Public Site |
::the morning is sunny and warmer, although the wind coming off the bay is still chilly. Taliesin, dressed in comfortable riding clothes, wears a dark green long coat over his outfit as he walks up to the orphanage. Behind him, one of his servants holds the reins to two fine riding horses:: * Meghan is standing her living room flipping through a book. She dressed for riding and wearing a dark blue cloak as well. Her hair is braided back and tied with a blue ribbon. * Taliesin raps a few times on the door. * Meghan looks up and then sets the book aside. She goes to the door and opens it, a smile brightening her face. "Well hello there." * Taliesin bows to her. "Good morning, dear Meg. Fancy meeting you here... perhaps, if you've nothing more pressing to do, you'd consent to join me for a ride, and a bit of a lunch?" <Meghan> ::nods:: Sounds lovely. I just happen to be free for the whole day. ::She winks to him as she steps out and closes the door behind her:: * Taliesin gestures to the horses. "I had hopes that you'd find some compassion in your heart for me... so besieged as I am by more tedious obligations. Should you like to ride the mare? She's a gentle creature, named Amber." The mare in question is a pale yellow animal with white socks and a blaze down her nose. * Meghan nods and steps up to the horse and strokes her nose gently. She gives a bit of a smile to the servant and nods to Trey. "She is beautiful. I think we will get along very well." <Taliesin> ::smiles:: And this old fellow here is called by the rather uninspiring name of Prance, but he seems reasonable enough ::the gelding is a dark grey appaloosa with white speckles on his backside:: <Meghan> ::grins:: He is lovely as well ::She reaches and lightly strokes the other horse:: I have not been riding in a long time. <Taliesin> ::Prance snorts at Meghan, nuzzling at her with his long nose:: Well, we'll take it slowly... ::offers Meghan a leg up:: * Meghan nods and swings up into Amber's saddle. She takes the reins that the servant offers her and takes a practice step. Her face brightens more and she looks to Trey with a grin. * Taliesin pulls himself into Prance's saddle, and clucks reassuringly to the gelding. "Shall we, then?" He directs his horse towards the outskirts of Marsember. "I have found a lovely place to have a bit of lunch." <Meghan> Sounds great ::Meg turns Amber and moves her up beside Prance. She smiles to Trey:: I leave myself in your capable hands. * Taliesin leads her out of town at a walk. When they pass through the gates, he turns to her. "Would you care for a bit of a lope? Just to work out their muscles a bit?" * Meghan nods "Sounds perfect." * Taliesin nudges Prance into a canter, and the two of them dart across the rolling hills towards the woods. Taliesin clamps one hand down on his hat to hold it in place and grins at Meghan like a boy. * Meghan grins back, staying beside Trey as they head across the hills. She pulls Amber to a stop just short of the woods and brushes a lock of hair back from her flushed face. "Oh we must do that again." * Taliesin nudges his horse closer to Meghan's and leans across to kiss her briefly. "Anything to make you smile, dear." * Meghan grins and touches his cheek lightly before turning and heading back the way they came, Amber quickly moving from a trot to a run. * Taliesin snorts, shaking his head, then touches Prance's sides with his heels, driving the gelding across the field after her. * Meghan pulls Amber to a stop just at the top of a hill and leans down to stroke the horses neck. She smiling like a kid in a toy store. * Taliesin grins at her. "Thought about a career as a jockey, my dear?" * Meghan grins and shakes her head a bit, leaning back in her saddle. "Nah. I'm not small enough." She laughs. * Taliesin jerks his chin and indicates a trail off to one side. "Tell me, what have you been keeping yourself busy with these last days?" He sets Prance on the trail, waiting for her. * Meghan turns Amber to follow him and shrugs a bit. "Mostly the same. Keeping up the orphanage and Abby. It's a full time and plus some job." <Taliesin> I can only imagine... ::the woods are just starting to turn green and growing again. A few pale blue early flowers grow in low bunches near the sides of the trail:: * Meghan smiles and takes a deep breath. "Mmm I love this time of year." <Taliesin> ::nods:: I've always been partial to spring... especially after a long winter. <Meghan> Everything is bright green. Spring flowers. Warm evenings. Spring love. ::She chuckles and takes another deep breath:: A very special kind of newness. * Taliesin nods. "And there's a sense of freedom that