Venturing South

Horknath followed her, keeping by her side, his arms crossed on his chest. "You'll forgive me if I don't really know the difference", he observed. "Title or not, you're still the person most akin to a princess I've met."

Serah looked at Valdyr, wordlessly widening her eyes, before gritting her teeth and getting up from her seat, her hands tightening in fists. "You know what, I've had it up to here with you. Always taking yourself so seriously. What's up with you? I'm not your business partner, I am just trying to be your friend!", she spat back, pointing at him.

"I hope that won't prevent you from following me to my room later," Carleen replied to him, with a smile. "You seemed eager about that ~"

Valdyr pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, let's put it that way. I'm scared of heights. Yvan is being a real shithead about it. You don't care and made me fall off a horse. I'm starting to feel like Horknath is the only one I could call a friend, in this group."

Horknath swallowed, nervousness creeping all over him again. He scratched his beard, looking away from Carleen. "Did I now", he just answered, suddenly feeling his face flushing. God damnit.

Serah shook her head. "I am sorry if you think it that way, but what even is your idea of friendship, if I can? Sitting in silence and only demonstrating it in ways you deem acceptable, like our big, soft boy who would never make fun not even of his worst enemy? Well, I'm sorry. That's not how it works with me. But I guess you'll be happy now. You can get back to think I am an asshole and be at peace with yourself", she added, venomously.

Carleen laughed kindly. "Now don't get me wrong, but this has to remain a secret. Or both my father and my first maiden will try to gut you. And I wouldn't want that," she told him with a kinder smile.

Valdyr was about to reply to her, but bit his lips and finally walked away, wounded in his pride yet again.
The elf that had served Serah sat by her side, since the dining room was almost empty by now, safe for a few like him cleaning up. "You know, you shouldn't blame yourself if it didn't work for the two of you. A relationship between an elf and a dwarf rarely ends up well."

"For being someone who doesn't want me dead, you are sure trying hard", Horknath joked weakly. "But it's good enough of a change. I mean, a beautiful woman not wanting me gutted", he smiled to her.

Serah didn't answer at first, finishing her alcohol down in a couple of gulps. She looked at the other elf, grimacing. "It's all his fault", she spat out. "I am trying hard enough for him to like me just a bit, and all he does is giving me mixed signals! What do I have to do, do a roundabout and become someone else?"

"I'm starting to think you should worry much more about me eating you alive. I'd have thought a tall guy like you was more of the... straightforward side," Carleen replied to him.

The elf remained silent for a few seconds. "... Sorry I think I misunderstood it. You're not a former couple who broke up, are you?"

Horknath sighed a bit, despite himself. "Yeah, I... I tend to be a bit more reserved. Need to get used to people before", he muttered, fidgeting a bit. "I hope that's not too disappointing."

Serah blinked at him, shoving back the couple of acidic comments she was about to spit out. "... wait, you thought we were... a thing?", she asked, confused. "Did it seem like we could have that kind of chemistry?"

Carleen hesitated for a moment. "Are you having second thoughts about it? I mean... we can take our time, if you'd like to know me better before we get to something more serious," she told Horknath, still smiling.

"...Well you certainly seemed both really wounded about what happened between you," the elf finally said. "I mean, even when he left, he seemed like he wished things had gone differently between the two of you. Then again, I don't know any of you, so it might have been my imagination." He shrugged.

Horknath smiled to her. "Well. Me and my group apparently won't be going anywhere for some days. We have time to... know each other better. Maybe spar, or ride horses. But", he added, reaching for her fingers, "I wouldn't be against something else."

Serah groaned, slumping over the table, her face in her hands. Then she sighed, getting up from her chair. "Well, that's it. Hell would freeze over before Valdyr's rock-hard head will break, I guess I'll have to go and say -ugh- I'm sorry now. Do you know where his room is?"

Carleen couldn't help but smile back at him, as she took his hand and lead him to another way in the gardens, walking near to the buildings. "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to sneak you into my room from outside before I join you ~"

The elf thought about it for a moment. "Well. I guess all of your rooms are side-to side. The master insisted on giving each of you their own room, so that you'd feel more comfortable. Do you need me to show you the way back?"

Horknath nodded, looking at the building with a worried frown. "Is it high up? I'm not very good at being sneaky. Nor at climbing, either", he told her. The fact she had accepted his hand made him feel all giddy, though.

"Yes, thanks. I got lost on my way to the dinner already, don't wanna risk that again", Serah answered, waiting for him to show her the way.

"No," Carleen replied with a soft laugh. "my room is on ground-level, don't worry", she told him with a wink, as she took him to a window. "Alright. It's here," she told him as she opened the window. "I'll come to you shortly," she promised him.

The elf nodded and lead Serah. "You don't seem like an elf of my kin. Are you coming from the North too?"

Horknath nodded to her. "Alright." He took her hand up to his lips in a sudden gush of bravery, kissing it. Then he stumbled to get inside, forcing himself through the window.

Serah hummed, shaking her head. "The East", she answered distractedly. "A bunch of pretentious pricks, let me tell you." She was glad she had went away.

