the present time.

Yvaine would also like to think of herself as an artist, but that's hardly the subject at hand.

What is at hand cannot precisely be considered complaining. It's more of a request - a firm request, but a request all the same.

"We are finding a place," the star states. "An actual place. With people. And - and what do they have in towns, Tristran?"

A pause - brief - before her hand flutters up victoriously.

"Shops!" she nods. "And other things. Immediately."

[tristranthorn]

Tristran turns to Yvaine, looking a little perplexed but not all that eager to argue with her.

In all honesty, he doesn't mind the idea of finding an actual place either. He could definitely use a hot water bath, for one.

But in the end, it is only customary to ask, "Why for?"

[an_evening_star]

It's something about counting. Or, to be completely honest, it's more about losing count of precisely how many times each of them has whined about something in particular - whether it be body parts aching or being rained on one too many times or someone breathing too loud.

The quota has been more than filled and the time for socializing (and sleeping on something proper) has been reached.

"Because as much as we love each other, dear," she grins here, lips tugging upward affectionately. "We will drive each other mad if the only other things we see for too long are trees."

[tristranthorn]

He laughs at that, nodding in agreement. Reluctantly (Really).

"Yes, I believe you're right about that," he says. "A warm bed and a hot bath would be very welcomed too."

He turns up towards the sky for a moment, at it's wide openness and the very little cloud in its vast blueness.

"All right. Let us make way for a town, then."

[an_evening_star]

He doesn't have to bother seeming reluctant - a good percentage of the complaints tallied were his, after all.

(That and Yvaine's not particularly insecure.)

The grin widens and she leans up to press a quick kiss to his cheek, "Which way, oh great Compass?"

[tristranthorn]

Darn that tally. Always revealing truths and all that, it is.

Another laugh, a pause as Tristran thinks about it, and then he is pointing towards a southerly direction.

[an_evening_star]

"Come on then," she replies, snagging his hand and starting forward, motion only the slightest bit crooked. (But the morning stiffness hasn't quite worn off yet, so she can't really be blamed.)

She tosses a smirk back over her shoulder.

"And perhaps, if we walk quickly enough, we can be there for dinner."

[tristranthorn]

His expression lightens considerably, despite his attempts to appear nonchalant.

"I can barely remember what steak tastes like." All he's had out here were berries, mushrooms and the like. They get a little tiring after a while.

"And pie. We mustn't forget pie." Shepherds, meat, apple, cherry.

[an_evening_star]

The star laughs, shaking her head mildly and rolling her eyes skyward, hiding the smile behind the hand pressing to her forehead in false exasperation.

"Figured that would get your attention, Prince Charming."

He's nothing if not predictable.

It's cute.

[tristranthorn]

He grins sheepishly.

"You know me far too well, Yvaine," he says. "But I am equally looking forward to soft pillows and a mattress."

He pauses, raising his left hand partially covered in scar tissue.

"And perhaps if we see an apothecary in town, we might find some salve. I'm afraid I've run out, and my hand still acts up on the occasion."

[an_evening_star]

"I fail to see how anyone could not look forward to such things."

The hand in question gets snatched up quickly enough - easily replacing the one she was holding and curled into the space between both of hers with a press of lips to the palm.

She shrugs, carefully stepping backward, "Probably not as good as Meggot's, but we can make due."

[tristranthorn]

He nods, smiling softly as he attempts to flex his hand a bit; some days it's stiff enough that movement seems impossible.

"Yes," he says. "Meggot's salve is quite something, even though it smelled a little odd."

But it worked and that's all that matters.

"And your leg? How is it these days?"

[an_evening_star]

That gets her a set of fingers tapping along her nose and she wrinkles it up under the touch, narrowing her eyes at him briefly.

A laugh, "As though you do not hear me whining enough, dear."

She'd stick out her tongue, but, you know, hand in the way and all that.

[tristranthorn]

"I thought it only fair to ask," he returns, blinking at her innocently.

Shrugging, he starts forward - in the direction of town. He does want that dinner, after all.

"Some rest for it will certainly help, if anything."

[an_evening_star]

"And something warm in your stomach," she adds, voice pitched in a rather impressively accurate imitation of his Mother (the sane one). "Goodness, you poor dear, you really should eat more if you are going to be traveling such long distances. Really, Tristran, she's all skin and bones."

The straight face she manages to keep throughout the entire thing is pretty impressive as well.

[tristranthorn]

He laughs.

"You do that far too well," he admits, shaking his head. "Glad to know you've paid very close attention to the way my mum speaks, of course."

Seeing them, and having Yvaine meet them seems like it had happened ages ago now.

[an_evening_star]

"It's a talent."

She grins widely, sketching out a vague bow with her fingers.

"And I pay very close attention to anyone who fusses over me that much," she adds. "I do not think that my Mother fussed over me that much."

[tristranthorn]

"That's the way she is," he says fondly, returning the grin. "She didn't do it very much with me when I got a little older" - and no doubt when his 'Faerie-ness' began to show more obviously - "but when I was a child, I remember her fussing over such very things."

[an_evening_star]

She slows just enough to loop her arm through his, ducking under a particularly low-hanging branch.

"Somehow I think the your sister gave her more than enough to worry about."

[tristranthorn]

"I got into a fair bit of trouble as a kid," he says, "but you're right. Louisa was far worse. And more often than not, she was the one getting me into trouble."

Oh, his childhood. Those were the special times.

[an_evening_star]

She arcs an eyebrow at him skeptically.

"You got yourself into trouble," she inquires, skepticism pretty heavy there too. "And not the 'Oh dear, it looks as though I have stumbled upon trouble.' sort?"

[tristranthorn]

He looks sheepish in response to her skepticism. After all, seeing him now would make trouble seem like the least likely characteristic to ever exist in his personality.

"It was a combination of all sorts of things," he explains. "Like many of my peers, I had a phase of ... wanting to cause trouble. Something to prove, and all that." He shrugs. "It didn't last for very long."

[an_evening_star]

The star ducks her chin to hide a laugh.

"Now was this proving to be done before or after falling in love with your fine pastry?"

Humans are odd.

(Odd, of course, in that they have peers that interact and aren't all related to them.)

[tristranthorn]

"A bit of both."

He shakes his head in embarrassment, remembering the heaps of stupidity that went into some of his schemes.

"When I found it did not work on her, I stopped."


(Oh, yes. Put it that way, it is very odd. Right.)

[an_evening_star]

"Oh, now you have to tell me."

She tugs on his fingers, grinning eagerly - eyes bright and maybe looking just the slightest bit childish herself.

"I will even tell you if it would have worked on me."