comes with warmer weather... I sometimes feel I could just... do anything." He laughs a little at himself. <Meghan> ::she grins and looks to him:: Like what? <Taliesin> ::laughs again:: Whatever I'd like... Although, admittedly, my attempts at painting landscapes are rather comical... ::he winks at her:: * Meghan giggles <Taliesin> ::he leads her deeper into the woods. The landscape surrounding them is thick with undergrowth, although a thin path of sorts snakes its way through the bushes:: * Meghan watches the woods as they make their way through. As the path gets more narrow she moves Amber slightly behind Prance and Trey. "So where is this picnic place?" <Taliesin> ::smiles:: It's just ahead here... ::they pass through a thicket, tangled with raspberry bushes not yet in bloom:: In late summer, this is going to be just a lovely place... ::through the thicket, stone walls covered with ivy, can be seen:: * Meghan nods and continues to follow him. "You have found quite the secret spot here." <Taliesin> Quite by accident, I assure you. ::he rolled his eyes extravagantly as they exited the thicket. The ruins of what once must have been a small keep stand just behind the trees:: Lady Priscilla insisted on bringing her annoying little pet poodle with her on an outing a few weeks past, and the wretched little thing ran away. I felt obliged to go find it. If nothing else, finding it was easier on my nerves than all the hand wringing and sobbing. * Meghan chuckled and swung down from Amber, taking the reins in her hand and walking a bit. "How very kind of you." <Taliesin> ::a small clearing surrounds the keep, the grass lush and green. A small hummock, covered with small white flowers, dominates the area just to one side of the rusted portcullis:: That's me, my dear.... ::he winks sardonically:: * Meghan laughs and lets her eyes glide over the area. "Oh it really is beautiful here." * Taliesin dismounts. "I thought so..." He removes the bits from the horses bridles and pickets the two near some green, leafy bushes. He gets a fat saddlebag and moves over to the hummock. * Meghan wanders around a bit, looking over the clearing as Trey sets up the picnic. * Taliesin removes a linen blanket and spreads it just below the hummock. He takes out a bottle of wine, two goblets, a loaf of dark brown bread, some cold roasted duck, a wheel of sharp cheese, and a thick-crusted pie made from fresh spring strawberries. * Meghan glances over and heads back in the direction of lunch. "This looks good." She settles onto the blanket. * Taliesin makes two plates of food and hands one to Meghan with a glass of sparkling white wine. "Thank you. Would that I could take credit for it myself, but only in conception. I'm not much of a cook." * Meghan nods as she takes the plate. "Well be sure to pass my thanks along to your kitchen staff." <Taliesin> I'll do that... I'm sure Mistress Natalie will be beside herself. She's very, very enthusiastic. * Meghan chuckles and takes a sip of the wine before beginning in on the lunch. She is mostly quiet as she eats, looking very pleasantly content. * Taliesin makes a bit of sandwich from his bread, cheese and roast duck. "The keep here has been abandoned for about seventy years, I found. I did some research." He makes a face. "You would not believe the condition that the city's records are in. Or, perhaps you would..." * Meghan nods. "Only slightly, and more to do with the population records. But yes I have some idea. Tell me more about the keep." <Taliesin> It belonged to an adventurer, a warrior named Zhusan... he built it with the wealth he'd accumulated during his travels. * Meghan nodded looking interested. "What ever happened to him?" <Taliesin> ::shrugs:: Rather anticlimactically, perhaps... he died. He had left his possessions to a fellow adventurer, but the city was unable to locate the individual... About fifty years ago or so, they tried to auction it off, but no one was interested in buying it, so it's just sort of fallen down. <Meghan> That's to bad. ::She glances around:: It's a beautiful spot. I bet it was a beautiful keep. * Taliesin picks one of the white flowers and tucks it behind Meghan's ear. "It still is..." He smiles. "And I imagine that Zhusan was happy while he was here." * Meghan smiles and leaned close, brushing a kiss across his cheek. "Thank you for bringing me here," she whispered. * Taliesin looks pleased. "You're welcome, Meg. I'm glad you like it." * Meghan nods and continues eating her lunch, popping the last few bites into her mouth and then drinking the last of the wine in her glass. * Taliesin looks at her. "Would you like to look around the keep first, and have