Carlen bit her lower lip, and walked back to her room using the regular path. Her room seemed very comfortable, even though some of her favourite swords were displayed on a wall. There was also a big bed on one side with curtains, that had been neatly done. Probably by her staff. She entered the room a few minutes after Horknath, and locked the door once inside, leaving the key on it. Then she walked to him, trying to suppress an eager smile.

The elf snorted, but made no other comment. "Oh, yes. Tell me about it." He finally stopped walking. "I reckon this is your room," he told her as he pointed her to her door. "And your colleagues are staying in these ones," he said, showing the three other doors.

Horknath, after gaping at just how nice was that room, had been drawn by the swords. He was itching to touch one, but he refrained from doing that. They looked precious enough! He was still standing there when Carleen came into the room. He smiled back at her, hiding his nervousness. "Hey", he just said.

"Yosh. Thanks for everything", Serah told him with a smile. "I will let you know how it went if you wish", she added then, flashing him a thumbs up before knocking on the doors next to his, trying to get which was Valdyr's.

"Hey. Did you want to take a closer look at my swords?" She asked him as she walked to him, taking her time. After all, it was rare that one of the men she brought here actually cared about what she liked. Granted, it had never happened before.

The elf kept a pokerface on, but instantly gestured back her thumbs up. He then went back to his duties.
Since nor Yvan or Horknath were in their rooms, Serah could easily find Valdyr's door. In fact, he was so convinced she wouldn't come to him ever again that night that he was in the middle of changing when he answered 'come in', thinking it was either Horknath or Yvan. Thankfully, he was still wearing his pants.

"Oh...! Yes", Horknath answered, happy to see that she wasn't actually going to eat him. "They look really nice. Very well balanced. You had them made for you?", he asked with a smile. "Do you fight with those?"

And Serah came right in. Just to quickly put her hands over her eyes when she saw Valdyr was actually undressing. Granted, it wasn't for the sake of her modesty, but more for his. Since he was so touchy. "Y'know, you should really ask 'who is this' before doing anything else", she joked, before remembering herself to shut up.

"Yes and yes," Carleen replied, as she took one of her swords. She flicked it around for a bit, then handed it to Horknath. "If you're interested, I could show you tomorrow where they were made."

Valdyr actually... sort of blushed, and grunted as he grabbed his shirt to put it back on. "I didn't think you'd come," he explained awkwardly. "What do you want?"

Horknath didn't hide his admiration for how she handled the sword. He took it from her hands, then flipped it around for a bit too. "A very fine one", he remarked again. He looked at her. "It would be a pleasure", he smiled, handing it back to her.

Serah steeled herself, taking a deep breath. "I just wanted to tell you... I am sorry. Maybe my brand of affectionate jokes aren't really your piece of cake. I didn't want to offend you." She peeked through her fingers to look at him.

Carleen smiled back at him and put her sword back. "Do you always like to talk to girls about their swords to get more comfortable?" She teased him, moving wayyy too close to him.

"... Listen," Valdyr sighed, as he sat on his bed. "I don't mind the other times you make fun of me at my own expense. But my fear of heights is not something I like to be teased around, at all. As I've told you, I think that even Yvan is being a shithead about it for just making fun of it with words."

Horknath's smile got a bit more nervous. He kept still as she got closer, breathing in. "If they have swords. Which is rare", he answered, looking at her. Well, she was really beautiful and he was a nervous mess. Good! He raised his hand to rest it on her hip, hesitatingly.

Serah tucked her hands in her pockets, looking around. She hummed. "Alright. Got it. I'm sorry, I'll mind myself about that", she told him with a smile. "Other things I should know before you decide to revert to Mister-Grumpy-cheeks?", she grinned, teasing.

Carleen smiled back at him, and gently lead his face down so that she could finally kiss him, hoping he would relax a bit.

Valdyr snorted. "Well. I hate it when you call yourself an asshole, so if you could stop that, that'd be great."

Horknath closed his eyes, effectively relaxing quite a bit in the kiss. He rested both of his hands on her hips now, gently pushing her a bit further to feel her against his body.

Serah laughed. "Eh, I'll try my best. Even if I don't get what is the big deal about it." She grinned mischeviously at him. "Nothing else? Be careful, I have other things to pick at you~"

Carleen kept on kissing him for a while, trying to adapt a bit since, well, she didn't often kiss people who had big teeth coming out of their mouth. But since she felt Horknath relax, she took the opportunity to run her hands on his torso, then on his back, leading them down until she could squeeze his ass.

Valdyr arched a brow. "Like what, exactly?" Well, at least he seemed way less defensive about it!

Horknath was very considerate with her - she was smaller than him after all. He kissed her gently, softly, mindful of his tusks. How did he manage not to let out an unmanly yelp when he felt her hands on his ass, he didn't know. He just grunted, deciding to scoop her up in his arms.

Serah's grin widened as she bent slightly towards him. "For example...", she chanted, keeping the suspence for a while. "... is there a place on your body where you don't resemble a bear?"