a bit of pie after lunch has settled?" * Meghan nods. "That sounds lovely." * Taliesin stands up and offers Meghan his hand. * Meghan reaches for his hand and stands. "So tell me what else you know about this place." <Taliesin> ::leads her to the portcullis. The rusty grate is about half open.:: Duck here, my dear, you don't want to get scratched. * Meghan nods and ducks where indicated. <Taliesin> I was *told* that he used to have some very decadent parties... as only a warrior home from adventuring can afford. <Meghan> ::nods:: I can only imagine. It would be very interesting to see this place the way it used to be. <Taliesin> ::smiles:: Perhaps... ::he leads her through the open courtyard, thick with apple trees:: <Meghan> Oh we must come back here in the summer. Abby can go apple picking for the first time. <Taliesin> ::laughs:: I used to like to pick apples as a boy. My sister had a wonderful way to prepare them over a bonfire. We used to sit out and eat baked apples and watch the fireflies. <Meghan> That sounds lovely. We should do that as well. ::She glances to him:: If you are still here in the summer of course. * Taliesin shrugs. "I can't say, dear. My father's been pretty adamant about my being gone for some time, but I don't know when I'll get a letter telling me to go home." * Meghan nods and lets her gaze wander. <Taliesin> ::a grand reception hall is on the far side of the courtyard. Tattered banners hang from the walls and several suits of armor rest on stands, green with verdigris:: * Meghan moves to where a suit of armor stood. She brushes at it with one hand. "I am surprised there are still here." <Taliesin> I imagine that the city kept looters away for several years and then people forgot about it. There are some nice tapestries in the upstairs hallways. <Meghan> Still. I wonder why they just left everything here. I mean why not try and sell it or whatever. <Taliesin> ::shrugs:: I don't know. Maybe they thought Zhusan's heir might come to claim it. <Meghan> ::nods:: Maybe. ::She turned back to him and smiled:: It's an interesting mystery. * Taliesin leads her through the small keep, showing off some of less depreciated items. One room, with few windows, is almost completely intact, except for some mouse-nibbled cloth. * Meghan runs her hand over a small dresser in the room, even more intrigued by the man that used to own the place so long ago. * Taliesin picks up a small jade statue of a leaping panther. "This is lovely." * Meghan glances over and nods, moving over to him. "It is really nice." <Taliesin> ::laughs a little nervously:: But I think I'll leave it here... * Meghan raises an eyebrow at him. "Were you thinking of taking it?" <Taliesin> ::shakes his head:: Not especially, no... but you must admit, there is the temptation... ::he winks at her:: Perhaps the keep could be restored, for people to visit? <Meghan> Oh that is a wonderful idea. Like a museum. * Taliesin looks speculative. "Perhaps..." * Meghan grins and pats his arm. "I bet you could do it if you wanted to." She then turns and wanders off a bit. * Taliesin walks with her, exploring a bit more. <Meghan> ::They eventually end up back at the picnic and Meg settle back onto the blanket:: Well I don't know about you but I could eat a piece of pie. ::She grins:: * Taliesin cuts her a generous slice. "Here you are, dear." He cuts one for himself as well. "More wine?" * Meghan nods "Yes please" * Taliesin refills the wine glasses. * Meghan sips the wine and slowly eats the pie, savoring every moment. * Taliesin spends more time watching Meghan eat, not entirely paying attention to his own plate. * Meghan glances to him and smiles. "You don't like the pie?" * Taliesin takes a hasty bite. "Oh, no... but you're... very beautiful." * Meghan smiles and flushes just slightly. She looks down, not exactly sure how to respond. * Taliesin touches the back of her wrist lightly. "You are, you know that..." * Meghan looks to him again and smiles softly. "Thank you." <Taliesin> You're most welcome... ::he makes a heroic effort to finish his pie:: * Meghan watches him for a moment, looking thoughtful. After a few moments she finishes the last of her pie. * Taliesin packs up the dishes after they've finished and stretches out on the blanket, looking up into the blue sky. * Meghan leans back as well, resting on her elbows. She lifts her gaze to the sky and after a moment closes her eyes. * Taliesin rather casually puts an arm around Meghan's shoulders, drawing her down to lay next to him. "It's a lovely day... I'm glad you're here to share it with." * Meghan relaxes back, resting her head against his shoulder. "I am glad you invited me." |
|
|